2011 Congress & the White House

Let’s see what stories there were about Congress and the White House in the last couple of months.

November 29, 2011 the Senate voted to expand the Joint Chiefs of Staff to include the National Guard. And on this same day, Fitch warns of a US credit downgrade if no budget deal is reached in Congress. From this time on we hear of rejected proposals even though Democrats more than once back off their demand for higher taxes on millionaires; Republicans called it an empty gesture. On December 4 the USPS says its cutting $3 billion; by next spring – priority mail will take another day (no more overnighters) and half the mail processing centers will be closed (could lay off 35,000) and to avoid a $14.1 billion loss a letter stamp would have to cost $.68 (on December 17 Congress has asked for more time to come up with a financial rescue plan and the USPS is postponing its changes until May). On December 6 Lady Gaga spent the day at the White House talking to the Obama administration about anti-bullying initiatives. On December 9 the House voted to ban fake marijuana and fake cocaine including ‘Bath Salts’ and Spice. On December 13 the House and Senate agreed on a $662 billion defense bill (see yesterday’s blog) and Boehner predicts the House will vote to extend the payroll tax cut but curtail benefits for the long-term unemployed, indicating that the federal government is on track to have a budget with less than a $1 trillion deficit for the first time in 4 years. On December 14 the House did pass a bill to extend the payroll tax credit but the Senate said whoa because it contained a condition for the President to decide in 60 days on the development of a Keystone Oil pipeline from Canada to Texas; the President said he’d veto the bill. On December 15 the House again passed a budget funding bill that would last until September 2012; it contained a caveat to do away with the 2007 ban of old light bulbs and the requirement that all light bulbs be energy efficient. The bill went forward with the pipeline caveat but senior White House officials are sticking with it won’t be enough time to do a scientific review of the pipeline. On December 16 the House and Senate agreed on a $1 trillion spending package to avert a government shutdown; most cuts will come from domestic programs. On this same day a US Senator rightly threw a fit and accused Apple of helping people break the law with an App that allowed people to create phony driver licenses; Apple is pulling the App. On December 17 President Obama signed a stop-gap measure while awaiting the spending bill. On December 20 it’s reported that the American people are voicing their opinions about the tax credit extensions and so Democrats are not backing down. December 21 there’s a new law that allows military in uniform to go through expedited airport scanning and federal officials ask scientists not to publicize their bird flu research because of bioterrorism concerns. On December 21 it’s reported that although Congress can’t agree on the major tax break and budget issues they have managed to fund old fashioned pork barrel projects. Oklahoma Republican Senator Tom Coburn documented only 100 projects and his report shows that the government spent $6.5 billion on frivolous or unnecessary projects this year including $15.3 on Alaska’s bridge to nowhere plus $60,000 for a video of it, $10 million for Sesame Street in Pakistan, $100,000 for the New York (NY) International Center for the History of Electronic Games, $600,000 to study why chimps throw their feces, $150,000 for a Magic Museum in Michigan. Additionally, we gave $17.8 million borrowed from China to China for economic development and social services. On December 22 it was reported that House Republicans had to back down on their stand and Congress agreed to a 2 months tax credit and will negotiate for a year extension at a later date. In response to several Northeast states reporting that they are cutting heating aid to low income households due to rising oil costs (the average increase is $300 a year the feds on December 23 gave the states an additional $845 million to assist in home heating aid. Additionally they gave 7 states a total of $200 million for K-12 education improvements. On December 24 it’s reported that the President signed a $1+ trillion spending bill that included a 2 month tax credit extension.

December 27 per the NY Times and Moody Analysis from 2004 – 2010 the average American’s net worth went down 8% while Congress’ net worth went up 15%: The report told us that California’s (CA) Nancy Pelosi spent $10,000 a night in a Hawaii hotel over the holidays, Massachusetts’s John Kerry is worth $231 million and docked his $7 million yacht in a neighboring state to avoid taxes, CA Republican Issa is worth nearly $448 million, Wisconsin Republican Sensenbrenner was worth $18.7 million when he won the lottery 3 times; and there are 67 millionaires in the Senate (37 Democrats, 30 Republicans). Former member of Congress Brian Baird says it’s not illegal for them to use the insider trading information they receive. Due to bad press more than 200 members have stepped up and put together a bill to make it illegal; it will come up for a vote in 2012. On December 28 we’re informed that Nebraska Senator Nelson announced that he’s retiring; there’s no Democrat in the running and Republicans need only 4 seats to take over the Senate; I hope people realize that if this happens we’ll have a full Republican Congress with no one fighting for the average American. December 29 we’re told that the White House is selling nearly $30 billion in fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, weapon sales to Iraq move ahead despite US concerns and Congress gives $40 million in aid to the Palestinians.