Tag Archives: House of Representatives

Jan 17 2013

Stockman Hates Obama Announcement In Advance

StockmanHates

 

Rep. Steve Stockman (R – Texas) has announced that President Obama’s actions are unconstitutional and impeachable a full day before Obama announced any of his actions. Later Stockman compared Obama to Iraqi dictator Sadaam Hussein in a bid to continue his calm and reasoned response to new gun control measures. Even Fox News harridan Greta Van Susteren called the comparison “a stretch” – and if you’re making Greta look smart, you know you’re hitting the ball out of the moron stadium.

StockmanSadaam

Dec 21 2012

Boehner’s “Plan B” Fails To Get House GOP Support

PlanB

House Speaker John Boehner’s “Plan B” proposal to avoid automatic spending cuts and tax increases failed to get enough support from Republicans in the U.S. House Of Representatives to even be brought to a vote. The plan would have cut spending on government programs while raising taxes on those with income exceeding $1 million. In other words it was Boehner’s “Plan A” with the letter “B” instead of the letter “A”.

Jul 27 2012

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.

Jul 23 2012

Issa Proposes Renaming Coastal Waters After Reagan

Representative Darrell Issa (R – Lake Elsinore CA) has proposed renaming the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, which extends from 3 miles offshore to 200 miles offshore, the Ronald Reagan Exclusive Economic Zone. Democrats have introduced similar legislation that would change Issa’s name to “Snot Vampire” – although GraceLessLand was unable to ascertain what the new name was in reference to.

Jul 11 2012

Barney Frank Marries Long-Time Partner

Congressman Barney Frank (D – Massachusetts) married his long-time partner Jim Ready on Saturday. Frank says while his Democrat colleagues in Congress have wished him well, his Republican colleagues has mostly ignored his marriage.

Jul 6 2012

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.

Jun 29 2012

House Votes To Find Holder In Contempt

For the first time in the history the United States House of Representatives has voted to hold a sitting Attorney General in contempt of congress, finding Eric Holder “guilty” of withholding documents pertinent to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigation into the “Fast and Furious” gun-running fiasco.

Holder now joins the more than 80% of Americans who hold Congress in contempt.

Seventeen Democrats joined 238 Republicans to vote in favor of House Resolution 711, for a final vote tally of 255-to-67 in favor of finding the Attorney General in contempt – even though President Barack Obama invoked his “executive privilege” to shield Holder and the documents. It was the first time Obama has used executive privilege. Almost every U.S. president has used executive privilege to deny Congress access to information – George Washington was the first in 1796 when he denied the House access to documents relating to the treaty John Jay negotiated with Great Britain. Ronald Reagan used the privilege three times. Bill Clinton used it a whopping 14 times. George W. Bush invoked the rule six times.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R – Lake Elsinore CA), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, spearheaded the effort to find Holder in contempt. Issa contends that Holder not only withheld subpoenaed documents, but also lied to Congress about his involvement in the gun-running scheme that ended with a border patrol agent being murdered with a weapon the government supplied to Mexican drug lords. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is also suspected of lying to Congress in a letter claiming they had no involvement in the “Fast and Furious” operation.

The contempt vote is unprecedented, and seen by many as a political tactic to attempt to overshadow administration victories in the courts on immigration and health care issues – in particular the recent Supreme Court decisions on Arizona’s immigration law and the Affordable Care Act of 2010. Some have suggested there may be racist overtones, as Holder is black and has been a particular target of Obama’s opposition throughout his first term.

Whatever the motivation, the contempt vote is unlikely to have any actual consequences for Holder, and merely sets the stage for a showdown in the courts to attempt to enforce the House subpoenas for documents. In 1974 the Supreme Court denied a claim of Executive Privilege by then-President Richard Nixon, although in that decision it upheld the general validity of the Executive Privilege power of the presidency.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R – CA) led the effort to find Attorney General Holder in contempt of Congress.

May 19 2012

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.

May 13 2012

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.

Apr 25 2012

Kelly Says Health Care Is A Privilege Not A Right

Jesse Kelly, the Republican nominee running for shooting victim Gabrielle Giffords' vacated seat in Arizona’s 8th congressional district, says health care is an earned privilege. When Kelly ran against Giffords in 2010 he famously hosted an M-16 automatic rifle shooting meet to raise campaign funds.