The US Senate Fails To Pass 5 Budgets

This was mostly bipartisan. None of them want a budget… so stop bitching everyone.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00097 http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00098 http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00099 http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00100 http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00101

The Export-Import Bank Reauthorized

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00096

Big majority, and includes the requirement that they negotiate an end to bank itself (kind of screws Boeing, or will it screw Airbus?).
Full text here: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr2072enr/pdf/BILLS-112hr2072enr.pdf

CISPA Passes The House

Not a shock really, Republicans want a permanent underclass and all the breaks/protections for the rich. A lot of Democrats voted for the bill too. I just called my Rep. and let them know they will not have my support at all this November. I had called before the vote too, but they don't listen unless you are a Lobbyist with bundles of cash. The vote is here. The name in the Yay section in Italics, are the few Democrats that support making George Orwell's 1984 a reality.

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll192.xml

If you haven't already, call your Senator tomorrow; http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

What a nightmare, Corporate America has totally taken over our "reprentative government".

CISPA To Be Voted On This Week!

Contact your Senators!!!!!

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr3523rh/pdf/BILLS-112hr3523rh.pdf

Congress could have easily fixed this piece of crap. Besides going after anyone doing the slightest bit of forum downloads (even if you thought it was not copyrighted), they will hold the ISPs harmless for sharing your personal information (bye Constitution). It's like a legal conspiracy to screw Americans. Regardless, there are already adequate laws in place to protect intellectual property.

They are even giving security clearances to ISP personnel (and I assume telecoms), which makes sense since they will have access to some threat database. I think this also gets around that pesky 4th Amendment.

I support the part of the bill that want's to strenghen the internet's infrastructure, and share knowledge of vulnerabilities across ISPs and Government. Pass that.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/SpaceCh

Fascinating discussion on the future of NASA, space exploration and the economy.  My one dissent would be a lack of Commercial/Private investment.  Since I was 16 I knew it would happen, and I also knew Social Security would be screwed by Congress.  Yes, I knew that at 16 years old.

Lamar Smith, We Are Coming...

This goes for everyone else who co-sponsored the PIPA and SOPA bills. We have your names. They will be heard between now and November, LOUDLY. Have a good run. And have a good retirement, all of you.

Amazing Story About Congress And Money

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/461/take-the-money-and-run-for-office

John McCain chimes in too. Please share with your friends.. I rarely use the word "amazing" for a reason.

Larry Flynt Still After Congress

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/213991-larry-flynt-offers-1m-for-dirt-on-lawmakers-government-officials

Keep it up Larry.

House Republicans Punt On Paying For Middle Class Tax Break

The funniest thing about them caving, is that they are hiding (and are extending) the fact that this is not payed for, so it will not appear on the PAYGO web site. Like Bush, the cost is off budget, and off deficit. I love seeing Bo[eh]ner squirm, but our Government is totally dysfunctional.

Congress Continues To Screw The Postal Service

http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/09/news/economy/postal_service_loss/?hpt=hp_t2

Of course, they want to outsource this to UPS or FedEx. I am sure some of them have stock in the companies. The problem is, delivering the mail is one of the few Government responsibilities clearly spelled out in the Constitution.

So stop screwing them and let them act like any other business, pay into retirement accounts over time.

Line Item Veto (Kind Of)

This just gives the President a chance to say to Congress, I don't these parts of the Bill. Then if Congress still wants those parts, they vote to keep them. No harm done. Why are Democrats running away from this??http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/feb/8/house-passes-bill-giving-president-line-item-veto/# Story

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:HR03521:@@@D&summ2=m& Law

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll046.xml  The vote..

I don't get it.

Congress Pigs It Up

This is the one time of year we can hear some in Congress actually berate what they do.  And do so well.  The Omnibus bill passed in the House today (and in the Senate tomorrow) continues our debt spiral. 

Congress did nothing to address the disparity in America, and the rise of the wealthy.  If I hear another talking head bitch about 50% of Americans paying no taxes, I will punch them in the head.  If you look at the numbers, 50% of Americans are considered poor or in poverty completely.
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2011 Defense Authorization, HR 1540

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr1540pp/pdf/BILLS-112hr1540pp.pdf 

• It's a win for GE, Section 805 will authorize a second jet engine for the F-35, $44BN wasted.
• Section 1031 affirms use of military force http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-107publ40, which was signed in 2001. They dick with the language, which apparently allows Americans to be detained indefinitely, but the word "disappear", does not appear in the legislation...
• Section 1047 reduces the number of deployed nukes below the number in that treaty with Russia, that the Republicans hated so bad.
• Section 1061 repeals a whole lot of reporting requirements to Congress (including Aircraft/Ship inventory, high deployment numbers, public military munitions sales (WTF?), Military Animal accountability and B-2 Bomber assessment).
• In general, it lets the Military operate with much less oversight and accountability.

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US House Votes To Extend Payroll Tax-break And Cut Unemployment Insurance

Interesting that 14 Republicans opposed this.  I thought they all hated working class Americans.

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll923.xml

There were 10 Democrats who agreed to this bill (probably to say they moved to the "middle") next year during elections?  Vote them out please...they are:

Barrow
Boren
Boswell
Braley (IA)
Cardoza
Donnelly (IN)
Loebsack
Matheson
Ross (AR)
Walz (MN)
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Thanks For Screwing My 401K

Congress, once again, let's America down;

It wasn't just the Joint Select Committee ("Super Committee") to thank for this. It was a "team effort" by the House and Senate "leadership" (ahem), with help from Grover and pressure from rich campaign donors.

I don't know about you, but if I see a name below my Congress-woman/Senator's, on the ballot, whoever it is gets my vote. Between the insider trading/massive benefits/speaking fees, these people are gaming what Congress was meant to be. They are all there now, just to get rich.

If there are real exceptions to that, speak up. Take a pay cut. Put your reimbursements/work expenses on your web page.

It is true, if Congress took the next year off, the country would be in a better place.  They just make it worse, again, a team effort.
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Balanced Budget Amendment

If you want to read H. J. RES. 2 (Balanced Budget Amendment) it's here;

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hjres2ih/pdf/BILLS-112hjres2ih.pdf

This isn't as bad of a Bill as I thought. It's the 3/5ths requirement to raise taxes that is tough to swallow.
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What To Do With Fannie And Freddie?

Today The US House Of Representative Financial Service Committee voted to restrict huge paychecks/bonuses for the heads of the bailed-out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  50 of the 54 members agreed on this!  That is huge!!

Amazingly, everyone except the following 4 agreed to cut the $5 Million salaries (that's before bonuses) paid to these people, and cut them down to similarly ranked Federal employee rates.


Luis V. Gutierrez Democrat

Mel Watt Democrat

Steven Lynch Democrat

 John Campbell Republican

Um, I guess the take-away from this is that the party in power wants to keep getting rich.  Oh wait...no matter who is in power, the rich will keep getting rich.  It might be getting close to time, to just let "the meek inherit the earth".  There are a lot more of us, than them.
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Congress Screws The USPS

This week Joe LIEberman and John McCain teamed up to screw the USPS out of around $45BN. They (in a "bipartisan" fashion) stole the money they USPS was forced (by Congress) to pre-pay for retirement benefits...for all their employees.

So this $45BN is in the Treasury, and John/Joe decided to keep that so they can fund tax breaks for the rich. They did give the USPS $7BN to use as a carrot to get older workers to retire. Great idea, a giveaway!

Then they were marking up the Bill, and Rand Paul (the "Constitutional" hawk) offered up an amendment that would steer the USPS straight down the road to being privatised.  Delivering the Mail is one of the few things our Constitution says the Government SHOULD DO!  Why is Rand defying the Constitution, and referencing the Magna Carta???

The House Votes On Trade Deals

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll771.xml

The amazing thing that happened in the Congressional House, is that 49 Democrats voted FOR outsourcing our American jobs (the ones in italics at the link above).  Even more amazing is, one..just one, Republican voted no!  This guy Walter Jones (with a bad hair piece) voted no.  I want to meet this guy..I want to shake his hand and say sorry about calling his hair piece "bad".  Let's have a beer.

I am glad to say my own Rep, Donna Edwards voted no.

Who's Cutting NASA And NOAA's Satellite Budgets?

Republicans of course. Hal Rodgers, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, is leading the charge on cutting our ability to forcast solar and terrestrial storms.

http://www.spacenews.com/civil/110718-house-panel-denies-funding-for-dscovr-cosmic-2-missions.html

Another story here; http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/27/1011096/-Cutting-NOAA-funding-will-affect-future-Forcasting-abilities

I guess the funniest thing is republicans force the cuts, and then the right wing media turn around and blame Obama.  You guys are funny..