senators

The bailout passed with 75% of the senators signing on to it. Why did it pass with such huge margins? Well, they “sweetened” the deal, adding numerous earmarks, entitlements, and bloat to it. The bail out bill is no longer $700 billion. It is now $850 billion. It is time to get rid of the aweful [...]

I sent this over to Boxer and Feinstein today to encourage them to vote against the boondoggle being placed on their desk tonight: NO TAXPAYER BAIL OUT OF LEVERAGED FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. This bail out is wrong on numerous levels and MUST be voted down. 1. It expands the power of the Treasury FAR beyond any reasonable level with minimal [...]

``We find it way out of line that these two executives will be rewarded with millions of dollars in bonus compensation at a time when taxpayer dollars may have to be deployed to cover any financial losses caused by errors in management,'' Democrats Charles Schumer of New York and Jack Reed of Rhode Island wrote today to James Lockhart, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Mudd and Syr

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: The following editorial comments are in reaction to the actions this week by the five Republicans in the "Gang of 10" Most of us have been to varied team sporting events: e.g., Soccer, Football, Basketball, Baseball and Hockey. For the team to win, the members of the team must all remain [...]

It seems Angelo Mozilo never met a person of influence he didn't want to make into a "Friend of Angelo's," who would qualify for rate reductions and elimination self-admitted 'garbage fees' in exchange for real and perceived favors in the past and in the future. So how can I get a refund for the fees I paid when I got a loan through Countrywide?? According to a cover story in Portfolio magazine

Republican Senate leaders — terrified by the prospect of losing five or more seats in November — have freed their members to vote however they need to vote to get reelected, even if that means bucking the president or the party’s leadership. On at least four votes over the past month — Medicare, housing, the [...]

Washington, DC - The scandal surrounding the Dodd-Countrywide mortgage bailout bill continues to grow, as news surfaced that Barack Obama received a suspicious deal on a home mortgage in 2005 from Northern Trust in Illinois. The massive $1.32 million loan, nicknamed a “super super jumbo” loan by mortgage lenders, allows Senator Obama to pay [...]

Back in May I wrote about a chemical weapons testing site in the heart of DC that was used during WWI to test the most dangerous toxic chemicals for possible retaliation against the Germans. (You can read the post HERE) The site was not properly cleaned-up after the military was done with its testing and in 1993 chemical supplies were unearthed in a suburban neighborhood built over the former

Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Richard Shelby (R-AL), Chairman and Ranking Member respectively of the Senate Banking Committee, sent a letter to the Fed, SEC and the Treasury cautioning them against rushing into inter-agency 'Memorandum of Understanding' to reform regulation of financial institutions on Wall Street. In the letter, Dodd and Shelby recognize the agencies’ efforts to improve and

The Senate is soon voting on H.R. 6304, the Hoyer/Bush FISA Deal that passed the House of Representatives yesterday. It is time to call your Senators and urge them to vote "NO." This so-called compromise grants retroactive telecom immunity and is a blow to our civil liberties.According to People for the American Way:By giving legal "immunity" to these companies, all lawsuits brought against them b

Tomorrow, the Senate votes on a particularly malicious piece of legislation, the Climate Security Act, which will affect neither climate nor security. Better call your senator today--unless $8 a gallon gasoline sounds good to you.

David Brooks took aim yesterday at the flaws these two titanic candidates have. And why neither of them have a clear path to Oval Office. It's refreshing to get away from the campaign rhetoric and look at the reality these men are facing. 

The McCain-Lieberman-Warner bill to introduce legislation fighting global warming is set for debate in the U.S. Senate starting today.  Tell your senators to vote against this egregious bill that will only hurt the economy by causing more inflation.  A recent poll found 65% of Americans oppose spending any more on gasoline in efforts to stop global warming. [...]

Senate President Manny Villar’s TV commercial about his helping to OFW was circulating during primetime TV. If Bayani Fernando was known for his early campaigning with his huge billboards, Senate... A certified Ortigas blogger...Writing is life!

On May 23, 2008, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and Ranking Member Charles Grassley issued a Press Release announcing the Prepare for Launch: Health Reform Summit 2008 (Summit) for Senators and Representatives to discuss options for health care reform in 2009. The Summit will be held at the Library of Congress on June 16, 2008 and be part of a year long series of Senate Finance Commi

After the Low-Tech Times reported on possible health risks associated with plastic bottles, some United States Senators have blasted the Food and Drug Administration for not taking action to protect the public against chemical bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is a chemical often used in the manufacturing of plastic bottles and other hard plastic items. Reuters [...]

← Previous revision Revision as of 20:25, 29 April 2008 Line 29: Line 29: <tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>[[Watson C. Squire]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>1889</td><td>1897</td></tr> <tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>[[Watson C. Squire]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>1889</td><td>1897</td></tr> - <tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>[[John B. Allen]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>1893</td><td>1893</td></tr>   <tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>[[George Turner (U.S. politician)|George Turner]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>1897</td&

Two Democratic senators demanded the resignation of the chief mental health official of the Veterans Affrairs Department saying he tried to cover up the rising number of veterans suicides. Senators Daniel Akaka and Patty Murray, said Dr. Ira Katz had withheld important information on the true suicide risk factor among veterans. “Dr. Katz’s irresponsible actions [...]

Ok so this may have been one of the worst intro’s to a game in history. I guess this was the Senators way of trying to motivate the team but instead it just turned out to be unbelievably embarrassing for the Sens and for hockey in general. Terrible idea, annoying actor, ill-fitting helmet, microphone [...]

by Kozkoz81@comcast.net I’m not going to use this space to make any playoff predictions. First of all, I’m too biased; there’s no way I wouldn’t pick the Pens. Secondly, if things go poorly, I don’t want that on my conscience. Instead, I’m going to familiarize you with the Penguins’ opponent, the Ottawa Senators. Since the Pens are going to play anywhere between four and seven games in a row against them, you might as well be informed. The Sens are making their eleventh straight playoff appearance. Last year, was the first time they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Of course, they lost to the Ducks, making the Senators the third Canadian team in a row to lose in the Finals. The Senators entered this season as the Eastern Conference favorite and seemed to back that up with a

Asked repeatedly yesterday what “conditions” he is looking for to begin substantial U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq after this summer’s scheduled drawdown, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus said he will know them when he sees them. For frustrated lawmakers, it was not enough. “A year ago, the president said we couldn’t withdraw because there was too [...]

2 April 2008 - This is going to be a huge mistake.  It will be fun to watch this thing cost the tax payer tons of money and have no real effect on improving the economy.

The deadline for the "Dear Colleagues" letter in the U.S. Senate has been extended until tomorrow April 3. Go to the NLN site and you can send an email directly from there. One is already written that you can use, or compose your own. All you have to do is complete your demographic information and it will be sent to your Senators. Please take a couple of minutes today to help ensure funding for nurses. The Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development funds directly affect us all. Among other things this funding helps nurses become nurse educators. The shortage of nurses will never be solved until we do something to help increase the number of nurse educators.

The Supreme Court conspiracy elicited some concern on the so-called stalemate which was pointed out by Randy David in his article "Bringing the stalemate to an end ". David enumerated a possible scenario of options the senate can do which is: The Senate can resume its hearings and continue to gather information that may be useful not only to the... Philippine political & social events as seen from the vantage point of a Jaywalking Cyber Pedestrian Observer, visit the blog to read the rest or for other hot issues of the day.

Endorsements have not had much of an impact in the nomination battle, but this one might be a sign that more Senators are fed up with Hillary Clinton, and possibly that Obama might be able to narrow the gap in Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey plans to endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president today in Pittsburgh, [...]

GreensBlog is online grassroots politics in action. It's a space for anyone to come and discuss Greens issues, policies and politics with the Senators and their staff. Their hope and intention is that, over time, it can become an effective...

Are you a fan of the Washington Senators? Do you love watching your favorite team score its home runs and blast through the innings with all the points they need to win? Then you will surely salivate for the best Washington Senators baseball memorabilia, which are great when bought as is - and even more precious when signed by your favorite players. There are many sites on the World Wide Web that offer Washington Senators baseball memorabilia. Some sites will offer forums and services in which Washington Senators fans can discuss plays, arrange meetings, and even trade goods both autographed and unsigned. Other sites will offer auction services, where Washington Senators fans can bid on their favorite items, and where prices can range from almost absurdly low for brand new merchandise, and

NHL: Ottawa Senators @ Los Angeles Kings / Autor: Parasol Estas duas equipas já não se encontram desde 2005, pelo que qualquer tipo de comparação directa será desnecessária, se bem que o site oficial dos Kings dizer com muito orgulho que estão 8-1-0 em todos os jogos frente a esta equipa de Ottawa e jogar em [...]

FINALLY, they get toughSenators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia) threaten to cut aid to the Iraqi government if they do not move forward in political reconciliation that is so badly needed there.Finally, the GOP has realized sending in troops is pointless unless the Iraqis themselves do some work. Democracy does not come at the barrell of a gun.

A letter from the top two ranking members of the Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights, Democrat Herb Kohl and Republican Orrin Hatch, seeks to chill Google’s proposed acquisition of DoubleClick on antitrust grounds: Antitrust regulators need to be wary to guard against the creation of a powerful Internet conglomerate able to extend [...]

Revelations that some brands of lipstick contain lead have caught the attention of Congress. Senators John Kerry, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein have asked the FDA to investigate lipstick products containing lead levels above the legal limit.The senators wrote a letter asking the FDA to retest the lipsticks that raised red flags in a recent Campaign For Safe Cosmetics report, and take immediate steps to reduce consumers’ exposure to lead in lipstick and other cosmetics.The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics report noted that the FDA has not set a limit for lead in lipstick. High levels of lead are of particular concern for pregnant women, because lead can affect the early brain development of babies and toddlers, and has been linked to learning and behavioral problems such as reduced IQ, poorer school performance and aggression.

Revelations that some brands of lipstick contain lead have caught the attention of Congress. Senators John Kerry, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein have asked the FDA to investigate lipstick products containing lead levels above the legal limit. The senators wrote a letter asking the FDA to retest the lipsticks that raised red flags in a recent Campaign For Safe Cosmetics report, and take immediate steps to reduce consumers’ exposure to lead in lipstick and other cosmetics. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics report noted that the FDA has not set a limit for lead in lipstick. High levels of lead are of particular concern for pregnant women, because lead can affect the early brain development of babies and toddlers, and has been linked to learning and behavioral problems such as reduced IQ, poorer school performance and aggression.

O.K people listen up and take notes, this is your government at work. These are the people put in office to represent you as middle-class and lower middle-class and Kentuckians pay close attention as one of the poorest states in the Union make sure you see where your Senators stand on on this issue, I think the record speaks for itself. it is high time I think our Representatives let go of the hand of big business such as the medical industry and start representing the people who elected them.Congress.org

Titles like this one are ones that pretty much jump off the RSS feed as I I enjoy my Free Trade Starbucks Lattes in the morning.  It was just days before that I had seen the well written piece American Imports, Chinese Deaths and the announcement that theInternational Labor Rights Forum Critiques Wal-Mart’s Sourcing Practices.. and the article of this title seemed to fit right in What I came to understand is that 14 months ago, before the prduct recalls, several Senators (with 60 cosponsors) put forward an ammendment to a previous bill that banned the importation of “convict goods” (convict goods are those goods that are made by, you guessed it, convicts). to treat “sweat shop” goods as if they were “convict goods”. Now, before I get into the specifics of the bill, I will say that the timing of this bill is interesting as I seem to remember a lot of trade rhetoric flying around.. and my impression is that some of the support for this bill w

Thirty (29 Democrats and one independent including presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Joseph Biden) US senators wrote to President George W. Bush Thursday, warning he had no authority to launch military action against Iran, and expressing concern about the administration's "provocative" rhetoric.read more | digg story

A vote could come in hours on the Law of the Sea Act and we need to try and make sure it fails!Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST):LOST would give the Seabed Authority -- a United Nations agency -- COMPLETE CONTROL OF OVER 70 PERCENT OF THE EARTH'S SURFACE AND NATURAL RESOURCES!The constitution says any treaties we sign automatically become part of the law of the land (Article VI). We do NOT want to give up ANY part of our sovereignty to ANY OTHER GLOBAL GROUP and this would!!You can click on this link to find your member of the US Senate and email them to stop this vote! Tags: Law of the Sea Act, Seabed Authority, LOST

I figured that Comcast and Verizon would get their asses in a sling from their actions. I did several posts a few weeks ago about these issues.By DIBYA SARKAR, AP Business WriterWASHINGTON - Two Senators on Friday called for a congressional hearing to investigate reports that phone and cable companies are unfairly stifling communications over the Internet and on cell phones.Sens. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, said the incidents involving several companies, including Comcast Corp., Verizon Wireless and AT&T Inc., have raised serious concerns over the companies' "power to discriminate against content."They want the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee to investigate whether such incidents were based on legitimate business policies or unfair and anticompetitive practices and if more federal regulation is needed."The phone and cable companies have previously stated that they would never use their market power to operate as content gatekeepers and h

But a situation nonetheless. It’s been nice to see Martin Gerber step up and play well with Ray Emery recovering from his wrist injury and surgery. Nice because of the fact that Gerber has patiently waited his turn without any whining, sulking or demands to be traded. He is number one NHL netminder material and he has been mature and confident enough to wait his turn, knowing that his chance would come again. Yes, the opportunity has arisen before with Ottawa and he disappointed. Which makes this impressive beginning to the season all the more valuable for Gerber personally and to the Sens as an organization. Emery is back with the club after a reconditioning stint with Binghamton of the American Hockey League. The standard wisdom on a situation like this, is that the Senators will play the loyalty card, dance with the one who brought them etc., etc. It’s pretty good logic. Emery was the go-to goalie in the second half of last season and throughout the playoffs unti

The Senators signed Danny Heatly before he became an unrestricted free agent next summer. With self imposed deadline of opening night, Heatly agreed to terms on a six year, $45 million extension with Senators 2 1/2 hours before Ottawa’s season opener at Toronto. “I’ve really enjoyed my two years in Ottawa,” Heatly said. “I love the city, the fans and the organization. I’m just thrilled and happy that we were able to get it done before the season started.”

Wednesday night, my colleague Anne Broache and I posted our article previewing the U.S. Senate hearing Thursday where Microsoft and Google will face off regarding the search company’s attempt to purchase DoubleClick. The hearing is about to start and can be watched via Webcast. Anne is there and will be writing about the hearing later Thursday. That [...]

A group of Republican senators, several of whom are facing tough re-election campaigns next year, are proposing legislation which would end American combat operations and shift US responsibilities in Iraq to training a new Iraqi army. The shift would occur fifteen months from now to coincide with the departure of Bush from the presidency. Senator Voinovich is introducing the legislation together with Senators Alexander, Coleman and Dole who face serious fights to gain re-election to the Senate. Democrats have basically described the proposal as a nonstarter. A tragedy of the Republican party is the failure to serve the best interests of the American people instead of the best interests of George Bush and his election campaigns. Now, those who refused to stand up for the nation may have to stand down as senators.

YEAs ---56Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii)Max Baucus (D-Montana)Evan Bayh (D-Indiana)Joe Biden (D-Delaware)Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico)Barbara Boxer (D-California)Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia)Maria Cantwell (D-Washington)Ben Cardin (D-Maryland)Thomas Carper (D-Delaware)Bob Casey (D-Pennsylvania)Hillary Clinton (D-New York)Norm Coleman (R-Minnesota)Susan Collins (R-Maine)Kent Conrad (D-North Dakota)Chris Dodd (D-Connecticut)Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota)Dick Durbin (D-Illinois)Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin)Dianne Feinstein (D-California)Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska)Tom Harkin (D-Iowa)Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii)Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota)Ted Kennedy (D-Massachusetts)John Kerry (D-Massachusetts)Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota)Herb Kohl (D-Wisconsin)Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana)Frank Lautenberg (D-New Jersey)Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont)Carl Levin (D-Michigan)Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas)Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri)Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey)Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland)Patty Murray (D-Washington)B

Under the Jpepa, only 400 Filipino nurses and 600 caregivers would be allowed into Japan in the first two years, subject to re-negotiation thereafter. Filipino nurses and caregivers would also have to undergo a six-month language training. The professional association of Japanese nurses lobbied hard to restrict the entry of Filipino nurses.read more | digg storyGroups stage protest against JPEPA09/14/2007 | 08:09 PMThis page requires a higher version browserFor the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TVhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/FESA http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/nAuu

Today Iraqi Prime Minister attacked Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin. Glad we heard this news after NBC decided to have Keith Olbermann pretend to be a real newsman. Thankfully the BBC does a better job at covering the untouchable Mrs. Bill Clinton and our election politics.Earlier this month, Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin thought it was appropriate to attack Iraqi's Prime Minister publicly during a war.Hillary Clinton said on August 22nd,"I share Senator Levin's hope that the Iraqi parliament will replace Prime Minister Maliki with a less divisive and more unifying figure when it returns in a few weeks."Well, Maliki would have none if it. He called out the disgraceful Senators by name. He said, "Leaders like Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin have not experienced in their political lives the kind of differences we have in Iraq""When they give their judgment they have no knowledge of what reconciliation means."The next time you listen or read MSM, ask yourself whether they are talkin

Looks more simple, however, the Senator on the logo looks like someone just shit on his office desk. That's a good thing. Logos should look meaner and mightier, and that is what the new one portrays.The Senator on the old alternate jersey wasn't too bad either.Overall, I'm liking their new look.T Tags: new+senators+jersey

A string of loosing Democratic candidates for US Senate in 2004 seem to be leaning toward Obama.Jimmy Carter built his campaign in 1976 with using a network of Democrats who were defeated for Congressional races in 1974, including Betty Roberts of Oregon, who after loosing to incumbent Republican Bob Packwood became Carter's Oregon chairperson. Carter also gained support from narrowly defeated Democrats like William Roy of Kansas, William Guy of North Dakota and Ed Edmonson of Oklahoma, all very narrowly lost Senate races in 1974. Roy lost to Bob Dole, who later became Carter's opponent's running mate.This year, Barack Obama seems to be getting the support of those who did not win a Senate victory in 2004 like he did. Inez Tenenbaum of South Carolina, who lost the 2004 Senate race to Republican Jim DeMint endorsed Obama back in April and presided over the opening of Obama's South Carolina campaign headquaters. Also endorsing Obama, Brad Carson of Oklahoma, who lost a heartbreaking

I read this story and couldn’t believe the following quote:Stevens said in a statement that his attorneys were advised of the impending search yesterday morning. He said he would not comment on details of the inquiry to avoid "any appearance that I have attempted to influence its outcome."His lawyers were advised ahead of time of an impending raid?! Since when did we start advising potential criminals ahead of time that we are going to raid their property? All I can think of to say is WOW. ~RJH Washington Post story link  Alaska Senator's Home Is RaidedStevens Scrutinized In a Wide Inquiry Into Corruption in the StateBy Dan Eggen and Paul KaneWashington Post Staff Writer and Washingtonpost.com Staff WriterTuesday, July 31, 2007; A01Agents from the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service raided the Alaska home of Sen. Ted Stevens (R) yesterday as part of a broad federal investigation of political corruption in the state that has also swept up his son and one of his closest fin

With plenty of free agents to sign, especially Ray Emery, the Sens cleared some cap space today, trading Peter Schaefer to the Bruins in exchange for Shean Donovan. Schaefer has 3 years left on his contract at $2.23 per season while Donovan has 1 year left that pays him $925,000.This is a decent upgrade for Boston, as Schaefer had 12 goals and 46 points in 77 games last season, while Donovan had 6 goals and 17 points in 76 games. The Sens were more concerned about saving dollars at this point. The Hurricanes have re-acquired speedy Matt Cullen from the Rangers today in exchange for D-man Andrew Hutchinson, forward Joe Barnes, and a 3rd round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft.The Rangers had to clear Cullen's $2.8 million from their payroll and got another defenceman in return, an area they are not-so deep in. Cullen is a great speedy and gritty role player. I'm sure the Canes are welcoming him back with open arms.T Tags: Senators+trade+Schaefer+to+Bruins+for+DonovanRangers+trade+Matt+Cull

Senators Clinton and Collins Add AMDT. to HR1585 to include Cold War Service MedalDownload Ammendment in PDFS.AMDT.2163 to H.R.1585 Purpose will be available when the amendment is proposed for consideration. See Congressional Record for text. Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 7/12/2007) Cosponsors (1) Latest Major Action: 7/12/2007 Senate amendment submittedSA 2163. Mrs. CLINTON (for herself and Ms. Collins) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill H.R. 1585, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2008 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the end of subtitle H of title V, add the following: SEC. 594. COLD WAR SERVICE MEDAL. (a) Authority.--Chapter 57 of title 10, United States Code, is

Update 7/9/07 2:30 pm Feeling betrayed and scammed bloggers and online netizens are starting to pour out their frustration over these shameless turncoats of convenience at the expense of once again relegating the interest of the voters over their personal vested interest. Emma Orozco has reported at Fil-Am Forum an unmoderated San Francisco based yahoo group also populated by netizens the

Congrats America! Your phone calls, emails, and faxes showed both liberals and yellow-bellied Republicans that government is a bloated sack of cow shit! Thanks to the voice of the people the immigration bill fell flat on it's face.

In a close vote a few hours ago, US Senators [Overwhelmingly Republican] voted 53-46 against “Cloture” — a procedural vote to limit debate on the immigration bill, to move it forward for further consideration. The “Ayes” failed to garner the 60 votes, with which to keep the bill alive. The smoking “murder weapon” is in the [...]

Seven Who Could Stop Amnesty NRO June 26, 2007 Stopping amnesty is entirely within the power of senators who oppose it. Later today, the Senate will vote on whether to proceed on the bill. To revive the once-stalled bill will require 60 votes, which means that if the senators who vote no and the senators who don’t vote […] More: continued here

Lawmakers Request Investigation Into YouTube Video Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Lamar Smith ask the Labor Department to look into a video they say documents H-1B abuse by companies. Information Week June 21, 2007 Click here to read Letters from Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Representative Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) Sen, Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, both proponents […] More: continued here

Religious Right Watch is encouraging all rational Americans to contact their Senators and ask them to support the Matthew Shepard Act. The Act is designed to extend federal hate crimes legislation to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Not surprisingly, it faces intense opposition from Christian extremists who probably do not think "gay bashing" should be illegal in the first place.I hope you will join me in promoting the passage of the Matthew Shepard Act.Tags: activism, Christian extremism, Matthew Shepard Act, gay, hate crime, politics

I don't know what it is going to take to get through to our elected officials. In my entire life I have never seen any politician trying to push something so hard down our throats that we aren't even slightly interested in. You look at people like Johnny Sutton, Alberto Gonzales, Michael Chertoff and it's obvious they are nothing but toadies for George Bush. But people I really did respect such as Karl Rove and Condi Rice are going along with him as he ruins the Republican party and does such horrific harm to our great nation. I supported President Bush through 3 years of a war I felt from the beginning was wrong. I told myself and others that maybe WMD's werent really there as he said but it was still a noble cause to rid the world of a Saddam Hussein. But the inept handling of the war right from the start by Donald Rumsfeld, another Bush cronie that I once respected, and then in the occupation with Paul Bremer to now when we find ourselves in the middle of a civil war. The peopl

In a rare visit to Capitol Hill, President Bush pressed Republican senators yesterday to resurrect the compromise overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws, but many of the senators instead demanded that his administration first show a more determined commitment to border security. The visit was the first time in five years that Bush had come to the Capitol for the Republican senators’ weekly policy luncheon. He and senior administration officials painted the meeting — coming five days after the collapse on the Senate floor of the tenuous compromise on immigration — as a rescue session. Bush made an impassioned plea for the legislation, saying “the status quo is unacceptable.” “Now is the time to move a comprehensive bill that enforces our borders and has good workplace enforcement, that doesn’t grant automatic citizenship, that addresses this problem in a comprehensive way,” he said after the lunch. Although senators described the

2 GOP senators back troop reduction in Iraq - Their support for the nonbinding resolution is one more indicator of Republican discontent with Bush's strategy - Los Angeles TimesExcerpt:"In another sign that congressional Republicans are losing patience with the White House war strategy, two GOP senators Thursday got behind new legislation designed to encourage the Bush administration to reduce U.S. military involvement in Iraq.Sens. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Gordon Smith of Oregon are cosponsoring a nonbinding resolution by Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) that urges decentralizing the Iraqi government and creating semiautonomous regions for Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds. Biden has been championing the plan for more than a year.That comes a day after five GOP senators signed on to separate legislation that would enact the recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, which envisioned most U.S. combat troops coming home by early 2008.That legislation — proposed by Sens. Lamar Al

20,500 Senators Fans: Canadian “Star Spangled Banner & O’Canada”; Game Three, Eastern Conference Finals (2007) If you listen closely you can hear me… . Thanks, But Next Year Doesn’t Matter Yet… because for the 2006-2007 season the Ottawa Senators made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, and there’s only one other team who gets to say that they were there as [...]

1.5 hours until game time! I am reading that Game 3 of this series matched record low TV viewers for a Finals game. You know what I think? All of the people that have not been watching these Finals lose the right to bitch about having to wait for the 2007/08 season to start later this summer. I just don't fully understand how so many people tune out at this time of year. They are not true hockey fans that's for sure!So how does the NHL find a way to increase the amount of viewers in the Finals?I say:-make the game more exciting again. This barrage of trips to the penalty boxes doesn't cut it. I don't feel like watching endless power plays anymore. Obstruction calls should be justified ONLY if the hook or grab visibly impedes a skater's progress.-bring back old-style hockey again! I want to see violence and fights in the Finals. I want to see passion. The last time I checked, even kids were cheering during fights in hockey games. Fighting is a great concept for the sport, and the h

The Sens appear to be confident heading into Game 5 in Anaheim tonight. (Ottawa Sun) But they probably just sound more confident. They have nothing to lose. It's now or never. A win in Anaheim could change their fortunes in this series. They could go back home down a game, win in Ottawa, and force this bad boy to a Game 7.But don't count on it. Gone is the Sens team that man-handled the Penguins, Devils and Sabres. Gone is that killer instinct and domination. Gone is the reliability of Ray Emery. He has been good, but has allowed too many softies. There are not enough things going right for the Sens right now. They look completely inconsistent out there and are breaking down.There are a lot of great things happening for the Ducks. When they play Carlyle's system to a T, they are nearly unstoppable. The Ducks once again forced a lot of turnovers from Ottawa in Game 4 and sped up the ice with odd man rushes. That kind of thing is going to bury the Senators, and really has buried them

I am not a big NHL fan by far but I love the playoffs in any sport. The NHL Playoffs could be the most exciting of all in my mind. I will discuss this later. I am also a big fan of the starting lineups a team can put together. That could be because of myself growing up a fan of the Chicago Bulls. Their starting lineup music is a classic. I had on the pregame of Game 4 of the NHL playoffs. I

Nice Sens rap at the start of CBC's HNIC!I just got back from sandbagging the river banks at my uncle's farm. Damn my arms are tired! The water continues to rise with the warmth and rain, and the problems are just starting here. More on that later.On to the game!!Period 1The Sens' crowd is hoppin', how could the Sens not respond to that? Puts the Ducks fans to shame.Alanis Morissette looks and sounds good, maybe a little too slow and low on the Canadian anthem though. I see Teemu undressing her with his eyes...Dirty Fin!-No Dean McAmmond tonight. So much for Carlyle's miracle theory!-There's nothing like early penalties taken by Beauchemin and Perry to squash any early momentum for the Ducks. Their PK, as usual, looks good, because they have had a lot of practice at it!-Spezza and Heatley look better already. They are generating chances on the powerplays. The shots are already 7-0 Sens 6 minutes in. Giguere looks solid and will probably have to steal this one for the Ducks.-the S

After losing to the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 in Game 4, Mike Fisher and Ottawa Senators find themselves on the brink of elimination.  KANATA, Ont. – Few thin… More: continued here

Belly: Canadian “Go Sens Go”; unreleased (2007) . 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Game Three In Ottawa just click on the thumbnail to see the full photo… . When I’d go to concerts as a young punk I’d usually… get up front for a few songs and jam my head deep into the speakers. I’m fairly sure, at a couple of shows, [...]

Wow. The Correl Center is just hopping, and the sight of the 1000's of Sens fans outside the building an hour pre game was phenomenal.Last night, I had a dream that the Sens won 6-4 in Game 3. Not sure why.I'd say 4-2 Sens is more like it, and that's my call.1st Period-Kunitz is in. He is flying early and will play on the top line.-The Sens come out flying, but the first big chance is for the Ducks: Penner in by himself and is stoned by Emery. A defensive lapse by Ottawa. After that chance the Ducks come alive, forcing the Sens into taking a penalty. McDonald makes the Sens pay for that, at 5:39, all by himself in the slot. 1-0 Ducks. Assisted by Buzz Lightyear.-At one point, early in the period, the Ducks were outshooting the Sens 5-1. But then the Sens gained some composure and stormed back, forechecking hard and pressuring the Ducks. With just under 4 minutes left, proud new papa Chris Neil scores to make it 1-1: a direct result of the Sens' excellent forechecking. Assists from

"The last question we asked the doctor is that if this was your son, would you allow him to play? And the answer, obviously, was yes," Randy Carlyle said. Amazingly, Chris Kunitz (broken right hand) has been cleared to play by doctors. But as Scott Burnside puts it: The issue confronting Carlyle and the coaching staff is whether the seven-game layoff is too long to expect Kunitz to contribute at a crucial juncture of the final. It's not like the Ducks need a boost right now, but the addition of Kunitz wouldn't hurt, perhaps if they bring him in slowly and start him on a lower line.There isn't much more to say about what the Senators need to do to turn this series around. It has been said over and over again already. Time will now tell if playing in front of a raucous crowd at home will spark the Sens to push through the Ducks' checking.It's do or die.Allow me to direct you to some great images taken by the Associate and Canadian Press lately:Sidney Crosby receiving the Art Ross Tr

Danko Jones: Canadian “Sound Of Love“; ‘Born A Lion’ (2002) . I’m Going To The Show Baby, Private Box… a fridge full of beer, all the smoked meat sandwiches I can eat and… oh yeah, Game Three of The Stanley Cup Finals between The Ottawa Senators and the Anaheim Ducks at ScotiaBank Place. Fuck yeah. The last playoff game I managed to get [...]

Recently I found this article on CNN that states that Republican Senators are surprised at the anger being expressed over the current Immigration bill proposal that would include "Amnesty". If the Republican Senators are expressing "surprise" over this issue as CNN reports, then we are in bigger trouble as a party than I thought. These Senators are out of touch with their constituents.In his speech Tuesday on immigration reform, President Bush was trying to provide political cover for members of Congress to support the legislation. That could be tough.Republicans are getting an earful on immigration. "I have learned some new words from some of my constituents," Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Arizona, said.The angry response comes as a shock. "The level of intensity and volume is, I think, surprising,'' CNN contributor and radio talk show host Bill Bennett said. "We've talked to a number of Republican senators, and they confessed to being surprised by the reaction."There's a big difference in in

I see ESPN posted a piece about how few Americans watched Game 1 of the Finals: 523,000 households. That's down 18% from how many watched Game 1 in last years' Game 1 of the Finals. Was there an Opera Winfrey Special on the tube on Monday night? I kid.It's amazing how many people on both sides of the border stop watching hockey after their team gets eliminated.It seems that the later the playoffs go into the spring, the more people would rather be outside enjoying the warm weather.Bryan Murray has split up the top line already. Alfredsson will play with Fisher and Schaeffer. Perhaps Chris Neil will play on the top line.Drew Miller played so well with McDonald and Selanne, yet he gets replaced by Marchant on the top line. Hmm. Matchups.Period 1 -Who was that Canadian Anthem singer? Holly Cole? Absolutely terrible!-Emery has not lost 2 games in a row in these playoffs.-the game starts at a high pace with massive hits all over the ice.-I have a real problem with players that turn their

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A new biography of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton says she and most other senators did not read a key intelligence report before the 2002 vote to authorize war in Iraq.read more | digg story

Hilarious to see Arnold Schwarenegger open the show with Ron and Don. Arnie almost sounded like he knew what he was talking about in regards to hockey. He is heading to Canada to talk environment, trade relations, etc, with PM Stephen Harper. Don Cherry pipes up: "Well if Harper gives you a hard time, tell him you know me." Schwarz says: "OK then, give me yo phone numbah!"At the end, he put a Hockey Night in Canada cap on and gave the "thumbs up". He then ceremoniously dropped the puck at center pre game.I'm thinking this game could be high scoring, with the Sens winning 5-4.Period 1Not even 2 minutes in, Scott Niedermayer takes a high-sticking penalty, and the Sens capitalize immediately with a PP goal by Mike Fisher.The Ducks are hitting the Sens all over the ice, but the Sens respond.At 10:55, Drew Miller pays dividends by hitting a Sens player, causing a turnover. The puck goes right to Selanne who passes it to Andy McDonald and bingo, 1-1. Looks like the Ducks have a new top line

Lyndon Slewidge: Canadian “The Star Spangled Banner & O’Canada”; ‘First Round, Game Five’ (2007) . Eastern Conference Finals Best of Seven: Ottawa Senators 4, Buffalo Sabres 1 . Oh Baby, We’re In Uncharted Territory Now. . When I was a kid my grandfather had… season tickets at The Forum in Montreal. When my brother and I went up for a visit we’d [...]

(Video) At a press conference moments ago, Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) called on the Senate to hold a no-confidence vote on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.read more | digg story

By Donna SmithWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Leading U.S. senators reached an agreement on Thursday on immigration reform that would strengthen U.S. borders and grant lawful status to millions of illegal immigrants, a deal that could lead to a major legislative victory for President George W. Bush.This sets the stage for what is expected to be a passionate Senate debate over the plan, which would give some 12 million illegal immigrants legal status, create a temporary worker program and set up a merit-based system for future newcomers.Continue Reading...

Wow, just wow. ______________________________________________ From MyFoxMemphis Ophelia Ford Hospitalized After Angry Rant Last Edited: Wednesday, 16 May 2007, 9:31 PM CDT Created: Wednesday, 16 May 2007, 6:46 PM CDT Ophelia Ford Hospitalized After Bizarre Tirade By Lucas L. Johnson II Associated Press Writer NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WHBQ FOX13 myfoxmemphis.com) — State Sen. Ophelia Ford was taken to a hospital by ambulance one day after delivering an angry, rambling tirade in a committee meeting, say Democratic lawmakers who were familiar with the incident. Two Democratic lawmakers, who asked to remain anonymous because of the sensitive nature of the news, said Ford was taken to the hospital Tuesday, spent the night and was released Wednesday. One lawmaker said Ford, D-Memphis, was weak “because she hasn’t been eating properly.” The legislator did not have any information on what was wrong with Ford specifically or what treatment she received. “They deb

War Issue Show Divisions In Both Political PartiesAnti-war Democrats in the Senate failed in an attempt to cut off funds for the Iraq war on Wednesday, a lopsided bipartisan vote that masked growing impatience within both political parties over President Bush's handling of the four-year conflict.The 67-29 vote against the measure left it far short of the 60 needed to advance. More than half the Senate's Democrats supported the move, exposing divisions within the party but also marking a growth in anti-war sentiment from last summer, when only a dozen members of the rank and file backed a troop withdrawal deadline."It was considered absolute heresy four months ago" to stop the war, said Sen. Russell Feingold of Wisconsin, author of the measure to cut off funds for most military operations after March 31, 2008.Ironically, the vote also cleared the way for the Democratic-controlled Congress to bow to Bush's wishes and approve a war funding bill next week stripped of the type of restric

And it's not for the Sabres. The Sens scored 2 power play goals on 4 chances. The Sabres were 0-for-7 with the man advantage. In the first 2 games, Ottawa is 4-for-10 and the Sabres are 0-for-12. Where has that haunting Buffalo power play gone?So much of their futility can be attributed to the Sens' excellent penalty killing. I don't recall seeing the forwards pressure the points so hard and causing turnovers there. The Sens, especially Fisher, McAmmond, and now Alfredsson are terrific at that. Their box formation in front of Ray Emery squeezes out any passes that the Sabres make in from the outside. You can't execute that game plan without skating your ass off, and that is what the Sens are doing consistently now. Well, at least after it was 2-0 Buffalo! The Sens are playing like they want to win it all and they look unbelievably focussed. For whatever reason, the Sabres don't look like they have kicked it into 3rd gear (except for the 1st 10 minutes of Period 1). I suppose that

Senators who raised millions of dollars in campaign donations from pharmaceutical interests secured industry-friendly changes to a landmark drug-safety bill, according to public records and interviews.read more | digg story

All 12 Senate winners are ‘criminals’ -- Senator Santiago, screams the headline of Inquirer by Gil C. Cabacungan, Jr. Wow, what just happened there, for a while I thought I was watching the schizophrenic character version of “Princess Leia” (Miriam vainly and desperately was portrayed as Princess Leia in her unsuccessful presidential run) in Return of the Jedi Star wars movie but no it was Lady

This is going to be the series to watch, no doubt. There is a lot of bad blood between these 2 teams, as the clip shows. I can just picture Bryan Murray calling Lindy Ruff a 'fucking ath-hole' at some point in the next week or so. Could this possibly be the roughest series in the playoffs? I hope so.These teams match up well. Both like the wide-open style speed game, but can slow it down and shut the opposing team down when necessary. This looks to be a high-scoring affair regardless.Season seriesOttawa takes it with 5 wins and 3 losses. The Sens outscored the Sabres 33 - 25 in those games and outshot them 276 - 254. The biggest difference between the 2 teams this season was on the power play. The Sens were 15-for-50 while the Sabres' PP was a whole lot less efficient at 6-for-44. Wow.MentalityThe Sabres are considered by most to have not brought their 'A' game to the ice in this post season...yet. They are steadily improving, but not there yet. That was really evident against the

kaisernetwork.org  South Carolina will receive a $26.8 million grant from HHS to provide HIV-positive people in the state with increased access to treatment and care services, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said in a statement released on Wednesday, the AP/Charlotte Observer reports. According to Graham and DeMint, $25.6 million will be allocated to [...]

Yesterday, the Senate Banking Committee held a hearing titled “Mortgage Market Turmoil: Causes and Consequences” on the topic of the mortgage meltdown.The hearing presented two panels of witnesses which included government regulators, lending industry representatives, as well as affected consumers.Opening the hearing, the committee chairman, Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) offered a generally accurate, yet slightly disingenuous account of the evolution of the easy lending era in the US which was then followed by a round of opening statements from the other committee members.During these statements there was an unusual amount of Greenspan bashing, placing a substantial amount of the blame on the former Federal Reserve Chairman’s shoulders.“In February 2004, the leadership at the Federal Reserve Board seemed to encourage the use of adjustable rate mortgages that today are defaulting and going into foreclosure at record rates. The then chairman of the Fed said in his speech to th

The FBI’s illegal use of secret methods to obtain confidential information, including telephone and e-mail records, on American citizens, drew criticism from a U.S. Senate panel on Wednesday. But the committee’s senior members stopped short of calling for a repeal of the portion of the Patriot Act, which Congress hastily approved after September [...]

Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota) on Capital Hill at a Senate hearing. Photo by: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque U.S. Senators have vowed to move on legislation that would allow for the importation of prescription drugs from other countries that are cheaper. In the past such legislation did not pass because of such strong resistance from drug companies and regulators. A group of Republican and Democratic Senators said that the plan would provide money so that the Food and Drug Administration could make sure that each of the imported drugs was safe before they were allowed to be imported to patients. "I believe this legislation puts in place an effective regulatory framework to make importation of FDA-approved drugs safe for consumers," Sen. Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat, said at a hearing. Senator Dorgan said that, "[the goal was to] create a little competition in the marketplace so we can put a real downward pressure on prescription drug prices." Through this legislat

I’m selling tickets for a friend of mine on eBay.  Click here if you are interested. Buffalo Sabres vs. Ottawa Senators 2 Tickets for a ”Bronze” Sold Out Game 100 Level Preferred - Section 118 - Row 13 13 Rows Up from the Ice - Great View!!! Free Local Pickup/Delivery!!! The Games is Wednesday, February 7, at 7:00pm. BUY it NOW only $199 for 2 Tickets!   Technorati tags: ebay, tickets, buffalo, sabres, ottawa, senators Sponsored By: 2007 Buffalo Calendars 2007 Calendars with Buffalo images, ships in 2 days.

Hillary Clinton vs. Barack Obama A CBS News survey this week found Hillary Clinton leading Obama among black voters, 52 percent to 28 percent. Almost identical findings were reported by a Washington Post poll Thursday, leading some to suggest that certain African Americans just don't identify with the Ivy League-educated, bi-racial senator. A new poll out Thursday seems to confirm earlier polls showing lots of African-American voters may have reservations about Sen. Barack Obama's possible presidential campaign. "It does not mean that you have to be on welfare in order to represent the African-American community," said State Senate President Emil Jones. "The mere fact that he's a U.S. Senator, the mere fact that he's a credible candidate running for President, does more for our children and grand-children than all of them combined." "Saying you're not black enough is an attempt to discredit him among black voters," said Professor Timuel Black. The results show Sen. H

As the legislative branch in Washington shifts left, it appears the State House in Montgomery may shift power to a coalition of Republicans and conservative Democrats. An attempt was made to do something similar at the start of the last session, so we’ll see how this one pans out, but it would certainly be [...]

Washington, D.C. - Supporters of the payday lending industry petitioned members of the Senate on Thursday to block proposed limits on short-term loans to troops, saying the Defense Department is overreacting to the problems of a small number of servicemembers.