Adjourned sine die

The 111th Congress has adjourned, never to have another meeting date (sine die in Latin). Thank God it is finally over. Let's take a brief look at the damage that has been done by this left wing radical Congress...

111-003 Children's Health Insurance Program

111-005 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

111-031 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act
(You know, the act that modifies the government employees Thrift Savings Plan, the Civil Service Retirement System, and the Federal Employees' Retirement System and by the way tells you that smoking is bad for you.

111-148 Entitled The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The BIG one!

111-203 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act

They also confirmed 2 Supreme Court Justices and and ratified the START treaty.

Of the approximately 290 laws passed. There were approximately 63 post offices named or about 21% of the laws passed. Then of course there is the commemorative coins minted, Congressional Medial of honor winners, and other "pat on the backs" that Congress feels obligated to give out.

There were two laws they passed this session that I really liked (and most likely the only ones read by Congressmen):

111-165 To provide that Members of Congress shall not receive a cost of living adjustment in pay during fiscal year 2011

111-289 Appointing the day for the convening of the first session of the One Hundred Twelfth Congress.

Duck!!!

I've been thinking about about the lame duck sessions for Congress and the President lately and the concept just boggles my mind. Why after an election where a majority of people decide on a new Congress or President do we allow for a sitting Congress or President to make decisions or laws?

Let's start at the beginning (the very best place to start). In the original Constitution the date which a new session of Congress begins was the first Monday of December. The date which the Presidents term was to begin was not in the original Constitution. March 4 was the date that was 30 days following the casting of Electoral College votes in Congress (February 4, 1789)for George Washington. That gave him time to travel to the capitol (New York) to the inaugural.

The first Constitutional reference to the Presidential inauguration date (March 4) was in the 12th Amendment.

The person having the greatest Number of votes for President, shall be the President ... if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President...

That still did not set the exact inauguration date for President. That all changed with the Twentieth Amendment to the Constitution. This Amendment set both the Presidential and Congressional term start dates.

The Twentieth Amendment

1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.

2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.

4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.

5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.

6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.

So that is the history of the lame ducks in a nut shell. Now I will get on with my rant on why this has turned crazy.

First off, this age of communications and travel advances there is no reason to have any kind of lame duck for the President or the Congress. The lame duck Congress and President have no accountability to what is passed during the lame duck sessions. I heard it explained on the Fred Thompson Show as "It is like giving your ex-wife your check book after the divorce." It just doesn't make any since. The "ruling" party could pass (and have passed) all kinds for legislation without having to account for their actions to the people they are to represent.

For example, There was a vote for censure of the crook Charlie Rangel. During that vote our Representative, John Salazar, voted no. Charlie Rangel is a convicted criminal and our Representative said essentially that the people of the Third Congressional District think that is A-OK. I don't believe that is true. That is just a small example.

I believe that after an election, there is no reason to wait until the Third of January to swear in Congressmen. Have the new congressmen sworn in the day their election results have been verified. The "official" start date of Congress could still be in January, but the new Congressmen could already be serving. That eliminates the lame duck problems with Congress.

How about the President? I think we could actually eliminate most of the lame duck for the President. The President does have to wait until the electoral votes are cast in the new Congress. If we change the Congresses start date back to the original Third of December of the election year, that gives time for the election to be settled.

You might asking yourself  "What about the time the President needs to create a new government?" I understand that the President needs to make key appointments during that lame duck session so they can "hit the ground running" when they are inaugurated. Why does that have to be after the election?

Wouldn't it be more informational for the electorate to see who a prospective President will appoint before the election? I mean it might have changed a few votes if we knew that folks like Tim "the Tax-Cheat" Geithner and "Rahm "Dead Fish" Emanuel were going to be in key White House positions.

I believe that we should be fighting to have a Constitutional Amendment to revise the Twentieth amendment. The time has come to make a change into the 21st century.

111th Congress - auf Wiedersehen!

I thought it would be interesting to list the current list of Senators and Representatives that served in the 111th Congress but will not start the 112th Congress. It might give you a bit of hope...

US House Democrats Au revoir
Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (Michigan District 13)...13 years
Alan B. Mollohan (West Virginia District 1)...17 years
Neil Abercrombie  (Hawaii District 1)...19 years
John P. Murtha  (Pennsylvania District 12)...36 years
Hilda L. Solis  (California District 32)...8 years
Ellen O. Tauscher (California District 10)...12 years
Eric Massa (New York District 29)...1 year
Robert Wexler  (Florida District 19)...13 years
Brian Baird  (Washington District 3)...11 years
Marion Berry  (Arkansas District 1)...13 years
Bill Delahunt  (Massachusetts District 10)...13 years
Bart Gordon  (Tennessee District 6)...25 years
Dennis Moore  (Kansas District 3)...11 years
David R. Obey  (Wisconsin District 7)...41 years
Patrick J. Kennedy  (Rhode Island District 1)...15 years
Bart Stupak (Michigan District 1)...17 years
John Tanner  (Tennessee District 8)...21 years
Diane E. Watson  (California District 33)...9 years
Vic Snyder (Arkansas District 2)...13 years

Total Democrat House losses...19 members
Total Years of  "Service"....241 years
Average Years of  "Service"...12.68 years

US House Republicans Adiós 
Parker Griffith  (Alabama District 5)...1 year
Bob Inglis  (South Carolina District 4)...5 years
John M. McHugh  (New York District 23)...6 years
Adam H. Putnam (Florida District 12)...9 years
Nathan Deal (Georgia District 9)...3 years
Henry Brown (South Carolina District 1)...9 years
Ginny Brown-Waite  (Florida District 5)...7 years
Mark E. Souder (Indiana District 3)...7 years
Steve Buyer  (Indiana District 4)...17 years
Lincoln Diaz-Balart  (Florida District 21)...17 years
John Linder (Georgia District 7)...17 years
George Radanovich  (California District 19)...15 years
John Shadegg  (Arizona District 3)...15 years
Vernon J. Ehlers  (Michigan District 3)...17 years

Total Republican House losses... 14 members
Total Years of  "Service".... 154 years
Average Years of  "Service"... 11 years

US Senate Democrats Sayonara
Arlen Specter  (Pennsylvania)...29 years
Robert C. Byrd  (West Virginia)...51 years
Edward M. Kennedy  (Massachusetts)...47 years
Joseph R. Biden Jr  (Delaware)...36 years
Hillary Clinton (New York)...8 years
Ken Salazar  (Colorado)...4 years
Paul Kirk  (Massachusetts)...5 months
Evan Bayh  (Indiana)...11 years
Roland Burris (Illinois)...1 year
Chris Dodd  (Connecticut)...29 years
Byron L. Dorgan  (North Dakota)...18 years
Ted Kaufman  (Delaware)...1 year

Total Democrat Senate losses... 12 members
Total Years of  "Service".... 235.4 years
Average Years of  "Service"...19.6 years


US Senate Republicans Arrivederci
Robert F. Bennett  (Utah)...17 years
Lisa Murkowski  (Alaska)...8 years
Mel Martinez  (Florida)...4 years
Christopher "Kit" Bond (Missouri)...23 years
Sam Brownback (Kansas)...14 years
Jim Bunning (Kentucky)..11 years
Judd Gregg  (New Hampshire)...17 years
George LeMieux  (Florida)...1 year
George V. Voinovich  (Ohio)...11 years

Total Republican Senate losses...9 members
Total Years of  "Service"....106 years
Average Years of  "Service"... 11.77 years

GRAND TOTAL
TOTAL 111TH LOSSES....54 MEMBERS
TOTAL YEARS OF "SERVICE"...736.4 YEARS
AVERAGE YEARS OF "SERVICE"...13.63 YEARS

GOOD-BYE!

HR 450 Enumerated Powers Act

The Enumerated Powers Act is a bill introduced into the House by John Shadegg (AZ #3) and in the Senate by Tom Coburn of Oklahoma (Senate bill number is: S 1319). The bill is short and to the point (the way laws are supposed to be written). It simply states that if a bill is going to pass Congress it needs to have in it a reference to where in the Constitution they have the Constitutional authority do pass the bill.

Finally a good idea actually proposed by a Congressman. Nice to know that someone out there is looking out for the Constitution. It would be nice to know where they think they have a right to pass legislation like the Health Care bill or Cap and Trade. Accountability in Congress is a good thing.

Here is the complete text of the House version of the bill (look it is less than a page...hummm):

A BILL

To require Congress to specify the source of authority under the United States Constitution for the enactment of laws, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Enumerated Powers Act'.

SEC. 2. SPECIFICATION OF CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY FOR ENACTMENT OF LAW.

(a) Constitutional Authority for This Act- This Act is enacted pursuant to the power granted Congress under article I, section 8, clause 18, of the United States Constitution and the power granted to each House of Congress under article I, section 5, clause 2, of the United States Constitution.

(b) Constitutional Authority Statement Required- Chapter 2 of title 1, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 102 the following new section:

`Sec. 102a. Constitutional authority clause

`Each Act of Congress shall contain a concise and definite statement of the constitutional authority relied upon for the enactment of each portion of that Act. The failure to comply with this section shall give rise to a point of order in either House of Congress. The availability of this point of order does not affect any other available relief.'

(c) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 2 of title 1, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 102 the following new item:

`102a. Constitutional authority clause.'.

I Wouldn't Wanna Be You!

Another Teesquare video...

Send a Warrior to Congress

Throw the Bums Out! - Ray Stevens new song

The Colorado Commies

Of the seven of the Colorado Congressional delegation to the House of Representatives, five of them voted against the people and approved the Democratic Party National Health Care Plan.

Those who voted for the plan  Diana DeGette (District 1), Betsy Markey (District 4), Ed Perlmutter (District 7), Jared Polis (District 2), John Salazar (District 3).

Two that I really would like to give attention to; Betsy Markey and John Salazar. Betsey
Markey started out this process opposed to health care, then ended up voting for the heath care bill. I will be looking in the coming days and weeks to see what kind of special deal she got from Obama and Pelosi.

John Salazar on the other hand, submitted to congressional leadership like a newborn pup. No talk of a special deal, nothing. I mean if you were going to be voted out of office on the basis of your particular vote, wouldn't you try to get something for your district....hummm maybe not for your district, maybe you get something for yourself, say a cabinet post, ambassadorship, or head of the KGB. I'll be keeping a close eye on Mr. Salazar.

I really don't believe this health care thing is over. I will soon be making contact with Steve King and Josh Penry to see what we can do (or what has been done) to advance a bill in the Colorado Legislature that considers the forced purchase of health care unconstitutional because it is a states right, not a right of the federal government.

Democrats believe they have beat the system , beat the American people. It hasn't happened yet.  310,000,000 trumps 219.

Reconciliation (Nuclear Option)

This is a list of people that do not want to use reconciliation for passing legislation. These are the same people who want to use the same plan for passing Health Care...




Maybe it's time to explore making a Constitutional amendment to eliminate the whole reconciliation idea. I think our founders wanted it to be difficult for legislation to be passed through the Senate so actual debate could occur. With reconciliation we rush to spend money and pass frivolous laws. We need to take the time make and make the right choices. The Senate is the forum for people who live in states with smaller populations, why do we allow for Congress to rob these states of their Constitutional powers. This seems very questionable to me.

Who is doing the grandstanding?

The President came out during the daily press briefing and asked Republicans to quit grandstanding with this statement "We can't afford grandstanding at the expense of actually getting something done, what I won't consider is doing nothing." Is it me, or does the statement sound like grandstanding? Does anyone else see the irony in the President making a "suprise" visit to a press conference and telling Congressional Republicans not to grandstand?

Another Obama statement: "I won't hesitate to embrace a good idea from my friends in the minority party, but I also won't hesitate to condemn ... what I consider to be obstinacy". I guess obstinacy in this case means: Republicans better do what I tell them or else!

President Obama said..."The people who sent us here expect a seriousness of purpose that transcends petty politics." Then the President threatened to install his appointees using the process of recess appointments, instead of letting them get confirmed by the Senate.

All I know is, that all this talk about bipartisan policies/politics leads nowhere. They are all acting like a bunch of spoiled children that need a spanking. You would have thought that the Brown election would have woke up our elected "leaders", but it hasn't, they continue to fight among themselves and not do anything for the American people.

Maybe we should coin a new phrase....instead of bipartisan we should use tripartisian, there are the Democrats, Republicans and the American People. I'll side with the American people every time.

Michael Bennet Doesn't Care What You Think

Following is a video of Michael Bennet talking about the health care vote. He is voting in favor of the health care bill and that bothers me, of course. What bothers me more is the blatant disregard of his constituents. I take his answer "yes" to this question as saying: "Even if all 4.5 million Coloradoans did not want me to vote for something, I going to vote for it anyway."

When I have an employee that does not do the job we are paying them to do, I like to use a simple phrase..."YOU'RE FIRED!"

Does Senator Bennet think that because he is an accidental Senator that he does not have to do what his constituents want?

Congressional Rewards

What do you get when you win the election and start serving in the U.S. Congress?

To start with you get an annual salary of $174,000 which is more than 95% of American families.

You get free out patient health care at military hospitals. You also get a cheap but excellent health care plan.

You get a pension that is inflation adjusted which taxpayers fund to the tune of 80%. The plan is said to be 3 times better than anything else on the market.

A thrift savings account, that we the people match 5% (a kind of 401K).

Free mail so you can persuade you constituents you are doing something.

Leased automobile.

Free travel to exotic places "donated" by non-profit groups.

Free gym membership at Congressional gym.

Free lunch at Congressional cafeteria.

Free hair care and manicures at Congressional barber/beauty shop.

Special tax deduction for having a second home.

1 or 2 million a year for your supplied staff.

Free reserved prime parking at office and airports.

Free use of broadcast taping studios.

Frequent flier miles for trips paid for by Government.

Free income tax preparation.

A three or four day work week. With very liberal vacations (oops I mean "District Work Periods"). Congress is "in session" from 120 to 180 days a year.

Finely furnished offices. A complete leather bound set of law books (engraved with their name - so not to be used again, goes home with Representative when they leave office) $2500 a set.

That is not counting the money that members get from PAC's and campaign accounts.

Not to shabby for a part time job. I wonder if they really do know what the average American working man has to go through? I would say not.

Benjamin Franklin didn't believe that our Representatives shouldn't be paid at all, but others changed his mind. They made $6 per Diem for every day in session. Sounds like a winner to me.