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Like the Mafia,; Only Dumber
Topic Started: Oct 19 2006, 12:20 PM (343 Views)
rontuner
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Junior Carp
Like the Mafia, Only Dumber
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Perspective

Wednesday 18 October 2006

Obviously crime pays, or there'd be no crime.
- G. Gordon Liddy
Josh Marshall, who runs the excellent blog Talking Points Memo, recently posted a reader's take on "The 5 Stages of Republican Scandal." As follows:

1. "I have not been informed of any investigation or that I am a target."

2. "I am cooperating fully, but this whole thing is a political ploy by the Democrats."

3. "I'm SHOCKED by the mistakes made by my subordinates."

4. "I'm deeply sorry for letting down my friends and family. I now recognize that I am an alcoholic. I will be entering rehab immediately, so I have no time for questions."

5. "Can I serve my time at Eglin Federal Penitentiary (aka Club Fed)?"
We have seen a fair amount of this already, and will soon see a lot more of it. The news media is all abuzz about Republican scandals, from Foley to Abramoff, but simply hearing about it from the television does not do the situation justice, if you'll pardon the bad pun. You have to see it all in one place to understand the depths to which the GOP has sunk.

Bear in mind, as you peruse the following roll call, that these guys are getting busted for this stuff while their party has absolute control over the House, the Senate, the White House and the Justice Department. Huffington Post columnist Stephen Elliot pegged it recently when he wrote, "The fact is if you control the Senate, the White House, and the courts, and you're still getting busted for bribery, stalking children, and money laundering, then something is really sick at the Republican core."

Indeed. Thus, without further ado and in no particular order ...

Jack Abramoff: The disgraced "super-lobbyist" has been nailed for wire fraud, and is cooperating in the investigation into the bribing four Republican members of congress.

Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas): Once the most powerful man in the House of Representatives, Texas congressman DeLay now stands indicted on three counts of money laundering, charges stemming from his all-out attempt to secure a permanent Republican majority in the House. His story isn't finished; the Abramoff investigators have been sniffing around his door for months now.

Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio): Ney has pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from Jack Abramoff. Ney pulled #4 out of the bag of GOP excuses above, announcing that he has entered a rehab clinic for alcohol addiction.

Tony Rudy: Once the deputy chief of staff for Tom DeLay, Rudy has pleaded guilty to bribing a Republican House member, said member widely assumed to be Bob Ney. Rudy also pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from Abramoff in return for favorable actions on Abramoff's behalf by his former boss.

Mike Scanlon: Another Republican lobbyist and former DeLay press secretary, Scanlon has pleaded guilty to stealing millions of dollars from Native American tribes, on whose behalf he was supposed to be lobbying Congress regarding casinos. Scanlon is also cooperating with federal investigators.

Rep. Randy Cunningham (R-Calif.): The California congressman has pleaded guilty to accepting $2.5 million in bribes, in exchange for steering federal contracts to a number of defense firms. Cunningham is currently staring down the barrel of eight years in prison.

Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.): There isn't much more to say about this fellow, who has joined Rep. Ney in the I'm-an-alcoholic-going-to-rehab club.

Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) : Long considered to be little more than the mush-mouthed front man for Tom DeLay, Speaker of the House Hastert has found himself swept up in the Foley scandal. Several fellow congressmen have said that they warned Hastert about Foley's improper behavior, but nothing was done about it until the Foley emails went public. The watchword for today is "cover-up."

I. Lewis Libby: Cheney's former chief of staff, "Scooter" Libby, has been indicted on five counts of lying to investigators regarding the outing of deep-cover CIA agent Valerie Plame.

David Safavian: Once the head of the White House Office of Federal Procurement, Safavian has been convicted of four counts of lying to investigators regarding a bribe he took from Abramoff.

Claude Allen: Formerly a domestic policy advisor to the White House, Allen was arrested for shoplifting thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from various retail stores.

Brian Doyle: Formerly the Department of Homeland Security's deputy press secretary, Doyle was arrested for attempting to seduce a 14-year-old girl over the internet.

James Tobin: Tobin, who served as the northeast field director for the Republican Senate Campaign Committee, has been convicted on two counts of conspiracy stemming from a phone-jamming scheme in New Hampshire during the 2002 midterms. Tobin made dozens of phone calls during this time to the White House political affairs office. He was sentenced to ten months in prison.

Susan Ralston: An aide to White House political advisor Karl Rove, Ralston resigned recently after her multiple meetings with Jack Abramoff became public knowledge. Ralston was also in the habit of accepting gifts, such as tickets to sporting events, from the disgraced lobbyist.

Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.): Doolittle hasn't been convicted of anything yet, but has rolled out the "not a target" line regarding the investigation into Abramoff's bribery scheme.

Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.): Like Doolittle, Burns has deployed the "not a target" line regarding the Abramoff probe. He is, however, apparently a "target" of the probe, a fact that has his staffers splitting rhetorical hairs at warp speed.

Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.): Rep. Dale Kildee, the only Democrat on the House Page Board, dropped an interesting brick the other day. While commenting on a conference call between page board members regarding "other allegations" beyond those directed at Rep. Foley, Kildee said, "It was about other allegations and I'd like to leave it at that. Let me just say, not about Mr. Foley." These "other allegations" appear to be augering towards Rep. Kolbe, who took two former pages on a camping trip several years ago. A federal investigation has been opened to look into the matter.

Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.): The senate majority leader is currently under investigation by the SEC for seemingly taking advantage of insider information to make a killing on stocks, the company attached to said stocks being owned by his family.

Lester Crawford: Once the Bush administration's FDA commissioner, Crawford has been charged in federal court for conflict of interest, and for making false statements related to his investments. He recently pleaded guilty to the charges.

Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.): The home of Weldon's daughter was raided by federal investigators on Monday. The investigators are looking hard at her lobbying firm, and whether her well-connected father improperly steered business her way. Weldon has pulled out #2 above, laying the whole thing off on a Democratic plot to destroy him.

Tom Noe: A four-star Republican fund-raiser in Ohio, Noe has just gone on trial for stealing millions from a fund for injured workers and spending it on himself.

Here's the best part: George W. Bush has officially declared that this is now National Character Counts Week. Seriously. You can't make this stuff up.

"America's strength is found in the spirit and character of our people," reads the Bush proclamation. "During National Character Counts Week, we renew our commitment to instilling values in our young people and to encouraging all Americans to remember the importance of good character." Someone apparently forgot to circulate the "Character Counts" memo among the ranks of the Republican Party, it seems.

At the end of it, you have to think of this crew as being like the Mafia, only a lot dumber. Think about it. The Mafia's criminal enterprises operate under heavy scrutiny from local, state and federal officials, all of whom have subpoena power, not to mention the ability to tap phones and kick down doors.

The Republican criminal enterprise that is currently unraveling in all directions, on the other hand, operated virtually free from restraint or scrutiny. They own the government, from the Oval Office to the FBI to the Capitol Dome, and yet somehow they are managing to get busted left and right.

And, of course, the really serious criminal behavior - lying about weapons of mass destruction to initiate a war of conquest that has enriched White House allies while killing untold tens of thousands of people, including almost three thousand American soldiers, for starters - continues to operate with impunity.

For now. Rumor has it there is an election in November. Depending on how it shakes out, things might get really interesting after the New Year. These people above got nailed even though their allies are running the show. If that should change, several dozen varieties of Hell are likely to break loose.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
William Rivers Pitt is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author of two books: War on Iraq: What Team Bush Doesn't Want You to Know and The Greatest Sedition Is Silence. His newest book, House of Ill Repute: Reflections on War, Lies, and America's Ravaged Reputation, will be available this winter from PoliPointPress.
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George K
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That article is a target-rich environment. Let me take a few shots:

1) Libbey will be dropped. He's accused of lying about something that wasn't a crime. We know who "outed" Mr. 007 Plame: Armitage. The rest is all smoke. There's no 'there' there.

2) Foley. What has he been accused of? Sex with men? I guess the Dems are the true homophobes. Yesterdays headlines said that a preliminary FBI investigation shows that there was no sexual contact between him and underage men. There's no 'there' there, either. Move along.

3) Hastert? See #1.

4) Cunningham? Ney? Guilty 'nuff said.

5) William Jefferson?

Oh, I'm sorry, he's a Democrat. Er. Let's move a long

6) Reid? He refuses to return money that his campaign received from Abramoff. Oh, I'm sorry, see #5, abover. He amended[/] his ethics statement. I see...

7) Delay? Let's see. One grand jury didn't indict. A second didn't. Finally Ronnie Earle continues shopping until he found one that would. Sorta makes his case sound weak, and of the original indictments, how many have been dropped? Time will tell.

As the article says, "Time will tell."
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Dave Spelvin
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"The fact is if you control the Senate, the White House, and the courts, and you're still getting busted for bribery, stalking children, and money laundering, then something is really sick at the Republican core."

I disagree with this. If the party itself were corrupt, there would be no investigations at all.

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He's accused of lying about something that wasn't a crime.

You mean like Clinton lying about Lewinsky? You thought lying was a crime then, didn't you?

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Dave Spelvin
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Hastert?

Not so fast:

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The former clerk of the House of Representatives, Jeff Trandahl, who testified for more than four hours before the House Ethics Committee today, is believed to have testified that a top aide to House Speaker Dennis Hastert was informed of "all issues dealing with the page program," according to a Republican familiar with the investigation.

Betcha he goes soon
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Kincaid
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1. The article says that the courts are controlled by the Republicans?

2. Did Libby suborn perjury?

3. Hastert will not leave before the election. If he steps down as Speaker of the House, he'll do it as part of a fresh start in 2007.

4. Where does "no controlling legal authority" come into this discussion?
Kincaid - disgusted Republican Partisan since 2006.
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Dave Spelvin
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Did Libby suborn perjury?

Not that we know of. He lied to a federal agent which is a violation of Section 1001 of the US Code. This law was initially created to add extra time to folks like pushers. The theory was that if the FBI questioned a suspect and the suspect said he didn't do it, that some other guy did it, and the suspect was lying, the court could convict him of the illegal activity PLUS give him up to an additional 5 years for the sec. 1001 violation. Federal agents include customs officers, FBI, anybody from the federal government that might ask questions. Libby should get some prison time for his false statements even if the subject of the investigation was legal.

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Hastert will not leave before the election. If he steps down as Speaker of the House, he'll do it as part of a fresh start in 2007.

I don't know about that. The polls are getting worse and worse for the republicans at the moment. At this point, it may not matter if he stays or go.
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Larry
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Ron, as long as you keep soaking your brain in the Truthout Koolaid you're never going to know what's happening.
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Kincaid
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HOLY CARP!!!
Dave Spelvin
Oct 19 2006, 01:56 PM
The polls are getting worse and worse for the republicans at the moment. At this point, it may not matter if [Hastert] stays or go.

I remember those polls in 2004.
Kincaid - disgusted Republican Partisan since 2006.
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Dave Spelvin
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Kincaid
Oct 19 2006, 03:32 PM
Dave Spelvin
Oct 19 2006, 01:56 PM
The polls are getting worse and worse for the republicans at the moment. At this point, it may not matter if [Hastert] stays or go.

I remember those polls in 2004.

As do I. The dems had a slight advantage. However, this time around the advantage is significant. What can you expect? There are so many republicans in jail or being investigated that even this moronic electorate seems to be taking notice. Of course everything could fall apart for the dems in November, but I like the odds.
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Larry
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Me too.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
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Luke's Dad
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Dave Spelvin
Oct 19 2006, 07:50 PM
Kincaid
Oct 19 2006, 03:32 PM
Dave Spelvin
Oct 19 2006, 01:56 PM
The polls are getting worse and worse for the republicans at the moment. At this point, it may not matter if [Hastert] stays or go.

I remember those polls in 2004.

As do I. The dems had a slight advantage. However, this time around the advantage is significant. What can you expect? There are so many republicans in jail or being investigated that even this moronic electorate seems to be taking notice. Of course everything could fall apart for the dems in November, but I like the odds.

Wow, that's a very telling statement.
The problem with having an open mind is that people keep trying to put things in it.
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Larry
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I agree there is a moronic electorate out there. Where do you think democrats come from?........... ;)
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Dave Spelvin
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Luke's Dad
Oct 19 2006, 04:00 PM
Dave Spelvin
Oct 19 2006, 07:50 PM
Kincaid
Oct 19 2006, 03:32 PM
Dave Spelvin
Oct 19 2006, 01:56 PM
The polls are getting worse and worse for the republicans at the moment. At this point, it may not matter if [Hastert] stays or go.

I remember those polls in 2004.

As do I. The dems had a slight advantage. However, this time around the advantage is significant. What can you expect? There are so many republicans in jail or being investigated that even this moronic electorate seems to be taking notice. Of course everything could fall apart for the dems in November, but I like the odds.

Wow, that's a very telling statement.

Absolutely right. I'm appalled that people haven't seen Bush for the charlatan he is enough to vote him the hell out. And I'm appalled that people keep electing republican congressmen to rubber stamp the things he wants. It is time for a big change, and it's a-coming. How are you and Larry going to like having at least a democratic house? Will you guys pack up and move to Canada?
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Kincaid
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HOLY CARP!!!
As a politician, Bush is better than most. As a leader he is even better. I keep electing Republicans to congress because I want them to rubber stamp the Bush agenda that I want.

Frankly, what I expect to hear the morning after the election is a bunch of Democrat whining "voter fraud"!
Kincaid - disgusted Republican Partisan since 2006.
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Dave Spelvin
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Kincaid
Oct 19 2006, 04:10 PM
As a politician, Bush is better than most. As a leader he is even better. I keep electing Republicans to congress because I want them to rubber stamp the Bush agenda that I want.

Frankly, what I expect to hear the morning after the election is a bunch of Democrat whining "voter fraud"!

I expect you will hear about sweeping democratic victories. And the funny part is that not one of them that I know about has said anything except that they're not republican.
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George K
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Dave Spelvin
Oct 19 2006, 07:13 PM
the funny part is that not one of them that I know about has said anything except that they're not republican.

Now *there's* a profound agenda.

"Doesn't matter what we stand for. We're just not *those* guys."

So, since you bring it up, what, exactly, *do* the Democrats stand for, specifically, and how will their ideas (none of which I've heard other than 'out of Iraq' and 'raise taxes') make this country better?
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- Klaus, 4/29/18
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Dave Spelvin
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George K
Oct 19 2006, 04:19 PM
Dave Spelvin
Oct 19 2006, 07:13 PM
the funny part is that not one of them that I know about has said anything except that they're not republican.

Now *there's* a profound agenda.

"Doesn't matter what we stand for. We're just not *those* guys."

So, since you bring it up, what, exactly, *do* the Democrats stand for, specifically, and how will their ideas (none of which I've heard other than 'out of Iraq' and 'raise taxes') make this country better?

Agendas are overrated. For the first time in a long while, let's have people run the government who actually like government and can run it competently. The republicans came in saying they don't like government, and it shows. Every politician doesn't have to change the world, and I'm not upset that the dems are thinking small. The republicans were thinking big and I don't like where they've taken us. If the dems screw up, they'll be voted out again as they were in 1994. If in the short term all they do is make the trains run on time, that's enough for me.
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George K
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Dave Spelvin
Oct 20 2006, 09:28 AM
George K,Oct 19 2006
04:19 PM
Dave Spelvin,Oct 19 2006
07:13 PM
the funny part is that not one of them that I know about has said anything except that they're not republican.

If in the short term all they do is make the trains run on time, that's enough for me.

Don't ask much of the Dems, then do you?

Let me show you some of the agenda that the Democrats have in store:

Department of Peace and Nonviolence Act -- H.R. 3760: Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and 74 Democratic cosponsors propose a new "Department of Peace and Nonviolence" as well as "National Peace Day." Cosponsors include three would-be Democratic Chairmen: John Conyers (Judiciary), George Miller (Education and the Workforce), and Charlie Rangel (Ways and Means).

Gas Stamps -- H.R. 3712: Jim McDermott (D-WA) and eight Democratic cosponsors want a "Gas Stamps" program similar to the Food Stamps program to subsidize the gasoline purchases of qualified individuals.

Less Jail Time for Selling Crack Cocaine - H.R. 2456: Charlie Rangel (D-NY) and 23 Democratic cosponsors want to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for possessing, importing, and distributing crack cocaine. John Conyers, the would-be Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over the bill, is a cosponsor.

Voting Rights for Criminals - H.R. 1300: John Conyers (D-MI) and 32 Democratic cosponsors, and H.R. 663: Charlie Rangel (D-NY) and 28 Democratic cosponsors would let convicted felons vote. Rep. John Conyers is the would-be Democratic Chairman of the Judiciary Committee which would consider this legislation.

Expand Medicare to Include Diapers -- H.R. 1052: Barney Frank (D-MA) supports Medicare coverage of adult diapers. Barney Frank is the would-be Chairman of the Financial Services Committee.

Nationalized Health Care - H.R. 4683: John Dingell (D-MI) and 18 Democratic cosponsors want to expand Medicare to cover all Americans. John Dingell is the would-be Democratic Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee who along with cosponsors Charlie Rangel, would-be Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, and Henry Waxman, would-be Chairman of the Government Reform Committee, would have jurisdiction over the proposal.

Federal Regulation of Restaurant Menus -- H.R. 5563: Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and 25 Democratic cosponsors authorize federal regulation of the contents of restaurant menus.

Taxpayer Funded Abortions & Elimination of all Restrictions on Abortion, Including Parental Notice - H.R. 5151: Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and 66 Democratic cosponsors want to overturn even minimal restrictions on abortion such as parental notice requirements. The bill would also require taxpayer funding of abortions through the various federal health care programs. John Conyers, the would-be Chairman of Judiciary Committee which has jurisdiction over the bill, is an original cosponsor.

Bill of Welfare Rights -- H.J. Res. 29-35: Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) proposes a Soviet-style "Bill of Welfare Rights," enshrining the rights of full employment, public education, national healthcare, public housing, abortion, progressive taxation, and union membership. On some these measures, Rep. Jackson is joined by up to 35 Democratic cosponsors, including would-be Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers.


A guide to GKSR: Click

"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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Dave Spelvin
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Don't ask much of the Dems, then do you?

Competence is a lot more than we're getting now. And I like the government staying out of my business. Republicans used to believe that too, but I guess no longer.

Quote:
 
Department of Peace and Nonviolence Act -- H.R. 3760: Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and 74 Democratic cosponsors propose a new "Department of Peace and Nonviolence" as well as "National Peace Day." Cosponsors include three would-be Democratic Chairmen: John Conyers (Judiciary), George Miller (Education and the Workforce), and Charlie Rangel (Ways and Means).

Sounds like a bone to the far left and a waste of money to me. However, I like the sentiment. I believe war is a last resort and I don't believe the current administration agrees with me.

Quote:
 
Gas Stamps -- H.R. 3712: Jim McDermott (D-WA) and eight Democratic cosponsors want a "Gas Stamps" program similar to the Food Stamps program to subsidize the gasoline purchases of qualified individuals.

Hmmm. Sounds like more money being spent. I'd like to know who qualifies before I decide. NY taxi drivers? They should all drive rickshaws. Local farmers, I'd have to think about it.

Quote:
 
Less Jail Time for Selling Crack Cocaine - H.R. 2456: Charlie Rangel (D-NY) and 23 Democratic cosponsors want to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for possessing, importing, and distributing crack cocaine. John Conyers, the would-be Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over the bill, is a cosponsor.

I don't like the characterization. Our prisons are overcrowded. Why shouldn't judges be able to use their discretion when sentencing criminals? Each criminal is an individual. Why shouldn't each be sentenced separately based on whether he's a repeat offender and the violence of his crimes?

Quote:
 
Voting Rights for Criminals - H.R. 1300: John Conyers (D-MI) and 32 Democratic cosponsors, and H.R. 663: Charlie Rangel (D-NY) and 28 Democratic cosponsors would let convicted felons vote. Rep. John Conyers is the would-be Democratic Chairman of the Judiciary Committee which would consider this legislation.

Again, I don't like the characterization. Convicted felons serving time would, of course, not be allowed to vote. You go to prison, you lose many of your rights including this one. However, doesn't it make sense to you that a felon who has served his time should retain his rights as a citizen? He can get a passport, even be elected to public office. I've never understood the logic of taking away this right from people who have paid their debt to society.

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Expand Medicare to Include Diapers -- H.R. 1052: Barney Frank (D-MA) supports Medicare coverage of adult diapers. Barney Frank is the would-be Chairman of the Financial Services Committee.

Again, delightful characterization. Do you have a problem with this? My father is 85. If he needs a colostomy bag or Depends, I want his insurance to pay for it the same as it should pay for ace bandages.

Quote:
 
Nationalized Health Care - H.R. 4683: John Dingell (D-MI) and 18 Democratic cosponsors want to expand Medicare to cover all Americans. John Dingell is the would-be Democratic Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee who along with cosponsors Charlie Rangel, would-be Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, and Henry Waxman, would-be Chairman of the Government Reform Committee, would have jurisdiction over the proposal.

It is a great shame that there are millions of people in the richest country in the world that do not have health coverage. Hillary Clinton tried to fight the good fight on this and was shouted down for all the wrong reasons (namely, politics). Most of the country wants this. The trouble is how to pay for it. Don't you think the two parties could agree that this is a good thing and try to do something about it? I don't expect it to happen anytime soon, but I think it's an important goal to aim for.

Quote:
 
Federal Regulation of Restaurant Menus -- H.R. 5563: Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and 25 Democratic cosponsors authorize federal regulation of the contents of restaurant menus.

I'm not sure what this means. Do you think it means that restaurants will have to list the ingredients, calories, etc. in their offerings, as packaged food manufacturers must? I don't find that so outrageous if this is in fact what the bill proposes.

Quote:
 
Taxpayer Funded Abortions & Elimination of all Restrictions on Abortion, Including Parental Notice - H.R. 5151: Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and 66 Democratic cosponsors want to overturn even minimal restrictions on abortion such as parental notice requirements. The bill would also require taxpayer funding of abortions through the various federal health care programs. John Conyers, the would-be Chairman of Judiciary Committee which has jurisdiction over the bill, is an original cosponsor.

I'd rather not open up this can of woims. Perhaps after I've had a few drinks and adjusted my flame shield.

Quote:
 
Bill of Welfare Rights -- H.J. Res. 29-35: Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) proposes a Soviet-style "Bill of Welfare Rights," enshrining the rights of full employment, public education, national healthcare, public housing, abortion, progressive taxation, and union membership. On some these measures, Rep. Jackson is joined by up to 35 Democratic cosponsors, including would-be Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers.

Soviet-style, is it? It's going nowhere anyway, so relax.

And I note that you took this material from Roy Blunt's website. Not that he has any skin in the game or anything...
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George K
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I thought you only wanted the trains to run on time. :rolleyes:
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"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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