Articles
On April 15th, the House approved the GOP’s Fiscal Year 2012 budget resolution. Chairman of the House Budget Committee Paul Ryan extolled the plan in the Wall Street Journal (“The GOP Path to Prosperity,” 4-5-11): “Our proposal brings federal spending to below 20% of gross domestic product (GDP), consistent with the postwar average, and reduces […]
Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 H.R. 1473 Roll Call 268 Final Results. FFS: On Friday April 8th, House Speaker John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and President Barak Obama worked out a compromise agreement on appropriations for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2011. The last-minute agreement prevented a government “shutdown.” According […]
H.J. Res. 48, Roll Call 179 In mid-March, 54 House Republicans rebuffed their party leadership and refused to support another continuing resolution (the sixth this year funding FY 2011) that included only minor spending cuts and no policy riders. Although the CR passed the House, 271 to 158 (see roll call 179, above), and later […]
Campaign for Decency We must marvel at the foresight of America’s founders. They looked centuries beyond their time and provided ways to save us from the dreadful effects of our own negligence. They gave us the means to correct a remiss Congress, to contain a power-prone president, and to limit an out-of-control Supreme Court. We […]
“Psst. No shutdown during a ‘government shutdown‘” — Yahoo! News, 2-24-2011
“IMF calls for dollar alternative” — CNNMoney.com, 2-20-2011 FFS: The planning for the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund originated within a subgroup of the Council on Foreign Relations’ (CFR) War and Peace Studies Project during 1941-1942, with the final plan established at the international Bretton Woods conference in 1944. The IMF was ostensibly created […]
H.R. 2965 “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010” House Final Vote 12/15/10 (Roll no. 638) Senate Final Vote 12/18/10 (Record Vote Number: 281) Washington Post story following vote in Senate FFS: During the “lame duck” session of Congress this past December, both the House and Senate allowed President Obama to deliver on his campaign […]
“President George W. Bush Speaks to HUD Employees on National Homeownership Month” (June 18, 2002) FFS: “We are here in Washington, D.C. to address problems,” said President Bush in July 2002. [Regardless of constitutional limits on the federal role, we might add.] It is essential we make it easier for people to buy a home, […]
“GOP likely to impede EPA efforts” — CQ staff, Congress.org, 1-3-2011 FFS: Informative article examines some precedents for the House to use its enormous leverage to block programs through appropriation bills. But the article only suggests part of the power held by the House (see, e.g., James Madison, Federalist No. 58). Moreover, in the interest […]
by G. Vance Smith & Tom Gow [Transcript of published booklet] Introduction A massive, poorly recognized attack threatens to destroy America’s vital middle class. America’s middle class is much more than an income level. It is a positive, independent force perpetuating a culture that sustains our freedom, promises opportunity, and gives rise to national prosperity. Throughout history, […]
Also see The Great American Swindle as a downloadable PDF with graphics. Part I — The Problem The Great Myth: “In our enlightened democracy, electing a president every four years is the primary opportunity Americans have to ensure the best possible direction for our nation.” The “Great Myth” is insidious because it is so appealing, […]
“[W]e are going to put an end to the notion that the American taxpayer exists to fund the Federal Government.” — presidential candidate Ronald Reagan, July 1980 Several decades ago, one committed constitutionalist in Congress insisted that two groups were to blame for the huge federal deficits — Republicans and Democrats, or if you will, liberals […]