John McCain: Just Say No (to spell check and bi-partisanship)
John McCain is continuing his legacy of bi-partisanship and reaching his hand across the aisle by sending out a petition for people to sign saying they’re against the President’s stimulus plan. From a McCain e-mail to supporters in which he touts the need to stop more “irresponsibly” from Washington (one can only assume he meant irresponsibility – defined in the Webster’s Dictionary as picking someone with absolutely no credentials to be your Vice President):
I appreciate the discussions President Obama is having with my Republican colleagues, but the time for talking has come to an end and we must now begin some serious negotiation. But as of yet, Republicans have not been given the opportunity to be involved. The House of Representatives passed a stimulus bill without a single Republican supporting it. In the Senate, the Democrat leadership is trying to jam the existing proposal through regardless of reservations from a number of members. With so much at stake, the last thing we need is partisanship driving our attempts to turn the economy around.
I have long been a fighter against wasteful spending in Washington and long an advocate for a balanced budget — that will never change. I realize we face extraordinary challenges with our economy today, but that is not an excuse for more irresponsibly from Washington. I hope you will join me in saying no to this stimulus package as it currently exists by signing this petition.
He’s couching the Democrats efforts as partisan and his own campaign to stop the stimulus as bi-partisan. I wonder if he suspended his role as Senator in order to put together this campaign against the stimulus.
If you think he’s right, and the stimulus plan should be stopped, you can go to McCain’s Pac, “Country First“, and sign the petition.
GOP’s Plan to Cost Americans Money to Save them Money
Rep. John Culberson of Texas shoots this video of Texas Rep. John Carter on his cell phone to explain what they’re doing.
Here was the scene for five hours on Friday according to the Washington Post’s Ben Pershing:
Noon: House Republicans have essentially taken over the House floor to protest the lack of action on energy legislation, despite the fact that the chamber has officially recessed for the August break.The cameras in the chamber are off, so C-SPAN is currently showing footage of press conferences. At the direction of the House Sergeant-at-Arms, the microphones in the House are also off, so the lawmakers present are yelling to make their voices heard. (Though Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas) apparently has been using his cell phone to stream video to his office, which is supposedly putting the footage on YouTube, which may or may not violate House rules. Capitol Briefing is trying to confirm details of this.) There is no member sitting in the Speaker’s chair, no parliamentarian and no clerks. The lights were off, then on, and now off again.
Still, roughly 20 GOP lawmakers and about the same number of staff are on the House floor, chastizing Democrats for going on break without a vote on more oil drilling.
Approximately 20 minutes ago, the remaining members and staff on the floor sang “God Bless America,” chanted “U.S.A., U.S.A!” and then, finally, left the chamber. Since none of this was broadcast anywhere, you’re just going to have to take Capitol Briefing’s word for it. A safe and pleasant weekend to you all.
Politico reports the Republicans plan ton continue this charade until Democrats come back for a vote.
Continuing with their guerilla tactics from last week, House Republicans will be back on the floor Monday to talk gas prices, even though Congress is in recess, and they may stay there all week.
More than a dozen Republicans have already committed to make appearances, according to House GOP leadership aide, including National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole (Okla.).
I can’t wait to see the cell phone video of this session.
Democrats Depressed About Congress – Lowest Approval Rating Ever
A new Gallup Poll has Congressional Approval rating dropping to 14%, the lowest it’s ever been. Just last month Congress recorded the lowest confidence rating ever taken by Gallup. According to Gallup, Republicans are more positive about Congress than Democrats.
The most recent decline comes almost exclusively from Democrats, whose approval of Congress fell from 23% in June to 11% in July, while independents’ and Republicans’ views of Congress did not change much. As a result, Republicans are now slightly more likely than Democrats to approve of the job the Democratic-controlled Congress is doing (19% vs. 11%). The 11% of Democrats now approving of Congress is slightly lower than Gallup found in 2006, toward the end of the Republican-led 109th Congress. Democratic approval of Congress initially surged after the Democratic takeover of the U.S. House and Senate, from 16% in December 2006 to 44% in February 2007, but by August 2007 it had fallen to 21%. Democrats’ approval of Congress rebounded to 37% later that year, but has since been in a nearly continuous decline.
It’s sad when more Americans approve of the job President Bush is doing more than they approve of the job Congress is doing. It’s time for Congress to stop acting like they can’t do anything and start showing some real leadership.
Rove Taunts Congress, Looks Forward to Jail
Karl Rove, apparently confusing a Congressional Subpoena with a playground game of Na-Na-Boo-Boo, You can’t get me!, failed to show up today for his date in front of a House Judiciary subcommittee.
According to the Washington Post’s AP Report:
Lawmakers subpoenaed Rove in May in an effort to force him to talk about whether he played a role in prosecutors’ decisions to pursue cases against Democrats, such as former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, or in firing federal prosecutors considered disloyal to the Bush administration.
Rove says he has immunity and doesn’t have to answer to Congress. Congress disagreed and took the first steps towards holding him in contempt. As they should. It’s not like this was some ACLU sponsored question and answer panel over at the Mayflower. This is the United States Congress. I can’t wait to see what he does when the U.S. Marshall shows up to take him in for booking.
If Rove believes he doesn’t have to answer their questions, then he should appear before them and state that they have no right to question him. To just not show up is Idiocracy at its best.
Americans: Military Good, Congress Bad
- The military
- Small business
- The police
- Church
- The medical system
- Public schools
- Supreme Court
- Banks
- The Presidency
- Television News
- Newspapers
- Organized labor
- The criminal justice system
- Big business
- HMO’s
- Congress
Hillary Won’t Pull Plug, Kevorkian Gets In Race
I don’t think the two are related, but Hillary’s refusal to pull the plug on her campaign may have inspired Jack Kevorkian.
The “assisted-suicide doctor”, reports CNN, is going to run for Congress:
“According to the Oakland Press, Kevorkian is planning to mount an independent bid in Michigan’s 9th District seat currently occupied by Republican Joe Knollenberg.
‘We need some honesty and sincerity instead of corrupt government in Washington,’ Kevorkian told the paper. He also said his plans are in the ‘formative stage’ and he would make a formal announcement next week.”
