Republican Abuse of Power

[gr8fuldaniel]

Howard Dean appeared on NBC Today show. This is one of his revelations:

US Newswire Republican Abuse of Power "The truth is the President and the Republicans are abusing their power in Congress. Just the other day, they stuck something in that gave HMO's 22-billion dollars of taxpayers' money. They stuck it in in the middle of the night. Nobody knew anything about it and it passed because nobody knew it was there. That is not the way to run Congress. We ought to have a real democracy in Congress where both sides get listened to and that is not the way it is right now."

$22 Billion Theft.
These snakes! Sneak Thiefs! How can this happen? How could this possibly happen? If they cant be trusted with money, how can they be trusted with things of greater value? Like The Constitution and Bill of Rights. We see what they are made of. Run em out of town. They are beyond hope. Does anyone know exactly who PHYSICALLY inserted that provision which in effect withdrew $22 billion dollars from American taxpayers? I want him ARRESTED! Forthwith! Enough politically chastising those who err. Set and example or they will do it again next week.

[Morgan_Freeman]

I hope you're being sarcastic. I guarantee everyone who had any reason to give a shit knew about the 22 billion, including all of the Democrats. This is more partisan bullshit.

[bishop]

Quote by: howard dean Nobody knew anything about it and it passed because nobody knew it was there. That is not the way to run Congress.

there's much truth to these two sentences - unfortunately for mr. dean..

this is the state of our union where our own "representatives" don't even read the fucking legislation that they're about to vote on. here we have howard dean going "oopsie! we didn't know (we didn't read it), it's all their fault!!". coupled with a president who doesn't even read his own intelligence reports (amongst who knows what else)..

dean should be careful of what he says.. his pile of shit party isn't much better than their opposition.

[gr8fuldaniel]

You guys dont believe they stuck it in in the middle of the night?

Why not? Is it impossible because the Right are morally superior beings?

Or because it is physically impossible to "Sneak" something in?

[Scribbler1]

I don't think Dean is dumb enough to make that up and say it on national TV, but does anyone have another source for this? Stuff like what bill it was, just when "the other day" was and "middle of the night" just leave me with questions.

[Morgan_Freeman]

Quote by: gr8fuldaniel You guys dont believe they stuck it in in the middle of the night?

That's not what I said. My point is that shit gets "snuck" into bills all the time, from time immemorial, by everyone in congress, both R and D, and no one gives a shit about it.

Dean is just doing this to score some political points and its probably going to come back to bite him in the ass.

[gr8fuldaniel]

Quote by: Scribbler1 I don't think Dean is dumb enough to make that up and say it on national TV, but does anyone have another source for this? Stuff like what bill it was, just when "the other day" was and "middle of the night" just leave me with questions.

I couldnt find anything else on this issue with a Google search so I sent an email to the DNC to get more facts:

Governor Dean said on NBC Today Show that a bill for $22 billion favoring HMOs was slipped into another bill overnight. This item never made the news. In fact the only reference to the incident was by Gov. Dean. Can you tell me what Original bill this extra Bill was slipped into? Also has there been a press release on the incident yet? What day was the bill passed? Thank You P.S. I sent an email to Senator Byrd asking him to reverse his decision to vote for the unethical Sam Alito for Supreme Court Justice. I support a filibuster. Is there anything else I can do?

I will let you know when I hear something.

[Osborn F Enready]

Morgan said:
That's not what I said. My point is that shit gets "snuck" into bills all the time, from time immemorial, by everyone in congress, both R and D, and no one gives a shit about it.

Dean is just doing this to score some political points and its probably going to come back to bite him in the ass.

I say:
I agree 100%.

[gr8fuldaniel]

Quote by: Morgan_Freeman Quote by: gr8fuldaniel You guys dont believe they stuck it in in the middle of the night? That's not what I said. My point is that shit gets "snuck" into bills all the time, from time immemorial, by everyone in congress, both R and D, and no one gives a shit about it.

Quote by: Os I say: I agree 100%.

No one "gives a shit", including you guys? I suppose that answers my question why there is no investigation and no arrest. Maybe if somebody got mad about 22 billion dollars that was extorted primarily from those who can least afford it. If these congressmen had to earn money the same way as ditch diggers and window washers do for a few years, they would respect the sacrifice that was made for that $22 Billion.

Maybe it doesnt matter, but I do "give a shit".

[bishop]

there's no investigation or arrest(s) because the republicans control government, of course...

this, if true, was most certainly wrong - along with the countless other instance where representatives of both corrupt parties abuse the taxpayer.

[Milton Bradley]

Quote by: gr8fuldaniel No one "gives a shit", including you guys? I suppose that answers my question why there is no investigation and no arrest. Maybe if somebody got mad about 22 billion dollars that was extorted primarily from those who can least afford it. If these congressmen had to earn money the same way as ditch diggers and window washers do for a few years, they would respect the sacrifice that was made for that $22 Billion. Maybe it doesnt matter, but I do "give a shit".

You should know we have no voice. WTF man, you're barking up the wrong tree.


What he meant was that Republicans, and Democrats don't care, hence nothing gets done except a little finger pointing after the fact.

[lili462]

This crap happens because they dont do their jobs efficiently. apparently in this sitch, they were debating or what not on it one day and then had to wait till the next to vote. In situations like that when they leave a bill over night before voting on it, they should check the bill again.... even better they might want to try and read the bills..look what happend with the patriot act. As far as i know from highschool, this thing that was snuck in would be called a "rider bill" or something like that...i dont think rider bills should be allowed myself. If its an important issue, then make a bill just for it, not add it on to another, with hope that the bill will pass. Surprised no one has done this to legalize pot, good idea though. makes me wanna write a really good bill and attach that . I just think congress needs to have more rules. like they all have to read the bill, and re read it. debate it alot and then vote on. They get paid enough, we elect them, lets make them do their job not half assed.

[Boetie]

Ever since Bush Jr came into office it has been nothing but corruption. Please explain how a line like this "governement cannot negotiate for lower prices" in a prescription bill benefits the peope. No one and I mean no one hammered the legislative branch on that one.

It should be plain and clear that the whole government is hijacked by a party a party called Republicans and their sign outside the door says "pay to play".

Remember Bush Jr cannot pronounce words very well so when he said war president he meant to say whore president. Whore president is the only thing that is believable out of juniors mouth.

[gr8fuldaniel]

Quote by: lili In situations like that when they leave a bill over night before voting on it, they should check the bill again....

Or maybe lock it up? Maybe the janitor did it. This is not the first time this has happened. How many times will this have to happen before somebody buys a $75.oo safe?

Until then, who wrote the HMO Bill? That cretan may know the saboteur who planted it.

Maybe they can pry the Dept of Homeland Security away from investigating patent rights on rubiks cube violators and harrassing toy store owners, long enough to secure the halls of congress.
Call this an act of terrorism, it has done as much damage as a bomb (minus the blood they like to wave at us). Or are they too busy surveillance of Vegans? Who yelled "OH NO VEGANS!!!!"? (Thats when the HMO bill was planted, when DHS was looking the other way)

http://www.opednews.com/articles/ope...ia_uncover.htm ACLU Georgia Uncovers Pentagon Spying Files Our government, at minimum, spied on vegans with signs, a protest medic, and the G8 Summit. by Matthew Cardinale http://www.opednews.com (APN) ATLANTA – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Georgia released new documents on Pentagon spying on peaceful protesters, in a downtown press conference today at the Martin Luther King Federal Building. The documents are respondent to their Freedom of Information Act requests to several federal, state, and local agencies, regarding the Pentagon spying which occurred against local peace activists here in Georgia. More....

I guess it would be asking too much to point a camera at any bills left on a table over night?

Make an example of the culprit that will be remembered for hundreds of years.

Follow the money
Even if the "Keystone DHS Agents" are more funny

[Osborn F Enready]

Gr8fulDaniel said:
No one "gives a shit", including you guys? I suppose that answers my question why there is no investigation and no arrest. Maybe if somebody got mad about 22 billion dollars that was extorted primarily from those who can least afford it. If these congressmen had to earn money the same way as ditch diggers and window washers do for a few years, they would respect the sacrifice that was made for that $22 Billion.

Maybe it doesnt matter, but I do "give a shit".

I say:
Dan, the only difference between you and I here is that you put on your party blinders when viewing corruption.

I care when anyone does it, no matter what party line.

You are screaming like an alarmist about "standard procedure" in Washington, as if it is something new.

If it is new to "you", I hope you see the problem is as BAD as it really is, and start looking at both major parties as the corrupt equals they are.

It reminds me of a brother and sister sitting in the back of a car.

Sister hits brother (or vice-versa) and sister yells and tells mom brother hit her, because that is the only thing "mom" saw.

The Democrats are hoping all this rhetoric will be picked up and paraded by the party loyalists, to further marginalize the Republicans, when really they just make themselves look like fools for further exposing both parties mutual tactics to subvert law, and the Constitution at the expense of the taxpayers.

WHY HAS IT TAKEN DEMOCRATS 70 YEARS TO COME OUT ON THIS?!?!?!?

Because they have both been doing it, and only now is the ultimate power grab up for the taking.

May both parties burn in the equal hell they deserve, which is public backlash and stoning!

[Mr.Vicchio]

The term is earmarking. They do this at the last minute to force other lawmakers to try and defend a position of voting against XX proosal (lets say... aid for starving children... or a budget bill for handicap assistance) and lawmaker B earmarks a spending attachement for something entirely else. Doesn't matter what.

Anyone that votes against the original bill is cast as being against XX. This is an old practice in Congress, it sucks, but Dean's a fool for trying to cast this in the way he is. Why gr8, did he do that?

Simple, when his party returns to power (which will probably happen one day) they want the ability to do what happened here. It's just a partisan word game.

The problem isn't "Republicans abusing power!", the problem is the system. But as long as people like you buy into the tripe from the likes of Dean, nothing will change.

I wrote my senators complaining about this practice several times, but it's going to take more then that to change things.

[Osborn F Enready]

Bullshit VIC!

Reagan would VETO a bill, JUST based on the fact of having too many earmarks. THIS IS BUSH abusing the system as much as anyone. Reagan once vetoed a bill SIMPLY because it had over 100 earmarks on it. He liked the original bill, but there were too many earmarks for a conservative to pass, so he vetoed it DUE to that. Bush recently passed a bill that had over 1200 earmarks on it. This is the Executive buying a blind eye to accountability through earmarks and appeasement.

We are watching the head form on the pimple that has come to exemplify the U.S. government. This is going to be one ugly blemish, judging on the depth and width of the root on this corruption.

[bishop]

Quote by: vic I wrote my senators complaining about this practice several times, but it's going to take more then that to change things.

yeah... when you reward them with your vote, they have no reason to change.

[gr8fuldaniel]

Quote by: Os I care when anyone does it, no matter what party line.

I also care when anybody does it. You guys seemed to be apathetic, though. I'm glad you straightened me out.
MB said I was barking up the wrong tree. I guess you arent up that tree. That doesnt mean Morgan isnt though. He said "and no one gives a shit about it".
My apologies Os.

You are screaming like an alarmist about "standard procedure" in Washington, as if it is something new. If it is new to "you", I hope you see the problem is as BAD as it really is, and start looking at both major parties as the corrupt equals they are

I remember this happening many times before. I hope I didnt sound too naieve. That doesnt mean it shouldnt be treated as theft EVERY time it happens. I pointed out in the topic that it is a Republican crime, because there are so many people who really ARE naieve about these moral highgrounders.

[Mr.Vicchio]

Yeah Osborn, why did he do that?

The DNC controlled the House and Senate. That's why Reagan pushed so hard for a line item veto, but never got it.