[Washington Examiner] House ethics lawyer Blake Chisam has just recommended that Rep. Charlie Yez got nuttin' on me, coppers! Rangel receive a censure as punishment for 11 charges of violating the House rules.
A censure is a formal vote by the House to formally rebuke a member and it is considered the most serious of "wrist slap" punishments but far less serious than expulsion.
Rangel was convicted of charges ranging from failure to pay taxes, improper use of House stationary and using his powers as a politician to solicit money for a school named after him.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/19/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
While thought impossible, American politicians have sunk to piteously new lows. If this lout doesn't merit congressional expulsion, who does?
#6
What's the use of expelling him, his constituents would only re-elect him and send him back like they did with his predecessor, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. He'll only leave the Congress when he reaches room temperature and then there is no guarantee they won't re-elect him.
I love his defenders siting he needed some slack because he was a Korean War hero with a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
He should get the same slack Vietnam War hero Duke Cunningham received, free room and board at the crossbar hotel.
Crooked Black politicians are like Freddie Cruger, they just keep coming back. Think Marion Barry.
#7
Charlie is only the symptom of a greater problem, which is the electorate that continues to send crooks like these to the House.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/19/2010 11:19 Comments ||
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#8
Charlie, at least try to act chastised when they hit you with the big indian burn. And don't take it personally. You could shoot up a gas station with an AK and your idiot constituents would still vote you in. Everybody knows the only way you'll leave the job is in a box...
Rep. Charles Rangel of New York pleaded Thursday for "a drop of fairness and mercy" as he braced for likely punishment for his ethical misdeeds. He's...groveling? Nice. Makes it all worth it.
The Harlem Democrat, who rarely sticks to a script, released prepared remarks for a House ethics committee hearing that will decide how he should be sanctioned.
The 80-year-old Rangel was convicted Tuesday on 11 counts of violating House rules. He misused his office in fundraising for a college center named after him, set up a campaign office in a subsidized, residential-only apartment unit, made public a decade of misleading financial statements and failed to pay taxes for 17 years on rental income from a beach villa.
The committee of five members from each party will deliberate after hearing from Rangel and ethics chief counsel Blake Chisam. Chisam will recommend the punishment for the former Ways and Means Committee chairman.
"There can be no excuse for my acts of omission," Rangel said. "I've failed in carrying out my responsibilities. I made numerous mistakes. But corruption and personal enrichment are certainly not part of my mistakes."
Of course not - they're the goal. Only, please to call it 'serving my constituents'. It sounds so much more re-electable that way.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/19/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
His main problem is that Nancy is no longer in the cat bird seat.
Of course I would grant him fairness and mercy.
As much as he would grant me.
Posted by: Kelly ||
11/19/2010 12:27 Comments ||
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#3
EVERY American should make it a mission to, upon meeting Etheridge in public, grab his arm and demand "WHO ARE YOU!"...then let him go and say "Nobody, that's who"
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/19/2010 20:42 Comments ||
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#4
He can always go back to killing people as a part-time tobacco farmer.
I think he used to be my Congress critter when I lived in North Carolina.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
11/19/2010 23:11 Comments ||
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Just two weeks after an election that left him struggling to find his way forward, President Obama has decided to confront Senate Republicans in a make-or-break battle over arms control that could be an early test of his mettle heading into the final two years of his term.
He is pushing for a vote on a signature issue despite long odds, daring Republicans to block an arms-control treaty at the risk of disrupting relations with Russia and the international coalition that opposes Irans nuclear program. If he succeeds, Mr. Obama will demonstrate strength following the midterm election debacle. If he fails, he will reinforce the perception at home and abroad that he is a weakened president. Wake up NYTimes, the world already knows he is a weakened president As I said the other day, this is a mistake. There is no compelling reason to ram the NEW START treaty through now. The cuts are modest, the inspections, though useful, aren't absolutely required by either side (a given since we've been doing without them this past year), and the money to be saved is under-whelming. Whereas the potential restrictions on missile defense and nuclear weapons upgrades need to be discussed and vetted thoroughly, since (and yes, I'm a cynic) it's certainly possible that Bambi wants to restrict these -- an own goal. That, I suspect, is what is happening here; Bambi wants to fulfill the progressive agenda by killing missile defense, and is using NEW START to do it.
"Its really high stakes," said Geoffrey Kemp, a former national security aide to President Ronald Reagan and a scholar at the Nixon Center, a research group in Washington. "I would say its the biggest gamble hes taken so far, certainly on foreign policy."
"It is a national security imperative that the United States ratify the New Start treaty this year," said Mr. Obama, flanked by Henry A. Kissinger, James A. Baker III and Brent Scowcroft, all of whom served Republican presidents. "There is no higher national security priority for the lame-duck session of Congress."
The White House has only one Republican supporter, Senator Richard G. Lugar of Indiana. A survey of 14 other Senate Republicans who were considered possible supporters found none who were willing to publicly back the treaty. Ten of them said they were undecided or were waiting for the same assurances as Mr. Kyl, and four did not respond, suggesting that approval may depend on changing Mr. Kyls mind.
Moreover, 10 newly elected Republican senators who will take office in January signed a letter objecting to a lame-duck vote. "Out of respect for our states voters, we believe it would be improper for the Senate to consider the New Start treaty or any other treaty in a lame-duck session," said the letter, which was released by Senator-elect Roy Blunt of Missouri.
At this point, the Democratic strategy is to keep pressing for a deal with Mr. Kyl and to respond to every Republican question in an effort to minimize any pretext for opposition. Democrats would then take the treaty to the floor in December for up to seven days of debate and force Republicans to choose sides. They are banking that Mr. Kyl has been surprised that Mr. Obama is choosing to turn the issue into a public fight.
At the same time, by making it a test of his presidency, Mr. Obama risks making Republicans more reluctant to hand him a victory. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, has said his top priority is to deny Mr. Obama a second term.
Mr. Samore described the impact in more dire terms. "If we fail to act," he said, "I think it will damage the U.S. reputation as a country thats willing to lead." Sir, Obama has already damaged our reputation as a country that's willing to lead
#1
What I don't get is why he is wanting to waste his very little political capital that he has left on this. He could pick the low hanging fruit and extend the tax cuts and some other gainful (for him) bills that no one is too riled up about.
Instead he pushes this and continues to look weak and out of touch.
He is either following orders of a puppemaster, or is the stupidest and arrogant person I have ever seen.
#2
Eh, at least he didn't get Warren Christopher and Zbginiew Brezinski to join that little coven of foreign-policy realists and imbeciles backing him up on this. Because nothing screams "Carter Retread" like flailing around over a nuclear arms control treaty & getting the tar kicked out of you by a hostile congress full of cranky neo-conservatives.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
11/19/2010 13:15 Comments ||
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"He is either following orders of a puppemaster, or is the stupidest and arrogant person I have ever seen."
No reason it can't be both, Darth.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
11/19/2010 13:42 Comments ||
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I'm with you, Darth. Indeed, Bambi could have done something in the lame duck session to get an easy victory (e.g., 'compromise' on the tax cut extension), and at the same time polish some foreign policy gravitas by announcing that he WOULD consult with the Pub big-hitters like Kyl on NEW START. That would have been savvy and would have been seen as a nod to the center, which would have left him free (or at least freer) to hang left on other issues.
It's not like he's going to kill strategic missile defense. No matter how clever he thinks he is, all 41 Pubs in the Senate lame duck will stand united against that.
You'd think Mr. Axelrod and Ms. Jarrett would understand how to play the game, but perhaps they don't.
Bambi absolutely needs the Pubs on foreign policy these next two years. He won't get a thing done there without them. I just don't understand the calculation behind the political strategy he's using to try and jam NEW START through now.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/19/2010 14:57 Comments ||
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#6
he's trying to get it in time for his meet-and-bow with Medvedev to try and look Presidential. Instead he looks like the petulant narcissistic child that he is
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/19/2010 20:46 Comments ||
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"We now stand with this rule with countries like Iran, North Korea and Pakistan in banning gays and lesbians from military service," said Boxer. "Our brave young men and women fight alongside allies like Australia, the United Kingdom and others who allow gays and lesbians to serve openly. Let's not stand with Pakistan and with North Korea and Iran."
#3
Nobody will ever admit it but I'll bet that there were a lot of quiet sighs of relief in DC on election night, knowing that Babs had locked up the Stupidest Bitch in DC title for another six years and taken the pressure off of everybody...
#7
I mentioned this to a friend who noted that the Nazis had no real problem with "butch" homosexuals in their ranks.
Oddly enough, the Nazi "butch" homosexuals were at the forefront of persecuting the "pink" homosexuals, a facet of homosexual society that has never been popularly examined.
Among prominent homosexual Nazis was:
Ernest Roehm, leader of the SA;
Baldur von Schirach, leader of the Hitler Youth, who was reported to be a "bisexual."
Homosexual or "bisexual" -- Rudolf Hess, Julius Streicher, Hans Frank, Heinrich Himmler, and Reinhard Heydrich.
#8
If we were even remotely like Iran, you idiot, you'd be (1) out of a job, (2) forced to wear a scarf and a big black coat everywhere, and (3) told in no uncertain terms to shut up and let your betters the men do all the talking.
I concur with the SHUT UP part, you pandering traitor.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
11/19/2010 18:57 Comments ||
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Speaking to reporters Thursday, Democratic strategist James Carville dropped this one-liner: "If Hillary gave up one of her balls and gave it to Obama, he'd have two."
The quote was first noted by Tribune reporter Mike Memoli on his Twitter account.
Carville made his remarks at a breakfast discussion hosted by the Christian Science Monitor at Washington, D.C.'s St. Regis Hotel.
#10
TOPIX > FORMER RICHMOND [FedResvBank] OFFICIAL SEES {Baby] BOOMERS LIVING UNDER BRIDGE.
ARTIC = US RETIREES to see their HEIRS = KIDS + GRANDKIDS, ETC. being unable to successfully participate in the "American Dream", as due to a WORST-SEEN-IN-80-YEARS-SINCE-THE-GREAT-DEPRESSION ONGOING GLOBAL RECESSION wid PERVASIVE + ESCALATING
* High Unemployment.
* Poor Retirement Savings = Devaststed Pension Funds-Schemas.
* No Pensions in general.
Also in ARTIC > FORMER FED OFFICIAL = US WILL NEED TO CREATE 250,OOO NEW JOBS A YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS [2011-2015/2016] JUST TO LOWER THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE TO FIVE PERCENT, which is inherently ridiculous + unlikely.
D *** NG IT, AMERICA = AMERIKA, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL "ROAD" = HOBO UNION NOW, + PLANT YOUR WW2 = GWOT, POST-GWOT "VICTORY" GARDENS, LEST YEE BE DEEMED A TRAITOR TO THE HOMELAND!
[BOB HOPE + BING CROSBY starring in "ROAD TO PAKISTAN", "ABBOT-N-COSTELLO JOIN HOMELAND SECURITY/TSA" Movies here].
[Washington Examiner] Rep. Ron Paul took to the house floor to introduce legislation against the invasive screenings of the TSA.
During his speech, Paul denounced former Homeland Security chairman Michael Chertoff and big companies making money off of airport scanners and said that the American people were being treated like cattle.
"The argument from the executive branch is that, when you buy a ticket you have sacrificed your rights and that the duty of the government is to make us safe." said Paul, "That isn't the case, you never have to sacrifice your rights. The duty of the government is to protect our rights, not to use them and do what they have been doing to us."
Posted by: Fred ||
11/19/2010 00:00 ||
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Hopefully the american people will stop acting like cattle.
Anything to be safe (even if you get butchered at the end).
#2
The mistake the Marxist made in taking over academia was they destroyed not only the real record of America for their 'guilt game' but they also destroyed the warnings other people has learned through experience.
#4
A great alternative to body scanners at airports
The Israelis are developing an airport security device that eliminates the privacy concerns that come with full-body scanners at the airports.
It's a booth you can step into that will not X-ray you, but will detonate any explosive device you may have on you. They see this as a win-win for everyone, with none of the whining about racial profiling. It also would eliminate the costs of long and expensive trials. Justice would be swift. Case closed!
You're in the airport terminal and you hear a muffled explosion. Shortly thereafter an announcement comes over the PA system: "Attention standby passengers we now have a seat available on flight number ____. Shalom."
#6
Besoeker, that's the best idea since sliced bread. I hope they utilize it soon.
Then, when it turns out that the only people (and I use the term very loosely) to get 'sploded are paleos and paleo wanna-be's, we can listen to them whining that the Joooooooos are out to get them, the machines won't explode bombs on non-paleos, and the usual other bullsh*t.
I'll order more popcorn.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
11/19/2010 18:42 Comments ||
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#7
We're argueing about TSA, yet Net Neutrality is being pushed by the FFC and a bill got past the Judiciary Commitee that allows the Attorney General the "right to shut down websites with a court order if copyright infringement is deemed central to the activity of the site"?
We are being treated more like dogs. Point in one direction while gasping and doing something else while our backs turned.
Posted by: Charles ||
11/19/2010 19:52 Comments ||
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President B.O. and his political appointees have been agitating to unionize the TSA since January 2009. In Senate testimony last December, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano told Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., that she supported collective bargaining for the TSA, even after DeMint noted that every previous DHS administrator had opposed it on security grounds. This suggests that Napolitano's primary concern is not security, but rather keeping Obama's union allies -- who contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to him and his party -- in line for the 2012 campaign.
If each of the TSA's 50,000 employees pays $50 a month, that's $30 million a year in new dues revenue that will likely go to one of the two large federal employee unions vying to represent the TSA, the American Federation of Government Employees or the National Treasury Employees Union. Between them, AFGE and NTEU represent about 750,000 federal workers. The AFGE is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, which joined forces with the Service Employees International Union to spend $88 million electing Democrats in the midterms. The NTEU's Political Action Committee spent $577,597 in the 2010 election cycle, 97 percent of which went to Democrats. If the TSA unionizes, Democratic campaign coffers will get richer at the expense of national security, and it will no longer be merely a figure of speech to claim that federal bureaucrats have taxpayers by the genitals.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/19/2010 00:00 ||
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Allowing government workers to form unions is simply another form of taxation, extorting money from the electorate. Ban them all. Gov't workers who don't like their pay/bennies, are all (1) free to seek more remunerative employment in the private sector and/or (2) directly work as members of the electorate to increase taxes and increase their own pay (as if!).
#6
A noose on a short rope around the neck of Janet Napolitano, tied a very tall light post on the DC Mall would work wonders, too. Of course, we're too "civilized" to do anything like that, even for all the good it would do that entire city.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/19/2010 16:02 Comments ||
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#7
Supposedly, the legislation enabling the TSA specifically disallowed unionization.
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.
[Washington Examiner] House ethics lawyer Blake Chisam has just recommended that Rep. 
Rep. Charles Rangel of New York pleaded Thursday for "a drop of fairness and mercy" as he braced for likely punishment for his ethical misdeeds.
[Washington Examiner] 
