U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum - Capitol Hill http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/ A forum to discuss Congress, lawmaking and the legislative branch in general en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:42:01 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.USPoliticsOnline.com/images/misc/rss.jpg U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum - Capitol Hill http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/ Conyers...sheesh http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57318-conyers-sheesh.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:36:09 GMT RealClearPolitics - Video - Dem Conyers: "I'm Getting Tired Of Saving Obama's Can"

Direct quote - "The public option is the only way...to give some competition to 1,300 other health insurance companies."

That is one interesting monopoly there... ]]> Capitol Hill CharlesDavenport http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57318-conyers-sheesh.html Tax on cosmetic surgery? http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57306-tax-cosmetic-surgery.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:39:30 GMT This falls under the category of "just because we can" - Senate bill includes the Botox tax - Live Pulse - POLITICO.com

Now you get to pay tax on money that you SPEND, which is money that has already been taxed a number of times on the way in.

This is fkin ridiculous. ]]> Capitol Hill CharlesDavenport http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57306-tax-cosmetic-surgery.html <![CDATA[House Dem: 'Growing' liberal consensus to dump Geithner]]> http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57305-house-dem-growing-liberal-consensus-dump-geithner.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:37:58 GMT My comment: It's about fucking time. Still, the system needs to be revamped in such a way where the players aren't just playing musical chairs to ensure the primacy of Wall Street/Corporations.

House Dem: 'Growing' liberal consensus to dump Geithner

[snip]
"A growing consensus in the caucus [believe that Geithner should be removed]," DeFazio said on MSNBC this evening, adding that some lawmakers are "considering questions regarding him and other economic advisers."


DeFazio said that lawmakers have not yet drafted a plan to remove Geithner. The lawmaker also took aim at top Obama economic adviser Larry Summers for furthering many of the same policies favored by Geithner.

"We need a new economic team," said DeFazio.


The veteran congressman specifically mentioned last year's bank bailouts and the Geithner's handling of the collapse of insurance giant AIG. At the time, Geithner was head of the New York Fed in the Bush administration.

"We may have to sacrifice just two more jobs to get millions back for Americans," the congressman added.
[more] ]]> Capitol Hill Rude Boy http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57305-house-dem-growing-liberal-consensus-dump-geithner.html Abolish the Senate http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57285-abolish-senate.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:14:57 GMT Why is there a need for a US senate other than to obstruct the work of the House? Canada's Senate has been relegated to a largely ceremonial existence, New Zealand abolished their entirely.

Cut the size of government and throw all the fat cats out on the street. There is absolutely no need for the chamber. ]]> Capitol Hill Danny http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57285-abolish-senate.html Coburn to force reading of the entire bill http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57257-coburn-force-reading-entire-bill.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:15:11 GMT Coburn to force reading of health bill By Eric Zimmermann - 11/17/09 11:43 AM ET Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) says he will make sure the entire healthcare bill is read out loud on the Senate floor before debate can proceed. Though the final... Coburn to force reading of health bill
By Eric Zimmermann - 11/17/09 11:43 AM ET
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) says he will make sure the entire healthcare bill is read out loud on the Senate floor before debate can proceed.

Though the final Senate bill hasn't been revealed yet, the House version spanned almost 2,000 pages. The Senate bill is likely to be at least 1,000 pages.

It would take the Senate clerk at least a few days to complete the task.

Democrats hope to take up the bill by Friday. But if Coburn follows through on his threat, a motion to proceed could be delayed until next week.

"The American people are going to get to hear this bill," Coburn told reporters Monday night.

Under Senate rules, any senator can demand that a bill be read before debate. Republicans, however, would have to stay on the floor the entire time to object to Democratic motions to stop the reading.

Way to go Tom! Dr. Coburn is the best Senator of either party. - Sulayman ]]> Capitol Hill Sulayman http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57257-coburn-force-reading-entire-bill.html Health care rationing http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57218-health-care-rationing.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:41:24 GMT The Rationing Commission

Meet the unelected body that will dictate future medical decisions.

As usual, the most dangerous parts of ObamaCare aren't receiving the scrutiny they deserve—and one of the least examined is a new commission to tell Congress how to control health spending. Democrats are quietly attempting to impose a "global budget" on Medicare, with radical implications for U.S. medicine.

Like most of Europe, the various health bills stipulate that Congress will arbitrarily decide how much to spend on health care for seniors every year—and then invest an unelected board with extraordinary powers to dictate what is covered and how it will be paid for. White House budget director Peter Orszag calls this Medicare commission "critical to our fiscal future" and "one of the most potent reforms."

On that last score, he's right. Prominent health economist Alain Enthoven has likened a global budget to "bombing from 35,000 feet, where you don't see the faces of the people you kill."

As envisioned by the Senate Finance Committee, the commission—all 15 members appointed by the President—would have to meet certain budget targets each year. Starting in 2015, Medicare could not grow more rapidly on a per capita basis than by a measure of inflation. After 2019, it could only grow at the same rate as GDP, plus one percentage point.

The theory is to let technocrats set Medicare payments free from political pressure, as with the military base closing commissions. But that process presented recommendations to Congress for an up-or-down vote. Here, the commission's decisions would go into effect automatically if Congress couldn't agree within six months on different cuts that met the same target. The board's decisions would not be subject to ordinary notice-and-comment rule-making, or even judicial review.

Yet if the goal really is political insulation, then the Medicare Commission is off to a bad start. To avoid a senior revolt, Finance Chairman Max Baucus decided to bar his creation from reducing benefits or raising the eligibility age, which meant that it could only cut costs by tightening Medicare price controls on doctors and hospitals. Doctors and hospitals, naturally, were furious.

-snip-

The Health Care Rationing Commission - WSJ.com

Right. So what the bureaucrats are doing behind the scenes is introducing all the worst features of Britain's hidious NHS while the pols distract us with a dog and pony show in front of the cameras. In the end we will end up with single payer socialized medicine having never had a chance to vote against any of it. That's the plan. ]]> Capitol Hill Sulayman http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57218-health-care-rationing.html Owens Breaks 4 Campaign Promises in first hour in Congress http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57070-owens-breaks-4-campaign-promises-first-hour-congress.html Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:12:03 GMT OMFG, thank god the GOP endoresed candidate endores this piece of shit... the conservative peopole of america will rebel in 2010 and although there will be more liberals elected for it the better we will do in 2012. Congressman-elect Bill... OMFG, thank god the GOP endoresed candidate endores this piece of shit...

the conservative peopole of america will rebel in 2010 and although there will be more liberals elected for it the better we will do in 2012.

Congressman-elect Bill Owens was sworn in at noon today.

Owens indicated in a press release released shortly afterwards that he was now in favor of the the "Affordable Healthcare for America Act" bill in direct contrast to his earlier position during the election campaign.

According to Politico.com, Mr. Owens assured voters that he felt the public option had no place in the health care reform bill. Contrary to that position, Mr. Owens now indicates that he intends to vote in favor of the bill even though it now contains a public option.

UPDATED: A spokesman for Congressman Owens indicated correctly that Mr. Owens had recanted his solid position against public option later in the campaign, clarifying that he did not wish public option to be a 'litmus test' for the Health Reform bill and that on Oct. 30th, several days prior to the election, in a debate had stated that he generally supported the public option as it was now written (at that time.)

Mr. Owens also indicated during his campaign that he was firmly opposed to cutting Medicare benefits, taxing health care benefits, and increased taxes on the middle class in any way as you can see clearly in the screenshot below, taken directly from Mr. Owens' campaign website.

See the rest here

http://www.gouverneurtimes.com/index...ews&Itemid=175 ]]> Capitol Hill CSA http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57070-owens-breaks-4-campaign-promises-first-hour-congress.html CIA lies bad, Pelosi lies OK http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57031-cia-lies-bad-pelosi-lies-ok.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:45:46 GMT Over the last year or so we have heard from Pelosi How the CIA lied to her about the water-boarding,

"On September 24, Speaker Nancy Pelosi told THE WEEKLY STANDARD that she was "absolutely" committed to putting the text of the final House bill online for 72 hours before the House votes:

TWS: Madam Speaker, do you support the measure to put the final House bill online for 72 hours before it's voted on at the very end?

PELOSI: Absolutely. Without question."

The Weekly Standard

Now she is lies to the American People with this NEWEST Health care package.

Nice to see that Congress bitches about people that lies to them, but then turns around and lies to you and me. ]]> Capitol Hill AkDiesel http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/57031-cia-lies-bad-pelosi-lies-ok.html Realistic way to end corporate personhood http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/56859-realistic-way-end-corporate-personhood.html Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:04:51 GMT After a talk with my lawyer friend, I was reminded of something.

Anything not covered in the Constitution or it's amendments is a subject to be covered by the states.

This site has the full text of the Constitution and the amendments in HTML, if you like, go there and search the words Company, Corporation and Corporations (control F). There will be no results.
Constitution of the United States - Official

Therefore, it has never been written into the constitution that Corporations have ANY rights. This means that your state government representatives can write a new state law stating Corporations are not persons, therefore cannot be afforded the rights of natural born persons under the US Constitution.

Call them and write to them telling them you want a law stating corporations are not persons.

If you need help locating your local state government rep, please feel free to contact me and I will help you. At this level, a phone call will do just fine. However I hope you will write a letter as well. Look at my thread in "off topic" and there is another idea for you to consider as well. ]]> Capitol Hill Politico http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/56859-realistic-way-end-corporate-personhood.html 620 Million?! Holy Incompetence, Batman! http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/56843-620-million-holy-incompetence-batman.html Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:07:04 GMT Certainly not unprecedented, the IRS has doled out $620 million to ineligible filers. This is based on claims for the First Time Buyer tax credit. Some people who got the credit had not even bought a house yet.....some people who got the credit... Certainly not unprecedented, the IRS has doled out $620 million to ineligible filers.

This is based on claims for the First Time Buyer tax credit. Some people who got the credit had not even bought a house yet.....some people who got the credit were not "first-time" buyers......and some people who got the tax credit were 4 years old.

Oh....and the First Time Home Buyer tax credit expires on Nov. 30, 2009, yet congress is currently working to extend it........WTF?

Fraud found in home-buyer tax-credit claims TaxWatch - MarketWatch

Quote:
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Even as Congress mulls whether to extend the popular first-time home-buyer tax credit aimed at shoring up the decimated U.S. housing market, government auditors said Thursday that thousands of ineligible taxpayers have received millions of dollars under the program.

About 19,350 taxpayers claimed $139 million worth of tax credits for homes they had not yet purchased, and about 70,000 taxpayers claimed more than $479 million in credits despite evidence they were not first-time home buyers, according to a report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the agency that monitors the Internal Revenue Service.
Curbing bank pay

Almost 600 people who claimed about $4 million worth of the credit were not yet 18 years old -- and the youngest taxpayer was 4 years old, the report said.

The tax credit, worth up to $8,000, expires on Nov. 30, though some lawmakers have proposed extending it, and some have said it should be extended and expanded to people beyond just first-time buyers.
]]> Capitol Hill TheLastBoyScout http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/56843-620-million-holy-incompetence-batman.html My letter to my Senators, http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/56809-my-letter-my-senators.html Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:31:28 GMT Dear Senator ______, I have tried on numerous occasions to contact you personally, requested times to call you where I could have at least 15 minutes of your time. I have asked if I could meet with you in person in regards to problems I see... Dear Senator ______,

I have tried on numerous occasions to contact you personally, requested times to call you where I could have at least 15 minutes of your time. I have asked if I could meet with you in person in regards to problems I see in our government. All of these requests have gone unanswered and I was even told you do not meet with people, or that you are booked for months in advance. I asked if I could set an appointment several months later and was told no. Every time I have emailed you, I receive a form letter with a stamped signiture in the mail. I've actually received the same one twice.

You are refusing to represent me. You have no idea what my message is.

If I was a large donor, or a large corporation, you would meet with me probably this afternoon (yes even on a Sunday).

This is no longer a Democracy, this is a Corporatocracy. If this message does somehow reach you (which I doubt it will), I ask you to make a movement to stop calling the government a Democracy, because we "the people" mean nothing to you and you're friends in Washington.

You debate healthcare when the real question is, of the millions of dollars worth of lobbying and donations that the insurance companies spent, how much influence will they have bought? Because if I can't sway you either way on the bill, you should at least be dignified enough to admit who did sway you and with what.

Democracy died in a court reporters hand written notes in 1886. You and the rest of Washington commit Treason to the American people every day you do not reverse the power of Corporations in our government.

- one of the powerless.......

EDIT: only sent to one senator, the other was appointed and I have not tried to contact him more than once. ]]> Capitol Hill Politico http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/56809-my-letter-my-senators.html Its come to this- one party locks other out of committee room... http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/56757-its-come-one-party-locks-other-out-committee-room.html Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:31:55 GMT can you say bi-partisanship? I mean, is it time for a nap nap children? jesus christ. Democrats lock Republicans out of committee room By Susan Crabtree - 10/20/09 05:47 PM ET Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) locked Republicans out of the... can you say bi-partisanship? I mean, is it time for a nap nap children? jesus christ.


Democrats lock Republicans out of committee room
By Susan Crabtree - 10/20/09 05:47 PM ET

Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) locked Republicans out of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee room to keep them from meeting when Democrats aren’t present.

Towns’ action came after repeated public ridicule from the leading Republican on the committee, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), over Towns’s failure to launch an investigation into Countrywide Mortgage’s reported sweetheart deals to VIPs.


For months Towns has refused Republican requests to subpoena records in the case. Last Thursday Committee Republicans, led by Issa, were poised to force an open vote on the subpoenas at a Committee mark-up meeting. The mark-up was abruptly canceled. Only Republicans showed up while Democrats chairs remained empty.

Republicans charged that Towns canceled the meeting to avoid the subpoena vote. Democrats first claimed the mark-up was canceled due to a conflict with the Financial Services Committee. Later they said it was abandoned after a disagreement among Democratic members on whether to subpoena records on the mortgage industry’s political contributions to Republicans.

A GOP committee staffer captured video of Democrats leaving their separate meeting in private chambers after the mark-up was supposed to have begun. He spliced the video to other footage of the Democrats’ empty chairs at the hearing room, set it to the tune of “Hit the Road, Jack” and posted it on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s minority webpage, where it remained as of press time.


Democrats lock Republicans out of committee room - TheHill.com ]]> Capitol Hill Imperator http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/56757-its-come-one-party-locks-other-out-committee-room.html U.S. troop funds diverted to pet projects http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/56672-u-s-troop-funds-diverted-pet-projects.html Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:15:02 GMT They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but somehow to take critical money away from the Pentagon’s *Operation’s and Maintenance* budget (used for repairs, food, training, etc.) and pay for Senator’s pet projects in their home... They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but somehow to take critical money away from the Pentagon’s Operation’s and Maintenance budget (used for repairs, food, training, etc.) and pay for Senator’s pet projects in their home states is detestable in my opinion in light of two wars going on overseas. And one wonders why troop morale my be low and the military is losing respect for this administration.

U.S. troop funds diverted to pet projects
Study finds $2.6 billion taken from guns and ammunition ]]> Capitol Hill JoMe http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/56672-u-s-troop-funds-diverted-pet-projects.html Write your own Amendment http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/56648-write-your-own-amendment.html Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:26:55 GMT This was actually an assignment I had to do in a class of mine in High School, and I thought it was pretty interesting: Write your own amendment to the US Constitution, state why it is necessary. What do you think? If you could make an... This was actually an assignment I had to do in a class of mine in High School, and I thought it was pretty interesting:

Write your own amendment to the US Constitution, state why it is necessary.

What do you think? If you could make an amendment to the US Constitution what would it be? ]]> Capitol Hill AJG http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/56648-write-your-own-amendment.html Barney says homosexuials got it all wrong http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/56580-barney-says-homosexuials-got-all-wrong.html Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:11:01 GMT instead of marching they should go lobby congress critters

I'm not sure they could get in to congressional office buildings though.



I guess even he realizes that their fab-a-thons do far more to hurt their cause than help it.

Quote:
Rep. Barney Frank, an openly gay member of Congress, says he'd rather see gay rights supporters lobbying their elected officials than marching in Washington this weekend, calling the demonstration "a waste of time at best."

Frank said in an interview with The Associated Press that he considers such demonstrations to be "an emotional release" that does little to pressure Congress.

"The only thing they're going to be putting pressure on is the grass," the Massachusetts Democrat said Friday.
]]> Capitol Hill daddio http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/capitol-hill/56580-barney-says-homosexuials-got-all-wrong.html