Powerful Interest Groups Complicate Swift Action on Energy in Congress

In case there was any doubt about special interests in D.C..
Bb


June 19, 2007 — By H. Josef Hebert, Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- Three powerful lobbying forces -- automakers, electric utilities and the coal industry -- are confounding Democrats' efforts to forge a less-polluting energy policy.

Fun at the Creation Museum!!!!

A follow up to my previous post regarding the same.
It's frightening to think we call ourselves an educated country.
BB

"Are We Rome?"

Hollowed out by arrogance, corruption and a bloated military, the greatest empire the world has ever known fell. Is America doomed to follow in its footsteps?

By Gary Kamiya

And For Five Thousand Bucks More, You Can Get Your Picture Taken Without Me In It

And the market speaks
BB

Contributed by Holly Bailey - Posted: May 31, 2007 1:05:04 PM

Gas prices may be up, but there's something that's apparently a little cheaper these days: A photo with President Bush. Yesterday, Bush headlined a fundraiser for the New Jersey state GOP, where donors could pay $5,000 to pose for a photo with the Commander in Chief. Expensive photo op, right? Well, that's actually cheaper that what donors paid just a year ago for a grip and grin with Bush. Last summer, GOP officials around the country charged at least $10,000 a pop for presidential photo op, a bargain compared to the $25,000-a-flash Bush commanded during some Republican National Committee fund-raisers back in 2000 and 2004.

Indicted congressman steps down from House panel

Lest someone think I would play favorites.
BB
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Louisiana congressman William Jefferson on Tuesday requested temporary leave as a member of the House Small Business Committee, a day after he was indicted by a federal grand jury on a raft of corruption charges.

Jefferson asked to step down, pending the "successful conclusion" of the "legal matter," in a letter to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Nancy Pelosi of California.

Ex-White House aide gets 30 months in prison for perjury

One down, several to go.
BB

Washington: A former top aide to US Vice President Dick Cheney was sentenced on Tuesday to two and-a-half years in prison for lying and obstructing an investigation related to the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war.

US District Judge Reggie Walton imposed the stiff sentence on Lewis "Scooter" Libby for lying to investigators trying to determine who leaked the identity of CIA analyst Valerie Plame in 2003.