Not clear cut

CIA Director Leon Panetta issued a memo contradicting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s allegations that the CIA lied to her and others in Congress. Speaker Pelosi’s account of the events has shifted from day to day and week to week. NPR however reported yesterday that former Senator Bob Graham’s review of his notes on CIA briefings [...]

Why Tax Day?

All of these people united today to protest increased taxes or increased spending or a disheveled  policy from the Obama administration. Where were all these complainers when Congress passed a spending bill without actually reading it? Where were all these people when the bailout passed?
Seriously, did any of these people pick up a phone or [...]

Bipartisanship or Selling a Soul?

President Barack Obama promised bipartisanship in his administration. Perhaps the President’s definition of bipartisanship does not match the definition to which the Republicans ascribe. Based on the reports from Washington and beyond, the President’s idea of bipartisanship is to use his charisma to convince Republicans that he is right instead of listening to what the [...]

Whose Money is it Anyway?

Congress needs to shift their focus from “chicken little” to a more staid, introspective approach. Congress should focus on speaking with economists and financial planners who have a rational reasonable approach to the economy. The American people and American businesses took a while to get the economy to this point. Congress CANNOT fix the problem overnight or over Christmas. The economy will sort itself out. Businesses shutter every day. Small businesses discover that their product or service is not needed or desired and the business closes. These decisions are guided by the market.

Saving the World (one oil well at the time)

Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, yesterday proclaimed (based on news reports) that she would prevent a vote on any legislation related increased domestic oil drilling. She said she’s going to save the world. Really? What Congress decides or doesn’t decide will SAVE THE WORLD?
Pelosi can’t even get 435 people in her [...]

Inertia

As an observer of people and systems, I spend quite a bit of time railing against the inanity of government: local, state and federal. This weekend I found some perspective on the issue. Perhaps I am late to this realization but Newton and his law of motion “A body in motion tends to stay in [...]

Own the Blame

A Senate committee yesterday conducted hearings designed to beat up on the domestic gasoline providers. If the corporations are making a profit, according to Congress, then the corporations must be stealing from joe six-pack. Congress fails to understand or perhaps just openly acknowledge one thing: this legislative body CONTINUES to PREVENT oil exploration and harvesting [...]

Actual Work to Do?

Does Congress have any real work to do? Apparently, Senator Arlen Specter thinks there should be more work. Despite the mandates of Article 2, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution which clearly define the tasks to which Congress should address itself, Senator Specter threatened the NFL with a Congressional Investigation if NFL Commission Roger Goodell [...]

Full Disclosure, Now We See How This Works

Superdelegate Steven Ybarra finally reveals the truth of the superdelegate wooing. Ybarra demands, that’s right DEMANDS, a promise of $20 million for a Mexican-American voter registration program from either Senator Obama or Senator Clinton in exchange for his superdelegate vote.
Really, Mr. McGovern is that how you envisioned this process: the exchange of pork for delegate [...]

A communist BCS playoff payout system?

Rep. Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii, a member of Congress, wants Congress to investigate the BCS because he thinks that the money from bowls should be evenly distributed to all Colleges, not just the ones who invest their money well and choose their coaches and players well. Easy for him to decide how to spend other [...]