One should never underestimate House Republicans' ability to save face after attracting the entire political world's ire, but this latest corner they've trapped themselves in over the payroll tax cut extension will require some stunningly creative moves to escape. Maybe Rick Perry can teach them some of these moves? Otherwise, yikes.
Now this is strange. What compels a Speaker of the House, as he's (supposed to be) trying to reach a deal to preserve various expiring government goodies before Congress recesses for the year, to move a resolution that would "commission the placement of a bust of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the Capitol"? Here he is, talking about it, softly crying, of course, but not in full Boehner Bawl mode. Winston Churchill, he was one helluva a guy. Anyway, this is all about race.
Theoretical question: What does a congressman who never bothered to tie his tie properly, comb his hair, or button his top shirt button even when he was trying to win elections dress like after he's announced his retirement and stopped caring entirely? It really is an interesting theoretical question.
We've been trying something different, as Congress has been pretending to nearly shut down the government or arbitrarily destroy the global economic system for the fourth time this year: Not biting! They'll always reach an agreement, after acting out a months-long scripted fight that we've seen before. But now we're at the stage when children lawmakers begin channeling action movies for inspiration, so we'll take that as our cue.
Three staffers for Democratic Washington Rep. Rick Larsen were fired today after their four months' worth of tweets that "describe on-the-job drinking, frivolous misuse of office time and resources, and contain public insults aimed at the boss himself" were traced to them. While on-the-job drinking and insulting your boss may be understandable, it's just unacceptable for any Hill staffers to frivolously misuse office time and resources.
After Congress passed a version of the National Defense Authorization Act last week that allows for indefinite military detention of citizens without a trial on America soil, we pointed out 20 of its most alarming provisions. President Obama not only has the ability to veto any of those provisions, but has also previously spoken out against indefinite detention. So we're good,! Except that, as Jon Stewart explained on tonight's Daily Show, we're actually not.
Well look at that, the stuffy old cranks in our House of Lords are doing "Secret Santa" this year! America really is becoming weak. So far, 58 of 100 senators have signed up for the gift-exchange promoted by Sens. Al Franken and Mike Johann. There's a $10 gift limit, but you just know that Lieberman's going to break the rules and buy someone a Mercedes, like an ass.
You won't have Barney Frank to kick around anymore. The voluble, irascible congressman and insult comic will reportedly announce today that he won't run for Congress in 2012. Maybe there's a scandal coming! Maybe his district is getting chewed up in Massachusetts' redistricting process. Maybe he's just sick of this shit. Either way, we're losing one of the greats.
Vanity Fair contributor and Rice University history professor Douglas Brinkley was testifying before the House Natural Resources Committee last week about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. When Rep. Don Young, a raving lunatic from Alaska, mistakenly referred to Brinkley as "Mr. Rice" and called his pro-wildlife testimony "garbage," Brinkley let his contempt flow freely: "It's Dr. Brinkley. Rice is a university. I know you went to Yuba College and couldn't graduate."
Who is to blame for the failure of our glorious experiment in government engineering, the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction a.k.a. the supercommittee, to meet the public's desire for trillions of dollars in spending cuts and tax hikes that the public doesn't want? Our best guess is that it's the supercommittee that is to blame for the failure of the supercommittee. Others would disagree!
Michigan Democratic Rep. Dale Kildee, 82, has issued a strongly worded denial of accusations made by the mother of a male cousin, who says her son was sexually abused by the longtime congressman 50 years ago.
For whatever reason, the House chose to whip out ye olde Balanced Budget Amendment for another vote today, after it was voted down a couple of times this summer. It failed. The vote was 261-165 in favor of it, but—oops!—you need 2/3 support to amend the Constitution. That's because amending the Constitution should be hard, and not done whenever Eric Cantor and a few buddies think something on Fox News sounds cool.
Remember that old joke regarding Dick Cheney's 18% approval rating, about how there's a higher percentage of dentists who recommend chewing sugary gum than there is of Americans who approve of Dick Cheney? Now let's do a version of that with the 112th and current Congress, with its comical, dumpy rating of 9%.
What do you say to a harsh criticism from astronaut-hero Mark Kelly, husband of wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords? You can't call him a jerk or anything. He's astronaut-hero Mark Kelly, husband of wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords! You just have to take it. Hear that, John Boehner? You will just have to take it.
Here's a brief guide to congressional debt politics in 2011: In the debt ceiling deal, $1 trillion in spending cuts (or caps on future spending, mostly) was made, while punting at least $1.2 trillion in additional savings to be determined by a supercommittee, later. The supercommitee, now, is considering this brave solution as its deadline nears: Making trillions in additional spending cuts, while punting decisions on additional tax revenue to be determined by congressional finance committees, later.
Is this the angriest interaction between a congressman and his constituents ever, or at least of the ones that have been captured on YouTube? Yes? Let's go with "yes." This is Illinois Tea Party Rep. Joe Walsh, a.k.a. Congress' Dad of the Year, just completely unloading on a couple of constituents at a recent town hall at an Uno pizza restaurant. The subject? Leave the banks alone!
