Showing posts with label United States Congress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label United States Congress. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Barney throws down!

November 18, 2014 Barney Frank , Boston Herald 0 Comments
‘Ugly’ Scene With Cranky Barney Frank

Gayle Fee, Nov. 13, 2014, Boston Herald

It’s been more than three years since the state Legislature redrew his congressional district, forcing ex-U.S. Rep. Barney Frank into early retirement, but the cranky liberal war horse just can’t let it go.

Case in point: The Massachusetts Humanities Council’s 40th anniversary gala at the JFK Library the other night. Frank was seated at the same table as incoming state Senate prez Stanley Rosenberg, who happened to be the point man for the Senate on redistricting, and Barney wasted no time in letting Stan have it!

“He didn’t say hello, how are you, congratulations, nothing. He just started screaming at him,” said Someone Who Was There. “It was very ugly.”

Read more: www.bostonherald.com


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GOP congress more popular than Obama?!

November 18, 2014 Andrew Dugan , Democrats 0 Comments
Democratic Party Favorable Rating Falls To Record Low

Andrew Dugan, Nov. 12, 2014, Gallup

After the midterm elections that saw the Democratic Party suffer significant losses in Congress, a record-low 36% of Americans say they have a favorable opinion of the party, down six percentage points from before the elections. The Republican Party's favorable rating, at 42%, is essentially unchanged from 40%. This marks the first time since September 2011 that the Republican Party has had a higher favorability rating than the Democratic Party. 

These results come from a Nov. 6-9 Gallup poll, conducted after Republicans enjoyed a breathtaking sweep of important contests throughout the country in this year's midterms. The party gained control of the Senate and will likely capture its largest House majority in nearly a century. Additionally, the GOP now controls 31 governorships and two-thirds of state legislative chambers.

Read more: www.gallup.com


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Thursday, November 13, 2014

More often than they tell us

November 13, 2014 Secret Service , Security 0 Comments
Secret Service Discloses 40 Barrier-Jumping Incidents

Susan Crabtree, Nov. 10, 2014, Washington Examiner

The Secret Service on Friday provided a thorough accounting to Congress about the number of security breaches over the last five years at the White House complex and the circumstances surrounding them.

The documents highlight the difficulty of protecting the sprawling White House compound from mentally ill individuals determined to breach security.

Ten separate instances involve someone scaling the fixed security fencing surrounding the White House complex to access a restricted area without authorization.

Read more: www.washingtonexaminer.com

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Ralph Nader lives!

November 13, 2014 ACLU , Corruption 0 Comments
Elizabeth Warren Tells Hollywood: 'The Game Is Rigged in Congress'

Tina Daunt, Nov. 9, 2014, The Hollywood Reporter

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, regarded by many progressive Democrats as their party's alternative to Hillary Clinton, told attendees at an ACLU gala in Beverly Hills on Sunday that "economic opportunity is slipping further and further out of reach" for average Americans.

She said bluntly: "We have to face it: The game is rigged in Congress."

Using the inability to raise the minimum wage nationally, Warren said: "We face a basic question in this country: Who does this government work for? Is government to advance the interests of the rich and the powerful? Does government exercise its power only for those who can hire armies of lobbyists and lawyers? Is it there only to strengthen the strong and enrich the wealthy? Or does government work for all of us?"

Read more: www.hollywoodreporter.com

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Friday, November 7, 2014

Saira Blair: Youngest Ever Elected, A Republican, Is Pro-Gun --Even better!

November 07, 2014 Mid-Term Elections 2014 , Saira Blair 0 Comments

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Great interview, Mia!

November 07, 2014 CNN , Jason Howerton 0 Comments
Mia Love On CNN: Hosts Try To Make Win About Race--Mia Not Having It

Jason Howerton, Nov. 5, 2014, The Blaze

Conservative candidate Mia Love made history on Tuesday by becoming the first black female Republican elected to Congress. While it’s a major milestone, Love hit back against suggestions that her election victory was the result of her race or gender during a Wednesday CNN appearance.

CNN host John Berman asked Love a seemingly back-handed question aimed at Republicans regarding why it took so long for the party to elect a black woman. Love was clear that her campaign and victory had “nothing to do with race.”

Read more: www.theblaze.com

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Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Democrat, right?

October 29, 2014 Bizpacreview.com , EBT 0 Comments
Wife of Alan Grayson, Named 17th Richest In Congress, Receiving Food Stamps To Feed His Kids

By Tom Tillison, Oct. 29, 2014, BizPacReview.com

Not that the timing makes it any more egregious, but six days after being named the 17th richest member of Congress, it’s being reported that U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson‘s estranged wife has been issued an EBT card to help feed his children.

Lolita Grayson was approved for public assistance by the state of Florida, and their four minor children — they have five children altogether — are also enrolled in the free lunch program in Orange County schools, according to ABC affiliate WFTV.

The stay-at-home mom was asked if she ever thought she’d be on food stamps.

“No,” Lolita responded. “Never, because my husband, he’s been the sole provider for me for the last 29 years.”

In filing for public assistance, Lolita said her monthly income consisted of $592 per child.

Grayons’ attorney attributed her actions to politics the week before an election, telling WFTV his client pays about $10,000 a month for the mortgage, utilities and phone bill for the home.

“This is abusing the public,” attorney Mark Nejame said. “She’s going out and asking for support because she can’t support herself on $120,000? That’s outrageous.”

Married to the bombastic congressman for 24 years, she filed for divorce early this year and it didn’t take long for things to get messy. There was a physical altercation at their home a short time later — she accused Grayson of battering her and he countered by saying she hit him. He would later charge his wife with bigamy while filing for an annulment of their 24-year marriage.

The Democratic lawmaker, a former trial lawyer, is not paying spousal support because he says the marriage was never valid because of the bigamy charge, WFTV reported.

Read the full story:  www.bizpacreview.com

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Economy, economy, economy

October 29, 2014 Alex Isenstadt , Democrats 0 Comments
House Dems Fret Debilitating Losses

Photo via Flickr
Alex Isenstadt, Oct. 28, 2014, Politico.com

Operatives from both parties expect Republicans to net five to 10 seats, which would give them some cushion heading into what’s expected to be a much more challenging 2016. Some Republicans, trying to tamp down rising expectations of even bigger gains, point out that a recently-redistricted congressional map has dramatically narrowed the playing field of competitive districts and limited potential pick-ups.

Still, as the election heads into the final week, it’s clear that the landscape is tilting against Democrats. Of the 30 House races seen as most likely to change hands, 23 are held by Democrats.

Read more: www.politico.com

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Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Usually voters like their own rep

September 17, 2014 Alexei Koseff , California 0 Comments
Californians Increasingly Dissatisfied With Their Own Congress Member

By Alexei Koseff, Sept. 15, 2014, Sacbee.com

As voters across the country have for years, Californians harbor an overwhelmingly negative view of Congress. But a new Field Poll reveals that voters have also begun to sour on their own House representatives, who were largely buttressed against Congress’ dismal approval ratings until now.

Three-quarters of California voters disapprove of Congress’ job performance, compared to only 13 percent who approve, according to the latest poll, a low mark that has stayed fairly consistent since early 2010.

However, voters’ opinions of their own representative have dropped dramatically this year, to 36 percent approval and 40 percent disapproval. That’s a sharp 15-point swing from April, when 44 percent of voters approved of their representative and 33 percent disapproved.

Sinking popularity could spell trouble for several California Democrats who are facing tough re-election battles this fall. Christopher Cadelago has more on those races in today’s paper.

Here are the statistical tabulations prepared exclusively for Capitol Alert, as well as the publicly released results from the poll.

Read the full story:  www.sacbee.com

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Monday, September 15, 2014

When W. went to Congress, McDermott was STILL "insulted"

September 15, 2014 Breitbart TV , Congressman Jim McDermott 0 Comments
McDermott Insulted By Obama Bypassing Congress

Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA)
Source:  Flicker
By Breitbart TV, Sept. 10, 2014, Breitbart.com

Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA) slammed President Obama for saying he had the authority to authorize military action against ISIS but welcomed “support” from Congress during his speech on ISIS on MSNBC on Wednesday.

“I was insulted by it. He needs our support” McDermott said. And “George Bush proved you could pretty much do what you want...but if you do it without the support of the Congress, then you get blamed for it, and the president would be very, it would be very reckless in my view for him to go in and start doing all this without getting a vote from the Congress. To say ‘I already have the authority and I would be glad to have you guys come along’ is really kind of condescending.”

Representative John Garamendi (D-CA) added “I don't think he has a choice but to have a vote. There is the thing called the Constitution. It says it is Congress that authorizes war. It's very clear.

Read the full story:  www.breitbart.com

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Sunday, September 14, 2014

Understatement

September 14, 2014 CNN , Democrats 0 Comments
Carney:  "There's No Outcome In November That Anyone Could Say Would Be Great For Democrats"

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Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Angry America=angry Congress

September 03, 2014 Daily Beast , ISIS 0 Comments
After Steven Sotloff Murder, Congress Demands A Vote on Obama’s ISIS War

Sept. 2, 2014, Thedailybeast.com

In the wake of ISIS’s latest alleged killing of an American journalist, leading lawmakers from both parties are calling for a bigger role in the U.S. war against the terrorist group.

Leading lawmakers in charge of foreign policy reacted Tuesday to the reported beheading of American journalist Steven Sotloff by increasing their calls for more congressional involvement and oversight of President Obama’s war on ISIS.

The latest apparent ISIS atrocity against an American citizen added to the congressional anger at the Obama administration for what many critics call an incomplete and unclear plan to confront the group both in Iraq and Syria, following President Obama’s admission last week that “We don’t have a strategy yet” for dealing with ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The two leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said Tuesday that they want to lead the charge for more congressional oversight by holding hearings and forcing a vote on Obama’s ISIS war within 60 days of the commencement of airstrikes in Iraq last month.

“The beheading of poor Mr. Sotloff really just brings back that we are dealing with a dangerous adversary…Congress needs to play a vital role and we are determined that the House Foreign Affairs Committee will lead the way,” said Rep. Eliot Engel, ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “We believe that before the president can continue beyond 60 days of doing airstrikes in Iraq or anyplace else, he would have to come to Congress and get Congress’s authority to continue.”

Engel and the committee’s chairman, Rep. Ed Royce, spoke to reporters via conference call from Israel on Tuesday. Royce said Secretary of State John Kerry, who will travel to the region this week, must come before Congress and present a strategy for defeating ISIS and put it up for a vote by the beginning of next month.

Read the full story:  www.theblaze.com

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Saturday, June 28, 2014

Obama Mocks Congress One Day After SCOTUS Rebuke --Take your Constitution and stick it...

June 28, 2014 House Speaker John Boehner , President Barack Obama 1 Comments
United States Supreme Court
By Rob Garver, Jun. 27, 2014, Finance.yahoo.com

In a combative speech Friday morning, President Obama made clear that a rebuke from the Supreme Court this week was not going to stop him from trying to work around a gridlocked Congress as he tries to implement his agenda.

He even took a moment to indirectly mock House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), who this week threatened to sue Obama over his use of executive orders to enact policy changes.

Related: Tipping Point – America’s Government Is Now Broken

The remarks on Friday were especially significant, coming as they did just a day after the Supreme Court ruled that Obama had violated the Constitution by appointing members to the National Labor Relations Board during a three-day congressional recess. In his remarks, the president made clear he is not only unrepentant about his use of executive orders – he’s prepared to keep moving in the same direction.

“I’m not going to let gridlock, and inaction, and willful indifference, and greed, threaten the hard work of families like yours,” the president told a supportive crowd on the shore of Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. “We can’t afford to wait for Congress right now. That’s why I’m going ahead and moving without them wherever I can.”

Rattling off a series of executive orders, including an increase in the minimum wage for federal contractors, a cap on student loan payments, and more, he contrasted the White House’s action with the relative inaction of the legislative branch.

Related: Boehner v. Obama Case Might Never Get to Court

“Now Republicans are mad at me for taking these actions. They’re not doing anything, and then they’re mad that I’m doing something,” Obama said. “I’m not sure which of the things I’ve done they find the most offensive, but they’ve decided they’re going to sue me for doing my job.”

Read the full story:  www.finance.yahoo.com

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Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Congress Not Among Top 90 To Learn Of Bergdahl Trade --Not exactly top secret

June 10, 2014 Hostage Exchange , Obama Administration 0 Comments
By Bob Unruh, Jun. 10, 2014, Wnd.com

Members of Congress on Monday learned they were not among the top 90 people to be told of the deal President Obama cut with terrorists for the release of five top Taliban commanders at Guantanamo Bay in exchange for a U.S. soldier.

And they now have a few questions about that.

Congress held a behind-closed-doors hearing on the deal for Bergdahl. Some of the details presented were classified, others not.

 Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., told WND: “Today my colleagues and I were informed that as many as 80 to 90 Obama administration officials were aware of the plan to exchange Sgt. Bergdahl for five dangerous terrorists before a single member of Congress was informed.”

 Meadows said it is “wholly unacceptable that President Obama knowingly chose to completely bypass Congress.”

 The congressman said his question for the White House now is: “How many Qatar officials knew about the deal before a single member of Congress was made aware?”

 WND has reported the strong criticism of Obama’s decision to go ahead with the terrorists-for-soldier swap.

 For example, a commentary by WND CEO Joseph Farah on Monday points out that Obama’s decision “to trade five battle-hardened Taliban commanders, directly responsible for the deaths of thousands, for deserter-collaborator Bowe Bergdahl was unanimously rejected by both houses of Congress, including the Democrat-controlled Senate, when the proposal was brought to Congress in 2011 and 2013.”

Read the full story:  www.wnd.com

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Thursday, May 8, 2014

In Showdown With Lerner, House Imprisonment Not Out of the Question --Stonewalling continues

May 08, 2014 House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform , IRS Scandal 0 Comments
Lois G. Lerner
Credit:  Reuters
By Katy O'Donnell, Apr. 29, 2014, Cdn.rollcall.com

Former tax official Lois Lerner’s confrontation with Congress over a potential contempt citation may get emphatically more dramatic, depending on how far back into congressional history House Republicans want to reach.

Deep in the recesses of congressional power — and in precedent stretching back to the 18th century — is the ability to pursue “inherent contempt” against individuals, including the right to imprison a person in the Capitol to compel compliance with lawmakers’ authority.

Congress hasn’t exercised inherent contempt power since 1935 and there’s no suggestion that lawmakers are actively considering the option in Lerner’s case.

But House attorneys, and lawyers for the former Internal Revenue Service official, are looking at the potential legal paths as House leaders consider first whether to take a contempt citation to the floor and, if it passes, whether the Justice Department will pursue prosecution.

WATCH VIDEO: House Contempt Vote

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform voted on party lines to recommend the full House hold Lerner in contempt and refer her to the Justice Department for refusing to testify before the committee on allegations of political targeting at the IRS of conservative political groups seeking tax-exempt status. The GOP members said Lerner, who resigned from the IRS last year under fire for her role as the head of the office at the heart of the controversy, waived her Fifth Amendment privilege by delivering an opening statement declaring her innocence before the panel last year.

Her attorney, Bill Taylor of Zuckerman Spaeder, on Monday wrote to House Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio and Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia asking that Lerner have an “opportunity to present to the House” the reasons why it shouldn’t hold her in contempt.

Cantor suggested this week that a vote on whether to recommend a contempt prosecution against Lerner would likely come in May.

Read the full story:  www.cdn.rollcall.com


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Sunday, May 4, 2014

California Congresswoman Barbara Lee Wants A $26 Min Wage In Her State --The stupidity is STUNNING

May 04, 2014 Barbara Lee , Brendan Bordelon 0 Comments
By Brendan Bordelon, May 2, 2014, Newsbusters.org

California Democratic congresswoman Barbara Lee expressed support for a $26 minimum wage in her state — a move Republican congressman Andy Harris encouraged, assuming jobs would rapidly flee California to his state of Maryland.

Lee and Harris appeared Friday on CNN’s “Crossfire,” hosted by former Obama advisor Van Jones and former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. The panel discussed the proposed increase in the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour.

“Let me ask you this question, you’re a good advocate for this,” Gingrich asked Lee. “The mayor of Seattle is proposing that the minimum wage ought to go up to $15 an hour.”

“Good for him,” Lee responded. “In California — more than likely, from what I remembered — a living wage where people could live and take care of their families and move toward achieving the American dream was about $25, $26 an hour.”

“So would you support that as a minimum wage for California?” Gingrich asked.

“Absolutely I would support it for California. I think the regional factors –”

“And you don’t think that’d have an effect on unemployment?” Gingrich interrupted.

“No, Newt, trust me, believe you me,” Lee replied, “you’d have a more productive workforce, you’d have people who could afford to live in areas now where they cannot afford to live. You would increase diversity in certain communities where you don’t have diversity anymore. You would have economic parity and the income gap would begin to close.”

Read the full story:  www.dailycaller.com

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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Balanced Budget Convention Gains Steam--Congressman Calls For Official Evaluation -- After BB, spending cap essential

April 02, 2014 Budget , California 0 Comments
By Stephan Dinan, Apr. 1, 2014, The Washington Times
Rep. Duncan Hunter on Tuesday asked Congress to evaluate whether enough states have officially called for a constitutional convention to propose a balanced budget amendment — marking the next step toward what could be an historic gathering.

Mr. Hunter, California Republican, said Congress should take stock of where things stand after Michigan last week approved an official call for a balanced budget amendment convention. According to some analysts, Michigan’s move makes it the 34th state to request a convention.

The final decision is up to Congress.

“It is my belief that the House should lead an effort to ascertain whether 34 states have voted affirmatively,” Mr. Hunter said in a letter to House Speaker John A. Boehner.

“A balanced budget amendment is long overdue and remains an effective tool to address runaway spending and deficits,” he wrote. “With the recent decision by Michigan lawmakers, it is important that the House — and those of us who support a balanced budget amendment — determine whether the necessary number of states have acted and the appropriate role of Congress should this be the case.” 

Read the full story:  www.washingtontimes.com


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Monday, March 31, 2014

Never Forget, Obamacare Is Just A Step Toward Single-Payer!

March 31, 2014 Articles by Larry Elder , DNC 0 Comments
By Larry Elder, Mar. 31, 2014 

 What would we have said, just a few years ago, had someone predicted, “Congress will pass, and Supreme Court will uphold, a law requiring practically every American man, woman and child to purchase a product -- whether he or she wants it?”

Actually, anyone who claims “hardship” -- or that the application is “in the pipeline” -- can have the deadline extended.  Since this is done on the honor system, the deadlines aren’t really deadlines.

Now none of this truly matters to Obamacare’s health-care-is-a-right proponents.  Only a few months ago, Harry Reid admitted that Obamacare is “absolutely” just a step toward a single-payer system.  

 FORBES:  Sen. Harry Reid: Obamacare 'Absolutely' A StepToward A Single-Payer System

Former DNC Chair Howard Dean, also a proponent of single payer, said taxes will have to go up -- on everybody -- to pay for it and for deficit reduction:  “The only problem is -- and this is initially going to seem like heresy from a progressive  -- the truth is everybody needs to pay more taxes, not just the rich. That’s a good start. But we're not going to get out of this deficit problem unless we raise taxes across the board, to go back to what Bill Clinton had and his taxes. And if we don't do that, the problem is the pressure is going to be on spending even more.”

Source:   www.realclearpolitics.com

Even scarier is the silence from the left on the numerous unilateral changes and postponements to Obamacare -- all done by administrative fiat.  Obama-supporting leftwing professor Jonathan Turley warns that Obama’s actions violate separation of powers, placing the country at a “constitutional tipping point.”


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Sunday, March 30, 2014

Fire In The Hole! Anti-Obamacare + 2nd Amendment = Clever Political Ad

March 30, 2014 Alabama , Candidate 0 Comments


By Stephanie Condon, Mar. 30, 2014, CBS News
Ahead of the midterm elections, Republicans are still calling for the law's repeal -- some more bluntly than others. Republican Will Brooke, who's running to replace retiring Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., released a campaign video last week in which he literally shoots through a printed-out copy of the Affordable Care Act. His bullets, however, can't fully penetrate the lengthy law.

 Read the full story:  www.cbsnews.com
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Friday, March 28, 2014

"Paul Ryan 'Racist' Interview--You be the Judge" --Will white conservatives stop apologizing for telling the truth?

March 28, 2014 House Budget Committee Chairman , Paul Ryan 1 Comments
By Tom Curry, Jul. 25, 2013, NBC News

The War on Poverty, which President Lyndon Johnson declared nearly 50 years ago, has “failed miserably,” House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan said Thursday -- and he wants to figure out what approaches would work to get Americans out of poverty.
“When I look at the money spent, when I look at the programs created, when I look at the miserable outcomes and the high poverty rates, as a policy maker, (I say) ‘We can do better than this and we need to figure out how.’”
Ryan said he and his party must “launch an effort with open minds and open hearts on how best to attack the root cause of poverty” and “restore upward mobility in America.
The Republican vice presidential candidate in 2012 and a potential GOP presidential contender in 2016, Ryan will hold a Budget Committee hearing next week to assess anti-poverty programs.

“Next year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the War on Poverty. We’ve spent approximately $15 trillion and the question we ought to be asking ourselves is, ‘where are we?’ With a 15 percent poverty rate today -- the highest in a generation -- and with 46 million people in poverty, I would argue it’s not working very well.”


Read the full story:  www.nbcnews.com

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