Senator James Inhofe, 2003:
But the Democrats, who cannot muster a majority to oppose him, are seeking, in effect, to change the Constitutional majority-vote requirement. By sustaining this filibuster, they are asserting that 60 votes, not 50, will be required to approve Mr. Estrada. If successful, their effort will amount to a de facto amendment to the Constitution. This outrageous grab for power by the Senate minority is wrong and contrary to our oath to support and defend the Constitution.
Senator James Inhofe, 2009:
I understand that Judge Hamilton’s nomination is still pending before the Judiciary Committee, but I had to come to the floor to speak so that the American people, who are very concerned about this nomination, will know that I and my Republican colleagues on the Judiciary Committee are taking interest and are not just going to let this nomination sail through. In fact I will filibuster David Hamilton.
The Project on Government Oversight recently submitted a report to the Obama Transition Team that documented a systematic lack of protection for whistleblowers in the federal government over the past few years.
It is important that the next President and Congress devote attention to appointing and confirming a Special Counsel who can return integrity to the OSC. The tenure of former Special Counsel Scott Bloch, who the President has placed on administrative leave until the end of Bloch’s term on December 12, 2008, has significantly weakened the agency. Since taking office in January 2004, Bloch repeatedly demonstrated a fundamental lack of understanding about whistleblowers, proper investigative procedures, employee free speech laws, and his responsibilities as a government manager. Additionally, Bloch has been heavily scrutinized by Congress, federal law enforcement agencies, the media, and public interest groups for obstruction of justice, and whistleblower retaliation. As a result of Bloch’s tenure, there was an exodus of experienced staff from the OSC, and a shift away from the OSC programs and policies that directly benefit federal employees.
The Intercollegiate Studies Institute recently gave a Civics Quiz to 2500 adults. Among their other findings was that elected officials scored lower than the general public, getting only 44% right on average. I got 28 out of 33 right — how’d you do?.
Heh. I’m “on” the NPR website…
From “Bill in Portland Maine”@Daily Kos:
Closing Appeals
Dear America,
Mine.
Mine mine mine.
Me Me Me Me Me Me Me!
Mine mine mine mine mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine!
In conclusion: Fear fear fear fear. Very scary fear!
Sincerely,
The Republican Party
P.S. If you liked Joseph McCarthy, you’ll love us!
Dear America,
We.
Us. We. Together. Americans. United States.
Hope compassion equality inclusiveness competence.
Brains common sense community respect hard work accountability.
Action change responsibility. More viewpoints, smarter solutions.
In conclusion: Yes we can.
Sincerely,
The Democratic Party.
P.S. Vote.
Damn. I’m still undecided.
The website Obama for a Sound Economy has testimonials from a fair number of people who will be paying more taxes under an Obama administration — and are voting for him anyway. For example:
I will pay more taxes under the Obama administration, and like Warren Buffet and Adam Smith, I think that is not unreasonable. In return I get a country that: invests more in basic science research (which will grow the economy faster), understands the need for a transformative switch to a new energy economy (which gains jobs, decreases oil usage and alleviates climate problems), and regains respect on the world stage (bettering all of us in the USA, and all of us on earth). I call that a bargain.
– Peter Norvig, Ph.D., Director of Research, Google, Palo Alto, CA
No, seriously.
Republican presidential nominee John McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, equated lawmakers’ requests for funding for special projects with corruption on Wednesday even though Palin herself has requested nearly $200 million in so-called “earmarks” this year….
“I got an old ink pen, my friends, and the first pork barrel-laden earmark, big-spending bill that comes across my desk, I will veto it. You will know their names. I will make them famous and we’ll stop this corruption,” McCain said during a rally at a park in suburban Washington, D.C.
Oh, wait, don’t answer that, the past 7 years has answered that question quite well.
According to Nicole Wallace of the McCain campaign, the American people don’t care whether Sarah Palin can answer specific questions about foreign and domestic policy. According to Wallace — in an appearance I did with her this morning on Joe Scarborough’s show — the American people will learn all they need to know (and all they deserve to know) from Palin’s scripted speeches and choreographed appearances on the campaign trail and in campaign ads.
And I was worried about the cops in Denver. :-( I should have known this was coming…
Following up on this weekend’s extreme raids on various homes, at least 250 people were arrested here today in St. Paul, Minnesota…. Amy Goodman of Democracy Now — the radio and TV broadcaster who has been a working journalist for close to 20 years — was arrested on the street and charged with “conspiracy to riot.”… [H]ere’s a woman being pepper-sprayed at close range by a marching legion of police while standing on the side of the road holding a flower…. Democratic strategist and CNN commentator Donna Brazile was hit by pepper spray on her way into the Xcel Center.
