Posted on 02/01/2006 6:09:12 AM PST by OXENinFLA
Since "Free Republic is an online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web. We're working to roll back decades of governmental largesse, to root out political fraud and corruption, and to champion causes which further conservatism in America.", I and others think it's a good idea to centralize what the goes on in the Senate (or House).
So if you see something happening on the Senate/House floor and you don't want to start a new thread to ask if anyone else just heard what you heard, you can leave a short note on who said what and about what and I'll try and find it the next day in THE RECORD. Or if you see a thread that pertains to the Senate, House, or pretty much any GOV'T agency please link your thread here.
If you have any suggestions for this thread please feel free to let me know.
Here's a few helpful links.
C-SPAN what a great thing. Where you can watch or listen live to most Government happenings.
C-SPAN 1 carries the HOUSE.
C-SPAN 2 carries the SENATE.
C-SPAN 3 (most places web only) carries a variety of committee meetings live or other past programming.
OR FEDNET has online feed also.
A great thing about our Government is they make it really easy for the public to research what the Politicians are doing and saying (on the floor anyway).
THOMAS where you can see a RECORD of what Congress is doing each day. You can also search/read a verbatim text of what each Congressmen/women or Senator has said on the floor or submitted 'for the record.' [This is where the real juicy stuff can be found.]
Also found at Thomas are Monthly Calendars for the Senate Majority and Senate Minority
And Monthly Calendars for the House Majority and Roll Call Votes can be found here.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT (aka The Dept. of Defense)
Thanks for the ping
Are they gone for the day?
No. The big event of the day is to be on Ensign's point of order relating to the asbestos bill.
Thank you
Boxer with charts alert :)
As posted above, this bill is also the subject of a cloture motion that was filed yesterday.
I wasn't aware of that. Thanks.
You really do have to keep your eye on these devils all the time. Feinstein has added a provision to the bill that allows people who become ill from NATURALLY OCCURRING ASBESTOS to apply for compensation from the fund. I need a fund for people who injured their toe when mother nature dropped a rock on it.
Ensign up taking about the budget point of order. It is his point of order, and he admits that it is "technical." I don't have a good feel for how this point of order will go. The major opposition comes from the usual suspects, Durbin, Reid, Boxer, Kennedy ... which if limited to the moonbat wing, isn't enough to deny getting 60 votes to waive.
Ensign's illustrations of the disaster that lawyers have created in this country are just sickening me, as they have in fact for the last 20 years. I also have no doubt that he is right when he says that, when this thing goes bust, congress will feel compelled to "fix" the mess they have created, and fix it with taxpayer money.
Ensign brings up the point that the Constitution says ALL bills that raise revenue (create taxes) shall originate in the House. If a bill that raises revenue originates in the Senate, a member of the House can "blue slip" the bill and kill it.
And did I correctly hear that no one in the House has elected to do so?
This asbestos damages issue has morphed from reasonable liability compensation into a racket - class action suits tend to have that quality.
Now the issue will be who has control of the racket, Congress? or the plaintiff's bar? Here's Feinstein inserting a rule that natural asbestos claimants are to be covered? What about natural radon exposure? What about skin cancer from sunburn?
I'm agnostic on this issue - either way it goes it is just an example of an arena where "the system" meets reality, and "the system" (good hearted it may be) has met its match.
I think they can't until the bill is passed -- but I admit not having studied the process. I figure the House doesn't care if the Senate spins its wheels, and objection isn't necessary until the Senate passes something outside of its Constitutional purview.
I'm right there with ya :) In a slightly different arean, there was a time when Social Security was a plan to keep the elderly out of abject poverty (although everyone had to be included to prevent the appearance of outright socialism). Then the disabled had to be included. But my favorite story is of a friend of mine who was very wealthy and chose to retire early. He and his wife had a child later in their life so she was 5 when he retired. She was entitled to benefits on the assumption that if her poor old dad retired, she would be driven into poverty. He had no problem collecting the money.
Here is what looks to be a good tutorial on the matter of House "blue slips." Note too the statement made withing that piece ...
http://www.taxhistory.org ...
'A Source of Frequent and Obstinate Altercations': The History and Application of the Origination Clause (Copyright, 2004, Tax Analysts)
First, the Origination Clause is enforceable not only by Congress but also by the courts.
Thanks. I'm listening to Arlen who doesn't want all of his spent time to be for nothing. Will read later. You are a treasure.
So far, 41 AYE, 20 NAY. Definitely not party line vote.
Gack, it's the Hildebeast.
57-33 with Voinovich AYE
58, Talent "AYE", Salazar NO ... NO's up to 38 with Akaka, Wyden, Nelson of Neb., Lautenburg ...
I bet there is some heavy arm twisting going on ;-)
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