Vrdolyak has been an insider in Chicago since the 1960s. I was reading his name in the paper when I was in junior high.
When Fast Eddie Vrdolyak effectively got his hand kissed by a federal judge Thursday and walked free after pleading guilty to a million-dollar fraud, I thought of that movie.
The one with Michael, Fredo, Frankie Five Angels and Hyman Roth. And that line uttered by Kay, after Michael beat the feds:
I suppose that I always knew you were too smart to let any of them beat you.
You want smart? Vrdolyak didn't have to pay for a trial. He admitted guilt and walked anyway.
I've known him for years, fascinated by this highly charismatic, yet dangerous Mephistophelean who spent his life leveraging political power the Chicago Way. Unlike some current phonies, he never hid his ambition behind a lace curtain. He was about what he was about: the action, the money and the chase. See the rest of the article.
Nancy Pelosi repeatedly stood to applaud Barack Obama when he addressed a joint session of Congress Tuesday night. But in the days since, the speaker of the House has been standing up for herself distancing herself from the president on Iraq, on tax cuts and on the prosecution of former Bush administration officials.
Pelosis aides say the speaker was comfortable playing the role of Obamas shield during the stimulus fightRepublicans teed off on her rather than on the immensely popular new presidentand that she remains strongly supportive of the administration on health care, energy and education reform.
But on Iraq and other high-profile issues that matter to her, aides say Pelosi has no intention of holding her tongue when she thinks Obama is wrong.
And shes not alone.
While Newt Gingrich complained that Tuesdays night unofficial State of the Union looked like a Democratic pep rally, the aftermath has looked more like a sibling rivalry.
On Wednesday morning, Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.)the longest-serving member of the Senateaccused Obama of trying to steal power from Congress by appointing White House czars to handle issues that would otherwise be handled by departments subject to congressional oversight.
On Wednesday night, Pelosi made it clear to MSNBCs Rachel Maddow that she wasnt happy with Obamas plan to leave 50,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and that, unlike Obama, she absolutely favors criminal prosecutions for any Bush administration officials involved in torture or other excesses in the fight against terrorism.
On Thursday, Pelosi said shed move faster than Obama is to roll back Bush-era tax cuts. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman Chuck Schumer joined Pelosis critique of Obamas plan to leave. Reid urged Obama not to push too hard to eliminate congressional earmarks. And Democratic Rep. Gene Taylor of Mississippi took a shot at Obamas budget, saying change is not running up even bigger deficits that George Bush did.
Congressional Democrats are hardly in open revolt. But Obama apparently took the criticisms of his Iraq plan seriously enough that he summoned Democratic and Republican leaders to the White House to brief them on the plan Thursday evening in advance of his roll-out Friday at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
A senior Pelosi aide said Thursday that the president and the speaker share the same vision and the same goals overall.
She is totally supportive of him on most things, the aide said. But as with anything, there are going to be disagreements.
Pelosi's public disagreements with Obama reflect her strongly held personal views as well as the views of the majority of her caucus, which is liberal/progressive. Pelosi is always cognizant that her most important constituency is her base among House Democrats.
As she respects and protects that base, pushing back against the president has its advantages. Democratic aides have talked over the past few weeks of Pelosi's need to sometimes "triangulate" against Obama with Reidto deliver a don't-tread-on-me-message to the White House and to keep Reid and Obama from establishing a permanent political double-team.
The end-game of the stimulusduring which Pelosi was forced to grapple with a final Obama-Reid deal reinforced those motives.
"We can't let the Senate always push us around by shouting, 'We need 6O!" a House Democratic aide said a week ago.
Some of the disagreements between Pelosi and Obama are substantive; some of them are about turf.
Even before Obama took office, Pelosi told his soon-to-be chief of staff, former Rep. Rahm Emanuel, to butt out of House Democratic affairs.
In a recent private meeting, Democratic insiders say Pelosi and Obama butted heads over his desire to cut down in earmarks in annual apending bills.
The earmarks are popular punching bagsthe Obama administration vowed that thered be none in the stimulus packagebut theyre also popular with a lot of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Pelosi, aware of that reality, told Obama that shed help to cut back on earmarks, but not as quickly as he might like, insiders said.
We are reducing them, but members still want them, a Democratic insider said Pelosi told the president.
Pelosi, of course, remains a strong Obama supporter.
On Thursday, she called his 2010 budget proposal a message of realism, but . . . also a message of optimism and hope. And she expressed support for Obamas proposal to set aside $634 billion as a down payment toward health care reform. Pelosi argued that the country must make changes to the Medicare and Medicaid programs in order to put its financial house in order, and she chided Republicans by arguing that Obamas plan represents the entitlement reform for which they often clamor.
If we are ever going to address the fiscal challenge that we face and that includes all of our spending, but sometimes more frequently described through the entitlements we must have health care reform, Pelosi said.
Top Pelosi aides downplayed the differences she has with the president, and note that she supports 95 percent of his agenda.
They also point out that Pelosi has stated repeatedly that her role is not to simply execute the presidents wishes a lapdog role she repeatedly accused former Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) of playing when the GOP controlled the House during the Bush years.
She has a difference of opinion with Obama on some issues, a senior Democratic staffer acknowledged. But unlike recent Republican speakers, shes not going to be a rubber stamp for the president.
#1
I'm sure once Barry comes to accept the fact that she actually believes she runs the country, he should have no problems with this dried out piece of skank meat.
Watch your back, Barry...
Posted by: Mike ||
02/27/2009 15:22 Comments ||
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#5
A D>C> Mortuarary had 3 bodies delivered on afternoon. One was an Irishman. He had won the Lottery and spent the money on Booze and died with a smile on his face. One was an Old Man who was wealthy and had a trist with 2 very attractive hookers. He had a heart attack and died with a smile on his face. The other was Nanct Pelosi. She still had a smile on her face but she had been struck by lightning and thought the flash was someone taking her picture.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
02/27/2009 18:24 Comments ||
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#6
Gawd, who did that photoshop job?
Posted by: Rednek Jim ||
02/27/2009 18:26 Comments ||
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#7
I don't think it's photoshopped, RJ....just a little Botox slippage.
You suckers will never learn, the best friends Israel has ever had have been Trunks.
NEW YORK (CBS) ¯ In a swift about face from her views as New York's senator, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is now hammering Israel over its treatment of Palestinians in Gaza.
As First Lady, Clinton raised eyebrows when she kissed Suha Arafat.
Since she was then seeking a Senate seat the resulting brouhaha caused her to "re-think" her positions. "I'm a very strong supporter of Israel," Clinton said back in February 2000.
On Thursday, as Secretary of State she had yet another about face in the form of angry messages demanding Israel speed up aid to Gaza. Jewish leaders are furious. "I am very surprised, frankly, at this statement from the United States government and from the secretary of state," said Mortimer Zuckerman, publisher of the New York Daily News and member of the NYC Jewish Community Relations Council.
"I liked her a lot more as a senator from New York," Assemblyman Dov Hikind, D-Brooklyn, said. "Now, I wonder as I used to wonder who the real Hillary Clinton is."
Clinton's decision to hammer Israel comes as the Clintons and President Barack Obama are planning to give the Palestinians $900 million toward the rebuilding of Gaza in the wake of the Israeli offensive that was sparked by Hamas rocket fire. "We are working across the government to see what our approach will be," Clinton said.
"I don't believe that we should be in a position at this point to do anything to strengthen Hamas," Zuckerman said. "We surely know what Hamas stands for as I say they are the forward battalions of Iran."
For some, Clinton's change of position is upsetting. "I feel it's unfortunate that they don't continue the policy of the Bush administration, which was much more pro-Israel," said Akiva Homnick of Jerusalem.
"I happen to have a lot of family who live in Israel and I feel, personally, when you are dealing with people who are very strong against you, you have to stand up to them," said Tami Davudoff of Kew Gardens.
"Hillary had Mrs. Arafat here and she invited Mrs. Arafat for lunch when she was the first lady," added Babak Chafe of Great Neck. "She is pro-Palestinian 100 percent, really. Of course, we always knew it."
"The easy way to make a peace agreement is to pressure Israel because you can't pressure the Arabs," said Solomon Loewi of Monsey, N.Y.
All this could lead to a chilly reception when Mrs. Clinton arrives in the Middle East next week.
The new U.S. envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, arrived in Israel on Thursday with a mission to inject new life into peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
#1
(1) You suckers will never learn, the best friends Israel has ever had have been Trunks.
I would amend this to say "the best friends Israel has ever had vote Republican".
American ruling classes---just like European, always been friends of petrodollars.
(2) I'd like to add "You ain't seen nothing, suckers. Wait till your 'hope and change' starts looking for scapegoats to blame for worsening economic conditions."
#3
How is this different than the black special interest groups that blindly support a party that sacrifices their children and future to the NEA and the teachers unions? /rhetorical question.
#5
Jews Say Secretary Of State Not the Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright, Warren Christopher, Lawrence Eagleburger, James Baker, George Shultz, Alexander Haig, Ed Muskie, Cyrus Vance, Henry Kissinger, William Rogers, David Rusk Hillary Clinton They Used to Know.
#6
When all is said and done, I think a Higher Power may haul obambi up short when "the one" tries to put His chosen people under the bus...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
02/27/2009 10:48 Comments ||
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#7
"I liked her a lot more as a senator from New York," Assemblyman Dov Hikind, D-Brooklyn, said. "Now, I wonder as I used to wonder who the real Hillary Clinton is."
#9
Some Hillary apologists are saying that this criticism of Israeli delivery of food to Gaza is just performance art done to get street cred with Arabs. According to this theory, it puts her in a better position to use 'smart diplomacy' to get something from Egypt, Jordan, the Saudis, the PA, whatever.
Reported today that the Senate passed a bill (S160, aka HR226) to afford the District of Columbia a vote in the House. Buried within is an amendment (S34) ostensibly to ban reemergence of the 'Fairness Doctrine' by the FCC. However, the wording of this amendment is reported to suggest an assymetric affront on the freedoms of Americans on the radio waves. Air America failed due to 'free market conditions'. However, it is asserted by those now in power that radio needs to be 'more fair', despite the calls to renounce the Fairness Doctrine.
If somebody else is able to grab the text I'm referring to in this amendment, put it in a new post. It's far too important to stick in a comment.
For your reading pleasure, here is the text of a Kentuckian from almost a month ago regarding his misguided perceptions of freedom (the ignorance displayed here is the same ignorance I run into in speaking with anyone of liberal staid):
H.R. 226: Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2009. Suppression Of The Fairness Doctrine.
James Pence Videos
Opinion by Ron Leach
While the new administration and US Legislature (with significant bi-partisan support) are attempting to hit the ground running with an appropriate sense of urgency and pragmatic non-partisan solutions this moment in our nation's history requires, there are still those among our representatives that choose to hit the ground digging, building a bunker and fortification to protect their narrow agenda and self interests rather than represent our commonwealth or our nation. Regrettably, it appears that two of our state's own US house members (Brett Guthrie, R-KY-2, and Geoff Davis, R-KY-4) are among those entrenched in protecting a narrow non-representative agenda and not ready to lend a hand towards steering a nation beyond the divisive partisan poisoned politics of the past several decades. Congressman Davis and Guthrie's early record in the 111th congress suggests that they do not understand that we need to get past the divisive culture and partisan wars of the past. They do not recognize that the urgency of our dire state and national condition does not benefit from entrenched partisanship and the stale old battle lines. They fail to acknowledge that at this crucial moment in history that non-partisan solutions and grand bargains are required and that the electorate has endorsed and is demanding a new direction, a new political environment, new responsibility, openness to ideas and a transparent and effective government.
A quick look at their positions, co-sponsorships, and voting record in these early days of the 111ht congress support my suggestion that they just dont get it.
I will discuss one example presently co-sponsorship of HR 226.
Despite the tragic results of the previous eight years of rule by executive decree, stove pipe decision making and shredding of the basic tenets of our constitution - made possible to a great degree by the systematic silencing and or slandering of any and all voices of opposition (no matter the experience, esteem, moderate nature or true patriotism of those opposition voices); Congressman Guthrie and Davis are cosponsoring House Resolution 226 that seeks to prevent the Federal Communications Commission from enacting any regulation that might promote the free marketplace of ideas and opinions. Specifically it seeks to ensure that the FCC can not reinstate the "Fairness Doctrine" which was suspended during the early years of the radical rights's rise in the mid 1980's. HR 226 reads "Commission shall not have the authority to prescribe any rule, regulation, policy, doctrine, standard, or other requirement that has the purpose or effect of reinstating or re-promulgating (in whole or in part) the requirement that broadcasters present opposing viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance, commonly referred to as the `Fairness Doctrine'".
It is no surprise that this would be a first order of business for those entrenched in a narrow radical agenda. It was this suspension of the Fairness Doctrine and the suppression of equal access to our airwaves, consolidation of the media, and a suppression of free speech, that enabled the radical right to consolidate its power and reshape the political and social landscape into the social, economic and political ruble that the right's revolution has left us with. Their message of radical partisanship and an agenda serving the select few can only flourish in a vacuum devoid of open thought and exchange of ideas that is the right wing propaganda machine. There is a continued strength of this well funded, focused, and disciplined machine; despite being thoroughly discredited by the culminating collapse of the past year. But a narrow self serving agenda which is represented by the radical right depends on the continued suspension of the open exchange of ideas promoted by the Fairness Doctrine. Congressman Guthrie and Davis co-sponsorship of HR 226 represents their endorsement of the continued suppression of free speech and exchange of ideas.
Let Congressman Guthrie and Davis know that we do not fear the open and free expression of ideas. Let them know that the strength of a free people and a truly representative democracy require protection and the free exercise of all voices. If their tired discredited dogma and narrow ideology that has brought our nation to our current broad based national crises can survive in a free market place of ideas, so be it. If it requires the continued suppression of a balanced and open marketplace of ideas as an artificial life support, then let their radial right ideology die a natural death and take its place in history with the multitude of other failed ideologies which have sought to favor the few and suppress the democratic process.
Congressman Guthrie and Congressman Davis; It is time to lead, follow, or get out of the way. Clinging to the failed ideologies of the past, propped up via the suppression of free and fair expression, will not serve the commonwealth of Kentucky or our Nation.
#3
<<<<<< Congressman Davis and Guthrie's early record in the 111th congress suggests that they do not understand that we need to get past the divisive culture and partisan wars of the past.>>>>
I am always intrigued when this type of argument is raised. What is the dickens do these people think? The legislation of the past month together with proposed attacks on business, the class warfare, attacks on 2nd amendment rights is as potent a formula for creating division as anything for years. The dishonesty inherent in Obama speeches from proclaiming he doesn't believe in big government to proposing just that to all of the other inconsistencies which emerge daily. This is all a consequence of a reaction against Bush. The only slogan which really worked was "anybody but Bush". Few really debated the alternative in depth. Shelby Steel pointed out that Obama was a fraud over a year ago and so did Sowell. But because they are black they got away with it.
Frankly the majority elected Obama for the same reason that dogs eat grass.
#5
This is the typical kind of writing from liberals. They use hundreds of words without actually saying anything at all. I mean, read that first paragraph and ask yourself, exactly what is he saying? There are no specifics, no hard facts, no dates, absolutely nothing but a lot of vague accusations. I'll be damned if I'm gonna wade through all that to try to figure what his point really is. It's buried too deep and I don't have time for it.
Congress went on a pork-a-palooza yesterday, approving a massive spending bill with big bucks for Hawaiian canoe trips, research into pig smells, and tattoo removal - all while the nation faces an economic crisis.
Among the recipients of federal largesse is the Polynesian Voyaging Society of Honolulu, which got a $238,000 "earmark" in the bill. The group organizes sea voyages in ancient-style sailing canoes like the ones that first brought settlers to Hawaii. The sailing club has a powerful wind at its back in the person of Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The bill also has a whopping 8 percent increase over last year for the numerous federal agencies it funds.
New York got its share of earmarks, among them $475,000 to "improve and expand" the Italian American Museum in Little Italy. The project was pushed by New York Reps. Gary Ackerman and Jerrold Nadler. The latter touted it, among other earmarks, on his Web site.
Nadler also announced $4.5 million for new park development in Manhattan.
Uncle Sam's generosity extends upstate, where there's $950,000 to convert a railroad bridge over the Hudson River into a walkway in Poughkeepsie.
Earmarks totaled at least $3.8 billion - a figure used by the House Appropriations Committee.
But the watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense calculates that there are an astonishing 8,570 earmarks at a cost of $7.7 billion.
The bill, which critics slammed as larded with pork, has big bucks to combat putrid stenches in the heartland, with $1.7 million for "Swine Odor and Manure Management Research." That's on top of $1.9 million in each of the last two years, or nearly $6 million over the last three years.
The swine research center, at Iowa State University in Ames, got funds through the Agricultural Research Service, and aims to improve the smell of animals and the lagoons where waste is stored.
There's funding for mosquito trapping in Gainesville, Fla. - requested by Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut. The research deals with the West Nile virus, and was funded at $1.2 million in each of the last two years.
The House packaged the bill from several spending measures held over from last year. It needs to pass the Senate and be signed into law by President Obama.
Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, whom Obama vanquished in November, is calling on the president to veto it.
But Democratic leaders say the spending spree was a bipartisan affair, with up to 40 percent of the earmarks coming from Republicans.
Obama has criticized earmarks and insisted they be kept out of stimulus legislation - a suggestion that drew laughs from Republicans at the president's address to Congress Tuesday night.
Another earmark, by Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) provides $200,000 for a "tattoo-removal violence-outreach program" in Los Angeles. The funds would buy a tattoo-removal machine to help gang members erase signs of their past.
Meanwhile, Obama is set to unveil a proposal today that sets aside $634 billion over the next 10 years for health-care reform. He plans to pay for it, in part, by capping tax deductions for families that earn more than $250,000 a year.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2009 00:00 ||
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Link ||
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Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee have asked the Obama administration to conduct an inquiry into comments by Senator Dianne Feinstein that appeared to confirm the existence of a secret US facility inside Pakistan used to carry out drone attacks in the Tribal Areas. Amid growing concern inside Pakistan over the strikes, Newsweek reported that the unusual request by the Republicans sought a 'damage assessment' into the remarks by Feinstein, the new chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The request was made in a secret letter to Dennis Blair, Obama's new director of national intelligence, sent recently by Republican Pete Hoekstra and other Republicans on the House intel panel, according to several congressional sources quoted by Newsweek.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
People on the ground and your fat lips move. Shopping cart lady.
#4
That's the good news Depot Guy. The bad news is you've been assigned to conduct the formal damage assessment. Your S: is March 15th. Requests for S: extensions will not be authorized.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has ordered a review of a Tuesday, Feb. 24, raid at Yamato Engine Specialists in Bellingham that resulted in the arrests of 28 workers believed to be in the country illegally.
Napolitano told lawmakers during a hearing in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday that she did not know about the raid before it happened and was briefed on it early Wednesday. She has asked U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which conducted the raid, for answers.
On Tuesday morning, ICE agents descended on the shop and rounded up 25 men and three women. Most of the people arrested are in custody at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, where they await deportation proceedings. Three of the 28 were women who were processed and released to allow them to care for their children.
Of the 28, agents found 25 Mexican nationals and one person each from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.
In a statement Tuesday, ICE officials said many of the people obtained the jobs using fake Social Security numbers and other counterfeit documents.
Shirin Dhanani Makalai, whose family owns the business, said the raid came after months of cooperating with ICE on an audit, which included providing employee rosters to federal authorities. She said her business does not advocate hiring illegal immigrants.
"We try to stay within the guidelines, within the law," Makalai said Tuesday.
#4
Napolitano told lawmakers during a hearing in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday that she did not know about the raid before it happened and was briefed on it early Wednesday.
If the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security needs to approve all raids then there won't be many of them.
That's the whole point DoDo. The Obamanation wants us to be flooded with his socialist dupes. What kind of king can you be without all the peons beholding to you?
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Nancy Pelosi repeatedly stood to applaud Barack Obama when he addressed a joint session of Congress Tuesday night. But in the days since, the speaker of the House has been standing up for herself distancing herself from the president on Iraq, on tax cuts and on the prosecution of former Bush administration officials. 
Congress went on a pork-a-palooza yesterday, approving a massive spending bill with big bucks for Hawaiian canoe trips, research into pig smells, and tattoo removal - all while the nation faces an economic crisis.
