CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Conservative Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot says he's full of admiration for Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who last week stood with the Dalai Lama and ripped the Chinese crackdown in Tibet. Chabot, OH-01, serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and issued a press release that says he "praised" Pelosi. He is not often prone to use language that speaks highly of Democrats, but Chabot says she was right to stand up for human rights.
"Freedom is a non-partisan matter. The Chinese government must respect the rights and human dignity of the Tibetan people."
Chabot, who represents Cincinnati's West Side, chairs the Congressional Taiwan Caucus. He has been a critics of China for years. He says China's actions in Tibet are "one more example of why the U.S. State Department should not have removed China from its list of the world's worst human rights offenders."
Earlier this month, China seems to have gotten a break on the annual report of human rights abuses in nation's across the world. There is widespread speculation that the Bush Administration eased up on its criticism of China because it didn't want to embarrass that nation ahead of this summer's Beijing Olympics.
Showing posts with label Nancy Pelosi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nancy Pelosi. Show all posts
Friday, March 28, 2008
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
OBM's 'Transparency' Website: Finally Moves Pelosi From Ohio To California
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The new federal online portal designed to make details about government spending more transparent can be quite muddy at times. USAspending.gov finally shows that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's congressional district isn't in Ohio, and didn't account for $184,209,050 in federal contracts in the state during fiscal year 2005. The old report showed federal contract dollars flowing into her faux Ohio district at a rate second only to that of U.S. Rep. John Boehner in OH-08. The latest report shows government contracts in OH-08 were valued at $196,394,602 in FY 2005; that is down dramatically from $330,563,132 reported on the transparency Website as recently as Dec. 28.
Federal officials says they are constantly updating and correcting data as it comes in from spending agencies. There is billions to keep up with in Ohio -- in FY 2006 some $8.2 billion, assuming the number hasn't changed in the past few hours. The FY2007 data currently on the transparency portal shows that Boehner's district received $492,503,380 from federal contracts. A few days ago, the number was far higher at $1.22 billion. Half the money simply vanished on the updated transparency report.
OH-o1 Republican Steve Chabot -- who represents a Cincinnati district next door to Boehner's -- seems to be the beneficiary of the shifting numbers. Federal dollars flowing to government contractors in Chabot's chunk of Ohio turf more than doubled from nearly $502 million to $1.33 billion.
Of course, all the numbers could be bogus, inaccurate or subject to revision. There just doesn't seem to be a way to trust the data reported on the line showing "Top 5 Known Congressional Districts Where Work Is Performed." Or it may be as simple as this: Even the federal government doesn't really know where all the money is going. Still, have some fun and check this current version of the FY2006 spending report. Will it be the same in two days?
Federal officials says they are constantly updating and correcting data as it comes in from spending agencies. There is billions to keep up with in Ohio -- in FY 2006 some $8.2 billion, assuming the number hasn't changed in the past few hours. The FY2007 data currently on the transparency portal shows that Boehner's district received $492,503,380 from federal contracts. A few days ago, the number was far higher at $1.22 billion. Half the money simply vanished on the updated transparency report.
OH-o1 Republican Steve Chabot -- who represents a Cincinnati district next door to Boehner's -- seems to be the beneficiary of the shifting numbers. Federal dollars flowing to government contractors in Chabot's chunk of Ohio turf more than doubled from nearly $502 million to $1.33 billion.
Of course, all the numbers could be bogus, inaccurate or subject to revision. There just doesn't seem to be a way to trust the data reported on the line showing "Top 5 Known Congressional Districts Where Work Is Performed." Or it may be as simple as this: Even the federal government doesn't really know where all the money is going. Still, have some fun and check this current version of the FY2006 spending report. Will it be the same in two days?
Friday, November 16, 2007
Ohiosphere's Ralph King: A Decent Righty Blogger Loses His Way
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The frequently insightful and normally thoughtful conservative Cleveland-area blogger Ralph King has inexplicably started shoveling excrement on his Web outpost, Kings Right Site King is one of The Daily Bellwether's favorites; he has the sunshine of the mind. And the hope here is that he has only temporarily lost his way because he has been too keen-witted a conservative to pass off a disgusting effort at poop repartee as the equivalent of political satire or political debate. There is an old saying, "Nothing is politically right which is morally wrong."
King, of course, is free under the First Amendment to print pretty much whatever he wants. But he'll be hard to take seriously in the future if he's now throwing poop around to buttress his arguments. Usually, humans learn pretty early to stay away from that stuff, to not touch that stuff. Usually, they know it before they are out of diapers.
Worse, King has reprinted a diatribe that said the excrement should be shoved down the throats of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Harry Reid. And why should they be forced to swallow human waste? Because they cannot be taken outside the Capitol and murdered.
Those kind of thoughts come nowhere close to civil discourse or dialogue. They are sicko. They reek with the threat of violence. No responsible bloggers -- on the right, on the left or in the middle -- should aid and abet language and commentary like that. It is political pornography.
I hope that King rethinks the post. The 'sphere should be a place were divergent opinions collide, where politics and points of view clash, where the right rips the left, and the left delivers its own licks. But where advocating violent acts -- or openly wishing one could commit a violent act -- is out of the question. There is enough cruelty loose in the world already. We don't need to add more in Ohio.
King, of course, is free under the First Amendment to print pretty much whatever he wants. But he'll be hard to take seriously in the future if he's now throwing poop around to buttress his arguments. Usually, humans learn pretty early to stay away from that stuff, to not touch that stuff. Usually, they know it before they are out of diapers.
Worse, King has reprinted a diatribe that said the excrement should be shoved down the throats of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Harry Reid. And why should they be forced to swallow human waste? Because they cannot be taken outside the Capitol and murdered.
Those kind of thoughts come nowhere close to civil discourse or dialogue. They are sicko. They reek with the threat of violence. No responsible bloggers -- on the right, on the left or in the middle -- should aid and abet language and commentary like that. It is political pornography.
I hope that King rethinks the post. The 'sphere should be a place were divergent opinions collide, where politics and points of view clash, where the right rips the left, and the left delivers its own licks. But where advocating violent acts -- or openly wishing one could commit a violent act -- is out of the question. There is enough cruelty loose in the world already. We don't need to add more in Ohio.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
[Bulletin!!! Bush Says No] Children's Health Insurance: GOP, Dems Say Deal Reached In Congress
BREAKING NEWS!!! BUSH TELLS CONGRESS NO DICE
The President moments ago delivered his weekly Saturday morning radio address to the nation and has attacked the CHIP compromise. The insurance program for low-income kids is set to expire in eight days. Here's Bush: ". . . members of Congress are risking health coverage for poor children purely to make a political point."
He blames the Democrats, not mentioning that Rebublicans are part of the compromise. He looks like the one trying to make a political point.
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Democratic leadership and some key Republicans have outlined a legislative compromise that lowers the number of uninsured kids across the U.S. and preserves the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. Right now, it is estimated the number of kids eligible for CHIP will rise from about 6.6 million to 10.6 million. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has posted a detailed look at the compromise on her Website, and it includes statements from Republicans who brokered the bi-partisan agreement.
Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, ranking Republican on the Senate health subcommittee, has signed on to the deal and says he hopes the White House goes along. President Bush has threatened a veto of any CHIP expansion on grounds it could stress the budget. This statement from Hatch was included on Pelosi's website:
"I have been fighting for legislation that will not only continue the CHIP program, but also cover more low-income kids who are eligible for CHIP. Today, we are unveiling our bipartisan compromise that accomplishes those two very important goals. Our proposal is an honest compromise which improves a program that works for America's low-income children.
"That said, I am very sympathetic to what the President is saying about that CHIP, which has worked so well, should not become a big, one-size-fits-all government program. I am hoping that he will work with us on this program because this is a true compromise within the Senate between Democrats and Republicans, and between the House and the Senate."
So there is now a deal on this extremely important health-care program. Inquiring minds are wondering: Will Bush back off the veto threat? Will he live up to his promise to be a compassionate conservative?
The President moments ago delivered his weekly Saturday morning radio address to the nation and has attacked the CHIP compromise. The insurance program for low-income kids is set to expire in eight days. Here's Bush: ". . . members of Congress are risking health coverage for poor children purely to make a political point."
He blames the Democrats, not mentioning that Rebublicans are part of the compromise. He looks like the one trying to make a political point.
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Democratic leadership and some key Republicans have outlined a legislative compromise that lowers the number of uninsured kids across the U.S. and preserves the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. Right now, it is estimated the number of kids eligible for CHIP will rise from about 6.6 million to 10.6 million. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has posted a detailed look at the compromise on her Website, and it includes statements from Republicans who brokered the bi-partisan agreement.
Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, ranking Republican on the Senate health subcommittee, has signed on to the deal and says he hopes the White House goes along. President Bush has threatened a veto of any CHIP expansion on grounds it could stress the budget. This statement from Hatch was included on Pelosi's website:
"I have been fighting for legislation that will not only continue the CHIP program, but also cover more low-income kids who are eligible for CHIP. Today, we are unveiling our bipartisan compromise that accomplishes those two very important goals. Our proposal is an honest compromise which improves a program that works for America's low-income children.
"That said, I am very sympathetic to what the President is saying about that CHIP, which has worked so well, should not become a big, one-size-fits-all government program. I am hoping that he will work with us on this program because this is a true compromise within the Senate between Democrats and Republicans, and between the House and the Senate."
So there is now a deal on this extremely important health-care program. Inquiring minds are wondering: Will Bush back off the veto threat? Will he live up to his promise to be a compassionate conservative?
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Dems Open To Social Security Reform? Senate Has Something Up
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- North Dakota Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad is proposing appointment of a 16-member task force that will deal with funding Social Security and Medicare, which he describes as a "coming crisis."
The Senate Finance Committee Chairman calls his Congressional creation a bipartisan panel for responsible fiscal action. The move seems to have come out of the blue, and is supported by the Finance Committee's senior Republican, Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire. Conrad said:
"Our nation faces a fiscal challenge of unprecedented proportions. We cannot ignore the coming crisis and hope that future leaders will solve this problem. The longer we wait, the harder the choices become. We refuse to hand this problem off to yet another 'outside' commission. The time for action is now. With our legislation, we have a chance to adopt a bipartisan plan that will assure American economic security for generations to come."
The move is fueled by retirement of the the Baby Boomers and a projected shortfall between spending on pensions and health care programs and projected revenues. Judd said the problem "has been building for years."
President George Bush tried to make Social Security reform a hallmark of his second term, but his legislative proposals have gone nowhere. Is there a chance of revival? Will his plan to offer private accounts get off the ground? At this point, no one knows.
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement last night that seemed to cut the White House out of the picture while indicating that no benefits will be cut.
"Medicare and Social Security are two of the most successful safety nets in our nation and any changes must be made on a bipartisan basis. This can be done by the committees of jurisdiction in Congress; they have the experience, knowledge and authority for addressing issues that arise with entitlements.
"Democrats are committed to addressing the long-term challenge faced by Social Security and Medicare to ensure that American families receive the secure retirement they have earned."
The Senate Finance Committee Chairman calls his Congressional creation a bipartisan panel for responsible fiscal action. The move seems to have come out of the blue, and is supported by the Finance Committee's senior Republican, Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire. Conrad said:
"Our nation faces a fiscal challenge of unprecedented proportions. We cannot ignore the coming crisis and hope that future leaders will solve this problem. The longer we wait, the harder the choices become. We refuse to hand this problem off to yet another 'outside' commission. The time for action is now. With our legislation, we have a chance to adopt a bipartisan plan that will assure American economic security for generations to come."
The move is fueled by retirement of the the Baby Boomers and a projected shortfall between spending on pensions and health care programs and projected revenues. Judd said the problem "has been building for years."
President George Bush tried to make Social Security reform a hallmark of his second term, but his legislative proposals have gone nowhere. Is there a chance of revival? Will his plan to offer private accounts get off the ground? At this point, no one knows.
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement last night that seemed to cut the White House out of the picture while indicating that no benefits will be cut.
"Medicare and Social Security are two of the most successful safety nets in our nation and any changes must be made on a bipartisan basis. This can be done by the committees of jurisdiction in Congress; they have the experience, knowledge and authority for addressing issues that arise with entitlements.
"Democrats are committed to addressing the long-term challenge faced by Social Security and Medicare to ensure that American families receive the secure retirement they have earned."
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Sheehan vs. Pelosi: Fresh Poll Says The Speaker Far More Popular
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Fresh polling data by Rasmussen Reports shows Cindy Sheehan is not popular with the American people. Even 39% of Democrats now have an unfavorable view of the grieving Iraq War mother. Sheehan wants President Bush impeached and says she will challenge Speaker Nancy Pelosi if the House fails to bring charges. Since the House is not likely to act on her demand, Sheehan would probably get crushed like a walnut under the Speaker's gavel because 39% of Americans view Pelosi favorably.
Maybe Sheehan should consider another race -- like trying to sign up as U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich's running mate.
Rasmussen found Sheehan is viewed favorably by only 22% of Americans, down from 31% in 2005, the year her anti-war protests near Bush's Texas ranch shaped her public image as a leading critic of Washington's handling of the war.
"Democrats have mixed views of the anti-war activist. Thirty-four percent have a favorable opinion while 39% say the opposite. Among Republicans, the numbers are 9% favorable, and 72% unfavorable. As for those not affiliated with either major party, 21% offer a positive assessment of Sheehan, while 42% have a negative opinion."
Rasmussen added that 39% of Americans agree with Sheehan that Bush should be impeached.
Maybe Sheehan should consider another race -- like trying to sign up as U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich's running mate.
Rasmussen found Sheehan is viewed favorably by only 22% of Americans, down from 31% in 2005, the year her anti-war protests near Bush's Texas ranch shaped her public image as a leading critic of Washington's handling of the war.
"Democrats have mixed views of the anti-war activist. Thirty-four percent have a favorable opinion while 39% say the opposite. Among Republicans, the numbers are 9% favorable, and 72% unfavorable. As for those not affiliated with either major party, 21% offer a positive assessment of Sheehan, while 42% have a negative opinion."
Rasmussen added that 39% of Americans agree with Sheehan that Bush should be impeached.
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