Imperialist Smearialist

You might find some of my comments in italic blue.  

They are seldom important and virtually always sarcastic.

Congress.org presents: MEGAVOTE for June 24, 2013
In this MegaVote for Georgia's 13th Congressional District:

Recent Congressional Votes:

• Senate: Froman Nomination  Confirmation
• Senate: U.S. Immigration Policy  Motion to Table Cornyn Amendment
• House: Abortion Ban  Passage
• House: Farm Bill  Passage

Upcoming Congressional Bills:

• Senate: U.S. Immigration Policy
• House: Offshore Energy and Jobs Act

Recent Senate Votes:

Froman Nomination  Confirmation
Vote Confirmed (93-4, 1 Present, 2 Not Voting)
Last Wednesday, the Senate took a short break from the immigration bill to confirm President Barack Obamas nomination of Michael Froman to be United States Trade Representative. He replaces Ron Kirk, who resigned in March. Froman was previously Obamas deputy national security adviser for international economic affairs. He is now tasked with the Cabinet-level position handling international trade agreements and investment issues on behalf of the administration.
Sen. Saxby Chambliss voted YES
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES

A position that perpetuates the United State's imperialist position in the world.  A nomination by an anti-colonialist President. Obama was true to his generally anti-American beliefs, he should have let the vacancy remain unfilled. But why pass up a chance to grant a political reward. As for the guy, who really gives a shit or how the Georgia Senators voted.

U.S. Immigration Policy  Motion to Table Cornyn Amendment
Vote Agreed to (54-43, 3 Not Voting)
The Senates last vote of the week on Thursday was the approval of Majority Leader Harry Reids motion to table (kill) Texas Republican John Cornyns amendment that would require the Homeland Security Department to verify certain standards, including a 90 percent apprehension rate of illegal border crossers and a biometric screening system at all seaports and airports, are met before illegal immigrants could be granted permanent legal status. The largely partisan vote included only two Democrats, Manchin (W.Va.) and Pryor (Ark.) voting no; four Republicans voted yes: Flake and McCain (Ariz.), Graham (S.C.) and Paul (Ky.).
Sen. Saxby Chambliss voted NO
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted NO

We are going to see an interesting thing this week, it looks probably that S744 will pass the Senate with less than 70 votes.  So the House can block the enactment of the bill.  The Senate leadership will be squalling, the President and that lap dog lying prick Carney will be cajoling the press to ridicule the House.  In effect the House will be doing what the Senate has been doing for the last five years, tabling pet projects of the other party.  In the end I like the stand off.

Recent House Votes:

Abortion Ban  Passage
Vote Passed (228-196, 10 Not Voting)
The House detoured briefly from debating the farm bill to pass a measure that forbids abortions performed at 20 weeks after fertilization or later. The bill makes an exception for cases where the womans life is in danger or where rape or incest has been reported to authorities. Under the measure, physicians who violate the ban would face a maximum five-year prison sentence, fines or both. Six Republicans voted against the legislation, while six Democrats voted in favor. The justification for the 20-week limit was the belief that an unborn fetus can feel pain by 20 weeks of pregnancy. Although the medical veracity of this theory is debated, a handful of states have passed laws with the same benchmark. The White House issued a veto threat on the bill, and Democrats who control the Senate are expected to ignore the measure.
Rep. David Scott voted NO

Democrats must reserve the right of a woman to kill anything that lives within her body.  Heaven can help the poor bastard sperm donor. Help the poor kill their young and support the influx of new poor.  I am sure the threat the President and obstruction by the Senate are real.

Farm Bill  Passage
Vote Failed (195-234, 6 Not Voting)
After working through more than 100 amendments, the House nevertheless rejected a five-year, $939 billion reauthorization of agricultural and nutrition programs. Sixty-two Republicans rebelled against their leaders and voted against the bill. All but two dozen Democrats voted no as well. Nutritional aid to the poor was the major point of conflict for the bills passage for both sides of the aisle. Although the bill cuts $33 billion from current law, the chambers most conservative Republican members argued spending reductions did not go far enough. Democrats, however, claimed that the bills $20.5 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP)  made mainly by changing eligibility requirements  would disproportionately harm low-income families. Democrats also objected to a provision that mandated work requirements for SNAP recipients. Like the Senate bill, the measure would have ended direct payments to farmers, replacing them with revenue protections that would assist farmers when county revenue levels fall 15 percent to 25 percent below a five-year benchmark. It also consolidated several rural conservation programs. With the bills defeat, the House now will have to draft a new bill, adopt the one the Senate passed earlier this month, or pass another one-year extension like Congress had to do last year.
Rep. David Scott voted NO

Though I am sure that Scott voted no for another reason, I am generally in favor of denying all aid to farmer, business or people.  That is not the designed purpose of the government, it is the self-serving tool of the politician.

Upcoming Votes:
U.S. Immigration Policy - S.744
The Senate will continue its work on this bill to overhaul the nations immigration policy.

Whatever, in the end the Senators want to do this thing.  Too bad this thing won't solve the continuing problem or stave off future welfare load.

Offshore Energy and Jobs Act - H.R.2231
This week the House is scheduled to begin considering a measure that would implement a five-year oil and gas leasing program.

Why bother, the President will promise veto and the Senate will table.  

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Immigration Niceties

This was a response received yesterday, to an email imporing him to abandon this blind need to not offend hispanics......
There is no wrong in wishing the rule of law applied.
Democrats are using the last election to cajole Republicans into favoring a pet plank.
The allure of new voters is tempting Republican leadership to ignore their base.
The result will be the same if amnesty is granted, poor people vote Democratic.
Vote no, take your lumps and wait your turn.

From: senator@corker.senate.gov [mailto:senator@corker.senate.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3:41 PM
Subject: Thank you for contacting my office
Thank you for taking the time to email me to share your thoughts and concerns.
I want you to know that we read every single letter and e-mail that is sent to us in order to best understand the issues that are important to you. I meet with my staff regularly to discuss the issues raised in correspondence like yours and the insights you provided will certainly help my staff and me as we look into this issue.
Thank you again for your email. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me.
Sincerely,
Bob Corker
United States Senator

Business Advice

Read this in a trade magazine earlier today, and I like it very much.....

"Be quick, be quiet and be on time."

-Kelly Johnson of Lockheed's Skunk Works

If It Looks Like A Carney DUCK!

I would like to see this study compared to GW Bush and WJ Clinton, both with eight year tenures.  Study is probably being generous, but you know what I mean.

Graphic: Yahoo News study on how Jay Carney has ducked 9,486 questions from reporters

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Porky Pigs

Any comments I might have will be in blue italic text.....

Congress.org (congress.org) presents: 
M E G A V O T E

June 17, 2013

In this MegaVote for Georgia's 13th Congressional District:

Recent Congressional Votes -
* Senate: Farm Bill  Passage
* House: FY 2014 Defense Authorization  Passage

Upcoming Congressional Bills -
* Senate: U.S. immigration policy
* House: Farm Bill

Recent Senate Votes:

Farm Bill  Passage
Vote Passed (66-27, 7 Not Voting)

The Senate gave overwhelming approval to the five-year reauthorization of farm, conservation, and nutrition programs, setting up a legislative showdown with the House. The final vote, which cleared the measure 66-27, came after two weeks of debate and more than 200 amendments offered on the Senate floor. Seven senators missed the vote because of travel delays. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Senate bill would cost $18 billion less than the 2008 farm policy law (PL 112-240), which expires Sept. 30. Senators trimmed $4 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food aid to the poor, by requiring that recipients receive a minimum payment of $10 from a heating assistance program to be eligible for SNAP. Nutrition assistance will be a major sticking point with the House version, which cuts SNAP by $20.5 billion. The Senate bill ends $5 billion a year in direct payments made to farmers and landowners, channeling off those funds to create a hybrid of insurance-like plans and other price controls to help farmers protect against steep market drops. It would reduce support for farmers earning more than $750,000 annually, following a study on the effects of implementation. Unlike the House measure, the bill requires subsidized insurance program participants to meet soil and water conservation requirements. It also replaces dairy price support programs with new insurance and a supply management plan to reduce price-depressing supply surpluses. Before passing the bill, the chamber adopted, 48-38, an amendment from Vermont Democrat Patrick J. Leahy that would provide for ultra-high-speed broadband service in a rural Internet pilot program.
Sen. Saxby Chambliss voted YES
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Let the rednecks use the phone, it is not a "right" to have broadband service. Jeez. Will the government ever stop giving shit away?  In this case lets not forget there is a bunch of money destined for farmers not to grow things and such type creative bullshit?


Recent House Votes:

FY 2014 Defense Authorization  Passage
Vote Passed (315-108, 11 Not Voting)

After voting on a series of amendments, including rejecting one from Adam Smith, D-Wash. to close the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba by the end of 2014, the House passed this bill authorizing spending on the Defense Department and national security programs for fiscal year 2014. Ignoring the White House administrations threat to veto the bill, they passed a $638.4 billion measure that includes $85.8 billion for war costs, requirements for the Defense secretary to detail military intervention options in Syria, and new guidelines and harsher penalties for sexual assault in the armed services. Sexual assault amendments from Lois Frankel, D-Fla., and Michael R. Turner, R-Ohio, making it an offense to abuse ones authority in the chain of command and establishing mandatory minimum sentences of discharge, dismissal and confinement for certain offenses, respectively, were adopted.
Rep. David Scott voted YES
Have to give Mr. Scott credit for doing the right thing. Why is that some Democrats cling to this belief that closing the base in Cuba is a good thing. I predicted years ago, and rightly so that the strain of the POTUS office would box B. Obama into keeping the base open, which he has.  There is a simple need to keep foreign enemy combatants in a safe facility away from the prying fingers of the liberal domestic courts. It's the cheapest alternative, leave it be.    

Upcoming Votes:
U.S. immigration policy - S.744
This week the Senate will resume consideration of this bill to overhaul the nations immigration policy.

Farm Bill - H.R.1947
The House is scheduled to take up its version of the farm bill later this week.

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A great way to save some money?

The author at the White House calls is a "little wonky". A phrase intended to suggest the point to be made is politically complex.  So, let me see if I can break it down for the wonky challenged.

The United States should make illegal aliens legal so they can collect more taxes.

Looking harder, I don't see a deeper message.  Do you see something wonky in text?

It's just me, I guess, but to call the concept of rewarding criminal behavior and systemic avoidance of the income tax system, "a little wonky", is not complicated.

A better description would be "narcissistically dishonest".

Even better "a little self serving bullshit".

Have a nice day.

From: "The White House" <info@messages.whitehouse.gov>
Date: June 20, 2013, 12:09:28
Subject: A great way to save some money
Reply-To: info@messages.whitehouse.gov

Hi, all!

This week, we got some big news about the immigration reform bill. It's a little wonky, but it's so great that I couldn't wait to share it with you.

The nonpartisan experts who estimate the financial impact of legislation for Congress concluded that because undocumented immigrants will start paying more in taxes for things like education and Social Security, the immigration proposal in the Senate will make the economy fairer for middle class families while cutting the U.S. deficit by almost $1,000,000,000,000 over the next two decades.

With every passing day, it's becoming clear that we can't afford not to act. Now we know exactly how much is at stake, and it's the kind of news that can help to change the policy conversation in Washington.

So we've put together a graphic that explains exactly how this works, and we need your help to share it. If more people get the facts, it'll be easier to build a nationwide, bipartisan consensus to get this done.

Take a look, then share this graphic with folks you know:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/share/1trillionThank you so much!Cecilia
Cecilia Muñoz
Director, Domestic Policy Council
The White House

This email was sent to stathamadness@bellsouth.net. Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy Please do not reply to this email. Contact the White HouseThe White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

Quote of the Day

A Friday afternoon thought for the day from a co-worker.

Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither.

-Ben Franklin

Pastor's Pleas

The pleas of religious leaders may be falling on disobedient ears. According to an email I received today there is a disconnect between the positions of official religious leaders in the United States and their followers. Unlike their portrayal in the media, religious persons do have a mind of their own.

Respondents were then asked: "Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree that the United States is faced with labor shortages and needs more immigrant workers?"
* CATHOLICS: Agree (25%), Disagree (65%), Not sure (15%)
* EVANGELICALS: Agree (22%), Disagree (63%), Not sure (15%)
* PROTESTANTS: Agree (17%), Disagree (75%), Not sure (8%)

The intensity of opinions was even more pronounced:
* CATHOLICS: 10% vs. 35% (STRONGLY Agree vs. STRONGLY Disagree)
* EVANGELICALS: 7% vs. 42%
* PROTESTANTS: 6% vs. 32%

Does this remind you of anything? Perhaps it is like the disconnect between Republican voters and their Senate representatives, or the President and half the country over health care reform.

Pass the Pipe

Over the Canadian border, please.

Congress.org (congress.org) presents: M E G A V O T E  May 28, 2013

In this MegaVote for Georgia's 13th Congressional District:

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Farm Bill  Amendment Vote
• House: Keystone Pipeline Approval  Final Passage
• House: Student Loan Interest Rate Reform  Final Passage

The House and Senate are in recess until Monday, June 3.

Recent Senate Votes:

Farm Bill  Amendment Vote

Vote Agreed to (59-33, 8 Not Voting)

The Senate began working its way through amendments last week to a five-year reauthorization of food and nutrition programs, with a view toward passing the bill after the Memorial Day recess. This year’s farm bill is very similar to last year’s version, with some exceptions including greater support for Southern crops such as rice, cotton and peanuts. The bill would reduce spending on food stamps by about $4 billion and would reduce the deficit by $17.9 billion over ten years. The last amendment vote of the week changed the bill to reduce by 15 percent the amount of crop insurance subsidies for farmers with adjusted gross incomes above $750,000 a year. The amendment includes a clause stating that the new limitation would not take effect if the Agriculture secretary determines that it would result in a decline in overall crop insurance coverage or increase the total cost of the program.  Other amendment votes last week included: a Gillibrand, D-N.Y.  amendment to block the food stamp cuts (defeated, RC 131); an Inhofe, R-Okla. amendment to turn the food stamp program into a block grant to the states (defeated, RC 132); and a Sanders, I-Vt. amendment to permit states to require labeling of genetically-modified foods (defeated, RC 135). President Obama supports the Senate bill. The House is working on its own farm bill (H.R. 1947), which passed out of committee on May 15. The House measure would reduce the deficit by almost twice as much as the Senate bill, including more than $20 billion in cuts to nutrition programs.

Sen. Saxby Chambliss voted NO

Sen. Johnny Isakson voted NO

Georgia Senators voting no to protect subsidies for farmers. Lot of good it did.  Congress is in a phase right now that resembles historical peace time activity  whack defense beyond the point of safety and take from the producers to feed the useless. I say, don't subsidize any of them, let all things stand or fail on their own merit.

Recent House Votes:

Keystone Pipeline Approval  Final Passage

Vote Passed (241-175, 1 Present, 16 Not Voting)

Returning to an issue from last Congress, the House passed a bill last week to force approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport diluted bitumen (or tar sands) from Canada through the American heartland to refining facilities on the Gulf Coast. Approval of pipelines do not normally spark so much controversy, but Keystone requires presidential approval because it crossed an international boundary, thus placing President Obama in the middle of a fight that places labor unions and environmentalists, two of his key constituencies, on opposing sides. H.R. 3 would seek to remove Obama from the approval process by declaring a presidential permit was not a necessity. It would deem various documents and reports that have been issued by federal and state entities over the last two years as satisfying the various regulatory thresholds to begin construction of the pipeline. It would essentially cut the Environmental Protection Agency out of the oversight process, and would force the Army Corps of Engineers to issue construction permits within 90 days of an application being filed. The president has threatened to veto the bill, though the Senate is unlikely to take it up in any case.

Rep. David Scott voted NO

On this issue the President is wrong head-headed as can be and the little shit David Scott is being the best sycophant he can. And sir production in the US is not up because of your actions, it is up because  the prices are high an there is profit to be made. You Mr. President are obstructing future growth.  Everybody knows it.

Student Loan Interest Rate Reform Final Passage

Vote Passed (221-198, 15 Not Voting)

In its last action before the recess, the House passed a bill to overhaul student loan interest rates. Interest rates are currently set to rise from 3.4 to 6.8 percent this summer. H.R. 1911 would set rates for Stafford loans at the level of the 10-year Treasury Note plus 2.5 percent (capped at 8.5 percent), while PLUS loans would be set at 10-year Treasuries plus 4.5 percent (capped at 10.5 percent). Though Republicans stated that the bill was modeled on reforms from President Obamas FY 2014 budget, the president has threatened to veto the bill. It is not clear what the Senate intends to do about interest rates at this time.

Rep. David Scott voted NO

Since the federal government got involved with student loans, the cost of education has skyrocketed. The problems are, one, too much cheap money in the system props-up financially inefficient schools, and two, the same institutions have in many cases lowered standards in the chase for loose money available through weakened candidate pools. In the end it is the federal government buying control of higher education. 

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We Are Not Men?

They are Devo.
Like the song from the late seventies, "are we not men, we are devo".

As in devolution.

Congress.org presents: M E G A V O T E  May 20, 2013

In this MegaVote for Georgia's 13th Congressional District:

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Water Resources Development Act  Passage
• Senate: CMS Nominee  Confirmation
• Senate: Energy Department Nominee  Confirmation
• House: Obamacare Repeal  Passage
• House: SEC Cost-Benefit Analysis  Passage

Upcoming Congressional Bills

• Senate: Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013
• House: Smarter Solutions for Students Act
• House: Northern Route Approval Act

Recent Senate Votes:

Water Resources Development Act  Passage

Vote Passed (83-14, 3 Not Voting)

The Senate laid down its marker last week for a full reauthorization of Army Corps of Engineers water projects with a broad, bipartisan majority. S. 601, shepherded to passage by liberal Environment and Public Works chairman Barbara Boxer of California and conservative ranking Republican David Vitter of Louisiana, reauthorizes port and harbor dredging, levees, dams, and storm repair for periods ranging from five to ten years. It also makes numerous reforms to current permitting procedures in an attempt to reduce the amount of time needed to get projects approved and under way. Several of the latter provisions are controversial, particularly language that would impose financial penalties on laggard agency heads. For that reason a compromise was negotiated to sunset the streamlining reforms after 10 years. Another major change concerns the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF), the primary funding vehicle for dredging coastal and Great Lakes ports. Though conceived as a dedicated fund for harbor maintenance, in practice congressional appropriators in recent years have diverted HMTF dollars to unrelated projects. S. 601 would slowly end that practice, increasing the amount of funding dedicated to harbor maintenance by $100 million annually for six years, after which time all HMTF revenue would be so directed. Action now moves to the House side, where Transportation and Infrastructure committee chairman Bill Shuster, R-Pa. has begun having hearings but appears in no rush.

Sen. Saxby Chambliss voted YES

Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES

I have a fraternity brother that has worked as a lawyer in this field for close to thirty years.  Let's throw more money at shovel ready projects, where shit is the medium, not dirt.

CMS Nominee  Confirmation

Vote Confirmed (91-7, 2 Not Voting)

The Senate confirmed Marilyn Tavenner to be the next administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Tavenner will play a prominent role in overseeing implementation of President Barack Obamas health care overhaul. She is the first Senate-confirmed CMS administrator since 2004.

Sen. Saxby Chambliss voted YES

Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES

Things are becoming official, Republican Senators voting to install people over a program most of the country doesn't want.

Energy Department Nominee  Confirmation

Vote Confirmed (97-0, 3 Not Voting)

In its last action of the week, the Senate unanimously confirmed MIT physicist Ernest J. Moniz to be the next Energy secretary, replacing another physicist, Steven Chu.

Sen. Saxby Chambliss voted YES

Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES

Some of those MIT guys don't agree with Global Warming programme, but I'm betting this one does.

Recent House Votes:

Obamacare Repeal  Passage

Vote Passed (229-195, 9 Not Voting)

The House took its three dozenth or so vote last week on repealing the 2010 health care overhaul. We noted in this space last week that, as introduced, the bill appeared not to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), a body created by the law to reduce supply-side Medicare expenditures. It is not clear whether this was a clerical error, or perhaps whether House Republicans had a separate bill dealing with IPAB - Phil Roe of Tennessee has introduced such a bill, and IPAB repeal did pass the House last Congress - but the version of H.R. 45 that passed leaves no such ambiguity. Democrats Mike McIntyre of North Carolina and Jim Matheson of Utah  both very conservative by their caucuss standards and in very competitive districts  joined all Republicans in voting yes. As with each previous attempt at wholesale repeal, this bill will go nowhere in the Senate. The president issued a perfunctory veto threat.

Rep. David Scott voted NO

Tilting against windmills.

SEC Cost-Benefit Analysis  Passage

Vote Passed (235-161, 37 Not Voting)

In its final action of the week, the House took aim at one of Wall Streets main regulators, the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). Republicans have long complained that federal regulations are impeding economic recovery. In that spirit, H.R. 1062 would require the SEC to change its rulemaking procedures by conducting cost-benefit analyses before issuing new rules and two years after a rule takes effect. The bill would also require the agency to review existing rules and alter or repeal them if they are not working. Democrats largely opposed the bill, though 17 did cross over to support the bill. Opponents largely framed the measure as a Trojan horse for dismantling the 2010 overhaul of financial regulations. The administration is opposed to the bill, and it is unlikely to be taken up in the Senate.

Rep. David Scott voted NO

Expecting more Senatorial obstructionism.

Upcoming Votes:

Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 - S.954

After congressional agriculture leaders were forced to swallow an extension last year, the Senate is taking another go at passing a five-year farm bill. One major difference between this years measure and the bill that passed the Senate last year is the reappearance of target prices, a win for producers of such crops as peanuts and cotton. The change is largely attributable to the ascension of Mississippi's Thad Cochran to the ranking Republican slot on the Agriculture committee. The administration has issued a policy statement in support of S. 954.

Smarter Solutions for Students Act - H.R.1911

The House is scheduled to vote on this bill, which would change the way student loan interest rates are calculated.

Northern Route Approval Act - H.R.3

The House is also scheduled to vote on this bill to circumvent the presidential permitting process and approve the Keystone XL pipeline.

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