WASHINGTON, July 4, 2008
With Plenty To Do, Congress Takes Vacation
Congress Has Failed To Pass Bills Dealing With Nation's Mortgage, Energy Crisis But Go On Recess Anyway
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Relaxed Congress Under Fire
Although faced with pressing concerns such as the nation's mortgage crisis, Congress still managed to take an extended recess for Independence Day. Sharyl Attkisson reports from Washington.
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110th Congress
The balance of power shifts and new leadership takes control as the latest session convenes.
Congress said they felt our pain; they said they wouldn't be able to choke down their July 4th hot dogs unless they passed a bill to help with the mortgage crisis.
"It may knock a few people out of parades on July 4th or whatever," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid last week. "However long it takes us to do this."
They promised to stay, then promptly left with unfinished business.
It was just another blow to Americans hit by the mortgage crisis - tens of thousands of them spending the holiday barely hanging on to their homes.
Congress hasn't done any better on the energy crisis.
"We will lead our nation in a new direction toward energy independence that strengthens both our economic and national security," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over a year ago.
Back then gas prices had just hit a new record, $3.07. Today, prices stand at more than $4.09 and still there's no bill even under debate on Capitol Hill to address the crisis.
Congress' to-do list grows longer by the day:
There's one viable housing bill stalled in the Senate. It would help 400,000 people refinance their homes with affordable, government-backed loans.
Congress has so far failed to extend popular energy tax credits. Without them businesses and residents lose incentive to use renewable energy like wind and solar power.
In all, a dozen other major bills are waiting for attention:
Also on Congress' plate - 12 massive spending bills and dozens of judicial nominees.
Analysts say both sides are to blame for using political tactics that block even hugely popular measures. And time is running sort. Historian Douglas Brinkley says whatever didn't get done before July 4th doesn't stand much of a chance afterwards in a presidential election year.
This means 150 million hot dogs eaten, 8,000 foreclosures a day and gas at more than $4.09 a gallon. For many, Independence Day means having to get by - without depending on Congress.
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See all 98 CommentsThe Oil Puppet President.
Any Congressman who is lacking in the intelligence to see what is needed and the integrity to take the necessary steps ought to be permanently vacationed by their voters back home.
Drill now, drill here, pay less!
It''s not like you can override any veto to stop George Bush''s trickle down policy failures to correct the economy, so why try?
Republicans are still in control and that means you have to blame them for our current economic disaster.
The Democrats don''t feel anybody''s pain, they just want to make Americans suffer with higher fuel and food costs, so they can blame in on Republicans - and hope they fool enough people to get themselves elected again.
For this, and many other reasons, the Democrat controlled congress has got to go!
The Democrats don''t feel anybody''s pain, they just want to make Americans suffer with higher fuel and food costs, so they can blame in on Republicans - and hope they fool enough people to get themselves elected again.
For this, and many other reasons, the Democrat controlled congress has got to go!
And now, the DNC biggest fraud ever - Barack Obama - is cozying up to the likes of Bill Clinton and Ed Rendell. Yep, business as usual.
At least with McCain we can get rid of him in four years. With Obama though, we''ll be stuck with this lying fraud for eight years.
Wake up America, Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Clinton-Squared, Rendell and the DNC are complete and utter frauds. Lying, pandering, sleazy frauds.
Any prgressive who votes for this trash is an idiot. You will continue to be used by them. Think about it.
So be fair -- just because they take a recess doesn''t mean they aren''t working or haven''t tried. In fact, I just got back from a parade -- the third my Congressperson was in that day. And if you think parades aren''t work, then you''ve never been a candidate (or at least a good one....)
If the Dems can take the White House and a bigger majority in Congress, things MIGHT start to happen. But Americans need to know that we are in for tough times, and sacrifice will be called for and needed.
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This will happen only if we begin to hold those people accountable. So far they have skated in on empty promises and then started working their own agendas once elected. We need to show them who they work for and start recall elections if necessary.
didn''t they howl when the iraqi counterparts took their vacation?
you guys deserve an "F"
cause you''ve failed the american people again
first you had no spine to stand up to the damage bush was doing
(except howl in protest)
in violating the constitution with his signing statements and using inteligence agencies to spy on americans without court supervision
dismantling the economy piece by piece til we''re broke and serious problems for many years
you berated the iraqi leadership
what''s your excuse congress?
town meetings to listen to what the people want
well they want you in washington working for solutions to the mess the US in is
that''s what!
congress deserves it''s criticisms
I guess it''''s just the (D) behind the name that matters.................sad.
Posted by perceptions5
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the reason they vote for those jokers
(afterall they ARE truly politicians)
is the alternatives
another bush clone
with conservative ideology that doesn''t work
(afterall every republican president left the economy in worse condition that when they got it)
so what''s the alternative
the democrats
(sadly)
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Posted by loneeagle57 at 09:10 PM : Jul 04, 2008
One normally has to work to get a pay raise too but they don''t let that get in their way for that, either.
Politicians must compromise to get laws passed but the D leadership seems more interested in finding political gain from finding fault than creating viable law.
What a waste.
You know that is more important than "drilling our way out of this"
When he 14 he was appointed Congressional diplomatic ambassador to The Court of Catherine the Great of Russia! He served also as foreign ambassador, Secretary of state, U.S. representative, senator and of course President!
SPEECH BY JOHN QUINCY ADAMS July 4, 1837
%u201CWhy is it that, next to the birth day of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day.%u201D The fourth of July.
%u201CIs it not that, in the chain of human events, the birth-day of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birth-day of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer%u2019s mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity?%u201D
John Quincy Adams said the biggest victory won in the revolution was that Christian Principles and Civil government would be tied together in an indissolubly bond!
This is a Democratic majority congress. It will only be worse worse if you elect a Democratic president.
Remember, the rating for Congress is about 12 points BELOW Bush''s rating. I, for one, don''t want the kind of "change" Obama and the Democratic Party want to bring. We''ve had enough of them already!
I know you think I''m a Republican, but the truth is, McCain is not much better, but he is some better. Both candidates are pretty bad, and that makes me angry.
They show up barely 100 days a year; Queen Pelosi rakes in $217,400, Chancellors Reid and Hoyer get $188,100, and Court Fool Murtha and the rest get $169,300.
This means that they make more in ONE DAY than many Americans make in a paycheck.
In 1989 (when the Dumbocrats had control of both the House and the Senate) Congress passed an amendment allowing for AUTOMATIC cost of living raises, unless lawmakers specifically voted to reject it. THAT is why you never here from the Liberal Media that Congress votes for it''s own raises.
Since January 2001 gasoline prices have gone up at TWELVE TIMES the rate they averaged from January 2001 to January 2007.
If you want more of the same, vote Democrat.
If you really like it up the arse, vote for Obumbadumba; then the Dumbocrats will control it all.
Posted by Nancy_Naive at 11:21 PM : Jul 04, 2008"
Maybe you can have the starring role in the next installment. You are pre-qualified.
Posted by mygramma at 11:18 PM : Jul 04, 2008
Yeah, it gets pretty hot here in TN, too, especially when you''re working two jobs and still can''t afford to turn on the air conditioning! Wish I could take a vacation...
For further reading check the archives here at cbs news.com
They arive at work at 1130AM, read their mail, then go for a 2 hour lunch on the tax payer, then back to the office for another few hours and then home again.
They arive at work at 1130AM, read their mail, then go for a 2 hour lunch on the tax payer, then back to the office for another few hours and then home again.
Posted by bubbabear200 at 11:48 PM : Jul 04, 2008
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Yeah bubba i bet you are a congressmen aren''t you
The Democrats don''''t feel anybody''''s pain, they just want to make Americans suffer with higher fuel and food costs, so they can blame in on Republicans - and hope they fool enough people to get themselves elected again.
For this, and many other reasons, the Democrat controlled congress has got to go!
Posted by DemWatcher at 11:31 PM : Jul 04, 2008
As if the republiconartist did anything when they had control for six years.
republicans want more drilling for their cartel yet for six years they didn''''t even mention it WHEN THEY HAD CONTROL.
But the cons did do one thing they put this country into bankruptcy along with 30% of the population.
Posted by rharrin1 at 12:12 AM : Jul 05, 2008
Actually it was longer - 1994 to 2006
Ah yes, Fruitty Newtty and the "Contract on America" !!
Cheney Acknowledges He Lied About China Drilling ''60 Miles Off The Coast Of Florida''
On Wednesday, Vice President *** Cheney gave a speech to the Chamber of Commerce in which he claimed that China, in cooperation with the Cuban government, is drilling for oil "60 miles off the coast of Florida." "Even the communists have figured out" that drilling for oil is the solution to the energy crisis, Cheney argued.
It''s a talking point favored by the right wing. Cheney was quoting conservative columnist Geroge Will, who wrote on June 6 that China is drilling "60 miles off Florida," "closer to South Florida than U.S. companies are." The same day Cheney spoke, Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) wrote that Castro was allowing drilling "45 miles from the Florida keys." Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) have also raised the specter of Chinese drilling just off U.S. shores.
The problem, of course, is that the claim is completely false. After his claim was thoroughly debunked in the press, Cheney acknowledged that he had, in fact, lied in his speech, though his statement today offered no apology and issued only a half-hearted backtrack of his original claim:
It is our understanding that, although Cuba has leased out exploration blocks 60 miles off the coast of southern Florida, which is closer than American firms are allowed to operate in that area, no Chinese firm is drilling there.
http://tinyurl.com/4bklyr
The Democrats don''''''''t feel anybody''''''''s pain, they just want to make Americans suffer with higher fuel and food costs, so they can blame in on Republicans - and hope they fool enough people to get themselves elected again.
For this, and many other reasons, the Democrat controlled congress has got to go!
Posted by OneAmerican- at 12:04 AM : Jul 05, 2008
You betcha...
http://tinyurl.com/4bklyr
Posted by mygramma at 11:18 PM : Jul 04, 2008
You mean to tell me that with the trillions of dollars of taxpayer money Congress can''t put an air conditioner in the capitol?
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Yeah well Cheney also shot his buddy duck hunting one day. And was accused of looking at naked women while fishing what''s your point
Posted by harpoot at 12:49 AM : Jul 05, 2008
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Who says the next team will be any better
McCain flip flops with every speech and the AP has the audacity to give that label to Obama. Give me a freaking break.
The media is out to get McCain elected and keep the GOP i power. Give it up folks!
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