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14 Feb 2009 15:53

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U.S.: Just when you thought the Burris/Blagojevich story had died …

  • … here it comes, blazing back for another round! Rep. Roland Burris’ aides claim today that former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s brother had approached the former Illinois Attorney General about raising campaign money for the governor. Burris didn’t, he still got appointed to the senate anyway, and Rod got the boot. Of course, this does leave the matter of why Burris didn’t mention this a few weeks ago … source

11 Feb 2009 22:15

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U.S.: The stimulus bill dips below $800 billion

  • $789 billion right now, and very, very close to passing source

10 Feb 2009 10:34

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U.S.: The Senate votes on the stimulus bill today. How big is it?

  • $827 billion right now, $100 billion less than before source

08 Feb 2009 10:19

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U.S.: Obama ups the pass-the-stimulus pressure on Congress

  • In the midst of our greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, the American people were hoping that Congress would begin to confront the great challenges we face. That was, after all, what last November’s election was all about.
  • Barack Obama • in his weekly radio address. Obama has pushed hard for the $800+ billion stimulus bill to pass, particularly in the last week, when he’s seen resistance from Republican senators. They’re trying to accomodate, though: Senators debated the details of the plan in a rare Saturday session. • source

06 Feb 2009 20:25

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U.S.: OK, the Senate may finally get behind Obama’s economic plan

  • $805 billion, the size of the current stimulus package source

29 Jan 2009 18:37

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U.S.: Goodbye Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, we knew you well

  • 59-0 The state senate vote to kick Rod out of office source

29 Jan 2009 18:07

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U.S.: Blagojevich: You should’ve let me bring up my witnesses

  • How can you throw a governor, elected twice by the people, out of office when the rules don’t even require that you prove up elements of criminal allegations?
  • Rod Blagojevich • Illinois governor, in remarks at his impeachment trial today. Blagojevich claims that he was unable to bring his own witnesses to the trial, which was why he initially boycotted the proceedings. His remarks today were lengthy and repeated many points in a last-ditch effort to save his political career. • source
 

27 Jan 2009 09:27

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U.S.: Rod Blagojevich: He’s too busy with Larry King to testify

The Illinois governor’s private words could come to haunt him. source

26 Jan 2009 10:30

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U.S.: Russ Feingold: Senate appointments suck. Let’s kill them!

  • A new amendment Feingold, a beat-of-his-own-drummer Democratic Wisconsin senator noted for voting against the Patriot Act, has suggested that the recent New York and Illinois senate appointments have proven the idea to be antiquated. So, he plans to introduce an amendment later this week that ends senate appointments and replaces them with special elections. source
  • A new amendment Feingold, a beat-of-his-own-drummer Democratic Wisconsin senator noted for voting against the Patriot Act, has suggested that the recent New York and Illinois senate appointments have proven the idea to be antiquated. So, he plans to introduce an amendment later this week that ends senate appointments and replaces them with special elections.
  • “The will of the people” There is historic context to this, Feingold notes. “In 1913, the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution gave the citizens of this country the power to finally elect their senators,” Feingold said in a press release. “They should have the same power in the case of unexpected mid-term vacancies, so that the Senate is as responsive as possible to the will of the people.” source

20 Jan 2009 19:11

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U.S.: How are Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd doing?

  • Kennedy’s in the hospital Ted Kennedy had a seizure, but he’s OK and should be out of the hospital soon. Doctors say the seizure was brought on by “simple fatigue,” not anything scarier than that. Phew. source
  • Kennedy’s in the hospital Ted Kennedy had a seizure, but he’s OK and should be out of the hospital soon. Doctors say the seizure was brought on by “simple fatigue,” not anything scarier than that. Phew.
  • Byrd? Pssh, he was fine Robert Byrd’s staff claims he was in fact not sick, but he just left the luncheon. The 91-year-old Byrd, however, “remains very concerned about his close friend, Ted Kennedy,” said spokesman Mark Ferrell. source