HEY, DOG! Sorry for the terrible attempt at slang, but that's what the Blue Dogs, the fiscally Conservative coalition of Democrats, must be saying to their three new members: Representatives Scott Murphy (D-N.Y.), Betsy Markey (D-Colo.) and Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.).... (Continue)
House Resolution 390 will not result in troop deployments to Afghanistan, an overhaul of the U.S. health care system or the bolstering of an economy in tatters. But because it advocates a new college football playoff format, the legislation, in the minds of millions of fans and at least a few congressional members, is all the same a matter of national import.
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IS THAT THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL -- OR ANOTHER TRAIN? The health care marathon continued this week as senators took on pharmaceutical product pricing. On Tuesday night, two amendments were brought to a vote bringing up the possibility of buying prescription drugs from other industrialized nations who generally can offer cheaper prices. ... (Continue)
JUST SAY NO TO (CANADIAN) DRUGS: Drug makers spending a bazillion dollars to lobby the federal government? Shocker! The pharmaceutical and health products industry is only the year's top industry, in terms of lobbying dollars spent, among the 121 different industries we track.... (Continue)
OBAMA & WALL STREET FAT CATS: As Congress pushes through legislation aimed at reforming Wall Street and regulating risky trading products, President Barack Obama is pushing the top executives to get on board with new changes to their industry and increase lending to small businesses.... (Continue)
This week's PolitiQuizz takes you to the realm of political action committees -- those groups, often set up by corporations and special interest groups, that contribute tens of millions of dollars to politicians each election cycle. Your challenge is to earn the title of Exalted PACman (or Ms. PACman) by naming three of the top 10 PACs during the 2008 election cycle in terms of spending. ... (Continue)
ILLINOIS POLITICS STILL AN ETHICS BACKWATER, SEVERAL STATE CANDIDATES ARGUE: Gubernatorial candidates in Illinois -- a state notorious for electing governors who end up in prison -- say politicos attempts at governmental reform are too weak.... (Continue)
Lawmakers in the House who voted against the finance reform bill collected an average of about $849,200 from Wall Street interests over their careers, while lawmakers who supported the bill collected an average of about $694,000, the Center for Responsive Politics found. This means members of the House who opposed the bill received an average of 22 percent more from the finance, insurance and real estate sector since 1989 than supporters.... (Continue)
Using data from the Center for Responsive Politics, the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog reports, "34 members of the U.S. House of Representatives that offered amendments to weaken consumer protections in the House financial reform package received $3.8 million in campaign contributions from the financial sector in 2009, an average of $111,000 each."... (Continue)
OY VEY! ORRIN HATCH SINGS JEWS PRAISES, BUT JEWS DON'T ALWAYS DIG HIS POLITICS: Sen. Orrin Hatch so loves Jews that the very Mormon politico from decidedly un-Jewish Utah has written a song -- yes, a song -- to help celebrate Hanukkah.... (Continue)
