Ryan pushes ‘bold’ GOP agenda for 2016. Bold evidently means passing bills Obama will veto. Not one word about impeachment or even using the power of the purse to reign El Presidente in.
Top GOP Leader Promises Total Amnesty In 2015. Look! The RINOs are bending over before the next session of Congress even starts! Guess they forgot why they took control of Congress in the November election already.
The traditional Washington way to solve a sticky problem is to create a blue-ribbon commission, task it to find a solution and issue a report, then ignore whatever it produces.
The traditional Washington way to solve a sticky problem is to create a blue-ribbon commission, task it to find a solution and issue a report, then ignore whatever it produces. Works every time. But the current bunch is not satisfied with the tired old ways of doing things and is proposing a BOLD NEW initiative!
Hey, let's turn Congress upside down
Huffing and Puffing Post breaks the news:
Debt ceiling negotiators think they’ve hit on a solution to address [tax and spending issues]….
Create a new Congress.
This “Super Congress,” composed of members of both chambers and both parties… would be granted extraordinary new powers. Under a plan put forth by Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Harry Reid (D-Nev.), [legislation would create] a 12-member panel made up of 12 lawmakers — six from each chamber and six from each party.
Legislation approved by the Super Congress…would then be fast-tracked through both chambers, where it COULDN’T be amended by simple, regular lawmakers, who’d have the ability only to cast an up or down vote. With the weight of both leaderships behind it, a product originated by the Super Congress would have a strong chance of moving through the little Congress and quickly becoming law.
Pardon our stupidity, but what makes anyone think this evenly divided body will be able to agree on a lunch order, let alone solutions to contentious financial problems?
If they do produce something useful, the Little Congress can’t ignore it so voting no is the next best thing. And lastly, the biggest obstacle to progress isn’t even in Congress. If we’re not mistaken, he’s probably on about the 14th hole about now.
The debate in the House of Representatives has degenerated into something resembling the British Parliament. Next thing you know they’ll begin throwing chairs and punching each other like South Korean politicians.
It’s getting ugly in Washington. And we’re not talking about Helen Thomas.
The debate in the House of Representatives has degenerated into something resembling the British Parliament. Next thing you know they’ll begin throwing chairs and punching each other like South Korean politicians.
(That might be preferable. At least we’d get some entertainment for our wasted tax dollars.)
Just in case you’re sick and tired of reading about how Barack Obama has connected with America’s youth and how Republicans are a bunch of out of touch old fogies, this story is for you.
Just in case you’re sick and tired of reading about how Barack Obama has connected with America’s youth and how Republicans are a bunch of out of touch old fogies, this story is for you.
Thanks to the death of Robert Byrd, the average age of Congressional Democrats dropped to under 100
As a result of the November elections, the average Republican in Congress is younger than the average Democrat.
The Washington Examiner has the chronological calculations:
The average age of Republican House members in the new Congress convening today is 54.9, younger than the Republicans’ average age in the previous Congress, 56.5. But the average age of House Democrats has risen, from 58 to 60.2. That can be explained partly by the high turnover in the 2010 election. Many younger Democrats, first elected in 2006 or 2008, fell by the wayside. The old bulls from 65 percent-plus Democratic districts survived. Meanwhile, many young Republican challengers won.
But the results are historically anomalous. Going back to the Congress elected in 1950, there has never been more than a 2.8-year difference in the average age of House Republicans and House Democrats. The difference in this Congress is 5.3 years, almost double that.
The picture is similar on the Senate side of the Capitol, where the average age of Republicans is 61.4 and the average age of Democrats is 63.1. That’s as wide a margin as in any Senate since the one produced by the election of 1982.
Of course, the average age of the Democrats in the Senate dropped about 15 years with the death of Robert Byrd.
In case it makes the Democrats feel any better, which is always our goal here at IHateTheMedia.com, it should be noted that the average age of Independents in Congress is 68.5.
Of course, that’s still younger than the Democrat leadership – Harry Reid (72), Nancy Pelosi (71), James Clyburn (70) and Steny Hoyer (70).
Congratulations to Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. They’ve united the American people in one thing – their complete disdain for Congress.
Congratulations to Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. They’ve united the American people in one thing – their complete disdain for Congress.
Gallup.com has the devastating details:
Americans’ assessment of Congress has hit a new low, with 13% saying they approve of the way Congress is handling its job. The 83% disapproval rating is also the worst Gallup has measured in more than 30 years of tracking congressional job performance.
The prior low approval rating for Congress was 14% in July 2008 when the United States was dealing with record-high gas prices and the economy was in recession.
Congratulations to Harry and Nancy. They say that records were made to be broken, so it’s nice to see that you guys were able to beat your own previous low. But we think you’re just getting started. If you can just cram this Omnibus Spending Bill through Congress, we have a feeling you can set another new record next month.
There are undoubtedly those in Congress who look at the results of this poll and say, “Ungrateful peasants.”
There are undoubtedly those in Congress who look at the results of this poll and say, “Ungrateful peasants.”
Rasmussen has the details:
Nancy Pelosi, the poster child for "no matter how bad things are, Congress can make them worse"
Heading into the final weeks of the congressional election season, 62% of Likely U.S. Voters believe that no matter how bad things are, Congress can always make them worse. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 19% disagree, with 19% more not sure.
This level of skepticism is shared by a majority of just about every partisan and demographic group, including 53% of Democrats whose party currently controls both houses of Congress.
The only exception is the nation’s Political Class. Seventy-five percent (75%) of voters in the political Mainstream say if something is not going well, Congress can always make it worse, but 63% of the Political Class disagree.
Got that? This poll is completely incomprehensible to the Political Class. They think they’re doing a dandy job. They know that if they just had a little more money to spend, they could do it better. And if they had a lot more money, they could do it a lot better.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 75% of Likely Voters nationwide want Congress to cut its own pay until the federal budget is balanced.
John Kerry is not one of those blood sucking leeches who live off the American taxpayer. He's a blood sucking gigolo.
Voters want Congress to stop spending money. Especially on itself.
Rasmussen has the tale of the tightening purse strings:
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 75% of Likely Voters nationwide want Congress to cut its own pay until the federal budget is balanced.
Only 16% disagree with that approach and nine percent (9%) are not sure.
Not surprisingly, there is a huge gap between Mainstream voters and the Political Class on this topic. Eighty-five percent (85%) of those in the Mainstream want Congress to cut its own pay while 74% of those in the Political Class do not (see more on the Political Class—Mainstream classification.)
Overall, 78% say that any pay raises for Congress should be submitted first to voters before the legislators can receive the extra income.
“Political Class” is an oxymoron. Like “Senate Intelligence Committee”.
Republican candidates have jumped out to a record-setting 12-point lead over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, August 15, 2010.
Tsunami alert! Tsunami alert! All Democrats should immediately move to higher ground.
Rasmussen has the ugly details:
There's a tsunami coming in November and it's going to sweep away a lot of Democrats
Republican candidates have jumped out to a record-setting 12-point lead over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, August 15, 2010. This is the biggest lead the GOP has held in over a decade of Rasmussen Reports surveying.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of Likely Voters would vote for their district’s Republican congressional candidate, while 36% would opt for his or her Democratic opponent. Support for Republicans is up two points from the previous week, while support for Democrats dropped three points.Republicans have led on the Generic Congressional Ballot since June of last year, and their lead hasn’t fallen below five points since the beginning of December. Three times this year, they’ve posted a 10-point lead. Prior to this survey, GOP support since June 2009 has ranged from 41% to 47%. Support for Democrats in the same period has run from 35% to 40%.
Eighty-three percent (83%) of Republicans back their party’s candidate, while 75% of Democrats support the candidate of their party. Voters not affiliated with either party prefer the GOP candidate by a 52% to 21% margin.Fifty-four percent (54%) of white voters favor the Republican, but 77% of African-Americans prefer the Democrat.
Say goodnight, Nancy. Say goodnight, Harry. Say goodnight, Barack.
In Congress, which has an approval rating even lower than Joe Biden’s IQ, lawmakers were thrilled to be able to degrade and humiliate someone looked upon with more disfavor than themselves – oil executives.
No wonder Congressman Cao is so upset. Without petroleum products, he'll need a new hairstyle.
In Congress, which has an approval rating even lower than Joe Biden’s IQ, lawmakers were thrilled to be able to degrade and humiliate someone looked upon with more disfavor than themselves – oil executives.
CNN noted that “A hearing to discuss the future of national energy policy in the wake of the Gulf oil disaster got pretty ugly Tuesday. Lawmakers slammed executives from five of the world’s largest oil companies. At one point Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., called on Lamar McKay, chairman and president of BP America, to quit his job. Rep. Anh ‘Joseph’ Cao, R-Louisiana, went so far as to suggest McKay try a type of ritual suicide.”
Although the meeting called by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass) was intended to “focus on the ongoing spill, renewable energy development and the effect of President Obama’s six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling”, It quickly degenerated into a celebration of The Most Ass Kicking President In History’s new get tough policy.
Lawmakers took turns lambasting the oil executives about their poor contingency plans saying “Those plans included ’embarrassing’ errors like a reference to protecting walruses, which haven’t lived in the Gulf Coast for at least 3 million years, and the phone number of a marine biologist who died five years ago.”
(Strangely enough, rumor has it that the deceased biologist voted for Obama last year, but we digress.)
In truth the oil companies plans were horribly outdated and ill equipped to deal with any disaster. Unlike our government’s contingency disaster plan which, which no matter what the disaster may be, calls for raising taxes and passing massive new legislation designed to reduce the United States to third world status.
And that plan seems to be working perfectly so far.
Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann explains to radio host Chris Baker the democrats’ latest outrageous trickery that may be used to pass Obamacare, with what is called the “self-executing” rule.
Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann explains to radio host Chris Baker the “self-executing” rule — the democrats’ latest, outrageous trickery that may be used to pass Obamacare.
We can go one better than Nancy, Harry, Barry and their co-conspirators. How about trying the “mass self-executing rule?”
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 63% of likely voters believe, generally speaking, that it would be better for the country if most incumbents in Congress were defeated this November.
John Murtha (D-Hell), one incumbent who isn't worried about voter wrath this November
Vote the bums out. That’s the clear message being sent by most American voters. And they’re looking straight at congress when they say it.
Rasmussen tells the terrifying tale for incumbents:
Most voters think the country would be better off if the majority of the current Congress wasn’t reelected this November, and their confidence in their own congressman continues to fall.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 63% of likely voters believe, generally speaking, that it would be better for the country if most incumbents in Congress were defeated this November.
Just 19% disagree and say it would be better if most congressional incumbents were reelected. Another 18% aren’t sure.
The Political Class strongly rejects these views, however. While 78% of Mainstream voters say it would be better for the country if most of the current Congress was turned out of office, 89% of the Political Class think it would be better if most were reelected.
Political class. Two words that are increasing contradictory.
Obama does stand-up: crowd laughs when he talks about “overwhelming scientific evidence of climate change.” And as he left the stage, he said, “Thank you. Thank you very much. I’ll be here all week. Two shows on Friday and Saturday nights.”
And as he left the stage, he said, “Thank you. Thank you very much. I’ll be here all week. Two shows on Friday and Saturday nights.”
Lord almighty! Katie Couric and CBS News have actually done a hard-hitting report on congress’ profligate spending at the recent Copenhagen global warming confab. And it came perilously close to actually slamming Democrats.
Lord almighty! Katie Couric and CBS News have actually done a hard-hitting report on congress’ profligate spending at the recent Copenhagen global warming confab. And it came perilously close to actually slamming Democrats.
Of course, the entourage was lead by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who also had the final decision on who could attend. The guest list included House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. And embattled noted corrupt negro Congressman Charles Rangel.
They were joined by Democrats Waxman, Miller, Markey, Gordon, Levin, Blumenauer, DeGette, Inslee, Ryan, Butterfield, Cleaver, Giffords, and by Republicans Barton, Upton, Moore-Capito, Sullivan, Blackburn.
(For the record, let’s point out that that’s a total of 15 Democrats and only 5 Republicans. And shame on the Republicans.)
The corruptocrat delegation was so large that it required three military jets — two 737’s and a Gulfstream Five — to haul their fat asses across the Atlantic in luxury.
Throw in a few Senators and a passel of staffers (most of whom were forced to endure the indignity of flying commercial at up to $2000 each) and CBS News figures there were at least 101 Congress-related attendees. They booked more than 321 total nights in Copenhagen’s luxurious 5-star Marriott Hotel.
We’re not sure if it’s caused by global warming, but we’re starting to get a little hot under the collar.
The American people hold you in such low regard that they think 535 people randomly chosen from the phone book could do a better job running the country.
Bad news for congress. Especially the Democrats who control the House and Senate.
The American people hold you in such low regard that they think 535 people randomly chosen from the phone book could do a better job running the country.
Rasmussen reports the demoralizing details for Democrats:
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 45% of likely U.S. voters now think a group of people selected at random from the phone book would do a better job addressing the nation’s problems than the current Congress. That’s up 12 points from October 2008, just before the last congressional elections. Thirty-six percent (36%) disagree, and another 19% are not sure.
Rasmussen continues:
Fifty-eight percent (58%) of voters now say Congress is doing a poor job. That’s the highest negative finding since Rasmussen Reports began surveying on the question in November 2006.
The phone book? Hell, 535 random criminals, derelicts and perverts could do a better job. But it would be tough to tell the difference.
Critics of the health care bill said they offered the 11 amendments – including some that would require the president, vice president, and Supreme Court justices to give up their Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP) to enroll in the ‘public option’ or Medicaid – to showcase the problems with the massive legislation.
Czar Nicholas. Or maybe a Congressional Democrat. We're not sure which.
Life is good for Democrats in Congress. Kind of like life was good for the Russian Czars (not to be confused with the Obama Czars). They pass laws and regulations willy-nilly with nary a thought that those laws and regulations should apply to them.
CNSnews.com reports that, “Critics of the health care bill said they offered the 11 amendments – including some that would require the president, vice president, and Supreme Court justices to give up their Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP) to enroll in the ‘public option’ or Medicaid – to showcase the problems with the massive legislation.”
“If Congress forces our constituents into a public option plan over time,” noted Rep. Howard McKeon, a California Republican, “then members of Congress should be expected to do the same.”
“It became apparent then that Democrats are afraid of being put on a government-run health care program,” McKeon added, “but that fear does not extend to the welfare of their own constituents.”
“This is one of those classic hypocritical moments for the Democrats,” said Matt Lavoie, a spokesman for Representative Wally Herger, a California Republican. “They simply don’t want to put up with the public option that they are preparing to inflict on the American public.”
Could this be true? Of course not. Don’t be silly. Nothing could be further from the truth according to Vincent Morris, communications director for the Democrat-controlled House Rules Committee.
“The reason we didn’t support those amendments is because the public option was created precisely to give the American people a choice between private and public [insurance], Morris noted. “Given that all Americans have a choice about whether to join the public option, we thought it didn’t make any sense to force members of Congress to join.”
Bottom line: We’re amazed to see the words “sense” and “Congress” in the same sentence.
Ten members of Congress spent $500,000 – according to Wall Street Journal estimates – on an 11-day global warming fact finding mission over New Year’s 2008.
Ten members of Congress spent $500,000 – according to Wall Street Journal estimates – on an 11-day global warming fact finding mission over New Year’s 2008.
Naturally, they couldn’t study global warming without their wives, so six spouses also went on the trip to Antarctica, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, and Hawaii.
Those luxurious private jets currently sitting in the Congressional fleet simply aren’t luxurious enough, simply aren’t fast enough, simply aren’t friggin’ imperial enough.
Toilet aboard one of the luxurious new Congressional jets, where "the throne" is actually a throne
Those luxurious private jets currently sitting in the Congressional fleet simply aren’t luxurious enough, simply aren’t fast enough, simply aren’t friggin’ imperial enough.
So Congress took a look at its Cash-for-Clunkers program and introduced a related program called More Debt-for-New Jets.
Let’s just compare and contrast the Cash-for-Clunkers congress passed for you and the More Debt-for-New Jets program they passed for itself.
With Cash-for-Clunkers, you have to turn in an older car that gets lower gas mileage. With More Debt-for-New Jets, congress simply adds to the number of luxurious, fuel-sucking private jets in its fleet while giving up nothing.
Some ObamaCare proponents in congress have shut down their town hall meetings. Some have run from their constituents. Others, like Georgia Democrat David Scott from Georgia, have gotten a little hot under the collar.
Democrats are testy these days. They just didn’t expect opposition to their hairbrained healthcare scheme and they don’t know how to handle it. They thought the lemmings would quietly and compliantly step off the cliff.
Wrong.
It’s been quite a week. Some ObamaCare proponents have shut down their town hall meetings. Some have run from their constituents. Others, like David Scott, the distinguished Democrat congressman from Georgia, have gotten a little hot under the collar.
One of his constituents, a physician, had the temerity to ask the Congressman about ObamaCare. The congressman responds by erupting in anger and accusing him of “hijacking” the town hall, despite the fact that attendees had been told that no subjects were off limits during this open question-and-answer session.
They’re disintegrating, folks. Falling apart at the seams.
As the Democrats attempt to force you onto a healthcare plan run with a Department of Motor Vehicles mentality, it’s interesting to note that they bask in the healthy glow of the world’s best private plan.
The Congress of the United States of America, where hypocrites give themselves the same perks they deny you
If there’s one thing you can count on in Washington, DC it’s healthcare hypocrisy by the truckload.
As the Democrats attempt to force you onto a healthcare plan run with a Department of Motor Vehicles mentality, it’s interesting to note that they bask in the healthy glow of the world’s best private plan.
The Congressional Choir covers the week’s news. Technology is un-freakin’-believable. The fact that a couple guys can create something like this in their living room is truly amazing. Sit back and enjoy.
Technology is un-freakin’-believable. The fact that a couple guys can create something like this in their living room is truly amazing. Sit back and enjoy.
Bad news for congress. Especially the Democrats who control the House and Senate. 
