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Bayh’s paid byes
When Sen. Evan Bayh says bye, it is more likely than not that some private
influence peddling group is paying the way, according to the
Indianapolis Star:
Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., has racked up one of the largest tabs in Congress
for privately paid travel during the past 5½ years.
Outside interests have paid $169,227 to send Bayh, and sometimes his wife,
around the world since 2000 -- the fourth-highest amount in Congress,
according to a database of travel reports compiled by politicalmoneyline.com,
an independent Web site that tracks congressional travel, campaign spending
and lobbying.
Bush’s ideas on illegals
President Bush is traveling in Arizona today with Sen. John McCain and will
be raising money for Sen. John Kyhl’s reelection. Bush is going to take on
the illegal aliens issue. His proposals offer the following:
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new resources and technology
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adding more beds to detention facilities
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outline the temporary workers program to "relieve pressure" on
security and enforcement
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stress the importance of enforcement for national security and
the economy.
McCain diplomacy
Grover Norquist, head of Americans for Tax Reform and leading conservative
light of the Republican Party, is battling with Sen. John McCain over the
Jack Abramoff investigation the McCain is conducting. Norquist did some work
with Abramoff and also has worked with the Choctaw Indians. Norquist stated
that McCain tried to steal the ATR’s donor list through his investigations.
The McCain camp certainly showed no signs of trying to be conciliatory
toward the conservative Norquist. McCain’s chief of staff, Mark Salter, told
the press, ''In Norquist's world, the truth is for suckers. And it's as
pointless to respond to him as it would be to respond to some street-corner
schizophrenic."
However, one attempt by McCain trying to assuage the right is his attendance
at fundraising events for Sen. Rick Santorum this week in Pennsylvania
Feingold first to surrender
"But I do think one thing we can all agree on is that this country is
overdue for a cheesehead president. We’ve never had one," Sen. Russ Feingold
(D-Wis.) said on ABC’s "This Week".
Wisconsinites are known as cheeseheads.
Feingold reiterated on ABC’s Sunday program that he is the first would-be
2008 presidential candidate to oppose the war in Iraq and the first to call
for bringing our troops home and surrender to the terrorists. Feingold also
stressed that Iraq was not part of the "Clash of Civilizations" war on
terrorism.
More GOP ethics problems
Republicans continued to have ethical problems as Rep. Randy "Duke"
Cunningham pleaded guilty to conspiracy and tax charges, admitting taking
$2.4 million in bribes.
House Ethics rules say that any lawmaker convicted of a felony no longer
should vote or participate in committee work. Under Republican caucus rules,
Cunningham would also lose his chairmanship of the House Intelligence
subcommittee on terrorism and human intelligence.
Cunningham will be sentenced on Feb. 27th and faces a possible 10-year
prison sentence.
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