[poochee]

November 12, 2008, 1:01 pm
Albright and Leach to Meet With Leaders Attending Economic Summit
By Peter Baker

CHICAGO — President-elect Barack Obama won’t be attending this weekend’s global economic summit hosted by President Bush, but he designated a bipartisan team of surrogates Wednesday to sit down with visiting foreign delegations on his behalf.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, who served under President Bill Clinton, and former Representative Jim Leach, a Republican from Iowa who endorsed Mr. Obama during the campaign, will get together in “unofficial meetings” with leaders or their advisers from some of the Group of 20 nations while they are in Washington, Mr. Obama’s office said.

“This weekend’s summit is an important opportunity to hear from the leaders of many of the world’s largest economies,” Denis McDonough, Mr. Obama’s senior foreign policy adviser, said in a statement. “President Bush should be commended for calling the summit. There is one president at a time, so the President-elect has asked Secretary Albright and Congressman Leach, an experienced and bipartisan team, to be available to meet with and listen to our friends and allies on his behalf.”

Excerpt from: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2...=pol&emc=pola2

[poochee]

Originally Posted by LANMaster

There is no amount of lipstick ......

Typical Republican response.

[poochee]

Dems eye midnight regulations reversal
By ERIKA LOVLEY & RYAN GRIM | 11/12/08 4:44 AM EST

Congressional Democrats are eyeing a little-known, Clinton-era law as a way to reverse Bush administration midnight regulations — even ones that have already taken effect.

It’s a move that would undermine the White House’s attempt to finalize its energy and environmental regulations by November so that Barack Obama couldn’t undo them after he’s sworn in as the 44th president on Jan. 20.

Last May, White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten instructed federal agency heads to make sure any new regulations were finalized by Nov. 1. The memo didn’t spell it out, but the thinking behind the directive was obvious. As Myron Ebell of the conservative Competitive Enterprise Institute put it: “We’re not going to make the same mistakes the Clinton administration did.”

It could take Obama years to undo climate rules finalized more than 60 days before he takes office — the advantage the White House sought by getting them done by Nov. 1. But that strategy doesn’t account for the Congressional Review Act of 1996.

The law contains a clause determining that any regulation finalized within 60 legislative days of congressional adjournment is considered to have been legally finalized on the 15th legislative day of the new Congress, likely sometime in February. Congress then has 60days to review it and reverse it with a joint resolution that can’t be filibustered in the Senate.

In other words, any regulation finalized in the last half-year of the Bush administration could be wiped out with a simple party-line vote in the Democrat-controlled Congress.

Excerpts from: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15530.html

[ekim68]

Right on, time to play political hardball as much as this current administration has set the bar...

[bassetman]

Originally Posted by wacor

Waxman is trying to take the chair from Dingell.

You want a train wreck you will get it. Say adios to the auto industry.

so much for progress

Your party lost. rememeber?

[wacor]

Originally Posted by bassetman

Your party lost. rememeber?

Dingell is a democrat. He is not a conservative one either.

Your new age party is gonna be a train wreck with guys like Waxman doing your dirty work.

[eggplant43]

Begich, who was losing after election night, now leads Stevens by 814 votes -- 132,196 to 131,382 -- with the state still to count roughly 35,000 more ballots over the next week.

http://www.adn.com/elections/story/586989.html

[poochee]

Democrats' Push for Full-Scale Stimulus Stalled Until Jan. 20
By Paul Kane
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, November 15, 2008; Page A01

Congressional Democrats yesterday abandoned plans to offer a wide-ranging economic stimulus plan next week, putting off any chance that the federal government would provide a major jolt to the economy until after President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in Jan. 20.

Instead, Democrats have scaled back their proposal to a package that will include a $6 billion expansion of unemployment benefits and a $25 billion cash infusion for the struggling auto industry, setting up a confrontation with Senate Republicans over whether the government should expand its rescue program beyond the financial sector.

Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) plans to offer that package Monday, the first day of what is slated to be a week-long lame duck session of Congress. A key vote could come Wednesday and if that fails, Democrats may have to settle for the 13-week extension of unemployment benefits as the only economic measure approved before they close until January.

Excerpts from: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...src=newsletter

[poochee]

Pelosi backs aid to states via stimulus bill
By Rob Hotakainen
Published: Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008 | Page 1A

WASHINGTON – Led by California with a $28 billion hole in its budget over the next 20 months, 41 states are now in financial trouble, and many of their leaders are looking to Congress to bail them out.

State officials are hoping to join the ranks of the financial industry and auto manufacturers who have found a sympathetic ear on Capitol Hill. And they've found some key supporters: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and other top Democrats are promoting aid to states as part of a broad stimulus package that could inject more than $300 billion into the ailing economy.

The idea is getting a strong bipartisan push from governors across the country, with California Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and New York Democratic Gov. David Paterson among the chief proponents. Both are blaming Washington for their states' mounting troubles.

Excerpts from: http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/1399550.html

[poochee]

November 15, 2008
Obama urges Congress to work on plan to right economy
Posted: 09:00 AM ET

(CNN) — President-elect Barack Obama urged Congress on Saturday to work next week on a plan to help the country's economy and in particular address unemployment insurance.

"If Congress does not pass an immediate plan that gives the economy the boost it needs, I will make it my first order of business as president," he said in his weekly address, which is posted online.

"I urge them to pass at least a down payment on a rescue plan that will create jobs, relieve the squeeze on families and help get the economy growing again," he said.

Excerpt from: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...right-economy/

[poochee]

Pelosi Pledges Aid To Automakers, Strings Attached
KEN THOMAS | November 15, 2008 05:44 PM EST |

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Saturday the House would provide aid to the ailing U.S. auto industry, requiring that the industry meet new fuel-efficiency standards, produce advanced vehicles and restructure "to ensure their long-term economic viability."

Pelosi, D-Calif., did not disclose the amount of funding House leaders intend to seek for the industry _ automakers have been seeking $25 billion in loans to stabilize their sinking companies. But she said the funding should come from the $700 billion financial bailout approved by Congress in October.

"A restructured, competitive American automobile industry will continue to play a crucial role in our national economy and in the global marketplace," Pelosi said in a statement.

Excerpts from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/1..._n_144119.html

[wacor]

Originally Posted by poochee

Pelosi Pledges Aid To Automakers, Strings Attached
KEN THOMAS | November 15, 2008 05:44 PM EST |

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Saturday the House would provide aid to the ailing U.S. auto industry, requiring that the industry meet new fuel-efficiency standards, produce advanced vehicles and restructure "to ensure their long-term economic viability."

Pelosi, D-Calif., did not disclose the amount of funding House leaders intend to seek for the industry _ automakers have been seeking $25 billion in loans to stabilize their sinking companies. But she said the funding should come from the $700 billion financial bailout approved by Congress in October.

"A restructured, competitive American automobile industry will continue to play a crucial role in our national economy and in the global marketplace," Pelosi said in a statement.

Excerpts from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/1..._n_144119.html

good luck on that one

that would mean eliminating the ludicrous retirement package that the unions got.

[poochee]

November 16, 2008
Bill Clinton to campaign for Martin in Georgia
Posted: 05:15 PM ET

(CNN) — Three weeks before Georgia’s December 2 Senate runoff vote, former President Bill Clinton – the last Democratic presidential candidate to carry the state – will stump for his party’s candidate Jim Martin, locked in a tight race with incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss.

Excerpt from: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...in-in-georgia/

[bassetman]

Originally Posted by wacor

good luck on that one

that would mean eliminating the ludicrous retirement package that the unions got.

What about "Golden Parachutes"?

[wacor]

Originally Posted by bassetman

What about "Golden Parachutes"?

I would expect everything is one the table