• Hot Off The Presses - Politics, Schmolitics

    The Injustice Department Firings

    The juicy bit: the former New Mexico US Attorney has stated that he was pressured to investigate Democrats before the November elections.  Because, after the elections, they'd be in a much better position to investigate political shenanigans and inappropriate White House meddling with the Justice Department. Now they have less than two years to really screw things up, appointments-wise.  White House Backed U.S. Attorney Firings, Officials Say – washingtonpost.com Since the mass firings were carried out three months ago, Justice Department officials have consistently portrayed them as personnel decisions based on the prosecutors' "performance-related" problems. But, yesterday, officials acknowledged that…

  • Good and Joyful Things - Hot Off The Presses - Politics, Schmolitics

    Illinois General Assembly: No EMAIL??

    Illinois General Assembly – Representative Biography I went to my state legislature's website to verify my local state Senate and House reps so that I could drop them an email in support of a new Illinois "gay marriage bill" and was surprised (and not in a good way) to discover that NONE of the Illinois state legislators' email addresses are listed. So, I mailed a letter to my local state rep, but it's annoying that there's NO way to send an email also. [tags]Illinois, Politics, gay marriage[/tags] 

  • Hot Off The Presses - Politics, Schmolitics

    Oz PM John Howard: Open Mouth, Jump Right In

    BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Australia head slams US candidate Australian PM John Howard has criticised US presidential hopeful Barack Obama for saying US troops should withdraw from Iraq next year. His comments came soon after Mr Obama officially announced he would seek the Democratic Presidential nomination. Mr Howard said al-Qaeda should be "praying as many times as possible" for an Obama victory in the 2008 elections. But Mr Obama reacted by saying Australia should increase its troops in Iraq, if Mr Howard was so concerned. That crack about al-Qaeda praying for an Obama victory: pure asshattedness, with the side…

  • Hot Off The Presses - Politics, Schmolitics

    Oversight Is Good

    This is just a quick selection of articles about a topic that's currently dear to my heart: Congressional oversight.  Unfortunately, a lot of shit is going to come to light, but unless there's a sexy-money scandal to get people lathered up over it, nothing will really change for the next couple of years.   FT.com / World / US & Canada – Bush ‘distorted’ climate change reports The Bush administration has routinely suppressed or ­distorted communication of climate change science to the public, a climate specialist at Nasa’s Goddard Institute said on Tuesday. The accusation, before the chief oversight committee…

  • Mini-Posts - Politics, Schmolitics

    Global Warming in from the Cold!

    AP Wire | 01/30/2007 | Panel hears climate 'spin' allegations WASHINGTON – Federal scientists have been pressured to play down global warming, advocacy groups testified Tuesday at the Democrats' first investigative hearing since taking control of Congress. It's good to have a Congress capable of doing its job: investigating the issues and providing oversight. And yes, you WH pinheads, global warming is fact, not fiction.

  • Politics, Schmolitics - The Life of Riley

    Draft Rileycat and Polly Dog For A Truly Bi-Petisan Ticket!

    The heck with Obama and Clinton… now that it's official, we'll be supporting Rileycat in his candidacy for President, and now we've got to convince our friend Steve to let his Golden Doodle, Polly, run for Vice President. It's an unbeatable ticket: cat people and dog people, Democat and Repuplican, unleashed on the American political scene for the first time. Forget Blue and Red America, it's time for Poo and Shed America! As running mates, they might have some problems, though Riley has been declawed and Polly reportedly "likes cats." His handlers, though, are allergic to cats, and we're not crazy…

  • Hot Off The Presses - Only in Utah... - Politics, Schmolitics

    Orrin Tries To Justify The Unforgiveable

    Salt Lake Tribune – Hatch: Ethics bill all wrong WASHINGTON – Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch cast one of only two votes against an ethics reform bill that supporters are saying would be the most sweeping reform of congressional rules since Watergate. The bill to ban gifts, meals and travel funded by lobbyists and to force lawmakers to identify which special-interest funding they inserted in bills passed the Senate late Thursday 96-2, with Hatch and Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., opposing it. Hatch says he was making a “protest vote” because the bill – which was co-managed by fellow Utah Republican Sen.…