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POPSJim DeMint Proposes Term Limits For Congress 
Rarely, he gets voted out--and Senator DeMint points out that 90% of all incumbents who seek re-election, win re-election. Tom Coburn offers greater detail on why incumbents win re-election 90% of the time: The power of incumbency has created an almost insurmountable advantage for Washington politicians. Incumbency allows politicians to raise millions of dollars in campaign funds in exchange for earmarks. Incumbency gives Congress the power to raise money for itself " Congress just approved itself an increase of nearly $250 million from the U.S. Treasury that members will spend to promote themselves. Senator Coburn also points out that with redistricting (except for the unlucky Representative who gets drawn out of the House if his State loses one or more seats), a Representative, having good connections with his State legislature, can "choose his voters." The effect of this amendment would be very simple. Senators would be limited to two terms or fifteen years ....
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POPSU.N. on Israeli War Crimes
The Goldstone Report now has been approved overwhelmingly by the UN General Assembly. The report calls for Israel to investigate it's war crime accusations...and for the Palestinians to investiage theirs -- and says the slow starvation of over a million and half people in the Gaza Strip should stop. Now, it seems it goes to the Security Council. Which means, if things go as usual, the USA will veto it and it will end there. The USA has does similar actions at the UN for decades, protecting Israel, no matter what. The USA House of Congress has even gone on record, this week, opposing this war crimes report. Israel yesterday seized a ship with weapons and said they come from Iran and this was a war crime...also pointing out that Russia, the USA, China, etc. are all guility of war crimes. The conclusion appears to be that war is a war crime. Everybody's guilty. And let's just forget it. ...um, except when talking about the Nazi's of WWII or the Bosnian Serbs curre
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POPSEmergency! Congress Debates Burying the Goldstone Report! "TELL CONGRESS TO RESPECT US AND INTERNATIONAL LAW!" "What message are we sending to the rest of the world when we grant Israel complete impunity? This legislation has very important implications beyond the war crimes committed in Gaza. Israel has responded to the report by demanding the Western powers rewrite international and US law, warning that acceptance of the Goldstone report will mean that the US’ military campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan will be subject to similar scrutiny. (Judge Goldstone has drawn a distinction – stating that his report finds that Israel deliberately targeted civilians). This legislation also ignores serious allegations that Israel has violated the US Arms Export Control Act."
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POPSCongress Must Pass Republican Leader Boehner’s Defund ACORN Act or any other form of agreement to this criminal organization. ACORN ally Representative Jerrold Nadler has lead the charge against the Defund ACORN Act. He has claimed that it is an unconstitutional *" Bill of Attainder " an argument that has been thoroughly rebutted by former FEC Commissioner Hans von Spakovsky. Nadler had no such reservations when he co-sponsered legislation to punish AIG employees who had been awarded bonuses. *A legislative act pronouncing a person guilty of a crime, usually treason, without trial and subjecting that person to capital punishment and attainder. Such acts are prohibited by the U.S. Constitution. Congress moving to cut off funds to ACORN for the next 50 days is a merely a first step. An organization with ACORN’s history of voter registration fraud, tax evasion, and criminal activity should never again be eligible to receive any federal funds. Stopping payment to this criminal enterprise is not enough.
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POPSShould Kids Recite Flag Code Along With The Pledge Of Allegiance The first Flag Code came during a time of similar national upheaval. In 1942, Congress passed the first resolution to endorse flag etiquette, including the proper way to fold, display and dispose of the flag. Massachusetts entered the debate in 1970, when Leominister teenager Valerie Goguen was sentenced to six months in jail for using an American flag patch on a pair of jeans. The Supreme Court overturned his conviction in the 1974 case Smith v. Goguen. Goguen still lives in Leominster, and is still adamant that the case is about love for the flag.
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POPSWill Congress' defunding of ACORN expire Saturday? All it would take for ACORN funding to resume is the absence of any specific defunding language. If that language is not there, then federal agencies would again have the discretion of sending taxpayer dollars to ACORN. What happens in December could be the key to ACORN's future.
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POPSFEMA: ACORN Did Not Receive Funds Slated for Louisiana Firefighters Washington Times story is factually incorrect, and ACORN, in a statement, defended its fire prevention work and sharply criticized Vitter, suggesting the senator was attacking it to distract attention from his own prostitution scandal. “Senator Vitter was with ACORN before he was against us. Sen. Vitter knows ACORN's track record on helping communities prevent tragedy, which is why our fire prevention work in low-income communities is important,” the statement said. “Senator Vitter worked with ACORN in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to rebuild New Orleans. He provided support letters to many of our projects. It wasn't until after his prostitution scandal, and until it became politically convenient, that Sen. Vitter changed his tune.” - see clipsource
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POPSGOP To Draft Resolution Designed To Oust Rangel: Run Gov. Paterson for Seat!!! "I'm disappointed in the Congress because everyone's entitled to a full hearing and they're not giving me that," Rangel said. When asked how he feels about Congressman Carter's move to have Rangel step aside from Ways and Means, the Harlem Democrat said, "I'm disappointed in him." During the event Rangel service notice he didn't want any embarrassing questions about the growing ethics storm around him. "I would hate to see anyone attempt to mar this with questions that are not directly related to this exciting event," Rangel said. And here's a new twist. Highly placed Democratic sources told CBS 2 HD they have discussed the possibility of using one damaged New York politician to get rid of another. It centers on having Rangel resign, and giving Gov. David Paterson a dignified way to leave Albany by running for Rangel's congressional seat.
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POPSWe the People can READ! Help us Get Congress to post bills online 72 hours before voting! Click on source for list of congress people by state who have already voted for it and phone #'s for those who haven't
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POPSSee the Bills on Line You will be able to see the proposed legislation online before a vote. Doesn't matter what you think, those in congress will do what ever they want anyway.
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POPSAt Least 6 Federal Laws & Regulations Violated By the NEA Conference Call And today the WH called the call "inappropriate". I guess that's what they now call illegal activities performed by the Administration and/or Congress. "Any failure by the Congress of the United States to initiate a full-scale investigation must be considered action designed to enable the misuse of taxpayer funds in violation of federal law." Indeed.
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POPSReid gives GOP direct warning on healthcare Boy! He's put a lot on everyone's plate. How many other things has he & his Dems. pressed through in a whirlwind leaving the tax payers with waste, slush, and heads spinning. I guess he wants to get this accomplished before Sen. Byrd leaves the Senate and Reid loses his next election.
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POPSCongress has the votes to pass a public option And passing it with 51 votes in the Senate - a majority - abides by the same rule Republicans used to pass the Bush tax cuts and fund the Iraq war. Any bill passes with 51 votes unless the minority party filibusters it. Bills with significant budgetary impact can be shielded from a filibuster by the reconciliation process
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POPSThe United States Civil Flag of Peacetime School threatens 4th grader after she refuses pledge - Why should someone be forced (via punishment by failure of classes) to have allegiance to a fictitious corporation that has been running amuck since 1859.
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POPSRep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. Resolution Seeks Details on 'Czars' "Over the past several weeks, we've seen with increasing frequency and volume issues raised around the use of 'czars' by this administration," Dunn wrote. "Although some members have asked serious questions around the makeup of the White House staff, the bulk of the noise you hear began first with partisan commentators suggesting that this is somehow a new and sinister development that threatens our democracy. This is, of course, ridiculous." In a statement, Blackburn said her concern is "when a president shifts duties away from officials who are subject to Congressional oversight to those on his personal staff who are not." She endorsed the use of the kind of questionnaire that nominees seeking confirmation by the Senate Armed Services Committee are are required to complete.
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POPSDuh! As one who grew up in the South and has been witness to all the racism and bigotry that one can stomach in 10 lifetimes, Carter's declaration comes as no great surprise as I'm sure many people who are my age can attest to.
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POPSWrong Way Wilson Gets Bad Mark This article is full of the excuses and made-up criticisms typical of Republican rants these days. But near the end it mentions the mild action in the House....Wilson got an "F," for failure to obey the rules. The thing that makes him a real JERK, imo, is that he got his fact wrong or was just trash talking without any facts: the health care reforms have no "Death Panels," - the health care reform specifically mentioned it doesn't apply to Every Person in the World (just citizens), so you're a real jerk to be a liar yourself and trying to smear someone else. As the House said, "reprehensible conduct." - Congress can't function if idiots scream and yell insults at each other all day, thus, there are rules of behavior. You wanna call the President a liar, do it on your own time, not while he's speaking to a Joint session of Congress. Like you don't win at sports by insulting the refs... But lies, fear, smear, no fact, bullies, this is all the Republicans have to offer t
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POPS Is Obamacare Constitutional? “The Tenthers.” I recently started seeing a few references to this term in the standard places, Alternet, ThinkProgress, and elsewhere. But now it seems to have come from on high like the NeoCons did with every new buzzword during the Bush years. In fact, its usage has come on so fast and so regularly that someone over at the Washington Times picked up on the newly-approved jargon: Health care reform supporters at the Center for American Progress, the American Prospect, MSNBC and other outlets have deployed the term against Republicans who cite the 10th Amendment as reason not to create new programs. Some of the leading Republican proponents of the allegedly “dangerous” and “conspiratorial” theory include Sens. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Jim DeMint of South Carolina, and Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota. “As the nation emerges from the worst economic downturn in three generations, the tenthers would strip away the very reforms and economic
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POPS“In Congress, We Have to Multi-Task” Oh, Sheila “We need to make sure we get on national news,” Lee quipped, quelling the crowd by having a college opera student sing the national anthem. Occasional chastising punctuated the rest of the meeting, some comments accusing her of wasting time when introducing a state politician who had joined the crowd and other jeers when she talked on her cell phone while a constituent posed a question to her. “In Congress, we have to multi-task,” she explained. Yep: Avoiding questions, not reading bills, and trying to stifle dissent all at once takes a special kind of public servant.
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POPSPut Your Money Where Your Mouth Is!! Any plan that is good enough for American families is good enough for every member of Congress. Under the current draft of the Democrat healthcare legislation, members of Congress are curiously exempt from the government-run health care option, keeping their existing health plans and services on Capitol Hill. Empowering Patients First Act We need to bring about changes that make health care affordable, accessible and available to the millions of Americans that want health care insurance, but either can’t afford it or are denied for reasons such as a pre-existing condition. To addresses these and other fundamental reforms that are necessary to improve our health care system, Congressman Fleming is proud to be an original co-sponsor of the Empowering Patients First Act. This bill preserves the important decisions made between an individual physician and the patient and improves the quality of care offered across the country. This bill contains all the essential elements
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POPSWhite House Objects to Poster That Invokes Obama Children The majority of schools in the National School Lunch Program (which includes more than 94,000 public schools) do not offer vegetarian or vegan options, despite the fact that the American Medical Association passed a unanimous resolution in 2007 recommending that these options be made available. PCRM President Neal Barnard, a nutrition researcher, says he thinks that objection to the poster comes solely from the president's "handlers" and not from the first family itself. He says: "I was not about to pull the ads. They're important, and they're good, and they raise the issue, speaking for kids in America. And I'm not about to have them shut me up because they're nervous."
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POPSLead By Example Congress: You Enroll In 0bamacare, Too Under the current draft of the Democrat healthcare legislation, members of Congress are curiously exempt from the government-run health care option, keeping their existing health plans and services on Capitol Hill. If Members of Congress believe so strongly that government-run health care is the best solution for hard working American families, I think it only fitting that Americans see them lead the way. Public servants should always be accountable and responsible for what they are advocating. Together we will work to ensure that any plan that is good enough for American families is good enough for every member of Congress. View Resolution If you would like to download a letter of support for House Resolution 615 to send to your representative To see a list of Representatives who currently support H. Res 615 Express Your Opinion http://fleming.house.gov/index.html
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POPSThe states and the people vs. the U.S. of Centralization Something is changing in our political culture. All these resolutions have passed state legislatures. It’s not just lone “whacko” governors doing the deed. Deliberative bodies have decided these measures. Something big may be afoot. What is it? Opposition to bigness and “limitlessness” in the federal government. Randy Brogdon expressed the idea well enough. He said that Oklahoma is telling folks in Washington, DC, “loud and clear to end all federal mandates that are beyond the scope of powers specifically outlined in the Constitution.” He specifically mentioned the Patriot Act, No Child Left Behind and some provisions of Homeland Security as federal usurpations of state powers.
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POPSHouse to consider resolution demanding Obama apologize to Crowley Oh please. While I believe the officer acted appropriately and the President regrets his words, this is ridiculous. Surely there are much more pressing issues to be dealt with and resolved than to waste time on this stupid stuff. Whether Dem/Rep, this is a waste of taxpayers money when time could be better spent on more serious stuff. Or maybe they can't deal with the more serious stuff.
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POPSThe Honduran Battle For Washington Right-wing supporters of the coup in Honduras are spreading lies, both in the press and before Congress, about the legality of President Zelaya's ouster. What went on was a military coup, plain and simple. Honduran jurists and politicians from parties opposing Zelaya's are saying that the coup's interpretation of the Honduran Constitution is bullshit and that the coup is illegal. Don't believe the lies!
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POPSObamaCare Rationing Board ~ More Authority Than Congress The council would be authorized to make broad recommendations for reform in Medicare, but its chief role would be to help set payment rates for Part A and Part B services for the elderly. By Dec. 31 each year, for example, it would submit a package for Part B covering physicians, home health and durable medical equipment. By Oct. 1, a package would be due for Part A covering hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. The recommendations would go the White House, and within 30 days, the president would be required to send a message to Congress reflecting his approval or disapproval. The president's discretion would be limited in that he would have to give an up-or-down on the entire package, not pieces of it. But he would have an effective veto and more leeway than Congress, which would have 30 days to summon majorities in both houses and overcome a potential Senate filibuster.
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