An Ol' Broad's Ramblings
Archive for September 2009
Cass Sunstein Cloture Vote
XML U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111th Congress – 1st Session
as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate
| Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Cass R. Sunstein, to be Administrator of the Office of Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget ) | |||
| Vote Number: | 273 | Vote Date: | September 9, 2009, 05:13 PM |
| Required For Majority: | 3/5 | Vote Result: | Cloture Motion Agreed to |
| Nomination Number: | PN323 | ||
| Nomination Description: | Cass R. Sunstein, of Massachusetts, to be Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget | ||
| Vote Counts: | YEAs | 63 |
| NAYs | 35 |
| Vote Summary | By Senator Name | By Vote Position | By Home State |
| Akaka (D-HI), Yea Alexander (R-TN), Nay Barrasso (R-WY), Nay Baucus (D-MT), Yea Bayh (D-IN), Yea Begich (D-AK), Yea Bennet (D-CO), Yea Bennett (R-UT), Yea Bingaman (D-NM), Yea Bond (R-MO), Nay Boxer (D-CA), Yea Brown (D-OH), Yea Brownback (R-KS), Nay Bunning (R-KY), Nay Burr (R-NC), Nay Burris (D-IL), Yea Byrd (D-WV), Yea Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Cardin (D-MD), Yea Carper (D-DE), Yea Casey (D-PA), Yea Chambliss (R-GA), Nay Coburn (R-OK), Nay Cochran (R-MS), Nay Collins (R-ME), Yea Conrad (D-ND), Yea Corker (R-TN), Nay Cornyn (R-TX), Nay Crapo (R-ID), Nay DeMint (R-SC), Nay Dodd (D-CT), Yea Dorgan (D-ND), Yea Durbin (D-IL), Yea |
Ensign (R-NV), Nay Enzi (R-WY), Nay Feingold (D-WI), Yea Feinstein (D-CA), Yea Franken (D-MN), Yea Gillibrand (D-NY), Yea Graham (R-SC), Nay Grassley (R-IA), Nay Gregg (R-NH), Yea Hagan (D-NC), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Yea Hatch (R-UT), Yea Hutchison (R-TX), Nay Inhofe (R-OK), Nay Inouye (D-HI), Yea Isakson (R-GA), Nay Johanns (R-NE), Nay Johnson (D-SD), Yea Kaufman (D-DE), Yea Kerry (D-MA), Yea Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea Kohl (D-WI), Yea Kyl (R-AZ), Nay Landrieu (D-LA), Yea Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea Leahy (D-VT), Yea Levin (D-MI), Yea Lieberman (ID-CT), Yea Lincoln (D-AR), Nay Lugar (R-IN), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Nay McCaskill (D-MO), Yea McConnell (R-KY), Nay |
Menendez (D-NJ), Yea Merkley (D-OR), Yea Mikulski (D-MD), Yea Murkowski (R-AK), Nay Murray (D-WA), Yea Nelson (D-FL), Yea Nelson (D-NE), Yea Pryor (D-AR), Nay Reed (D-RI), Yea Reid (D-NV), Yea Risch (R-ID), Nay Roberts (R-KS), Nay Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea Sanders (I-VT), Yea Schumer (D-NY), Yea Sessions (R-AL), Nay Shaheen (D-NH), Yea Shelby (R-AL), Nay Snowe (R-ME), Yea Specter (D-PA), Yea Stabenow (D-MI), Yea Tester (D-MT), Yea Thune (R-SD), Nay Udall (D-CO), Yea Udall (D-NM), Yea Vitter (R-LA), Nay Voinovich (R-OH), Yea Warner (D-VA), Yea Webb (D-VA), Nay Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea Wicker (R-MS), Nay Wyden (D-OR), Yea |
| Vote Summary | By Senator Name | By Vote Position | By Home State |
| YEAs —63 | ||
| Akaka (D-HI) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Begich (D-AK) Bennet (D-CO) Bennett (R-UT) Bingaman (D-NM) Boxer (D-CA) Brown (D-OH) Burris (D-IL) Byrd (D-WV) Cantwell (D-WA) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Collins (R-ME) Conrad (D-ND) Dodd (D-CT) Dorgan (D-ND) Durbin (D-IL) Feingold (D-WI) |
Feinstein (D-CA) Franken (D-MN) Gillibrand (D-NY) Gregg (R-NH) Hagan (D-NC) Harkin (D-IA) Hatch (R-UT) Inouye (D-HI) Johnson (D-SD) Kaufman (D-DE) Kerry (D-MA) Klobuchar (D-MN) Kohl (D-WI) Landrieu (D-LA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (ID-CT) Lugar (R-IN) McCaskill (D-MO) Menendez (D-NJ) |
Merkley (D-OR) Mikulski (D-MD) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Nelson (D-NE) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sanders (I-VT) Schumer (D-NY) Shaheen (D-NH) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (D-PA) Stabenow (D-MI) Tester (D-MT) Udall (D-CO) Udall (D-NM) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (D-VA) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR) |
| NAYs —35 | ||
| Alexander (R-TN) Barrasso (R-WY) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Burr (R-NC) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) |
DeMint (R-SC) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johanns (R-NE) Kyl (R-AZ) Lincoln (D-AR) McCain (R-AZ) |
McConnell (R-KY) Murkowski (R-AK) Pryor (D-AR) Risch (R-ID) Roberts (R-KS) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA) Webb (D-VA) Wicker (R-MS) |
U.S. Senate: Legislation & Records
And The Hits Just Keep On Coming
Taxpayers footing legal bills for former Fannie execs
Many U.S. taxpayers are unaware that they are now paying for the legal bills of three top former executives for government-run mortgage firm Fannie Mae.
Former Fannie Mae executives Franklin Raines, J. Timothy Howard, and Leanne Spencer are accused of cooking the books to increase their bonus compensation — yet the three claim they had nothing to do with the accounting irregularities that were discovered at the mortgage giant in 2005. Shareholders sued the executives because Fannie’s stock collapsed when those accounting problems emerged. But under the terms of their employment contracts, Raines, Howard, and Spencer were indemnified from having to pay legal bills that arose out of shareholder lawsuits.
How much more are we going to take?
Now that Fannie has been under government control for a year, those $6.3 million in legal bills now belong to American taxpayers. New York Times business columnist Gretchen Morgenson says it is unfortunate that the former Fannie executives are evading punishment.
I’d really like to know what crime we, the taxpayers, committed to be stuck with a legal bill larger than a good majority of us will never seen in our lifetimes? If these weasels found ways to manipulate the numbers to increase their bonuses, shouldn’t they have plenty of money to pay their own freakin’ bills? This is not my problem. I didn’t break any laws. I didn’t try to screw over anyone. I’m hoping you haven’t either. So, why are WE getting the shaft? Again?
Associations
Ken Speaks….
…..and speaks well!
Should We Blame Free Markets, Too?
By Ken Marrero
At the end of 2008, when the Housing bubble burst, it was fashionable on the Left to blame that specific market’s failure on the Free Market in general. Those supporting a centrally planned Economy or a Socialist Economy or an other-than-Capitalistic Economy gleefully highlighted the damage done as evidence a Free Market could not protect the populace from economic loss. Without addressing the fallacy that it is a Free Market’s responsibility to shield people from the consequences of economic risk, one must ask if there is truth to the claims of anti-Capitalists.
I would argue there is not for two reasons.
“It’s Time To Party”
Why Does This Disturb Me?
2 0 0 9
On the bottom of each page, there is a great big…..
OUR TIME HAS COME
Weasel Time
Digging Holes
H/T: The Foundry
Ditto!
I Want My Country Back!
by J. D. Longstreet
All Americans, in these troubled times, would do well to remember the words of Jesus which so aptly describe America today:
“And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.”… From the Bible, Matthew 12:25.
The schism that slices through America today has been widening since the 19th century. Little by little, decade-by-decade, year-by-year it has continued to get ever wider and ever deeper. It has nothing to do with geography. It has nothing to do with slavery… and, yet, it has everything to do with slavery.
What, you say? Didn’t we put the slavery issue to rest with a war in the 1860’s? The truthful answer is NO, we did not. We put to rest the issue of whether or not a man could hold another man in bondage in this country. What we did not put to rest, however, is the question of whether this country’s government could hold its citizens in bondage.
The Founders of this country intended to set up a government with very little power. They intended the government to have only the power the citizens allowed it to have. Almost instantly the power struggle began between those who wanted a strong central government and those who wanted strong states and a weak central government. After all, it was The States that created the Federal Government… as a utility of the states – not the other way around. Look it up.
It’s Even WORSE Than You Thought!
Why is personal responsibility such an archaic idea? If you can’t afford that new house, or car, or TV, don’t buy it! A little common sense: One credit card, for emergencies. Everything else, pay cash! And no, that cute pair of shoes in the window of that over priced store is NOT an emergency!
Do you really need any more proof that D.C. thinks you/we are a bunch of morons? Wouldn’t it be nice if we stopped proving them right? I mean, after all, how stupid do you have to be to keep electing these weasels to work in OUR buildings?
Exactly!
Swiped from Real Debate Wisconsin.
Accurate
You might have seen this already, but hey….
H/T: John
Now You Know
Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Back to School Event
Arlington, Virginia
September 8, 2009
The President: Hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today? I’m here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through twelfth grade. I’m glad you all could join us today.
I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.
I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday – at 4:30 in the morning.
Now I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, “This is no picnic for me either, buster.”
Read on…
Another “Czar” On The Wall
Obama Appoints Auto Chief Bloom to Manufacturing Policy Post
Ron Bloom, head of the government’s auto task force, was named President Barack Obama’s senior adviser for manufacturing policy as part of an effort to boost employment in a sector where jobs have been vanishing for 30 years.
Bloom, a former United Steelworkers union adviser and Lazard Ltd. investment banker, helped guide General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC through bankruptcy as part of the government’s rescue of the auto industry. In his new role, he will plan Obama’s agenda to “revitalize” manufacturing jobs, according to a statement from the White House Press Secretary.
“Ron has the knowledge and experience necessary to lead the way in creating the good-paying manufacturing jobs of the future,” Obama said in a statement yesterday. “We must do more to harness the power of American ingenuity and productivity so that we can put people back to work and unleash our full economic potential.”
So, who the heck is Ron Bloom? Why, an insider of course. According to a WSJ column: Mr. Bloom attended Harvard Business School, where he gravitated to populist business cases and was keenly interested in employee buyouts. After 10 years at investment banks, among them Lazard, he became special assistant to the USW president in 1996. Time: “….has strong ties to private banking and labor…” And from the ever ‘accurate’ (/snark) Wikipedia:
Civil Servants work in a non-political capacity for the elected government of the day. (emphasis mine)
Does this sound like ANYONE working in the Obama administration? No. Didn’t think so either. I kind of like the UK’s description of a civil servant:
The UK Civil Service has no “constitutional personality” or responsibility separate from the Government of the day. It is there to provide the Government of the day with advice on the formulation of the policies, to assist in carrying out the Government’s decisions, and to manage and deliver Government services. Civil servants therefore … :
* … cannot express their own opinions, even in court or in front of a Parliamentary committee,
* … must loyally carry out Ministers’ decisions with precisely the same energy and good will, whether they agree with them or not, and
* … must demonstrate four core values:
o Integrity
o Honesty
o Objectivity and
o Impartiality – including political impartiality.
Integrity? Honesty? Objectivity? Impartiality? ROFLMAO Well, the whole administration would have some serious problems!
Oh yeah, back to Bloom. From Jewish Journal: Born in New York City and raised in Swarthmore, a suburb of Philadelphia, much of Bloom’s early life revolved around Habonim (now known as Habonim Dror), a progressive Labor Zionist youth movement that emphasizes cultural Judaism, socialism and social justice. (emphasis and link mine)
Interesting, but not surprising. This whole administration is chock-o-block full of socialists, even if they don’t want to admit it. Hey, contrary to what they might want to believe in D.C., we really are NOT stupid. Ok, some are, but there are a lot of those 52% who are snapping out of their stupor.
As the chief policy maker on manufacturing, Bloom will be charged with reviewing U.S. competitiveness in the global economy. His job will include coordinating with the Commerce, Treasury, Energy and Labor departments, integrating current programs with new initiatives.
In the U.S., manufacturing employment is down 40 percent from a record 19.6 million jobs in 1979, according to Labor Department figures.
Let’s see. How can we create productivity in the U.S.? I know! How about we put a union guy in charge! Talk about the fox guarding the hen house. Why is it that it is so difficult for people to figure out? When the unions started demanded more and more from manufacturing companies, more and more companies sent their plants overseas, where they could make a profit. What is the point of running a business if all you are doing is bloating the union pig?
Believe it or not, there was a time when people actually used a portion of their income to pay for medical care and save for their retirement years. I know….shocking isn’t it. Just think, people really were responsible for themselves and didn’t expect either their employer, or the government to ‘take care’ of them. What a novel concept!
American Liberty Alliance
