The Republicans has been holding up the nomination of Hilda Solis for Secretary of Labor, because, well because she has experience with labor from the inside. Kos has the details. This morning I used the link provided from Daily Kos to send my senators an email to vote for cloture, and then to give Solis an up or down vote. When I got back from lunch I saw that the senate had in fact voted on cloture and will be giving a final confirmation vote at 4:30 this afternoon.
Since Snow and Collins both voted for cloture I can only say that my name on the email must have carried some clout. I've always wanted to be a behind the scenes power broker.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
More Heinus Fuckery from my senator
Maine is a poor state, and the winters are cold, and a lot of people need some extra help to keep their homes heated. So where was my senator when the removed provisions for home heating assistance?
The most infuriating thing is that she'll be praised by the local papers for her 'moderation' tomorrow.
The most infuriating thing is that she'll be praised by the local papers for her 'moderation' tomorrow.
Absolutely Outrageous
The 'moderate' senator Susan Collins was instrumental in killing a clause in the stimulus package that would have provided protections for Federal workers who who blew the whistle on misused funds in the package. This is appalling especially given that Collins is also the ranking Republican for the Senate Oversight Committee.
This shouldn't come as any surprise given that when the Republicans controlled congress, she was the chair of that committee and was near legendary in her ability to look the other way while billions in tax payer money was shipped to Iraq and handed over to contractors with little or no accountability.
Collins is a disgrace and as a resident of Maine I'm especially galled that this crook won reelection last year against Tom Allen, who has a reputation for being scrupulously honest. I don't mind using the people's money in a time of crisis to try to fix that crisis, but I want to make damned sure it is going to boost the economy, and not line some dishonest assholes pocket.
This shouldn't come as any surprise given that when the Republicans controlled congress, she was the chair of that committee and was near legendary in her ability to look the other way while billions in tax payer money was shipped to Iraq and handed over to contractors with little or no accountability.
Collins is a disgrace and as a resident of Maine I'm especially galled that this crook won reelection last year against Tom Allen, who has a reputation for being scrupulously honest. I don't mind using the people's money in a time of crisis to try to fix that crisis, but I want to make damned sure it is going to boost the economy, and not line some dishonest assholes pocket.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Obama and the GOP play 'chicken' and the GOP Lost
For the first time in my life I took an active interest in the passage of a bill namely the 'stimulous' package that was passed in the House yesterday. I watched C-span and watched the votes tally, and watched as not a single Republican voted for the bill.
It has been widely reported in the media that Obama has talked repeatedly to GOP leaders in an effort to reach out to them on compromise. It has been widely reported in the media about how the bill has been 'watered down' to appease Republicans.
And therin lies the seeds of Obama's victory. IT WAS WIDELY REPORTED!!!!! Every Dick, Jane and Sally on the street now know that efforts were made by the Democrats to reach out to the GOP and when vote time came, despite these provisions the bill passed witout ONE. SINGLE. REPUBLICAN. VOTE.
The Republicans, under full media scrutiny have just demonstrated that they are totally redundant. The next time that Congress needs to take up a bill of national importance (like say, health care reform) they now know that they can do so without having to worry about major obstructionism from Republicans, and the Republicans have no one to blame but themselves.
For years the Republicans have defined 'bipartisanship' as 'giving us our way all the time'. They will not compromise, they will not find consensus. Our way or the highway. This is precisely the attitude that caused them to lose ground in 2006, 2008, and in all likelihood, 2010 as well.
The bill that passed was a compromise bill, things were give up by the Democrats in order to appease Republicans, and they still wouldn't play ball. And the whole country watched them as they behaved like petulant spoiled children instead of statesmen, and in the process have handed Obama a major victory in the Court of Public Opinion.
It has been widely reported in the media that Obama has talked repeatedly to GOP leaders in an effort to reach out to them on compromise. It has been widely reported in the media about how the bill has been 'watered down' to appease Republicans.
And therin lies the seeds of Obama's victory. IT WAS WIDELY REPORTED!!!!! Every Dick, Jane and Sally on the street now know that efforts were made by the Democrats to reach out to the GOP and when vote time came, despite these provisions the bill passed witout ONE. SINGLE. REPUBLICAN. VOTE.
The Republicans, under full media scrutiny have just demonstrated that they are totally redundant. The next time that Congress needs to take up a bill of national importance (like say, health care reform) they now know that they can do so without having to worry about major obstructionism from Republicans, and the Republicans have no one to blame but themselves.
For years the Republicans have defined 'bipartisanship' as 'giving us our way all the time'. They will not compromise, they will not find consensus. Our way or the highway. This is precisely the attitude that caused them to lose ground in 2006, 2008, and in all likelihood, 2010 as well.
The bill that passed was a compromise bill, things were give up by the Democrats in order to appease Republicans, and they still wouldn't play ball. And the whole country watched them as they behaved like petulant spoiled children instead of statesmen, and in the process have handed Obama a major victory in the Court of Public Opinion.
Monday, January 26, 2009
So much for Obama's meeting with Right Wing wankers
Ok, so Obama met with some prominent conservatives over lunch to try to win them over to the stimulous plan. As expected they wasted no time in shit canning the whole plan. The wankers need to understand two things:
1. Bipartisanship means not having your way all the time. It's a two way street, and they can't block liberal measures forever.
2. THEY LOST, and WE WON, they never bothered to consult with the Democrats (and especially never talked to liberals) when they made policy, and sooner or later the Democrats are going to wise up to the fact that they don't even need the conservative votes to pass legislation.
One further observation, a lot of liberals like myself bemoan the fact that Obama seems trying just a little too hard to make nice with the conservatives. Well yes, and it's been widely promoted in the press. He's playing chicken with them, daring them to compromise, and it's an easy win for him. They won't compromise, and they end up looking like the complete dicks that they are, and when the Democrats start passing legislation without 'consulting' the opposition, the GOP will get no sympathy from a public who have already been told what a great efforts been made to 'reach out' to them.
1. Bipartisanship means not having your way all the time. It's a two way street, and they can't block liberal measures forever.
2. THEY LOST, and WE WON, they never bothered to consult with the Democrats (and especially never talked to liberals) when they made policy, and sooner or later the Democrats are going to wise up to the fact that they don't even need the conservative votes to pass legislation.
One further observation, a lot of liberals like myself bemoan the fact that Obama seems trying just a little too hard to make nice with the conservatives. Well yes, and it's been widely promoted in the press. He's playing chicken with them, daring them to compromise, and it's an easy win for him. They won't compromise, and they end up looking like the complete dicks that they are, and when the Democrats start passing legislation without 'consulting' the opposition, the GOP will get no sympathy from a public who have already been told what a great efforts been made to 'reach out' to them.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
President Barak Hussein Obama
It feels right. The country is in good hands now, so I'll be watching what happens in the next month or so with great interest.
ON a less euphoric note, I'll just put it up front. I hate cars. I hate driving. I hate paying for gas, I hate paying for insurance, and I hate trying to find a place to park. Cars are not liberating, they have not given us the freedom to go where ever we want whenever we want. They are expensive, dirty, and take up a lot of space. My dream is to live in a place and have a job were public transportation negates the need for a car.
This rant brought to you by the pin-headed gas attendant at the Irvings who made it all but impossible for me to cash in my Shaws gas coupons.
I can be so petty sometimes.
So here's hoping to a Stimulus Package that includes lots of public transportation improvements.
ON a less euphoric note, I'll just put it up front. I hate cars. I hate driving. I hate paying for gas, I hate paying for insurance, and I hate trying to find a place to park. Cars are not liberating, they have not given us the freedom to go where ever we want whenever we want. They are expensive, dirty, and take up a lot of space. My dream is to live in a place and have a job were public transportation negates the need for a car.
This rant brought to you by the pin-headed gas attendant at the Irvings who made it all but impossible for me to cash in my Shaws gas coupons.
I can be so petty sometimes.
So here's hoping to a Stimulus Package that includes lots of public transportation improvements.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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