Senate to question Army on Walter Reed

The senate and the President are starting to look into failures in the veteran's administration. This topic could be a potential hot button when elections come up next year. The republicans can speak of their swift concern and action, and the democrats will be asking how this was allowed to happen. It will be harder for incumbent republicans to distance themselves from the President if this is brought up during their campaign.

obama vs. hillary part 2393893

Obama and Clinton, joined by the former president, planned to speak at the same time from pulpits three blocks apart. They also were to appear together at a rally before making the ceremonial walk to the Edmund Pettus Bridge to honor the Selma-to-Montgomery marches.

As the season heats up, its hard to beleive that the election is yet soo far away. I am interested to see the endurance of these two candidates, and the positions they take, following each other around the country. Which came first, hillary or obama....the chicken or the egg.

Arizona's Other Senator Wants to Fix Leaks

On March 1st, Senator John Kyl (R – AZ) proposed an amendment this week to an anti-terrorism bill that would criminalize disclosure of at least three distinct classes of congressional reports. Kyl’s amendment primarily targets members of Congress and Capitol Hill staff, as the only people in a position to disclosure the content of such offline reports would be Congress members or other staff present during the issuing of the reports. This is actually Kyl’s third amendment to an anti-terrorism bill attempting to criminalize a broader array of information disclosure (via expanding the definition of “classified communications”) as well as increasing penalties for such offenses (such as doubling the maximum prison term for such disclosure). Although the Journal Sentinel did not report much congressional support for the bill as amended, that will be revealed in the next week or so when the amended bill hits the floor. Because the first two Kyl amendments were too draconian relative to the status quo of restricted communications, they were voted down in the Senate. Perhaps Kyl’s third try will be modest enough (adding only three groups of congressional reports) to obtain a simple majority (given the congressional emphasis on national security), but it is unlikely that the House will agree on the same provisions because the sentiment there is somewhat more populist and therefore in favor of a shift away from the high-security status quo but towards fewer classifications of communications, not more.

Children's Health Care on Agenda

This Washington Post article explains the current disagreement between Democrats and Republicans in Congress concerning the state-federal Children's Health Insurance Program. Democrats tend to favor a more robust program role that covers more children from families in different economic brackets while Republicans tend to favor a more limited role where the neediest children receive the assistance.
Below are the current ideal points and one possible outcome for the new proposal:
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the program needs 13-15 billion above current levels to keep covering the same number of children it currently covers. President Bush's administration has proposed 4.8 billion for the new budget. The Democratic majority in Congress has proposed 50 billion over the next five years. I believe the new budget will fall somewhere close to the 13-15 billion needed to support the current number of children at a point between the President and the majority in Congress's ideal points.

Democrats' plan: Meet goals or bring troops home

One of the problems that has plagued the democratic party was how much to scale back the involvement in Iraq. All of the democrats in the house have been working to come up with a compromise on how to go about this as they all have different ideal points. The end result of this looks to be a resolution which would change the status quo by authorizing spending and troops if the Iraqis live up to agreements made with the president, including coming to political agreement sharing the nation's oil resources as well as reconstruction. Failure to comply on the part of Iraq would mean they would get less US troops to battleterrorism.

I think that this change in the status quo is needed-why should we stick our troops and tax money over there if they are not going to live up to their ends of the bargain. They need to work to improve their situation, the United States can not do it for them.

Republicans United in Opposition?

This is an interesting article on the conservative and moderate factions within the Republican party attempting to put differences aside to defeat the Democrats in 2008. What's that you say? Wall Street and Main Street working together again after a decade of Wall Street domination? Realistically, their ideal points are still closer to each other than to the Democrats, so this does make sense. However, they do occupy very different positions on certain issues. So, can it work? Maybe, but it means a move to the middle. I argue that they have been trying this since Pat Robertson endorsed Rudy Giuliani for President. Giuliani holds positions on gay-rights and abortion rights that do not jive with the Christian right, and in any other campaign, would have meant the tele-evangelists on the attack. Hypocrisy? Absolutely! But they need somebody they think can win.

Democrats eye cuts to 2008 Iraq war request

In today's Congress, one of the big debates continues to be over military operation in Iraq and Afghanistan. Democrats have now proposed changing the status quo by cutting $20 billion from President's Bush proposed $ 142 billion budget from next year. There is also distinction about this policy in Congress. In order to successfully maintain the military operation, some members of Congress believe that rather than lowering the status quo, it will actually have to be increased to maintain the military operation for at least the next five years. This is an example of the legislative power that Congress holds over the president from the Constitution, President Bush may not be happy about this yet there is nothing he can do about it if Bush were to veto the bill and Congress overrides it. It just goes to show you how truly powerless the president is compared to congress.

A Three Way Split

There seems to be a three way split in congress on what to do about the war in Iraq. Some of the democrats that we are against the idea of passing a bill that would put a time limit on the fundind available to the troops in that are still in Iraq. Some of the democrats want to take away the funding and some now are leaning away from that approach.

Rice: Congress Shouldn't Micromanage War

I was intrigued by the discussion in class about Congress's rights and abilities when it comes to foreign affairs. The nonbinding resolution stuff seems very ineffectual and petty, but nothing is not an option. Congress must work within it's limitations, and the sooner the better. Vietnam took a very long time for there to be enough nonbinding resolutions to make things different. It still looks like Congress is not ready to be really brave and impose money restrictions. Risky strategy for the war or for getting reelected????

Will Gore Run for President after his Oscar Nod?

Ever since An Inconvenient Truth was nominated for an Oscar there has been buzz that Al Gore would announce his bid for 2008 Democratic Party President in his acceptance speech. He did win but he didn't announce anything. Officially he stated that he hasn't ruled out running but I don't think he will. I just don't think there is room for him anymore, not between Hillary and Obama. He had his chance and some would argue that he did win, but now he needs to step aside. Theres always the Nobel Peace Prize Al.

Govenors See Influence Wane In Race For Presidency

This is an interesting artcile that was published in the Washington Post over the weekend pointing out the obvious lack of governors in the "race for presidency" and the alarming dominance of senators. The most recent event highlighting this lack of governors in the race was the announcement that Former Governor of Iowa, Tom Vilsack, dropped his campaign for president a mere three months after launching it. I think this lack of governors in the race is very interesting a also pretty rare. I think that it is rather safe to argue that we will see many, if any, governors making it past the primary elections. This is just another issue that I feel is going to make this upcoming election stand out from all previous ones.

CLINTON SEES ROLE FOR HUSBAND

Honey, can I have a job? Hilary Clinton is considering letting her husband back into the White House not only as the first first man if she is elected, but as a potential diplomat. These types of considerations are exponentially crucial 617 days before the election. I'm thrilled to see Clinton so focused on whether or not Al Gore is going to win an Oscar and defending her husband while attending a San Fransisco fund raiser for her presidential campaign. Talk about time-horizons, she will not complete a single senatorial duty that is not a contrived or strategic ploy at securing a potential nomination for the next two years. Not to say everyone else wont be doing the same thing.... it just seems so much more obvious with her.

Supreme Court Possible Veto Actor in Iraq Resolution

The article describes Senators Joe Biden (D-DE) and Carl Levin (D-MI)’s plan for limiting American troop involvement in Iraq. However, the provisions of the bill, if enacted, would infringe upon the Commander-in-Chief’s prerogative to set war strategy, as Congress’ constitutional role in war is to declare it (in the Senate) and to fund it (in the House). The current conservative composition of the Supreme Court is more likely to rule in favor of greater presidential authority over foreign policy. The political reality that the House will have to continue funding war equipment or be alienated from voters (at least until this goes on for another year or so, at which point the majority of the American public might not argue much against de-funding troops, but the Pentagon would still be able to dip into its overdraft funds and fund itself as an executive agency to deploy troops, putting the ball back into the House to fund the troops who the Pentagon continues to send). Most of the 29 Republicans oppose the bill and consequently are with the status quo (presidential position), which the Supreme Court approximates on this issues. Hence, any attempt this quarter to restrict the activities of the troops will ultimately lose despite the Democratic majority due to a range of disagreements about what specific provisions should and should not be preventing a potential override of a presidential veto, with the Supreme Court primed to be a veto actor given the language of the bill.

June Vote Set for Ga. Congressional Seat

There will be a June 19 special election held to fill the vacant House seat of GOP Rep. Charles Norwood, a seven-term congressman, who died last week. The number of terms he served in the legislative branch reminded me of the graph in the Polsby article that looked at the mean percentage of first-term members and how it decreased over time from around 50% in the 1780s to less than 20% by the 1960s.

Because the special election is in June, the candidates who will be running for the seat (3 Republicans and 1 Democrat so far) will have only about 4 months to campaign.

Eye to the Telescope.

This is a great article from THE ECONOMIST, it looks at the primaries from a game theory perspective. "It is reasonably clear where the process will end, as the states scramble over each other...", I'll let you read to find out where it leads...

The issue comes into play because California’s state Congress has approved a bill to move their primary date to February 5th, it will soon be approved it in their house. What happens next is obvious from a game theory perspective, 17 more states are likely to follow suit...

This is a great look at the consequences of our current primaries system, how it will likely change, and a perspective on how it should change...

I've posted the article on my blog since you wont be able to access the Economist page. It's a one page magazie article and it's a very fast read... I recommend it.

Vilsack Out.

As I was posting a comment, the news broke that Ex-Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack is dropping out of the Presidential race. More on it in 20 minutes or so at a press conference. At least that's what they're saying on MSNBC in between the bizarre Anna Nichole Smith coverage. Literally, the AP wire posted this comment and only this comment.

Democratic Senate Majority in Jeopardy?

Joe Lieberman has not ruled out switching from "I" caucusing with the Democrat's to an "R". "What issue could possibly prompt this?" I can hear you asking yourself. Well, none other than the war in Iraq, of course. You see, Joe is fully committed to supporting the troop surge and is concerned that the Democrats might not fully fund the war effort.
The bright side for Democrats is that he doesn't want to switch, or is at least saying as much. With the Democratic majority already on shaky ground with the Tim Johnson situation, Lieberman has become a player, dare I say the median voter, at least on Iraq. Sadly, the Democrats need him more than he needs the Democrats. Joe knows that as much as Harry Reid. My prognostication: Joe continues to caucus with the Democrats, at least through 2008. The Democrats will do enough to appease him and the Republicans won't offer him enough to switch. Not to mention the potential problem Lieberman faces in the 33% of Democrats in CT that voted for him in the general. Interesting, if not tricky and kind of scary situation.

Pelosi tattles on Cheney

I thought this article was pretty interesting after we talked about the relationship between members of Congress and the President. I am interested to know what role the Vice President plays or how he influences the Presidents decision making.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi phoned President Bush to air her complaints over Vice President Dick Cheney's comments that the Congressional Democrats' plan for Iraq would "validate the Al Qaeda strategy."

Pelosi, who said she could not reach the president, said Cheney's comments wrongly questioned critics' patriotism and ignored Bush's call for openness on Iraq strategy.
"You cannot say as the president of the United States, 'I welcome disagreement in a time of war,' and then have the vice president of the United States go out of the country and mischaracterize a position of the speaker of the House and in a manner that says that person in that position of authority is acting against the national security of our country," the speaker said.

Where did the issues go?

It seems to be that the race for president has become more of a "look at who I can get on my side!!!" Now I know what you are thinking, "yeah it has always been that way..." I agree that popularity is what gets you elected, but back in the day it was the senators or house reps that were on your side. Maybe a well known public figure who had a good moral standing with the voters. However, today it has become who knows the most famous people in Hollywood. Hollywood...where the people are paid to be different then who they are. Most people couldn't tell you how Brad Pitt feels about the national debt, but since he is voting for Obama then so will they. I know that most of you who are reading this are smarter than to fall for they hype, but think of all those people who read US as their source of news. Don't get me wrong it is a very smart strategy to get a vote, but maybe this is what is meant when the framers look at the mob theory...

Committee approves 'informed consent' abortion bill

Here is an interesting article. A bill requiring doctors to tell pregant woman seeking abortions made it out of the Senate committe and now will go for debate on the floor. Basically, the committe members are trying to change the status quo and tell woman that life begins human life begins when the spream reaches the egg. It will be interesting to see how the debates go on the floor of the senate and if the bill will pass.