After a deal is reached with irate Republicans on the House Appropriations committee (who were piqued by a rather tame anti-earmarking measure that has since been broadened beyond appropriations bills), the House GOP pass a cosmetic “lobbying reform” bill 216-207 that emphasizes disclosure of donations, gifts, and earmarks rather than outright bans. “A solid phalanx of Democrats and 12 Republicans, including House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (Wis.) and Republicans pushing for stronger measures, cast votes against the legislation…Rep. Christopher Shays (Conn.) said the bill was less than a window dressing and should be rejected. Later, to reporters, he called the bill ‘pathetic.’ On the House floor, he added: ‘We’re losing our moral authority to lead this place.’“
Author: KcM
Fie on FEMA.
“The eight-month, bipartisan investigation’s central finding is that FEMA should be replaced by a new National Preparedness and Response Authority. Its head would report to the secretary of Homeland Security but serve as the president’s top adviser for national emergency matters, akin to the military role played by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.” As hurricane season nears, the future of FEMA becomes a political football between the Senate (who favors abolishing it) and the White House (who doesn’t.) The Senate report also “singled out President Bush and the White House as appearing indifferent to the devastation until two days after the storm hit.“
Malreports from Minitrue’s Recdep.
“In short, more than one of every three documents removed from the open shelves and barred to researchers should not have been tampered with.” A recently-completed audit into the formerly secret Archives reclassification program finds that many more files were reclassified — and reclassified wrongly — than previously suggested. “In February, the Archives estimated that about 9,500 records totaling more than 55,000 pages had been withdrawn and reclassified since 1999. The new audit shows the real haul was much larger — at least 25,515 records were removed by five different agencies, including the CIA, Air Force, Department of Energy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Archives.“
James Without Frontiers.
The new teaser for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, starring Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck as the titular gunslinger and coward respectively, is now online. Out this September, the film also stars Sam Shepard, Sam Rockwell, Zooey Deschanel (Yes, Zaphod and Trillian), Mary-Louise Parker, and what would a hard-boiled western these days be without Garret Dillahunt?
Eomer the Red.
Also in the trailer bin: Karl Urban channels the Rohirrim again in the straight-to-video looking Pathfinder (a.k.a. Vikings v. Indians), also starring — can you guess who’s on which team? — Russell Means (The Last of the Mohicans) and Clancy Brown (Highlander, Carnivale). Lordy, this looks terrible, but there’s an outside chance I might see it if plied with enough alcohol.
By their command.
In keeping with their Stargate marketing strategy, I presume, Sci-Fi announces a new prequel-series to Battlestar: Galactica, Caprica, set 50 years before BSG. “Following the lives of two families, the Graystones and the Adamas (the family of William Adama, who will one day become the commander of the ‘Battlestar Galactica’) ‘Caprica’ weaves corporate intrigue, techno-action and sexual politics into television’s first science fiction family saga.” Um, ok. I think I’d rather just see BSG stay good through Season 3.
Tiger in the Tank?
“Nobody’s happy with gasoline prices being where they are.” As GOP congressional leaders experience buyer’s remorse over the oil industry tax breaks they passed last year, Jacob Weisberg (who, it should be noted, could take the Metro to work if so desired) argues the virtues of more expensive gasoline: “To be sure, oil at $70 a barrel causes hardships for working people and delights some of the world’s worst dictators. But cheap gasoline imposes its own costs on society: greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and its attendant health risks, traffic congestion, and accidents…Sustained high prices will bring about behavioral and political changes: energy conservation, public transportation, less exurban sprawl, and eventually the economic viability of alternative fuel sources such as biomass, fuel cells, wind, and solar power, which may one day undermine the power of the oil oligarchs. Are politicians too stupid to understand this, or just smart enough not to say it aloud?“
Paging William Fulbright.
“‘The current debate over our national security by a series of retired generals — some critical, some supportive of the present leadership in the Department of Defense — is an important exercise of the right to freedom of speech,’ he said. ‘Another valued tenet is the right of the president to select the members of his own Cabinet.'” Senate Armed Service Committee chairman John Warner (R-VA) makes noise about holding Senate hearings on Rumsfeld. I’ll believe it when I see it.
The Death and Life of Great American Urban Activists.
“In the weeks to come, much will be written about her central role in shaping our ideas — and our ideals — of urbanism. The praise will be deserved. During the 1960s, a time when the reigning orthodoxy was urban renewal, which generally took the form of urban demolition, she championed a more evolutionary, humanist, and small-scale approach to city planning.” Slate‘s Witold Rybczynski ruminates on the legacy of Jane Jacobs, who passed away yesterday (1916-2006.)
Rove Returns (Again).
Fifth time’s the charm? Karl Rove returns once more to testify before Patrick Fitzgerald’s Plamegate grand jury, mainly to discuss his interactions with TIME reporter Viveca Novak. Will this fifth round of testimony of Dubya’s consigliere result in an indictment (and finally make Karl a household name?) Hopefully, we’ll know sooner rather than later. Update: Make that 2-3 weeks.