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10 May 2009 13:02

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U.S.: Congress wants to encourage you to live healthy

  • Prevention and wellness should be a centerpiece of health care reform.
  • Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa • Who is taking the lead with legislation that encourages employers to implement wellness and prevention programs, a program supported by tons of other senators as well as President Barack Obama. Harkin, by the way, is the example-setter – he regularly climbs up the stairs to his seventh-floor office. Way to be a show-off, dude. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

03 May 2009 20:51

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U.S.: Good God, John Edwards sure fell from grace fast!

  • The affair Edwards, a former senator and veep candidate with John Kerry in 2004 who ran presidential primary campaigns in both 2004 and 2008, saw his political career quickly fall apart after news of an affair with Rielle Hunter broke last year. source
  • The affair Edwards, a former senator and veep candidate with John Kerry in 2004 who ran presidential primary campaigns in both 2004 and 2008, saw his political career quickly fall apart after news of an affair with Rielle Hunter broke last year.
  • The probe Edwards is now facing a federal investigation due to Hunter’s ties to organizations which his 2008 campaign gave significant funds to. Which means that his dirty laundry could possibly play out in a public courtroom. O_o source
  • The affair Edwards, a former senator and veep candidate with John Kerry in 2004 who ran presidential primary campaigns in both 2004 and 2008, saw his political career quickly fall apart after news of an affair with Rielle Hunter broke last year.
  • The probe Edwards is now facing a federal investigation due to Hunter’s ties to organizations which his 2008 campaign gave significant funds to. Which means that his dirty laundry could possibly play out in a public courtroom. O_o
  • The tell-all If all of this wasn’t bad enough for a guy who was almost vice president, his wife, Elizabeth, is about to release a book that airs that same dirty laundry – she admits to vomiting when finding out about the affair. O_O source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Apr 2009 10:16

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U.S.: The story that will not die, the Blago case, ropes in another guy

  • Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is on the hot seat now. Federal investigators have taken a larger interest in Jackson, son of a more famous Jesse Jackson and a Democratic congressman from Illinois. The day before former governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested, Jackson went to Blago in an attempt to sell him on appointing him to the seat. Whether that was through “I’m the right guy” truisms or through pay-for-play mechanisms, that’s what investigators hope to find out. Either way, he probably would’ve beat this guy any day of the week. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Mar 2009 14:08

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Politics, U.S.: The Republican who nearly joined Obama’s cabinet has beef

  • In the next five years, President Obama’s budget will double the national debt. In the next 10 years, it will triple the national debt.
  • Sen. Judd Gregg, R-NH • On Barack Obama’s budget plan and how it will saddle future generations with heavy debt. He says Obama’s plans “represent an extraordinary move of our government to the left.” Gregg nearly became commerce secretary but backed off after finding the ideological differences to be too extreme. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

24 Mar 2009 21:20

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Politics, U.S.: Maryland senator wants to save the newspaper, legislatively

  • About the bill Sen. Benjamin Cardin of Maryland introduced a bill today that would allow newspapers to be treated as nonprofit organizations and get tax breaks. They would not be able to make political endorsements (i.e. opinion sections), but they could report objectively on the news, including political campaigns. Cardin says the loss of journalism “is a real tragedy for communities across the nation and for our democracy.” source
  • About the bill Sen. Benjamin Cardin of Maryland introduced a bill today that would allow newspapers to be treated as nonprofit organizations and get tax breaks. They would not be able to make political endorsements (i.e. opinion sections), but they could report objectively on the news, including political campaigns. Cardin says the loss of journalism “is a real tragedy for communities across the nation and for our democracy.”
  • Why it’s needed In case you haven’t read the tone of this blog when we’re not making fart jokes, this is about journalism and its long-term future. Newspapers are getting closed left and right. Recently, the Ann Arbor News announced that it would fold its print edition, which is a big deal because Ann Arbor, Mich. is a one-paper town. This trend is not good for the economy, it’s not good for local news and it’s not good for the public. source
  • About the bill Sen. Benjamin Cardin of Maryland introduced a bill today that would allow newspapers to be treated as nonprofit organizations and get tax breaks. They would not be able to make political endorsements (i.e. opinion sections), but they could report objectively on the news, including political campaigns. Cardin says the loss of journalism “is a real tragedy for communities across the nation and for our democracy.”
  • Why it’s needed In case you haven’t read the tone of this blog when we’re not making fart jokes, this is about journalism and its long-term future. Newspapers are getting closed left and right. Recently, the Ann Arbor News announced that it would fold its print edition, which is a big deal because Ann Arbor, Mich. is a one-paper town. This trend is not good for the economy, it’s not good for local news and it’s not good for the public.
  • Reactions You can imagine some people like this a lot, while whiny cranks don’t. A sample: “Seriously, after all that the Media has done to this Country, to think that I would want them to survive is asinine. Stop the presses, shutter the doors, fire the editors and let’s all do this online or by word of mouth.” Here’s an editorial statement: People who say things like this are freaking idiots. Even when you say you don’t love them, you know you really do. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Mar 2009 21:13

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Biz, U.S.: *FOREHEAD SLAP* Good one Chris Dodd *FOREHEAD SLAP*

  • As many know, the administration was, among others, not happy with the language. They wanted some modifications to it. They came to us, our staff, and asked for changes, and the changes at the time did not seem that obnoxious or onerous.
  • Sen. Christopher Dodd • On adding a provision to the stimulus bill allowing AIG to give out massive bonuses to its employees. He was asked to make these changes by the Treasury, which seems to have a lot of power over legislation considering they’re not legislators. Dodd wants to tax the bonuses, BTW. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Feb 2009 11:03

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U.S., World: John Kerry’s in Gaza looking all authoritative

Dude, we know that it’s the first Congressional trip to Gaza since 2000, but did you have to wear a suit? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink
 

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
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Jan 2009 10:09

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U.S.: Naming names: Oprah was considered for Obama’s old seat

  • She seemed to be someone who would help Barack Obama in a significant way become president. She was obviously someone with a much broader bully pulpit than other senators.
  • Rod Blagojevich • Illinois governor, on one appointment consideration he had for Barack Obama’s old senate seat, iconic daytime talk-show host Oprah Winfrey. The governor is facing an impeachment trial for allegedly making that seat pay-for-play. He chose to take his case to “Good Morning America” today, rather than testify at his own trial. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 Jan 2009 14:09

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U.S.: Kirsten Gillibrand isn’t a Kennedy, but she is a New York Senator

  • I aspire to follow in her footsteps, knowing her shoes I can only hope to fill.
  • Kirsten Gillibrand • on Hillary Clinton, whose former New York Senate seat she was appointed to earlier today. Gillibrand got the nod over Caroline Kennedy, who was long-speculated to be a shoo-in for the seat. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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