July 2011
1 post
6 tags
Budget-debt deals from 1995 & 1997
Government show-downs of 1995 and 1997
In 1995, under the leadership of Speaker Gingrich and Senate Majority Leader Dole, the “Contract with American” pledged to cut spending and lower the rate of government spending. This lead to a fall, 1995 show down between the GOP Congress and President Clinton on the appropriations process and the debt limit increase. President Clinton vetoed...
November 2010
1 post
6 tags
Congress after the mid-terms
Now that the dust has mostly settled from Tuesday’s mid-term elections, Congress is starting to roll up its sleeves and begin to deal with the myriad of issues that face the two-legged lame duck session of Congress. The Reid/Pelosi lead Congress has scheduled the first leg of the lame duck session to convene Nov. 15 and the second leg will convene Nov. 29. The lame duck session has so much...
October 2010
1 post
9 tags
Big policies & principles are coming to... →
Big policies & principles are heading to Congress…not big personalities
With only days left before the mid-term elections will come to a close, the question in many people’s minds is will they produce change that matters or change what matters? This may sound like a semantics game but it really goes much deeper. You see, the BarackObama.com website boasts that they will bring us “change...
July 2010
5 posts
10 tags
You have power no one is telling you about
You have power that no one is telling you about. It works this way. Speaker Pelosi and Harry Reid are planning to call Congress back in session AFTER the November elections. This rare Lame Duck session will be called so they can try and pass Immigration, Cap ‘N Trade, tax increases, Card Check…just to name a few. They hope the session will be a real “doozie”. You see, even...
Grade Gov | They work for YOU. Remind them. →
Congress spent the week preparing for their more than a month long recess by finally passing the extension of the Federal unemployment benefits. This $34B bill was passed in the Senate on Tuesday, just minutes after the newest Senator from West Virginia was sworn-in as the 100th United States Senator for the 111th Congress. The vote to break the filibuster and pass the bill was successful because...
7 tags
Does Congress deserve the "hat trick"...
This 111th Congress is preparing to break records in ways that could make a grown man cry…………………..tears of disappointment.
First, this Congress has decided for the 1st time in the history of Congress passing Budget resolutions not to pass one, not even through at least 1 body of Congress. Without a Budget resolution, the Members of Congress have no...
10 tags
Congress is planning a lame duck session-watch...
Congress is teeing up a lame duck session the likes of which I don’t think any Congress watcher has ever seen. What this means for you and me is that after we vote out or in our Member of Congress at the Novemeber polls, Speaker Pelosi and Harry Reid will call Congress back in session for a lame duck session. This session will occur in Mid to late November and could include all sorts of...
Congress went out for the 4th of July w/out... →
Congress tried to spend up to $124B on unemployment extenstions, domestic spending and funding the Wars, all without paying for it. However, the GOP stopped them in their tracks. Read it here and happy 4th of July Holiday!
May 2010
2 posts
3 tags
See how the Senate will conduct a surprise vote on... →
3 tags
Summary of Climate change bill from the Senate
This is a written summary submitted by the Kerry/Lieberman press conference today in the U.S. Senate on the introduction today of the American Powere Act-5/11/2010
The American Power act will transform our economy, set us on the path toward energy independence and improve the quality of the air we breathe. It will create millions of good jobs that cannot be shipped abroad and will launch America...
April 2010
2 posts
The Senate GOP motto this week: ‘Trust but verify’... →
In the Senate this week—Trust but verify might be their motto. Read and see if you agree.
GradeGov.com
4 tags
Congress might pass on doing a budget--spending...
Tax day has come and gone and millions of Americans filed their tax returns, thereby complying with the April 15 annual deadline. However, deadlines seem to mean very little to the Democratic leadership in Congress. You see, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is seriously considering not passing a budget resolution this year.
The budget resolution does not have the force of law and thus isn’t...
March 2010
13 posts
6 tags
Congress on their Easter/Passover/Spring... →
The House and Senate left DC for their two week Easter/Passover/Spring recess with the House spending approx. $15B more without paying for it. This money is spent in two different bills; one totally $5B for FEMA and other agencies that have spent money on disasters in the US and the second, totally almost $10B, for an extension of the Unemployment benefits, COBRA health benefits and postponing the...
5 tags
Congress spending more $ before Easter
Congress is planning on taking a 2 week recess beginning later today after they pass a 30 day extension of the Unemployment benefits, COBRA health benefits and postpone the 21% cut to DRS of government payment to them for seeing Medicare patients. The House Dems passed this earlier at a cost of $10B and deemed it an emergency. When they invoke the emergency designation they don’t have to...
3 tags
Health Care House vote flip-floppers
Many of you on GradeGov have asked for a list of Health Care vote flip-floppers. These are Members of the House that voted against the Health Care bill in November, but flipped their vote and voted to pass the bill last Sunday Night. Here you go, log onto GradeGov and let your voice be heard.
John Boccieri (OH-16)Allen Boyd (FL-2)Bart Gordon (TN-6)Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24)Dennis Kucinich (OH-10)Betsy...
2 tags
Health Care benefits for POTUS, Cabinet & MOC
While the House and Senate Democratic Leaders negotiated the HC bill over the past few weeks, they added in the bill a real sweetheart deal for the President’s cabinet, staff, Members of Congress and their staff…..they don’t go into this newly created HC system. WOW, how cool is that?
Sen. Grassley (R-IA) has offered an amdt to the pending reconciliation bill that would require...
4 tags
Senate debates part #2 of Health Care
The Senate is considering part #2 of the Health Care debate again today. The leadership hopes the vote-a-rama (back-to-back votes) will begin by dinner time tonight. This will last until Friday. Lots of votes! Watch how it will work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA-KKJxXbBQ
5 tags
Watch Senate footage of the HC reconciliation... →
Watch how the 2nd 1/2 of the Health Care process will play out in the Senate after the Sunday votes in the House. The video is from actual Senate footage.
5 tags
Senate now debates PT#2 of Health Care process
Now that the Senate Health care bill has been signed into law, Members of the House that changed their vote from last November to support this HC bill are watching the Senate will some nervousness. You see the law of the land includes the NE “corn husker kickback” the FL “gator Aid” and the ND ”Bismark Bank deal” just to name a few. The...
5 tags
Health Care vote this week could result in a fatal...
This week on the Sunday talk shows, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said: ”We’re happy to have the 2010 elections be about health care reform.” Well, Mr. Gibbs, I predict your wish will come true, again, and again and again.
With the House of Representatives gearing up for the major vote on health care this week and the Senate preparing to follow suit, all eyes are on the more than a...
8 tags
HC inching closer, list of House members on the...
HC inching closer, but still nervous House members to sway
GradeGov membership as of March 11 INDEP/DEM = 48% GOP = 52%
The Speaker is holding numerous behind the scenes meetings with the entire Dem. House membership in an effort to garner the 216 votes needed to pass HC in the House. She is struggling with two aspects, the gimmick she will use to pass it w/out ever having an actual vote on the...
6 tags
Health care might pass w/out a vote in the House
The Speaker may be planning to bend the rules of the House and construct a way for the House to pass the Senate Health care bill without a vote. Watch the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFUemyvaObE
Let your voice be heard in Congress →
10 tags
Speaker Pelosi to cheat the American people out of...
In the POTUS’ weekly radio/Internet address to America, he called on Congress to have a vote on the Health Care bill. “Congress owes the American people an up-or-down vote on health insurance reform.” However, the Speaker is going to bend the House Rules so that House members won’t ever actually have to conduct a vote on the Senate health Care bill, but it will still be...
6 tags
Reconciliation is bringing you Health care--Like...
Notwithstanding the town hall meetings, polls, election results in VA, NJ and MA, the Congressional Democrats are bound and determined to pass government takeover of our nation’s health care system. Remember, timely, targeted and temporary? These were the tag lines the WH created for the passage of the Stimulus package back in early 2009. Many have been wondering just how timely, targeted...
February 2010
10 posts
6 tags
Health Care Summit--Boom or Bust?
Now that the Health Care summit has come and gone, what’s left is the fate of the Health Care reform bill in Congress. The summit solved nothing as to fundamental divide between Democrats and Republicans in Congress & the White House. The Republicans in attendance echoed their moderate-smaller steps advocated to solve some of the health care system problems. The Democrats on the panel reminded...
5 tags
History lesson on the upcoming Health Care summit
Many eyes will be focused this Thursday on the all day WH hosted Health Care summit with Congressional Leaders, both Dems and GOP. These “summits” are a bit of a roll of the dice since they can have huge political results, both good and bad. For example, Pres. Reagan had two, one on Social Security in ‘82 and one of the Budget. Both were a success. Bush ‘41 and Clinton each...
5 tags
POTUS & moveon.org make huge push for Health Care
The POTUS’ weekly radio/Internet address this weekend says: “Now is the time to push Health reform.” Organizing for America is asking folks to fax, email or call Members of Congress on Wed., Feb. 24 to push for them to finally conclude the HC debate in Congress. Their goal is 1 million contacts with Congress in one day. Remember, on Thursday, Feb. 25, the POTUS hosts the health...
5 tags
Health care overhall is alive & well--for real!
The White House is planning to unveil their new version of universal health care by Sunday in order for it to be available when the POTUS hosts the health care summit on Feb. 25 with Congressional Leaders both Dem and GOP. GradeGov has learned that dozens of Dem Senators are strongly urging the Senate Leadership to use the budget reconciliation process to get this new bill thru the Senate with...
4 tags
Re-elect Congress...not so much!
Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) was asked on Feb. 17 why he thought so many believe Congress is doing a bad job representing folks in DC. It was in response to the latest CNN poll that showed that 63% of those polled were in favor of throwing out the current Congress. This is the worst performance for Congress since CNN began polling.
Cong. Frank said: “I will believe it when I see it,...
2 tags
Did GradeGov influence Sen. Bayh's decision not to...
Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) has decided not to run again for his current Senate seat up this Nov., 2010. The young Senator has been at odds with the POTUS and the Dems in Congress for almost a year. His polls say he has a lead of almost 20% over any announced opponent but yet Sen. Bayh has announced he will not seek reelection. HUMM?? Could his average GRADE on GradeGov.com of “D” have...
3 tags
Snow in DC may have saved the taxpayer big...
While many across America were experiencing frigid weather last week with record snow fall, Congress had a short week of sessions with the Senate trimming their “Jobs/Stimulus” bill from the $150B passed by the House to approx. $15B once it finally was unveiled on the Senate floor. You see, earlier on Thursday, the Senate Democratic leadership had signed off on an $85B package, with...
8 tags
POTUS wants you to FaceBook on HC
POTUS’ website Organizing for America is urging Americans to write letters to the editor or Facebook messages that Congress needs to pass health Care NOW. The message says “that this legislation can’t wait another decade or another year.” Meanwhile, the House and Senate Leaders are making the final decision on how to get the HC bill thru Congress. Remember, the Senate...
5 tags
POTUS urges you to contact Congress--ME TOO!
Cong. Rangel (D-MI) is working behing closed doors to create a Health Care reconciliation bill that would be able to pass the Senate by only 50 votes (VP Biden would break the tie vote). This process allows for only 20 hours of debate in the Senate but after the 20 hours, Senators are allowed to offer amdts and get immediate votes. This vote-a-roma, sometimes 70 to 90 back-to-back roll call...
7 tags
Sen. Snowe joins Sen. Lincoln--NO HC under...
Senate Democrats are spending much of this week behind closed doors trying to puzzle through how to get HC thru the Senate given they have lost their filibuster proof 60th vote with the election of Sen. Brown (R-MA). They will meet as a caucus in an all day meeting on Wednesday away from the Capitol to try to resolve this impasse. Joining Sen. Lincoln (D-AR) in opposing the use of reconciliation...
January 2010
14 posts
6 tags
Sen. Lincoln (D-AR) vows to oppose HC under...
The Speaker announced on Friday, Jan. 29 that she would pole volt or parachute over the GOP obstacles in order to pass HC thru Congress. That statement tells this writer that the budget reconciliation process will definitely be used to jam the bill thru Congress. Remember, the problem with passing HC is in the Senate where the Senate Democrats have lost their 60th vote, filibuster proof Senate...
10 tags
Health Care is alive & well in Congress
The Speaker & Democratic Leaders have been stating that since they don’t have the votes to pass the Senate-Christmas eve Health Care that sits in the House chamber, that the HC issue is dead. The Speaker needs to muster 218 votes to pass the bill and w/out changes made, she can’t get enough House members to vote yes. Majority Leader Reid has also announced that he no longer has the...
6 tags
Harry Reid's unlimited credit card
While most are paying attention to the recent Senate GOP win in MA, or are trying to game out the next move on the Health Care debate in Congress, not much is being said about the Majority Leader’s unlimited credit card. You see the Senate is debating the debt limit increase which was passed last Spring by the House of Representatives. However, as the year went on, the Majority Leader...
3 tags
"Pants on the Ground" as sung by the Democrats!
Many Americans are mumbling the new catchy ditty heard on American Idol last week. It goes something like: “pants on the ground………..looking like a fool w/your pants on the ground.”
The Democrats in DC might listen to the words a bit more in the coming days. You see, I believe if they don’t heed the warning signs sent by the good people of MA, they run the risk...
Let your voice be heard on GradeGov.com →
1 tag
Sen. Webb calls on HC to be slowed down
Democratic Senator Jim Webb (VA) has publicly stated that given the election results in MA, that the Congress should not debate or consider any version of the Health Care bill until the new Senator has been sworn-in and is seated in the U.S. Senate. Given this announcement, Leader Reid will have to wait until the Senate has the new Senator or he will not have some of his members supporting the...
Let you voice be heard in Congress today →
1 tag
HC Dilemma via the MA special election
The Senate and House leaders are in a dilemma over the expected win by the GOP Senate candidate today in MA to fill the vacancy by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy. If the Senate loses the seat to the republicans then they lose their 60 vote filibuster proof vote margin. This makes passing the HC bill coming back from the House very difficult if not impossible in the Senate. That is why the leaders are...
Grade Members of Congress-let your voice be heard! →
1 tag
HC self imposed crunch in Congress
The House Democratic Leadership along with the Senate team are scrambling to try to come to some agreement to pass the HC bill in the House with changes that will allow the Speaker to garner the 218 votes needed to pass it in the House and the necessary 60 votes needed to break the filibuster in the Senate. The old deadline, self imposed, was to pass the bill in time for the President to claim...
1 tag
Is the open Senate seat really open to the people...
The Senate debate on HC is still stuck in the mud as a result of large groups of House Democrats not liking many of Senate provisions from the Christmas eve passage in the Senate. The main provisions in contention are the abortion language and the 40% tax on “Cadillac health policies”. These are health insurance policies that most labor union workers have and many state employees have...
1 tag
HC turns to Unions & the White House
The House Speaker tried this week to iron out the differences between the House and Senate HC bills via meetings with POTUS, and a conf. call with 175 Democratic members of the House, all to no avail. Members on the conf. call expressed unhappiness with the Senate’s funding provision that would tax high-end insurance policies by 40%. This language, included in the Senate version attacks many...
The President's unique choice of words
” A word spoken is an arrow let fly.” This anonymous quotation came to mind immediately as I listened to the Presidents press event on Jan. 7. 2010. This press event was called by our President to inform us of his findings following his meetings with his top security team to get to the bottom of the Christmas eve attempted terrorist attack. It was over half way through his statement...
1 tag
Health care could be the law of the land by the...
The House Democratic Leaders and House Democratic Chairman are meeting tomorrow in DC (Wed., Jan. 6) to decide how they will handle the recently Senate passed Health Care bill . Once they have set a plan in place, they intend to call a meeting of all House Democrats on Thursday, via phone, web cam and the like to announce the game plan. Many believe they will elect to concur in the Senate amdt...
December 2009
12 posts
1 tag
Lack of Leadership in Washington, DC
In early December, The TSA posted on the Internet its Standard Operating Procedure Manual to the embarrassment of the Administration. This obvious mistake brought into question back in December as to whether or not airport security was jeopardized.
On Dec. 8, 2009, Sen. Lieberman (I-CN) who is the chairman of the Homeland Security committee in the Senate, called on the U.S. Senate to confirm the...