Rep. Obey Balances Preferences

This article describes how Dave Obey (D-WI 7th) crafted an Iraq War appropriations bills that approximated the median floor preference enough to pass the House. The bill provisionally allocates almost all of the funding sought by the Bush Administration, except it withholds most of that funding until after the release of a review of benchmarks this July. The bill is likely to be modified in a conference committee to match its provisions with those of the most similar Senate bill that passes, if a similar measure does come to pass there. A notable dimension in negotiating a passable bill is the difference between merely having benchmarks that might or might no be attainable and having a timetable with definitive dates; this article states that Bush supports the former, likely due to not being as time-bound as the latter.

STUDY BUDDY GROUP?

A bunch of us are getting together to study for this mofo, not sure when but more than likely either sunday or tuesday night sometime, and personally i will probably be going over stuff wednesday early morning as well. If you want in on this study session, snacks and beverages may be provided....send me an email (dmweigel@uwm.edu) or reply on the blog......

New hope for border control legislation

Bipartisan support is key in the promotion of new legislation on border control. Members of both the House and the Senate are trying to work together on this issue and would like the President to be involved. Across the aisle negotiations are going to be important to the success of any agreements on this issue. Some Republicans are already expressing disliking the bill.

War Funding Part MDCVIXX

The controversy over the Iraq war funding drags on... and on... and on. The democrats only want to fund the operations through July, whilst the Administration wants funding to September. The whole thing seems like posturing to say the least, as what is the difference of two months? Sure, most will agree that there needs to be more accountability in the whole scheme of things, but still this is a bit superfluous. How about just a continuing resolution to fund for six months and let it go at that?

Pelosi....being silly since the 110th congress..(at least)

Pelosi is now threatening to sue president Bush over the Iraq War spending bill.


Pelosi recently told a group of liberal bloggers, “We can take the president to court” if he issues a signing statement, according to Kid Oakland, a blogger who covered Pelosi’s remarks for the liberal website dailykos.com.

“The president has made excessive use of signing statements and Congress is considering ways to respond to this executive-branch overreaching,” a spokesman for Pelosi, Nadeam Elshami, said. “Whether through the oversight or appropriations process or by enacting new legislation, the Democratic Congress will challenge the president’s non-enforcement of the laws.”

Obama only off by 9,988 deaths....

In a campaign speech, Obama got caught up and said that the Kansas tornados have left 10,000 people dead, when in reality the number was 12.

"In case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died—an entire town destroyed," the Democratic presidential candidate said in a speech to 500 people packed into a sweltering Richmond art studio for a fundraiser.

Later in the speech realizing what he had said, he explained to the people that he would get tired and misconvey what he meant to say. I think all in all it was a good save, but either way ...being in this much spotlight..your bound to get burned....more more and in the months to come.

Virginia Tightens Rules on PACs Formed by Out-of-State Politicians

Here is a topic that many of us talked about in our presentations: campaign funding by PACS. Virginia is proposing new legislation that will stop out of state politicians from getting unlimited funding from the commonwealth since there is no restrictions on how much money can be donated. Virginia is one of 13 states that have no previous legislation on this issue. This will definately have an affect on campaign financing and I definately support this new legislation. I think some campaign financing has gotten out of control due to minimal restrictions.

Thompson offers another apology

Tommy Thompson, former governor of WI and Republican presidential hopeful, has yet again used discrimatory language and offended a minority group. First it was Jewish people when he claimed that making money was part of an "old jewish tradition." Three weeks later he announced in a Republican debate that it should be up to employers to decide if they want to fire someone for being gay. The first insult he blamed on not thinking clearly and the second he blamed on his hearing. While Thompson is partially deaf in one ear when I read the transcript and how the question was worded I had a hard time believing that hearing caused the problem. I don't think Thompson was a forerunner for the nomination anyway but these remarks are definetely not going to help his campaign.

Flowers: Legitimate Campaign Expenditure?

As spring is bringing out the leaves on the trees and mother's day approaches, people are beginning to think flowers. However, are flowers an appropriate campaign expenditure? Two Representatives spent over $10,000 on mother's day flowers the past couple of years. All federal campaigns have spent over $700,000 on flowers since 2005. Yikes! I mean, is that what donors pay for? Move over yard signs, bumper stickers, and literature; flowers are the future.

Beyond Pork

This article describes how Bush is using tax revenues to hold an extravagant reception for Queen Elizabeth. According to sources, Laura Bush has claimed responsibility for notching up the formality a few levels. To top it off, Britain will hold a similar reception for George and Laura when they visit later this week. How irresponsible to hold five-course meals on gold dinnerware with tax revenues! Bush and QE better hatch some damn good foreign policy to justify that overpriced rendezvous. The median vote theorem states that both Bush and QE will hold fancy dinners for each other because both decision makers want to travel and to engage in wasteful spending that makes pork spending seem miles better.

Polarity Prevails...For Now

With Republicans and Democrats playing off different presentations of the Iraq War, it appears that each are substantially right and left of the median floor preference, respectively. Republicans spin Democrats as in the wrong for wanting to set a withdrawal timetable, whereas Democrats spin Republicans as bad for wanting to invest in a campaign that seems to have increasingly diminished returns. As the months go by, some middle partisans will likely become more moderate in their funding and withdrawal stances such that a timetable will be decided. This makes sense given that most voters are tired of hearing back-and-forth rhetoric without action, so some MCs have to budge towards the median preference or be faced with electoral backlash, particularly in the House.

House approves funding for Head Start, rejects religion amendment

The house has approved funding for the program Head Start. The programs helps prepare local income children for school. What was striking was that Republicans wanted to add religious amendments, making it possible to fire and hire someone based on religion. Isn't that a violation of the Constitution? Democrats though amendment the bill confirms the rights of religious people to participate in the program.

Bush urges congress to pass free trade pact

pres. bush is hoping congress will listen to his plan for a free trade pact with colombia. problems arise when the colombian regimes record on human rights and ties to right-wing paramilitary groups come into question. congress also has questions as to whether this will hurt use economic interests. bush believes this pact will help build democracies in south america and help fight the war on drugs.

Judiciary Committee subpoenas Gonzales

The senate judiciary commitee issued a subpoena to obtain emails sent by Karl Rove in the federal attorney firing scandal. Apparently, the judiciary committee has asked for the emails on two prior occassion with no response. Surprisingly, this story doesn't seem to be going away. It will be interesting to see if Rove and Gonzales comply or continue to insist the emails were lost.

House Fails to Override Bush Veto on Iraq

Can the vetoing President and the non-overrideable Congress find a middle ground over what to do with this messy war? What happens to the Appropiations Bill now? Does Congress and the Prez stop spending until something is passed? HA! Do things just revert back to status quo? Presumably so. What's the next step for the Democrats?

Penalty Stands in Congressmen's Battle Over Leaked Phone Call

Since many people have been discussing scandals of their representatives during their presentations, I thought this article might be fitting. It discusses the leaking of a phone conversation, illegally obtained by a couple using a police scanner, between House Republican leaders discussing allegation against Newt Gingrich, the-then Speaker of the House (1996). Representative Jim McDermott (D-Wash) took it upon himself to hand over the recorded conversation to the press. Ironically enough, McDermott was a senior member of the House ethics panel during all of this. His case is still in the works but apparently he sees no wrong in his actions because he has hinted that he may appeal his case to the Supreme Court.
Articles like this just make me sick to my stomach. It is just so unbelievable that the people this country have elected to represent us and our interests, in the words of Representative Boehner, "break the law in pursuit of a political opponent." Politicians definately go way too far sometimes.

The Art of Compromise

Politics is the art of compromising just enough to get what one wants (or needs). That is the mantra that the Bush Administration is foing to have to learn when it comes to dealing with the new Congress. Neither side is going to get all of what they want in regard to the war issue, however no matter what happens we must think about those over there first. This should not be a debatable issue. I want out just as much as Pelosi (and secretly I'm sure Bush) but we cannot just cut and run. Our elected leaders should do the job they were elected to do and compromise enough to get the #1 problem taken care of. If they can do that then we can argue and bicker over all the other details.

Kohl still pushing for answers on Biskupic

Steven Biskupic was a federal attorney from Milwaukee that the US Justice Department considered firing. Senator Kohl is trying to push for answers. Kohl asked US attorney general Alberto Gonzales why Biskupic was on the list to get fired and then later removed. Sen. Kohl and Sen. Feingold have written the state department for documents pertaining to this, but requests have gone unanswered. The department claims that the request in under review, but I think there is corruption. The fact that the request is under review signals to me that there is something to hide. If there wasn't anything to hide, the department would just turn over the documents

Bush vetoes troop withdrawal bill

President Bush has vetoed legislation pushed through Congress by the Democratic leaders because the legislation had time-tables. Bush does not want time tables because he does not want the enemy to know when he is pulling out. Democrats think he wants a blank check, but Bush claims that the Democrats made a statement by pushing an anti-war bill through Congress. Bush is meeting with members of Congress this week to discuss a compromise, without time tables. Spatically, they are trying to find a win set to beat the status quo, with war and no war being the dimensions. It will be interesting to see what happens, especially since Bush has such a low approval rating. Eventually, the Democrats might have enough support to over ride Bush's veto because the American public does not support the war and Republicans could be punished for supporting the war.

Feinstein’s Cardinal shenanigans

This is an interesting article that caught my eye after listening to one of the presentations today mentioning Fienstein. It also reminded me of the day we saw how committees were ranked in the house and it agrees with the findings of Professor Tofias.

America's Dirty Little Secret

America has a dirty little secret --and its doing your dishes, cleaning your houses, landscaping your yards, and everything else Americans are too lazy to do. Yep, that's right, I am talking about immigrants, mostly Hispanic and many illegal. I just got back from marching with them from S5th Street all the way to Veterans Park. These folks are not "illegal" in any sense, except what Congress dictates...so maybe it is time for this problem to be tackled. I fully realize it is a no-win situation for most politicians, but maybe decency will win out. The main problem is that most of them cannot vote, so therefore they have no voice in the politics of the country they work so hard for. What is true however, is that most people (and politicians) will agree that something must be done to help end the exploitation and abuse that occurs all to often.

Iraq Legislation Differs From Norm

The new legislation about the war in Iraq strays from the norm of Congress during such conflicts. Even during Vietnam, there was no legislation that compares to this effort by Congress to take control of ending the war. There are some thoughts as to whether or not this may be more extreme due to the majority shift in Congress.

Republicans go negative -- on one another

Not only did the GOP lose seats in the last election, but now they are losing respect for one another. It seems as Bush is becoming even more unpopular that more and more Republicans are trying to distance themselves from the principles that the Bush administration has portrayed. In a time when they (Republicans) should be working together, they seem to be trying to step on each others to keep their heads above the water.

Law and Order's Other 2008 Presidential Character: Sam Waterson

Since I already blogged about Congress for the week, I thought I'd pass this interesting little story along. Sam Waterson, or Jack McCoy as he's called on Law and Order. The gray-haired, opinionated, and independent-minded actor doesn't care for the partisan extremism of the two major parties and their primary systems. Interestingly enough, though, he doesn't want to see an end to either party, just a variation in the way we think about them. He is the current spokesman for a group called Unity '08. What is this all about? Well, basically, it's an effort to create a Presidential ticket with a Democrat AND a Republican. That's right, if the presidential nominee for Unity is a Dem, his VP has to be GOP and vice-versa. All of the convention selection process and everything takes place over the internet through online voting. The group has a fair amount of money and it does threaten both parties in that the candidates will most likely be centrists. Interestingly, these candidates don't have to appease the extreme right and left bases of their respective parties to win the primaries; they just have to get along with moderates from either party. Also, this leaves the door open to moderates that are currently running for President for a major party. McCain said yesterday that he'd hire a Democrat for his cabinet, but would he take a Democrat as a running mate should he lose the Republican primary? What about Giuliani? Neither hold traditional Republican positions on choice, gay rights, etc... Likewise, would Clinton, Obama, or Edwards choose to go this route after a loss early in the Democratic primaries? The possibilities are endless! The most interesting part is that no new party is formed, just a combo of the big two. Here's the Unity '08 site if you want more information on it: www.unity08.com

Murtha: Four Ways to Influence a President. One is Impeachment.

Yes, impeachment. Bush's handling of the Iraq war has an approval rating of 24%. 64% of Americans believe in setting some sort of timetable(CBS/NY TIMES poll 4/20-24, 07). Similarly, Democrats in Congress, particularly John Murtha (D-PA), are growing increasingly dissatisfied with the war in Iraq and the Bush Administration's handling of it. They've attempted to get out of Iraq with a spending bill that contained a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops, which Bush vows to veto. Murtha says if Bush isn't listening and remains unwilling to compromise, impeachment is the next option available to the Democrats.
Is it a legitimate threat? Absolutely. Will it work? Doubtful. Democrats care too much about 2008 to try a stunt like this. I have not supported this war from the day it began and I'd love to see it come to a quick end. However, a failed impeachment proceeding hurts Democrats nationwide in 2008, likely hurting the chances of electing a Democratic President and a legitimate withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Remember, Bush, himself, has said he doesn't believe the conflict will be near its end when he leaves office. Let the next President deal with it. It's too difficult of an issue to deal with, especially with an approval rating in the 30's and nearing the end of his term. There is just no graceful exit for the United States and that is apparent in the national conversation happening right now.

Bush Tells Immigrant Graduates to Solve Immigration Problem

Because Bush cannot seek re-election in 2008, he feels no great pressure to remain perfectly aligned with conservative ideology, resulting in Bush proposing an extensive illegal immigrant amnesty worker program that he predicted would pass with a Democratic majority. However, enough Republicans held the conservative line and voted against Bush’s program to prevent passage. It logically follows that because the veto can be used only to maintain the status quo and not change policy, Bush will attempt to perform external lobbying by further shaping public opinion on the immigration issue. Of particular note is that Bush spoke to what may be the single largest group of conservative immigrant graduates in the nation (though it was only 1,500) to suggest how they might apply their American education to solve America’s immigration problem. It is notable that Bush went to a border state to select the university because Miami Dade has a large proportion working-class minorities who value family and faith, the latter of which is one of the most effective applications of sophistry in terms of convincing others that your opinion is right. My apologies to any religious folks…But Miami Dade College graduates on average have precisely the ideal qualities that Bush wants the American public believe that most illegal immigrants possess, despite entering the country ILLEGALLY! My apologies to any illegal immigrants who might be reading this…Nothing personal, but I have to take a stance on this.

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Iraq is the gift that just never seems to end. With Gen. Petraeus coming over to Capital Hill to discuss this fine "engagement" with the House and Senate and a legally mandated withdrawal date looming ever more likely, the Administration is becoming ever more "strident". What this really means is that they have no idea what on earth they are doing... which seems par for the course of this Administration. I am not usually in favor of Congressional meddling in Executive affairs, but this time it has become necessary for the good of the nation. What we really need is someone of the capacity of FDR or Winston Churchill in the Oval Office these days, then at least we could fight a war and Congress could take a nap.

House panel votes to subpoena Rice on Iraq

On a party line vote, the House of Representatives' Oversight and Government Reform Committee directed Rice to appear before the panel next month. Republicans are calling it a fishing expedition, but Dems are saying they just want to ask questions and to explain herself. This is a good example of the accountability in our American politics. In another country many politicians could simply refuse despite any wishes from their colleleagues in the government.

I Learn From Mistakes

That's what Harry Reid wants to make clear in his opposition to the Iraq War. Initially, Reid was supportive of the war and was against the Feingold-Kerry bill that would have set a time-table for US withdrawal. However, a number of issues ranging from the Walter Reed Army Medical Center to the report that Iraq had devolved into civil war pushed Reid to believe he needed to do something differently. Recently Reid said the war could not be won militarily, but rather only through diplomacy. This seems to be along the same line of reasoning that many Americans have considered as support for the war continues to drop at home.

Pelosi Won't Attend Briefing on Iraq

Gen. David Petraeus is scheduled to come to the Hill tomorrow to brief lawmakers on the progress of the recent troop escalation. This is set to happen as the House and Senate prepare to vote on the Iraq spending bill. ABC News has learned, however, that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., will not attend the briefing.

House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, called the decision "irresponsible" and said it constituted a "dereliction of duty." But by the end of the day, Pelosi's office changed course and scheduled a briefing for members of the House for Wednesday, April 25.
The office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the senator would attend the classified briefing with senators on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

I wonder why they will not give the reason that she will not attend....but they make very clear that she met with him to discuss matters in length over the telephone. What is up Pelosi's sleeve...if nothing else she knows she is causing alot of conflict for a lot of people.

Bridging a Divide -- and Crossing an Ocean

This article, from the Washington Post, talks about a congressional trip to the Middle East, organized by Nancy Pelosi. The trip has been criticized as "bad behavior" and an attempt to "embarrass the president". Representative David Hobson (R-Ohio) has also received criticism for being the sole republican on the trip. I think Hobson makes an excellent point when he says "It is important for lawmakers from both parties to travel together to lend credibility to the trip and present a cohesive message to foreign governments". I really don't understand how these actions have insulted the president and I think it makes a far better rapport and reputation for the United States when Congress is more hands on and involved. It's crucial for our Representatives and Senators to understand the full situation in the Middle East since they are the ones proposing the legislation that will, in turn, greatly affect the people of the Middle East.

Kohl amendment extending SeniorCare likely to be vetoed

This is an interesting move for our senior senator from WI. The majority of what I hear from people is they really want senior care to stay and it is a great program, but now people will be in conflict because it is attacked to an Iraq bill. I am interested to see the frenzy that this has the potential to cause.

Doyle lobbies for more UW funds

Wisconsin currently spends the same amount of money on prisons than it does on universities. Governor Doyle is proposing $178 million dollars for UW colleges. This is interesting because in his first term Doyle completely slashed the budget for Universities. UW Milwaukee will stand to gain 9 million dollars if the budget passes. What do you think the school plans on spending the money on? Parking? More computer labs? Nope, it wants to compete with UW Madison and spend the money on research and get their $143 million dollar new school of engineering off the ground.

here's the mccain article

i forgot to add the link

Sen. McCain gets tough on global warming & foreign oil reliance

John McCain is aggressively pushing his stance on global warming and foreign oil reliance. He is trailing other Rep. presidential hopefuls in both the polls and fundraising. He believes national security goes hand-in-hand with energy security. He believes by relying so much on foreign sources of oil, we are in turn financing the terrorists we are fighting against. His language is very strong on the issue and is quite surprising for a republican. Many republicans, the Bush administraion include, have gone out of their way to discount global warming and our nation's reliance on oil. It will be interesting to see the effects on his overall fundraising efforts after this.

Bill Clinton: World Ambassador

Sen. Clinton announced at a rally this weekend that she would make Bill Clinton a roaming ambassador to the world if she were elected president. She believes Bill can do some good repairing America's image on the world stage. She cites his work on the post-tsuanmi relief as an example of the work he had done since leaving the white house. It will be fascinating to see the outcome of a possible Hillary Clinton presidency.

Senate Majority Leader says War Withdrawl Bill to be passed soon

The Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, has said that despite a promised veto from the President, that a bill to pull troops out of Iraq starting in October, will be passed in just days. The war spending bill goes over the funding of the war and stipulates that troops be pulled out. The goal will be to begin pulling troops out October 1, and be completely out six months after that.

Boris Yeltsin, RIP

I see where Boris Yeltsin has passed away. For those of you who do not remember the fall of the USSR in 1991 he played a very key part in the whole ordeal. My condolences to his family and to Russia on the passing of what has to be the most important figure of the early 90's. I will never forget the fall of the USSR and the tanks strolling by the Kremlin, next to the 9/11 attacks and the fall of the Berlin Wall, this is one of the most important events of my life. Thank you, Boris! You did more for humanity than most and history will accord you that honor of decency for doing so. Maybe I will go out and have a shot of vodka (which I never drink) in his honor.

Lobbyists Profit From Power Shift In Congress

This article seems fitting because we talked about lobbyists in our last lecture. This story is interesting because the number of registered lobbyists has grown from 2,232 from 1,222 earlier in the year. According to the article, Republican lobbyists are keeping their jobs and Democratic lobbyists are being hired. The reason for the increase to try to figure out the agenda of the Democratic leadership in Congress on issues. The question, then remains why keep the Republican lobbyists then? The answer is simple-because Republicans that have remained in Congress can be important to blocking certain legislation from passing.

House Approves A Full D.C. Seat

This article announces proposed legislation to add two seats to the U.S. House: one for D.C. and one for Utah, the next state in line up for a representative. The bill is greatly supported by the Democrats. Many of the Republican representatives, however, argue the bill is unconstitutional due to the constitutional requirement that reps come from states. The White House has threatened a veto on the bill and it is suspected that it will eventually end up in court. All the same, "Supporters called the bill's passage their biggest victory since 1978".
I think this is very important legislation and it will be very interesting to see how it all pans out. The article makes a very good point that a rep for D.C. would lead to increased representation for many people, not to mention multimillionnaires. I think it's pretty ironic that our nation's center for politics is struggling for increased representation.

Expectant House Member Is a Congressional Rarity

Question: Is representation of the public in general hurt because of the gift/burden women endure to have children? Is it insane for a member of Congress to be expecting? What does a baby on board do to hurt or help this Congressperson, her district, and the country as a whole, if anything?

Congress Skeptical of Warhead Plan

The Bush administration's current stance on a nuclear weapons plan has garnered substantial opposition from members of the House and Senate. Some individuals are worried about the possible responses from the international community about this nuclear warhead plan such as an arms race. I believe that a new plan for such weapons would be unsettling for some members of the international community but I have not decided where I fully stand on the issue because I do not know the nuclear policies of all the countries in the international community.

Renzi Resigns from Intelligence Chair

This article is about Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ 1st) resigning as Chair of the House Intelligence Committee following the initiation of a federal investigation on financial transactions he may have authorized. If it is fact that the land swap deal he made through using his wife’s company and the legislation that would have benefited his father’s military contractor company were planned and enacted by the Renzil, then this nails the responsibility for the corruption squarely on his head. When juxtaposed with this situation, third-party financing of vacations for MCs seems more tolerable due to congressional self-serving bills creating a more polarized perspective closer to extreme unacceptability. Hence, gifts to MCs come closer to the median preference in congressional perks considered to be permissible. If Renzi is found to be culpable, he should be recalled to discourage other MCs from initiating such deals and instead limit their perk-grabbing behavior to accepting gifts from others and engaging in official business that might be minimally funded through taxes.

MCs from Both Sides Dip Into Taxes for Vacations

This article describes how MCs from both parties enjoy mixed business-pleasure trips funded by others. I opine that this is not a substantial problem unless taxes are used to pay for more than a small portion of the trip such as passport fees. Such instances as the ones mentioned in the article should be grounds for recall, but the insidious way in which MCs tie such trips into anything and everything related to their legislative duties, such as lobbying other possible players in implementing and enforcing the bills, prevents members of the House Judiciary Committee and most others from thinking it to be a grievous offence, especially compared to other behaviors of elected officials that have not been punished (such as misleading the public on life-or-death matters).

"Obscure Procedural Fights" Does it Get Any Better?

Yes. Obscure procedural fights, the stuff blogs dream about. Remember when the Democrats were in the minority in Congress? They used every little thing they could muster to limit what went through. The minority party in the House has a microscopic amount of power, so they had to get creative. Check out this article on procedural motions sending bills back to committee. The same Republicans that decried this as "silly" now use it as a tool at their disposal against the Democratic majority. To be fair, a number of Democrats need to cross-over and vote with the Republicans on certain issues for this to work.

Mazel Tov Tommy

You would think a person who has been in politics for so long would know better than to say what Tommy Thompson said in a speech Monday. I don't think he appeals to the median voter of the Jewish community anymore. Stereotyping is like the cardinal sin of all politics, and Tommy just shot himself in the foot with that one. Something are just better to be thought and not said.

Will Virginia shootings spur Congress to Act?

There is a lot of talk about how these shooting will affect gun control laws. I dont forsee any thing to come into action in this congress but who knows. I feel as though congress has enough food on their plate, that even if legislation is written, it will either die in committee or take way too long to make it through all the steps we talked about Tuesday in class. This could be an interesting way though, for a freshman member of congress to get noticed....what do you guys think?

Liberals to Pelosi: Hey! We're Still Here!

Liberal Democrats have been patient with the Pelosi style of leadership, understanding, but not overly pleased with the Party's shift toward the middle. The largest caucus in the Party at 72 members, The Progressive Caucus of these liberal Democrats is a powerful portion of Pelosi's House . They want to know when Congress will act on the issues they care about. Specifically, they point to Pelosi's dealings with the Blue Dog Democrats, the more conservative branch of the Party. She has bent over backwards to provide them with everything they need to preserve their seats in 2008 at the expense of the liberal legislative desires of The Progressive Caucus. It's no wonder this is the strategy, though. People perceived Democrats as more liberal than they actually were in previous election cycles. A visible move to the middle should help build a better, stronger majority in the future right? Ah, the median voter...

Guard, Reserve leaders speak before Senate

This article goes through some of the effects the BRAC has had on Air Force guard and reserve units. There is also a short piece about the closing of the 440th at Gen. Billy Mitchell International Airport and their move to Pope AFB N.C. The article also briefly addresses the Guard and reserves need and want for more money and their plans for recapitalization of old airframes and equipment.

Is it Political?

Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs was given a technical foul and was ejected from the game for laughing, while he was sitting on the bench. Referee Joey Crawford is the one who made the call, and he will be the one who will have to asnwer for it. The reason I bring this up is because the Spurs were playing the top ranked team the Dallas Mavericks, at at the point in the game when Duncan was given the T, the Spurs were in the lead. Some how the Mavs pulled it off. I guess i could see if there was trash talking going on, but even then, at what point to you limit people? First Imus, now Duncan. I know there is a huge difference, but whatever happen to Free Speech? I will be looking forward to seeing what will happen in the future, and what will happen in the playoffs.

GOP presidential candidates distance themselves from Bush

This article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel talks about the balancing act that Republican Presidential hopefuls have to deal with. Because Bush is so unpopular no one wants to embrace him, yet they can't really criticize him either. Republicans are known for traditionally valuing loyalty to their leaders. This is difficult when reporters ask direct questions, such as, how would your presidency differ from that of President Bush? Most Republicans can agree that voters are looking for something new in 2008.

Betwen Obama and Clinton for the Dems

Between the two candidates, Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton they have raised over $43 million dollars. And this is just the start, Clinton has over $7 million she can only have access to if she get the nomination. In this report, Barack Obama still has the advantage because just over half of his 104,000 contributors have maxed out ther $2300 donation, furthermore he will still get the other half of their money down the road, Clinton however is not out of it, she has borrowed or "transfered" $10 million from her senate campaign fund. What does this mean? It means the democratic supporters are spending millions of dollars all hoping to get a Democrat in the Whitehouse. Do you think it will happen? Whats your stance on the Demorcrat and Republican candidates?

Romney, Giuliani Have Money to Burn

This article lists the huge amounts of money being spent thus far in order to become the next president. "Republican presidential front-runner Rudolph W. Giuliani spent $5.7 million on his campaign during the first three months of the year, campaign aides said yesterday, leaving him with more than $10.8 million to spend". "The presidential candidates from both parties have shattered fundraising records this year as they prepare to wage what observers say could easily be the nation's first billion-dollar election."
Does anybody else see this as being completely ridiculous? All we hear about is lowering the deficit and all of the spending on the Iraqi war but hey lets spend $5.7 on a campaign in the first 3 months! I think this amount of money is completely out of control for a campiagn that hasn't even passed the primaries yet. It will be really interesting to see what the final costs are at the end of the upcoming election.

Gonzales: I have nothing to hide

Alberto Gonzales has been fighting to save his job with the Senate because of allegations that he improperly fired eight United States attorney. Republican Senators have claimed that Gonzales has yet to "shore up his credibility amid shifting explanations of his role in the dismissals." Gonzales has claimed that he has nothing to hide and yet he claims he has a hazy memory about the role he played in firing them. The Senate has reasons to believe the firings were politically motivated and that Gonzales has something to hide and he probably does. He just wouldn't not remember why eight attorneys got fired, there is something that he is not saying.

Cheny thinks Democrats will Drop Timetables

Vice-President Dick Cheny thinks that Democrats will drop legislation requiring timetables for troops to withdrawl because President Bush will veto any legislation with timetables on it and Democracts do not have enough support to override a presidental veto. Cheny is claiming that the Democrats will blink, but top Democratic leadership has claimed that they will not blink. Democrats think that they are in power because voters in November were not happy with the war and now Democrats are trying to make voters happy with the war. What is interesting is that Democrats think Republicans will blink and either jump ship to side with the Democrats or loose their seats in elections.

House Hesitates on Ethics Changes

This article describes how the Democratic majority in the House is hesitant to make changes to ethics enforcement in Congress even though they were pushing for it rather strongly months ago. Democrats used the term "culture of corruption" to describe the activities of the previous Republican-majority House, but are now hesitating to go forward with the idea of having an outiside entity monitor the activites of the House in addition to the House Ethics committee. This issue is a matter of trust and accountability between citizens and the respresentatives they put in office. I think that some U.S. citizens would be pleased with the idea of an outside entity monitoring the activities of their representatives to reduce corruption. A certain amount of trust goes along with being put in a Congressional position though. Can representatives do their jobs fully when they are worried about an outside entity monitoring them? In addition, what are the limits to this monitoring? I don't see the House going ahead with this idea.

NASA Causes Turnabout on Fiscal Responsibility

This article describes congressional resistance to saving $20,000,000 that would be freed up if a lunar robotics office in Huntsville, AL were to be closed. In a move opposing their own usual fiscal conservatism, the majority of opposition to the closing was expressed by Republican members of Congress. It should be noted that no member of Congress mentioned jobs as an incentive to keep the office open, thereby limiting the scope of excuses that could be used to keep that money vacuum open.
If even half the money the House allocates to NASA were spent on population control, the potentially tangible and economic benefits of space exploration would all but become moot. Why such a strong push for such egregious expenditures on space programs that so far have limited very limited dividends? Rational choice theory posits that those members of Congress who vote to allocate more funding to NASA (at an extravagant $16,623,000,000 in 2006) than to the Office of Family Planning (at a mere $283,103,000 in 2006) <> derive more benefit from the NASA programs than they do from the Department of Health and Human Services’ OFP programs. What could this benefit be? Most of the benefit probably is from the campaign financing bestowed by aerospace corporations, but a more obscure but possible benefit is the discovery of a different, very efficient type of fuel that could also be conveniently used to power more destructive weapons. It will be an even greater bonus if we discover a planet with different organisms we could condition to do our bidding while we deplete their resources…A space adventure with a happy ending!

Amendment to FISA Proposed

This article describes an amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978, proposed by intelligence and Justice Department officials through the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), that would expand the legal definition of those who can be the subject of warrantless surveillance to include not only current non-US persons clearly linked to terrorist organizations or to governments harboring terrorist organizations but also the following:
1. Non-US persons evidenced as perpetrating and/or plotting proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs)
2. Non-US persons suspected (without a clear link) of having a relation with a militant group or with any non-US government
Of course this broad pool includes everyone on the planet who is either not a U.S. citizen or not a hermit unaffiliated with any government. I expect an amendment that would limit the scope of the definition pretty close to its current breadth, perhaps expanding warrantless surveillance subjects to include those evidenced as proliferating WMDs. That type of amendment to the proposed amendment would likely be the median vote because the need for evidence beyond a gut feeling is what will shape perceptions of most members of Congress that that particular addition will be more difficult to abuse than the other proposed definitional expansion. Current opponents of the PATRIOT Act are likely to coalition to prevent any more latitude in permitting domestic spying.

Kerry and Gingrich Hugging Trees -- and (Almost) Each Other

This article discusses the global-warming debate this past Tuesday between Newt Gingrich and John Kerry. It was expected to be a "smack-down and a prize fight" but Gingrich surprisingly positioned himself on Kerry's side. Gingrich even presented former negative remarks made by Kerry regarding Gingrich's environmental position while Speaker of the House. By the end of the debate, "for a brief but terrifying moment, they appeared to be on the verge of a hug."

It is very obvious the Gingrich is widening and changing his political positions due to his presidential campaign. "When Kerry was running for president in 2004, Gingrich said the senator "thrashed and smeared and lied about U.S. soldiers" and was guilty of "consistent distortion over and over and over again on every front."" I think it is really ridiculous the way politicians will change their stance on such crucial issue just for the votes. I realize that is how you get elected in the country but it really makes you wonder why people pursue political positions. Is it for the chance to change or improve a situation that you truely care about or is it soley about the title?

congress and morals???

Since when did the Congress become the ultimate moral arbiter of America? I guess that first its stem cells and next smoking... Where does it all stop. I can honestly say that on the stem cell issue I don't know enough to make a qualified value judgement, so maybe I will keep my mouth shut as to where I stand, but it does seem to me that we legislate too many things. Let science do its thing, even if I am ignorant of what this "thing" is.

Bush vs. Congress: The Looming Battle Over Executive Privilege.

The whole idea of an executive privilege reminds much of the nation of Watergate. Look how well that turned out for the President. What steps does Congress take in furthering this investigation? Is there a standing committee on this or has a group of members been put on a select committee to investigate?

Romney targets Pelosi in foreign-policy speech

Romney brought up in his speech on foreign policy attacking Pelosi for her trip to Syria. This is a bit of a hot button issue right now and by criticizing her, he is not making any enemies...a safe statement to make. I wonder if Pelosi has given any thought of her own credibility.

“And then the Speaker of the House helped dignify a state sponsor of terror,” Romney said, in excerpts released by his campaign. “At this time of war, her action stands as one of the most partisan, divisive and ill-considered of any national leader in this decade.” Romney said the state of the U.S. military had declined during the Clinton administration, and he called for expanding the military by 100,000 troops.

Obama Challenges McCain on Iraq Stroll

Barack Obama on Tuesday challenged Republican White House rival John McCain for using a heavily guarded trip to a Baghdad market as evidence that Iraq's security is improving.

"The idea that the situation in Iraq is improving because it takes a security detail of 100 soldiers, three Black Hawk helicopters and a couple of Apache gunships to walk through a market in the middle of Baghdad is simply not credible and not reflective of the facts on the ground," Obama said in a taped interview that will air as part of a Democratic presidential forum sponsored by MoveOn.org.

House committee to hold Tillman hearings

The house committee on oversight and government reform will hold a hearing on whether or not the government mislead the public in saying that Pat Tillman was killed by afghan soldiers and not by friendly fire. This has been an ongoing investigation that has gotten lots of media attention. The Tillman family have been very critical of the findings of the government, and also are furious at being lied to about how there son died. The committee has no plans to subpoena witnesses although it has the right to do so. There have been five investigations as to what happened that day. It seems to me that if it takes five investigations to figure something out, than somebody is trying to disrupt the investigative process. Somebody is to blame here, unfortunately they will probably not be brought to justice. It also says that the House Armed Services Committee is also considering Tillman hearings. Is this a case where the jurisdiction is not clear? Can they have multiple hearings on the same issue in different committees? I dont know. One top ranking general tried to warn Bush to not say that Tillman was killed by enemy fire, because he knew that that information was probably false, and that people would find out, and ultimately there would be committee hearings over it where people would get into trouble. Bush apparently didnt get the message, or didnt care, and put the priorities of the administration over that of the Tillman family and also the American people. On the same subject, there is an issue of Sports Illustrated (I think it is a special issue) with Pat Tillman on the cover. The story lays out the reasons why Tillman went to war and all that 'go america' hublah that goes with it. It also lays out the circumstances leading up to his death including maps and statements from members of his platoon. It is a very well written article worth looking at. What strikes me is that an SI journalist seems to know more about the situation than all five of these investigations put together.

Details of GOP's Immigration Bill Strategy

The white House and senate republicans have been talking about what to do with the immigration issue. From these talks we can see on the horizon, a stance that the republican party will take on the issue. The plan is to construct a process of making the 12 million undocumented persons in this country citizens. However, the process will not be easy or affordable. A system based on merit seems to be the new status quo. Reuniting broken families is no longer a priority. These republican views are much different from the bill passed by the democratic house two weeks ago.

Wisconsin Might Just Hang Up on "Robo-Calls"

"Hi this is Representative_______" or "Hi this is Senator_______". As a consistent primary voter, I get inundated with these awful things. Finally, we might get a break thanks to State Rep. Spencer Black. However, it does potentially face a first amendment challenge, in that it is free speech. All I know is that on the weekend before an election, I need to leave my house or turn off my phone.
Anyway, I'm stuck at home today waiting for the tow-truck to come get my car in somewhere as I think it might have actually kicked the bucket this time. Maybe I'll even get around to deleting the robo-calls left on my answering machine from last week.

Flaws in W2

This article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel states that a think-tank has studied Wisconsin's W2 program and found major flaws and inconsistencies. I think its interesting that welfare programs have been put on the back burner recently despite how controversial they are. I don't think I've even heard Hillary say anything about welfare policy which was a large part of the Clinton administration when Bill was in the White House.

Stem cell vote set for Congress this week

Funding for stem cell research will be discussed in Congress this week. One of the measures up for discussion is virtually identical to a bill vetoed by President Bush last week. The other bill up for discussion is a compromise worked about between The other is a compromise measure worked out by Republicans Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia and Norm Coleman of Minnesota, which appears to be appealing to both Democrats and Republicans. The compromise bill replaces a bill last year that would have banned stem cell research. The worry is that the President might veto legislation and support is not strong enough to override a veto. I think it is interesting because it shows how Congress must work with the President and take his ideal points into consideration as well as try to find win sets among themselves to get legislation to pass.

kerry v gingrich...debate on climate change

Former House Speaker and possible presidential candidate Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and 2004 Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry (Mass.) are set to square off on climate change next week, their staffs announced Thursday.
The debate, hosted by New York University’s John Brademas Center for the Study of Congress, will take place next Tuesday, April 10, at 10 a.m. in the Russell Senate Office Building.


I think this is going to be a VERY interesting debate. Either way the cookie crumbles, Both respectively will put up a huge fight. Let the games begin.

Fundraising numbers shake up White House race

I know this article is about the money that the candidates are raising at the moment, but I also wanted to point out how this could affect their campaign after the primary. It seems that there is such a frantic race to raise money just for the primary election and get the nod from the party. However, what affect will this have on the person who wins in the actual election. For the GOP you have three candidates who at the moment seem to have a pretty good cash flow coming in, and for the (D) you have atleast two, both of which aren't going to back down. Just something to think about.

Will Dems get Gonzales through Monica Goodling?

Monica Goodling, a Justice Department aide, is refusing to testify before a Congressional Committee, vowing to use her 5th amendment right. This is a continuation of the Alberto Gonzales saga over the firings of those eight U.S. attorneys. The problem is that Gonzales vowed to make Justice Department staff available for questioning. What's the significance? Well, she may know something important in that she was one of those who met with Gonzales for discussion before the firings. We'll see what happens.
Your move Mr. Gonzales.

Who Cares About the Next American President When We've still Got an Idol to Crown?

For those of you who may have missed ABC's Good Morning America this morning, you missed the typical softball GMA story. This link is to the video from this morning. More people on the street could identify the contestants from a glorified karaoke contest than the potential next president of the US. Frightening, but I know I expected it. I mean who likes karaoke when drinking isn't involved anyway?
Seriously, I don't watch American Idol, never have and never will. The only info I know about it is from the seemingly endless flow from competing national news outlets. I couldn't tell you who any of those people are, but I can name all the candidates for president. Somehow that seems less funny and makes me sound like I'm the weird one. Anyway, I can understand not getting people like Thompson, Hunter, Romney, Dodd, and Biden. For the love of God, Giuliani was on TV for like a year after 9/11, McCain ran before, and Obama has been the media golden child since his speech at the Democratic Convention in 2004.

lets see how we rate...taxpayers

Congress now has a new tool to measure taxes by state, county, city, and everything else you may want to know....we rank near 60th....NOT COOL

Feingold and Reid Propose Funding Cut for Troops

This article describes Senator Russ Feingold’s (D-WI) latest antiwar bill, which would cut all funding for American forces in the Iraqi War by March 31st, 2008 and leave relatively small pockets of funding for American security forces and infrastructure rebuilding efforts. Feingold notes that the status quo, or what calls the “center of gravity,” for the issue has gradually shifted from broad congressional support for an indeterminate American military presence in Iraq in 2005 towards forcing a withdrawal through one congressional bill or another. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) agrees with Feingold’s progression of antiwar measures, as anything short of cutting funds to American forces in Iraq is unlikely to sway Bush or two-thirds of the House floor. Although the Rules Committee is currently run by a Democratic majority, it is still possible for the Republicans to filibuster to require 60% of senators to end debate on the bill or else trap the bill on the floor until further log rolling results in an amendment that either neuters the bill’s fund-cutting provisions or tacitly redefines “American forces” to exclude more of the troops to create a loophole that enables more of the forces in Iraq to be funded than what Feingold and Reid intended.

Bush berates Dems over Iraq war funding

It is clear that Pres. Bush is upset with the house and reaffirms that he will veto any legislation that has a timetable in Iraq. Harry Ried's claim that he knows that he does not have the support to override a veto but hopes he can make Bush cave makes little sense. If Bush knows that his veto will not be overridden, why would he not veto? Although the public support for the war is continuing to slip, I highly doubt that Bush will back down. The important thing is that if something does not happen within the next 3 months, the money shortfall will start to effect the troops, both sides will need to make some concessions

Pelosi is welcomed in Syria

Though as we saw before there was much disagreement about Speaker Pelosi's trip to Syria between her and the White House, everything seems to be going smoothly now that she is there. This could mean great things for a relationship between the United States and Syria. Syria seems delighted to have her there despite Bush calling the visit "counterproductive."

The Decoy Effect, or How to Win an Election

This is a very inetertesting article about the effects of the third place runners in an election on the two leading candidates. Front runners are often focus on each other-which I think can greatly be seen currently-rather than on the third place candidates, who have a huge influence on our decisions (known as the decoy effect).
"What the decoy effect basically shows is that when people cannot decide between two front-runners, they use the third candidate as a sort of measuring stick. If one front-runner looks much better than the third candidate, people gravitate toward that front-runner. Third candidates, in other words, can make a complicated decision feel simple."
I find this to be a very intriguing idea. This suggests that a third place runner could potentially boost votes for a front-runner that closely resembles him/her rather than taking votes away. Since there definately are leading contenders in both parties, it will be interesting to see how this theory eventually plays out.

Former Wis. Governor Enters Race for Nomination

Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson has officially announced that he is joining in the race to the White House. His previous title as Bush's secretary of health and human services in Bush's first term may prove to be a bit of a setback for Thompson but he has assured that his presidency would differ greatly from that of President Bush. Another setback might be his lack of fundraising thus far, while other candidates have raised millions. All in all, it's pretty cool to see a former Wis governor running for president but I don't really see his campiagn as being to successful due to the strength of many of his opponents.

Senate Democrats Vow to Push Withdrawal

Senate Democrats vowed today that they will push for withdrawal out of Iraq even if President Bush vetoes legislation. The bill would require solders to start leaving Iraq with in 120 days with an expected complete pull out by March 2008. Because spatically, Republicans and Democrats differ, Bush has claimed he will veto anything with a pull out date on it, but he is willing to compromise somewhat and sit down with the Democratic leadership.

White House criticizes Pelosi's planned Syria visit

At the federal level, both branches of government disagree on a lot of things. This article is an example. Nancy Pelosi is planning to visit Syria and the white house is not happy about it. I think that this is interesting because it shows how the two branches can differ spatially. Pelosi wants to go to Syria and the white house doesn't want her to because the white house claims the government in Syria sponsor's terrorism.

Rep. Dingell Balances Interests to Avoid Dingleberry

This article describes representative and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair John Dingell’s (D-MI) decision to not force a fixed deadline for reducing emissions. Rather than follow Speaker Pelosi’s suggestion that a bill be passed calling for emissions to be halved by 2050, Dingell is continuing to hold hearings researching causal relationships specific to each type of emissions as well as deducing the logistics of what extent of reduction is feasible for each type of emission. Pelosi eventually agreed to not rush plans for emission reduction. The article also states that Dingell looks out for the interests of the auto industry despite having authored some of the most substantial environment sustainability legislation within the past thirty years. The median vote theorem finds Dingell’s moderation in calling for emissions reductions and his balancing of ecology interests with automobile industry interests to be effective in approximating the middle of the voters involved in his re-election, ensuring an overlap of electoral interests that wins him another plurality when his seat is up again.

karl rove rapping..for real at a fundraiser

this is a little off subject...but ties in with how the internet is affecting politics today. This is from youtube and personally I think HILARIOUS. if nothing else i thought the class might enjoy a good laugh.

Senate Sets Stage For Iraq Face-Off

President Bush invited the entire GOP Caucus to the White House to reaffirm his stance on the war in Iraq on the same day as the Senate approval on the 122 billion spending bill that calls for troop withdrawal of most forces by March 2008. The article suggested that the meeting is a message to Democrats that Bush will veto the bill. Because the bill only won by a few votes (51-49) and was split along party lines, the chances of a two-thirds majority to override the veto is unlikely. In addition, a final version of the bill must be agreed upon before the President even gets an opportunity to veto it. Because the decision for troop withdrawal is a major issue to many people, some Republican Senators may feel pressure to vote for it rather than stand with the President depending on the constituents in their respective states.

Odds, Ends, and Misc. Things

Okay, there are no real links to these things, but I would like to tie up some loose ends. As this blog deals with politics --and more specifically congressional politics.... Did anyone see South Park last night? It was one of the best I have ever seen, unless one happens to be a fan of Hillary Clinton's, rather, ummm, private parts shall we say. Also these days its seems that more nuttiness has come out of Iran, as if they could think up something worse. Maybe it is time that the U.K. got a backbone and declared war on the infidels....hmmmm....now thats a thought! If this had been Africa in 1907 you had better believe that an army would be there --in six months or less (guaranteed). But anyway , why should one of the major pillars of Western Civilization take this slap in the face from a two-bit third world nation that has no clue what the word "diplomacy" means. Like I said before, not really "congressional" so to speak, but the rantings of a mad conservative.

Comedian in Chief?

Who needs Colbert at a Correspondent dinner when you've got stuff this good? For anyone that may have missed the bizarre, yet hilarious and somewhat frighteningly real comments Bush made last night, I posted the story from CNN. This quote sort of sums up the evening:

"A year ago my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the Supreme Court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had shot someone," President Bush said Wednesday night during the annual gathering.

"Ah," he said, "those were the good ol' days."

This is definitely worth the read. Also, PLEASE watch the improv rap song from the event with Karl Rove's wicked dance moves on full display (notice David Gregory from NBC news complementing Rove with his own unique dance style). There's a link at the bottom of the article. I guess when things are going this badly, you have to figure out some way to divert attention from the issues, even if it's ripping on your own administration.

Oh, and to tie this to Congressional politics in some way, Bush had these words:
"and I'd like to thank Senator Webb for providing security." Classic!

House Democrats Tout Budget as Deficit-Reducing

This article describes House Democrats’ attempts on March 28th to convince other representatives that their $2.9 trillion budget will result in a $153 billion surplus in 2012 despite planned increases in spending on national security, defense, education, and veterans’ affairs. They must be referring to a peak surplus for that year alone because the national deficit currently exceeds $3.2 trillion. Even if Democrats prevent an extension of the tax cuts enacted by Congress in 2001 and 2003, real income will not rise enough to produce enough of a surplus unless there is a drastic tax increase against corporations and other wealthy elite, who in turn might retaliate by raising the prices of goods and services beyond the reach of working-class individuals and families, which could spark a series of congressionally enacted minimum wage increases, which would require the retention of a Democratic majority…All the while paving the way for the small business owner to rise from the ashes, offering cheaper prices for goods and services as the corporations attempt to out-price the average consumer as revenge for the proletariat-led congressional rebellion against tax havens for the rich.
I believe the key sentence in the article is, “Under Congress' budget process, the annual budget resolution is a nonbinding outline that guides future legislation.” By showcasing partisan ideals about the budget, the annual budget bill provides ample opportunity for members of Congress to demonstrate their show horse appeal. The median vote theorem predicts that the mean effect of all appropriations bills approved by this Congress will reduce the deficit by several million dollars, a small step towards halving the deficit by 2012 (I doubt a net surplus will result by then) and a sustainable reduction that Republicans are likely to continue or even build upon if fiscally moderate Democrats happen to lose the majority.

Edwards’s Cancer Has Spread Into One of Her Hips

I find it an interesting debate over what Edwards should do with his family situation: he's got one. Having a family is a priority to him and some think this is a virtue for a future president while others see it as a vice.

Question: Is is a good or bad thing that Congressmen and women have the darndest time having a family and a political career?

There are so many examples of failed marriage, supposed cheating, and the likes. Should politicians be expected to have a perfect family life and do a good job in office?

Democrats take another step forward in war legislation

Democrats in the Senate turned back the Republicans attempt to remove the call for removal of the United States involvement including all troops from Iraq. This only adds to the democrat's confidence about their moves when it comes to issues on the war.

McGee spends $10,185 to defend seat

Its nice to see that an alderman spending 10,000 dollars made the news. What a dramatic difference from members of Congress. My favorite part of the article was the last paragraph where it mentioned that others who were running did not intend to raise or spend more than 1000 dollars. Talk about fiscal responsibility.

McCain's MySpace Page Hacked

Yet another example of how the internet is going to play a role in the '08 election.


ABC News' Jennifer Parker Reports: In what is perhaps a new weapon in campaign digital media warfare, the MySpace page of presidential candidate Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., was hacked Tuesday.

The March Madness Loophole

Its march madness baby, and we got some P T P ers. Apparently division 1 schools have lobbyists in Washington who can give members of congress tickets to both final four games and the championship. The packages can also "legally" include airfare, hotel and limo rides to and from the game. Wow this is a perk. "These contacts can give lobbyists golden opportunities to solicit earmarks for their schools." The cost of this package to any regular joe would be over 6 Gs. A big chunk of change. The rules allow public universities to give gifts to congress. Apparently some people are pissed about this, saying that big money is bad in politics. However, I love college basketball, and it has continued to grow into this huge money making machine, and I think this is one exception that I am willing to deal with. Go State!

My Fellow Americans: Pls Post a Comment!

Here is yet another example of how the internet is really playing a huge role in the upcoming election. Now you can post comments on the myspace walls of Senator Joe Biden and Governor Bill Richardson! This is definately a new type of campaigning that I think has the potential to really have an impact on the younger generations. This could be a good way to start informing potential younger voters that have traditionally been uninvolved.

Congress Expands Scope of Inquiries Into Justice Department Practices and Politics

This week Congress heard accounts from members of the Justice Department that acknowledged mistakes were made in relation to the F.B.I.'s mishandling of national security letters that were used to gain important information without judicial oversight. This article itself is an example of congressional oversight as the legislative branch puts pressure on the Justice Department in addition to the questions they have already raised concerning Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' specific involvement in the firing of eight U.S attorneys. As the media alerted the public about the questionable firings of the eight attorneys, Congress utilized fire alarm oversight to investigate the matter and is taking a similar step in this incident concerning the national security letters. Congress's criticisms of Attorney General Gonzales are a part of their larger discontent with Bush administration.

Democrats Pass Iraq Appropriations Bill

This article summarizes the House’s 218-212 vote to approve an appropriations bill that not only allocates $128 million to American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan but also requires American forces to withdraw from Iraq no later than September 2008, possibly sooner depending on the extent to which the Iraqi government complies with or violates specific terms not elaborated upon in the article. I used THOMAS to search for the bill, but there were so many similar-sounding bills that have received recent floor action that I decided to just use the information from the article. Such articles really should include the short title of the bill and/or the bill number. Anyway, Bush was right in more ways than one when he opined, “Political theater…These Democrats believe that the longer they can delay funding for our troops, the more likely they are to force me to accept restrictions on our commanders, an artificial timetable for withdrawal and their pet spending projects.” The Dems are likely to continue their battle against Bush’s war well into the summer due to their electoral mandate, and the sheer number of bills about what to do with the Iraq war (over a hundred on both houses) taxes the limit of how many of the roll call votes any given representative or senator can be in attendance for. As stated on page 118 of Steve Smith’s [u]The American Congress[u], it is very difficult for any member of Congress to be present for all roll call votes. The availability of Congressional members interacts with the large number of Iraq-related bills to produce a chaotic effect that is tempered primarily by W the veto actor. Meanwhile, domestic bills that Bush is less likely to veto fall by the wayside.

A Brave New World of Political Skulduggery?

This article greatly coincides with our lecture on campaign advertisements and the growing influence of internet advertisements. Here is a scenario in which a person made amd anti-Clinton video and posted it on YouTube. He flashed Obama's campaign website at the end, suggesting that Obama was in some way connected with the video. This ad has now been viewed more than 2 million times. I think this is just one of many situations in which the internet is going to play a huge role in informing people and influencing them in regards to the upcoming elections.

need a partner

If anyone does not have a partner for the HW next week and is in town, let me know! I was kinda sick last week and did not want to deal with this! Email me at wcwalker.edu. Thanks!

2008: March Money Madness

Hillary and Bill held a fundraising campaign in which attendees had to pay 1000$ to attend. She netted 2.7 million for her campaign. This amount blows me away, I guess I never really thought about how much money they actually spend to get elected. Even more astonishing is that the washington post is predicting that "the collective field could match in a single quarter the nearly $100 million that George W. Bush raised during his record-breaking primary effort two presidential cycles ago.” It doesnt seem like the thing the candidates hate the most is raising money since they are doing more than ever. Also, the article said that only finger foods were served, if I am paying a thousand dollars to hear somebody speak I had better be getting a steak.

White House issues veto threat on Iraq pullout bill

It seems that everyone has posted something on this site about the war; however, it seems like many of us, including myself, may have been missing a very key elements to the stopping of the war...the things that go along with the bills that they may be passing. In the Presidents speech yesterday he spoke of having "clean" bills. Up until then it had never crossed my mind as to what may be thrown on some of these bills, which may be very realistic ones, but made unpassable by the things that may be attached to them. Maybe if we cut some of the pork we could have a way, that many people may agree on, to get out of Iraq.

"No" votes and not showing up to vote doesn't make Reps look good.

As far as the vote to withdrawal troops and to cut spending, President Bush's strongest allies for the war in Iraq, Sen. John McCain didn't even show up to vote, because he was too busy campaigning in Iowa at the time. What kind of message is this sending to the Senators constituencies in Arizona?? Is he too concerned with his own campaign and his own career to be apart of a vote that affects millions of dollars and thousands of American troops in Iraq. Also can someone explain to me why Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee of California would not vote when support for the Democrats is so crucial?

Just like a Broadway play, congressional hearings have many acts.

We all know agenda's are abound and seemingly important things are discussed in congressional hearings, but this article shows just how monotonous and sometimes trivial they can be. The whole process of a congressional hearing appears to be organized chaos, with all committee members rarely present at the same time and some senators attending multiple hearings at once.

US legislation could set Iraq pullout date

The House is considering important legislation that could require troops to pull out of Iraq all together by September 2008. I see this as two dimensions, spatically, one dimension with bringing the troops home and the other making Iraq safe. Many people want both, but some feel enough is enough. Senator John Kerry has claimed that it is time that Iraq start taking responsibility for itself. In other words, Kerry feels Iraqis should assume more responsibility for Iraq so that the United States does not have to. It seems that more people feel that bringing the troops home is more salient than a safe Iraq in this Democratically controlled Congress.

Dems Demand more Cash

This is a really good example of what we have talked about in class. We learned that elections that tend to be really close spends more money. In other words, if there is serious a challenger and incumbents spend lots of money. Now, because the Democrats have taken over Congress, the House democratic leaders are asking their colleagues to cough up $155 million for campaign operations. That sounds to me like the Democrats are expecting to have a very close races. This has received some criticism as people's ideal points differ on how much more money is needed. Even more Democrats like, Diane E. Watson, have pointed out that raising that much money is a full time job and takes away from the time Congress people spend in Congress. I see this as driving a small rift through the Democratic party.

Hillary Invokes Proletarian Interests

(Note: I’m posting twice this weekend because I finally have the time to do so, pushing myself over the minimum threshold for grade-A posting.) This article summarizes the press conference that Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) held in Nashua, New Hampshire, at which she vowed to enhance domestic programs that would help the working class rise from poverty and aid the middle class in staying above poverty. It should be noted that she did not mention what she would do to assist businesses or to protect the holdings of the rich, and sensibly so: Although those earning above $70,000 annually have the highest vote turnout (about 86% compared to middle-class 65% and working-class 52%), they comprise the smallest segment of the population by far (about 12% compared to middle-class 32% and working-class 56%). Collectively, the absolute number of active voters not earning over $70,000 annual income is significantly larger than the number of active voters earning $70,000 or less annual income. Of course, the difficulty lies in convincing those the programs would appeal to that the proposed measures are feasible. The “too-good-to-be-true” argument ultimately prevents such a proletariat-centered platform from becoming the Condorcet winner (unless another Great Depression hits the United States).

Hagel Stays Out of Presidential Race

This article summarizes the press conference that Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) held at the University of Nebraska to announce he would not seek nomination for the 2008 presidential race, stating, “I want to…not divert my energy, efforts, and judgment with competing political considerations.” Hagel’s decision is sound because being socially and fiscally moderate in addition to opposing the Iraqi War makes Hagel a de facto Republican In Name Only (RINO), precluding him from gaining the presidential or vice-presidential GOP nomination. Hagel’s refusal to jump parties results in a candidate who has alienated himself from both potential bases of the strongest support, which hinders his chances of presidential nomination and election far more than it does a possible 2008 Senate race. Whereas Hagel is not even close to gaining enough of an overlap of interests to gain the presidency, log rolling with GOP partisans might be just the thing to make him a Condorcet winner come Senate nomination time. Hagel also acknowledged that running as a third-party presidential candidate would be a waste. (I suppose he figures there are already enough third-party candidates to split the vote…Perhaps in return for a kickback, or else why invest so many resources in a guaranteed failed venture? Something or another is adding to the third-party candidates’ immediate satisfaction from running…)

partner anyone?

does anyone still need a partner for the upcoming assignment? Please email me at mereidy@uwm.edu. Thanks!!

YouTube Sets Aside 'Channel' for Presidential Candidates

I thought this was a very interesting article after we were talking about voters being ignorant for the most part. I think that using a media like youtube, young voters in particular, can become more educated in the future. This perhaps is overly optimistic but who knows.

The New Dean Political Plan

"I am trying to build relationships with other governments in preparation for a Democratic takeover," Dean told me. "I want to make clear that there is an opposition in America and that we are ready to take power and that when we do, we are going to have much better relationships with them."


I think this is an interesting quote. He is claiming that a Democratic takeover would actually get something accomplished. I would love to see either party take a more controversial stance on, well anything really....although each side is claiming to either take power or reunite the party etc. I have yet to see any real action take place.

Emanuel tells freshmen to avoid Stephen Colbert

So much for the idea that voters get Colbert.

Here's the whole story since the website seems to be getting hammered right now.

Emanuel tells freshmen to avoid Stephen Colbert

By Jonathan E. Kaplan

March 15, 2007

Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), the Democratic Caucus chairman, has told new Democratic members of Congress to steer clear of Stephen Colbert, or at least his satirical Comedy Central program, “The Colbert Report.”

“He said don’t do it … it’s a risk and it’s probably safer not to do it,” said Rep. Steve Cohen. But the freshman lawmaker from Tennessee taped a segment that last week was featured in the 32nd installment of the “Better Know a District” series. Colbert asked Cohen whether he was a black woman. He isn’t.

Eyes (but thankfully, not heads) roll in Emanuel’s office when other freshmen stumble, such as the time Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) got into a debate about the merits of throwing kittens into a wood-chipper, or when Rep. Zack Space (D-Ohio) explained that he is not his predecessor, convicted felon Bob Ney (R).

The freshmen respect Emanuel, but they don’t always follow his orders. On the other hand, avoiding the kind of publicity that only “The Colbert Report” can confer on a lawmaker may be the only advice from Emanuel that freshman Democrats are ignoring.

Last year, as the House Democrats’ chief election strategist, Emanuel engineered the party’s takeover of the House by capitalizing on a nationalized midterm election. Now, as the House Democratic spokesman, Emanuel is working to keep freshman Democrats in office. His thoughts on how to manage casework, campaign for reelection, and win favorable press coverage are rooted in former Speaker Tip O’Neill’s (D-Mass.) maxim that “all politics is local.”

“Pay attention to your district, don’t go Washington, go home every weekend,” is a message Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said Emanuel has drilled in. “He’s encouraging people to stay local and focus on change, change, change. He and [Speaker Nancy] Pelosi (D-Calif.) both say to renew your commitment to change every day … be local, be practical and maintain that connection to the district.”

Rep. Paul Hodes (D-N.H.) said of Emanuel, “He has been helpful and a pain-in-the-you-know-what, to my great benefit … he’s an advocate for making sure folks in the district know what you’re doing … Of course, he keeps a close watch on doing what we need to do to get reelected.”

Emanuel also understands that what works in a traditional Democratic district won’t necessarily work in a more conservative district, Rep. Chris Carney (D-Pa.) said.

If lawmakers are doing their jobs and staying out of trouble, chances are Emanuel won’t say anything. If they stumble, he speaks up. Hodes considers Emanuel a mentor who understands the value of “tough love.”

One freshman who has been on the receiving end of Emanuel’s “tough love” is Rep. Steve Kagen (Wis.), who boasted to a group of anti-war activists that he had dressed down President Bush’s top political adviser, Karl Rove, during a White House reception. The administration denied the story.

But Emanuel threw a fit. Kagen’s staff was hauled into the Democratic Caucus’s office for lessons on how to handle the media, Democratic sources said.

Rep. Nancy Boyda (D-Kan.) said, “It took [Emanuel] three weeks to come down off of the ceiling” after she refused to accept the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s (DCCC) assistance in her bid to win reelection in 2008.
Boyda said Emanuel would “worry until November 4, 2008, but he says it in a very caring, grandmotherly way.”

Emanuel is not the only House leader advising first-term Democrats. Pelosi hosts a weekly breakfast for freshmen and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) guides them through the legislative process. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), chairman of the DCCC, tells new lawmakers that the first 100 days is the time to cement their relationship with voters by ably handling constituent service requests and pushing a positive legislative agenda.

Victory won’t be easy in 2008. Democrats may have opportunities to defeat GOP incumbents or pick up open seats, but they first must defend 33 new incumbents of their own. In 1994, House GOPers gained 52 seats and had to protect 73 new freshmen. In 1996, Democrats defeated 12 GOP freshmen and picked up nine seats.

Some first-term Democrats can breathe a bit easier because former GOP lawmakers and conceivably strong GOP candidates have demurred, including former Reps. Richard Pombo (Calif.) and Rob Simmons (Conn.). Reps. Ron Klein (D-Fla.) and Brad Ellsworth (D-Ind.) also have had opponents decline to run.

Despite Emanuel’s energetic style of browbeating and worrying, freshman lawmakers esteem him.

“He’s the Al Davis of Congress,” said Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.), referring to the legendary owner of the Oakland Raiders who coined the phrase, “Just win, baby.”

Never say that you're not learning anything up here on the east side.

Democrat David Obey attacks "idiot liberals"

This may be breaking the unspoken blog format, but I thought it was interesting to see some thick Congress Action. There is quite a lot of technical jazz thrown out in this "interview" between a liberal group and Wisconsin's Dave Obey. It seems Obey is trying to use his years and years of experience in terms of how to proceed with the ugliness in Iraq.

What makes the situation in Washington so complex? Is it more than the war itself being complex and the decision makers not knowing what decision is best, or is there more institiuational complexity that comes with congress?

Either way, frustration is the emotion prevelent with Obey as well as the "idiot liberals."

Happy "Sunshine Week" Everybody!

In an apparent attempt to shed some light on some of the government's activities, the Democrats have introduced legislation to protect whistle-blowers, as well as to increase public access to government activities. While in office, Democrats claim Bush has restricted access to a number of items that should be available via the Freedom of Information Act. This is a real week-long event organized by the American Society of Newspaper Editors from March 11-17. Will it change anything? Who knows.

Veto players always get their way

The Senate on Wednesday began its first formal debate on the Iraq war since Democrats took control of Congress, taking up a measure calling for President Bush to withdraw combat troops by the end of next March. The White House swiftly issued a veto threat.The 89-9 vote paved the way for consideration of the Democratic legislation, which would start troop withdrawals within four months and calls for—but does not require—the complete removal of combat troops by the end of March 2008.


Yet another look at the way congress votes and how important a veto actor is. Although overwhelming (89-9) would pass it, the president can veto it. I suggest that congress move their ideal preferences closer to something the president would actually approve and not veto.

Legislator's love triangle implodes

I think the best part in this article is when Leon Young takes both of his mistresses on the same flight to Vegas. You do have to be a risk taker to be in politics.

Dems to Russert, Wallace, and Sheiffer: You're on notice!

I actually do watch the Sunday morning talk shows. I have noticed a trend toward more conservative guests and apparently so has a group of progressive Democratic Congressmen. A new study suggests that ABC's This Week, with George Stephanopoulos was the most balanced in opinions, while the others booked at least 10% more conservative opinions than liberal. The liberal media, eh? Anyway, I really don't think this matters all that much. After all, those who watch these programs (the few who do) probably form their political opinions on something more substantive than a softball question Russert tosses to Elizabeth Dole.

Dems optimistic about Iraq plan passage

Dems are pushing for a bill that would have us out of Iraq in under two years, but with house republicans and the White house standing united in opposition, the bill has little chance of success. Of course good ol' Dick Cheney threw his two cents, saying that the bill only empowers the "enemy" by telling them the date in which we plan on pulling out.

need a partner?

Does anyone need a partner for the homework assignment that was handed out today? I would really like to work with anyone available and I am willing to do any candidate. my email is dmweigel@uwm.edu, or you can find me on facebook. Thanks mucho.

-Deb

Lantos Introduces Iran Sanctions Legislation

I don't really have any idea why we are imposing sanctions on other countries that by into Irans nuclear power. I understand that they may be led by somebody crazy, but this will only affect our relationship (which is alreay in shambles) with our foreign allies. Also if we were so worried about what they are capable of, then wouldn't you try not to irritate the madman. All they are doing now is egging these extremest into a political area we simply aren't ready for.

Democrats Look to Scrap Spending Bill Riders

The example written about in the article was the Hyde amendment which restricts federal money from being used for abortions in most circumstances. While one can see why this is an issue the Democrats may not like they have to remember that this is a sword that will cut both ways. Now if the Republicans retake control and allow some sort of lumber contract, the Democrats can't put in a rider that says the contract needs to replant however much they take, or something of that sort. Closing this door will take any second chance they may want in the future.

Pelosi Reveals Who's Who On Global Warming Panel

Nancy Pelosi has finally announced the 15 official members of the new committee on global warming, formally known as the Select Committee on Energy Independence andGlobal Warming. The purpose of the committee is to raise the visibility of these energy and climate issues, rather than having legislative jurisdiction. This is a very short article, but I thought it was interesting to see that one of the 15 members is our very own Congressman Sensenbrenner!

Paperless Ballot Ban

Sen. Bill Nelson from Florida introduced the first legislation to ban paperless voting in the country. In a time when technology is skyrocketing and everything is going internet, it is important to make sure some things stay the same. I agree with Nelson. Without a paper trail, it is too easy for corruption on both sides. It doesn't matter how much easier it is to vote online or through a computer, it shouldn't be done. Think about Myspace for example. How many times has anyone tried to log on and the site is too busy or just loads improperly. Now imagine the entire nation logging on at the same time, and the site is built by the lowest bidder. It's just asking for trouble.

Senators argue about Alberto Gonzales

Senators fear that Attorney General Gonzales is much too political for his job. His job is not to solely serve the President any longer, his job is much more important than that. Many are calling for his resignation while others believe it may be the President's job to handle the situation.

Ted Kennedy Talks: Do I Listen??

There is an interesting article in today's Washington Post by that great lunatic from the left, none other than our friendly Ted Kennedy. Now, normally I don't put much stock by his "wisdom", but this article clearly does spell out that the Democrats are going to re-establish the balance of power in Washington. It's about time! Unfortunatly this bit of wisdom didn't come from someone a bit more credible than the most notorious drunk in D.C. This new Congress is going to hold Georgie's little behind to the fire on the numerous debacles that seem to follow his administration, but that is exactly what the Congess is supposed to do. It was never intended to be a rubber stamp for every idiotic idea that came from the White House, but since January of 2001 it has been --until now. Way to go Teddy! For once you are dead right.

Bush Asks Congress for Armed Forces Funding Shift

Although the headline emphasizes Bush’s request for a budget revision to shift $3.2 billion from particular defense items into another troop buildup, the real story here is the composition of the appropriations bill Bush wants Congress to approve. During an international flight on March 10th, President Bush signed a letter (likely prepared by his cabinet) beckoning Congress to approve his latest armed forces appropriations bill, which would enable the deployment of 8,200 more troops to Afghanistan and Iraq in addition to his separate planned deployment of 21,000 American soldiers to Iraq. Given that about 47.5% of the requested funds are to fund Iraqi police and security forces to help the Iraqi government be more able to enforce its laws to eventually reduce dependence on American forces, it is likely that a two-thirds supermajority coalition of Republican and Bluedog Democrats will vote in favor of the bill in both chambers. Any revision that passes both the House and the Senate are unlikely to be much different from the original appropriations bill, as the 52% of requested funds going towards combat support troops is necessary to stabilize attacks against coalition forces, and the 0.5% of requested funds going towards reconstruction teams is appropriate for restoring infrastructure damaged in attacks. Therefore, it is safe to say that Bush’s appropriations proposal is a Condorcet winner in both chambers of Congress and will then (obviously) be signed into effect by President Bush.

Democrats’ Iraq Plan Draws Broad Support, Poll Shows

One of the first poles to test individual public opinion in individual congressional districts since the 2006 midterm elections. The pole results reveal that the democrats plan from with drawl of Iraq by early 2008. Also, 58% also oppose Bush's plans for a surge in the amount of troops. The result of this could be negative if Congress does not act. It is possible that voters could vote for a challenger in the next election if no pull out happens.

House Dems Face Uphill Battle Over Iraq

This article, from the New York Times, is about Nancy Pelosi (Speaker of the House) and a problem she is having. She introduced legislation that would require troops to leave Iraq by fall 2008. Even though her own party (Democrats) is in control of Congress, there are still some difficulties because the democrats hold a slim majority and if some defect then the legislation would not pass.

The democrats are divided about what to do. Some want more involvement and some want less involvement in Iraq. Some Democrats want out by March 2008. Democrats ideal points all over the political spectrum. Getting the bill in a win set that would please Democrats is going to be difficult but through use of strategic voting, it is possible. Especially since some Republicans may support this legislation as well.

It's Like I'm On Crazy Pills or Something!

WHAT is the deal lately? Newt Gingrich admits to an extra-marital affair with HIS Congressional aide WHILE he's leading the attack on Bill Clinton for the Monica Lewinsky situation? Morality be damned, I suppose. He says he's not a hypocrite because he was only railing against Clinton for committing the crime of lying under oath. Well, OK. I guess I remember the situation a tad differently than Newt and the gang. What about all the conservatives calling for Scooter Libby to be PARDONED for committing the SAME crime? My head feels like it's about to explode here.

Broad Support for Dems' Iraq Plan?

That's what the folks over at MoveOn.org are claiming in their new poll. 58% of respondents oppose Bush's troop surge and 67% of voters want American troops to “be out of Iraq by early 2008.” The poll claims a majority of Americans in competitive right-leaning districts approve of a withdrawal date. I've consistently opposed the Iraq war from the beginning , but I'd take the poll for what it's worth, coming from an organization with political agenda. It's interesting if nothing else.

Obama pays parking tickets...only took him 17 years

Obama took care of some unfinished business at Harvard University, paying about $400 in parking fines dating back to his days as a law student. A Harvard grad, who wants to be our next president, cannot even pay his own parking tickets!! How can he handle a budget for an entire country?

Kohl pushes anti-trust issue

After Sen. Herb Kohl criticized the proposed hostile takeover of Midwest Airlines at a hearing Wednesday, he won a pledge from a top Justice Department official that any information sparking anti-trust concerns would be reviewed.

Kohl lauded Midwest Airlines, which he uses when flying to and from the nation's capital, as a "true success story." He said Midwest was unique as an airliner since it offered the highest quality of service and is "beloved by its customers."

Already the department has completed an initial review of the proposed takeover.
Barnett said while the department had closed its initial review, it was "not precluded from looking at it further based on additional information." He said he would take information from Kohl, his staff and constituents and consider whether anti-trust concerns arose. He noted that when the department examines competition, it considers competition both in price and quality.
Kohl said no one doubts Midwest's service would suffer if AirTran bought the airliner. More worrisome, he said, was AirTran's history of promising high levels of service when it enters new markets, then abruptly breaking those pledges. Since 2004, AirTran has left 29 markets it said it would serve; sometimes it returned with scaled-down offerings and other times, not at all, he said.


I think this is a good example of a Senator doing something for his constituents. Politicians on both side of the aisle have expressed that they do NOT want to see Midwest airlines be sold and the people of the state feel the same way. Midwest is held close to many of our hearts because of their great service, affordable prices, and personal care.

Scooter Libby

So, Libby was found guilty. He faces up to ten years in prison. I totally agree that he was guilty and am amazed that something was done about it. My big question is, what about the guy who actually leaked the name? Dick Cheney. Why hasn't he been brought up on charges?

Two Freshmen Learn the Perils of Talking Too Much

This article talk about freshmen representatives Michelle Bachman and Steve Kagen. Both representatives have received negative publicity because of outlandish comments and actions. (Bachmann claimed to know of an "Iranian plan to partitition the Northern part of Iraq if American troops withdrew"). The article has commentary from a political scientist that says that freshmen representatives should keep there mouth shut, and gain only wanted publicity. Bachmann is also a advocate of banning gay marriage, and made some innappropriate comments about this as well (see article). It also says that she is in a very good position for reelection, because of the very high amount of republican support in her district.
Her advantage as a incumbent has not decreased because of her comments, mostly because of the hoighty tighty area she represents. However, her advantage could get smaller if she keeps making national blunders. Maybe her sophomore surge will be smaller based on her past actions, if she gets reelected. She also ran against Patty Wetterling, who was a single issue candidate (child protection), and the democrats have a more centrist candidate lined up for next time (Female district attorney seems to be the trend in MN). I hope she is one and done I have seen enough.