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The Political Fallout of John Murtha’s Death
Democratic Rep. John Murtha died Monday. Representing a competitive working-class Pennsylvania district, Murtha is being remembered for his influence on defense, his volte-face on the Iraq War, and his close friendship with Nancy Pelosi. Commentators on the left and right are greeting his death with sympathy, while acknowledging disagreements. Beltway pundits, of course, are quickly laying out the prospects for the race in his district.
Political Predictions
- Prepare for a Fight Rick Klein of ABC News “Murtha’s district is certain to be hotly contested this year. Republicans have long viewed his predominantly rural district as a prime pick-up opportunity. Murtha’s was the only congressional district in the country to support John Kerry in 2004 and John McCain in 2008.”
- Weakens Democrats Further writes Chris Cillizza at the Washington Post. “Murtha’s passing comes at a tenuous time for House Democrats as they seek to convince some of their older members to re-up for another term in the face of what looks to be a difficult national political environment for the party. … Murtha’s death also makes Pennsylvania perhaps the most competitive state in the country when it comes to the battle for the House.”
Proposal to send FEMA trailers to Haiti
The trailer industry and lawmakers are pressing the government to send Haiti thousands of potentially formaldehyde-laced trailers left over from Hurricane Katrina.
WATCH VIDEO 
YOUTUBE The 100,000 trailers became a symbol of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s bungled response to Katrina.
The government had bought the trailers to house victims of the 2005 storm, but after people began falling ill, high levels of formaldehyde, a chemical that is used in building materials and can cause breathing problems and perhaps cancer, were found inside. Many of the trailers have sat idle for years
This document is the most interesting. It’s a standard part of the job description package for most federal jobs. It is entitled “FEMA Job Hazard Analysis” and lists, in helpful chart form, the activities involved in the position. The position is Logistics Material Specialist, Trailer In-Bound Inspection (the guy or gal who inspects a brand-new trailer before it is sent off to a needy family in the Gulf).
Under the “Physical Hazard” for those entering a new trailer it says, “Formaldehyde off gassing…” Read more
Obama administration opposes funding for 911 health bil
The Obama administration stunned New York‘s delegation Thursday, dropping the bombshell news that it does not support funding the 9/11 health bill.
The state’s two senators and 14 House members met with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius just hours before President Obama implored in his speech to the nation for Congress to come together and deliver a government that delivers on its promises to the American people.
So the legislators were floored to learn the Democratic administration does not want to deliver for the tens of thousands of people who sacrificed after 9/11, and the untold numbers now getting sick.
“I was stunned — and very disappointed,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who like most of the other legislators had expected more of a discussion on how to more forward.
“To say the least, I was flabbergasted,” said Staten Island Rep. Mike McMahon.
The 9/11 bill would spend about $11 billion over 30 years to care for the growing numbers of people getting sick from their service at Ground Zero, and to compensate families for their losses.
Bloomberg Takes the Ride of His Life when he is confronted with questions why rescue workers were not receiving any help from the government.
Where the Hell is Secretary Napolitano?
Top Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee publicly reprimanded Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano today for failing to show up at a hearing where the committee examined the attempted Christmas Day suicide bombing of Northwest Flight 253. One Democrat on the committee said he wanted to know “where the hell” Napolitano was.
The committee has primary oversight over Napolitano’s department, and top Democrats on the panel made it clear they were angry that she failed to show up for such an important hearing. Read more
Blair says ‘I’d do it again’
Former British Prime Minister appears before Iraq War Inquiry
London, England (CNN) — Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he fully believed his pre-war claim that Iraq was capable of launching chemical and biological weapons within 45 minutes.
“I did believe it, frankly, beyond doubt,” Blair testified Friday before an inquiry into Britain’s involvement in the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
Blair said Friday that concern over Iraq’s ambitions to develop weapons of mass destruction had been the main factor behind Britain’s decision to back the war.
“This isn’t about a lie or a conspiracy or a deceit or a deception,” Mr. Blair said. “It’s a decision. And the decision I had to take was, given Saddam’s history, given his use of chemical weapons, given the over one million people whose deaths he had caused, given 10 years of breaking U.N. resolutions, could we take the risk of this man reconstituting his weapons program or is that a risk it is responsible to take?”
He went on: “The decision I took — and frankly would take again — was: if there was any possibility that he could develop weapons of mass destruction, we would stop him. It was my view then and that is my view now.”
After six hours of testimony, though, Mr. Blair seemed to have betrayed no new secrets.
Mexico Senate OKs Bill To Legalize Drug Possesion
Mexico’s Senate approved a bill on Tuesday decriminalizing possession of small amounts of narcotics for personal use, in order to free resources to fight violent drug cartels.
The bill, proposed by conservative President Felipe Calderon, would make it legal to carry up to 5 grams (0.18 ounces) of marijuana, 500 milligrams (0.018 ounces) of cocaine and tiny quantities of other drugs such as heroin and methamphetamines.
Mexico’s Congress passed a similar proposal in 2006 but the bill was vetoed by Calderon’s predecessor Vicente Fox, under pressure from the United States, which said it would increase drug abuse, but now is worried by the drug-related violence along its border.
43 stun-gunned at prisons’ Take Your Kids to Work Day
TALLAHASSEE — A total of 43 children were directly and indirectly shocked by electric stun guns during simultaneous ”Take Your Sons and Daughters to Work Day” events gone wrong at three state prisons, according to new information provided Friday by the Florida Department of Corrections.
Also, a group of kids was exposed to tear gas during a demonstration at another lockup.
Three prison guards have been fired, two have resigned and 16 more employees — from corrections officers to a warden — will be disciplined due to the incidents that unfolded April 23, said DOC Secretary Walt McNeil. An investigation is ongoing.
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ThinkProgress
- Latest Clean Energy Faux Scandal Engulfs GOP Spokesman Mitch Daniels January 28, 2012by David Roberts, reposted from Grist In a shocking turn of events, Republicans have turned on the very man they chose to speak for them this week in response to Obama’s State of the Union address — Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels. He is taking a drubbing in the conservosphere, but what’s most peculiar about the [...]
- Hispanic Conference Leaders Norm Coleman And Carlos Gutierrez Don’t Know Who Kris Kobach Is January 28, 2012MIAMI, Florida — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach has been one of the most influential figures in immigration policy over the past few years, authoring the infamous anti-immigration laws passed in Arizona, Alabama, and South Carolina. This has made him highly controversial, but GOP front-runnner Mitt Romney touted Kobach’s endorsement. “With […]
- Topless Protesters Demand More Female Representation At World Economic Forum January 28, 2012Police arrested a small group of women from the Ukranian protest group Femen earlier today after they had demonstrated topless outside the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland calling for more female participation in the meetings and in politics more generally. The women repeatedly chanted “we’re poor because of you,” addressing those […]
Yahoo! News: Politics News
- Romney would rank among richest presidents ever
(AP)
AP - Just how rich is Mitt Romney? Add up the wealth of the last eight presidents, from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama. Then double that number. Now you're in Romney territory.
- NBC asks Romney to remove news material from ad
(AP)
AP - NBC has asked GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney to pull a television ad that's made up almost entirely of a 1997 "Nightly News" report on Newt Gingrich's ethics committee reprimand.
- Feisty Gingrich stakes campaign on electability
(AP)
AP - Newt Gingrich has staked his presidential bid on the idea that he's best positioned to defeat President Barack Obama. Yet even some supporters seem to be struggling to buy that claim, an indication that efforts by chief rival Mitt Romney to undercut him may be working.
CNN.com – Politics
- Debate coach: Romney beats Gingrich at own game January 27, 2012The first competitive debating technique I teach is AARP. No, I don't tell my teams to debate like older people. Argue. Attack. Respond. Presence. Mitt Romney has improved in all four areas, and I can't overstate how important that was.
- Welch to GOP: Treat Paul with care January 27, 2012Jack Welch says that while Ron Paul will not be the Republican nominee for president, he's a valuable asset for the GOP.
- Five things we learned from Thursday's debate January 27, 2012Mitt Romney appeared to get his swagger back and turned in a strong performance in Thursday's CNN/Republican Party of Florida debate. Here are five things we learned Thursday night.
- Debate's buzz-worthy moments January 27, 2012Florida has been dubbed "ground zero" of the Republican presidential contest, so it should come as no surprise that candidates would throw tough punches in the last debate before the state's voters go to the polls.
- Super PACs' money could tip balance of power in Congress January 27, 2012The 2010 Supreme Court ruling that allows unlimited contributions by corporations and unions has already affected the 2012 presidential campaign. But it could play a larger part in the balance of power in Congress this fall.
- Senate rejects attempt to prevent debt ceiling hike January 26, 2012The Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate on Thursday rejected a measure that would have prevented a $1.2 trillion increase in the debt ceiling, putting an end to legislative debate on the politically contentious issue until after the November presidential election.
