Congress has lost its mind...

[classicman]

suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.
- Mark Twain

[classicman]

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday he will add the DREAM Act, a controversial immigration measure, to a defense policy bill the Senate will take up next week.

The decision means the defense bill, which often passes with bipartisan support, will be home to two major, thorny political issues – the other being the repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Reid called the DREAM Act "really important" and said it should be passed because it provides a path to citizenship for young illegal immigrants who go to college or serve in the military. DREAM is an acronym for Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act.

"I know we can't do comprehensive immigration reform," Reid said at a news conference. "But those Republicans we had in the last Congress have left us."

Many Hispanic voters are angry with Democratic leaders for not doing more to pass an immigration overhaul. The decision by Reid to add the DREAM Act now could help soothe that anger.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell called Reid's decision "needlessly controversial."
The Senate will need 60 votes to take up the bill next week, and Reid said Tuesday he doesn't know if he has enough votes.

from CNN

This sets the table for a bill that normally would pass with bipartisan support to now be a major issue where both parties can point fingers at the other. This is the type of thing that needs to stop. If, as Reid said, "it should be passed because it provides a path to citizenship for young illegal immigrants who go to college or serve in the military."
Then put it on the table on its own. Let it pass or fail on its own merit and let them justify their vote on this issue. When issues that have virtually nothing to do with each other constantly get mixed into bills it does nothing but muddy the water as to where these people stand.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Redux

Aw. man....I was expecting you to say WHO CARES about $4 trillion in lost revenue (increased debt) over the next ten years.

See you in Nov.

[classicman]

Where to start? Lot of interesting things always seem to come up when the election cycle gets close. Wonder why that is? - yes, rhetorical question.

First we have this: Waters aides expelled from Pelosi event
You remember Maxine Waters - the black representative under ethics charges...

Three staffers working for embattled Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) were asked by security officers to leave an event in downtown Washington on Thursday after they tried to display large campaign signs just as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was about to speak.

Waters told The Hill afterward that the staffers had been displaying the signs at the annual legislative conference for the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Foundation, which was held at the Washington Convention Center a few blocks away. “It ain’t about Nancy. It’s about black people,” Waters said.

from here
Not that it matters apparently, but I thought it was about ALL Americans - not just the black ones. WTF?

[classicman]

Then we have this ...
Doesn't matter which party she is from - What matters is that this is the norm in our Gov't.

This is Eleanor Norton, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. I noticed that you have given to other colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. I am a senior member, a twenty year veteran and am Chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management. I’m handling the largest economic development project in the United States now, the Homeland Security Compound of three buildings being built on the old St. Elizabeth’s hospital site in the District of Columbia along with fifteen other sites here for, that are part of the stimulus.

I was, frankly surprised to see that we don’t have a record, so far as I can tell, of your having given to me despite my long and deep work. In fact, it’s been my major work on the committee and subcommittee it’s been essentially in your sector.

I am, I’m simply candidly calling to ask for a contribution. As the senior member of the committee and a subcommittee chair, we have (chuckles) obligations to raise funds. And, I think it must have been me who hasn’t, frankly done my homework to ask for a contribution earlier. So I’m trying to make up for it by asking for one now, when we particularly need contributions, particularly those of us who have the seniority and chairmanships and are in a position to raise the funds.

[TheMercenary]

Shakedown Street
Nancy Pelosi and House Dems hit up lobbyists in a sleazy scramble for cash.

Chris Van Hollen, the head of the party's House campaign committee, has written members asking each to raise $30,000 for the committee. Other members have been told privately that their chances of getting or keeping plum committee assignments partly hinge on their ability to bring money in.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...DDLETopOpinion

[Griff]

Bloomberg Pushes Moderates in National Races

Mr. Bloomberg described the Tea Party movement as a fad, comparing it to the short-lived burst of support for Ross Perot in 1992. The mayor suggested that the fury it had unleashed was not a foundation for leadership.

“Look, people are angry,” he said. “Their anger is understandable. Washington isn’t working. Government seems to be paralyzed and unable to solve all of our problems.”

“Anger, however, is not a government strategy,” he said. “It’s not a way to govern.”

First John Stewart, now Mayor Bloomberg, let's hope the move to a governing center has legs.

[classicman]

I'm all in with that plan. What really brought it home for me was O'Donnell winning in Delaware. What a farce. If the wheels of justice moved fast enough she'd probably be in jail before the election even took place.
Since that isn't going to happen, one can only hope the reality of her views keeps her out.

[Lamplighter]

Not exactly Congress... but these are the people running our military !

CNN News article


Pentagon destroys thousands of copies of Army officer's memoir
By Chris Lawrence and Padma Rama, CNN
September 25, 2010 -- Updated 2227 GMT (0627 HKT)

Washington (CNN) -- The Department of Defense recently purchased and destroyed
thousands of copies of an Army Reserve officer's memoir in an effort to safeguard
state secrets, a spokeswoman said Saturday.

"DoD decided to purchase copies of the first printing because they contained
information which could cause damage to national security,"
Pentagon spokeswoman Lt. Col. April Cunningham said.

In a statement to CNN, Cunningham said defense officials observed
the September 20 destruction of about 9,500 copies of Army Reserve
Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer's new memoir "Operation Dark Heart."

Do they really believe that got every copy ?

"The whole premise smacks of retaliation," Shaffer told CNN on Saturday.
"Someone buying 10,000 books to suppress a story in this digital age is ludicrous."

[xoxoxoBruce]

Yes they do, they made a deal with the publisher to buy the entire first run before distribution. The redacted second edition will go out normally.

[Lamplighter]

Ummm... the last paragraph in the article reads:

At least one seller on the online auction site eBay claiming to have a first-edition printing is selling it for an asking price of nearly $2,000. The listed retail price for the second printing is $25.99.

But even if the eBay thing is false, it's likely there are digital copies around somewhere.

[ZenGum]

Does the guy actually get the royalties from those 10,000 sales? Not to mention free publicity?
When I was a boy, you betrayed state secrets, you got an lead injection. Or a vertically tensioned neck tourniquet.

[xoxoxoBruce]

But that's so passé, being a traitor is the in thing, especially in Washington.

If someone has a first edition, even digital, it's stolen. I imagine the seller, and possibly buyer, would be prosecuted.

Or maybe it's the FBI/Homeland Security on a fishing expedition.

[ZenGum]

[Flip] Traitor? What's good for sales is good for Milo and Minderbinder. And what's good for Milo and Minderbinder is good for America. Why do you hate America? [/side]

[classicman]

snicker@ zen.