Is Nebraska Senator and GOP maverick Chuck Hagel poised to join the 2008 field next week? Signs point to yes (although others see solely a Senate retirement in the offing.) “‘Perception has always been that he wasn’t viable because he couldn’t ‘out McCain John McCain,'” said Alex Vogel a Republican lobbyist not affiliated with any of the 2008 candidates. ‘Now that [Hagel] and McCain have split over the war, he’s betting there’s a road from Omaha to Des Moines.‘”
Category: Congress
Feeling the Walter-weight.
In a story unfolding last week that I’m behind on posting on, Dubya goes the bipartisan commission route to try to take the sting out of the brewing scandal over mismanagement at Walter Reed (and other military hospitals) that has already resulted in two firings and some contentious congressional hearings. “Good leadership should have taken these steps long ago, without prompting by a series of embarrassing news articles,’ said Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.), the committee’s chairman[.]”
The Case of the Persecuted Prosecutors.
“‘I’ve always been trained that loyalty is a two-way street,’ Iglesias answered. ‘I started thinking: Why am I protecting these people who not only did me wrong but did wrong to the system for appointing U.S. attorneys?’” The House and Senate Judiciary Committees listen to testimony from eight former U.S. attorneys concerning what appears to be an epidemic of illegal GOP arm-twisting. “The [Justice] department has also acknowledged that Cummins, the Little Rock prosecutor, was asked to resign solely to provide a job for a former aide to presidential adviser Karl Rove.”
Jefferson, I Still Think We’re Lost.
“‘This is a terrible mistake by the Democratic leadership, to take someone with serious ethical allegations against him and put him on one of the most sensitive and important committees in Congress,’ said Rep. Peter T. King (N.Y.), the ranking Republican on the committee.” The House GOP begin making a stink over William Jefferson’s appointment to the Homeland Security Committee. I hate to say it, but I’m inclined to agree. Jefferson is an ethical embarrassment, and he should’ve been backbenched on everything until his bribery investigation concludes. Surely some other Dem on the committee could’ve taken up the slack with regards to the FEMA issue.
Surge Protectors.
Although the House passed it last week by a margin of 246-182, the Democratic resolution opposing Dubya’s surge fails to win an airing in the Senate. Although seven Republicans joined the Senate Dems in advancing the bill, it fell short by four votes of the 60 required to initiate debate. “Both sides instead are girding for the next phase, a confrontation over war funding, with some Democrats determined to exercise the power of the purse to influence Iraq strategy.”
Count the Votes.
Another boon from a Democratic Congress: The House moves closer to mandating paper trails for electronic voting machines. “‘We are closer to paper-trail legislation than we have been before,’ said Doug Chapin, director of Electionline.org, an elections clearinghouse.”
Don Young’s Lincoln Lies.
“Congressmen who willfully take action during wartime that damage morale and undermine the military are saboteurs, and should be arrested, exiled or hanged.” In vaguely-related news, conservative congressman Rep. Don Young trots out an obviously-fake Lincoln quote to bash Dems on Iraq. [ThinkProgress has the video.] ”’Now that he’s been informed these are not the actual words of Lincoln, he will discontinue attributing the words to Lincoln. However, he continues to totally agree with the message of the statement,’ [spokeswoman] Kenny said.” (For the record, and despite his suspension of habeas corpus, President Lincoln was a lenient sort, and assuredly not a believer in the reforming potential of public hangings.)
Tearing up the Blank Check.
“‘We stand together to tell this administration that we are against the escalation, and to say with one voice that Congress will no longer be a blank check to the president’s failed policies,’ said freshman Rep. Patrick J. Murphy (D-Pa.), who was a captain with the 82nd Airborne Division in Baghdad. ‘The president’s plan to send more of our best and bravest to die refereeing a civil war in Iraq is wrong.‘” The House begins three days of debate on a resolution opposing Dubya’s proposed “surge.” “The Democratic resolution is not binding on the administration, and both sides of the debate agreed that the real fight will come next month, when Democrats are to move to attach to a $100 billion war spending bill binding language that would limit future deployments to Iraq and begin to bring troops home.”
Money Problems.
“And there is the irony in reading Schumer and McAuliffe’s books back to back. For all the easy political rhetoric about ‘fighting for the middle class’ and ‘the people vs. the powerful,’ the Democrats depend heavily on the financial support of the wealthy, from New York hedge-fund managers to Hollywood producers to tort-shopping trial lawyers. The quid pro quos may not be nearly as naked as among the Republicans, but Bill Clinton did not fund two $100-million-plus campaigns (not to mention a presidential library) with bake sales and tip jars.” In his overview of new memoirs by former DNC head Terry McAuliffe and New York Senator Chuck Schumer, Salon‘s Walter Shapiro reaffirms the importance of campaign finance reform.
Minimum Overdrive.
Following up on one of the first orders of business of the “100 Hours,” the Senate passes a minimum-wage increase 94-3 for the first time in almost a decade…but not before burdening the House bill with sundry small-business tax breaks to appease the GOP. “House leaders have demanded that the tax measures be stripped from the bill…Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.), chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, said he may have other plans for the $8.3 billion that the Senate would use for business tax breaks.”