Putting Poison Pills Before National Security
October 7, 2004
House Parties Round 3 With Al Gore!
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Putting Poison Pills Before National Security
When House Leadership inserts unnecessary and divisive amendments into what should be bipartisan bills, hoping that the opposing party will be forced to vote against a measure they otherwise support, that's called a "poison pill." When the Republicans inserted a provision into the Homeland Security bill in 2002 that stripped all of our homeland security workers of their labor rights, that was a poison pill, and the Republicans cynically exploited it throughout that election - even going so far as to accuse veteran and triple amputee Max Cleland of being "soft on defense." And as this Washington Post editorial points out, they are trying to do it all over again:
"THE HOUSE OF Representatives' version of intelligence reform might be dismissed as an election-year stunt were it not so dangerous. The bill does not differ from the Senate's version merely on how much to empower a new director of national intelligence, a subject about which reasonable minds can differ. It also burdens the entire project with a grab bag of controversial changes in security policy. Some provisions -- criminalizing terrorist hoaxes, enhancing penalties for obstruction of justice in terrorism cases -- are relatively insignificant election-year posturing. But many, like the bill's broad new deportation powers, are egregious. One section would relax restrictions on deporting people who may face torture at home, in violation of an international treaty to which this country is a party. Other sections, authorizing new surveillance powers in terrorism cases and changing the definition of criminal support for terrorist groups, may have merit but involve complex and highly controversial policy changes that warrant debate.
"The goal here is not subtle, nor does the Republican leadership even make a pretense of concealing it. The goal is to force Democrats either to accept policy they would otherwise oppose or to turn against the bill itself -- thereby letting Republicans brand them as weak on terrorism, as they did with legislation to create the Department of Homeland Security during congressional elections two years ago...
"What's more, there is considerable danger that some of these provisions will become law. The House is due to take up the intelligence reform bill this week and is likely to pass it with many of the most offensive provisions intact. It will then go to a House-Senate conference committee to be reconciled with a far sparer, bipartisan Senate version. Anything can happen there. Even for a House Republican leadership eager to make Democrats squirm on the campaign trail, playing politics with intelligence reform should not be worth the potential damage."
One of the most egregious provisions is one legalizing what's called "extraordinary rendition" - the practice of deporting merely suspected terrorists to foreign nations for interrogations involving torture. The American Bar Association released this statement:
"The American Bar Association objects strongly to the inclusion of provisions authorizing 'extraordinary rendition' in the House leadership's bill that purports to implement the 9/11 Commission recommendations. These provisions would permit secretly transferring terrorist suspects to foreign countries known to use torture in interrogating prisoners. Extraordinary rendition not only violates all basic humanitarian and human rights standards, but violates U.S. treaty obligations which make clear that the U.S. government cannot avoid its obligations under international law by having other nations conduct unlawful interrogations in its stead. This practice not only violates our own cherished principles as a nation but also works to undermine our moral leadership in the eyes of the rest of the world."
Playing politics not only with our national security, but with torture as well. Congressional leadership could hardly fall any further.
"Closed, For Business"
The Boston Globe this week took on the formidable challenge of documenting the disgrace Congress has become under GOP Leadership with a three part series on GOP corruption, influence peddling, and abuse of power.
Part 1: GOP flexing its majority power
"With one party controlling the White House and both chambers of Congress, and having little fear of retaliation by the opposing party, the House leadership is changing the way laws are made in America, favoring secrecy and speed over open debate and negotiation. Longstanding rules and practices are ignored. Committees more often meet in secret. Members are less able to make changes to legislation on the House floor. Bills come up for votes so quickly that elected officials frequently don't know what's in them. And there is less time to discuss proposed laws before they come up for a vote."
Part 2: Energy bill a corporate triumph
"Intended to lay out an energy policy for the nation for the first time in more than a decade, the energy bill became a cash bonanza for corporate interests in and out of the energy arena…
"A Globe analysis of tens of thousands of pages of lobbying records shows that entities with a stated interest in energy policy spent $387,830,286 lobbying Washington last year. They also paid tens of millions of dollars in campaign contributions to officials putting together the package at the White House and on Capitol Hill.
"The Globe analysis shows that the corporations and others, including some universities, were rewarded in the bill with tax breaks, construction projects, and easements of regulations that would save them much more than they spent making their arguments to the government."
Part 3: Medicare bill a study in D.C. spoils system
"What once began as a proposal for $253 billion in drug coverage for seniors four years ago grew to a $400 billion grab bag for a broad spectrum of players in the health-care economy. The staggering costs rose yet another 33 percent when the Bush administration unveiled an estimate this year that it had kept quiet during the 2003 debate over Medicare: $534 billion."
All just a day in the life of Tom DeLay...
Under Ethics Fire, DeLay Dodges, Donors Disperse...
On Friday night GOP Leader Tom DeLay received his second rebuke from the House ethics committee. As it happened, the extensive report also solved the long-running mystery of who threatened and bribed Republican Nick Smith over his vote on the sham GOP Medicare bill. As the Washington Post put it in an editorial:
"Another surprise -- or maybe not, come to think of it -- was that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), who hadn't previously surfaced in the Smith matter, turned out to be involved in the mess."
But as the New York Times notes, this egregious violation may well be only the beginning...
""Representative Tom DeLay, the majority leader rebuked by House ethics officials for pressuring a fellow member to switch his vote on a health care bill, still faces potentially more serious accusations, subjecting him to a new scrutiny that even some Republicans say could complicate his political future.
"Mr. DeLay, the take-no-prisoners Texan known for maintaining strict discipline in his caucus, is entangled in a series of inquiries here and in Texas regarding his fund-raising and other activities. In Texas, three of his top aides have been indicted; in Washington, the House ethics panel is deciding whether to initiate a formal investigation.
"On Friday, Republicans publicly rallied around their leader, though some said privately that the surprise ethics rebuke on Thursday - the second for Mr. DeLay, who was previously chastised for pressuring interest groups to hire Republicans - could hinder the leader if he tried to become speaker...
"'There are a lot of folks who want to see that happen, and they're a little depressed right now,' one said."
What a pity - we can probably guess who those people are. The Dallas Morning News elaborates:
"Pressure mounted last week for a full-scale investigation of Majority Leader Tom DeLay, after the House ethics panel issued a rare public admonishment because he tried to trade political favors for a lawmaker's vote on the GOP Medicare drug plan.
"'The ethical cloud surrounding Tom DeLay has quickly grown into a thunderstorm,' said Rep. Chris Bell, the freshman Houston Democrat who has a separate ethics complaint pending against Mr. DeLay, R-Sugar Land. 'The stench of corruption emanating from Mr. DeLay and his associates has become too pungent to ignore any longer, even in Washington.'"
Indeed, rumors are circulating that DeLay may ultimately be finished. And a recent incident in which DeLay had to cravenly dodge a group of protesters can only be taken as an indication that he is feeling the heat. But in perhaps an even better sign of his eventual, or even imminent demise, the corporate donors who have made him who he is are suddenly closing their pocketbooks:
"And the 22-month investigation that led to the indictments has made campaign donors squeamish, activists and lobbyists say.
"'People are a little nervous,' said consultant Royal Masset, who has several GOP House clients. 'They're not sure who to give to. And if they do, they certainly don't want Ronnie Earle sniffing around.'"
Is it getting hot in here? If you need more DeLay nitty-gritty, by the way, Salon.com also has an excerpt from the hotly anticipated DeLay biographay, "The Hammer" - well worth a read.
Races to Watch: Sullivan Ready to Pounce in CT-02
A new poll in Connecticut's 2nd district finds what is essentially a dead heat, with Democratic challenger Jim Sullivan trailing by a mere 4 points behind faux-moderate Republican Rob Simmons. But the details of the poll hold the key to a race that has been on everybody's radar screen from the beginning:
"Voters favor Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry over Bush by 19 percentage points, the poll showed.
"'This is not about people not liking Simmons. This is about many people in the second district voting on the basis of George Bush, and George Bush in the second district is running way behind,' said poll director Ken Dautrich. 'Simmons happens to be a Republican, and he's being punished for that.'"
OBut it's much more than the fact that he "happens to be a Republican." Simmons has voted with Tom DeLay on his extreme agenda a full 88% of time - that's sharing a lot more than a party moniker, and the DCCC pounced with a new ad described in this DCCC press release:
"The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee today released a new television ad airing in Connecticut's 2nd Congressional district. The ad exposes Rep. Rob 'W' Simmons' record of rubberstamp support for President Bush's special interest agenda, including the failed Bush economic policies, tax cuts for millionaires, the loss of nearly 50,000 jobs in Connecticut, and a failure to uphold workers rights'...
"'Voters should know that a vote for Rob Simmons is a vote for the agenda of George Bush: failed economic policies, huge tax cuts for millionaires and no support for workers. That's an agenda working families in the 2nd district can no longer afford,' said Robert T. Matsui, DCCC Chairman. 'We won't let Congressman Simmons run from his record of voting to rubberstamp the agenda of George Bush and extreme Republicans in Congress. His record may make him popular with GOP leaders in Washington, but it's hurting workers and families in Connecticut.'"
Faux-moderate rubberstamps like Simmons can expect that kind of treatment across the country. Make a contribution today to help us hold them accountable on the road to Speaker Pelosi.
Races to Watch: Dead Heat in NM-01
Albuquerque Journal:
"Democrat Richard Romero has pulled to within a point of incumbent Republican Heather Wilson in the race for New Mexico's 1st Congressional District, according to a Journal poll.
"...A month ago, Wilson had a 49-43 edge over Romero."
Indeed, Jimmy Carter himself penned an op-ed for the Washington Post decrying the "repetition of the problems of 2000" in Florida's voting system, and even he singled out Harris (and her successor) for rebuke:
"In Florida's 2000 election mess, Katherine Harris served simultaneously as Florida's secretary of state and as co-chairwoman of the state's Bush-Cheney campaign committee. In her official capacity, she repeatedly took actions that favored the campaign. This year has turned out to be more of the same. When Gov. Jeb Bush appointed Ms. Hood as secretary of state, he chose someone with a history of partisanship, as a Republican officeholder and as a Bush-Cheney elector in 2000. Now Ms. Hood's politics appear to be influencing her election duties."
An excellent recent article documented how Romero is running a textbook anti-rubberstamp campaign, pounding Wilson for everything she hoped would go under the radar. How much of a rubberstamp is she, you might ask: 93% of roll call votes went with DeLay. And here was George Bush praising her top two acheivements in Congress:
"Heather also understands the need to have fairness when it comes to Medicare. And she is going to take a leadership role in helping to provide prescription drug coverage within the Medicare system...'
"There's a lot more issues that we could talk about where Heather has taken a leadership role, but I do want to talk about one more, and that is energy."
Brian M. Riedl of the Heritage Foundation, your response?
"The Medicare and energy bills, although experiencing different fates, share one common denominator: little reform at huge cost, while loaded with special-interest spending."
As for our man Romero, he's spent 35 years serving New Mexico. He represents the 12th district in the State Senate and serves as the Senate President Pro Tempore. Prior to serving in the State Senate, Romero was a science teacher, principal and assistant superintendent in the Albuquerque public schools. In 1968 and 1969, Romero served in Korea on active duty in the Air Force. Furthermore, the district was carried handily by both Richardson and Gore, so it's ripe for the picking.
Pay Romero a visit.
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The first installment of our "live-blogging" of the Veep debate.
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Dirty Details
The lowdown on how the Medicare vote bribery happened
