Friday, February 26, 2010

Another Great Example Of The Democratic Party


The House ethics committee is admonishing Charlie Rangel for taking free trips to the Caribbean furnished by a lobbyist.

From Politico: The House ethics committee put another dent in the armor of embattled Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel Thursday, admonishing him for violating House gift rules by accepting corporate-funded trips to the Caribbean through an organization called the Carib News.
 The committee essentially found that Rangel is responsible for the transgressions of aides who knew of the corporate sponsorship of the trips.
“The committee did not find sufficient evidence to conclude, nor does it believe that it would discover additional evidence to alter its conclusion, that Rep. Rangel had actual knowledge of the memoranda written by his staff,” an Ethics statement says. “However, the report finds that Rep. Rangel was responsible for the knowledge and actions of his staff in the performance of their official duties.”
But Rangel, who read the findings aloud at a news conference, took issue with the concept that staffers’ actions could be “imputed” to him.
“I don’t want to be critical of the committee, but the common sense dictates that members of Congress should not be held responsible for what could be the wrongdoing of, or mistakes occur, as a staff unless there’s reason to believe the member knew or should have known. And there’s nothing in the record to indicate the latter,” he said. “So I have to now deal with my lawyer as to what the hell do they mean that something’s imputed. Does it mean that no matter what a staff member does if the member doesn’t know it that the member could be charged and admonished publicly for it?”

33 comments:

  1. This guy has a great article on just this subject. I would encourage everyone to add him to your blog roll, he's fantastic:

    http://liberals-epicfail.blogspot.com/2010/02/house-leader-nancy-pelosi-calls-out.html

    Hey, wasn't this Rangel chap at the Health Care Takeover Summit yesterday? Just the kind of guy Obama will take advice from. Somebody who speaks his kind of language I guess. And I'm not just talking negro dialect, because Barack turns that on and off at will.

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  2. From CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser

    56% percent of Americans say the government poses an immediate threat to individual rights and freedoms.

    Washington (CNN) – A majority of Americans think the federal government poses a threat to rights of Americans, according to a new national poll.

    56% of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday say they think the federal government's become so large and powerful that it poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens. 44% of those polled disagree.

    http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/02/26/cnn-poll-majority-says-government-a-threat-to-citizens-rights/?fbid=YRBZtYegkI7

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  3. Rangel. He's one of least-corrupt of the Hypocrats too. I can't wait until they start digging into the rest of their finances. Never wanted November to come so quickly as I do now.

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  4. I am so ashamed to be a Democrat right now. This is the worst group of politicians ever. Republicans/Democrats whatever. They are all the same.

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  5. Actually Peter, as of now the Hypocrats are more corrupt. There was that study released of the top ten corrupt politicians, and literally 9 out of 10 were Hypocrats. Well, full disclosure, I'm assuming that Geithner is a Hypocrat. He's a tax-cheat, and was picked by Obama, so I'm going to put the "D" after his name.

    http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/dec/judicial-watch-announces-list-washington-s-ten-most-wanted-corrupt-politicians-2009

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  6. And the Hypocrat base crumbles even more. It's a shame what Barry, Reid, Pelosi and the rest of these crooked corruptocrats have done to a once-proud political party. They wanted to destroy America, but all they managed to destroy is their party. Well you can't say we didn't warn them!

    Oh, by the way, I thought the title was alluding to some kind of Hitler Youth thing, but it was in the HuffPo, so I guess not.

    Democrat Youth Support Dwindling
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/24/democrat-youth-support-dw_n_474442.html

    WASHINGTON — Whither the youth vote? A year after backing Barack Obama by an overwhelming 2-to-1 ratio, young adults are quickly cooling toward Democrats amid dissatisfaction over the lack of change in Washington and an escalating war in Afghanistan.

    A study by the Pew Research Center highlights the eroding support from 18-to-29 year olds whose strong turnout in November 2008 was touted by some demographers as the start of a new Democratic movement.

    While young adults remain decidedly more liberal, the survey found the Democratic advantage among 18-to-29 year olds has substantially narrowed – from a record 62% identifying as Democrat vs. 30% for the GOP in 2008, down to 54% vs. 40% (Interesting to me also is that undecided/independents have polarized from 8% to 6%; maybe it's statistically insignificant, maybe not) last December. It was the largest percentage point jump in those who identified or leaned Republican among all the voting age groups.

    Young adults' voting enthusiasm also crumbled.

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  7. John, you mean this Judicial Watch?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judicial_Watch

    Do you really consider this a "non-partisan" group?

    Founded by conservative attorney Larry Klayman in 1994[4], Judicial Watch came to public attention after filing 18 lawsuits against the administration of Democratic U.S. President Bill Clinton and figures in the Clinton administration. The organization received considerable financial support from prominent Clinton critics, including $7.74 million from conservative billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife.[5] This led Clinton administration officials to accuse Judicial Watch of "abusing the judicial system for partisan ends."[6]

    However, in July, 2003 Judicial Watch joined the environmental organization the Sierra Club in suing the George W. Bush administration for access to minutes of Vice President Dick Cheney's Energy Task Force.[7]After several years of legal wrangling, in May, 2005 an appeals court permitted the Energy Task Force's records to remain secret.[8][9]

    In September 2003, Klayman left the organization to run for the United States Senate from Florida.[10] In 2006 Klayman sued Judicial Watch and its president Tom Fitton. The lawsuit charged Fitton misrepresented his academic and professional credentials upon hiring, and upon assuming his position engaged in false and misleading fund raising, misuse of donor money, failure to appoint an attorney as Chairman, failure to comply with a promised severance package to Klayman, and other actions which damaged Judicial Watch, the donors and Klayman. The lawsuit is ongoing.[11][12]

    In 2006 Judicial Watch sued the Secret Service to force the release of logs detailing convicted former lobbyist Jack Abramoff's visits to the White House. This resulted in the release of a number of documents.[13][14]

    In 2007 former donor Peter F. Paul sued Judicial Watch, accusing it of using his name to raise more than $15 million to support his lawsuit against Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton while doing little to advance his case.[15][16][17]

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  8. See you're still around FAILk. Answer my questions.

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  9. ROFLMAO ... FAILk, did you even read your post?!?! LOL ... they sued the Bush administration dumbass! So I guess what you are saying is that there are probably 10 out of 10 the most corrupt are Hypocrats, but they had to scrape to find one lone Republican to put on their list because they are so partisan against Republicans?!? BWAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA ... OMG, yet another EPIC FAIL moment that I couldn't come up with in my wildest dreams! You really take the cake FAILk! BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

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  10. I'm STILL laughing my ass off at you FAILk! You're in such a hurry to justify the crooks in your party that you just copy and paste the first thing you see without reading it. Wow, FAILk, does that make you proud that you are trying to cover for such crooks? I say get them out of both parties. In fact, I don't say they are limited to one party. But you do. What a hack you are FAILk. You're a total loser, you know that?

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  11. Failk you do come off as a dumbass a lot. All he does is cut and paste and even then he doesn't read his own posts.

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  12. Brilliant Perry Mason moment Bruce.

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  13. LOL, I know anonymous! What you say it totally true! That's why I asked him for his comments in his own words, because all I ever get out of him is a half-assed link to progressives-r-us or moveon.org (who, by the way, can't even get the facts straight between the title and the subject of their own story). Note how FAILk can't explain one damn way the Hypocrats will lower costs, other than "Barry told him it would". ROFLMAO

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  14. They are funded by right wingers, John. That is NOT a bi-partisan group.

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  15. Is that a picture of the killer whale?

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  16. Bruce, WTF are you on?

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  17. ROFLMAO ... wow, those "right wingers" must be awfully pissed about these items from your post them FAILk!

    Bruce's Comment SAID:

    ... in July, 2003 Judicial Watch joined the environmental organization the Sierra Club in suing the George W. Bush administration for access to minutes of Vice President Dick Cheney's Energy Task Force.

    In 2006 Judicial Watch sued the Secret Service to force the release of logs detailing convicted former lobbyist Jack Abramoff's visits to the White House.

    Just admit it FAILk, you are trying to cover for the crooks in your party, rather than calling them out for the crooks that they are! Why can't you dispute their findings FAILk? Why do you attack the non-partisan messenger?!!? Oh, that's right, because you are a Hypocrat and you believe the ends justify the means, no matter how corrupt those means are. You are a cancer on society FAILk.

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  18. I think I might start a diary on Democrat Underground and list all these comments that FAILk makes, and then leave it open for review from everybody. I'm sure the regressives will like to see the face that Bruce is putting on their movement! What do you think Bruce, do you think everyone on there will agree with you defending crooks to the hilt, just because it's your crooks? Or do you think they will find you to be just as much of a bore as everyone here does?

    Answer my questions FAILk! I mean, it should be easy, we all tell you our plans for lowering costs! But not one suggestion for the Hypocrats. Veeeeerrrrry interesting ...

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  19. Bad news for corruptocrat Gary Peters. Seems he scores very high on the Pelosi Index. Gary Peters had better start packing his office up right now. The 9th District is sick of these partisan hacks, am I right or am I right Bruce? Of course I'm right, that was one of your big issues with Knollenberg wasn't it, how partisan he was? Turns out he was a lot less partisan than Gary Peters! It's going to be hilarious seeing FAILk running around in a pinata-head of Gary Peters, with those eyeglasses that Gary thinks makes him look smart, LOL. Bruce, have you started construction on your paper helmet yet? You know MoveOn won't let you protest without covering yer ugly mug, right?! Don't get left behind with the rest of the feebs and the pant-wetters Bruce! ROFLMAO

    http://aconservativeteacher.blogspot.com/2010/02/gary-peters-scores-90-on-pelsoi-index.html

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  20. Always the black man. You crackers always go after the powerful black men. They are putting the white man back in his place. John and Chris are just racists. Can I hear a Progressive voice other then Bruces for a change? No offence Bruce but these pussies are afraid of these right wing extreemists. I love the way Bruce bashed you christians on his last post. Bruce hates you christians as much as Joec and I do.

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  21. Bruce's problem can be attributed to Global Warming. In addition to more snow, less snow, more hurricane activity, less but stronger hurricane activity, hotter weather, colder weather and so forth, global warming has been observed to cause stupidity. Fealk is anecdotal evidence in support of that assertion.

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  22. Jay Ney, we don't care if Rangel is black, white or purple, a CROOK is a CROOK. But you already know that, don't you?

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  23. Now now Jay-Ney, don't get all riled up and start burning crosses on my front yard. How do you know I'm racist, if you've never heard my voice and you don't know if I speak with or without a negro dialect? Or maybe I'm a black man myself and therefore cannot be racist? Maybe you just called a black man with a negro dialect a cracker! ROFLMAO

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  24. Does this one really surprise anyone?

    http://biggovernment.com/wthuston/2010/02/26/fiscal-responsibility-lasted-two-weeks-in-senate/

    Fiscal Responsibility Lasted Two Weeks In Senate by Warner Todd Huston

    Two weeks ago the U.S. Senate passed new rules that would require new spending to be offset somewhere else in the budget, the so-called paygo rule. They did this because Democrats and Obama got tired of being called big spending socialists and wanted the veneer of fiscal responsibility with which to cloak themselves. It lasted two weeks before the Senate broke its own new Obama-sponsored rule and went headlong for just another big spending program with its supposed jobs bill.

    On February 13 President Obama celebrated the paygo rule as a “common sense” rule that would “rein in spending.” Obama then said that the new rule would assure that Congress would be forced to “pay for what it spends, just like everybody else.”

    It all sounds so grand. But it wasn’t to last. Maybe that’s why the Senate couldn’t abide by the rule, it was too much “common sense” for them to put up with?

    Hypocrats EPIC FAIL.

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  25. This guy has an excellent blog, check it out if you get a chance. In particular this topic:

    http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2010/02/lets-call-whole-thing-off.html#links

    From today's Wall Street Journal "A Better Way to Reform Health Care":

    "To bring down healthcare costs, we need to change the incentives that govern spending. Right now, $5 out of every $6 of health-care spending is paid for by someone other than the person receiving care—insurance companies, employers, or the government. Individuals are insulated from the reality of what their decisions cost. This breeds overutilization of low-value health care and runaway spending.

    To reduce the growth of costs, individuals must take greater responsibility for their health care, and health insurers and health-care providers must face the competitive forces of the market. Three policy changes will go a long way to achieving these objectives: 1) eliminate the tax code's bias that favors health insurance over out-of-pocket spending; 2) remove state-government barriers to purchasing and providing health services; and 3) reform medical malpractice laws.

    Catch the rest of it at that link above.

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  26. Well Bruce, thank you for showing us that the Hypocrats are the party of NO IDEAS. Wow, I thought you would at least offer up some idiotic hail-Mary type half-assed attempt at answering my questions. But unfortunately all your party has to offer are sob-stories, like the one about a woman with her dead sister's dentures.

    I like how that Hypocrat Louise Slaughter just stood by and didn't take up a collection to get that woman some dentures of her own! Those Hypocrats just nodded their heads and said oh gosh, what a shame, just a shame! LOL They said, gosh, we had better raid the public's hard-earned money to buy this lady some dentures (even though dental insurance has absolutely nothing to do with the Hypocrat's plans, but maybe Louise didn't get the 2,700-page memo?)

    And what did that woman do for teeth when her sister was alive?! Bruce, did you send any money in to the DNC so they could buy that woman some dentures of her own? BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHA

    What a farce you Hypocrats are. And now we see you will never admit it even when you are wrong. You will defend those crooks to the hilt. What happened to you? How did your soul become so corrupted? Just a shame.

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  27. Bullsh!t. Just look at that picture of him. You just want to make him look like a lazy n!gger. There will be a race riot in an IC.

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  28. John you aren't black because you don't have a black name. You have some Uncle Tom followers.

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  29. I'm sure JoeC or vomamike could answer the question. Bruce is one of the smartest white men on the blogs. But JoeC and vomamike are a lot smarter at open dialogue and knowing all about the subject. Bruce and I aren't cut that way. So what Bruce and I have the guts and JoeC and vomamike have the brains.

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  30. "You -->crackers<-- always go after the powerful black men. They are putting the white man back in his place. John and Chris are just racists."

    JayNey, look in the mirror lately??
    You're calling John & Chris racist, but then spew "cracker"
    Move on, you're polluting the discussion.

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  31. Jay-Ney Me Thinks You Fell Off Your Pedestal and Landed on a Soft Spot" Your Head"! Calm Down, Sit Down and Then Read the Blog and Get the Low Down!

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  32. You have to seriously question the mental capabilities of someone that states, "Bruce is one of the smartest white men on the blogs." and then this gem, "But JoeC and vomamike are a lot smarter at open dialogue and knowing all about the subject."

    What was the point of mentioning Bruce's race? Other than to confirm her own racist tendencies. Basically, she is the only one to raise the issue of race in this thread. More importantly, her comment in regard to Bruce is the exact opposite of what she states. Bruce routinely makes some of the most idiotic, uninformed, factually-challenged statements of anyone on this blog. In regard to her second statement, she must be operating in a parallel universe of which I have no knowledge.

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  33. JayNey I agree that compared to Joe and vomamike,Bruce does sound idiotic. But the smartest cracker in the blog part threw me a little. When I worked in Detroit I was called cracker quite often. It never bothered me. JayNey you seem to have the same hatred and idealogy as Bruce,JoeC,vomamike and Carl. They must be so proud of you and the fact that you speak out so boldly. It is nice to see the liberals going into hiding. They must be getting abused by their friends and family because they backed a loser party.

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Please keep it clean and nice. Thank you for taking the time to post you thought. It means a lot to me that you do this.