Water Cooler Archive: July 2011
PICKET: Sen. Bernie Sanders: (Audio) Somebody must primary Obama
In a radio interview with Thom Hartman recently, Senator Bernie Sanders, Vermont Independent who caucuses with the Democrats, told a caller (Ryan) he believed President Barack Obama has moved too far to the right and a more progressive candidate should primary the president in 2012. Published July 24 2011
PICKET: Obama saw Gang of Six plan and likely wanted more from Boehner
Why did debt ceiling talks on Friday fall apart to begin with? A few hints lie within President Obama's own speech on Friday night, the timing of when the details of the Gang of Six plan was revealed, and Speaker Boehner's morning meeting with the GOP Conference. Published July 23 2011
PICKET: (Audio) Moran says Jefferson would be 'embarrassed' to be associated with cut, cap, and balance
Two Virginia congressmen interpret differently what Thomas Jefferson would have thought about the cut, cap, and balance plan. Published July 22 2011
PICKET: Scott Walker-Wis. accounts for half of net new jobs in U.S. in June
For all the protests public union employees in Wisconsin organized this past year in an attempt to halt labor reforms within the state's budget proposed by Governor Scott Walker, a Republican, it looks as if Wisconsin is on it's way to growing more jobs than many naysayers ever predicted. Published July 21 2011
PICKET: Norquist's ATR responds to WaPo editorial-WaPo posts audio of Norquist interview
American for Tax Reform's (ATR) Grover Norquist finds he is continually explaining what exactly violates his organization's taxpayer protection pledge that many politicians on the hill have signed. Published July 21 2011
PICKET: Rep. Poe looks to have VAWA rewritten as gender neutral
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is up for reauthorization this year and Congressman Ted Poe, Texas Republican and long time I-VAWA supporter, says he would now support re-writing the legislation as gender neutral. Published July 21 2011
PICKET: Kaplan said disgruntled alumnus at Harkin HELP hearing previously called school experience 'very beneficial'
A witness who testified before Senator Tom Harkin's HELP committee about the "gainful employment" rule may not have told the committee the full truth about his experiences at Kaplan. Published July 20 2011
PICKET: (video) Murdoch attacked by proteser at UK hacking hearing
News Corporation CEO Rupert Murdoch and his son James testified before British MP's at a Parliamentary hearing on Tuesday about the Murdochs' knowledge regarding the hacking of cell phones by individuals who were paid by former News Corp. employees at the now defunct News of the World publication. Midway through his testimony, Mr. Murdoch was rushed by a protester who slammed a shaving cream pie in his face. Published July 19 2011
PICKET: GOP lawmakers call on leadership in both parties to take military pay off table
Texas Republicans Congressman Louie Gohmert and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison discussed on Thursday their military pay bills at a joint press conference on Capitol Hill. Published July 18 2011
PICKET: (VIDEO) Obama '08: We're going to make social security solvent forever
On the 2008 campaign trail, President Barack Obama promised social security would remain solvent forever under his administration, yet he is threatening to withold social security checks this year if the federal government defaults after the August 2 debt ceiling deadline. Published July 18 2011
PICKET: (VIDEO) Geithner and Lew dodge questions on Social Security myths and threats
The Obama administration has already threatened to withhold social security checks if the debt ceiling is not raised by August 2, but does not to talk about cutting back on government jobs instead or whatever happened to the Social Security trust fund Democrats so often referred to. Published July 17 2011
PICKET: Omaha public school stimulus money teaches kids to stop 'being a color-blind' society
Public schools in Omaha spent $130,000 in federal stimulus money on cultural diversity books for all 8,000 school staffers including: teachers, administrators, and even janitors that teaches that a color-blind society is not enough to end racism. Published July 14 2011
PICKET: Issa urges SEC to probe possible insider trading activity around DoED policy
The Department of Education has been under fire by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle as well as non-profit organizations ranging from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) to Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) since DoEd proposed and eventually published the Gainful Employment rule this year. Published July 13 2011
PICKET: Movie review site Rotten Tomatoes lists Palin film as 'science fiction & fantasy'
A popular movie review website lists the new Sarah Palin film as both science fiction and fantasy. Published July 13 2011
PICKET: Light bulb ban repeal bill fails in the House
The Hill reported on Monday that the House bill headed to the floor today that would repeal the ban on incandescent light bulbs would 'likely' go down in defeat, as it would be a vote under suspension and therefore require a 2/3 majority in order to pass the lower chamber. Published July 12 2011
PICKET: (VIDEO) Immelt to Chamber on job creation: 'The people in this room can do more too'
The Obama administration's job's czar, General Electric's Jeffrey Immelt, addressed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Monday and discussed job creation ideas to the Chamber's audience at the annual jobs summit. Mr. Immelt's speech was relatively defensive and placed most of the onus on private sector businesses to take the first step towards creating jobs. Published July 12 2011
PICKET: (video) Rep.Tim Scott: Obama side-stepping Congress over debt-ceiling is 'impeachable act'
Congressman Tim Scott, South Carolina Republican, spoke to his constituents on Thursday about the debt ceiling debate in Washington. He talked about the constitutionality of the president bypassing the Congress over the debt ceiling issue. Published July 7 2011
VERNUCCIO: MD union finds sneaky way to force non-members to pay up
The move by AFSCME in Maryland to begin collecting dues from non-members recently is indicative of union organization drives across the country. Unions in the private sector have been atrophying for years and now make up less than seven percent of the workforce. Government union membership on the other hand has been sky rocketing. Published July 7 2011
PICKET: (video) Flashback: Reid and Obama explained their '06 debt ceiling vote was 'political'
Here are two interesting clips from earlier this year of President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, talking about why they voted against raising the debt ceiling in 2006, yet feel differently today about their votes from five years ago. Published July 7 2011
MILLER: (video) Bachmann will vote against debt ceiling
Rep. Michele Bachmann, GOP presidential candidate, announced that she will vote against raising the debt ceiling. In a TV campaign ad, the Minnesota Republican said that she will not support any increase in the current $14.3 borrowing limit. Published July 7 2011
