'I Think Nancy Pelosi's Going to be Speaker'

Now that we've discovered liberalism is a genetic disorder, I starting to think it also causes delusions.

With many political analysts predicting a Republican takeover of the House, Hoyer is poised to take the reins of the Democratic caucus if, as expected, Pelosi steps down in the aftermath of a GOP win.

And even if Democrats retain the House, a narrow path to the Speaker’s office could be opening for Hoyer. A handful of vulnerable Democrats have said they would not vote for Pelosi again, raising the possibility that she would not be elected to another term if the party’s margin is only a few seats.

True to form, Hoyer refuses to entertain any post-election scenarios, leaving no daylight between himself and the Speaker.

“What I’m thinking about is winning this election,” he said. “I believe we’re going to have the majority. I think Nancy Pelosi’s going to be Speaker.”

Asked about reported challenges to his own leadership post, Hoyer laughed and replied: “Let me repeat what I’m saying. I’m focusing on winning the majority.”

The better choice would be to simultaneously retire both Pelosi and Hoyer. Charles Lollar is a much superior choice. If you're in the Fifth District of Maryland, they'll be appearing at an open forum tonight.

Insane: Dem Leader Hoyer Calls Expiration of Bush Tax Cuts a GOP Tax Increase

Does this guy have a severe drinking problem or something? How on earth can Democrats letting Bush's tax cuts expire be translated into Republicans increasing taxes?

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said on Wednesday that the expiration built into the Bush tax cuts is a “Republican tax increase” for “working Americans” and the Democrats have “no intention” of allowing it to go into effect.

“We have no intention of allowing the Republican tax increase — that their policies would lead to — to go into effect for working Americans. Period,” he said. “We’re going to act and make sure that the Republican phase out and increase in taxes does not end as they provided for in the laws they passed.”

Hoyer’s press secretary told CNSNews.com in an e-mail that the Democratic Majority Leader was referring to the “middle class” when he said “working Americans.”

Hoyer also said at the press conference, “If we left the Republican policies in place, their [working Americans] taxes would be increased next year. We’re not going to let that happen.”

Isn't anyone with a job considered a working American?

H/T AoS.

See If You Can Spot the Stiff White Guy

Dude...

And he actually requested the Electric Slide.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer specifically requested that the DJ play "The Electric Slide" at Jim Clyburn's fish fry in Columbia, SC on April 23, 2010.

H/T.

Botox Babe Pelosi Unveils American Unemployment Act

Well just a little while ago Nancy Pelosi introduced her so called healthcare reform bill, which she is euphemistically calling "The Affordable Health Care Act". I caught part of her speech where she was introducing this monstrosity and I knew we were in trouble when she thanked Charlie "What Taxes" Rangel, and Henry "Nostrils" Waxman for their hard work on this. She also took a swipe at insurance companies, keeping it classy like her fellow mentally challenged traveler Alan Grayson.

Next up was Steny Hoyer who wanted to thank John "Winter Soldier" Dingell for being the sponsor.

All this means is that the progressives in Hollywwood, Kosland, er congress managed to push their pie in the sky, unicorn watching, abomination onto a suspecting public. The bill runs somewhere around 1,990 pages and Mr Hoyer bragged about all the transparency involved in the crafting of this bill, even going so far at one time to say the information has been available for 3 months. Really??? This is the second attempt by the House of Representatives so which version is he talking about being available for 3 months?

I'll let others comb over this version but we already know that this bill is designed to do two things and neither of them have to do with healthcare.

The first priority seems to be to cause a collapse of the health insurance industry. Any who doubt only need to wait for the video clips to become available of the ceremony today and watch Nancy's remarks.

The second priority is to get as many Americans as possible into the government plan as possible. The Democrats always work from the point of view that the more people who are dependent on the government for their lively hood the more voters they have.

This bill is going to be bad for businesses, and as the WSJ has already deduced, will force some companies to reduce payroll in order to avoid being penalized.

The House legislation would require companies with a payroll of $500,000 or more to offer health coverage to employees, or pay a penalty of at least 2% of payroll. Some earlier House versions set the threshold at $250,000. The penalty gradually rises, and firms with payroll greater than $750,000 would pay a penalty of 8% of payroll. Senate versions of the bill have weaker penalties.

So what do you think a small business owner is going to do? If possible they will cut payroll to be under $500,000 or get into the bracket with a smaller penalty. And who will be there to help all those newly unemployed folks get insurance? Why Uncle Sam of course.

Soon any sort of incentive to work will be gone.

I am sure there are more such penalties in this bill, hell registering to vote as a Republican will probably be grounds to levy a fine on you.

Also included in this bill is an expansion of Medicaid which will impose some serious burdens on the states. It also gives the federal lawmakers a chance to pass along the expenses to the states thereby making the governors the bad guys. I would think a lot of governors would be steaming mad at congress wrecking their budgets with their mandates. We will see if they speak up.

Elections have consequences. Can we live with the consequences of our actions?

UPDATE: For those that want to read the bill here is a link courtesy of Rep Jack Kingston (R-GA). Warning it is 1,990 pages.

Shit, why did I have to go start reading the bill. I found this part. Basically what it says is unless you are insurance company doing business when this bill becomes effective you will not be able to start a private health insurance company. I was tipped off by seeing something earlier in the bill mentioning the grandfathering of health insurance companies and I wondered why they would have to be grandfathered in.

This is contained in Sec 202 entitled PROTECTING THE CHOICE TO KEEP CURRENT COVERAGE.

COVERAGE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Individual health insurance coverage that is not grandfathered health insurance coverage under subsection (a) may only be offered on or after the first day of Y1 as an Exchange-participating health benefits plan.

So any new health insurance plan after the effective date may only be enrolled into whatever this exchange is, which is government administered.

Hey, Look Who's Organizing Now

After being outwitted by average citizens opposed to socialist "healthcare," the Democrats who spent the better part of the past week whining, calling people Nazis and today calling them un-American have decided it's war.

House Democratic leaders have set up a healthcare “war room” to help their rank-and-file members navigate a tumultuous August in which they find themselves on the defensive on their signature issue.

The effort is being run out of Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s (D-Md.) office, but is being manned around-the-clock by a rotation of leadership and key committee staff members, according to leadership aides.

Although the war room or “healthcare hotline” is primarily designed to give members the ability to get immediate health policy answers and updates from leadership offices, top Democrats are also planning to use the war room to help their colleagues respond effectively to political and press attacks, if necessary.

“The news is being monitored very closely,” a leadership aide said in describing the various functions of the healthcare hotline.

Democratic leaders have more or less opted to operate as if the House were still in session and keep in much more regular contact with the Caucus.

In fact, even the war room itself is only one part of an aggressive internal communications strategy that House Democrats are embracing during their August recess, which is usually a time when party leaders loosen their grip on the majority of their members.

But this August is far from normal.

In addition to lacking a last-week-before-recess-triumph on a major bill that Democrats can tout back home, this August has Democrats deeply divided over what healthcare reform should look like, with liberals in the House threatening to block President Obama’s top priority if doesn’t include a “robust” public option to compete with private health insurers, and conservative Blue Dog Democrats still eyeing skeptically the concessions they won from leaders.

With more news accounts of Democratic town hall meetings running rampant with angry and even violent anti-healthcare protests, the bolstered communications plan is designed to help members respond to negative town hall coverage and push ahead with a message that is designed to resonate above the chants of protesters.

Funny, but it seems the only kind of war Democrats like is war against the American citizens.

This isn't change you can believe in.

Hot Air links. Thanks!

Elevating the Debate: Pelosi and Hoyer Call Protests Un-American

I'm not sure who wrote this USA Today op-ed piece for Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer, but by the end of the day expect them to clarify "their" statements, because this one is going to blow up in their faces. Just breathtaking arrogance and smug sanctimony wrapped in lies and deceit.

However, it is now evident that an ugly campaign is underway not merely to misrepresent the health insurance reform legislation, but to disrupt public meetings and prevent members of Congress and constituents from conducting a civil dialogue. These tactics have included hanging in effigy one Democratic member of Congress in Maryland and protesters holding a sign displaying a tombstone with the name of another congressman in Texas, where protesters also shouted "Just say no!" drowning out those who wanted to hold a substantive discussion.

These disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views — but of the facts themselves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American. Drowning out the facts is how we failed at this task for decades.
...
This month, despite the disruptions, members of Congress will listen to their constituents back home and explain reform legislation. We are confident that our principles of affordable, quality health care will stand up to any and all critics.

Now — with Americans strongly supporting health insurance reform, with Congress reaching consensus on a plan, and with a president who ran and won on this specific promise of change — America is closer than ever to this century-deferred goal.

First of all, Americans are not in support of ramming this legislation down our throats and in fact a mere 25% agree with Pelosi's view that insurance companies are to blame for high costs. Pelosi and Hoyer may also want to clue themselves in to the fact their approval rating stands at a rock-bottom 14%, and this snide condescension sure won't help.

Furthermore, who is it that's waging an ugly campaign? It sure isn't the right.

Recall several weeks ago when Team Obama got their panties ina knot after Senator Jim DeMint called healthcare Obama's Waterloo.

Well today Pelosi and Hoyer will be "celebrating" their own Waterloo, and it's not going to be pretty.

Calling honest debate un-American is about as low as it gets. Democrats piss and moan when their patriotism is questioned, so they better be prepared for massive blowback for calling citizens un-American.

This will not stand.

Used to be dissent was the highest form of patriotism. Apparently not in Nancy Pelosi's America.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calls the "Tea Party" protesters Nazis, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman --forgetting the events above -- claims that left-leaning groups never engaged in disruptive tactics against Social Security reform, and various other administration-supporting pundits are trying to spin the whole thing as a deadly move toward "mob rule" and – somewhat contradictorily -- as a phony "astroturf" movement.

Remember: When lefties do it, it's called "community organizing." When conservatives and libertarians do it, it's "astroturf."

But some people are noticing the truth. As Mickey Kaus notes, "If an 'astroturfing' campaign gets real people to show up at events stating their real views, isn't it ... community organizing?" Why yes, yes it is.

Jim Hoft, on the front lines in St. Louis, weighs in and a well-earned Fisking is at Founding Bloggers.

Stange, but just the other day Pelosi claimed she'd be carefully listening to the people. What happened, Nancy?

I guess these two out-of-touch Democrats have forgotten what one of their own had to say about the right to debate and disagree.

Most Ethical Congress Evah!

Today in the House of Representatives, a resolution was introduced to strip Rep Charles Rangel of his chairmanship of the House Ways and Mean Committee. The resolution was voted down. Here is some the various statements from the key players in this issue.
All of these were gathered from the Fox News website from the Urgent Queue.

Note: Normally operating in the quite, Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wa), ranking member of the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics) ripped into the committee saying he has been repeatedly asking since July for an investigative sub-committee to look into allegations against Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), Chairman of House Ways and Means. Min. Leader Boehner tried to force the issue earlier today with a priviledged resolution that would have created an investigative sub-committee and required Rangel to step down from his chairmanship of the committee. Today Roll Call reported that acting Ethics Committee Chairman Gene Green (D-TX) will consider the latest allegations against Rangel and recommend they accept Rangel's request that they be investigated. They meet next Wednesday. - Majchrowitz
Statement from Congressman Doc Hastings Ranking Republican Member, House Ethics Committee

Washington, D.C. - The following public statement is being issued after Ranking Member Hastings consulted with Chairman Green per House Ethics Committee Rule 7(g) - a rule requiring that the Chairman and Ranking Member consult with each other before making any public statement regarding Committee business.

It has been my repeatedly stated intention since July that the Committee should form an Investigative Subcommittee to look into matters relating to Representative Rangel. This has been delayed for far too long. Action should have been taken in July or since the House reconvened two weeks ago.

In fact, given the highly public nature of these allegations, as well as Representative Rangels own recent public statement that, as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, he should be held to a higher standard, I have recommended that the Investigative Subcommittee be led by Chairman Green and myself as Ranking Member, with the other two positions being filled by senior Members of the Committee.

It is also my belief that the Committee should retain a special counsel to staff the Investigative Subcommittee considering Representative Rangels own public admission that special expertise is needed to understand and uncover the facts of his financial records and public filings.

I regret having to issue this statement and do not intend to comment further.

Boehner Statement on Resolution Regarding Rep. Charlie Rangel

WASHINGTON, DC - House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today criticized House Democrats after they voted once again to protect Ways & Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangels (D-NY) powerful position as chair of the Houses tax-writing panel. Boehner offered a privileged resolution to (1) establish an Investigative Subcommittee to examine Rangels ethical lapses; and (2) pending completion of the investigation, remove him as chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. He issued the following statement:

No one - not even Chairman Rangel himself - denies that he has failed to pay his own taxes at the same time he has been pushing legislation to hike them on every American taxpayer. The chairman of the Ways and Means Committee has a solemn responsibility, and it is improper for Rep. Rangel to remain in a position with such vast power and influence with this ethical cloud hanging over him. When Democrats took the majority, Speaker Pelosi promised the most open and ethical Congress in history. The Democrats vote today further confirms that promise was nothing but empty rhetoric. The American people deserve far better than this.

Blunt Statement on Cong. Charlie Rangel Resolution

WASHINGTON - House Republican Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) issued the following statement today after Republican Leader John Boehner (Ohio) brought forth a resolution to establish a subcommittee to investigate the numerous charges against House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), and remove him as Chairman pending completion of the investigation:

The serious and increasingly numerous charges surrounding Chairman Rangel threaten to compromise the ability of his committee to provide the oversight and direction our country desperately needs and our constituents rightfully deserve. Democrats convened this Congress with a pledge to lead the most ethical Congress in history. If there was ever a time and occasion to make good on that pledge, it would be now. Based on todays vote, the question is will that time ever come.

Urgent: Hoyer statement on Rangel and ethics

Per Pergram-Capitol Hill

Majority Leader Hoyer released the following statement today after Acting House Ethics Committee Chairman Gene Green announced the committee will meet next Wednesday to consider an investigation of Chairman Rangels personal finances: I am pleased Chairman Green has announced that he will honor Chairman Rangels request to look into the matter of his personal finances. I hope and expect that the Committee will waste no time in conducting a thorough review that considers all issues raised. The vote on the Republican resolution today showed once again that there is bipartisan support for allowing this matter to be examined by the appropriate committee before passing judgment. Republicans should be ashamed of their repeated attempts to play politics with an issue of such importance to the House as a whole and to an individual Member of Congress. Their action today is another example of an ugly brand of partisan politics that has no business in this House.

One problem with Rep Hoyer's statement, Nancy Pelosi plans to adjourn congress next Friday! So on Wednesday the committee is going to meet to consider an investigation. In other words the most ethical congress ever led by San Fran Nan is going to kick this issue down the road until after the election and hope the short attention span theater that is the American electorate forgets, or even cared in the first place. Charlie will take his place back in congress at the start of the next session just as usual, and if the Dems have their way, they will have even more seats occupied by Dems and this issue will never see the light of day again.
We must not, can not, let the Dems make any more gains in congress. It is amazing how much damage they have done in 2 years. For those of you that are considering giving them 4 more years with their guy in the White House it is not something this country can survive.
But in the world of kharmic justice there is this bright spot.

Per Pergram-Capitol Hill

Embattled House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-NY) has ordered his 1972 silver Mercedes-Benz to be towed from the Rayburn House Office Building garage.

Rangel stashed the car in the garage across the street from the Capitol. It had been covered with a tarp and bore no license plates. The car's registration expired four years ago.

The car doesn't run and the House prohibits the storage of inoperable vehicles from its garages. The House also requires that up-to-date license plates be displayed on the vehicle.

Late this afternoon, Fox learned that Rangel had the Benz towed to American Service Center in Arlington, VA to be, in the words of his Chief of Staff George Dalley, "diagnosed." Dalley says they weren't in compliance with House rules. So they asked for the car to be towed out of the garage and potentially be fixed.

This however raises several other questions of a security nature. How long had this car been there? Didn't the security detail consider a covered car in the garage to be a risk? If it was reported who or what strings were pulled to allow it to remain? How many times did anybody ever actually look under that tarp to see that nothing had been tampered with? I know a couple of thousands Army soldiers that would have had warning bells ringing all over the place if they saw a car under a tarp in a parking garage.
Oh but that's right, to the Dems this country has no enemies wishing to do us harm.

Bush and His "Brothers"

It appears President Bush has completely lost his mind.

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is quietly weighing the prospect of reaching out to the party that founded modern political Islam, the Muslim Brotherhood.

Still in its early stages and below the radar, the current American deliberations and diplomacy with the organization, known in Arabic as Ikhwan, take on new significance in light of Hamas's successful coup in Gaza last week. The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood is widely reported to have helped create Hamas in 1982.

Today the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research will host a meeting with other representatives of the intelligence community to discuss opening more formal channels to the brothers. Earlier this year, the National Intelligence Council received a paper it had commissioned on the history of the Muslim Brotherhood by a scholar at the Nixon Center, Robert Leiken, who is invited to the State Department meeting today to present the case for engagement. On April 7, congressional leaders such as Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the Democratic whip, attended a reception where some representatives of the brothers were present. The reception was hosted at the residence in Cairo of the American ambassador to Egypt, Francis Ricciardone, a decision that indicates a change in policy.

How about we just sign a formal surrender to the Islamofascists?

H/T Weasel Zippers.

What Were Pelosi and Hoyer Doing?

James Lewis asks some very curious questions at The American Thinker.

My guess is that Nancy and Steny gave this message to the terror bosses:

"Hang on. Don't do another 9/11 in the United States before we get into the White House in January, 2009. Then we'll get out of Iraq, we will let Tehran have its nukes and missiles, and we'll sell out our allies so fast it will make Saigon look like a day on the beach. The American people have practically forgotten all about 9/11. Just don't attack the US to remind them, so we can be elected in 2008. We own the US media. Play along with us, and we'll get out of the Middle East."

I don't know if it's true. Call me suspicious or even paranoid. But would you be surprised? Isn't it at least a possibility worth considering?