First “privatization” was a good word; then the White House declared it off limits to everyone. Likewise, “private accounts” were a standard part of the Social Security discussion, right up until polls showed people didn’t like it. The language police in the Bush White House have come to yet another realization about a word that, […]
Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers: * The Republican National Committee’s fundraising continues to defy logic and comprehension. The RNC raised a record $32.3 million in the first quarter of 2005 and finished Q1 with $26.2 million on hand. […]
I mentioned yesterday that Bill Frist is under fire from all sides for his role in an upcoming Family Research Council conference that will slander Dems by arguing their filibusters against Bush judicial nominees is driven by anti-Christian bigotry. Dems are apoplectic, Republicans are a little uncomfortable, several Jewish groups are offended, and editorial boards […]
National Journal’s Last Call and the Progress Report noted an unusual policy at the infamous Bob Jones University. “You may not possess or play computer and video games rated T, M, or A or having elements of blood and gore … Trigger locks are required for pistols.” – “What Not to Bring” to Bob Jones […]
The Bush gang hoped to have the Armstrong Williams story go by unnoticed by releasing the Education Department’s report late on Friday afternoon, but in light of the significance of the controversy, it shouldn’t get lost in the shuffle. At the outset, the agency’s report, prepared by the Education Department’s inspector general includes limited content […]
Dems won’t let Bush privatize Social Security with private accounts carved out of the system, but let’s also not forget that Republicans won’t let Bush compromise by accepting add-on accounts. Two prominent House conservatives sent President Bush a letter Friday warning him against advocating “add on” personal retirement accounts as part of a Social Security […]
If Senate Dems are going to filibuster another Bush judicial nominee, in turn prompting Senate Republicans to try the nuclear option, it apparently won’t be Thomas Griffith, a Bush nominee to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Though the nomination seemed like a strong possibility for the first filibuster of 2005, late last week Senate […]
Since the Bush White House hand-picked the members of the commission investigating pre-war intelligence failures, one might assume the panel’s members wouldn’t have any trouble getting the information they needed. After all, the commission was practically an extension of the Bush team, had a limited mandate that sidestepped Bush’s mistakes altogether, had no subpoena power, […]
Bill Frist’s decision to participate in a Family Research Council conference on Dems’ alleged opposition to religious judicial nominees is turning into a real fiasco. What was once just another venue to tout the nuclear option has quickly become a public relations problem for which there is no easy escape route. For one thing, negotiating […]
To recap, Bill Frist and the Senate GOP need 50 votes to execute the nuclear option. Dems have their 44 votes, Jim Jeffords’ independent vote, and two Republican senators — John McCain and Linc Chafee — who are on record saying they’d vote against it. Over the last few days, a number of Republicans who […]