Opposing A Marker Acknowledging Slave Labor

Ken AshfordCongress, History, RaceLeave a Comment

The United States Capital Building, its wonderful dome, and the Statue of Freedom that sits atop it, were built by slave labor. Yeah, I know.  Bit of national shame and embarassment. Tuesday evening, the U.S. House of Representatives sought to redress that grievance in some small way with a resolution acknowledging the role slaves played in the Capital's construction.  The purpose … Read More

CIA Admits It Lied To Congress For Years

Ken AshfordCongress, War on Terrorism/TortureLeave a Comment

Dog Bites Man story: WASHINGTON — The director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Leon E. Panetta, has told the House Intelligence Committee in closed-door testimony that the C.I.A. concealed “significant actions” from Congress from 2001 until late last month, seven Democratic committee members said. In a June 26 letter to Mr. Panetta discussing his testimony, Democrats said that the agency … Read More

60

Ken AshfordCongress, Election 2008Leave a Comment

With Coleman's concession, Al Franken finally becomes Senator Al Franken, Democrat from Minnesota. Finally. First Read writes: Most significantly, yesterday’s developments resulted in Democrats obtaining a filibuster-proof majority — 60 votes — in the Senate, and Dems want to have him seated by as early as Monday. Having 60 votes will shift the balance of power from the Republican Maine-iacs … Read More

Enough Is Enough

Ken AshfordCongress, Election 2008Leave a Comment

Six months after the November elections, we read this today: This has to be a bit ironic: In the three-judge trial that Norm Coleman (R) asked for, it turns out that Al Franken's lead has grown, after the addition of some 350 absentee ballots to the count. Coleman's camp, of course, wanted a larger number of absentee ballots to be … Read More

Why Many People Can’t Take Congress Seriously

Ken AshfordCongress, Environment & Global Warming & Energy, Godstuff, RepublicansLeave a Comment

Exhibit A. This is Representative John Shimkus, Republican from Illinois.  He serves on the U.S. House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, a body which considers, among other things, global warming and climate change. Below is a clip of Representative Shimkus speaking on March 25 in the Energy and Environment Subcommittee.  He is expressing his view that global warming is not … Read More

President Bartlet, Toby Ziegler, and Josh Lymon To Go To Capital Hill Tomorrow

Ken AshfordCongressLeave a Comment

Yes, they are fictional, but they're still doing good work: If there was ever any doubt that fictional President Jed Bartlet's administration was pro-labor, the answer is now clear. Actors Martin Sheen, Bradley Whitford, and Richard Schiff — all of the fictional NBC presidential drama "The West Wing — will appear at an event in Congress on Tuesday seeking to bolster … Read More

I Love Michelle Bachman

Ken AshfordCongress, Constitution, Economy & Jobs & Deficit1 Comment

This is why.  She presses Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner on the Constitiutional authority for the Treasury to give out TARP money, apparently not understanding that Congress, of which she is a member, passed a bill which provided not only the TARP money, but the authority of the Treasury to dole it out. In an interview with after the hearing, Bachmann … Read More

Dumb Analogy Department: Caroline v. Sarah

Ken AshfordCongressLeave a Comment

I'm reading this sentiment a lot these past few days: In fact, Sarah Palin was more qualified to be vice-president than Caroline Kennedy is to be a Senator. Well, duh!  Seriously, the only qualification to being vice-president is to have a pulse.  (The stickier issue, and one that dogged Sarah Palin, is that the vice-president could conceivably become president, and for … Read More

Minnesota Senate Seat Still Ridiculously Close

Ken AshfordCongress, Election 2008Leave a Comment

Norm Coleman's lead over Al Franken melted away during the Board of Canvassers' deliberations on Coleman-challenged ballots yesterday. According to the Star Tribune, it is down to five votes. According to the AP, it is down to two. UPDATE:  Now we're hearing that Franken is, for the first time, ahead.  The Minnesota Star-Ledger has a real-time running (re)count.  As of … Read More

Caroline Or Change?

Ken AshfordCongress, DemocratsLeave a Comment

Several A-list liberal bloggers are quite unhappy with the prospect of Caroline Kennedy taking over Clinton's Senate seat: Firedoglake's Hamsher: "It seems Caroline Kennedy has decided she'd rather have a US Senate seat than a pony for Christmas. […] It appears Ms. Kennedy thinks that US Senate seats are something to lobbied for amongst political elites when one decides one wants them, … Read More

Blago Arrest

Ken AshfordCongress, Crime, DemocratsLeave a Comment

I guess everyone knows about the arrest this morning of Illinois governor Rod R. Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff, John Harris — on corruption charges. What surprises me was how blatant his corruption was.  I mean, the governor of Illinois gets to choose who fills Obama's now-empty Senate seat, so he literally auctioned it off. Or as the governor … Read More

Kennedy Dynasty Lives On

Ken AshfordCongressLeave a Comment

Caroline — the normally quiet, non-spotlight-seeking daughter of JFK and Jackie, sister to the now-dead JFK Jr., may take Hillary's seat in the Senate – the same seat once held by her Uncle Bobby. I like it.  I like it a lot.

Alaska Senate Race: It Ain’t Over, Folks

Ken AshfordCongress, Election 2008Leave a Comment

Maybe the convicted felon didn't win after all. Right now, Stevens is up 106,351 votes to Begich's 102,998.  That's a gap of only 3,353 votes. However, according to the Alaska Division of Elections, there are over 81,000 absentee, early vote, and questionable ballots to be counted.  (63,000 votes if you ignore all the questionable ballots). Nate Silver chunked the data … Read More