Join the Nancy Pelosi 70th Birthday Rose Campaign!

by: Brainwrap

Tue Mar 23, 2010 at 15:32:49 PM EDT

Given how much serious ass she kicked in herding cats, twisting arms and otherwise corralling 219 Democrats into passing the most sweeping (if flawed) overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system in 45 years, I thought it would be a great idea to do a repeat of the famous 2004 Barbara Boxer Rose Campaign to celebrate Speaker Pelosi's 70th birthday.

So, I took the easy route: I simply contacted the same national florist delivery service that was used 6 years ago, got a callback from Tina at Coast to Coast Florist, and lo and behold, we're all set!!

Visit the dKos link for details!

(I'm only posting it in one spot because of the rapid updates needed...)

Nancy Pelosi in Ann Arbor. What will it take, Nancy Pelosi?

by: bfealk

Sat Aug 09, 2008 at 18:22:59 PM EDT

Nancy Pelosi was in Ann Arbor, Michigan at a Border's book store promoting her new book, Know Your Power. 

I find it simply amazing.  I was sitting in the audience listening to Nancy Pelosi talk about her life as portrayed in her book, Know Your Power.  She was asked some polite questions about her book and her life after the moderator interviewed her.  They made us ask question on 3X5 cards instead of taking questions live from the audience.  I had asked a question about Ron Suskind's book and the allegations that the White House asked the CIA to forge a letter making a connection between Iraq and 9/11, but they didn't choose it, naturally.  One man from the back of the room asked, "What about impeachment?"

During her answer, Pelosi mentioned Suskind's book but admitted she hadn't read it.  HADN'T READ IT?  How can you be the person that has the power to push impeachment forward, know that there is a book out there that makes explosive allegations, with recordings to back up the assertions and not have read the book? 

What is wrong with this woman that she won't even consider impeachment, even though this President has most assuredly committed high crimes and misdemeanors.  Forget the misdemeanors, he's committed probably hundreds of high crimes.  And yet no word from the Speaker of the House, the woman with the power to start impeachment hearings. 

Why?  I keep asking myself that question.  The answer the Speaker gives is a political calculation, he's almost done with his term.  But that is no excuse, in my mind anyway.  If a murderer, which Bush has been accused of being too, had this kind of evidence against him, no law enforcement officer in the land would not prosecute him, no matter what.  Why is Bush special and why won't Pelosi at least let the trial, which is what impeachment hearings would be, go forward and hear the evidence?  My personal opinion is that the administration has something on Pelosi obtained through illegal wiretaps, that she doesn't want to see the light of day and she is being blackmailed.  That is the only explanation that makes sense to me and some of my friends, as we discuss this matter. 

What do you think?   Cross-posted at Daily Kos.  Please vote in my poll and leave a comment.  It would be great if you recommended it too.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/9/164858/5556/1019/565460

GOP calls for protesters against Speaker of the House to bring their own crayons

by: kjbas58

Thu Aug 07, 2008 at 11:00:40 AM EDT

The intention of the protest is to build on the Grand Oil Party's juvenile stunt last week where they preached to each other in the dark after the House and Senate were adjourned for the annual summer break on how giving oil companies more leases in environmentally sensitive areas will reduce gas prices. The email blast to supporters says the intention is to "... send her a strong message that she needs to call Congress back into session now, and hold a vote on an energy bill that will allow America to develop America's oil." No word on why they don't just ask the head oil man in the White House to call them back into session since he has the power to do that, or why for all but the last 18 months of President George Bush's time in office when the GOP controlled both Houses of Congress no real energy plan was adopted.

To help in the protest and to lend an air of authenticity, Anuzis is asking his followers to bring homemade signs, and since he knows they probably can't think of any catchy slogans for themselves, he sent along some helpful suggestions, such as "Gas b-4 Book Tour" "Bring Congress Back" "We Want Lower Gas $" "End The Shutdown" and "Give Us A Vote."

Bill Nowling and the MGOP communications team have really outdone themselves. That was money well spent.

I have a few slogans of my own for the Grand Oil Party attendees to use: "Food stamps for Exxon," "We don't need no stinking books," "Books are for liberals," "Tell Bush to tell you to bring Congress back," "Drill on those thousands of leases you already have," "oil execs need help to pay for their Bugatti Veyrons," or "We need our gas prices to go down by 2 cents in 10 years now."

The Ann Arbor stop will be Pelosi's first stop on a 13-city book tour, and because there are so many people expected to want to meet the Speaker, Borders began giving out wristbands this morning when the store opened. According to Borders, the wristband guarantees a place in line, but offers no guarantee you'll meet the Speaker.

I have a better suggestion for the GOP: buy a book at Borders to benefit a Michigan company. That may be asking a little too much. Buy a DVD while you are there and do some real good. Make sure you carpool.

Pelosi's Contemptible Answer on Inherent Contempt: A Michigan Response

by: gregsullmich

Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 13:08:02 PM EDT

Yesterday, in Austin TX at Netroots Nation, the annual convention of progressive bloggers, a question and answer session was held, and the guests included Al Gore and Nancy Pelosi.  The first question posed to Speaker Pelosi concerned the subpoenas that have been ignored by the likes of Harriett Meirs and Karl Rove, and what she proposed to do about it.  In answer, she dissembled about how dismayed she was that the Justice Department won't cooperate, etc. She didn't answer the question.

It is ridiculous and insulting for her to assume that we are so naive as to think that this "Administration" will do anything other than stonewall this thing, and that they will do anything that is not literally forced upon them.  That means that the power of inherent comtempt, which permits the House to order the Sergeant at Arms to physically detain a witness until he or she cooperates, is the required remedy. For an excellent series of discussions on this topic, I recommend the diaries of Kagro X in Daily Kos.

The follow up question to the Speaker attempted to elicit an adequate answer to the first question.  In answer, Pelosi essentially passed the buck to the Judiciary Committee Chairman, John Conyers, leaving it up to him.

Fortunately, Mr. Conyers hails from our fair state. It occurs to me that we have a Democratic State Convention scheduled to take place a few weeks from now.  Will there be a Blogger's Caucus meeting at that time?  Will Mr. Conyers attend the State Convention? Wouldn't this be an ideal occasion to address this problem?

Karl Rove and the other crooks who have defied Congressional orders to testify, are thumbing their noses at the House and its "leadership"  Thus far, they have done so with impunity.  Speaker Pelosi and her associates have rendered themselves contemptible in the eyes of our political foes, and in our eyes as well, and made it difficult for many Americans to figure whether the elections of 2006 have made any real difference.

 I urge the Michigan Democratic Blogger's Caucus to hold a caucus at the State Convention, and to invite Chairman Conyers to attend and to address this vital issue.

John AND Debbie Dingell beaten in 2-day period. Wow

by: David Boyle

Sat Dec 01, 2007 at 21:00:14 PM EST

    After these Dingell dual disasters, Michigan can hopefully be persuaded to get new leadership faster (in the 15th District Congressperson position and the Michigan DNC Committeeperson position), shed the corruption, and get out of its mess faster. Sail on!!

Nancy + Arnie terminate Dingell's preemption perversity

by: David Boyle

Fri Nov 30, 2007 at 23:53:03 PM EST

    ...The package nearly fell apart this week when Mr. Dingell insisted on leaving sole authority to regulate automobile mileage standards with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an arm of the Transportation Department. That would have weakened the power of the Environmental Protection Agency and the states, led by California, to regulate auto emissions of carbon dioxide, which are in large measure a function of the amount of fuel burned.
    Federal court rulings this year have decided this so-called pre-emption issue in favor of the E.P.A. and the states, decisions that Mr. Dingell hoped to undo by Congressional action. ...
    The authority of the E.P.A. to regulate tailpipe emissions and the right of California and other states to set their own, higher standards were considered deal-breakers by Ms. Pelosi and her fellow California Democrat, Senator Dianne Feinstein. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Republican governor of California, weighed in late in the week to tell negotiators that he would oppose the bill if the [sic] Mr. Dingell's preemption language stayed in.
    Mrs. Pelosi and Democratic leaders in the Senate rejected Mr. Dingell's preemption effort, but softened the blow by agreeing to allow the car companies to retain a credit for vehicles capable of running on a blend of gasoline and ethanol. That credit was set to expire in 2008 but now will begin to decline in 2014 and be eliminated entirely by 2020. ...

    (For some background, see ye previous workes of mine hand, 9th Circuit slaps Detroyota on truck CAFE standards and Pelosi preps Dingell for retirement, sidelines him on CAFE standards.)

    Fine work Nancy! I guess you found some use for crazy Arnie after all...

Pelosi preps Dingell for retirement, sidelines him on CAFE standards

by: David Boyle

Mon Oct 15, 2007 at 03:27:56 AM EDT

  Rep. John Dingell, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, is disappointed a House-Senate committee won't tackle legislation to improve the fuel economy of the nation's vehicles.
  Instead, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has chosen Democratic leaders to write an energy bill -- which would include provisions on fuel economy -- behind closed doors, rather than through a conference committee of House and Senate negotiators. She cited Senate Republican opposition to appointing members.
  "We cannot have a situation where if they don't give us a conference, we don't have a bill," Pelosi said. "With or without a conference, we will proceed." ...
  Dingell wouldn't divulge whether he would mount an effort to kill an energy bill that was too harsh on automakers. "I'm not foreclosing any option," he said. "I don't make the jungle. I just live there." ...

  No, he does make the jungle. Consistently. And now he is reaping the unpleasant fruits of that, though less unpleasant than the deaths that Katrina victims had to suffer, maybe because of global warming (with effects such as increased hurricane damage...) partially caused by Detroit automakers' failure to make better cars--a failure Dingell has been the chief legislative enabler for, for decades.

  Directly or indirectly, Speaker Pelosi is preparing the way for Dingell's "transition out of power"; and that's a good thing, too. Feel free to suggest primary opponents for him beyond those already suggested here.

Dingell enrages Daily Kos (UPDATED: front-page noted at DKos)

by: David Boyle

Tue Jun 05, 2007 at 13:02:48 PM EDT

  "John Dingell (D-Michigan) and Rick Boucher (D-Virginia) are divisive, obtuse, arrogant scumbags, pure and simple.
  These two men are the prime movers behind a bill in the House Energy and Commerce committee, of which Dingell is the chairman and Boucher a subcommittee head.
  Get this: The San Francisco Chronicle breaks the story and the draft legislation can be read here, supposedly and here.

Why is it always your friends who screw you over the hardest?  (I don't know, David, but I have a feeling you've got more below the fold. -- E.B.)

Monday Coffee Talk/Open Thread

by: BZP

Mon May 14, 2007 at 07:16:30 AM EDT

• LSJ: Business tax: Revenue neutrality is essential attribute in state's current mess. "Legislators can haggle inside and outside conference rooms over tax credits, payment thresholds and the myriad other details involved in any major tax rewrite. But if Senate Republicans remain stuck on a huge tax cut, they will discover they are playing to an empty hall."
• Traverse City Record-Eagle: Lessenberry: Counting down to state's financial disaster. It's gut check time: "Privately, most legislators on both sides admit that the state needs some new revenue, though everyone seems terrified of the term "tax increase.” Everybody remembers that after Gov. James Blanchard pushed through a temporary state income tax hike in 1983, two state senators who voted for it were angrily recalled."
• Battle Creek Enquirer: State funding cuts threaten smaller and rural schools. "'In two years, we've had to reduce 14 staff positions,' Davis said. 'Here in Athens, the schools are one of the biggest employers. These decisions affect the economy, livelihood and the hope of people.'"
• Speaker Nancy Pelosi: As A Mother. In case you missed it, here's Speaker Pelosi's Mother's Day message from Huffington Post.
• Michigan Daily Editorial: Fuel standards are good for everyone. "Considering that Americans own 30 percent of the world's cars and are responsible for 45 percent of the world's carbon emissions, this small increase in fuel efficiency would substantially reduce the world's total carbon emissions." You can read more in this editorial from the LSJ.
• Michigan Daily Editorial: Mike Rogers and me. A great piece about the impact of the Rogers Law. There's more in this article.
• Pohlitics: Supporting Progressive Blogs. I always feel weird about plugging my own work here, but Chris Bowers from MyDD has a great solution for how the Democratic establishment can support the progressive blogosphere: buy Blogads!