Let’s acknowledge from the outset that “because it’s popular” is not always a compelling argument for a public policy. Sometimes useful legislation is widely disliked and sometimes legal garbage enjoys broad support. Fine. But whether the argument is reliable or not, when used, it should at least be accurate. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) […]
I can understand why charges raised by Kitty Kelley’s new book would cause the White House some consternation, but this is a little creepy. Anticipating a barrage of unflattering accusations and innuendo about President Bush’s personal life in a soon-to-be-published book by the celebrity biographer Kitty Kelley, the Bush campaign has opened a wave of […]
Remember all the fun we had a few months ago when Rep. Nick Smith (R-Mich.) was offered over $100,000 for his son’s congressional campaign — by any definition, a bribe — in exchange for his vote on Bush’s Medicare scheme? Good times. The House Ethics Committee has been considering the matter since the spring and […]
The fact that George W. Bush did not fulfill his responsibilities to the National Guard is no longer really in question. The evidence is overwhelming; the man shirked his duties to the military in a time of war. People are welcome to debate whether or not this matters now, but the debate over whether or […]
If you are so inclined, be sure to check out my latest article in The Gadflyer. It’s a pretty straightforward idea: if the Bush campaign insists on hosting exclusionary events, and brazenly discriminating among potential attendees, then the public shouldn’t be asked to pay for the rallies. So by all means, impress the editors and […]
I continue to keep one eye on the burgeoning scandal surrounding GOP lawyer/lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Tom DeLay spokesman Mike Scanlon, and Christian Coalition/Bush campaign golden boy Ralph Reed. It’s percolating along nicely and could lead to some serious legal troubles for everyone involved. When we last left the adventure, a criminal investigation was underway into […]
In the 2000 campaign, Bush, in a drive to appear “compassionate,” bucked his party and its base and said he supported the renewal of the ban on assault weapons. Of course, that was then. Now, with the ban about to expire, Bush is more concerned with the NRA’s political support than whether these dangerous weapons […]
Bush, a month ago, in announcing his support for a national intelligence director: Bush’s statement embraced the two most significant of the 37 recommendations by the commission that investigated the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, but with significant limitations. Under his plan, the new intelligence chief would lack the authority over budgets, hiring and firing […]
It doesn’t even sound particularly controversial. A handful of members of Congress want a temporary memorial in the Capitol to honor troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. At this point, you probably couldn’t even guess which party the lawmakers requesting the memorial belong to, nor should you. Of course, this is an election season, fallen […]
Try as they might, there’s just no convincing way to spin dismal results like these. This year’s federal budget deficit will reach a record $422 billion, and the government is now expected to accumulate $2.3 trillion in new debt over the next 10 years, the Congressional Budget Office reported yesterday. The expected deficit for the […]