Sunday, November 8, 2009

Bipartisanship of our government?

Nope. Nodda. No can do. They are just not interested. Watching the House of Representatives on November 7Th work out the dreaded Pelosicare bill was predictably straight down party lines save one or two traitors. It's a mindless leadership in DC on the Democrat side, they are just happy to be in control. They are not interested in being good and fair and serving the citizens of this great nation, just in control.

They are not interested in telling the truth, being transparent, or remotely bipartisan. They have no interest in sharing the limelight with the 'other side.' This president is not the president of the entire nation, only the ones that agree with him. The other side are just those that need to be corrected and put in the corner powerless.

Many on Twitter are calling the POTUS a manchild in a big and rich playground. I agree, he plays golf while men and women are in harms way waiting for reinforcements. He gambles with our money and jobs in his continual power-grabs of our representatives, forcing them into situations where voting on legislation is nearly impossible. He has surrounded himself with shock-thinkers he wishes he was more like, but isn't brave enough, and he is way to sensitive. This is not the characteristic of a winning national leader, much less a world leader.

George Washington stated in his first Inaugural address,
"No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible hand which
conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States. Every
step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems
to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency; and in the
important revolution just accomplished in the system of their united government
the tranquil deliberations and voluntary consent of so many distinct communities
from which the event has resulted not be compared with the means by which most
governments have been established without some return of pious gratitude, along
with a humble anticipation of the future blessings which the past seem to
presage."
Washington went on to say further in his Inaugural address,
"I behold the surest pledges that as on one side no local prejudices or
attachments, no separate views nor party animosities, will misdirect the
comprehensive and equal eye which ought to watch over this great assemblage of
communities and interests, so on another, that the foundation of our national
policy will be laid in the pure and immutable principles of private morality,
and the preeminence of free government be exemplified by all the attributes
which can win the affections of its citizens and command the respect of the
world."
The present situation in our country is the result of defiance of these initial pledges of our first president. Basically, the present POTUS probably never read these goals that came from one who saw first hand, was shot at, nearly killed, drudged through snow, heat, and rain on barely enough rations to keep sustained for weeks and months in pursuit of his newly formed constitution and nation. The present POTUS never fought in a war, never was surrounded by others with kindred hearts for cause of their country and liberty. He never felt the pang of slavery, hunger, only spoiled privileges and favors.

Our nation is in the wrong hands, our nation is in the wrong direction, our nation has lost respect of the history of blood, sweat, and tears spent on such a noble cause as freedom, independence, and just pure motives for getting along as one united nations of states.

How do we get back to where we came from? We must all revisit our history and revisit the founding fathers and what they said, did, and went through. We need to be re-educated.

Especially this POTUS.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

HR 2918 Appropriations Bill


H.R.2918

Making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes. (Reported in House)

HR 2918 RH
Union Calendar No. 79
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2918
[Report No. 111-160]

Making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 17, 2009

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, from the Committee on Appropriations, reported the following bill; which was committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
A BILL
Making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That the following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes, namely:

TITLE I--LEGISLATIVE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BRANCH
Salaries and Expenses
For salaries and expenses of the House of Representatives, $1,375,300,000, as follows:
HOUSE LEADERSHIP OFFICES
For salaries and expenses, as authorized by law, $25,881,000, including: Office of the Speaker, $5,077,000, including $25,000 for official expenses of the Speaker; Office of the Majority Floor Leader, $2,530,000, including $10,000 for official expenses of the Majority Leader; Office of the Minority Floor Leader, $4,565,000, including $10,000 for official expenses of the Minority Leader; Office of the Majority Whip, including the Chief Deputy Majority Whip, $2,194,000, including $5,000 for official expenses of the Majority Whip; Office of the Minority Whip, including the Chief Deputy Minority Whip, $1,690,000, including $5,000 for official expenses of the Minority Whip; Speaker's Office for Legislative Floor Activities, $517,000; Republican Steering Committee, $981,000; Republican Conference, $1,748,000; Republican Policy Committee, $362,000; Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, $1,366,000; Democratic Caucus, $1,725,000; nine minority employees, $1,552,000; training and program development--majority, $290,000; training and program development--minority, $290,000; Cloakroom Personnel--majority, $497,000; and Cloakroom Personnel--minority, $497,000.
Members' Representational Allowances
Including Members' Clerk Hire, Official Expenses of Members, and Official Mail
For Members' representational allowances, including Members' clerk hire, official expenses, and official mail, $660,000,000.

Committee Employees
Standing Committees, Special and Select
For salaries and expenses of standing committees, special and select, authorized by House resolutions, $139,878,000: Provided, That such amount shall remain available for such salaries and expenses until December 31, 2010, except that $1,000,000 of such amount shall remain available until expended for committee room upgrading.

Committee on Appropriations
For salaries and expenses of the Committee on Appropriations, $31,300,000, including studies and examinations of executive agencies and temporary personal services for such committee, to be expended in accordance with section 202(b) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 and to be available for reimbursement to agencies for services performed: Provided, That such amount shall remain available for such salaries and expenses until December 31, 2010.
Salaries, Officers and Employees
For compensation and expenses of officers and employees, as authorized by law, $200,301,000, including: for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Clerk, including not more than $23,000, of which not more than $20,000 is for the Family Room, for official representation and reception expenses, $32,089,000 of which $4,600,000 shall remain available until expended; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Sergeant at Arms, including the position of Superintendent of Garages, and including not more than $3,000 for official representation and reception expenses, $9,509,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer including not more than $3,000 for official representation and reception expenses, $130,782,000, of which $3,937,000 shall remain available until expended; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Inspector General, $5,045,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office of Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Operations, $4,445,000, to remain available until expended; for salaries and expenses of the Office of General Counsel, $1,415,000; for the Office of the Chaplain, $179,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Parliamentarian, including the Parliamentarian, $2,000 for preparing the Digest of Rules, and not more than $1,000 for official representation and reception expenses, $2,060,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the House, $3,258,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Legislative Counsel of the House, $8,814,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office of Interparliamentary Affairs, $859,000; for other authorized employees, $1,249,000; and for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Historian, including the cost of the House Fellows Program (including lodging and related expenses for visiting Program participants), $597,000.

Allowances and Expenses
For allowances and expenses as authorized by House resolution or law, $317,940,000, including: supplies, materials, administrative costs and Federal tort claims, $3,948,000; official mail for committees, leadership offices, and administrative offices of the House, $201,000; Government contributions for health, retirement, Social Security, and other applicable employee benefits, $278,378,000, including employee tuition assistance benefit payments, $3,500,000, if authorized, and employee child care benefit payments, $1,000,000, if authorized; Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery, $27,698,000, of which $9,000,000 shall remain available until expended; transition activities for new members and staff, $2,907,000; Wounded Warrior Program, $2,500,000, to be derived from funding provided for this purpose in Division G of Public Law 111-8; Office of Congressional Ethics, $1,548,000; Energy Demonstration Projects, $2,500,000, if authorized, to remain available until expended; and miscellaneous items including purchase, exchange, maintenance, repair and operation of House motor vehicles, interparliamentary receptions, and gratuities to heirs of deceased employees of the House, $760,000.

Child Care Center
For salaries and expenses of the House of Representatives Child Care Center, such amounts as are deposited in the account established by section 312(d)(1) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1992 (2 U.S.C. 2062), subject to the level specified in the budget of the Center, as submitted to the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
Administrative Provisions
Sec. 101. (a) REQUIRING AMOUNTS REMAINING IN MEMBERS' REPRESENTATIONAL ALLOWANCES TO BE USED FOR DEFICIT REDUCTION OR TO REDUCE THE FEDERAL DEBT- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any amounts appropriated under this Act for `HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES--SALARIES AND EXPENSES--MEMBERS' REPRESENTATIONAL ALLOWANCES' shall be available only for fiscal year 2010. Any amount remaining after all payments are made under such allowances for fiscal year 2010 shall be deposited in the Treasury and used for deficit reduction (or, if there is no Federal budget deficit after all such payments have been made, for reducing the Federal debt, in such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury considers appropriate).

(b) REGULATIONS- The Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives shall have authority to prescribe regulations to carry out this section.
(c) DEFINITION- As used in this section, the term `Member of the House of Representatives' means a Representative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.
SEC. 102. Effective with respect to fiscal year 2010 and each succeeding fiscal year, the aggregate amount otherwise authorized to be appropriated for a fiscal year for the lump-sum allowance for each of the following offices is increased as follows:
(1) The allowance for the office of the Majority Whip is increased by $96,000.
(2) The allowance for the office of the Minority Whip is increased by $96,000.

Joint Committee on Taxation
Joint Economic Committee
For salaries and expenses of the Joint Economic Committee, $4,814,000, to be disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate.

Joint Committee on Taxation
For salaries and expenses of the Joint Committee on Taxation, $11,451,000, to be disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives.

For other joint items, as follows:

Office of the Attending Physician
For medical supplies, equipment, and contingent expenses of the emergency rooms, and for the Attending Physician and his assistants, including: (1) an allowance of $2,175 per month to the Attending Physician; (2) an allowance of $1,300 per month to the Senior Medical Officer; (3) an allowance of $725 per month each to three medical officers while on duty in the Office of the Attending Physician; (4) an allowance of $725 per month to two assistants and $580 per month each not to exceed 11 assistants on the basis heretofore provided for such assistants; and (5) $2,366,000 for reimbursement to the Department of the Navy for expenses incurred for staff and equipment assigned to the Office of the Attending Physician, which shall be advanced and credited to the applicable appropriation or appropriations from which such salaries, allowances, and other expenses are payable and shall be available for all the purposes thereof, $3,805,000, to be disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives.
Office of Congressional Accessibility Services
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
For salaries and expenses of the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services, $1,314,000, to be disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate.

Statements of Appropriations
For the preparation, under the direction of the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives, of the statements for the first session of the 111th Congress, showing appropriations made, indefinite appropriations, and contracts authorized, together with a chronological history of the regular appropriations bills as required by law, $30,000, to be paid to the persons designated by the chairmen of such committees to supervise the work.

CAPITOL POLICE
salaries
For salaries of employees of the Capitol Police, including overtime, hazardous duty pay differential, and Government contributions for health, retirement, social security, professional liability insurance, and other applicable employee benefits, $263,198,000, to be disbursed by the Chief of the Capitol Police or his designee.

GENERAL EXPENSES
For necessary expenses of the Capitol Police, including motor vehicles, communications and other equipment, security equipment and installation, uniforms, weapons, supplies, materials, training, medical services, forensic services, stenographic services, personal and professional services, the employee assistance program, the awards program, postage, communication services, travel advances, relocation of instructor and liaison personnel for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, and not more than $5,000 to be expended on the certification of the Chief of the Capitol Police in connection with official representation and reception expenses, $61,914,000, to be disbursed by the Chief of the Capitol Police or his designee: Provided, That, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the cost of basic training for the Capitol Police at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center for fiscal year 2010 shall be paid by the Secretary of Homeland Security from funds available to the Department of Homeland Security.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
SEC. 1001. TRANSFER AUTHORITY- Amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2010 for the Capitol Police may be transferred between the headings `SALARIES' and `GENERAL EXPENSES' upon the approval of the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
OFFICE OF COMPLIANCE
Salaries and Expenses

For salaries and expenses of the Office of Compliance, as authorized by section 305 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1385), $4,335,000, of which $884,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2011: Provided, That the Executive Director of the Office of Compliance may, within the limits of available appropriations, dispose of surplus or obsolete personal property by interagency transfer, donation, or discarding: Provided further, That not more than $500 may be expended on the certification of the Executive Director of the Office of Compliance in connection with official representation and reception expenses.
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Salaries and Expenses

For salaries and expenses necessary for operation of the Congressional Budget Office, including not more than $6,000 to be expended on the certification of the Director of the Congressional Budget Office in connection with official representation and reception expenses, $45,165,000.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
SEC. 1101- MODIFICATIONS TO EXECUTIVE EXCHANGE PROGRAM- (a) EXPANSION OF NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS- Section 1201(b) of the Legislative Branch Apropriations Act, 2008 (2 U.S.C. 611 note) is amended by striking `3' each place it appears and inserting `5'.
(b) PERMANENT EXTENSION OF PROGRAM- Section 1201 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 611 note) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (d) and redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d); and
(2) in subsection (d), as so redesignated, by strking `Subject to subsection (d), this section' and inserting `This section'.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by this section shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the Legislatve Branch Appropriations Act, 2008.
ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL
General Administration

For salaries for the Architect of the Capitol, and other personal services, at rates of pay provided by law; for surveys and studies in connection with activities under the care of the Architect of the Capitol; for all necessary expenses for the general and administrative support of the operations under the Architect of the Capitol including the Botanic Garden; electrical substations of the Capitol, Senate and House office buildings, and other facilities under the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol; including furnishings and office equipment; including not more than $5,000 for official reception and representation expenses, to be expended as the Architect of the Capitol may approve; for purchase or exchange, maintenance, and operation of a passenger motor vehicle, $109,392,000, of which $8,950,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014.
Historic Buildings Revitalization Trust Fund
For a payment to the Historic Buildings Revitalization Trust Fund established under section 1201, $60,000,000, to remain available until expended.
Capitol Building
For necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and operation of the Capitol, $32,800,000, of which $6,241,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014.
Capitol Grounds
For all necessary expenses for care and improvement of grounds surrounding the Capitol, the Senate and House office buildings, and the Capitol Power Plant, $10,920,000, of which $1,410,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014.
House Office Buildings
For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and operation of the House office buildings, $100,466,000, of which $53,360,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014.
Capitol Power Plant
For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and operation of the Capitol Power Plant; lighting, heating, power (including the purchase of electrical energy) and water and sewer services for the Capitol, Senate and House office buildings, Library of Congress buildings, and the grounds about the same, Botanic Garden, Senate garage, and air conditioning refrigeration not supplied from plants in any of such buildings; heating the Government Printing Office and Washington City Post Office, and heating and chilled water for air conditioning for the Supreme Court Building, the Union Station complex, the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building and the Folger Shakespeare Library, expenses for which shall be advanced or reimbursed upon request of the Architect of the Capitol and amounts so received shall be deposited into the Treasury to the credit of this appropriation, $125,083,000, of which $31,560,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014: Provided, That not more than $8,000,000 of the funds credited or to be reimbursed to this appropriation as herein provided shall be available for obligation during fiscal year 2010.
Library Buildings and Grounds
For all necessary expenses for the mechanical and structural maintenance, care and operation of the Library buildings and grounds, $41,937,000, of which $15,750,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014.
Capitol Police Buildings, Grounds and Security
For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and operation of buildings, grounds and security enhancements of the United States Capitol Police, wherever located, the Alternate Computer Facility, and AOC security operations, $26,364,000, of which $7,750,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014.
Botanic Garden
For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and operation of the Botanic Garden and the nurseries, buildings, grounds, and collections; and purchase and exchange, maintenance, repair, and operation of a passenger motor vehicle; all under the direction of the Joint Committee on the Library, $11,263,000, of which $900,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014: Provided, That of the amount made available under this heading, the Architect may obligate and expend such sums as may be necessary for the maintenance, care and operation of the National Garden established under section 307E of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1989 (2 U.S.C. 2146), upon vouchers approved by the Architect or a duly authorized designee.
Capitol Visitor Center
For necessary expenses for Capitol Visitor Center operations costs, $23,166,000.
Administrative Provisions
Sec. 1201. HISTORIC BUILDINGS REVITALIZATION TRUST FUND- (a) ESTABLISHMENT- There is hereby established in the Treasury of the United States, as an account for the Architect of the Capitol, the Historic Buildings Revitalization Trust Fund (hereafter in this section referred to as the `Fund').
(b) Use of Amounts- Amounts in the Fund shall be used by the Architect of the Capitol for the revitalization of the major historical buildings and assets which the Architect is responsible for maintaining and preserving, except that the Architect may not obligate any amounts in the Fund without the approval of the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and Senate.
(c) Effective Date- This section shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2010 and each succeeding fiscal year.
Sec.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Coppenhagan Treaty?

Sail on! O ship of state,
Sail on! O union strong and great.
Humanity with all its fear,
With all the hopes of future years,
Is hanging breathless on thy fate
~Longfellow

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Rep. Grayson plays the "I'm superior" card with Fox

Rep. Grayson plays the "I'm superior" card with Fox

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Wednesday, October 28, 2009

NCGOP goes after Perdue's Campaign Travel

Much like what we are seeing all over our country, Fetzer is finding out that Democrat campaigns were not totally up and up with their recording of traveling and other campaign affairs. We shall see.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Maria Shriver: Pulling Illegal activities without recourse

Texting with her cellphone while driving, Maria Shriver, married to the governor of California, was caught on camera performing an illegal act in public. She should know better, but no ticket. Now this afternoon, she is at it again, parking in a 'red' zone while keeping a doctor's appointment. Was this an emergency doctor's visit or just a routine checkup? Would that really matter? But here she is parked for about an hour in the "No Parking" which is a Fire Zone designation. Did she get a ticket this time? Why no. Nope, no ticket this time either. Seems like California's First lady has the run of the place, doing whatever she pleases without any need for feeling responsible.

Earlier this past summer, I reported on an interview that Ms. Shriver gave a Catholic News agency about how she deems herself a devout, even a GOOD Catholic even though she doesn't adhere on all the basic Church teachings, including pro-life issues. She even when as far as to say that she and the pastor of her parish are great friends. She receives communion, probably doesn't attend penance services, but again, she has no reason to feel responsible for her actions.

Does this give you the creeps? Or at least anger you that the average Citizen can't get this same treatment? We would be paying fines, given tickets, etc.

Sheesh!

Monday, October 19, 2009

The $450.00 purse

The $450.00 purse

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