No Surprise, the Politics Have Solved Nothing
Sometimes it is just so easy one must comment on the events of a week. To omit this report or fail to make mention of the truth that is laid out before you would be simple neglect. The one gnawing grievance the Democratic majority refuses to confront is their lackluster performance and failure to complete their own agenda. And yet they keep the media filled with misrepresentations about what they promised and what they have done.
Near the bottom of this post is the January press release from Pelosi’s office claiming fulfillment of their 100 hour agenda. The agenda was a farce to begin with. If you pass legislation in the House and it does not make it through the Senate and to the President’s desk for signing, it means very little. Point is, if House bills are passed but have not or do not become law they are of no value. An equally large problem is if laws are passed and not enforced like those of immigration. When the January press release was published, not one bill was enacted into law.
Now without enough votes to override the President’s veto, the minimum wage law is reluctantly accepted by the President to get funding to the troops without a surrender date. And the Dems call that a legislative win. 150 day success for one item from a 100 hour agenda? Sure, that’s a win for a Democrat. Keep lying and hope you don’t get spanked. Not much chance of that happening.
House claims 150-day success
By Christina Bellantoni
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
May 26, 2007
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. gestures yesterday during a news conference on Capitol Hill to discuss House Democrats’ accomplishments prior to the Memorial Day holiday.
The new Democratic Congress has finally banked a legislative win, fulfilling a promise to pass a $2.10 increase in the federal minimum wage and marking the first of its “Six for ‘06″ campaign pledges to become law since the party’s January takeover.
Here is someone who calls it as it is. And the GOP has nothing to laugh about because they are responsible for this joke of a Congress also. Not only is there a travesty of talking surrender during a war but both parties have members who are selling this country on immigration games. It doesn’t matter who or why at this point. As a group you are all guilty. A do nothing Democratic majority and an ineffective GOP minority are damaging this country. Read on.
Nancy Pelosi & ‘Invisible’ Harry Reid Leading Do-Nothing Congress
By Robert Novak
May 26, 2007WASHINGTON — Nancy Pelosi staved off the biggest intraparty challenge during her brief tenure as speaker of the House Monday, standing her ground in support of two free-trade treaties during an uproarious meeting of the House Democratic Caucus behind closed doors. Pelosi backed deals on Peru and Panama treaties negotiated by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel despite fierce protests by rank-and-file Democrats.
Talking about which party is defeated is ridiculous. It’s not all about you. It is about this country. And if you don’t soon get your heads out of your butts it will be too late to do anything about it. Even if you ever come to your senses, you can only play politics for so long before permanent damage is done.
Pelosi Denies Dem Defeat After Congress Approves More Iraq Funds
May 25, 2007
Jodi Breisler, Capital News ConnectionHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi is on the defensive. Before returning to California for the Memorial Day holiday, she says Democrats have not lost the battle with the White House over Iraq. Jodi Breisler reports from Capitol Hill.
After months of trying to tie money for the Iraq War with a timetable, Congress passed President Bush’s supplemental funding request. Republicans call this a victory. Pelosi says it was not a Democratic defeat.
The only reason to oppose funding the troops is political. No American with any shred of integrity or honor would play these games. Again, you are all responsible. Enough with blaming each other for what is wrong. What is wrong is both parties using this country as a political chess board. Continue to fund and support the troops. Finish the war in Iraq and Afghanistan the right way, with victory. Secure the borders. Scrap S. 1348. Enforce existing law and return this country to its condition before the lapse that left us with millions of illegals. Once you have done that if you want to talk changes you will have proven your worth. Otherwise, forget it. It is not that it can’t be done. You simply do not want to and that is outrageous.
Making History, Reluctantly
In a Hill Anomaly, Pelosi Shepherds Iraq Bill She Opposes
By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, May 25, 2007; A17
In public, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had done nothing to suppress her frustration as she assented to funding the Iraq war without a deadline to end it. But behind closed doors Wednesday night, she was all business.With its members gathered in her office, she told the House’s “Progressive Caucus” that she would vote against the war funding bill, but that she also had no choice but to facilitate its passage. Funds were running out for the troops, and she had promised to protect them. The Memorial Day break loomed, and without the money President Bush would have a week to hammer her party for taking a vacation while the Pentagon scrambled to keep its soldiers fed.
And somehow leading up to the Iraq war funding bill, Pelosi had time to seek counsel on the internet. Sure, that is a worthwhile use of your time. Take a poll on the internet to form policy. Brilliant. Did the thought ever cross your mind that your internet inquiry is of little value and usefulness?
Pelosi asks Yahoo users how to solve climate change
Posted by ZDNet Government @ May 24, 2007 @ 6:57 AM
If a politician wants to find out what their constituents think should be done about global warming, why not ask them directly? That’s just what House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi is doing when she appears on Yahoo Answers this week, reports Green Wombat.
Below is the January Pelosi press release exclaiming success in 100 hours along with a current list of public laws enacted this session.
Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com
For Immediate Release
01/18/2007
Pelosi: In First 100 Hours, Democrats Address the Real Priorities of the American PeopleWashington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement this evening on the completion of House Democrats first 100-hour agenda:
“During the election campaign, House Democrats promised to take our country in a New Direction, to change the way Congress does business, and to get to work addressing the real challenges facing the American people. All within the first 100 hours.
“Today, Democrats stood united to say that we have kept our promise to the American people.
“This evening, the House passed the last of our 100 hours bills, legislation to end taxpayer-funded subsidies for Big Oil and create a Strategic Energy and Renewables Reserve.
“With broad bipartisan support, the House passed measures restoring honesty and openness in government, re-establishing fiscal responsibility, strengthening our national security, and giving more Americans a realistic shot at the American Dream. The new Democratic Majority is committed to real and lasting results for all Americans.
“These successes are just the beginning. We have set a tone for the 110th Congress that is one of cooperation, consensus and compromise that extends beyond party lines. Democrats are setting our sights beyond the first 100 hours to make America safe and strong.”
* * *
The House has passed the following items since January 4, the start of the 110th Congress:
* Ethics Reform, 1/4/07, Passed 430-1 (D 232-0; R 198-1)
* Restoring Fiscal Responsibility, 1/5/07, Passed 280-152 (D 232-0; R 48-152)100 Hours Legislation
(Maintained an average of almost 62 Republican votes on each bill)
* Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations, 1/9/07, Passed 299-128 (D 231-0; R 68-128)
* Increasing the Minimum Wage, 1/10/07, Passed 315-116 (D 233-0; R 82-116)
* Expanding Stem Cell Research, 1/11/07, Passed 253-174 (D 216-16; R 37-158)
* Requiring Negotiation for Lower Prescription Drug Costs, 1/12/07, Passed 255-170 (D 231-0; R 24-170)
* Cutting Interest Rates on Student Loans, 1/17/07, Passed 356-71 (D 232-0; R 124-71)
* Ending Subsidies for Big Oil and Investing in Renewable Energy, 1/18/07, (D 228-4; R 36-159)
Items 1 through 27 of 27
Public Laws1. S.159 : A bill to redesignate the White Rocks National Recreation Area in the State of Vermont as the “Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area”.
Sponsor: Sen Leahy, Patrick J. [VT] (introduced 1/4/2007) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Natural Resources
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-1 [GPO: Text, PDF]2. H.R.475 : To revise the composition of the House of Representatives Page Board to equalize the number of members representing the majority and minority parties and to include a member representing the parents of pages and a member representing former pages, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Kildee, Dale E. [MI-5] (introduced 1/16/2007) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Administration
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-2 [GPO: Text, PDF]3. H.R.188 : To provide a new effective date for the applicability of certain provisions of law to Public Law 105-331.
Sponsor: Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6] (introduced 1/4/2007) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Financial Services; Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-3 [GPO: Text, PDF]4. H.R.434 : An act to provide for an additional temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act and the Small business Investment Act of 1958 through July 31, 2007, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Chabot, Steve [OH-1] (introduced 1/12/2007) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Small Business; Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-4 [GPO: Text, PDF]5. H.J.RES.20 : Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Obey, David R. [WI-7] (introduced 1/29/2007) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Appropriations
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-5 [GPO: Text, PDF]
Note: Continuing appropriations through 9/30/2007.6. H.R.742 : To amend the Antitrust Modernization Commission Act of 2002, to extend the term of the Antitrust Modernization Commission and to make a technical correction.
Sponsor: Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] (introduced 1/31/2007) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-6 [GPO: Text, PDF]7. H.R.49 : To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1300 North Frontage Road West in Vail, Colorado, as the “Gerald R. Ford, Jr. Post Office Building”.
Sponsor: Rep Udall, Mark [CO-2] (introduced 1/4/2007) Cosponsors (6)
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-7 [GPO: Text, PDF]8. H.R.335 : To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 152 North 5th Street in Laramie, Wyoming, as the “Gale W. McGee Post Office”.
Sponsor: Rep Cubin, Barbara [WY] (introduced 1/9/2007) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-8 [GPO: Text, PDF]9. H.R.433 : To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1700 Main Street in Little Rock, Arkansas, as the “Scipio A. Jones Post Office Building”.
Sponsor: Rep Snyder, Vic [AR-2] (introduced 1/12/2007) Cosponsors (16)
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-9 [GPO: Text, PDF]10. H.R.514 : To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 16150 Aviation Loop Drive in Brooksville, Florida, as the “Sergeant Lea Robert Mills Brooksville Aviation Branch Post Office”.
Sponsor: Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] (introduced 1/17/2007) Cosponsors (24)
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-10 [GPO: Text, PDF]11. H.R.577 : To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3903 South Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas, as the “Sergeant Henry Ybarra III Post Office Building”.
Sponsor: Rep Doggett, Lloyd [TX-25] (introduced 1/19/2007) Cosponsors (31)
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-11 [GPO: Text, PDF]12. H.R.521 : To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2633 11th Street in Rock Island, Illinois, as the “Lane Evans Post Office Building”.
Sponsor: Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17] (introduced 1/17/2007) Cosponsors (84)
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-12 [GPO: Text, PDF]13. H.R.342 : To designate the United States courthouse located at 555 Independence Street in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, as the “Rush Hudson Limbaugh, Sr. United States Courthouse”.
Sponsor: Rep Emerson, Jo Ann [MO-8] (introduced 1/9/2007) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: House Transportation and Infrastructure; Senate Environment and Public Works
House Reports: 110-10
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-13 [GPO: Text, PDF]14. H.R.544 : To designate the United States courthouse at South Federal Place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as the “Santiago E. Campos United States Courthouse”.
Sponsor: Rep Udall, Tom [NM-3] (introduced 1/17/2007) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: House Transportation and Infrastructure
House Reports: 110-18
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-14 [GPO: Text, PDF]15. H.R.584 : To designate the Federal building located at 400 Maryland Avenue Southwest in the District of Columbia as the ‘Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building’.
Sponsor: Rep Green, Gene [TX-29] (introduced 1/19/2007) Cosponsors (54)
Committees: House Transportation and Infrastructure
House Reports: 110-17
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-15 [GPO: Text, PDF]16. H.R.1129 : To provide for the construction, operation, and maintenance of an arterial road in St. Louis County, Missouri.
Sponsor: Rep Carnahan, Russ [MO-3] (introduced 2/16/2007) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Transportation and Infrastructure
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-16 [GPO: Text, PDF]17. S.494 : A bill to endorse further enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and to facilitate the timely admission of new members to NATO, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Lugar, Richard G. [IN] (introduced 2/6/2007) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: Senate Foreign Relations
Senate Reports: 110-34
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-17 [GPO: Text, PDF]18. H.R.1132 : To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide waivers relating to grants for preventive health measures with respect to breast and cervical cancers.
Sponsor: Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] (introduced 2/16/2007) Cosponsors (67)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce
House Reports: 110-76
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-18 [GPO: Text, PDF]19. S.1002 : A bill to amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to reinstate certain provisions relating to the nutrition services incentive program.
Sponsor: Sen Kennedy, Edward M. [MA] (introduced 3/27/2007) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Education and Labor
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-19 [GPO: Text, PDF]20. H.R.753 : To redesignate the Federal building located at 167 North Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee, as the “Clifford Davis and Odell Horton Federal Building”.
Sponsor: Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] (introduced 1/31/2007) Cosponsors (8)
Committees: House Transportation and Infrastructure
House Reports: 110-72
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-20 [GPO: Text, PDF]21. H.R.1003 : To amend the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 to reauthorize the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy.
Sponsor: Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33] (introduced 2/12/2007) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: House Foreign Affairs; Senate Foreign Relations
Senate Reports: 110-55
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-21 [GPO: Text, PDF]22. H.R.137 : To amend title 18, United States Code, to strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Gallegly, Elton [CA-24] (introduced 1/4/2007) Cosponsors (303)
Committees: House Judiciary; House Agriculture
House Reports: 110-27 Part 1
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-22 [GPO: Text, PDF]23. H.R.727 : To amend the Public Health Service Act to add requirements regarding trauma care, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Green, Gene [TX-29] (introduced 1/30/2007) Cosponsors (17)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce
House Reports: 110-77
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-23 [GPO: Text, PDF]24. H.R.1130 : To amend the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to extend the authority to withhold from public availability a financial disclosure report filed by an individual who is a judicial officer or judicial employee, to the extent necessary to protect the safety of that individual or a family member of that individual, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] (introduced 2/16/2007) Cosponsors (6)
Committees: House Judiciary; Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
House Reports: 110-59
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-24 [GPO: Text, PDF]25. S.521 : A bill to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse and customhouse located at 515 West First Street in Duluth, Minnesota, as the “Gerald W. Heaney Federal Building and United States Courthouse and Customhouse”.
Sponsor: Sen Klobuchar, Amy [MN] (introduced 2/7/2007) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Environment and Public Works; House Transportation and Infrastructure
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-25 [GPO: Text, PDF]26. H.R.1681 : To amend the Congressional Charter of The American National Red Cross to modernize its governance structure, to enhance the ability of the board of governors of The American National Red Cross to support the critical mission of The American National Red Cross in the 21st century, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Lantos, Tom [CA-12] (introduced 3/26/2007) Cosponsors (10)
Committees: House Foreign Affairs
House Reports: 110-87
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-26 [GPO: Text, PDF]27. H.R.988 : To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5757 Tilton Avenue in Riverside, California, as the “Lieutenant Todd Jason Bryant Post Office”.
Sponsor: Rep Calvert, Ken [CA-44] (introduced 2/12/2007) Cosponsors (54)
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 110-27 [GPO: Text, PDF]