Congress

Bush's veto of the Medicare bill early has been overridden by Congress. Here are the numbers:

House: 383-41
Senate:70-26

Not sure if McCain showed up for the vote, but I highly doubt it.

In a recent poll Democrats are trusted more on every single issue than Republicans. That includes national security and the "war on terror". Also Republicans in Congress are rated much lower than Democrats in Congress. Glenn has all the details.

Rep. Ron Lewis (R-KY) has announced he won't run for re-election. This brings the total number of Republicans in the House not running to 26.

Very interesting article that deserves a good reading. It shows how Blackwater is throwing their hat into the political ring in order to keep some seats in the hands of the GOP. Morale of the story? Republicans will let Blackwater go on with their reckless killing of Iraqis.

That's what he said last night. Unfortunately for him it's his own party that is balking at the idea:

Even as Bush called on Congress to cut earmarks in half and announced an executive order cracking down on the projects, Republicans in Congress were sending out a mixed message about what their party really stands for when it comes to pork barrel spending.

In the House, Minority Leader John A. Boehner has called on Democrats to agree to a six-month moratorium on earmarks and new guidelines for approving the spending projects.

Conservatives criticized the idea as too timid and are pushing for GOP members to unilaterally swear off earmarks.

Even a senior GOP appropriator is calling it nothing more than a PR move:

David Hobson (R-Ohio), a senior Republican appropriator, was even more explicit. “I think our guys are searching for a way to get back into the majority,” Hobson said. “It’s kind of an emotional thing they’re trying to do, … it’s a PR move.”

Hobson noted that he was “proud of every earmark” he’s ever put in an appropriations bill in his nine terms in the House.

Wow this is all from the party of "fiscal responsibility". I just love GOP meltdowns.

This time it is a former democratic staffer:

A former office manager for Rep. Jane Harman (Calif.) and two other House Democrats pleaded guilty yesterday to fraud for taking $200,000 in public money by submitting phony expense reports, according to Justice Department and House documents.

Laura I. Flores, 47, of Arlington pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in federal court in Alexandria and is scheduled to be sentenced May 2, officials said. She faces as much as 20 years in prison.

It's always good for the country to see these crooks get busted.

Funny how they were so against ethics reform a few months ago, but now they want earmark reform. Yes we do need it, but I can't help think that this is an election year ploy, especially when they are issuing this statement from a lobbyist funded retreat. They also had no problems with earmarks a couple of years ago when people like Ted Stevens was trying to build the bridge to nowhere.

So why want the change now? The most obvious answer lies in the calendar. Republicans know there is a really good chance they will loose the White House this year and even fall into a deeper minority status in both houses. If this doesn't help give them some votes then it might end up stopping Earmarks in a time when D.C. is controlled by Democrats and Republicans will not be able to get any of their own pet projects through.

Perhaps this has something to do with it:

The surprise announcement comes within hours of the congressman's daughter, Katie Weldon, being arrested and jailed, accused of attacking an employee at a Brevard County bar.

(ht MyDD)

Interesting how many legal problems seem to plague the GOP and their families.

Rep. Dave Weldon of Florida is another one to go. That makes 25 GOP members leaving the House this year. Mass exodus indeed.

That is from article 2, section 2 of the United States Constitution. Here is the full text:

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

So he needs 2/3rds of the present Senators to concur in order to enter any treaty. Well lawmakers are starting to question his deal with Iraq to keep troops there indefinitely:

Jim Welsh of New York is the latest in the massive GOP exodus from Capital Hill.

We hear Bush saying how he will get rid of earmarks all the time. Well that doesn't look like the case so much:

But Bush hesitates to exercise his authority. Surely he doesn’t fear challenging a Congress that trails him in public approval surveys. House Republican Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., has reportedly warned administration officials that meddling with earmarks will anger GOP members who are responsible for 40 percent of those in the 2008 spending bills. But what about angry taxpayers who see their hard-earned tax dollars being shoveled out the back door, and who correctly view earmarks as politically corrupting payoffs?

Good to see one Republican demanind accountability:

The Government Accountability Office should "initiate a full and thorough investigation" of allegations that the firefighting systems at the new U.S. Embassy complex under construction in Baghdad have potential safety problems, a senior lawmaker said yesterday.

Rep. Frank R. Wolf (Va.), ranking Republican on the Appropriations Committee panel that handles funding for the State Department, wrote Comptroller General David M. Walker to request the inquiry and to ask that initial findings of the review be provided to the Appropriations Committee in "no later than 45 days" because of "the importance of providing security for dedicated and professional personnel in Iraq."

Of course the wingnuts will quickly label Wolf as a RINO for wanting answers to this disgrace. The tax payers are tired of our money being wasted away in Iraq by this administration and this embassy shamble is just a small part of a much larger list of wasted funds.

Richard Baker of Louisiana to retire effective February 7th.

At least something is getting done:

The processed cheese has been replaced with brie. The Jell-O has made way for raspberry kiwi tarts and mini-lemon blueberry trifles. Meatloaf has moved over for mahi mahi and buns have been shunted aside in favor of baguettes.

A revolution is afoot at the deli counters, grills and salad bars of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Read on