Clipmarks | Congress Clips

Congress

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:24:18 GMT

clipped by: mklosinski
clipper's remarks: Leave no incumbent in office ! ! ! There is not one current member that is worthy of a vote.

Clip Source: rasmussenreports.com

The percentage of voters who give Congress good or excellent ratings has fallen to single digits for the first time in Rasmussen Reports tracking history. This month, just 9% say Congress is doing a good or excellent job. Most voters (52%) say Congress is doing a poor job, which ties the record high in that dubious category.

Voters not affiliated with either party are the most critical of Congressional performance. Just 3% of those voters give Congress positive ratings, down from 6% last month. Sixty-three percent (63%) believe Congress is doing a poor job, up from 57% last month.

Tags: congress

McCain Complains about Recess after missing 367 Votes Himslef...

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:13:09 GMT

clipped by: TJColatrella
clipper's remarks: Ok sure John...

Clip Source: www.motherjones.com

McCain Complains About Congressional Recess After Missing 367 Votes

This seems legitimate...

McCain took Congress to task for taking a July 4 recess without completing action on a housing rescue plan, calling it "incredible that Congress should go on vacation while Americans are trying to stay in their homes."

...until you realize that John McCain has missed 367 votes in the 110th Congress. He is the most absent member of the Senate.

Tags: mccain, senate, absentee, awol, votes, congress, recess, july 4th

Congressional Democrats Aim to Censor Twitter and Qik

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:07:17 GMT

clipped by: n2sooners

Clip Source: mashable.com

I’ve seen some discussion around the blogosphere that has correlated with an email I got this morning from the office of Representative John Culberson (the US House GOP leader) talking about a Democrat plan hatched to curtail free speech from members of Congress on the Internet’s various social media websites.

As Robert Scoble and Andrew Feinberg unmasked to us in the Web 2.0 crowd, there are a couple of members of congress who actually do get social media, and use it personally. John Culberson is one of those folks, and has actively used Twitter and Qik in the past to communicate not only with his constiuency but the general wilds of the web.

Rep. Michael Capuano, Chairman of the Congressional Commission on Mailing Standards, seeks to end this.

The upshot is that Michael Capuano for some reason is uneasy or afraid of the shift towards openness in access to our nations legislators made possible by social media, and rather than encourage the change, he aims to have it cut off at the head.

Tags: congress, politics, free speech, twitter

So Much For Those Permanent Bases

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:04:33 GMT

clipped by: cptenaud
clipper's remarks: "The direction we are taking is to have a memorandum of understanding either for the departure of the forces or to have a timetable for their withdrawal," a statement from Maliki's office quoted him as telling Arab ambassadors to the United Arab Emirates.

"The negotiations are still continuing with the American side, but in any case the basis for the agreement will be respect for the sovereignty of Iraq," he added.

As I have mentioned before, most Iraqis view the SOFA with the US as an encroachment on their sovereignty.

It was the first time that the Shiite prime minister had specifically demanded a timetable for a US withdrawal, something that President George W. Bush has repeatedly refused to set.

Bush and Maliki agreed in principle last November to sign a Status of Forces Agreement in Iraq by the end of July to set the basis for a US troop presence beyond December this year when the UN mandate runs out.

Clip Source: www.vetvoice.com

by: Chris LeJeune

Tue Jul 08, 2008

Iraqi PM is negotiating defense agreement with US that will set timetable for full US troop pullout.
Baghdad, 08 July 2008 (Middle East Online)
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Monday that he is negotiating a deal with Washington that will provide for only a short-term US troop presence beyond this year and will also set a timetable for a full withdrawal.
It was the first time that Iraq had made a pullout deadline a condition for a promised new agreement with the United States setting the basis for a troop presence into 2009.

Maliki is requesting a timeline for withdrawal? This is sure to embolden our enemies. I seem to remember, however, certain senators and congressmen here who have requested the same before. A majority of the Iraqi parliament requested this in the summer of 2007, and again this year. They even sent a parliamentary delegation to discuss this with our congress.

Approval of Dem-Controlled Congress Hits Single Digits

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:00:02 GMT

clipped by: Smoke TNT

Clip Source: moonbattery.com

Congratulations to Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi on achieving a remarkable milestone. For the first time in American history, the public's approval of Congress has fallen to single digits. From Rasmussen, via Drudge:

This month, just 9% say Congress is doing a good or excellent job.

Even the fools who elected our current Congress are disgusted:

The percentage of Democrats who give Congress positive ratings fell from 17% last month to 13% this month.

Encouragingly, independents have an even lower opinion of our Democrat Congress than Republicans do, with 3% and 8%, respectively, offering positive ratings. There are probably more people who believe Elvis is alive than who think Reid and Pelosi are doing an acceptable job.

Yet we're told that Dems will actually gain seats in November, and that they'll probably take the White House too, providing a rubber stamp for the policies that fewer than one in 10 Americans has a use for.

Nobody likes them. Yet we're told they're inevitable.

Tags: liberals, democrats, government, vote

Congressional Performance

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 01:01:42 GMT

clipped by: jatfla
clipper's remarks: Single digits, huh? Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Reid promised so much...but the final number says it all. Most of us believe that Congressmen & women are more interested in promoting their careers rather than dealing with issues. No one called me, but I couldn't agree more. I saw Sen. Warner talking about lowering the speed limit to 55mph again. What an embarrassment!

Clip Source: rasmussenreports.com

Congressional Performance

Voters hold little positive sentiment about the future. Just 41% find it at least somewhat likely that Congress will address important problems facing our nation in the near future, while 55% find this unlikely.

Most voters (72%) think most members of Congress are more interested in furthering their own political careers. Just 14% believe members are genuinely interested in helping people.

Cheney Censored Climate Testimony

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:33:03 GMT

clipped by: Wisco
clipper's remarks: At issue was the EPA's denial of a waiver to California allowing them to set stricter emissions standards. In fact, EPA staff supported the waiver, but it was denied anyway.

The Bush administration has had a long history of politicizing science -- which is basically denying facts... Which is basically lying.

Clip Source: www.mcclatchydc.com

Vice President Dick Cheney's office and the White House demanded that all mention of how global warming harms human health be cut from testimony to Congress last fall, a former Environmental Protection Agency official who had a key role on climate policy said Tuesday.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., charged that the new information from the former official showed that the White House and Cheney were covering up the dangers of global warming in an attempt to block the EPA from taking action.

The former EPA official, Jason Burnett, said in a letter to Boxer dated Sunday that the White House Council on Environmental Quality and Cheney's office wanted to cut any discussion of the human health consequences of climate change from testimony to Congress last October by Julie Gerberding, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Tags: news

Cheney's Office Pushed Purge Of Climate Change Testimony

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:30:07 GMT

clipped by: boniface

Clip Source: online.wsj.com

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's office was behind a push to censor congressional testimony that global warming poses a danger to the public, a former Environmental Protection Agency official told Congress.

The director of the Centers for Disease Control testified to a U.S. Senate panel last year about the public health effects of climate change in testimony that was heavily edited by the White House's Office of Management and Budget. Until now, Mr. Cheney's office hadn't been publicly linked to the efforts to keep information about climate change out of the public eye.

"We know that the administration's efforts have been about covering up the real dangers of global warming and hiding facts from the public," Sen. Boxer said at a press conference Tuesday. "This cover-up is being directed from the White House and the Office of the Vice President."

Tags: cheney, office, pushed, purge, climate, change, testimony

War Powers Revamp Recommended

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:56:10 GMT

clipped by: Wisco
clipper's remarks: One things for sure, recent history shows it's way too easy to go to war. Congress has totally shirked their responsibility, voting to "give authority" to a president to go to war, rather than sitting down and debating the merits of the action.

One guy should never have that ability or responsibility. If Congress won't take its constitutional duty seriously, then a law that makes it a requirement might be just what we need.

Clip Source: donklephant.com

A bipartisan study group tasked with considering changes to the way congress approves wars, is recommending increased congressional responsibility. The group, co-chaired by former secretaries of state James Baker III and Warren Christopher, are proposing “legislation that would require the president to consult lawmakers before initiating combat lasting longer than a week, except in cases of emergencies.”

A New York Times editorial by the co-chairmen lays out the details.

Simply, the 1973 War Powers Resolution is ineffective and possibly unconstitutional and we need better legislation. We also need a better balance of power, not only to check the Executive Branch but to make sure the Legislative Branch takes the appropriate responsibility for our wars both large and small. It’ll be interesting to hear what the presidential candidates think of this proposal.

Tags: news

Study: "Don't ask, don't tell" doesn't work

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:16:40 GMT

clipped by: Lexica

Clip Source: www.boston.com

WASHINGTON—Congress should repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law because the presence of gays in the military is unlikely to undermine the ability to fight and win, according to a new study released by a California-based research center.

The study was conducted by four retired military officers, including the three-star Air Force lieutenant general who in early 1993 was tasked with implementing President Clinton's policy that the military stop questioning recruits on their sexual orientation.

"Evidence shows that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly is unlikely to pose any significant risk to morale, good order, discipline or cohesion," the officers states.

Undermining unit cohesion was a determining factor when Congress passed the 1993 law, intended to keep the military from asking recruits their sexual orientation. In turn, service members can't say they are gay or bisexual, engage in homosexual activity or marry a member of the same sex.

Tags: equality, bias, military, politics

Great Lakes Basin Compact: Protect a Natural & National Treasure

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:50:50 GMT

clipped by: urbanlife
clipper's remarks: The Great Lakes are a finite, non-renewable natural treasure - containing a combined total of 6 quadrillion gallons of water — one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water. The lakes span 10,900 miles of coastline along the United States and Canada. The surface area of the lakes is larger than the states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire combined.

In 1998, there was a Lake Superior-based company in Ontario that proposed to take water by tanker out of Lake Superior to Asia.

This proposal failed and spurred the Great Lakes governors to take action. In 2001, they agreed to a framework to begin negotiating the compact. By 2005, they had a deal to take to their state legislatures...the base for the Great Lakes Basin Compact.

It says clearly that the Great Lakes should not be the long-term water supply answer for any other part of the world or any other part of the country.

Clip Source: www.treehugger.com

Clip Source: www.progressohio.org

Clip Source: mff.dsisd.net

Clip Source: www.minnesotalakes.net

Clip Source: www.npr.org

The eight Great Lakes states are on the verge of sending to Congress an accord that would keep water from being diverted out of the Great Lakes watershed.

The five Great Lakes — Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario — contain about 90 percent of the fresh surface water in the U.S. and about one-fifth of the entire world's supply.

The Great Lakes Water Compact aims to protect the lakes from large-scale water diversions.

Less than 1 percent of these great lakes are renewed every year through rain and snow melt

we have to make sure that the water that we have stays here and doesn't get squandered

In addition to Pennsylvania, the Great Lakes compact has been approved by the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and New York.

The compact, first and foremost, requires those within the Great Lakes basin to take better care of it.

states are required to develop water conservation plans and water quality standards

prohibits large-scale diversions of Great Lakes water

Clip Source: cache.eb.com

Clip Source: sitemaker.umich.edu

Clip Source: www.indianawildlife.org

Clip Source: www.expressmilwaukee.com

Tags: water, environment, natural resource, protect, limited supply, freshwater

Panel calls for new War Powers Act

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:57:50 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: "The current War Powers Resolution is 'ineffective at best and unconstitutional at worst,' and should be scrapped"

Clip Source: cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com

Panel calls for new War Powers Act

WASHINGTON (CNN) — The United States needs a new law requiring that the president consult with Congress before going to war, a blue-ribbon panel led by two former secretaries of state will say Tuesday.

The current War Powers Resolution is “ineffective at best and unconstitutional at worst,” and should be scrapped, James A. Baker III and Warren Christopher write in Tuesday’s New York Times, previewing the conclusion of the year-long study they led.

The recommendation follows failed efforts by Democrats in Congress to put a stop to the war in Iraq or to put conditions on President Bush’s conduct of it. Congress passed a joint resolution to authorize armed force against in Iraq in 2002, but some Bush opponents say it should not have been interpreted as a blank check for the United States to invade and occupy the Gulf nation.

Tags: foreign policy, politics

Study: End 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:21:57 GMT

clipped by: Wisco
clipper's remarks: I love that last paragraph. "No empirical evidence?" Well, other than the study, anyway.

This is the same flatearther mentality that brings you creationism and climate change denial -- dismiss any evidence that doesn't back up your prejudice, then claim the other side isn't being scientific enough.

Clip Source: ap.google.com

Congress should repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law because the presence of gays in the military is unlikely to undermine the ability to fight and win, according to a new study released by a California-based research center.

"Evidence shows that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly is unlikely to pose any significant risk to morale, good order, discipline or cohesion," the officers states.

Supporters of the ban contend there is still no empirical evidence that allowing gays to serve openly won't hurt combat effectiveness.

Tags: news

"Dick" Cheney Censored Environmental Data

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:51:50 GMT

clipped by: maquser
clipper's remarks: White House Republicans named "Dick" = 2. The shmuck stops here.

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

Vice President Dick Cheney's office pushed for major deletions in congressional testimony on the public health consequences of climate change, fearing the presentation by a leading health official might make it harder to avoid regulating greenhouse gases

six pages were cut from testimony on climate change and public health by the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last October

the senior adviser on climate change to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen Johnson, says that Cheney's office was deeply involved in getting nearly half of the CDC's original draft testimony removed.

Cheney's office also objected last January over congressional testimony by Administrator Johnson that "greenhouse gas emissions harm the environment."

The EPA currently is examining whether carbon dioxide, a leading greenhouse gas, poses a danger to public health and welfare. The Supreme Court has said if it does, it must be regulated under the Clean Air Act.

Tags: ecology, congress, cheney, dick, wad, lies, suppression of facts, science

Ethics office still awaiting leadership

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:04:19 GMT

clipped by: papananook
clipper's remarks: Typical of this Congress.

Clip Source: www.politico.com

The House of Representatives’ new Office of Congressional Ethics is supposed to be open for business as early as this week. There’s just one problem: Neither Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) nor Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) has nominated anyone to work for it.

Under a resolution approved by the House in March, the speaker and the minority leader are each required to nominate — with the concurrence of the other — three board members plus an alternate for the ethics office. Aides to the two leaders said Monday that Pelosi and Boehner have begun talks about their nominees, but it is not clear if they have started vetting the other side’s choices.

Although Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) — like most Republicans — opposed the creation of the ethics office, senior House GOP aides insist that the minority leader isn’t “filibustering” by declining to name board members.

they will effectively prevent the office from starting any new investigations in this election cycle.