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-   -   Congress has lost its mind... (http://cellar.org/showthread.php?t=5891)

Beestie 05-24-2004 11:57 AM

Congress has lost its mind...
 
Check out the latest bill from the buffoons in Congress and take it to its logical conclusion then find a rock to hide under

Congress wishes to confer upon itself the power to overturn Supreme Court decisions that render acts of Congress unconstitutional.

This can't be happening.

Kitsune 05-24-2004 12:09 PM

I keep repeating myself, but I have to say it again: our government is going insane.

At what point do the citizens start to take a stand against these changes?

Troubleshooter 05-24-2004 12:11 PM

All the Supreme Court has to do is declare the act unconstitutional.

:D

marichiko 05-24-2004 12:15 PM

Congress has no mind to loose. A new paper published in that august scientific monograph The Journal of Irreproducible Results, reports the findings of a team of evolutionary biologists who have made public the findings of a 20 year study that they conducted on the life form we call "Congress," scientific name Congressia multistupidia. The study shows that Congress has devolved into a colonial life form with no central nervous system or brain, much like the jelly fish. It can also sting like the jelly fish when it feels threatened. This explains much. ;)

wolf 05-24-2004 12:21 PM

Politics serves the purpose in America that the Catholic Church did in Europe in Medieval times. It is the place that wealthy family send their lesser sons, and now daughters, to keep them from screwing up the family business.

Just as our best and brightest no longer become teachers, so it is in politics.

(Perry5, to save you the trouble ... that's poli meaning many and tics meaning blood sucking parasites.)

MrKite 05-24-2004 01:48 PM

I think perry5 should run for a congessional position.

DanaC 05-24-2004 02:29 PM

Quote:

Politics serves the purpose in America that the Catholic Church did in Europe in Medieval times. It is the place that wealthy family send their lesser sons, and now daughters, to keep them from screwing up the family business.
That is so true.

depmats 05-24-2004 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MrKite
I think perry5 should run for a congessional position.
1) Are we positive he isn't already there?

2) Does anyone remember 3/4 years ago, which state had all of its geniouses get together and pass the resolution that - currently they don't want to, but they reserve the right to secede from the union if they choose? This was only a couple of years ago, somewhere in the southwest.

Happy Monkey 05-24-2004 03:24 PM

Maybe they should team up with these folk. In fact, I'd prefer they did, since I like the beaches in South Carolina.

Kitsune 05-24-2004 04:51 PM

Maybe they should team up with these folk.

The religious right want to form their own nation? If that means they'll stay out of my government, I'll donate money to help them along.

Happy Monkey 05-24-2004 05:15 PM

I feel bad for the rational people who will have the misfortune to suffer the invasion.

kerosene 05-24-2004 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Happy Monkey
I feel bad for the rational people who will have the misfortune to suffer the invasion.
or "reinforcement."

DanaC 05-24-2004 05:21 PM

...peacekeeping force

Happy Monkey 05-24-2004 05:22 PM

Actually, I feel bad for the people who will see them as reinforcements, too.

Just like I'd feel bad for crackheads if I saw a massive migration of dealers heading to them.

kerosene 05-24-2004 05:26 PM

True. Where was that comment syc made about the kool-aid?

richlevy 05-24-2004 08:47 PM

I looked at the proposed act as well as the relevant part of the Constitution. I don't get it. The Constitution seems clear about what the court can get involved in and nowhere is there any part that could even be stretched to insinuate that Congress can veto the court.

Of course, since the law affects the court, maybe they hope the entire court will recuse itself and G.W.B. can cast the deciding vote.

This is mindless grandstanding for the rabid fundies who are pissed off about church-state separation and the "I'm not really a racist" bigots who never got over desegregation.



The act states:

Quote:

SEC. 4. BASIS FOR ENACTMENT.

This Act is enacted pursuant to the power of Congress under article III, section 2, of the Constitution of the United States.
The passage of the Constitution cited is:


Quote:

Section 2. The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and equity, arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made, or which shall be made, under their authority;--to all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls;--to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction;--to controversies to which the United States shall be a party;--to controversies between two or more states;--between a state and citizens of another state;--between citizens of different states;--between citizens of the same state claiming lands under grants of different states, and between a state, or the citizens thereof, and foreign states, citizens or subjects.


In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state shall be party, the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction. In all the other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions, and under such regulations as the Congress shall make.


The trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be by jury; and such trial shall be held in the state where the said crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any state, the trial shall be at such place or places as the Congress may by law have directed.


wolf 05-25-2004 12:50 AM

The Christians wanting to move to South Carolina and take over is not that new an idea. The Free State Project wants people to move to New Hampshire to turn it into a constitutional republic.

Troubleshooter 05-25-2004 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wolf
The Christians wanting to move to South Carolina and take over is not that new an idea. The Free State Project wants people to move to New Hampshire to turn it into a constitutional republic.
I rather like the idea of a xtian state. It gets them all in one place.

Follow that with a little "strategic" bombing and...

OnyxCougar 05-25-2004 11:59 AM

The insanity continues.....



http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/bdqu...:@@@L&summ2=m&

Beestie 05-25-2004 12:05 PM

Originally posted by OnyxCougar
Quote:

The insanity continues.....

http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/bdqu...:@@@L&summ2=m&
The sponsors of that bill are some of the biggest dumbasses America has to offer.

Happy Monkey 05-25-2004 12:13 PM

Note that that's from Feb. 2003, and was primarily a comment on the chickenhawk mentality.

Undertoad 05-25-2004 12:33 PM

That's right, sponsoring a bill to nothing less than re-enacting the draft... simply to make a political point. Beestie's point holds.

OnyxCougar 05-25-2004 02:47 PM

Well, I wrote a letter to my Representative and both Senators. (My senators are Elizabeth Dole and John Edwards). I'm sure it won't make a difference, but as least I can say I made an effort. I wrote about the draft bills and the "fuck the constitution" bill.

slang 05-25-2004 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wolf
........to keep them from screwing up the family business.
LMAO So obviously true I'm sorry I didnt see it myself.

OnyxCougar 05-28-2004 01:38 PM

Member how I wrote to my congressman? This is the reply from Senator John Edwards.....

Quote:

Dear (OC):

Thank you for contacting me about the draft, or the Selective Service. I appreciate hearing from you.

Legal authority for the involuntary induction of men into the Armed Forces expired on July 1, 1973. New legislation would be required to reinstate an active draft. Currently, the Selective Service System operates on standby status. Young men are required to register with the System within 30 days before or after their 18th birthday. If the draft were to be reactivated, young men age 18 through 26 would be subject to induction (up to age 35 if deferred when initially called). Student deferments were drastically restricted by law after they caused so much controversy during the Vietnam War of 1964-1973. Graduate student deferments were in fact abolished early in the Vietnam War, in 1966. Under current law, undergraduates who were drafted would be allowed to finish an ongoing academic semester (or their senior year, if about to graduate), and would then have to report for induction. Married men would not be exempt from any actual draft.

At the present time, it appears unlikely that the U.S. will reinstate the draft to meet its manpower needs. The military is meeting its recruiting and retention goals at the present time, and it has a large pool of trained personnel in the reserves that it can draw on to augment its active forces.

Should legislation come before the Senate that would reinstate the draft, I would carefully consider the circumstances and ultimately make a choice that was based on the best interest of our nation's security. In the meantime, I welcome any thoughts you may have on the matter.

Again, thank you for your correspondence. Please keep in touch.

Yours sincerely,

John Edwards
United States Senate

Clodfobble 05-28-2004 03:02 PM

How very efficient of him, to have a form letter response that works both for people who oppose AND support the draft.

Undertoad 05-28-2004 03:14 PM

Or who are even just looking for information about it

phillybilly 05-28-2004 04:08 PM

Re: Congress has lost its mind...
 
Quote:

Originally posted by Beestie
Check out the latest bill from the buffoons in Congress and take it to its logical conclusion then find a rock to hide under

Congress wishes to confer upon itself the power to overturn Supreme Court decisions that render acts of Congress unconstitutional.

This can't be happening.


Come on, with dubya running the country, is this a surrpise AT ALL!!

This is the same man that after a drunken binge (AT THE AGE OF 40 MIND YOU!!!) had a vision that Jesus told him he should run the country...YEAH that's the straight jacket candidate that was voted in!

So his cronies in the house and senate, WHATEVER they do, doesn't surprise me ONE BIT...

Oh by the way, senate bill 89....house bill 163 are trying to re-institute the draft by June 2005...

It basically is.......


'There is pending legislation in the House and Senate (twin bills: S 89 and HR 163) which will time the program's initiation so the draft can begin at early as Spring 2005 -- just after the 2004 presidential election. The administration is quietly trying to get these bills passed now, while the public's attention is on the elections, so our action on this is needed immediately.

$28 million has been added to the 2004 Selective Service System (SSS) budget to prepare for a military draft that could start as early as June 15, 2005. Selective Service must report to Bush on March 31, 2005 that the system, which has lain dormant for decades, is ready for activation. Please see website: www.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html to view the sss annual performance plan - fiscal year 2004.

The pentagon has quietly begun a public campaign to fill all 10,350 draft board positions and 11,070 appeals board slots nationwide.. Though this is an unpopular election year topic, military experts and influential members of congress are suggesting that if Rumsfeld's prediction of a "long, hard slog" in Iraq and Afghanistan [and a permanent state of war on "terrorism"] proves accurate, the U.S. may have no choice but to draft.

Congress brought twin bills, S. 89 and HR 163 forward this year, http://www.hslda.org/legislation/na...s89/default.asp entitled the Universal National Service Act of 2003, "to provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons [age 18--26] in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes." These active bills currently sit in the committee on armed services'.


Yeah so ANYTHING that this current regime puts out of it's foul mouth, YEAH that suprises me!!

:eek:


Later :rattat:

glatt 05-28-2004 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Clodfobble
How very efficient of him, to have a form letter response that works both for people who oppose AND support the draft.
You and UT are acting like people who have never written to their congress critter before.

[Fletch]It's all form letters these days.[/Fletch]

Clodfobble 05-28-2004 04:57 PM

It's true, the only letters I've sent my congressman are form letters. :) I should make them ambivalent too:


Dear Congressman So-and-So,

Thank you for attending legal sessions to represent me. I appreciate seeing you on C-SPAN.

During the upcoming session, several issues are slated for debate which I care deeply about. When the time comes, I trust that you will give serious thought to these issues, carefully consider the circumstances and ultimately make a choice that's in the best interest of our nation.

Again, thank you for your representation, and be assured I will keep in touch.

Sincerely, Loyal Voter

Bullitt 05-29-2004 12:17 PM

Confused
 
Soo.. aren't the Checks and Balances in our government the very foundation of it? If this passes, I'm leavin this damn country. No reason to stay if it's gonna get f****ed up this bad and theres nothing the other branches can do about it.
See ya'll in australia.

jaguar 05-29-2004 12:21 PM

Quote:

See ya'll in australia.
Trust me it isn't much better.
Beaches are good though.

xoxoxoBruce 05-29-2004 12:25 PM

And the sharks,...er,....dolphins are way bigger.;)

smoothmoniker 05-29-2004 01:27 PM

a'ight, I'll play devils advocate on this one.

In an age of judicial activism, a federal court can write de-facto law; for good or for ill, this is what happened in Brown v. Board, Roe v. Wade, [insert case here]. The opinions of 5 people sitting on the Supreme Court can alter the rule of law for 300 million people, in 50 states.

Should there not be some measure of oversight to that power? A 2/3 vote of congress is extremely difficult to get, on any matter. The only time congress would be able to exercise this power would be in cases of egregious action by the court, where the vast majority of both parties were in disagreement with the ruling of the court.

Say for example that Dubya gets to stack the court, and the court decides to overturn Roe v. Wade in all cases, even where the mother’s life is in imminent danger. Seems fairly easy to get a 2/3 vote from congress to overturn that ruling. Without this bill, you would have to get your fingers sticky in the guts of the constitution to enumerate and specify a privacy right that extends to abortion.

All this does, essentially, is lower the bar from constitutional amendment to veto override. It seems like an appropriate check of judicial power.

-sm

Bullitt 05-30-2004 06:12 AM

Hmm.
 
But if i'm not mistaken, the Judicial Branch ( the Supreme Court) has no power to take any action on its decisions. It has to rely on the other segments of the government to do its bidding. So, this would pretty much bring the Courts down to the level of a whining little brother who can't do jack and no one listens to him (noone being Congress).

xoxoxoBruce 05-30-2004 07:13 AM

Aren't the henchmen of the Supremes the lower courts, who do have the power to enforce those decisions. They can jail your ass for contempt (even well earned contempt), leaving you no recourse. I don't think you can even appeal a contempt order, but I may be wrong on that.:eek3:

Torrere 05-30-2004 09:53 PM

And once Congress has the power, will the President want it too?

xoxoxoBruce 05-30-2004 10:03 PM

Of course he will, so will Radar.;)

marichiko 05-30-2004 10:22 PM

The president will want whatever he's told he wants by corporate America. Radar just wants to kill 'em all.;)

classicman 06-10-2009 01:30 PM

bump...

U.S. House restricts ethics probes
Quote:

Convinced that many members of Congress had lost their moral compass, voters sided with Democrats and thrust Republicans from power.

But when the limelight faded, the controversies took an unexpected twist: Democrats, now in control, sought to block or limit prosecutors from gathering certain evidence of corruption against members of Congress on constitutional grounds, complicating the criminal cases against the two Republicans.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and the Democratic leadership joined with top Republicans to continue a years-long tradition authorizing the House general counsel's office to intervene in outside investigations of its members.

Through court filings, the bipartisan coalition sought the exclusion of evidence it said was obtained in violation of Article 1, Section 6, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution. The clause protects the legislative branch from meddling by the other two branches, declaring that "for any Speech or Debate in either House, [senators and representatives] shall not be questioned in any other Place."

Mrs. Pelosi's office makes no apologies. There is "no incompatibility between adherence to the constitutional protections of the Speech or Debate Clause and the effective investigation and prosecution of members of Congress accused of wrongdoing"
You just gotta read this article - There is no difference in these people they are all the top dogs when it comes to corruption greed and power-grabbing.

ZenGum 06-10-2009 08:33 PM

Interesting thread ... LMAO at Clod's form letter.

What happened about the original bill?

TheMercenary 06-10-2009 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicman (Post 572509)
bump...

U.S. House restricts ethics probes


You just gotta read this article - There is no difference in these people they are all the top dogs when it comes to corruption greed and power-grabbing.

Demoncrats call that "transparency"....:rolleyes:

TGRR 06-11-2009 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beestie (Post 101404)
This can't be happening.

:lol2:

You bet your life it is.

TheMercenary 06-12-2009 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicman (Post 572509)
bump...

U.S. House restricts ethics probes


You just gotta read this article - There is no difference in these people they are all the top dogs when it comes to corruption greed and power-grabbing.

That is just rich. What a bunch of wankers.

Urbane Guerrilla 07-06-2009 10:50 PM

The phrase "Gadarene swine" occurs to me.

TheMercenary 07-08-2009 09:28 AM

Democrats Split on Stimulus as Job Losses Mount, Deficit Soars

Quote:

July 8 (Bloomberg) -- Democrats who control the levers of power in Washington are divided over whether to push for more deficit spending to end the recession and stem job losses, complicating the possibility of a second stimulus bill.

“We need to be open to whether or not we need further action,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, told reporters yesterday. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada countered that “there is no showing to me that another stimulus is needed.”

President Barack Obama underscored the dilemma by addressing both sides of the argument. In an interview with ABC News yesterday, he said unemployment approaching 10 percent is something “we wrestle with constantly.” He added that spending more borrowed money is “potentially counterproductive.”

The split reflects two major challenges facing the Democrats: Record budget deficits that make additional spending much tougher to pass and a 26-year-high unemployment rate of 9.5 percent that is expected to rise to double digits.

“They’re between a rock and a hard place,” said Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report in Washington.

The U.S. economy lost 467,000 jobs in June, exceeding economists’ forecasts, while the federal budget deficit is projected by the Congressional Budget Office to top $1.8 trillion this year and $1.4 trillion in fiscal 2010. That’s provoked criticism of the $787 billion stimulus bill passed in February as either wasteful or not large enough.

Borrowing Surge

The Treasury is increasing debt sales to pay for the spending. After more than doubling note and bond offerings to $963 billion in the first half, another $1.1 trillion may be sold by year-end, according to Barclays Plc. The second-half sales would be more than the total amount of debt sold in all of 2008.

The U.S. should consider drafting a second stimulus package focusing on infrastructure projects because the bill approved in February was “a bit too small,” said Laura Tyson, an adviser to Obama during last year’s presidential campaign who now sits on the White House’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board.

Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat whose home state has a 12 percent jobless rate, told ABCNews.com that a second stimulus is “probably needed.” Action by Congress would “probably take place towards the end of the year,” Whitehouse said.

With the White House and congressional Democrats focused on a major health-care overhaul and a climate bill, some lawmakers expressed pessimism about the likelihood of such legislation.

Deferring to Obama

“I’m not sure how you would do it,” said the Senate’s second-ranking Democrat, Dick Durbin of Illinois. He said he would leave any decision on the need for a fiscal stimulus to “the president’s evaluation.”

Republicans seized on the unemployment rate and job losses of about 6.5 million since the recession began in December 2007 as validation of their vote against the measure in February.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said in a floor speech yesterday that Democratic proponents of the stimulus program “over-promised on results and now their predictions are coming back to them.”

McConnell mocked the idea of another stimulus. He called it “mind-boggling” and a worse idea than the previous one, which he said “has been demonstrably proven to have failed.” He added, “There is no education in the second kick of a mule.”

Bernstein Defense

The White House dismissed calls to augment or alter the initial legislation.

“It’s working, it’s demonstrably working,” said Jared Bernstein, chief economic adviser to Vice President Joseph Biden, whose office is overseeing the rollout of the first stimulus.

Bernstein said about $200 billion of the $787 billion allocated in the bill has been obligated or spent, adding that the effects of the spending and tax cuts will continue to ramp up in the next few months.

“There is no conceivable stimulus package on the face of this earth that would fully offset the deepest recession since the Great Depression,” Bernstein said in a telephone interview yesterday.

The Obama administration may have to stick with that argument, as more spending is unlikely in the face of record deficits, said Stan Collender, a former House and Senate budget analyst.

“Adding additional spending or tax cuts right now would be very difficult,” Collender said. He added, however, that if the economy deteriorates, another bill to juice the economy may become possible.

“Right now it doesn’t seem to be justified,” said Collender, managing director of Qorvis Communications in Washington. “Come September, it might be.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Matthew Benjamin in Washington at Mbenjamin2@bloomberg.net

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=aIHpsBT0JHFc

glatt 07-08-2009 10:11 AM

Quote:

Bernstein said about $200 billion of the $787 billion allocated in the bill has been obligated or spent, adding that the effects of the spending and tax cuts will continue to ramp up in the next few months.
According to the front page story in the Washington Post today, we have only spent 14% of the stimulus package that was already passed. Seems like we should spend the remaining 86% of the money before they ask for more.

TheMercenary 07-09-2009 11:49 AM

Yea, I have heard some other numbers as well. It is hard to say but suffice it the majority has not been spent. And yet how many more jobs were lost last month? The pipe dream of this program putting people back to work has been a big fat lie by Obama and the Dems.

sugarpop 07-11-2009 11:31 AM

Everyone knew it would take some time to work, and jobs always lag behind the economy. Give it time Merc. This recession is going to be deep, and long. They have said that from the beginning. I would bet though, that had there been no stimulus, the economy would be much worse, and even deeper.

spudcon 07-11-2009 11:47 AM

I'm going to pay off my credit card by getting another card, and borrowing twice as much as I owe. Then I'm going to give a lot of that money to some guys who came to my door, asking if they could pave my driveway, and somehow my debt will get paid.

sugarpop 07-11-2009 12:11 PM

I don't know. All I know is, during the 30s when the banks failed, we went into a full-on depression that lasted for years. Hoover did nothing, and it got much worse. FDR did big stimulus projects, and it got better. Then when he stopped the stimulus, it got worse again, so he started it back up and got better again. Seems pretty logical to me to do the same thing again. But back then we didn't have 24 hour news cycles, and people didn't have the attention span of a gnat, so they allowed it time to work.

spudcon 07-11-2009 05:47 PM

World War II stopped the depression, all FDR did was prolong it till he could get us into war.

xoxoxoBruce 07-11-2009 10:45 PM

Prolong it? Bullshit. FDR made life better for millions of Americans until the war put everyone to work.

Urbane Guerrilla 07-12-2009 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troubleshooter (Post 101617)
I rather like the idea of a xtian state. It gets them all in one place.

Follow that with a little "strategic" bombing and...

...And you'd be at one with Hitler. Now fuck off and go fuck yourself, hard, dry and deep, until you've Amadou Diallo'd this kind of crap your filthy bigoted mind, you miserable, sick son of a bitch and tertiary-syphilis case. It'll still work even five years on.

There was absolutely no sweetness nor light in your soul back in 2004. Why are you alive? Are you still alive?

Urbane Guerrilla 07-12-2009 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce (Post 580977)
Prolong it? Bullshit. FDR made life better for millions of Americans until the war put everyone to work.

As you may be marginally aware, there's been some thoughtful new looking at that idea. There are those -- students of economics, note well -- who disagree and can say why: the jobs were Joe-jobs and temporary at that. Do you read history? I do. And that's why I argue with you so often.

xoxoxoBruce 07-12-2009 02:13 AM

You read it, my family and I lived it. They're rewriting history with bullshit assumptions and you're buying into it.

spudcon 07-12-2009 08:30 PM

My family lived through it too Bruce. Roosevelt's socialist bullshit was just as unconstitutional and harmful as the 21st century socialist are doing.

xoxoxoBruce 07-12-2009 11:42 PM

Oh yeah, Roosevelt really fucked things up. Guess that's why we lost the war and became a second world, backwater, country. Get real.

TheMercenary 07-13-2009 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugarpop (Post 580867)
Give it time Merc.

Where are the hundreds of thousands of job we were promised? Where are all the "shovel ready" jobs?

sugarpop 07-13-2009 10:08 AM

Merc, everyone knew it was going to take time for all the money to get out there. There have certainly been jobs saved, millions I imagine. I have heard numerous people on TV (governors and company executives) who have said they would have had to fire even more people if it hadn't been for the stimulus money. The 2nd phase is coming, and that is where the jobs will come in. I understand your frustration, I'm frustrated too. But be happy more people didn't lose their jobs, because they could have. We could very well have been in a full blown depression right now if we hadn't taken action.


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