Judd Gregg
Nicolas Sarkozy
“You know, maybe that’s what’s wrong with me — I don’t read off what my press secretary says.” - Sen. Chuck Grassley
“They won the election, so they get to draft the budget,” - Sen. Jon Kyl
Congress does seem to find a way to protect their own...
The big shocker this morning is the Justice Department dropping all charges against Alaska's ex-Senator Ted Stevens. Seems the Bush administration's prosecutors were pretty incompetent, and made errors that even the jury found and had to correct them. TPM reports: "During the trial, Sullivan chastised prosecutors several times for such errors. More recently, the Justice Department was forced to disclose a memo written by an FBI agent who complained of the same things. Sullivan recently held several prosecutors in contempt for failing to comply with a court order. Six members of that prosecution team then withdrew from the case in matters dealing with allegations of misconduct.
In a statement, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said: "After careful review, I have concluded that certain information should have been provided to the defense for use at trial. In light of this conclusion, and in consideration of the totality of the circumstances of this particular case, I have determined that it is in the interest of justice to dismiss the indictment and not proceed with a new trial." Ted lost an election shortly after being indicted, so we'll see if he then sues the US government for interfering and influencing an election. Most of Congress sighed in relief, since so many of them constantly violate the ethics rules. On to Larry Craig!
Most Congress people don't get out that much, tend to live in their own cloistered world. Miche;e Bachmann is living in her own private universe and we can only peek in. She is still hung up on this single currency thing, so much so that she is now trying to sponsor a constituional amendment. I don't know if anyone has told her this is not an issue and that she had misunderstood the intentions of the Chinese finance minister. Maybe nobody has tried to correct her, wanting to see how far she can go to make a fool out of herself, strictly for the entertainment factor...
TPM reports that: "Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) appeared on Glenn Beck's TV show yesterday, to talk up her proposed constitutional amendment to stop the Obama administration from replacing the dollar with a global currency:
Bachmann boasted that she's picked up 30 cosponsors so far, to which Beck replied: "I can't believe that you've only got 30 cosponsors. I mean -- how is it you could walk around going, "I just -- this is just, hey, save the dollar.' And only 30 people are willing to say, 'Eh that sounds like a good thing, let's give that a shot.'"
Bachmann's proposed constitutional amendment states: "The President may not enter into a treaty or other international agreement that would provide for the United States to adopt as legal tender in the United States a currency issued by an entity other than the United States."
One of those 30 co-sponsors is Colorado Spring's own Doug Lamborn. I'd love to see his response if someone will call him up and ask why he is supporting this wack job...
The Republicans were supposed to reveal their own alternative budget today, as promised by John Boehner, but the man is keeping a low profile and slinking away from all media. However, the issue is not dead, as CQ Politics reports: "Republican leaders in the Senate are clashing with John McCain , their party’s 2008 presidential nominee. He wants to offer an alternative to the Democratic budget and they don’t. The behind-the-scenes battle is part of a larger split in the Republican Party.
Some in the GOP believe their best strategy is to resist President Obama’s agenda and take carefully chosen shots through amendments they all agree on; others want the party to do more to demonstrate how a Republican imprint would be different.
McCain appears to be in the minority among Republicans, most of whom seem unwilling to stand behind a full-size alternative to the Democrats’ budget (S Con Res 13). Republicans who support offering their own budget say the GOP missed opportunities to define its priorities on the stimulus (PL 111-5), the catchall appropriations law (PL 111-8) and the Troubled Asset Relief Program (PL 110-343).
“We continue to be deemed the party of no,” McCain spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said. The McCain plan “at least provides an alternative and outlines the issues that are important to the Republican Party.” I sometimes wonder what shape we would be in if John McCain had won, with Phil Gramm as Secretary of the Treasury, there would be no bailouts or stimulus, the financial markets would never get regulated, and John would be buying cheap houses in Arizona... OK, there was something released, based on tax cuts and privatizing medicare...
“We continue to be deemed the party of no,” McCain spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said. The McCain plan “at least provides an alternative and outlines the issues that are important to the Republican Party.” I sometimes wonder what shape we would be in if John McCain had won, with Phil Gramm as Secretary of the Treasury, there would be no bailouts or stimulus, the financial markets would never get regulated, and John would be buying cheap houses in Arizona... OK, there was something released, based on tax cuts and privatizing medicare...
Late night political jokes:
"In a recent interview Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle said that American politics is becoming meaner and meaner. After hearing this top Republicans said that Daschle makes a good point for a guy who's ugly and probably gay." —Conan O'Brien
"Democratic leader Tom Daschle has been whining all over TV, saying that Rush Limbaugh and other talk show hosts have been inciting violence against Democrats. Which is illegal you know, attacking an endangered species." —Jay Leno
"The Democrats have selected Boston, Massachusetts, as the sight of their 2004 Democratic Convention. The convention will be held in September. This way the Red Sox and the Democrats can face mathematical elimination together." —Jay Leno
"Because the election was such a disaster for the Democrats, it looks like the leader of the party might be stepping down. But enough about Barbra Streisand." —Jay Leno
"In Ohio, some people will be going to the polls to re-elect disgraced Congressman James Trafficant, even though he's currently in prison. I guess if he's a congressman and already in jail, it saves a step." —Jay Leno
"Robert Torricelli, a powerful fund-raiser who helped raise more than $100 million for the Democratic party, took inappropriate gifts from a businessman, including an $8,000 gold Rolex watch, for which he was severely admonished by the Senate Ethics Committee in July. To recap: raising $100 million in contributions from gigantic corporations — ethical; taking a watch — unethical. That's the Senate Ethics Committee, an oxymoron since 1974." —Jon Stewart
"Here's a great story, incoming Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, he's driving on vacation in Florida, saw an SUV that overturned on the highway, stopped, got out of the car, jumped over and helped the victims until the paramedics arrived. In fact, this is being called the closest thing Republicans have ever had for providing health care to people. He was not the only senator who stopped at the accident. John Edwards the trial lawyer stopped and chased the ambulance all the way to the hospital." —Jay Leno
"Don't count Traficant out though. He said he's going to run from prison. When you think about, that's about the best place to put together a political team. Look at who you've got in there, fellow politicians, corporate executives, legal advisors, financial geniuses, it's just like the outside." —Jay Leno
"Today is the anniversary of the Watergate break-in. That's the day the Republicans tried to steal the Democrat's plans. That's also the last time the Democrats had any plans worth stealing. It's also the last time a Republican president had a plan and actually carried it out." —Jay Leno
"Did you see Carter and Castro meeting together — dining together? The last time a president embraced a Cuban like that he got impeached." —Jay Leno
"The Democrats said today that if they were in power they could get Israel to pull out of Palestine. Oh shut up. They couldn't even get Bill to pull out of Monica." —Jay Leno
"California Governor Gray Davis is returning a $10,000 campaign contribution when he found out it was from the owners of a strip club. To his credit, he's going to return the money to the girls one dollar at a time." —Jay Leno
"Former Attorney General Janet Reno is talking about running for governor in Florida. Janet Reno is so unpopular in the state of Florida they will not even need to use the crooked voting machines." —David Letterman
"Jesse Jackson's in trouble. They're going after this tax thing. Jesse said he will amend his taxes to show the money that he paid to his mistress. See, he has just one mistress. Jesse uses the standard mistress deduction. As opposed to Clinton, who had to itemize." —Jay Leno
"It seems Monica Lewinsky is on the loose again, teaming up with HBO to do a documentary about her affair with Bill Clinton. It's not really a documentary. It will be more of an oral history." —Jay Leno
"A student from the University of Washington has sold his soul on eBay for $400. He's a law student, so he probably doesn't need it, but still, that's not very much. Today, Hillary Clinton said, 'Hey, at least I got some furniture and a Senate seat for mine." —Jay Leno
"In a recent interview Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle said that American politics is becoming meaner and meaner. After hearing this top Republicans said that Daschle makes a good point for a guy who's ugly and probably gay." —Conan O'Brien
"Democratic leader Tom Daschle has been whining all over TV, saying that Rush Limbaugh and other talk show hosts have been inciting violence against Democrats. Which is illegal you know, attacking an endangered species." —Jay Leno
"The Democrats have selected Boston, Massachusetts, as the sight of their 2004 Democratic Convention. The convention will be held in September. This way the Red Sox and the Democrats can face mathematical elimination together." —Jay Leno
"Because the election was such a disaster for the Democrats, it looks like the leader of the party might be stepping down. But enough about Barbra Streisand." —Jay Leno
"In Ohio, some people will be going to the polls to re-elect disgraced Congressman James Trafficant, even though he's currently in prison. I guess if he's a congressman and already in jail, it saves a step." —Jay Leno
"Robert Torricelli, a powerful fund-raiser who helped raise more than $100 million for the Democratic party, took inappropriate gifts from a businessman, including an $8,000 gold Rolex watch, for which he was severely admonished by the Senate Ethics Committee in July. To recap: raising $100 million in contributions from gigantic corporations — ethical; taking a watch — unethical. That's the Senate Ethics Committee, an oxymoron since 1974." —Jon Stewart
"Here's a great story, incoming Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, he's driving on vacation in Florida, saw an SUV that overturned on the highway, stopped, got out of the car, jumped over and helped the victims until the paramedics arrived. In fact, this is being called the closest thing Republicans have ever had for providing health care to people. He was not the only senator who stopped at the accident. John Edwards the trial lawyer stopped and chased the ambulance all the way to the hospital." —Jay Leno
"Don't count Traficant out though. He said he's going to run from prison. When you think about, that's about the best place to put together a political team. Look at who you've got in there, fellow politicians, corporate executives, legal advisors, financial geniuses, it's just like the outside." —Jay Leno
"Today is the anniversary of the Watergate break-in. That's the day the Republicans tried to steal the Democrat's plans. That's also the last time the Democrats had any plans worth stealing. It's also the last time a Republican president had a plan and actually carried it out." —Jay Leno
"Did you see Carter and Castro meeting together — dining together? The last time a president embraced a Cuban like that he got impeached." —Jay Leno
"The Democrats said today that if they were in power they could get Israel to pull out of Palestine. Oh shut up. They couldn't even get Bill to pull out of Monica." —Jay Leno
"California Governor Gray Davis is returning a $10,000 campaign contribution when he found out it was from the owners of a strip club. To his credit, he's going to return the money to the girls one dollar at a time." —Jay Leno
"Former Attorney General Janet Reno is talking about running for governor in Florida. Janet Reno is so unpopular in the state of Florida they will not even need to use the crooked voting machines." —David Letterman
"Jesse Jackson's in trouble. They're going after this tax thing. Jesse said he will amend his taxes to show the money that he paid to his mistress. See, he has just one mistress. Jesse uses the standard mistress deduction. As opposed to Clinton, who had to itemize." —Jay Leno
"It seems Monica Lewinsky is on the loose again, teaming up with HBO to do a documentary about her affair with Bill Clinton. It's not really a documentary. It will be more of an oral history." —Jay Leno
"A student from the University of Washington has sold his soul on eBay for $400. He's a law student, so he probably doesn't need it, but still, that's not very much. Today, Hillary Clinton said, 'Hey, at least I got some furniture and a Senate seat for mine." —Jay Leno
No comments:
Post a Comment
Hi! Thanks for commenting. I always try to respond...