Iraq is going to hell in a hand-basket. The trade and budget deficits are spinning out of control, and petrol prices have gone through the roof. Yet the US Senate has devoted two days to a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage that everyone knew had not the slightest hope of passage.
"Washington Post: Today's Highlights: "The 49 to 48 Senate vote thwarts conservatives' effort to constitutionally ban same-sex marriage."
ABC News: Politics: "Alabama Voters Endorse Ban on Gay Marriage, but Reject Religious Right Candidates"
Reuters: Top News: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Legislation boosting fines tenfold on broadcast television and radio stations that violate decency standards was sent on Wednesday to President George W. Bush in a victory for conservative groups.
They got their inch, now we can start looking for the mile. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Christian Science Monitor: All Stories: "A year after the high court ruled on eminent domain, two New London, Conn., homeowners are fighting eviction.
Christian Science Monitor: All Stories: "Some question whether the 'state secret privilege' is abused to stave off government embarrassment.
It has been used for political cover up reasons in the past, and under the new cloaks of secrecy, there is no doubt it will be used for cover up and wrong doing even more in the future. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Christian Science Monitor: All Stories: "It calls for categorizing immigrants by the length of their US residency, but logistics would be complex.
Sure it can work, badly, inefficiently, and erroneously. Sounds like a perfect plan for this set of incumbents in the Senate. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
ABC News: Politics: "President Bush Acknowledges Tough Work Ahead on Illegal Immigration Debate"
Since he has been wrong about nearly everything else, this likely means it really isn't possible. Bush has become a kind of reverse weather vane. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
ABC News: Politics: "Mayors Urge Passage of Immigration Reform but Cannot Agree on Border Fence"
CBS News: "A total of 521 miles of highway in sparsely populated areas of Texas are the only stretches of road in America where you can legally drive 80 miles per hour."
Texas still thinks it has unlimited supplies of the black gold. I have travelled some of those stretches. Have a blow out and get injured, and you could wait an hour or more for emergency services in the right spots at the right time of day. That's plenty of time to bleed to death first. But, what is really happening is that Texas police can't control speeders, and the wealthy ranchers out there have political clout. Voila! A Texas autobahn where speeds in reality exceed 120 mph by some. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "President Bush will promote a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage on Monday, the eve of a scheduled Senate vote on ...
This is absurd. With so many devastating problems facing our nation and taxing our resources, it is unbelievable that this President would at this time throw 100's of millions of dollars and 100's of thousands of government manhours into this particular political war which inevitably divide our nation even more, when unity has never been more needed. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation wants U.S. Internet providers to retain Web address records for up to two years to aid investigations into terrorism and pornography, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
And later it will be for uncovering seditious speech and treasonous criticism of the government, the very things our founding fathers fought the Revolutionary War over. How can we possibly allow this to happen in America given the constitutional we have? -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
AP Politics: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush will promote a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage on Monday, the eve of a scheduled Senate vote on the cause that is dear to his conservative backers...."
This showdown was inevitable, but, damn, the timing stinks. We have bigger fish to fry at this time with out of control budgets, debts, immigration, security, government corruption, kickbacks, vote and contract bribes, and the omnipresent war in Iraq. This is the GOP's effort to take the spotlight off their immense and growing failures. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
ABC News: Politics: "AP NewsBreak: Gov. Schwarzenegger Agrees to Send California National Guard to Mexican Border"
Washington Post: Today's Highlights: "President presses Senate and House negotiators to resolve disputes and produce a compromise bill."
Any compromise bill will be a band aid over hemorrhaging artery called our Southern Border. Politicians can claim victory for passing the bill, and the American people can continue to suffer the 100's of billions of dollars in costs due to illegal immigration. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CNN Money: Economy: "For the home building industry, the immigration debate raging in Washington is anything but abstract. It's the biggest issue nobody wants to talk about."
CNN: Politics: "For all of the shifting landscape, House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wisconsin, a loyal White House ally, made his position clear with the title of Tuesday's hearing: "Reckless Justice: Did the Saturday Night Raid of Congress Trample the Constitution?""
Sensenbrenner knows full well, that a Democrat will be in the White House one day, and what is good for the goose today, will be good for the gander tomorrow. Remember, all that was needed for the raid was an allegation and investigation of that allegation via a search warrant. This Bush adminstration tactic can come back to bite Republicans in a huge way, should Democrats regain the House of Representatives in November, as well. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "The Senate plan to provide illegal immigrants with a shot at citizenship probably is a deal-breaker that will prevent passage ...
As I have said since the beginning, there will be no immigration bill that will effectively deal with illegal immigration. The political implications are just too huge and difficult to predict. So, doing nothing is preferable, with a little show for the public thrown in for appearances. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Washington Post: Today's Highlights: "GOP House members facing tough races strongly oppose any deal providing path to citizenship."
This was a Republocrat issue made in heaven. Democrats get to walk away as champions of the downtrodden. Republicans get to walk away as defenders of American citizen rights. And America gets to walk through November's elections without an illegal immigration policy or border security. See how nicely that worked out for the Republocrats? These incumbents have GOT TO GO! -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CNN: Politics: "A top House opponent to a Senate plan to offer illegal immigrants an eventual "path to U.S. citizenship" said Friday that senators who passed the bill were not being honest."
AP Politics: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- Reporters who publish classified information need not be made criminals but must have a better understanding of laws protecting information vital to national security, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said Friday...."
Reuters: Top News: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House Judiciary Committee approved legislation on Thursday aimed at banning Internet gambling, an estimated $12 billion industry.
I applaud the effort, but, enforcement will be a nightmare. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The United States government, not any court, is the best judge of whether to keep programs such as its controversial effort to eavesdrop on citizens a secret, an assistant attorney general said on Wednesday.
And he is purely and overwhelmingly WRONG! This undermining of our Constitutional separation of powers will destroy our Republic and democracy. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
InstaPundit.Com: " WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS CLAIMING that they're exempt from searches in bribery cases, it's probably worth noting this new Zogby poll, which shows that the American public holds all its leaders -- but especially Congress -- in low esteem. No doubt Congress will want to respond by putting criticism off limits, too.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "Public fear of sex offenders is spurring a wave of tougher laws this year, both in Congress and statehouses nationwide. Members ...
It's about time. Let's do however, insure that these tougher laws apply to the guilty, and not the innocent. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CNN: Politics: "Read full story for latest details."
Yes, by all means, let us educate our children in the wisdom of gambling to solve all your financial needs. Absurd, on its face. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "House Speaker Dennis Hastert demanded Wednesday that the FBI surrender documents it seized and remove agents involved in the ...
Republicans know how this game is played. If the White House is permitted to violate separation of powers when a Republican is in office, their lives will be a living hell if a Democrat is elected in '08, an increasing liklihood. They know well that what is fire for the goose, will be fire for the gander as well. Very smart political decision, Mr. Hastert. How can one hope to operate in secrecy and in corrupt fashion if the opposing party can seize your records at will. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bill that would toughen border security while giving millions of illegal immigrants a chance to earn U.S. citizenship cleared a test vote in the Senate on Wednesday, setting the stage for passage this week and a bruising battle with the House of Representatives.
This bill is full of half and wrong headed measures. The bill makes a half hearted attempt to secure only a few hundred of our 2000 mile Southern Border and no attempt to secure our Northern Border against terrorists. This bill discriminates against illegal aliens favoring those who have gotten away with illegal status longer and disfavoring those who have more recently arrived. This bill is an absurdity representative of the half-witted for appearances only kind of incumbents who run our Congress today. It is time for major change. It is time to vote out incumbents in the hopes of restoring democracy in America to the people. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
ABC News: Politics: "House Leaders Question FBI Search of Capitol Office; Congressman Under Scrutiny Says He Won't Resign"
ABC News: Politics: "Voting English the 'National Language' Is Symbolic and Doesn't Change Laws, Attorney General Says"
There is no such thing as a symbolic law. If it is law, it has potential enforceability by those with an axe to grind. Where did they get this Attorney General? -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
ABC News: Politics: "Bush Presses for Immigration Legislation That Pairs Border Security With Guest Worker Program"
CNN: Politics: "Lawmakers said Thursday they were willing to make the No Child Left Behind law more flexible, but warned there won't be a lot of extra federal money to help pay for it."
Yeah, Gee!, sorry children, but, we just gave the money we needed to fully fund No Child Left Behind to the really rich folks in this last 70 Billion dollar tax cut. I am sure you will understand the necessity when you get older. Nothing personal. Just politics. We love you all. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CNN: Politics: "Read full story for latest details."
How about GreeK !!! :-) This is silly and wasteful of tax dollars. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
ABC News: Politics: "House Votes for Continuation of Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling Ban"
CNN: Politics: "There was a flurry of activity Thursday in the Senate and by President Bush over proposals on immigration reform and the president's plan to send thousands of National Guard troops to the Mexican border to help stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States."
I still contend it will never see light out of the reconciliation committee between the House and Senate versions. Hope I am wrong. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "The Bush administration briefed select members of Congress 30 times on the National Security Agency's surveillance programs since ...
Look, just so everyone understands how meaningless this story is. The White House goes to the select members of Congress on the Intelligence Committee and says, OK, we are conducting these secret operations and because they are secret, you Congress persons are sworn by law to not divulge what we are telling you, or our Attorney General will throw your ass in prison so damned fast it will make your head spin. So, the fact that the White House told select Congress persons about their secret and illegal operations does not negate the fact that the law requires those Congress persons to maintain the secrecy of the illegal programs. Hence, the oversight function here DOES NOT WORK!
And make no mistake, Congress and the White House are nervous as hell about all this. Because if the public gets wind of why White House notification of secret illegal programs is a meaningless gesture serving only to protect the White House from later claims that it never consulted with Congress, action would be demanded, a whistle blower protection law might be enabled and then Secrecy for the White House would be non-existent for legally and Constitutionally questionable actions and programs. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "The Bush administration will brief the full House and Senate Intelligence Committees in Congress on the National Security Agency's ...
And they will get only the information that the White House wants them to have. Does anyone really believe this will be worth the time? The White House is not going reveal anything compromising. Get real! We need a full and complete INDEPENDENT investigation with teeth. That will only happen if Democrats retake the House of Representatives. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
BBC: World: "The US government agrees to brief congressional committees on a controversial surveillance programme."
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "The Senate endorsed a chance at citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants Wednesday but also voted to build 370 miles of ...
It will never pass the reconciliation committee. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CBS News: CBS Evening News: "The number of job discrimination complaints involving pregnant employees has risen by 31 percent since 1992. Are things getting worse, or are we just hearing more about it? One woman tells her story to CBS' Russ Mitchell."
Seems to coincide with Republicans takeover in Congress. Could there be a connection? Absolutely. There are all manner of laws the Republican Congress refused to demand enforcement on. To have recalled family friendly laws would have hurt them in the polls. But, to tell Bush they would not investigate or question if those laws were not enforced was a no brainer. Pro-business - anti-family policy without any media attention, UNTIL NOW! -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Christian Science Monitor: All Stories: "As the program reaches a major milestone, it remains controversial.
Christian Science Monitor: All Stories: "A Massachusetts bill would give employees 12 weeks off to care for family.
Sounds like Ma. is on track to become the nation's most family friendly state. That would be a feather in Democrat's cap. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
AP Politics: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- A pivotal Republican is joining the congressional drive to eliminate the financial penalty for people who miss Monday's deadline for enrolling in the Medicare drug benefit, the latest sign of a growing rebellion against President Bush on the issue...."
President Bush will use a televised address tomorrow evening to lay out plans to crack down on illegal immigration that may include deploying troops to the border with Mexico.
"Since border security and illegal immigration have been just as huge a problem in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, one has to ask if the President's move is nothing more than a political ploy to shore up Republican's still falling support? Why weren't our borders secured after 9/11 Mr. President? Were you hoping for more attacks to bolster your poll numbers? -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon has begun drawing up plans to send troops and equipment to the U.S. border with Mexico, where hundreds of thousands of migrants enter the country illegally each year, a defense official said on Friday.
In the long run, a fence will be cheaper and just as effective. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Opponents of a new South Dakota law designed to challenge the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing abortion said on Friday they are well on their way to stopping the measure from going into effect this summer and letting the state's voters decide its fate.
CNN: Politics: "A contentious $70 billion tax-cut package awaits only President Bush's signature after the Senate on Thursday passed the measure 55-44, largely along party lines."
This is ludicrous! Would those making more than 1.6 million a year really miss this tax cut if instead the money was used to lower our 1/3 trillion dollar deficit this year? This is nuts! The Congress is completely out of control and bankruting our children's wages and salaries as they struggle to pay our national debts. . -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CBS News: "A couple in Mexico is under arrest, accused of trying to sell a 4-month-old boy for $50,000 to a buyer in Dallas. Authorities in the U.S. and Mexico worked together on the investigation and say the two had hired a smuggler to take the baby to Texas."
For everyone we catch, X number of baby smugglers succeed. Just another reason to demand your representatives secure our borders now 4.5 years after 9/11. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CNN Money: Economy: "A congressional committee narrowly approved legislation on Wednesday to give the Bush administration the authority it wants to raise fuel economy standards for passenger cars."
But, Bush doesn't represent the majority of American's views anymore. Isn't this legislation without representation? -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CBS News: "Senate leaders say they have reached a deal to revive broad immigration legislation that has been stalled since early April. The agreement doesn't involve provisions of the law, but it does end a lingering political standoff."
They will discuss it so the American people won't think they are ignoring it before the elections just 6 months away. Don't hold your breath waiting for a bill that will pass, though! -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Washington Post: Today's Highlights: "Del. Norton (D-D.C.) and Rep. Davis's (R-Va.) bill would give District a House vote that counts."
Doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell before the elections. This should pass, but, the partisanship in the Congress prior to the election means it will be DOA! -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CNN: Politics: "The bill offers a two-year extension of the reduced 15 percent tax rate for capital gains and dividends, currently set to expire at the end of 2008.
And it would keep 15 million families from being hit this year with the alternative minimum tax, which was designed to make sure the wealthy paid taxes but is ensnaring more middle-income families because it was not indexed for inflation."
The AMT sort of makes sense, but it would be better to fix the problem by making a catch-up adjustment for inflation in the law and create an inflationary index for the AMT. The capital gains extension is inexcuseable in this time of soaring deficits and national debt. The rich would still be rich without it. STUPID! -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Christian Science Monitor: All Stories: "A key dispute is whether proposed fuel standards should apply equally to all vehicles.
They should for passenger vehicles under 4 tons. Modified and lower exceptions should be made however for industrial use vehicles, those over 4 tons since compromising weight to increase fuel economy weakens the durability of the commercial use vehicles. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CBS News: "A U.S. appeals panel sharply challenged the Bush administration Friday over new rules making it easier for police and the FBI to wiretap Internet phone calls. A judge said the government's courtroom arguments were "gobbledygook.""
Go appeals panel, GO! If the courts don't protect our freedoms, armed revolution can't be far off. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Slate Magazine: "How both sides have staked out the worst position in the lethal-injection fight."
CNN Money: Economy: "Let's start with some basic math. The U.S. consumes about 322 billion gallons of gas a year. America's five biggest oil companies made a combined $69.3 billion in 2005. So, if a windfall profits tax took every penny of those profits, and all that money was returned to the public, the price at the pump would fall - all of five cents a gallon."
The trick is to get the oil companies to reinvest in a couple more refineries instead of sticking the profits in their mattresses. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "The Kansas House voted 119-0 to approve a bill that would prohibit anyone under the age of 15 from marrying in Kansas and would ...
With all of the maturity our modern society requires of us just to manage daily affairs and ourselves, 15 appears to me to be a marriage age for the 19th century, not the 21st. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CNN: Politics: "President Bush reiterated his support for a guest worker program Thursday during a Cinco de Mayo event in the White House's East Room."
What the hell, he's got nothing to lose, no reelection coming, and his polls couldn't get much lower. His Christian compassion for some foreigners allows him to hold onto a shred of dignity. Understandable from that point of view. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CNN: Politics: "The Senate approved nearly $109 billion in additional war and hurricane relief money Thursday despite a White House threat to veto the bill over what it called "unnecessary spending.""
I think the Senate is about to score one against the Bush. If the President vetoes the bill, his poll numbers over the Iraq war have nowhere to go but down as he waits for money which he voted to prosecute the war. If he doesn't veto the bill as promised, the Senate will recognize they have found his underbelly. Looks like a no-win for Pres. Bush. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
