AM Feed - May 1: Bush Disobeys Over 750 Laws
Hot Topics
- So much for the rule of law: President Bush has disobeyed more than 750 laws enacted since he took office, claiming that it is his authority as president to do so. Bush’s decision to tap his inner Henry David Thoreau has occurred on a wide spectrum of policy fronts, including: military rules, affirmative action, “whistle-blower” protection, and protections against political interference in research. “There is no question that this administration has been involved in a very carefully thought-out, systematic process of expanding presidential power at the expense of the other branches of government,” said Philip Cooper, law professor at Portland State University. [link]
- Gas prices continue to hover close to $3 per gallon across the country, but a plan offered by Republicans in Congress to “deal” with the problem by offering $100 gas rebate checks to Americans is eliciting nearly as much scorn as the high prices. (Now, why, just a few months before a tough mid-term elections, would anyone offer to cut checks?) Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) has been the man behind the plan, which also ties in an initiative for oil drilling in Alaska. Negative reaction to the rebate plan has come from both leading conservatives and liberals alike. [link]
- Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) has already lost the chairmanship of the powerful House Administration Committee due to his role in the House Lobbying Scandal, and now it looks like federal prosecutors are set to conduct a wide-ranging probe of the Ohio congressman. Ney, who put favorable comments about Abramoff’s business partner in the Congressional Record and accompanied the lobbyist on a luxury golf trip to Scotland, has claimed he was “duped” by Abramoff. Federal officials opted against pursuing a narrowly-tailored bribery case against Ney in favor of a larger investigation. According to court documents from the cases of Abramoff, Michael Scanlon and Tony Rudy, Ney has been accused of accepting “a stream of things of value” in return for taking action. [link]
Quote of the Day
“Do I think they care about it? No, I don’t.” – Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA), speaking about his perception of voters’ reaction to the ongoing House Lobbying Scandal. Doolittle has hired a lawyer, and Congress’ approval rating stands at just 23 percent.
Morning Snark
- Could Rep. Doolittle be taking speech lessons from Sec. Rumsfeld? Yes he could be. Are both men currently facing some of the toughest challenges of their careers? Yes they are.
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— John May 1, 12:44 #
— Tamika May 1, 12:57 #
As for veganism, I went vegan back in 1995. I don’t want animals to be exploited, including humans. To call vegans terrorists is to render the designation all but meaningless. This is just the latest in an endless series of mindless notions of a morally bankrupt, anti-intellectual, hate-promoting, self-destructing plutocrats.
— John May 1, 13:13 #
— John May 1, 13:19 #
— deborah May 1, 14:50 #
— jen May 1, 18:54 #