Senate Rejects Background Checks For Gun Buyers

(Click the image to read the full story at CNN.com)

Senators Manchin And Toomey Announce Gun Compromise

(Click the image to read the full story at CNN.com)

Kirk Is Second GOP Senator To Favor Same-Sex Marriage

Click the image to read the full story at LATimes.com

GOP Senator Vitter Vows To Block Obama Nominee

Click the image to read the full story at FoxNews.com

Senate Confirms Hagel As Secretary Of Defense

Meanwhile, Gayle Trotter Testifies At A Senate Hearing On Guns

Republican Congress Unsure How To Approach Debt Ceiling

Congress Makes A Breakthrough

Harry And Mitch

Bad Day For Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell thought he would lure Democrats into a trap that would make them lose a key vote on Thursday, but as it turned out Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had set a little trap of his own.

Chambliss: Grover Who?

Senator Saxby Chambliss (R – Georgia) is the latest high-ranking Republican in Congress to indicate a willingness to compromise with President Barack Obama and allow tax cuts for the rich to lapse.

Chambliss told a Georgia television station he no longer feels bound by his pledge to anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist, saying ”I care more about my country than I do about a 20-year-old pledge.” The two-term Senator then added “It’s kind of like one of Newt Gingrich’s marriages: you stick with it until something better comes along.”

Chambliss admitted he is risking Norquist’s opposition when he runs for re-election. “But I don’t worry about that because I care too much about my country. I care a lot more about it than I do Grover Norquist,” he said, adding “we had a good thing for a while, but we’ve grown apart. Also Obama won the election and that’s a real warning sign for anyone who is coming-up for re-election to get our thumbs out of our asses and do something or the American people are going to show us the door – and on the other side of that door there are no lobbyists, perks, or secret bank accounts stuffed full of bribe money. So Grover can stuff it.”

Mourdock: Pregnancy Due To Rape Is “God’s Will”

 

In a stunning demonstration of Republican brain density, GOP Senate candidate from Indiana Richard Mourdock has joined the lemming-esque political suicide spree of conservatives by stating it is his belief that ”….life is a gift from God, and I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something God intended to happen.” Mourdock wants to deny a woman the right to choose abortion, allowing exceptions only in the case of the mother’s life being in danger.

Mourdock now joins such stellar GOP rape experts as Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri, who infamously said in the case of “legitimate rape” pregnancy cannot occur. Apparently Mourdock, like Akin, has decided the campaign for Senate just isn’t tough enough so he has decided to make it more challenging for himself.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has endorsed Mourdock, but immediately distanced himself from the Indianan’s statements.

R.I.P.: George McGovern

In 1972 the Vietnam War was in high-gear and the nation was divided in a way it hadn’t been since perhaps the days before the Civil War. Anti-war protests turned to riots as police battled protesters in the streets. And Richard Nixon, the polarizing figure at the center of it all was running for a second term as President of The United States.

The man who ran against him on the Democratic ticket was George McGovern. There were high hopes among those who actively sought an end to the War. But McGovern was essentially trounced by Nixon in one of the dirtiest campaigns ever fought. Mis-steps by McGovern compounded the loss. He garnered only 17 electoral votes, and Nixon went on to a second, truncated term that ended when he resigned the office in disgrace.

McGovern served as a B-24 bomber pilot in Europe during World War II. After that war he returned to his native South Dakota and became a professor of history and political science. In 1956 he ran for the U.S. Congress, where he served two terms. In 1962, after a stint as a special assistant to President John F. Kennedy, McGovern was elected to the Senate, and won reelection in 1968 and in 1974. McGovern returned to teaching in the 1980s and also served in various capacities in government and the United Nations through the first decade of the 21st century.

R.I.P.: Arlen Specter

Arlen Specter served 5 terms in the U.S. Senate. He started his political career as a Democrat, then became a Republican, and then a Democrat again. So you never know: first he was alive, now he’s dead….

Rand Paul Threatens To Shut-Down The Senate

 

Senator Rand Paul (R – KY) is threatening to shut-down the Senate and stop it from doing business unless the U.S. insists that Pakistan release Shakil Afridi, the jailed doctor who fingered Osama bin Laden.

Paul said the U.S. “should not give foreign aid to a country whose government is torturing the man who helped us kill Osama bin Laden. We should not be giving foreign aid to any country that is not clearly our ally. This must end, and this week I will renew my push for a vote on this issue, including holding up Senate business to accomplish this goal”.

Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer, from the Center for Advanced Defense Studies, differed with Paul’s assessment: ”You would be a fool not to recognize that the Pakistanis have nuclear weapons,” he said. “So it’s not surprising that Rand Paul is the one calling for exactly the situation that might drive them to use them”

Stranger Things Have Happened

Under the provisions of the 12th and 20th amendments to the Constitution, it is possible that Hillary Clinton could become President of the United States (acting) in 2012. The process would start with an electoral college vote tie between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. It is also possible that monkeys might fly out of my butt, and have even smaller monkeys flying out of theirs. Because the idea that John Boehner wouldn’t resign as Speaker of the House to become President, even temporarily, is pretty far-fetched.

Report: Countrywide Used Loans To Buy Influence

A report issued by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee reveals that Countrywide Financial used special loan practices to bribe members of Congress and other government officials. The Committee started its investigation in 2009, and revealed that “sweetheart” loans were extended to thousands of people, including lawmakers and former executive branch officials. thousands of Countrywide employees, as well as employees of Congress, the White House, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other government entities.

GOP Senators Block Equal Pay For Women

Senate Republicans voted to escalate the GOP “war against women” by voting against a proposed bill to close loopholes in the existing 1963 Equal Pay Act. Women currently make only 77% of what male counterparts are paid.

Congressional Impasse On Violence Against Women Act

Congress is at an impasse over reconciling the Senate and House versions of the Violence Against Women Act. Republicans don’t want to include Democrat’s provisions for coverage for illegal immigrants, Native Americans, and gay, lesbian, and transgender victims.

House Republicans Renege On Debt Ceiling Deal

House Speaker John Boehner and congressional Republicans are attempting to avoid automatic defense budget cuts they agreed to by instead making those cuts to social programs. The automatic cuts were agreed to as a “poison pill” to motivate the failed “Super Congress” to arrive at a debt-cutting agreement. Now that the automatic cuts are about to kick-in, Boehner is trying to change the deal without the consent of Democrats.

House Passes GOP Budget Plan

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives on Thursday passed the GOP leadership's 2013 budget plan by a partisan 228-191 vote.

SOPA Supporters Get Some High-Powered Help

Supporters of the "Stop Online Piracy Act", or SOPA, brought some heavy hitters before Congressional hearings into the need for the legislation. Particularly effective at convincing some recalcitrant Senators and Representatives was Mr. Joe S. Talin, a lobbyist for various media organizations, and a former official in the now-defunct Soviet Union.

Senate Okays Defense Bill With New Detainee Policy

Senators Carl Levin (D - Michigan) and John McCain (R - Berlin) announce their "compromise" detainee policy. Instead of allowing the military to detain U.S. citizens indefinitely in undisclosed locations, the compromise allows the military to detain U.S. citizens indefinitely in undisclosed locations.

After years of trying to get legislation passed that would gut guarantees to due process of law, Senator John McCain finally won one today when the Senate passed a new Defense Bill that includes McCain’s new military detainee policy.

The new policy allows the military to detain anyone suspected of being an al Qaeda operative for an indefinite period of time without recourse to the courts. This policy affects both non-citizens and citizens alike.

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D – California) said “I object to holding American citizens without trial. I do not believe that makes us more safe.”

Senator Lindsay Graham (R – South Carolina) said “You have people on the left who hate saying ‘the war on terror’. They would never ever use the military and always insist the law enforcement be used because they don’t buy into the idea that we’re at war. They want to criminalize the war.” Graham went on to say “These are precisely the kind of al Qaeda agents this bill will allow us to round up and make disappear – starting with that wrinkly old bitch Feinstein!”

President Barack Obama has indicated he will veto the budget bill, although that seems unlikely since such a veto would take resolve, aggressiveness, and balls – none of which the President possesses.

Congressional Super Committee Fails To Reach Debt Agreement

Or, as John Kerry points-out, they succeeded in reverse.

Republicans Vote To Increase Debt To Historic Levels

By a solid majority the Republican House of Representatives voted to approve the latest debt ceiling increase, allowing the United States to borrow trillions more and go even deeper into debt than ever before in history. Fiscally responsible Democrats tried to defeat the bill but had no chance in the GOP-dominated House – and may have to pass the bill through the Senate even though they have a slim majority there, due to Republican threats of reprisals on future legislation.

So-called “Tea Party” Republicans were dancing in the streets around the country to celebrate their victory over liberals by passing legislation that may someday cut spending by some token amount while increasing debt almost infinitely, thus guaranteeing the advent of a fiscal apocalypse and bringing their ultra-rightist prophets predictions of economic doom to fulfillment.

Liberals all over the country were downcast as their attempts to inject some economic responsibility into government finances were swept away by the landslide GOP vote in the House. “It’s spend, spend, spend, baby!” House Speaker John Boehner announced as the final vote was tallied. “Cocaine and hookers for everyone!”

President, Congressional Leaders Strike Debt Agreement

President Barack Obama explains the reasoning behind doing just about nothing.

President Barack Obama and House and Senate leaders announced today they have reached an agreement on the U.S. debt. The plan calls for increasing the nation’s debt ceiling to avoid default, and then convening some kind of congressional committee later sometime to do something about reducing the deficit, maybe.

The plan might reduce spending by a trillion dollars someday, and there might also be tax reform to increase revenues, although no one is sure.

The agreement does clear the way for both Republicans and Democrats to move forward with their election campaigns without the distraction of taking care of the nation’s business, and without being pinned-down to any real policy that might prove unpopular with one or the others’ constituencies.

So after weeks of fighting, arguing, whining, moaning, crying, threatening, and acting like spoiled children, the nation’s leaders have decided to go back to business as usual.

Go figure.

GOP Leaders Say Debt Agreement Is Near

Washington Phones, Email, Web Sites Jammed

Last night President Barack Obama asked citizens to let their congressional representatives know they want an end to partisan bickering on the debt, and all lines of communication into the nation’s capital were jammed today, but who was calling depended on who you asked.

Democrats claim the communications are in favor of their “balanced” approach of taxes on the wealthy and more profligate borrowing.

Republicans claim these calls are just “liberal activists” and that most callers support the Boehner plan of fueling the economy with the burning dead bodies of the poor and elderly.

If a compromise isn’t found before August 2, the U.S. government will be unable to pay bills – most importantly the interest on money it’s already borrowed. This will cause lenders to lower the nation’s credit rating, drive up interest rates, and send the stock market crashing. All things each side can blame the other for in upcoming elections.

The House of Representatives phone was jammed due to the high numbers of callers.

President To Address Nation On Failed Debt Talks

President Barack Obama will address the nation at 6 pm Pacific time on the failed debt negotiations with House and Senate leaders. Obama is expected to place blame for the failure exactly where it belongs.

President Obama is expected to give his version of why the debt talks broke down.

FAA Shuts-Down Due To Congressional Inaction

From CNN:

Almost 4,000 Federal Aviation Administration workers are facing furloughs after Congress adjourned Friday without passing a measure to reauthorize the agency’s funding, according to the Transportation Department.

A $2.5 billion program providing grants for airport construction projects also will shut down, and thousands of construction jobs could be jeopardized.

Secretary Ray LaHood said “The safety of the flying public will not be compromised” because if he said “people are going to fucking die” he might lose his job.

Way to fix the economy, jerkwads. How long will it be before airplanes start falling out of the sky? Because as we all know the airline industry has a lousy record of maintaining aircraft without the FAA being constantly up their asses.