Pelosi, Democrats Break First Promise Playing Games With 9/11 Recommendations

So, Pelosi and the Democrats have assumed the mantle of power that comes with being in the majority...problem is, as they move into their first 100 hours of action on keeping promises made in the election, they are already playing games with American voters. We were promised they would pass ALL THE 9/11 Recommendations, key among them having one committee, not ten acting as the oversight group of the intelligence community...go ahead and read their bill...that is NOT BEING DONE. Why does liar liar pants on fire jumpt to mind? Wonder if John Hall will step up and point this problem out, or keep quiet while playing the part of yes man.

House Passes Anti-Terror Legislation

By DAVID ESPO
The Associated Press
Tuesday, January 9, 2007; 8:09 PM

WASHINGTON -- Anti-terror legislation sailed through the House on Tuesday, the first in a string of measures designed to fulfill campaign promises made by Democrats last fall.

Patterned on recommendations of the commission that investigated the Sept. 11 attacks, the far-reaching measure includes commitments for inspection of all cargo carried aboard passenger aircraft and on ships bound for the United States.

The vote was a bipartisan 299-128, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi took the rostrum to announce the passage of the first legislation to clear under the new Democratic majority.

Democrats said the bill's passage was a top priority.

Committee Assignments...Corrupting Freshmen?

Let's PROTECT OUR FRESHMAN...I'll Put Them On Committees Where They Can Be BOUGHT! It's all about the campaign war chest, and they need to learn this FAST.

Nancy Pelosi has handed down committee assignments from on high, and seems she has a unique way to "protect" the Freshmen members of Congress...in short, put them on committees that allow them to A) bring home PORK, and B) have access to some SERIOUS DONORS. Is this protection, or brainwashing and corruption? We voted for change...change is not continuing the same old VOTES FOR SALE congress that the Republicans created under Tom DeLay. Not to sound skeptical, but I have my doubts about this kind of a strategy, and think it coops our newly elected members integrity right from the start.

Pelosi Announces Committee Memberships
http://democraticleader.house.gov/press/releases.cfm?pressReleaseID=1962

Washington, D.C. – Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi announced today that the Democratic Steering Committee recommended that Members be appointed to the: Ways and Means Committee, Energy and Commerce Committee, Financial Services Committee, Armed Services Committee, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The Steering Committee also appointed freshmen Members to at least one committee.

“This distinguished group of Members will be instrumental in Democrats’ efforts to take American in a New Direction that increases security, opportunity, and prosperity, while restoring civility and integrity to the Congress,” Pelosi said. “These Members will be a strong voice for all Americans, not just the privileged few.”

The new Committee members are:

Ways and Means Committee:

Congressman Earl Blumenauer of Oregon
Congressman Ron Kind of Wisconsin
Congressman Bill Pascrell of New Jersey
Congresswoman Shelley Berkley of Nevada
Congressman Joe Crowley of New York
Congressman Kendrick Meek of Florida
Congressman Chris Van Hollen of Maryland
Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz of Pennsylvania
Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama
Energy and Commerce Committee:

Congresswoman Jane Harman of California
Congressman Leonard Boswell of Iowa
Congresswoman Darlene Hooley of Oregon
Congressman Anthony Weiner of New York
Congressman Jim Matheson of Utah
Congressman G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina
Congressman Charlie Melancon of Louisiana
Congressman-elect Baron Hill of Indiana
Financial Services Committee:

Congressman-elect Joe Donnelly of Indiana
Congressman-elect Keith Ellison of Minnesota
Congressman-elect Ron Klein of Florida
Congressman-elect Tim Mahoney of Florida
Congressman-elect Ed Perlmutter of Colorado
Congressman Albio Sires of New Jersey
Congressman-elect Charlie Wilson of Ohio
Armed Services Committee:

Congresswoman-elect Nancy Boyda of Kansas
Congressman-elect Joe Courtney of Connecticut
Congressman-elect Brad Ellsworth of Indiana
Congresswoman-elect Gabby Giffords of Arizona
Congresswoman-elect Kirsten Gillibrand of New York
Congressman-elect Hank Johnson of Georgia
Congressman-elect Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania
Congressman-elect Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee:

Congresswoman Grace Napolitano of California
Congressman Dan Lipinski of Illinois
Congressman-elect Michael Arcuri of New York
Congressman-elect Bruce Braley of Iowa
Congressman-elect Chris Carney of Pennsylvania

Congressman-elect John Hall of New York With Entergy wrongly trying to relicense their faulty Indian Point reactors, wouldn't energy and commerce have made MORE SENSE?
Congresswoman-elect Mazie Hirono of Hawaii
Congressman-elect Steve Kagen of Wisconsin
Congressman-elect Jerry McNerney of California
Congressman-elect Harry Mitchell of Arizona
Congressman-elect Heath Shuler of North Carolina
Congressman-elect Zack Space of Ohio
The Steering Committee also appointed the following freshmen Members to the following committees:

Agriculture Committee:

Congressman-elect Tim Walz of Minnesota
Education and Workforce Committee:

Congressman-elect Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania
Congressman-elect Phil Hare of Illinois
Congressman-elect Dave Loebsack of Iowa
Congressman-elect John Sarbanes of Maryland
Congresswoman-elect Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire
Congressman-elect John Yarmuth of Kentucky
Government Reform Committee:

Congressman-elect Paul Hodes of New Hampshire
Congressman-elect Chris Murphy of Connecticut
Homeland Security Committee:

Congresswoman-elect Yvette Clarke of New York
Judiciary Committee:

Congressman-elect Steve Cohen of Tennessee
The Steering Committee agreed to continue the Democratic Caucus resolution temporarily removing Congressman William Jefferson of Louisiana from the Ways and Means Committee until the ongoing investigation is resolved.

The full Democratic Caucus will vote on these nominations.

Activists NEED To Set a Price

Candidates on both sides of the isle are courting activists...read grass/netroots individuals. In the 2006 election, our work, efforts and money were the crucial difference in a lot of close races, and some not so close races. In short, they want our volunteerism, love our dedication to a cause once committed, and the money is and extra added value. Problem is, once the dust settled after the 2006 elections, many of those Congress people we grass/netroots got elected into office are not taking us to Washington with them. In short, we were good enough to have around UNTIL AFTER THEY WERE ELECTED, then the distancing and excuses started to come in.

I spoke to one unnamed Congressman, and was told that the grassroots that got them elected would not be going to Washington with them...seems we don't fit into the system that well. Hello, we worked as hard as we did, sweated our BLOOD because we wanted the system changed. We don't want business as usual, and we do not want Congressional/Senatorial offices run the way they have been in the past, which is to say only well healed large financial donors get direct access, while the rest of us get the traditional thanks for your inquiry letters signed by an electronic signature machine.

2008 has to be DIFFERENT, we cannot allow ourselves to be used, then pushed off to the sidelines once again. If the BIG GUNS wanting to run for President, or for a Congressional seat want our help, we need promises, and ONES WRITTEN IN INK, as in a signed contract. You get elected, we go to Washington, we get a seat at the table for a change. In short, the politician wins, we win, we ARE A PART OF STAFF. A few sandal wearing, blue jeaned, dead head T-shirted, long haired grass roots activist would do Washington a WORLD OF GOOD, and this old hippie for one is tired of doing ALL THE WORK to get these folks elected, then finding our side dumped at the altar.

*NOTE TO ACTIVIST...it is time to DERAIL Presidential hopeful, former Mayor Rudi Guiliani's primary run. It's simple...not only does his company have a MAJOR multi-million dollar contract with Indian Point, on November 22nd he ENDORSED Entergy's bid to renew this aging and decripid facilities license for another 20 years. Set your sites on this environmental pariah NOW.

Nov 25, 10:43 PM EST
Presidential candidates court activists
By HOLLY RAMER and MIKE GLOVER Associated Press Writers
AP Photo/GERRY BROOME
Advertisement

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- He does not come armed with posies and poetry, but when it comes to courting Democratic activists, John Edwards is a determined suitor.

The former North Carolina senator and 2004 presidential running mate never fails to propose when he calls Jim Demers - and he calls often.

"I don't think there's ever been a time I've talked to him when he hasn't concluded by point-blank asking if I'll sign on to his team," said Demers, a Democratic activist in New Hampshire.

Even before the votes were cold in the November election, the ritual courting between potential presidential candidates and Democratic and Republican activists in early primary and caucus states was well under way in anticipation of the 2008 presidential election.

The pairing of White House wannabes with grass-roots activists and local political leaders - a mating dance known in political parlance as the "ground game" - has a serious purpose. Often a relative handful of activists and party regulars determines the outcome of the early primaries and caucuses, which in turn can either launch or torpedo a presidential bid.

Frequently it is the candidates with the best field operations who triumph. Successful field operations rely on influential and skillful local activists to turn out supporters.