C-Span had a rerun of the senate yesterday on AIG

According to Schumer and Klobuchar, they are sending a letter to AIG Liddy (sp) to tell them to renegotiate the bonuses or give the bonus money back, or else they will draft a LAW and take immediate steps to impose a tax as high as 91% on these bonuses.

I don't know how they can do that, although I would like to see it happen. But if they can break the contracts for AIG, then they can break any contract at will. That's a bit scary.

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amendment would cost...$420B. It replaces the 600-some pages of the old bill but still includes tax cuts, entitlements, housing assistance, decreasing the tax rate from 35% to 25% so businesses can survive on their own, tax custs for us, and job creation. I still have not found it in writing. Maybe tomorrow.

Amendment 364 is McCain's amendment. They will be voting on it in a couple minutes....unless they get more objections and/or debates that, hopefully, they are all done.

Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R) Georgia. "Here we are once again raising the debt ceiling raise by almost a trillion dollars (the package now up for a vote). When is the spending going to stop?"

I don't think so. It's not a news channel, it's the house and senate bull sessions themselves. Maybe you don't like it because it's real and factual. Is that it?

the dems aren't much better. Take Dodd, Pelosi, Frank, Reid, and my favorite (not!)-Schumer. They don't give a dang about the people, either. Otherwise, they would have listened when the people spoke during the bailouts and stimulus packages.

They would have tried to work with the pubs to pass legislation and be bipartisan. But no, they wanted it their way and their way only.

I watched Schumer make state that the people don't care about the pork in all the packages they passed. Where has he been?

I've watched Dodd lie. I've watched Pelosi think she's the president and to heck with everyone. She wants this and she will get it no matter what she has to do. I've watched Frank sputter and try to fight his way out of lies he was caught in.

I could go on and on, but I'm hopeful that people wise up and when their term for re-election comes up, I hope the people in their state take them down. They have caused most of the problems for this country.

I, for one, will no longer vote of Spector and I told him so. To change in the middle of his term does not sit well with me. He could have waited until it was time to campaign. I feel like he betrayed his constiuents who voted for him. The worse part of the whole deal is that he figured he could not get re-elected without changing parties. Well, he may have just sealed his own fate come re-election.

Is there a reason why you repeat yourself over and over and over and over and over and over again? Rehashing the same ridiculous complaints over and over and over and over and over and over again?

Why don't you post the butt in a chair thing a few more times? You guys have called us more or less drugged out hippies with references to what we must be smoking, what we must have been doing in the 60s and our hookahs. You ain't exactly perfect. Now if I post this paragraph about ten more times you might get the idea, right?

(I hope the spacing comes out okay, apologies if not). From C-span here are a couple comments. One by a republican and one by a democrat. It�s good to know that there are people (democrats & republicans alike) who realize this is a bad deal and are looking out for our best interest and not their own.

Speaker, I come to the floor today to talk about this 700 billion dollar bill that is in front of us. I use the term bill advisedly because we have seen no bill. We are here debating talking points on perhaps one of the largest fundamental change in our nation�s financial system in its history. And house republicans have been cut out of the process. Not only have we been cut out of the process, we have also been derided by the leadership of the democratic party and called unpatriotic for not participating. Mr. Speaker I have been thrown out of more meetings in this capital in the past 24 hours than I ever thought possible as a duly elected representative of 820,000 citizens of North Texas. Mr. Speaker, politics is a full contact sport and I understand that, but it is a full contact sport in the light of day in the public arena. Since we didn�t have hearings, since we didn�t have markups, lets at least put this legislation up on the internet for 24 hours. That�s what Thomas was made for. Lets do that and let the American people see what we have done in the dark of night. After all, I have not gotten any more mail, any more emails on any other subject other than this one that is before us today. Mr. Speaker I understand we are under martial law as declared by the speaker last night. I think its ironic house republicans have not been needed for a single thing in this house to assure passage for the last 22 months. And today we are going to be asked to vote for a bill for political cover because democrats are too weak to stand up to their speaker. I yield back.

Mr. Speaker, my message to the American people, don�t let congress seal this wall street deal. High financial crimes have been committed. Now congress is being asked to bail out the culprits and to do so at the expense of those who elected us to guard their interest the people of our country. The normal legislative process that should accompany review of a monumental proposal to bail out wall street has been shelved, yes shelved. Only a few insiders are doing the dealing. Sounds like insider trading to me. These criminals have so much political power they can shut down the normal legislative process of the highest law making body in this land. All the committees that should be scanning every word of what is being negotiated are benched, and that means the American people are benched too. We are constitutionally sworn to protect and defend this republic against ALL enemies foreign and domestic, and my friends there are enemies. We are told we will have a trillion dollar bill to review soon and have less than 24 hours with no regular hearings to try to vote on this tar baby. The people pushing this deal are the very same ones who are responsible for the implosion on wall street. They were fraudulent then and they are fraudelent now. We should say no to this deal. I ask my colleagues to join us at 2:00 at HC8 of the capital to meet with some real experts who have done financial resolutions without putting financial burdeon on the taxpayer. Please join us HC8 at 2 p.m.

94 democrats voted against this bill today. That is more than half the democrats, yet they get in front of the camera and give their little speeches about how all democrats are for this and its all the republicans fault this didn�t pass. Hello folks, do the math.

Pelosi has shown how truly inexperienced, divisive and uncaring she. She gets up there and her mouth just flaps with nothing of substance being said. She is incompetent and should be fired. All that came out of her flapping gums today was more bashing of the republicans and accusing them of what democrats have been doing for over 2 years now. Why in the world would you give a speech putting all the blame on people and bash the other political side before a vote is even held. Chalk it up to one more of the numerous reasons she is incompetent and needs to step down. And if she doesn�t step down she should be physically removed. Even the Deputy Minority Whip held up a copy of Pelosi�s floor speech at a press conference and said she had �failed to listen and lead� on the issue.

Then I heard Barney Frank talk. He should be renamed Barney Baloney. He stands and mocks the people who voted against the bill making fun of them. As someone said he may be a funny and clever guy, but there is nothing funny about this situation.

Did anyone even notice today that every time Pelosi and Franks spoke the market dived. When they stopped talking the market started going up. They�d get in front of the camera again and the market started tanking again big time. This happened about 3 or 4 times (I was watching it on a split screen). At that point you would have thought the President would have called over and told them to shut up because they were tanking the market.

Kucinich (democrat) said the ones who caused this are the one who are giving us a line (Pelosi, Franks, Kerry, Dodd).

Truth is this $700B is not enough. This is a small part of what is needed. Many people are saying it's more like close to a trillion. After this they�ll say well we need this much more, then that much more, and before we know it we�re going to be paying more than just $10,500.

There are economists and educated people who are asking for a decent bill. But do they consult them. They are the ones with the knowledge and ideas to get us out of the mess. No who do they get � Pelosi, Franks, Dodd, etc � the people who did this in the first place).

All I can see is both candidates are more interested in getting themselves elected than what is happening with the economy so don�t even try to say one is worse than the other. I cannot say what Obama is saying because I�m not hearing anything from him except that he keeps saying it needs to be fixed, but I�m not hearing his specific viewpoints on the bill itself (and I'm not hearing McCain's specifics either). Specifics would be good if I'm suppose to vote for one or the other in November.

want to watch it tonight, it will be on at 8 p.m. In the meantime, the plans of GM and Ford are online.

I feel sorry for the Chryler guy. He seems to be the most honest and wants the least amount of money. Sen. Corker - TN told him right out he doubts Chrysler is going to make it even with the money and they should just be bought out by someone and leave the company go.

He was also tough on the UAW Gettlefinger (or whatever his name is). I don't blame him there. The guy was squirming but he kept talking about all the concessions hurting the workers; i.e., not willing to make concessions.

I am sure he is going to get the job. Some reps are not happy with his tax debaucle, but we cannot afford to drag this out for weeks to try and find someone who would be a better fit.

I'm not happy with this choice at all. Sure wish I would've known about his failure to pay taxes before he was nominated by O, then we could all use the excuse that we forgot to pay our taxes, too. I wonder how many people ARE going to use this excuse at tax time.

this is all way over my head... anyone make any sense of it who is willing to share?

I thought senate seats belonged to the state that person resided in. And I thought the people who fill the seats are picked by the people of their states in a vote. These DC people are acting as though their seats are to be handed down to their family members as though they are Royalty. Last I knew I didn't think we lived in a Monarchy, but now I'm beginning to wonder. Bill Clinton is now "suggesting" Hillary's old seat should go to Chelsea Clinton? Impeached Bill should have no say in who the senate seat goes to. The Clintons don't want Caroline Kennedy to fill it because Caroline backed Obama. This is rediculous. They think they are entitled to these positions. My feeling is that the senate seat should be filled with someone who is qualified from that state. Not family members of family members of family members. Caroline Kennedy should run for the seat when the time to run comes up. Not be placed there because her name is Kennedy. As for Chelsea? Talk about someone with NO skills or qualifications to fill the position. She has worked for a manager at some Hedge fund company. She is a total id!ot. Just because daddy was the Prez and mommy held the senate position, does not mean that Chelsea is qualified. And certainly just because she attended a lot of mommy's fund raising events doesn't mean she's qualified. Blimey, why not let Obama's daughter take his old senate seat.

I heard someone describe our government as an aristocracy. There are so many people who are qualified for the positions, but they will never get appointed because they are not rich or don't have the "name' or in the club. I also heard that someone is sitting in Biden's old senate seat "keeping it warm" until Biden's son comes back from the service where he will just waltz in and the seat will be his. All I can say is W-T-F??????

Like I say, I thought senate seats were appointed by people who vote for the candidates to fill the seat. Now I'm hearing seats are just being given to the children and relatives of the ones who held the seat before them. Tell me there isn't something wrong with what is going on. Cripes! We got rid of Bill (finally), sort of got rid of Hillary, and now little miss Chelsea is trying to weezle her way into the scene via mommy and daddy to get there.

Now it's on to the House-Senate negotioations. I just hope we can stand this as a nation.

don't let him blindly lead them down that road. We have a national security force now, the National Guard, but of course, they're stuck fighting for our country since the draft was banned.

We need to get back to draft registration like it used to be, then our military will be good and the Guard can stay home and protect us like they're supposed to be doing.

Hackett has his work cut out for him, but I hope the vets keep running. It is a good sign of potential changes in the WH soon.

Ohio War Veteran Running for Senate

CINCINNATI -- Paul Hackett, the Democratic veteran of the Iraq war who narrowly lost a special election in a heavily Republican congressional district in August, made his official entry into a U.S. Senate race Monday.

He faces a tough Democratic primary with Rep. Sherrod Brown in the race for the nomination to challenge second-term Republican incumbent Sen. Mike DeWine next year.

Paul Hackett, the Democratic veteran of the Iraq war who narrowly lost in a special election in a heavily Republican congressional district in August, announces his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, Monday, Oct. 24, 2005, at his home in Cincinnati, Ohio. (AP Photo/Al Behrman) (Al Behrman - AP)

Hackett's only political experience is a stint as a small-city councilman.

I'm asking all the people of this great state, regardless of political affiliation, to consider my message and to consider joining me in the fight to take back our government from the career politicians and their special interest support groups who have hijacked our government, he said as he announced his campaign at his home in suburban Indian Hill.

Hackett decided to run for Congress earlier this year after completing a seven-month tour of duty in Iraq as a Marine reservist. That special election in southern Ohio's seven-county 2nd District was to replace Rep. Rob Portman, who left his seat to become the U.S. trade representative.

Hackett won the Democratic nomination, then battled Republican Jean Schmidt, a former state legislator, in a campaign in which he linked her to embattled Republican Gov. Bob Taft while sharply criticizing President Bush's handling of the war.

Schmidt won on Aug. 2 with 52 percent of the vote, though Portman had consistently won re-election in the district with more than 70 percent and Bush had carried it in 2004 with 64 percent.

Hackett's strong showing in a state that was a pivotal presidential battleground solidified the attorney as a likely 2006 candidate for Congress or statewide office.

After Hackett decided to oppose DeWine, Hackett was irked when Brown, with three decades of elective politics behind him, decided he also would run.

Brown, a former state legislator and Ohio secretary of state, is in his seventh congressional term, representing northeastern Ohio's 13th District. He's expected to officially launch his Senate race in early November.

Brown said Monday he initially didn't plan to run because of family reasons, but changed his mind with his family's encouragement. He said he wasn't expecting the race for the May 2 primary to damage his chances of defeating DeWine in the general election.

I've had primaries before, Brown said. It makes me a stronger candidate.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00137

stimulus package, I'm getting more furious every hour with some of the senators.

It seems there is no bipartisanship happening except the republicans trying to stop the bloated parts of the package, that which has nothing to do with the stimulus. So far, the amount is up to $990B and growing. One senator pointed out that if it passes the way it is, it will be over $1.7 TRILLION and we can't afford it.

Senator Tom Coburn (R) OK stated the Constitution gave us no authorization to do what we're doing (meddling in business, banking, etc.) He had a wonderful speech. I hope to find it on the 'net later.

Sen. James Inhofer (R) OK states he hopes all republicans stand up and agree this won't work but Sen. McCain's amendment should pass and WILL work. I don't know what's in Sen. McCain's amendment as it's not posted yet.

Now, my absolutely favorite senator (NOT!): Sen. Schumer (D) NY. He stated THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT THIS STIMULUS and sort of threatened in a veiled way that it WILL PASS no matter what the republicans want. I think everybody and their friends and family ought to clog his email with messages of how we DON'T want this package the way it is and since when is he a mindreader? The article I posted is probably the American people he is talking about.

Now there's a guy who really understands the American people. I found a little item on the 'net while I was looking for other stuff and I'm providing the link. Maybe a lot of you saw this before, but this is the first I've seen it. The date is JANUARY 22, 2007, so he knew all along that there was trouble brewing.

The Senate is about to vote on a crucial bill, the revised H.R. 4437, that could give amnesty to 12-30 million illegal aliens and open the door for their relatives and a new flood of illegals to enter, which could mean 100-200 million new people coming into the country in 20 years according to expert analysis, virtually all poor, diminishing wages, increasing the crime rate, and bankrupting tax coffers. Now is the time to call any of the key Senators who could be persuaded into a NO vote, otherwise, there is a chance the House-Senate joint committee will approve for a likely vote in the House:

Lindsay Graham (SC): (202) 224-5972
Chuck Hagel (NE): (202) 224-4224
Richard Lugar (IN): (202) 224-4814
Mel Martinez (FL): (202) 224-3041
John McCain (AZ): (202) 224-2235
Richard Shelby (AL): (202) 224-5744
Olympia Snowe (ME): 202) 224-5344
Arlen Specter (PA): (202) 224-4254
Ted Stevens (AK): (202) 224-3004
George Voinovich (OH): (202) 224-3353
John Warner (VA): (202) 224-2023
Robert Bennett (UT): (202) 224-5444
Sam Brownback (KS): (202) 224-6521
Lincoln Chafee (RI): (202) 224-2921
Norm Coleman (MN): (202) 224-5641
Susan Collins (ME) (202) 224-2523
Larry Craig (ID): (202) 224-2752
Mike DeWine (OH): (202) 224-2315

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 � The Senate gave final approval on Thursday to a health insurance bill for 10 million children, clearing the measure for President Bush, who said he would veto it.

The 67-29 vote followed a series of speeches by Republican senators supporting the bill and urging Mr. Bush to reconsider his veto threat.

Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas, one of 18 Republicans who voted for the bill, said the White House had shown �little if any willingness to come to the negotiating table.�

Republican opponents of the bill, like Senators Judd Gregg of New Hampshire and John Cornyn of Texas, said it would be a big step toward socialized medicine, would shift people from private insurance to a public program and would allow coverage for illegal immigrants and children in high-income families.

Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, said it was �intellectually dishonest� to make such �outlandish accusations.�

Mr. Bush has said the bill would move toward �government-run health care for every American.�

�What will move our country toward socialized medicine is not this bill, which focuses on poor children, but the lack of action to allow people in need to have access to private affordable health care,� Mr. Corker said.

The bill would expand the State Children�s Health Insurance Program to cover nearly four million uninsured children, in addition to the 6.6 million already enrolled. It would provide $60 billion over the next five years, $35 billion more than the current spending and $30 billion more than the president proposed.

Mr. Bush has not shown a willingness to compromise. But he may come under pressure so from Republican lawmakers who do not like being portrayed as hostile to children�s interests.

Democrats have selected Graeme Frost, 12, of Baltimore, to deliver their Saturday radio address. He will appeal to the president to sign the bill.

On Monday, the Service Employees International Union will rally outside the White House, and children will deliver petitions urging approval of the bill.

The child health program was born in 1997 from collaboration between Senators Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, and Orrin G. Hatch, Republican of Utah.

On Thursday, Mr. Hatch said that �it pains me� that Mr. Bush has not worked with Congress to renew the program. Some people in the administration �have been slow to recognize the realities of the new Congress,� where Democrats have a majority, Mr. Hatch said.

The bill has support from AARP, the big lobby for older Americans; the American Medical Association; America�s Health Insurance Plans, the lobby for insurers; and governors from both parties.

In the House, the bill was approved on Tuesday, 265 to 159, with support from 45 Republicans. The House Republican whip, Roy Blunt of Missouri, said he was confident that the veto would be upheld. A two-thirds majority in both chambers would be needed to override the veto.

The bill would increase tobacco taxes, with the levy on cigarettes increasing to $1 a pack from the current 39 cents. It would require states to cover dental services for children and would increase coverage of mental health services in many states.

The Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said: �Our Democratic colleagues have taken Schip hostage, and what they want in exchange is Republican support for government-run health care., courtesy of Washington .�

Porn star and Baton Rouge native Stormy Daniels said Monday that she wants to give voters a voice by starting a �listening tour� in Louisiana.

However, Daniels said she doubts she will actually seek public office despite an Internet drive aimed at persuading her to run against first-term Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter next year.

Daniels said her work as an actress, writer, director and dancer pays the bills more than a stint as a senator would.

But an Internet-based campaign to �Draft Stormy� to challenge Vitter has attracted national attention.

CNN.com, for instance, featured an interview with Daniels on Monday. The congressional newspaper �The Hill� also noted the push to turn the porn star into a politician.

Vitter apologized in 2007 for what he called a �very serious sin� after his phone number showed up during an investigation of the escort service operated by Deborah Palfrey, the so-called �D.C. Madam� who was convicted of running a prostitution ring and later committed suicide. He was not charged in the Palfrey case.

Since his apology, Vitter has refused to answer any questions about the incident.

Aaron Baer, a spokesman for the Republican Party of Louisiana, dismissed Daniels� possible candidacy as a publicity stunt.

�Voters in Louisiana are concerned about real issues that require serious leadership,� he said.

University of New Orleans student Zach Hudson said the �Draft Stormy� campaign is legitimate.

�It�s not a stunt,� he said. �We have every intention of successfully drafting her.�

Daniels, 29, hired a publicist to respond to inquiries about her interest in the Senate race.

She said she will play along to bring attention to certain issues and to remove Vitter from office.

Daniels is critical of Vitter�s response to his phone number being found on a Washington prostitution ring�s client list.

�I might be a slut and a whore,� Daniels said. �� but I�m not a criminal, and I�ve never been a hypocrite.�

Daniels will be in Baton Rouge in early May to dance at the Gold Club and possibly film a movie in New Orleans. She said she is open to touring the state to hear what people have to say.

Daniels is a 1997 graduate of Scotlandville Magnet High School. She said she is registered to vote in California.

Her work in the adult entertainment industry includes writing and directing films as well as starring in them.

Hudson, who has volunteered for the campaigns of several Democratic candidates but said he is not affiliated with the Democratic Party or any other party, said Daniels is a leader in a multibillion-dollar industry.

Daniels said she is hesitant to enter the race because she is concerned about making a mockery of government.

Daniels said she wants to bring awareness to issues such as child pornography, safe sex and the need for Internet controls to limit what children see on the Web. She has her own Web site that sells pornographic images.

She made an appearance at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., last year to push a �Restricted to Adults� label for adult Internet sites.

Political commentator and former Insurance Commissioner Jim Brown said Daniels would be just one more entry in the state�s colorful political history.

He said she might attract �a pretty good protest vote� even if she isn�t destined to serve in the U.S. Senate.

Baton Rouge pollster Bernie Pinsonat said the likelihood of Vitter being defeated is diminishing by the day.

The negative publicity that President Barack Obama is receiving on the economic package is giving Vitter a good platform, he said.

�I thought Vitter would have a tough time getting re-elected, but right now, Obama is sent from heaven,� he said.

C-Span had a rerun of the senate yesterday on AIG

Hackett has his work cut out for him, but I hope the vets keep running. It is a good sign of potential changes in the WH soon.

Ohio War Veteran Running for Senate

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