Co/Op/Ed Blog

2008-11-04T16:12:00.001-05:00

Dirty Old Man

2008-10-16T23:09:00.004-04:00

Palin's Pallin'

2008-10-13T15:51:00.003-04:00

"The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government. And I won't be buried under their damn flag. I'll be buried in Dawson. And when Alaska is an independent nation they can bring my bones home."

"I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America or her damned institutions."
Joe Vogler, founder of the Alaskan Independence Party (AIP)

Palin's husband Todd remained an AIP party member from 1995 to 2002. Sarah can be described in McCarthy-era palaver as a "fellow traveler." While retaining her Republican registration, she attended the AIP's 1994 convention where the party called for a draft constitution to secede from the United States and create an independent nation of Alaska. The McCain Campaign has reluctantly acknowledged that she also attended AIP's 2000 Convention. She apparently found the experience so inspiring that she agreed to give a keynote address at the AIP's 2006 convention and she recorded a video greeting for this year's 2008 convention. In other words, this is not something that happened when she was eight! -Alaskan Independence Party: The Last Refuge of a Scoundrel, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Fact Check: McCain Ad

2008-07-29T00:26:00.004-04:00

John McCain's Double Talk Express

From FactCheck.org:

It's a fact that Obama canceled a visit to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at the last minute after planning it for weeks. And it's a fact that reporters and their cameras would not have been allowed to accompany him. Furthermore, Obama probably did go to the gym that day, as he does practically every day. So the bare facts stated in the ad are true, but they don't support McCain's insinuation.

We can't read minds and so are in no position to know Obama's motives, or McCain's for that matter. It's unlikely, however, that the absence of press coverage would have been a factor in Obama's decision, as the ad implies. Obama says he never planned to take reporters on the Landstuhl visit, and Department of Defense rules prohibited him from taking reporters on previous visits he made with wounded troops.

Reporters were not allowed to accompany him when he visited wounded troops at Walter Reed Medical Center on June 28. The small "protective pool" of reporters that routinely accompanies him was told by Obama's staff to remain outside, in the van, according to a reporter covering the campaign. Similarly, Obama visited wounded troops in Baghdad earlier in his overseas trip, but he did so without reporters and "without a lot of fanfare, just to say 'Thanks'," according to Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, who accompanied Obama.

It's true Obama made time for at least one workout while he was in Germany. And he has been known to dedicate more than a few minutes to his exercise regimen. Two reporters who cover Obama, and who were on this trip, tell us that the candidate works out every day, and sometimes twice a day. However, the video of Obama playing basketball featured in McCain's ad is from his time in Kuwait, not Germany.

Keith Olbermann: McCain's Double Talk On Supporting The Troops

2008-07-28T22:27:00.007-04:00

John McCain's Double Talk Express

10 things to know about McCain

2008-07-26T23:39:00.000-04:00

For all the coverage this week of Senator John McCain's background, there are some important things you won't learn about him from the TV networks. His carefully crafted positive image relies on people not knowing this stuff—and you might be surprised by some of it.

Please check out the list below, and then forward it to your friends, family, and coworkers. We can't rely on the media to tell folks about the real John McCain—but if we all pass this along, we can reach as many people as CNN Headline News does on a good night.

10 things you should know about John McCain (but probably don't):

1. John McCain voted against establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now he says his position has "evolved," yet he's continued to oppose key civil rights laws.1

2. According to Bloomberg News, McCain is more hawkish than Bush on Iraq, Russia and China. Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says McCain "will make Cheney look like Gandhi."2

3. His reputation is built on his opposition to torture, but McCain voted against a bill to ban waterboarding, and then applauded President Bush for vetoing that ban.3

4. McCain opposes a woman's right to choose. He said, "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned."4

5. The Children's Defense Fund rated McCain as the worst senator in Congress for children. He voted against the children's health care bill last year, then defended Bush's veto of the bill.5

6. He's one of the richest people in a Senate filled with millionaires. The Associated Press reports he and his wife own at least eight homes! Yet McCain says the solution to the housing crisis is for people facing foreclosure to get a "second job" and skip their vacations.6

7. Many of McCain's fellow Republican senators say he's too reckless to be commander in chief. One Republican senator said: "The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He's erratic. He's hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."7

8. McCain talks a lot about taking on special interests, but his campaign manager and top advisers are actually lobbyists. The government watchdog group Public Citizen says McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, more than any of the other presidential candidates.8

9. McCain has sought closer ties to the extreme religious right in recent years. The pastor McCain calls his "spiritual guide," Rod Parsley, believes America's founding mission is to destroy Islam, which he calls a "false religion." McCain sought the political support of right-wing preacher John Hagee, who believes Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment for gay rights and called the Catholic Church "the Antichrist" and a "false cult."9

10. He positions himself as pro-environment, but he scored a 0—yes, zero—from the League of Conservation Voters last year.10

Sources:
1. "The Complicated History of John McCain and MLK Day," ABC News, April 3, 2008
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/the-complicated.html

"McCain Facts," ColorOfChange.org, April 4, 2008
http://colorofchange.org/mccain_facts/

2. "McCain More Hawkish Than Bush on Russia, China, Iraq," Bloomberg News, March 12, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aF28rSCtk0ZM&refer=us

"Buchanan: John McCain 'Will Make Cheney Look Like Gandhi,'" ThinkProgress, February 6, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/06/buchanan-gandhi-mccain/

3. "McCain Sides With Bush On Torture Again, Supports Veto Of Anti-Waterboarding Bill," ThinkProgress, February 20, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/20/mccain-torture-veto/

4. "McCain says Roe v. Wade should be overturned," MSNBC, February 18, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17222147/

5. "2007 Children's Defense Fund Action Council® Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard," February 2008
http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/PageServer?pagename=act_learn_scorecard2007

"McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion," CNN, October 3, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/03/mccain.interview/

6. "Beer Executive Could Be Next First Lady," Associated Press, April 3, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h-S1sWHm0tchtdMP5LcLywg5ZtMgD8VQ86M80

"McCain Says Bank Bailout Should End `Systemic Risk,'" Bloomberg News, March 25, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aHMiDVYaXZFM&refer=home

7. "Will McCain's Temper Be a Liability?," Associated Press, February 16, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4301022

"Famed McCain temper is tamed," Boston Globe, January 27, 2008
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/27/famed_mccain_temper_is_tamed/

8. "Black Claims McCain's Campaign Is Above Lobbyist Influence: 'I Don't Know What The Criticism Is,'" ThinkProgress, April 2, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/02/mccain-black-lobbyist/

"McCain's Lobbyist Friends Rally 'Round Their Man," ABC News, January 29, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4210251

9. "McCain's Spiritual Guide: Destroy Islam," Mother Jones Magazine, March 12, 2008
http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/03/john-mccain-rod-parsley-spiritual-guide.html

"Will McCain Specifically 'Repudiate' Hagee's Anti-Gay Comments?," ThinkProgress, March 12, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/12/mccain-hagee-anti-gay/

"McCain 'Very Honored' By Support Of Pastor Preaching 'End-Time Confrontation With Iran,'" ThinkProgress, February 28, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/28/hagee-mccain-endorsement/

10. "John McCain Gets a Zero Rating for His Environmental Record," Sierra Club, February 28, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/environment/77913/

The Real John McCain

2008-07-26T22:53:00.002-04:00

John McCain's Double Talk Express

John McCain vs. John McCain

2008-07-26T22:46:00.002-04:00

John McCain's Double Talk Express

Project Make McCain Exciting: Wizard of OZ Edition

2008-07-20T20:12:00.001-04:00

Project Make McCain Exciting: Blue Suede Shoe Edition

2008-07-20T20:07:00.002-04:00

Project Make McCain Exciting: Gray Ambition

2008-07-20T20:07:00.001-04:00

McCain's Mental Economy

2008-07-20T19:58:00.000-04:00

Yes. We. Can.

2008-02-03T00:00:00.001-05:00

Over the last 7 years, the Republicans and President Bush have created the ultimate nanny state. Ask not what you can do for your country-- ask what your country can do for you. There has been no aspiration from this administration to inspire the American people to become engaged in their country. The "Decider" will decide, and he needs no help from you or I.

The country is starving for the inspiration that it has been deprived of for so long. Many, including Hillary Clinton, underestimate the power of hope and inspiration. Almost 2 years ago I wrote here, “The events of September 11, 2001, put us under the umbrella of fear and the Neocons have worked hard to keep us in its shadows. Once we tire of being a prisoner to this fear, we will emerge into the light of hope.”

Just when we need it the most, the light of hope is shinning upon us. Today we have the chance to put the politics of fear behind us, and look to the hope of a more inspiring tomorrow. We have the chance to become engaged in the healing of our country, and the repair of our world. Can we? Yes. We. Can.

But, will we?

"We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope."

-Barack Obama

"We will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea -- Yes. We. Can"

-Barack Obama

Yes. We. Can.

2008-02-02T22:20:00.001-05:00

President Bush Reserves the Right to Repeat Hurricaine Katrina Response

2006-10-26T15:40:00.000-04:00

Most of the time President Bush believes that the Constitution is " just a God damned piece of paper." The only exception? When it comes to his Constitutional authority, real or imagined, then all of a sudden it becomes America's cherished document.

Congress put into effect new congressional rules that would require the next head of FEMA to have 5 years of emergency management experience. Such a rule is commonsense and would hopefully weed out incompetent crony appointments like "Heckuva job Brownie."

The Bush Whitehouse, however, says they reserve the right to ignore such requirements as an encroachment on Presidential Constitutional authority to appoint anybody the President so chooses. Whether that appointment is in the best interest of the country or not.

Bush's appointee "Brownie" to head FEMA, whose tenure ended with the bungled Hurricane Katrina response, had no emergency management experience, but did have extensive experience as a horse show judge.

Why in the world would the Bush Whitehouse buck the Congress on such a commonsense requirement? Bush has never had a problem disregarding the Constitutional authority of Congress in the name of supposed national security. Now, when the tables are turned, suddenly he is throwing that "God damned piece of paper" up as a roadblock to the best interest of the country.

Has the President's assault on the Constitution really been about national security and what is best for the protection of the country, or has been about a power grab for the Unitary Executive all along?

The RNC and OBL Work Together to Terrorize Americans

2006-10-25T00:24:00.000-04:00

The Republican National Committee is up to it's old terrorist tactics to drum up votes this November, using their old political pal spokesperson, Osama Bin Laden, to strike fear into the electorate.

Now we are suppose to be all scared of OBL? It wasn't that long ago that President Bush told us that he wasn't concerned with OBL.

It has been over 5 years and this administration has failed miserably to bring OBL to justice. Now they are running an ad telling us to be afraid of the the very terrorists they have failed to capture? How is that suppose to make me want to vote for Republican incompetence? And why am I suppose to want to vote for the party that uses terrorists as their spokespeople?

Katherine Harris: Thomas Jefferson was a liar!

2006-08-28T23:29:00.000-04:00

Well that's it! It's all settled! None other than Florida Republican Katherine Harris, has finally settled the debate about the proper role of religion in politics. Apparently, according to Harris, Thomas Jefferson was a big fat liar when he called the first amendment's Establishment Clause a "wall of separation between church and state." Harris believes she knows more about the founder's intent than the man who drafted the Declaration of Independence! Simply amazing.

And God Votes For... Drum-roll Please...

The Bible says we are to be salt and light. And salt and light means not just in the church and not just as a teacher or as a pastor or a banker or a lawyer, but in government and we have to have elected officials in government and we have to have the faithful in government and over time, that lie we have been told, the separation of church and state, people have internalized, thinking that they needed to avoid politics and that is so wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers. ~Katherine Harris, Florida Baptist Witness

I must have skimmed over the part of the Constitution that says that God chooses our rulers. If God chooses our rulers, then why does he choose such crooks and liars? Does he only choose the leaders of America, or all world leaders? If he only chooses American leaders why? What makes America so special to him? If he chooses all world leaders then didn't we go against God's will when we overthrew Saddam? Harris obviously didn't think her idiotic statements through.

God Votes For... Satan?

If you are not electing Christians, tried and true, under public scrutiny and pressure, if you’re not electing Christians then in essence you are going to legislate sin. They can legislate sin. They can say that abortion is alright. They can vote to sustain gay marriage. And that will take western civilization, indeed other nations because people look to our country as one nation as under God and whenever we legislate sin and we say abortion is permissible and we say gay unions are permissible, then average citizens who are not Christians, because they don’t know better, we are leading them astray and it’s wrong. ... ~Katherine Harris, Florida Baptist Witness

Wow, someone has a superiority complex. I don't even know where to start with this statement. Maybe we should ask Harris' Campaign Manager Bryan Rudnick who is Jewish (Apparently he doesn't know any better).

“I joined this campaign because Congresswoman Harris is a passionate supporter of Israel, the Jewish people and always has the best interests of all Floridians at heart. As the grandson of Holocaust survivors, I know that she encourages people of all faiths to engage in government so that our country can continue to thrive on the principles set forth by our Founding Fathers, without malice towards anyone.” ~Bryan Rudnick

Without malice towards anyone? Well, devil boy, from her statements and actions I would say Ms. Harris has shown extreme malice towards homosexuals. Apparently, she doesn't see homosexuals as "anyone," as real people with real feelings who want equal opportunity to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. It's sad that people in this country get elected by blatantly discriminating against others because of sexual orientation and/or religious beliefs.

Does He or Doesn't He?

Harris said her remarks in last week's edition of the Florida Baptist Witness were intended for Christian voters who mistakenly believe the constitutional separation of church and state prevents them from participating in politics, even voting.

"My passion is to make sure that people participate in the process. Everyone should vote. Everyone should be engaged, but the problem is a lot of Christians believe they should not participate because of the separation of church and state." Palm Beach Post

Now Katy, if God chooses our leaders as you assert, then why should Christians bother to vote at all? God will simply pick the person he wants anyway, right?

Asked what she meant when she said neither the Founding Fathers nor God intended the United States to be a "nation of secular laws," Harris said she was referring to the Ten Commandments as the foundation of the Judeo-Christian society and its laws. ~Palm Beach Post

The Ten Commandments are the foundation of our society and laws? Without even looking at the history of the founding of our country, this view is weak at best. The first 3 command the worship of Yahweh as God, something strictly forbidden in the Constitution for the government to establish. The 4th, keeping the Sabbath, is all but ignored in the law, and I am not sure the last time anyone was arrested for not honoring their mother and father, the 5th. The other 5 are common-sense commandments that prevent harm to others, not exactly something exclusive to Christianity.

"God is the one who chooses our rulers"

God doesn't seem to be too happy with Ms. Harris these days. Her opponent, Democrat Bill Nelson is clobbering her in the polls: Nelson (D) 61%, Harris (R) 33% ~Rasmussen. Maybe God is trying to tell you something Katy.

THINGS YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE TO BE A REPUBLICAN TODAY...

2006-08-08T01:58:00.000-04:00

Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary.

Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush's
daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him,
and a bad guy when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion.

Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is Communist, but trade
with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.

The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest
national priority is enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq.

A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multi-
national corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without
regulation.

The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in
speeches, while slashing veterans' benefits and combat pay.

If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won't have sex.

A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our long-time allies, then
demand their cooperation and money.

Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy, but providing
health care to all Americans is socialism.
HMOs and insurance
companies have the best interests of the public at heart.

Global warming and tobacco's link to cancer are junk science, but
creationism should be taught in schools.

A president lying about an extra-marital affair is an impeachable
offense, but a president lying to enlist support for a war in which
thousands die is solid defense policy.

Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution,
which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet.

The public has a right to know about Hillary's cattle trades, but
George Bush's driving record is none of our business.

Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you're a
Conservative radio host. Then it's an illness and you need our prayers
for your recovery.

What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital national interest, but
what Bush did in the '80s is irrelevant.

FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS VOTE REPUBLICAN

Republican Justice Department Plays Politics with Americans Right to Vote

2006-08-03T11:35:00.000-04:00

An editorial in today's New York Times outlines how the Bush Justice Department is playing partisan politics again with the enforcement of voting rights and election law. Yesterday, a federal judge, appointed by President Bush, stripped Alabama's Democratic Secretary of State of very important duties in "a one-sided proceeding that felt a lot like a kangaroo court," giving them to the Republican governor prior to both being up for re-election. This extraordinary, partisan step against a Democrat stands in stark contrast to the Justice Department's "forgiving approach" when dealing with Republican Secretaries of State. Despite President Bush's signing of the Voting Rights Reauthorization just last week, this action is part of his administration's troubling pattern of putting its desire to influence elections ahead of the need to protect the voting rights of all Americans.

Strong-Arming the Vote
Editorial
The New York Times
August 3, 2006

"President Bush's Justice Department has been criticized for letting partisanship guide its work on voting and elections. And party politics certainly appears to have been a driving force in a legal maneuver it just pulled off in Alabama, where it persuaded a federal judge to take important election powers away from the Democratic secretary of state and give them to a Republican governor. The Justice Department says it is trying to enforce the election law, but that is unconvincing. There are plenty of ways to enforce the law without creating the impression that it is tilting the electoral landscape in favor of Republicans...

"Sadly, a federal judge agreed yesterday to do just that, in a one-sided proceeding that felt a lot like a kangaroo court... The Justice Department's request to shift Ms. Worley's powers to Governor Riley is extraordinary. Normally, the government would seek an order telling a state official what to do, or it would ask to have a nonpartisan person appointed as a special master. And the Justice Department's aggressive stance stands in stark contrast to the forgiving approach it has taken to Republican secretaries of state. After Katherine Harris removed eligible voters from the rolls in Florida in 2000, and Kenneth Blackwell tried to block eligible people from registering in Ohio in 2004, the Justice Department made no effort to limit their powers. Controlling the voting rolls can yield important advantages, as Ms. Harris proved in 2000. The Justice Department's actions in Alabama appear to be less about enforcing the law than about wresting control of the voter rolls from the opposition party, and making a Democratic secretary of state who is up for re-election in a few months look bad...

"It would not be the first time the Bush Justice Department seemed to play party politics with elections. Political appointees approved the pro-Republican Congressional redistricting plan in Texas and a voter ID law in Georgia, despite objections from staff lawyers that the plans violated the Voting Rights Act. The Justice Department has enormous power over state elections. It is important that this power be used in a way that appears - and is - nonpartisan. Undercutting a Democratic secretary of state, and taking the extraordinary step of handing her powers to a Republican governor, meets neither test. The Justice Department is giving the impression that it is less concerned that elections be lawful and fair than that they come out a particular way."

To read the entire New York Times editorial, please click here.

Help Shed Light on Government Spending!

2006-08-03T11:13:00.000-04:00

Help shed light on the hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars spent each year on federal grants and contracts. Tell your U.S. Senators today to support S. 2590, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006.

Introduced by Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.), S. 2590 would require the full disclosure of all companies and organizations that receive federal funds. This bipartisan legislation would direct the Office of Management and Budget to create a searchable database that would include information regarding each entity that receives federal funding, the amount received, how the money is being used, and where the entity is located.

Taxpayers have a right to know where their tax dollars are going. With the widespread use of personal computers and the growth of the Internet, creating such a database is an idea that's time has come.

Letting the sunshine in on the $460 billion in federal grants and $340 billion worth of federal contracts each year will create a more accountable and less wasteful government.

Help make government spending more transparent. Tell your Senators today to sign on as co-sponsors of S. 2590!

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), the nation's largest taxpayer watchdog organization with more than one million members and supporters nationwide. CCAGW is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that lobbies for legislation to eliminate waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government. For more information about CCAGW, click here.

To help win passage of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, we need thousands of Americans to contact their Senators.

CAGW Names Rep. Tom Davis Porker of the Month

2006-08-02T11:17:00.000-04:00

Washington, D.C. Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today named Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) Porker of the Month for sponsoring a federal bailout of the Washington, D.C. Metro system. The National Capital Transportation Amendments Act of 2005 (H.R. 3496) provides $1.5 billion over 10 years to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

Congress has bailed out WMATA three times since 1967, costing a total of $6.2 billion. A series of reports in The Washington Post in June 2005 detailed how Metro mismanaged $1 billion in projects. Metro spent $383 million purchasing faulty new subway cars that broke down and needed repairs as often as the old ones they were replacing. Hundreds of millions of dollars were wasted renovating cars and escalators many of which were made worse than before.

The public transportation system of only one metropolitan area should not be funded at the exclusion of others. The national debt stands at $8.4 trillion and the War on Terror has no end in sight. Pedestrian and bike improvements for Metro stations simply do not take precedence over genuine priorities and will further exacerbate Congress' out-of-control spending.

If WMATA needs repairs and improvements, it should be paid for by passenger fares, local governments, and competitively awarded federal grants. WMATA can also cut costs with market-based reforms implemented through competitive contracting programs. The subway system must prove that it can properly administer its budget before being handed a gift from taxpayers to make up for the money it has squandered. The $1.5 billion rewards Metro for past mismanagement and will give it less incentive to straighten up its practices.

For sponsoring a wasteful bailout for a parochial interest with a history of inefficiency and disregard of taxpayers' money, CAGW names Rep. Tom Davis the Porker of the Month for July 2006.

Citizens Against Government Waste is the nation’s largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government. Porker of the Month is a dubious honor given to lawmakers, government officials, and political candidates who have shown a blatant disregard for the interests of taxpayers.

Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.)
2348 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-4611
Tel: (202) 225-1492
Fax: (202) 225-3071
Email: Click Here

Someone Crack a Window; More Stink-a-roo Legislation

2006-07-31T21:25:00.000-04:00

Who do the Republican's really work for? You and me, or themselves & big money? Last week they removed all doubt with their "we will throw the little guy a bone, as long as we can give Paris Hilton a tax cut" bill [H.R.5970]. Wow...WOW, How low can the "moral majority" go?

I'm all for tax cuts and smaller government, but Republicans have reduced themselves to hostage takers. Holding the working class hostage is unacceptable and Democrats will do well not give into such deplorable tactics.

"There must be around 40 extenders here - that do good work - and so they say if you want the extenders you gotta buy this stink-a-roo."

...[snip]...

"If you care about poor folks, act like it! Give them a day by themselves. Don't mix their problems up with the richest of the rich of this country. Hypocrisy!? I've now seen it all." ~Rep. Charles Rangel, D-NY [Watch the video here]

Its political blackmail to say the only way that minimum wage workers can get a raise is to give a tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans, Members of Congress raised their own pay - no strings attached. Surely, common decency suggests that minimum wage workers deserve the same respect." ~Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.

"It's outrageous the Republican Congress can't simply help poor people without doing something for their wealthy contributors." ~Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio.

"The Senate has rejected fiscally irresponsible estate tax giveaways before and will reject them again, blackmailing working families will not change that outcome." ~Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

"They want on the one hand to appear to be doing something and on the other make sure that it doesn't happen." ~Steny Hoyer, D-MD.

If all this is not bad enough, the bill ties in a "cost of living," or inflation adjustment to the estate tax after 2015. There is no such "cost of living" adjustment for the provision raising the minimum wage, which is only addressed through 2009!

Republicans are worried about the "cost of living" for Paris Hilton?! What the hell is that? If the working class' "cost of living" increases, guess what? Republicans don't give a shit. How Republicans manage to win and retain control of any branch of government just boggles my mind.

Administration's Economic Policies Fall Short of Claims, Report Shows

2006-07-31T21:14:00.000-04:00

Washington, DC - The House Budget Committee and the Joint Economic Committee Democratic staffs today released a report about the state of the economy. The report focuses on how the economy is faring under current policies, as opposed to the Bush Administration's claims. Congressman John Spratt, Ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee, and Senator Jack Reed, Ranking Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee, released the following statement:

"In recent months, Administration officials have repeatedly touted the success of their economic policies. But this Administration's record falls short of its rhetoric. The experience of many Americans fails to match the picture of success painted by the Administration."

Today's report is noteworthy partly because it finds that the Administration's own data are at odds with the rosy claims asserted by Administration officials on a host of economic issues. Its findings include:

Jobs - Employment growth during the Bush Administration has averaged 42,000 jobs per month. This is the lowest monthly rate for any administration since Eisenhower, and less than one-fifth the average of 237,000 jobs per month achieved during the Clinton Administration.

Wages - Inflation-adjusted hourly wages have decreased by 1.3 percent since August 2003, when the economy stopped losing jobs. Even though "average hours worked" has increased since August 2003, the increase has not been sufficient to keep inflation-adjusted weekly wages from dropping.

Income - Median annual household income has decreased by $1,700, or by 3.6 percent, after accounting for inflation over the course of the Bush Administration.

Debt - Since President Bush took office six years ago, Republicans have added $1.4 trillion to the public debt - an increase of 42 percent. The level of foreign-owned U.S. Treasury debt has more than doubled during this Administration. On his watch, President Bush has incurred more foreign debt in six years than the previous 42 presidents combined.

Read the Full Report

Dear Mr. President, Simply Staying the Course in Iraq is Not Working

2006-07-31T21:00:00.000-04:00

Washington, DC - With violence exploding in Iraq, there is little evidence that the Bush Administration and Congressional Republicans have a coherent strategy to stabilize Iraq. Thousands have been killed in sectarian and insurgent violence in recent months, and now the American people have been told that thousands more U.S. troops will be redeployed into an urban war zone in Baghdad. The President's current approach is not sustainable. Today, the Senate and House Democratic Leaders and ranking members from the key national security committees wrote to the President calling upon him to begin the phased redeployment of U.S. forces before the end of the year, to transform the U.S. mission, and to launch a real diplomatic and reconstruction effort to help stabilize Iraq. These concrete recommendations draw upon the Levin/Reed Iraq policy amendment overwhelmingly supported in the Senate. Simply staying the course behind the President's failed policy is not in the interests of our troops, taxpayers or national security.

July 31, 2006

The President
The White House
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. President:

While the world has been focused on the crisis in the Middle East, Iraq has exploded in violence. Some 6,000 Iraqis were killed in May and June, and sectarian and insurgent violence continues to claim American and Iraqi lives at an alarming rate. In the face of this onslaught, one can only conclude that the Baghdad security plan you announced five weeks ago is in great jeopardy.

Despite the latest evidence that your Administration lacks a coherent strategy to stabilize Iraq and achieve victory, there has been virtually no diplomatic effort to resolve sectarian differences, no regional effort to establish a broader security framework, and no attempt to revive a struggling reconstruction effort. Instead, we learned of your plans to redeploy an additional 5,000 U.S. troops into an urban war zone in Baghdad. Far from implementing a comprehensive "Strategy for Victory" as you promised months ago, your Administration's strategy appears to be one of trying to avoid defeat.

Meanwhile, U.S. troops and taxpayers continue to pay a high price as your Administration searches for a policy. Over 2,500 Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice and over 18,000 others have been wounded. The Iraq war has also strained our military and constrained our ability to deal with other challenges. Readiness levels for the Army are at lows not seen since Vietnam, as virtually no active Army non-deployed combat brigade is prepared to perform its wartime missions. American taxpayers have already contributed over $300 billion and each week we stay in Iraq adds nearly $3 billion more to our record budget deficit.

In the interests of American national security, our troops, and our taxpayers, the open-ended commitment in Iraq that you have embraced cannot and should not be sustained.

Rather, we continue to believe that it is time for Iraqis to step forward and take the lead for securing and governing their own country. This is the principle enshrined in the "United States Policy in Iraq Act" enacted last year. This law declares 2006 to be a year of "significant transition to full Iraqi sovereignty, with Iraqi security forces taking the lead for the security of a free and sovereign Iraq, thereby creating the conditions for the phased redeployment of United States forces from Iraq." Regrettably, your policy seems to be moving in the opposite direction.

This legislation made clear that Iraqi political leaders must be informed that American patience, blood and treasure are not unlimited. We were disappointed that you did not convey this message to Prime Minister Maliki during his recent visit. Reducing the U.S. footprint in Iraq will not only give the Iraqis a greater incentive to take the lead for the security of their own nation, but will also allow U.S. forces to be able to respond to contingencies affecting the security of the United States elsewhere in the world.

We believe that a phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq should begin before the end of 2006. U.S. forces in Iraq should transition to a more limited mission focused on counterterrorism, training and logistical support of Iraqi security forces, and force protection of U.S. personnel.

Additionally, every effort should be made to urge the Iraqis to take the steps necessary to achieve a broad-based and sustainable political settlement, including amending the constitution to achieve a fair sharing of power and resources. It is also essential to disarm the militias and ensure forces loyal to the national government. Finally, an international conference should be convened to persuade other governments to be more involved, and to secure the resources necessary to finance Iraq's reconstruction and rebuild its economy.

Mr. President, simply staying the course in Iraq is not working. We need to take a new direction. We believe these recommendations comprise an effective alternative to the current open-ended commitment which is not producing the progress in Iraq we would all like to see. Thank you for your careful consideration of these suggestions.

Harry Reid, Senate Democratic Leader
Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic Leader
Dick Durbin, Senate Assistant Democratic Leader
Steny Hoyer, House Minority Whip
Carl Levin, Ranking Member, Senate Armed Services Committee
Ike Skelton, Ranking Member, House Armed Services Committee
Joe Biden, Ranking Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Tom Lantos, Ranking Member, House International Relations Committee
Jay Rockefeller, Vice Chairman, Senate Intelligence Committee
Jane Harman, Ranking Member, House Intelligence Committee
Daniel Inouye, Ranking Member, Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee
John Murtha, Ranking Member, House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee

America Deserves a Clean Vote on Raising the Minimum Wage

2006-07-29T21:11:00.000-04:00

Washington, D.C. - Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Charles B. Rangel issued the following statement insisting that the Republican House Leadership schedule a vote on raising the minimum wage without attaching potentially divisive legislation:

"Millions of Americans are waiting for an overdue increase in the minimum wage, they want results, not rank political strategy," said Ranking Member Rangel. "An overwhelming majority of Americans have said they favor increasing the minimum wage and the people's House should honor their wishes without stooping to political gamesmanship. Democrats have a strong record in favor of raising the minimum wage and any attempts to sabotage this increase will only come back to haunt the Republican Congress."

The minimum wage has not been increased since 1997 and is at its lowest level (adjusted for inflation) in 50 years. House Democrats have offered a number of motions on the House Floor to gradually raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour by 2009. These motions were defeated by the Republican majority in the House.