Well, it's been quite an opening week for the Democrats. Very exciting to say the least. let's go over some things, shall we?

1) Nancy Pelosi. I love her! Here is a woman who campaigned very heavily on the notion that we needed a minimum wage increase desperately. Big business had been robbing poor working people for far too long and the rich are getting richer while the everyman is suffering and languishing. A sordid tale and one that is not all familiar to her or to us. As a matter of fact just today she got her wish for a minimum wage increase and should be congratulated for her efforts. Unfortunately, she seems to be "cherry-picking". Seems she has a very special bond with the folks at DelMonte. You know, they make the canned fruit and stuff? Well, turns out their home offices are in San Fransisco, CA and believe it or not, Ms. Pelosi is from there as well. Well, apparently they made such a good impression on her that the actually and literally exempted them from having to raise their minimum wages to their workers. Of course this is the same woman who had wanted to nominate 2 Democrats with very suspicious ethical issues and was thwarted and just recently she wanted to nominate a gentleman (name escapes me) from West Virginia to head the FBI. What I guess she didn't read in his file is that the very same FBI is currently investigating him for corruption. Good job Nancy!!! I thought it was the Republicans who were in bed with big business. Well, this shouldn't be too much of a surprise being that she refuses to hire union help herself with her wine fields and restaurant businessess. What a fucking sham.

2) So, let's see if I got this right. Being Ms. Rice has no children that means that she can't understand how painful it is lose a loved one. Nice. Does anyone want to bet $100.00 donation to a charity that Ms. Rice has visited the relatives and loved ones say 75% more times than Ms. Boxer?Ms. Boxer feels that because her own children are "too old" and her grandchild is "too young" to be directly effected by the "War On Terror" (which is what Iraq is supposed to be about) that that means that Ms. Rice should do what? Quit? Perhaps someone could have told the idiot Boxer that on the day of 9/11 there were 3,000 people in airplanes and office building just living their lives who had no stake in the world of militant Islam. But, they bought it anyway. Perhaps Ms. Boxer should also ask herself if the measure of any true, successful hard-working woman is to be measured by the amount of children she has. Nevermind that Ms. Rice is the first African-American female to hold the highest government position in America's history and nevermind that Ms. Rice obviously made a personal decision to serve her country and her own ambitions. Nevermind that it was Ms. Boxer's generation that encouraged women to "burn the bra" and not let a man decide what a woman's limits are. That a woman would be defined by her accomplishments and not by "the man's". Well, according to Ms. Boxer it seems that if you are single, black, Republican and successful then you have no place in the feminist movement. Congrats! Ms. Boxer has just sent the feminist movement back 50 years.

3) Rangel vs. Pelosi. Who do you pick? Well, it seems that Ms. Pelosi wants to roll back the tax-cuts of those earning $500,000 or more. God forbid, they should enjoy their success. Anyway, it seem Re. Rangel who is now the head of Ways & Means committee is pissed at her for going public on an issue that needs to be private-at least for now. This woman is drunk with power and because of her arrogance (so early in the game too which is surprising) and drunkedness, I'll go with rangel with a TKO.

4) Steve Kagen. He is the freshman Senator from Wisconsin and probably the dumbest, most arrogant little bastard in the whole town. See, he claims that he cornered Kar Rove in the bathroom and told him he had just kicked his ass. He then claims he deliberately called Laura Bush "Barbara" in a deliberate attempt to insult President Bush and then thanked Bush for campaigning in Wisconsin and assist his victory. Like any other child or dog for that matter, this boy needs to be house broken and trained otherwise he will not get a single fucking thing done in his term. This party is so fucking arrogant and so clueless that if they keep this up-and I truly hope they don't-then the Republicans will win it all back again in 2008.

Some week. Can't wait for the next one.

White House denies story about visit by Kagen
Article claims he called Laura Bush by wrong name
By BRIAN TUMULTY
Press-Gazette Washington bureau January 11, 2007

WASHINGTON — The White House is labeling as "ridiculous" a story U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen told a small group of constituents about the reported verbal barbs he delivered to President and Mrs. Bush as well as White House political adviser Karl Rove six days after the November election.

President Bush, Rove and Vice President Dick Cheney were among the many Republicans who campaigned against Kagen, a political novice who used $2.57 million of his personal wealth as a physician to win the open seat representing Northeastern Wisconsin.

Kagen, D-Appleton, was among a group of freshman lawmakers invited to the White House on Nov. 13 for an evening reception that included taking photos with Bush and his wife, Laura.

The reception culminated the first day of orientation week for newly elected members of Congress.

Kagen, still hurting from the hard campaign, reportedly took note that Bush had come to Green Bay to campaign against him and congratulated the president for helping him win in an indirect reference to Bush's low approval rating. Kagen then reportedly greeted the president's wife, Laura Bush, by intentionally using the first name of the president's mother, Barbara, instead.

"I did that because I learned on the campaign trail that the meanest thing you can say to another gentleman is, 'He's a fine fellow.' And then you refer to his spouse by a different name," Kagen is reported to have told a local peace activist group who visited his Appleton campaign office Dec. 19.

In addition, Kagen reportedly told the activists he held the door to a White House men's room closed when he was alone with Rove.

"You're in the White House and think you're safe, huh?'' Kagen was said to have told Rove. "You recognize me? My name's Dr. Multimillionaire and I kicked your ---.''

Rove responded by offering Kagen his congratulations, according to a story published last week in The Scene, a monthly alternative publication that circulates in the Fox Valley between Green Bay and Oshkosh.

But a White House official who asked to not be identified said Wednesday evening that Kagen's story "is not the way it happened at all. He did not call the first lady Barbara. He did not block the door to the men's room."

Jim Lundstrom, managing editor of The Scene, said he attended the Dec. 19 meeting Kagen had with peace activists and recorded Kagen's comments on tape.

Now that Kagen's longer story about his White House visit is getting publicity on talk radio and among political bloggers, he won't comment on whether he referred to Laura Bush as Barbara.

"I'm going to leave that one alone," Kagen said Wednesday. Asked why, he said, "I'll make no comment."

As for his exchange with Rove, Kagen said he can verify that they met in the men's room and that Rove congratulated him. But he wouldn't comment on his reported comments to Rove.

By Charles Hurt
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published January 12, 2007

House Republicans yesterday declared "something fishy" about the major tuna company in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco district being exempted from the minimum-wage increase that Democrats approved this week.

"I am shocked," said Rep. Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican and his party's chief deputy whip, noting that Mrs. Pelosi campaigned heavily on promises of honest government. "Now we find out that she is exempting hometown companies from minimum wage. This is exactly the hypocrisy and double talk that we have come to expect from the Democrats."

On Wednesday, the House voted to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour.
The bill also extends for the first time the federal minimum wage to the U.S. territory of the Northern Mariana Islands. However, it exempts American Samoa, another Pacific island territory that would become the only U.S. territory not subject to federal minimum-wage laws.

One of the biggest opponents of the federal minimum wage in Samoa is StarKist Tuna, which owns one of the two packing plants that together employ more than 5,000 Samoans, or nearly 75 percent of the island's work force. StarKist's parent company, Del Monte Corp., has headquarters in San Francisco, which is represented by Mrs. Pelosi. The other plant belongs to California-based Chicken of the Sea.

"There's something fishy going on here," said Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, North Carolina Republican.
During the House debate yesterday on stem-cell research, Mr. McHenry raised a parliamentary inquiry as to whether an amendment could be offered that would exempt American Samoa from stem-cell research, "just as it was for the minimum-wage bill."

A clearly perturbed Rep. Barney Frank, the Massachusetts Democrat who was presiding, cut off Mr. McHenry and shouted, "No, it would not be."
"So, the chair is saying I may not offer an amendment exempting American Samoa?" Mr. McHenry pressed.
"The gentleman is making a speech and will sustain," Mr. Frank shouted as he slammed his large wooden gavel against the rostrum.

Some Republicans who voted in favor of the minimum-wage bill were particularly irritated to learn yesterday -- after their vote -- that the legislation did not include American Samoa.

"I was troubled to learn of this exemption," said Rep. Mark Steven Kirk, Illinois Republican. "My intention was to raise the minimum wage for everyone. We shouldn't permit any special favors or exemptions that are not widely discussed in Congress. This is the problem with rushing legislation through without full debate."

A spokeswoman for Mrs. Pelosi said Wednesday that the speaker has not been lobbied in any way by StarKist or Del Monte.


Copyright © 2007 News World Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

CONSERVATIVE SteveK, what planet have you been living on?? How about our old leader as in GW BUSH!!!!!

Did you get a load of his druged assisted speech on his new mis-adventure ill-fated plans for the "BLOOD SURGE" in Iraq!!!!

Not only are the new Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress lining up in opposition, but a growing number of Republican lawmakers – even including staunch Bush loyalists – are voicing serious reservations about the idea.

According to the latest public opinion polls, nearly three out of four US respondents now say they disapprove of Bush's handling of Iraq, while confidence in his overall leadership has fallen to record lows.

Bush has managed to isolate himself and what's left of the once vaunted corrupted Republican Thug Machine. Who would have ever thought back in March 2003, that the Bush Boondogle in Iraq would single-handedly be responsible of dismantling the GOP majority in 06!!!!! Who would have ever thought the Bush's CLUSTER FUCK in Iraq would be the cause of why you won't see a Republican in the WHITE HOUE IN 08.

__________________
AMERICA LAND OF THE FREE HOME OF THE BRAVE--BECAUSE OF OUR CONSTITUTION.

RANGEL RANKLED BY FELLOW DEM PELOSI
By GEOFF EARLE Post Correspondent

January 12, 2007 -- WASHINGTON - Powerhouse New York Rep. Charles Rangel is butting heads with fellow Democrat Nancy Pelosi just a week into the new Congress controlled by their party, The Post has learned.

Rangel yesterday swatted down a tax hike that Pelosi has floated, and he made an end run around her decision to bypass House committees in a rush to bring bills to a vote.

"There's a lot of tension there," one Democratic lawmaker said of the relationship between Rangel and Pelosi.

Rangel, who took over the powerful Ways and Means Committee after 36 years in Congress, smacked down the idea Pelosi raised on Sunday of repealing tax cuts for those earning more than $500,000 per year.

"We haven't gotten that far to be talking about tax increases," Rangel told The Post. "She hasn't discussed it with me . . . We haven't gotten into tax policy."

Pelosi had said nixing tax cuts for half-million-dollar earners "might be more important to the American people than ignoring the educational and health needs of America's children."

But Rangel, whose committee handles tax policy, dismissed Pelosi's idea as unlikely to happen, since the speaker didn't bother to vet it with him in advance.

"Saying it to me in private is far more important than whatever she says nationally," he huffed, referring to her weekend TV appearance.

By calling out Pelosi, Rangel, a liberal firebrand himself, has emerged as the first old-school committee "baron" with the political juice to spar with the ascendant speaker.

In another swat at Pelosi, Rangel sided with Republican lawmakers by opposing his leadership's high-profile push to jam through legislation in the first 100 hours of Democratic rule.

Pelosi decreed that none of the early legislation would go through the normal committee process, hoping to keep her party in lockstep to enact key agenda items and boost her own and the party's national image.

"I don't think the chairman [Rangel] likes the idea that there were no hearings on a lot of the bills that were coming up in the 100 hours," said the Democratic lawmaker.

Sources say Rangel went to Pelosi urging that his committee be allowed to review legislation allowing the feds to negotiate with drug companies over prices and taking away tax breaks for big oil companies - but she refused.

Rangel got around her by setting up closed-door committee forums that were essentially hearings anyway.

Yesterday, the Republican and Democratic committee members met with health experts on the drug bill, and an energy meeting is set for next week.

"He said he was disturbed also," said Rep. Jim McCrery (R-La.), the top Republican on Ways and Means.

geoff.earle@nypost.com

I read this commentary by Keith Olbermann on the speech by the so called leader of the free world and I began to say to myself this guy has gone off the deep end; he's crazy as a loon. I used to think he was evil. I don't know what to believe anymore.

I used to be a traditional Christian, now I am an anarchist in the tradition of Henry Thoreau. As a Christian madness and evil were associated as a form of possession by the devil. When Jesus drove out the demons, people returned to their right minds.

Do we need an exorcist?

Read this commentary and say what your opinon is. Mad or evil?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16583889/

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AMERICA LAND OF THE FREE HOME OF THE BRAVE--BECAUSE OF OUR CONSTITUTION.

I couldn't get the link. but, Olbemann is who he is. he doesn't like Bush nor has he ever liked him. Same with Chris Matthews who said on Imus's radio show that Cheney just wants to "kill more people". If you believe that, then I don't know what to tell you. However, what you replied had little if anything to do with what I posted. Nice try though!

Well, to start I didn't see the speech as I've been travelling on business the past couple of days. And then it was more important to me to see my boy and lady so I have no idea what you're talking about. As far as "corrupted", perhaps you ought to have the original post I laid out. try sticking to a topic. That would be a good start.

great post steve

Wasn't Keith Olbermann an ESPN sports announcer?

__________________
"A committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing but together can decide that nothing can be done."
Fred Allen

"A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul."
George Bernard Shaw

"Politics is the art of choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable."
John Galbraith