BBC News - MPs urge readiness over housing benefit cut risks:
'via Blog this'
Tuesday 26 March 2013
Sunday 24 March 2013
Friday 22 March 2013
Read this: what are the prospects for gun control bill getting passed in any recognisable form?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/22/gun-control-nra-assault-weapons
As a further threat, there have been dark whisperings of a possible ruse by Republicans to pack the Reid bill with pro-gun rights amendments that would turn the legislation on its head, transforming the bill from a measure to tighten gun regulations post-Newtown into a panacea for a gun-owning free-for-all. One such provision being mooted would require all 50 states to recognise concealed carry permits from other states – New York, for instance, would be forced to allow a man with a permit from Arizona to carry a hidden gun in its bars.
"That's an old favourite legislative strategy – to add poison pills to a bill that would make it difficult to support and that way kill it," Vernick said.
As a further threat, there have been dark whisperings of a possible ruse by Republicans to pack the Reid bill with pro-gun rights amendments that would turn the legislation on its head, transforming the bill from a measure to tighten gun regulations post-Newtown into a panacea for a gun-owning free-for-all. One such provision being mooted would require all 50 states to recognise concealed carry permits from other states – New York, for instance, would be forced to allow a man with a permit from Arizona to carry a hidden gun in its bars.
"That's an old favourite legislative strategy – to add poison pills to a bill that would make it difficult to support and that way kill it," Vernick said.
Why has Leader of Senate dropped assault weapons ban from proposed gun control bill?
http://m.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/19/assault-weapons-ban-senate
Thursday 21 March 2013
Wednesday 20 March 2013
The Morning Plum: What Rand Paul’s filibuster accomplished
The Morning Plum: What Rand Paul’s filibuster accomplished: "rn out of concern about an actual issue — objections to Obama’s approach to drone warfare that are shared on both sides of the aisle. By waging his talking filibuster, Paul gave us a chance to hear his objections and judge their validity. By contrast, the GOP filibuster of Halligan was part of a concerted, party-wide GOP strategy to do everything possible to render government dysfunctional when it comes to even routine business, for purely partisan reasons. The reason Republicans offered for their filibuster — that Halliga"
'via Blog this'
'via Blog this'
Monday 18 March 2013
Sunday 17 March 2013
Friday 15 March 2013
Gender, ethnic makeup of 113 th congress
What the Makeup of Congress Might Say About the Rob Portman Effect http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/03/rob-portman-demographics-113th-congress-charts/63155/
Orwell and the filibuster
George Orwell on the Filibuster http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/03/george-orwell-on-the-filibuster/274037/
How successful was the attempt to ban earmarks and pork barrelling in the House?
Earmarks were technically banned in March 2010 by the House Appropriations Committee.
Why? Several reasons.
Conservatives and Tea-Party supporters see earmarks as symbolic of fiscal irresponsibility.
Many on left and right see earmarks as bordering on the corrupt with Congressmen lured away from thinking about the national interest and instead focus on their re-election campaign by, "bringing home the bacon" to the "folks back home".
The famous Ben Nelson earmark during the passage of Obamacare and the long-lasting "bridge to nowhere" (2005 onwards) have discredited the process of earmarks.
How successful?
Criticisms centre around two main points:
Why? Several reasons.
Conservatives and Tea-Party supporters see earmarks as symbolic of fiscal irresponsibility.
Many on left and right see earmarks as bordering on the corrupt with Congressmen lured away from thinking about the national interest and instead focus on their re-election campaign by, "bringing home the bacon" to the "folks back home".
The famous Ben Nelson earmark during the passage of Obamacare and the long-lasting "bridge to nowhere" (2005 onwards) have discredited the process of earmarks.
How successful?
Criticisms centre around two main points:
- the ban didn't work and that Congressmen may have ways of working around the ban. This seems technically unlikely although there could be argument as to what should be defined as an earmark. Furthermore the ban hasn't stopped Congressmen taking credit for securing funding for their districts. See this article and this one.
- More importantly some say that the ban on earmarks has exacerbated the problems of growing partisanship and gridlock and hindered efforts at consensus building and compromise as Congressmen have less to gain from reaching across the aisle. Perhaps it helped kill Obama's gun-control efforts of 2013. See this article, and this one.
Thursday 14 March 2013
Saturday 9 March 2013
Thursday 7 March 2013
Paul's filibuster ends
Senate Approves Nomination Of John Brennan As CIA Chief http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/03/07/173741820/senate-approves-nomination-of-john-brennan-as-cia-chief
Wednesday 6 March 2013
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