There seems to be some confusion on both sides of the Blogosphere about Section 220 of S. 1 of the lobbying reform bill currently before the Senate.
"Section 220 of S. 1, the lobbying reform bill currently before the Senate, would require grassroots causes, even bloggers, who communicate to 500 or more members of the public on policy matters, to register and report quarterly to Congress the same as the big K Street lobbyists. Section 220 would amend existing lobbying reporting law by creating the most expansive intrusion on First Amendment rights ever. For the first time in history, critics of Congress will need to register and report with Congress itself." blogsforbush.com
Huh. I thought it was only the Republicans who were after our 1st Amendment rights. But here are the Democrats assaulting our freedoms again by trying to control who says what. Slashdot
The amendment was introduced by Senator David Vitter (R-LA), and has nothing to do with the rest of the bill. This amendment was just another Republican attempt to destroy this legislation, that the Republicans just today voted down. The Republicans have made it official: They don't want ethics!
Who is Republican Senator "I-like-Jack-Abramoff-but-hate-Planned-Parenthood" Vitter? His most famous quote to date is:
"In the metropolitan area in general, in the huge majority of areas, it's not rising at all. It's the same or it may be lowering slightly. In some parts of New Orleans, because of the 17th Street breach, it may be rising and that seemed to be the case in parts of downtown.
"I don't want to alarm everybody that, you know, New Orleans is filling up like a bowl. That's just not happening," Senator David Vitter (R-LA), August 30, 2005. Wikipedia
The Republican senate has decided that they don't want any ethics reform, and have decided to use the line item veto as their excuse. "No ethics unless we can get the unrelated, never-been-used-in-the-history-of-the-country line item veto for a President that the country does not even like!
Democrats in party mood as speaker flexes her muscles Nine victory parties in three days, six new pieces of legislation to be passed in 100 hours - it is no wonder that Nancy Pelosi, the most powerful woman in Congress, has taken to flexing the bicep muscles beneath her impeccably tailored jackets. "We've come a long way," Ms Pelosi told a breakfast for the Democratic faithful on Capitol Hill yesterday as she showed off her right arm. "This is such an exciting thing."
For those Democrats who seethed during their party's election defeats of 2000, 2002, and 2004 the return of both houses of Congress to Democratic control after 12 years on the margins is reason to celebrate. And celebrate they did in Ms Pelosi's first hours after becoming the first woman speaker of the House of Representatives on Thursday. Tony Bennett flew to croon about Ms Pelosi's home town, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, and activists wandered the gilded halls of Congress wearing commemorative badges fashioned after Rosie the Riveter, the iconic female munitions factory worker.
The Republicans call it Pelosi Palooza.
"It's just going to be an entirely new atmosphere and way of doing things," said Terry O'Neill, the director of the National Council of Women's Organisations, who attended a women's tea for 500 where guests nibbled on petits fours and crustless cucumber sandwiches and sipped champagne. "The atmosphere, the feeling, the way of doing things, it's a much more civilised approach." guardian.co.uk
Pelosi's Political Rise Is Breakthrough WASHINGTON — It shouldn't be surprising that it took more than 200 years for Congress to select a female speaker of the House. The United States isn't exactly at the forefront when it comes to women in politics.
Women make up a larger share of the national legislature in 79 other countries, including China, Cuba, North Korea and Vietnam, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, an association of national legislatures. The U.S. even trails a couple of fledgling democracies: Afghanistan and Iraq.
"When my colleagues elect me as speaker on Jan. 4, we will not just break through a glass ceiling, we will break through a marble ceiling," said Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who is set to lead the House when the Democrats take over Thursday. "In more than 200 years of history, there was an established pecking order _ and I cut in line."
At a tea to honor Pelosi and the late former Texas governor Ann Richards on Wednesday, Pelosi said her ascension hadn't come easily. "We have waited more than 200 years for this time to come. But we did not just wait, we worked," she said. FAUX NEws
Pelosi and Reid wrote to Bush on the surge escalation. Here are some quotes from the letter:
"We want to do everything we can to help Iraq succeed in the future but, like many of our senior military leaders, we do not believe that adding more U.S. combat troops contributes to success. They, like us, believe there is no purely military solution in Iraq. There is only a political solution."
"Adding more combat troops will only endanger more Americans and stretch our military to the breaking point for no strategic gain."
"Rather than deploy additional forces to Iraq, we believe the way forward is to begin the phased redeployment of our forces in the next four to six months, while shifting the principal mission of our forces there from combat to training, logistics, force protection and counter-terror." speaker.gov
The 110th Congress has officially elected Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as Speaker of the House, making her the first woman in U.S. history to hold the position. Think Progress
Republicans everywhere are crapping in their tights, as Nancy Pelosi is now two indictments away from the presidency. Go Nancy!
Sen. Tim Johnson, D-South Dakota, has been poisoned by the GOP with the radioactive substance Polonium-210. He is listed in critical condition. The illness is being disguised as a different disorder by the press under orders from the president.
The Republican governor of South Dakota has the power to appoint Senate replacement for Johnson, effectively tipping the balance of power towards the Republicans.
When asked if they were concerned about getting caught for the attempted murder of Johnson, GOP leaders were incredulous. "They were going to investigate us. US!" Said John McCain, R-Arizona. "What were supposed to do? We had to something to stop them."
In related news, the First Lady Laura Bush said that the press is wrong about Iraq, that there is plenty of good news coming out of Iraq. "The press is just lying to us to ruin Christmas!" the First Lady said.
With our men and women dying in Iraq, it is puzzling that the Republican controlled 109th Congress could only find time to meet 103 days in 2006. This grueling 3-day-week started on Tuesday afternoons and stretched all the way to Thursday mornings, so they really only worked half-days two days a week. Only 103 days in 2006 - the Washington Post pointed out, "that's seven days fewer than the infamous 'Do-Nothing Congress' of 1948."
Now the Democrats want to go to change everything to a 5 day work week, with less time off for vacation. Don't they realize that the Republican congress has important lobbying to do? Rep. Jack Kingston, (R-Ga) warns that the "The K Street money is going to drift away from us."
All of the Republicans are grumbling about the burden of having to more than sixteen hours a week, but Rep. Kingston seems to be the strongest defender of the previous 3-Day work week that House of Representatives have enjoyed for so many years.
"Keeping us up here eats away at families," Kingston told the Post. "Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about families -- that's what this says."
Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) called Kingston's comment "absurd."
That's a big 10-4.Turnip Day came and went for this crowd long ago.
In related news, the Dow Jones has reached record highs after an unexpected boom in tiny violin sales.
Keep in mind this is the same Jack Kingston who doesn’t believe in raising the minimum wage because it would be bad for consumers and the economy. Matthew Fleischer
"I don't know how you can call us 'do nothing,'" outgoing Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-I See Nothing) said. "After all, we got a war going badly, the Constitution's a shambles, the deficit's through the roof, the gulf coast is still a third world country and we've thrown a whole generation in a donut hole. If that's nothing, then I'm a fat old has been with attention deficit disorder. Wait, let me rephrase that." Ironicus Maximus
"But seriously, Jack, it's not too late to quit your House seat in a huff." DownWithTyranny!
But it's all just a big misunderstanding. Rep. Kingston can explain everything! And he does so on his blog:
Surprise! The Washington Post Loves Having Members In Washington! After just speaking highly of at least the web team over at the WaPo, we have no problem taking a swipe at their editorial today which, (surprise!), intentionally misleads folks about the role of Congress and takes a swipe at Jack personally.
You see, this may surprise you, but when Congress isn’t in session, Capitol Hill reporters and the Washington Post editorial board have a tough time finding/making "news." Getting scooped by any Smalltown Gazette is not going to get folks to buy subscriptions.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that the WaPo editorial board was jumping with glee when Steny Hoyer (D-MD district which borders Washington, DC) announced that "Congress was going to get to work for a change!" kingston.house.gov
The whole thing has been blown out of proportion by the bad old media, because they want him to stay in Washington so they can write about him! The press is just mad because he is a shrinking violet, you see. I am glad that he did not resort to blaming his unwillingness to work a five day work week on the Democrat's evil liberal agenda...Oops! too late...
Kingston: However, and this won’t surprise the "fair and balanced" journalism crowd - there is one line which is so out of place it could only be found on the editorial page of the AJC:
"We could talk about the Republicans’ historic hostility to policies to help working families and their refusal to ease the financial strains on the poorest working households by raising the minimum wage."
Ah yes. That’s right. That’s what this about. This whole discussion has nothing to do with a three or five-day Washington work week, for the AJC edy board, this is about helping push the liberal agenda.kingston.house.gov
Ah, yes indeed! The whole issue can be blamed on liberal, left-wing policies to help working families, which he does not agree with. As a matter of fact, his whole party is against policies to help working families, based on his response. Clearly Rep. Kingston is a man that is not afraid to tell you what a heartless parasite he is. The author of the offending articles, Maureen Downey, also states:
obvious fact that most Americans work five days a week and would be shocked to learn that the congressional week commences late Tuesday and wraps up Thursday afternoon, and that on national holidays, members of Congress take weeks off work rather than a meager day or two.
We could also mention that our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan also have families back home, so it's a little much to hear members of Congress with their $165,000 salaries whine about having to spend five days a week in the hardship assignment of Washington, D.C., with its well-appointed gyms and lobbyist-funded golf outings. Atlanta Journal-Constitution
But Rep. Kingston can explain it all in style!
"Serving in Congress is actually a 60-70 hour a week, two-part job. The first, and more visible of the two, is legislative and D.C.-based. It involves voting for legislation, debate, Committee and Caucus work, etc. – the stuff you see on C-SPAN. But the other major part of the job which often goes unnoticed is working with the lobbyists – listening, learning, maximizing profits and making the corporations happy. Oh, and you have to go to these events that make it look like you are honoring vetrans and listening to the public and stuff." (Or something like that. I'm paraphrasing here.)Political Punch
Remeber the presidential debates between Kerry and Bush? "It's Hard work!"
Rep. Kingston is also on YouTube, explaing that nobody in congress will answer his calls, so he has to get his message to them via the tubes on the internets! (The fact that no one will return his calls might mean something...)
His message? "I believe, as you believe, that America is too great a country to leave in the hands of a Democratic congress."
Yup. The record of the Republican congress was just so good for that last few years that a change in leadership is just gosh darn scary as the dickens. He also wants you to know that the "The K Street money is going to drift away from us." Why worry about legislation when all of that lobbying money is in peril?
Rep. Kingston's blog is lots of fun to read! I enjoyed this bit because I thought that of all of the matters that would concern his constituents in Georgia, the Dixie Chick were sure to be on the top of everyones list. That is the kind of leadership this country needs - the kind of leadership with lots and lots and lots of time on their hands. Enough time to blog away about, say, the Dixie Chicks!
Now before the First Amendment posts pile in, let me say that I am a 100% supporter of freedom of speech. I’m not bothered that the Chicks keep criticizing President Bush, patriotism, country music fans and even Reba McIntyre, although I disagree with them. kingston.house.gov
The Dixie Chicks criticize patriotism?
What bothers me about the Chicks and other singers and actors who criticize the President, is that after they say their peace, they act as if they’ve done something brave and should be held up as some kind of hero. Well, last time I checked, the Bush administration isn’t hauling these people before congressional committees or shutting down recording and movie companies. So tell me again why they consider themselves so brave? kingston.house.gov
So somehow the Dixie Chicks "act brave," and he does not like that because the president has not directly threatened them or their parent companies. You can put this is the X-Files under "Please explain to me the scientific nature of the 'whammy.'"
MULDER: Modell psyched the guy out. He put the whammy on him.
SCULLY: Please explain to me the scientific nature of the "whammy."
Classic strawman argument, he just accused the Dixie Chicks of doing some some vague, ill-defined thing that he could criticize, and then criticized it. Woo-hoo. As far as the president targeting people for special treatment, Mr. Kingston could start by looking here: [ 1, 2, 3 ]
Why not contact jack and tell him what a swell job he's doing!
Washington Office 2242 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5831 Fax: (202) 226-2269
Savannah Office 1 Diamond Causeway, Suite 7 Savannah, GA 31406 Phone: (912) 352-0101 Fax: (912) 352-0105
Senator Frist, who has lost every shred of dignity he ever had long ago to help the cause of the Republican party, will leave the senate and retire from public life. When asked what he would do during his retirement, Frist responded that he would continue his medical career, diagnosing his patients via television. He would also like to work with animals, teaching gay kittens about Intelligent Design before he performs autopsies on them, free of charge.
New senator gives Bush a chilly reply RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Democratic Sen.-elect Jim Webb of Virginia avoided the receiving line during a recent White House reception for new members of Congress and had a chilly exchange with President Bush over the Iraq War and his Marine son. Webb recalled the exchange in an interview Wednesday.
"How's your boy?" Bush asked Webb during the reception two weeks ago.
"I told him I'd like to get them out of Iraq," Webb said.
"That's not what I asked. How's your boy?" the president replied, according to Webb.
At that point, Webb said, Bush got a response similar to the one that Webb has given reporters and others who have asked him about Lance Cpl. Jimmy Webb, 24, since the young man left for Iraq around Labor Day: "I told him that was between my boy and me."
The White House had no comment on the reception. But it did not dispute an account of the exchange in Wednesday's Washington Post. Buffalo News
Senator George Allen has decided that as his parting shot to the cruel world that has sent him packing that he shall introduce legislation that will make it easier for bears to get firearms! Colbert's gonnna freak, dude.
A Parting Shot From George Allen As a last little gift to America, Senator George Allen, who was narrowly defeated by James Webb this month, has introduced what may be his final piece of legislation: a bill that would allow the carrying of concealed weapons in national parks. The argument behind the bill is that national park regulations unfairly strip many Americans of a right they may enjoy outside the parks. The bill has passed to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, where we hope it will die the miserable death it deserves. New York Times
Dr. Zira, I must caution you. Experimental brain surgery on these creatures is one thing, and I'm all in favor of it. But to suggest that we can learn anything about the simian nature from a study of man is sheer nonsense. Man is a menace, a walking pestilence. He eats up his food supply in the forest, then migrates to our green belts and ravages our crops. The sooner he is exterminated, the better. It's a question of simian survival.
The Republican senate has decided that they don't want any ethics reform, and have decided to use the 
