May 2012-The Hill

Members approved the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act in a party-line 218-199 vote. As expected, the bill was supported by nearly all Republicans — only 16 opposed it, and no Democrats supported it.

Republicans cast the bill as a first step back toward controlling federal spending, after years of allowing spending and deficits to balloon.

“We believe the purpose of the sequester was to replace the fact that Congress isn't governing,” House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said during the opening debate on the bill. “Well, let's have Congress govern. That's why we're doing this.”

You read that right. Action from a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. The bill is H.R. 900, introduced today (February 28) and it’s a Big Deal. Now the House has something to vote on, and the House Progressive Caucus has something to support. The bill — just cancel the sequester.

According to two sources, here’s the text:

“Section 251A of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is repealed.”

A way out out of this mess, for now anyway, and a clean one. If the president hates the sequester as much as he claims to, this will be easy for him to support, won’t it.

Huge props to John Conyers for providing a bold (and simple) solution. For more on “cancel the sequester,” see here. For how the sequester is just one more manufactured crisis, see here (one place of many).

How you can help

Next steps are to push.


The bill needs co-sponsors. Feel free to call your Congress guy or gal and make the request.


http://americablog.com/2013/02/breaking-cpc-member-john-conyers-introduces-hr-900-a-stop-the-sequester-bill-in-the-house.html

Obama: Voting Rights Act Provision Should Be Kept


The court is set to hear arguments Wednesday. It's a challenge to a section of the law requiring states and local governments with a history of racial discrimination to get Justice Department approval before making changes that affect elections.


Back to the 1950's.

House Republicans say they are feeling invulnerable in the current clash. Not only can they point to last year’s bills to replace the cuts, but redistricting has made most of them immune to political threats and entreaties. For many representing conservative districts where the president holds little sway, an attack by Mr. Obama is a badge of honor, senior Republican House aides say.


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/21/us/politics/gop-resisting-obama-on-tax-increase.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130221&_r=0

WATCH: ‘Hubris’ documentary

http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/02/19/watch-hubris-documentary/

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/#50852121

Senate Republicans blocked Chuck Hagel’s nomination as secretary of defense in a filibuster on Thursday, demanding more time to study their former colleague’s speeches and finances after he left the Senate in 2008.

It is the first time a national security nominee has ever faced a filibuster.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senate-republicans-have-the-votes-to-filibuster-on-hagel/2013/02/14/91afab0c-76c5-11e2-8f84-3e4b513b1a13_story.html?wpisrc=nl_pmpolitics

Now don't you feel really silly Mr. Harry Reid?

Or How is that filibuster deal working out for you now Sen. Harry Reid?

Fox News gets dumber and dumber. Idiots!


From the network that brought you WMD in Iraq, we learn that sure, solar power works in wacky places like Germany, but it would never work in the US because the Germans, bronze gods that they are, get far more sunlight than gloomy, cold, rainy America. (Spoiler alert: It’s a lie.)

Anyone who has either lived in Europe, or spent time outside of the Mediterranean parts of Europe, knows that sunshine over here happens, but it’s hardly a daily occurrence. Especially in northern Europe. There’s a reason the Germans go to Greece for summer vacation, and not the other way around.


http://americablog.com/2013/02/fox-news-solar-only-works-in-germany-because-its-sunny-there.html

He just called other conservative groups con artists.


Karl Rove blasted some of the "grassroots" Tea Party groups who have declared war on his newest effort to repackage the conservative crap sandwich in a prettier package that "can win elections." This is the purpose of Rove's new group, he claims, though Hannity contended he was really protecting incumbents from being primaried by more conservative candidates.

http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/karl-rove-pokes-tea-party-hornets-nest