Congress

Unfinished Business

Michael Markarian | Posted 01.08.2009 | Politics

Read More: Congress, Primates, Animals, House Natural Resources Committee, Sharks, 111th Congress, Jane Goodall Institute, House of Representatives, Nick Rahall, Primate Pets, Lynn Westmoreland, Rob Bishop, Earl Blumenauer, Chimp Attacks, Shark Hunting, Finning, Shark Finning, Human Society Legislative Fund, Pet Chimps, American Veterinary Medical Association, Captive Primate Safety Act, Madeleine Bordallo, Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Humane Society of the United States, H.R. 80, Pet Monkeys, Born Free USA, Politics News
Michael Markarian

Among the very first Congressional bills introduced this week were two important measures to protect wildlife and should be on the fast track to getting over the finish line in the new session.

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Day 1 of the New Congress Bodes Well for Oceans

Sarah Chasis | Posted 01.08.2009 | Green

Read More: 111th Congress, George Bush, Natural Resources Defense Council, Congress, Beaches, George W. Bush, Environment, National Healthy Oceans Act, Obama, Oceans, Barack Obama, Marine Monuments, Offshore Drilling, Healthy Oceans Act, Green News
Sarah Chasis

Like a Clean Air Act for our air, and a Clean Water Act for our water - we need a landmark bill to protect the health of our oceans.

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When it Comes to Bernie Madoff, Congress is More to Blame Than the SEC

Joanne Bamberger | Posted 01.08.2009 | Politics

Read More: Punditmom, Bernard Madoff, Congress, Securities and Exchange Commission, Bernie Madoff, Securities Fraud, Politics News
Joanne Bamberger

As Congress gets ready to point the finger at the SEC for falling down on the job, it had better get ready to own up to its share of the blame.

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Amnesty vs. AIPAC: Senate to Consider AIPAC Resolution Endorsing War in Gaza

Robert Naiman | Posted 01.08.2009 | World

Read More: Senate, Gaza Blockade, Warwire, Gaza, Congress, Ceasefire, Israel, Foreign Policy, World News
Robert Naiman

The Senate could consider as early as today a resolution promoted by AIPAC intended to effectively endorse the continuation of the Israeli military as...

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Congress Pushes Judge To Secure Bush Records

AP | JESSE J. HOLLAND | Posted 01.08.2009 | Politics

Read More: White House, Bush White House, National Archives, National Archives and Records Administration, Congress, Politics News

WASHINGTON — The new Congress on Thursday asked a federal judge to force the Bush White House to keep documents on the controversial firings of ...

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Jason Linkins

Election Result To Be Certified; Votes Moved For Football

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 01.08.2009 | Media

Read More: John McCain, Congress, Electoral College Results, Electoral College, Barack Obama, Media News

Today, Congress plans to officially certify the results of the 2008 election, meeting in a 1 P.M. joint session to get down to counting up the elector...

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Fairness Doctrine: Secret Republican Agenda Exposed!

Craig Aaron | Posted 01.08.2009 | Media

Read More: Congress, Rush Limbaugh, Fcc, George Will, Jim Demint, The Fairness Doctrine, Mike Pence, Republican Party, Media News
Craig Aaron

You won't believe this. Today, I overheard a group of leading Republicans talking in the House about the greatest threats facing America. And here --...

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Markey takes chairmanship of key energy & environment subcommittee -- House geared for action

David Roberts | Posted 01.08.2009 | Politics

Read More: Energy, Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, House of Representatives, Ed Markey, Democratic Congress, Congress, Rick Boucher, Nancy Pelosi, Environment, Climate Change, House Energy and Commerce Committee, Politics News
David Roberts

grist.orgAs Kate reported earlier today, new House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) is reorganizing the committee, unifying...

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Pay-To-Play: Inauguration Tickets, Only $12,500 Each!

Chris Weigant | Posted 01.07.2009 | Politics

Read More: Congress, Cronyism, Burris, President Obama, Feinstein, Leon Panetta, Ceremony, Washington, Andy Rooney, Dianne Feinstein, Obama, Difi, Blagojevich, Presidential Inauguration Committee, Politics, Change, Halle Berry, Steven Spielberg, Inauguration, Pay to Play, pic2009, Inauguration Tickets, Inaugural, Swearing-In, 50000, Panetta, Roland Burris, Ticket, Barack Obama, Tom Hanks, Transparency, Chris Weigant, Change We Can Believe In, Tickets, Capitol, Obama's Inauguration, Pic, Politics News
Chris Weigant

This doesn't sound a whole lot like "change we can believe in." This sounds more like same-old-same-old cronyism and pay-to-play.

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Jason Linkins

Reid Gives Burris A Pass On Race-Card Playing (VIDEO)

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 01.07.2009 | Media

Read More: Politics News, Roland Burris Senate, Obama Senate, Obama Roland Burris, Video, Congress Burris, Senate Democrats, Congress, Obama Burris, Media News

Roland Burris path to getting some new resume details to engrave on his graveside monolith got a little less obstructed today. President-elect Barack ...

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Sam Stein

Dem Aide: Obama Team Pushed To Seat Burris

HuffingtonPost.com | Sam Stein | Posted 01.07.2009 | Politics

Read More: Congress, Roland Burris Senate, Obama Burris, Senate Democrats, Obama Roland Burris, Obama Senate, Congress Burris, Politics News

The apparent decision to seat Roland Burris came after aides to President-elect Barack Obama contacted senior Senate Democrats and suggested that they...

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The Need for a Performance Right

Ann Chaitovitz | Posted 01.07.2009 | Entertainment

Read More: Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Congress, Songs, Entertainment, Performance Pay, Economy, North Korea, Radio, Telecommunications, Royalties, Iran, Musicians, Singing, Iraq, Music, Performance, Entertainment News
Ann Chaitovitz

Because we do not have a performance right, performers, labels, and our economy) lose more than 100M dollars annually that is collected overseas for the broadcasts of U.S. recordings.

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Democrats Back Bush, Reject Human Rights Groups, in Support for Israeli Assault on Gaza

Stephen Zunes | Posted 01.07.2009 | World

Read More: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Palestine, Congressional Democrats, Human Rights, Gaza Strip, Israel Gaza Airstrikes, Congress, Israel, Democrats, World News
Stephen Zunes

The hard-line militaristic position of the Democratic Party does not bode well for a more enlightened Middle East policy after eight disastrous years under President George W. Bush.

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The Dupes of Madoff: Too Small-Minded to Fail?

Nancy L. Cohen | Posted 01.06.2009 | Business

Read More: Financial Crisis, Congress, Bernard Madoff, Bailout, Madoff Victims, Madoff Scandal, Economy, Business News
Nancy L. Cohen

There are only two questions of significance in the Madoff scandal. What does it tell us about our times? What should be done about it?

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Reading The Pictures: www.sowingseedsofdissension.democrats.gov

Michael Shaw | Posted 01.06.2009 | Media

Read More: Photos, Axelrod, President Obama, Washington, Nyt, News Photographers, Obama, Congress, Democrats, Queen, Images, Politics, Pelosi, Emanuel, Staff, Nancy Pelosi, Bagnewsnotes, New York Times, Obama Transition, Speaker, House Speaker, Capitol, News, Media News
Michael Shaw

2009-01-06-pelosi_speakergov.jpg With the country in a shambles, the media wouldn't want the Democrats getting off to a rocky start, would it?

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Not Tax Cuts Again!

Jeff Madrick | Posted 01.06.2009 | Home

Read More: Tax Cuts, Public Invesstment, Congress, Obama, John McCain Tax Cuts, Stimulus Plan, Home News
Jeff Madrick

It is a terribly sad to discover this weekend that the Obama stimulus will probably include $300 billion in tax cuts. It is of course designed to p...

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Can Congress Speak Out Against Gaza Violence? Yes, They Can!

Robert Naiman | Posted 01.06.2009 | World

Read More: Israel Gaza Airstrikes, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Israel, Congress, Gaza, Dennis Kucinich, Foreign Policy, World News
Robert Naiman

Don't whine about Congress if you haven't exerted the minimal effort to ask it to behave differently.

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Tax Credits vs. Spending: Why Progressives Should Care How the Stimulus is Delivered

Elizabeth Rigby | Posted 01.05.2009 | Politics

Read More: Taxes, Congress, Stimulus Bill, Mitch McConnell, Food Stamps, Progressive Agenda, Economy, Progressive Policy Change, Progressives, Economic Crisis, President Obama, Government Spending, Obama Administration, Medicaid, Recession, Barack Obama, Politics, Unemployment, Economic Stimulus Package, Spending, Political Feasibility, Tax Cuts, Economic Stimulus, Obama Transition, Tax Expenditures, Financial Crisis, Politics News
Elizabeth Rigby

From a progressive perspective, does the use of tax credit represent a political compromise that will limit the potential for the stimulus to seed more substantial policy change?

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Obama Stimulus Bill May Include Loopholes For Venture Capitalists

Lloyd Chapman | Posted 01.05.2009 | Business

Read More: Small Business, Senate, Congress, House of Representatives, Barack Obama, Economy, Middle Class, Asbl, Lloyd Chapman, Obama, American Small Business League, Stimulus, Business News
Lloyd Chapman

Billions of dollars in federal small business contracts would be diverted from middle class firms and into the hands of a very small number of firms controlled by wealthy venture capitalists.

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Could Gitmo Get Worse? The Policy Implications of Executive Accountability

Shahid Buttar | Posted 01.05.2009 | Politics

Read More: War Crimes, Rule of Law, Donald Rumsfeld, Guantanamo, Treason, Surveillance, Obama Transition, Dick Cheney, Torture, Special Prosecutor, Congress, Accountability, Eric Holder, Military Commissions, 9/11, Paul Wellstone, 9-11, Politics News
Shahid Buttar

If we can't attain a national consensus against surveillance trampling the rights of every American, what hope exists of a progressive consensus emerging on torture or detention?

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Stop The Energy Department From Hiking Oil Prices By Reinstituting Purchases For The Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Raymond J. Learsy | Posted 01.04.2009 | Business

Read More: Oil, Rep. Edward Markey, Bush Administration, Congress, Department of Energy, Secretary Bodman, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Business News
Raymond J. Learsy

In essence the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, rather than being our oil safety valve, has become a welfare program for the oil industry and one of the nation's most outrageous boondoggles.

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Bottom Line: 2008 Car/Truck Sales Probably Worst Since 1974

Steve Parker | Posted 01.03.2009 | Business

Read More: Ebay, Treasury Department, Porsche, Automotive News, Paris Dakar Rally, Wall Street Bailout, Congress, Hank Paulson, Troubled Assets Relief Program, Chrysler, Ford Mustang, Detroit Lions, Cars, Detroit News, Ford, Highland Park, Supercharger, Dodge Durango Hybrid, General Motors, Chad Hall, Dodge Challenger, Chrysler EVs, Chevy Cobalt, 1974 Oil Embargo, Detroit, Carroll Shelby, Off-Road, Baja 1000, Porsche Panamera, Detroit Bailout, Chrysler Aspen Hybrid, Pickups, FICO Score, Chevy Cruze, Minivan, Hilton Hotels, Nascar, Detroit Three, Gm, Robby Gordon, Mexico, Washington DC, Daewoo, Rod Hall, Tokyo, Gmac, TARP and Auto Bailout, Seoul, Detroit Three Loans, San Jose Del Cabo, Hummer Sale, gt500, Darpa, Stuttgart, SUV Sales, Business News
Steve Parker

The only other time the industry has seen a 3-million (or more) unit plunge was following the 1974 oil shortage.

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How Should We Get Big-Money Influence Out of Congressional Elections?

Lawrence Lessig | Posted 01.02.2009 | Politics

Read More: Arlen Specter, Corruption, Congress, Larry Lessig, Public Financing, Dick Durbin, Citizen-Funded Elections, Special Interests, People-Powered Elections, Lawrence Lessig, Barack Obama, David Donnelly, Voting, Lessig Congress, Campaign Finance, Joe Trippi, Change Congress, Mccain Campaign Finance Reform, Politics News
Lawrence Lessig

I and others will soon announce a large grassroots campaign aimed at channeling the amazing desire for change that Americans are feeling right now into tangible and fundamental reform of our political system.

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"Gotcha" Legislation and Congressional Failures

Marilyn Barrett | Posted 12.30.2008 | Politics

Read More: Derivaties, Congress, Political, Economy, Financial Crisis, Gotcha Leglisation, Commodities Futures Modernization Act of 2000, Politics News
Marilyn Barrett

Do the Congressional Rules and Procedures really permit major pieces of legislation to be slipped in for vote without the opportunity for members to review... the substance and effect of the legislation?

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Quigley, Feigenholtz Have Edge In Race For Emanuel's Seat

Crain's Chicago Business | Paul Merrion | Posted 12.30.2008 | Chicago

Read More: 111th Congress, Congress, House Races, Mike Quigley Congress, Rahm Emanuel, Rahm Emanuel Replacement, Mike Quigley, Sara Feigenholtz, Illinois Special Election, Feigenholtz Congress, Chicago News

Uncertainty in the race to fill the seat of Rep. Rahm Emanuel has opened important fundraising and organizational advantages for two early candidates:...

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