Showing posts with label Senate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Senate. Show all posts

Monday, January 23, 2012

1,000 DAYS

Tomorrow night, President Obama will be giving his State of the Union address.  In it, he will doubtless take the opportunity to throw some barbs at the Do Nothing Congress™ he has become so fond of demonizing.  He will push his "We Can't Wait™" schtick, trying to sell the idea that Congress or that pesky Constitution are holding him back from the fundamental change he so desperately wants, in a vain attempt to justify his unconstitutional power grab.

Interestingly enough, tomorrow is also another major milestone for America.  It marks the one thousandth day since the democrat-led Senate last passed a budget.

So who is more do-nothing - the House republicans who have passed nearly thirty jobs bills since they took power a year ago, or the Senate democrats who refuse to bring a single one of them to the floor for a vote in an effort to carry water for President Obama's Do Nothing Congress™ campaign push?

When the president talks about the obstructionist Congress, he's not just whistling Dixie.  But in true democratic fashion, he is projecting the inactivity for which his own party is responsible onto House Republicans, while his lapdog press happily echo it for all it's worth.  He has to run against a Do Nothing Congress™, because the other option is to run on his record, and we all know that's a non-starter.  And if you don't have a Do Nothing Congress™, why, good ol' Harry Reid is there to make sure you do!

It will be interesting to see how his 'free markets are evil' meme goes over, considering polls like this.  According to that, it certainly doesn't seem like pushing a top-down, government managed economy is going to be a big seller in November.  But when you live in a bubble and refuse to give credence to such polls, the most unexpected things happen.

There's another benefit to Senate dems refusing to pass a budget.  One can't help but come to the conclusion that passing a budget that calls for, say, $1.6 trillion in deficit spending would raise a hue and cry and put the excessive federal spending of this administration in the spotlight, as happened with President Obama's (I use the term loosely) "budget".  Passing contentious continuing resolutions instead keeps the spending blurred and harder to keep track of - and offers the additional bonus of a handy bludgeon to go after republicans to make them seem stingy and mean for saying no to the out-of-control spending.  Think about it.  When are you more responsible with your money - when you are trying to keep to a budget or when you just spend as the need (or desire) arises?  It's a no brainer.  Well, except in Washington.

Delusional lefties whine that republicans have kept them from passing a budget with filibusters and other dirty tricks since Obama took office.  Well, as far as the past year goes, that's a stretch considering the House actually passed a budget, the Ryan Plan, which the Senate refused to even acknowledge and a second, President Obama's, that the Senate voted down unanimously - but at least it got a vote.  But what about the other two years of the Obama administration - one of which featured a democratic House majority and Senate super majority, and the other with just  plain old democratic majorities in both houses?  How is it that they were able to pass Obamacare - arguably the most unpopular piece of legislation to be signed into law in recent memory - but they couldn't pass a budget? 

One thousand days of irresponsibility at the hands of Democrats in Washington.  Here's hoping we only have 287 more to go before REAL change comes to town.

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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL LAME

In a highly successful attempt to put the "lame" in 'lame-duck session', the Senate has illustrated once again why years of service do not necessarily add up to competence.

Yesterday, Senators were patting themselves on the back and touting their latest accomplishment, S510 - the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.  They sent out press releases and crowed about the bill practically being of a historic nature (aren't they all, these days?) because it is apparently one of the most major pieces of legislation to pass a lame-duck Senate session evah. 

Today, however, the miracle bill has been sent back to chambers as unconstitutional.  Ooops!  What makes it worse is that they were purposely focusing attention on what was originally an obscure bill so that they could toot their own horns and score a few political points.  If it had been allowed to continue unheralded, they could have quietly pulled it back with no egg on their faces. 

In Section 107 there is a set of fees, which are classified as revenue raisers.  According to Article 1, Section 7 of the Constitution, only the House can create tax provisions.  The House holds the purse strings, not the Senate, and the Ways and Means Committee is preparting to "blue sheet" the bill, which will block it.  It's unclear whether the House will pursue a bill of their own - if they are, they'd better get cracking, because time is running out on the lame-duck session.

Perhaps there should be a requirement that our elected representatives, who swear an oath to uphold the Constitution, are actually familiar with the document.  This is Civics 101, for heaven's sake.

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Thursday, March 18, 2010

DEMON PASS NOW THE RULE

The House voted 222-203 to use demon pass on Sunday's upcoming health care vote today.  A few dems who said they were no votes on Obamacare voted yes on the use of the Slaughter Solution, but it's anybody's guess as to whether they will keep their word on Sunday and vote no or not. 

This is bad, bad news, since many fence-sitting dems seemed to be more concerned about the process than the content or cost of the bill.  Apparently the process wasn't as worrisome as first thought.  With any luck, they will realize the error of their ways come November, but, in the meantime, we will have to deal with the repercussions of their actions.

If they pass this monstrosity with demon pass on Sunday, and it ends up going to Obama for a signature, there are still a few things that can be done.

Namely, lawsuits.

There are a number of suits being prepared.  Mark Levin's Landmark Legal Foundation is preparing to file suit against the federal government if they pass the health care legislation through deem and pass. 

But wait, there's more....

Idaho passed legislation last night that would require the state attorney general to file suit against the federal government because of the individual mandate.

Virginia was the first state to pass legislation against the federal government over the health care legislation.  On March 11, 2010 they passed a bill opposing the individual mandate, arguing that insurance is a good and the federal government has no right to force their citizens to buy a good of any kind.

Thirty-six other states have filed legislation to challenge Obamacare - .Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Missisippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Four more states have indicated an intent to file - Colorado, Montana, North Carolina, Utah.

It may only be symbolic, but the fact that 38 states are preparing to sue the federal government over a piece of legislation could easily be viewed as a consitutional crisis.

It's a bit surprising that Texas wasn't on any of those lists, but, then again, they seem to prefer to seceed altogether. 

My home state of Florida is stepping up to the plate, too.  The attorney general, Bill McCollum, has sent a letter to the National Association of Attorneys General:

"I invite you to join me in preparing a legal challenge to the constitutionality of whatever individual mandate provision emerges, immediately upon the legislation becoming law."

Sunday's vote does not mean the end of this 'debate'.

Oh, and you'd better gird your loins - The One is saying the Slaughter rule is so nifty that they might just use it on immigration "reform" and other goodies.

It has been said that Mr. Obama has told House democrats that his presidency is at stake.  Because when you really get down to it, it's always about Obama, isn't it?

There is the faint hope of a silver lining to all of this, and it all depends on the Supreme Court.  With any luck, the fact that there is no provision allowing the feds to force the public to buy goods nor pass laws by 'deeming' them passed, that more than half of the states are preparing to file lawsuits, and that the majority of the American people are vehemently against this bill will weigh heavily in their decision. 

It looks like this mess is going to pass, even though Senate Republicans are preparing a flood of amendments to slow things down.  Reid only needs 51 though, and he most probably has it.

We can only hope that the legal challenges stave off the taxation that will start immediately, and that the Supreme court will hear the cases and find in our favor.  Hopefully the remaining 12 states will file their own legislation along with the rest, but counting on California, Oregon, Vermont and Hawaii is probably not a wise move.

All we can do now is watch democrats flip and flop like fish in the sun as they are threatened and bribed for the final vote.
.

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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

THE SECRET SHELL GAME

In a report on health care tonight on Special Report with Bret Baier, they played a clip of Nancy Pelosi speaking at the National Association of Counties today about the legislation.  She said:

"We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it - away from the fog of the controversy."

After the clip, Baier said "You have to pass the bill to find out what's in it?"  To which the reporter, Jim Engle, replied (with a laugh) "Yea, I just report it, I didn't say it."

Whatever happened to that whole thing about transparency and bills being online for the public to view for at least 72 hours before a vote?

With all of the "controversy" over the bills and the way they are ramming them through, no one has really focused on what bill exactly we are talking about.  It is generally acknowledged that we are talking about the Senate bill, but, really, is it?

Obama himself apparently has a "proposal" out there, for what it's worth.  When he talks about the legislation, it seems like he is talking about his proposal.  But when the pundits speak about the situation, they are talking about the Senate bill.  Pelosi is just using the generic term "legislation" at this point.  Perhaps she thinks the Senate will miraculously pass her bill. 

What, exactly, is the point of Obama's "Proposal"?  It seems like it is just a blind behind which the democrats are hiding.  Sure, the proposal claims a lot of things, but, really, what does it matter?  It isn't going to get voted on, the items in it are not being included in the legislation, so what is the deal?  To me, it seems like its entire purpose is to act as cover when a democrat is asked if something is in the Senate bill that isn't.  "Sure, yeah, that's in the proposal".  Remember, these are lawyers we're talking about.  They aren't lying, because it probably is in the proposal - but that doesn't mean it's in the legislation. 

The Tonight Show had a hilarious spot about Pelosi talking health care while playing a shell game.  How apt.  One can assume the three cups are the House plan, the Senate plan and Obama's proposal.  God only knows what piece of garbage is going to emerge out from under all of this, but it's safe to assume that the country is being played, and the game is bait and switch.

Meanwhile, Robert Gibbs is starting to walk back his March 18th deadline.  Is it just me, or does it seem like this bill is like one of those nightmares that you think you have woken up from but find out you are still in - over and over and over again?

During the round table discussion, Charles Krauthammer opined that Rep. Stupak will probably vote yes on the bill:

"I predict Stupak will accept a compromise because I think he does not want to carry the mark of Cain all his life as the man who sank historic health care reform."

I have no doubt whatsoever that that is exactly how Pelosi is pressuring him (along with making plenty of hollow promises, bribes and threats).  What he really needs to think about, however, is the other side of that coin.

This bill is flawed - it doesn't matter which bill we're talking about, because all of the democrat health care offerings are flawed.  So although I can understand him not wanting to be blamed by his own party for killing health care, I wonder if he is prepared to be blamed by anywhere from 57 - 81% of the country as the man who cast the vote that forced this nightmare on the people.

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Wednesday, March 3, 2010

RECONCILING RECONCILIATION Updated

President Obama just wrapped up another speech on health care (#35, to be exact).  In this (hopefully final) speech, he says the time for debate is over and the time to make decisions is upon us.  It is time for a straight up or down vote.

Okay, 52% of us say no.

Can we move on to the economy now, please?

If only it were that easy.  Unfortunately, The One is not interested in the opinions of the peasantry.  So with the rallying cry of "Damn the Tea Partiers, full speed ahead!" still ringing in their ears, the democrats are ordered by their Dear Leader to prepare for their kamikaze run.

I have been getting a lot of questions about how reconciliation works.  First of all, let's call it what it is.  Budget reconciliation.  This is a process by which already passed budgetary measures are amended - amendments are to either cut spending/taxes or increase spending/taxes in a budget.  When the lefties whine that the evil Bush used reconciliation to get his tax cuts through, yes, he absolutely did.  Because that is what the process of budget reconciliation is for. 

What budget reconciliation is not for is reshaping one sixth of the American economy and the creation of  a massive new entitlement.  According to Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), Chairman of the Budget Committee:



Yes, you may argue, but our esteemed president wants this to go through, and he thinks it is a good idea.

Really?

“He hasn’t gotten his way…uh…and that is now prompting a change in the Senate rules that really I think would change the character of the Senate uh forever and uh what I worry about would be that you essentially have still two chambers the House and the Senate but you have simply majoritarian uh absolute power on on either side and that’s just not what the Founders intended.”

That was then-Senator Barack Obama back in 2005 talking about Satan himself - Bush.  Apparently the Founders only intended for the democrats to "change the character of the Senate uh forever". 

In order to manage reconciliation, the House will have to pass the Senate bill as is, and hope that the Senate will pass the amendments House democrats will demand in exchange for putting the Senate bill through.  That is going to take a lot of trust on their part, and it doesn't seem like it's there.   I can't say as I blame them - I wouldn't take the word of a politician, either.

If the House does manage to choke down the Senate version and pass it, then it will go to the Senate for reconciliation, where they will add in amendments to fulfill promises made to House democrats, such as banning abortion funding.  After that, a simple Senate majority of 51 is needed to pass the whole thing and send it up to Obama for a signature.

This also may mean adding in a public option - hell, why not?  In for a penny, in for a pound, right?  If they are going to ram it through against the American taxpayer's protests using a method not approved for this use, they may as well just shoot the moon!  What do they have to lose - an election?  No biggie.  They think passing this mess will guarantee them majorities for decades to come. 

It's still a toss up on whether they will be able to pass this hideous thing, but I can guarantee they are going to do everything they can.  They don't care if they are committing political suicide, because this isn't just politics for them.

This is ideology, and they will not be deterred, no matter how unethical the means by which they enact it.

BTW - The Weekly Standard has a rundown of the numbers Pelosi has to work with.  Let's hope it's true.

UPDATE: Hilarious!

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