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| Posted By | Discussion Topic: FU to Congress who can't unite for this tragedy | ||||
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| TeenWeek what's a status? | posted on 09-20-2001 @ 9:53 AM |    | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Oct. 00  | Congress in crisis WASHINGTON -- Rigid partisanship and ideology in Congress have confronted a national demand for unity at a time of crisis. The lawmakers are doing well in seeking a common front against terrorism, but there have been exceptions that inhibited emergency help after Sept. 11. Immediate assistance for the nation's airlines to prevent a plunge at Monday's stock market opening was blocked by a single House member's objection. An attempt to give the government quick new authority to intercept terrorist communications was slowed down by senior members of Congress. Efforts to jump-start the economy with tax legislation this week were enmeshed in familiar ideological debates. This is not pure partisanship. Members of Congress are sincere when they join arms against a brutal foe. Yet, in the days immediately following the terrorist assault, the lawmakers could not completely shake the mood on Capitol Hill that has grown increasingly poisonous over the past 40 years. When terrorists chose to use hijacked passenger jets as their weapons, airline lobbyists immediately went to Congress for emergency financial aid. A bill was on the House floor last Thursday night to provide relief for the hard-pressed, vital industry. The measure was brought up under an expedited procedure that required unanimous consent. "I plead with any member who is thinking of objecting tonight ... ," said liberal Democratic Rep. Neal Abercrombie of Hawaii. "Please do not put at risk millions of jobs." The ensuing House debate at times sounded like business as usual. Two Republican old bulls with the same last name -- Appropriations Chairman Bill Young of Florida and Transportation Chairman Don Young of Alaska -- engaged in an arcane quarrel over authorizations vs. appropriations. The forceful Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas of California intervened to smooth over that quarrel and trim the bill so that aid to airlines would be limited to damage done by the government's reaction to Sept. 11. That wasn't good enough for Rep. Lloyd Doggett, whose Austin, Texas, constituency is one of the nation's most liberal. He typifies the saber-tongued House members of both parties who slash away in one-minute House floor speeches, and in the early hours of last Friday morning he showed that the terrorist assault had not changed him. "Before all the bodies are removed," he said, "there are those that are lining up here at the Capitol door ... asking that they receive some public subsidy, right out of the Social Security Fund." Doggett objected, in effect killing the bill. House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt called senior Democrats into a secret session Sunday afternoon in quest of a bipartisan solution. But with the House adjourned until Thursday because of Jewish religious holidays, nothing could be done before the stock market reopened Monday. Airline stocks declined 32 percent, with some losing half their value as job layoffs and bankruptcies loomed. In the Senate Thursday night, Republican Sen. John Kyl of Arizona proposed an amendment to an appropriations bill to give the government long-sought power to "trap and trace" communications. Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Democratic chairman of the Judiciary Committee, was not happy in a sharp conversation with Kyl. Indeed, he had not been happy about such recommendations last year issued by the National Terrorism Commission. With Leahy objecting to a roll call, the Kyl amendment (co-sponsored by Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California and Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah) passed on a voice vote. Kyl had wanted to give anti-terrorist operations immediate help in fighting terrorism, but Congress lacked the will. The House Judiciary chairman, Republican Rep. James Sensenbrenner, issued a statement Friday that the regular legislative procedure should be followed. That slow process started this week. Chairman Thomas has been trying to build a bipartisan tax stimulus including a cut in the capital gains tax to swell the value of American investment. Economist Gary Robbins estimates that a five-percentage cut in capital gains taxes would promptly mean a 500-point rise in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Would this be enough to eliminate ideological objections? Democratic members of Ways and Means told me Gephardt was interested but that his party's caucus would object. A crisis can change Congress only so much.  | ||||
| o&aswallow | posted on 09-20-2001 @ 9:59 AM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Jan. 01 | There is nothing wrong with a debate over the issues. They got the immediate need addressed without bi-partisan debate. Debate is healthy. It is American! Before you meet Allah, get ready to meet some good old American whoop ass. American Patriot, Pennsylvania resident, but original NYC listener. | ||||
| TeenWeek what's a status? | posted on 09-20-2001 @ 11:07 AM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Oct. 00 | what about all the airlines that are going out of business without aid? what about our spying tactics on terrorists being hindered? our economy is floundering now towards a recession and they are rejecting methods to jump start our economy. Now is the time, where there should be no democrats, no republicans, no liberals, no black, no white. Everyone should be Americans and do what is best for the country, not what is in best interests for their party. | ||||
| Dan | posted on 09-20-2001 @ 12:06 PM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Jul. 00 | We can't forget what makes our Country so great to begin with: a system of republican democracy with inherent checks and balances. These are not clear cut issues.quote: What about the fact that these business are only going bankrupt now because of their greed in the past. Why should taxpayers foot the bill because the airlines were more interested in making as much money as possible with out concern for building a solid foundation? They were essentially not able to operate for 2 days, and all of a sudden they are bankrupt. If you run a restaurant and can't operate for 2 days and then go out of business, do you think it's the government's responsibility to give you cash to operate?? The airline's stockholders and executives should pay for this. I don't necessarily agree with the above statement, but I think it's a convincing reason to at least debate the subject... Democracy and Capitalism are why we are the greatest country in the World and we can't throw that all out the window now. My humble thoughts on the Greatest Tradgedy of Our Generation Visit this Website Please email me ([email protected])IM (danfromhob) me to share yours. | ||||
| o&aswallow | posted on 09-20-2001 @ 12:41 PM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Jan. 01 | quote: We were already heading into a recession before last Tuesday. We can't just open a checkbook and keep writing bailouts. We have a war to fund on top of this all. The debate is needed. We just can't react on emotions. The airlines have squandered their profits for years. They will recover again soon. They will have to trim down, manage better and set earnings objectives. Just like every other corporation in America. We can't bail them all out. When your taxes go up to pay for this, will you feel the same way? (Or when you start paying taxes). Before you meet Allah, get ready to meet some good old American whoop ass. American Patriot, Pennsylvania resident, but original NYC listener. | ||||
| TeenWeek what's a status? | posted on 09-20-2001 @ 2:02 PM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Oct. 00 | Yes I pay taxes. For years. I am 28 and married. You guys make valid points. I guess I am not thinking clearly now and want to do whatever it takes to get this country back on it's feet again. | ||||
| Filzy Stand up straight Stomach in Shoulders back SOUND OFF!!! | posted on 09-20-2001 @ 4:58 PM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Sep. 00 | See? RIGHT BACK TO THE OLD CRAPOLA! Fuck you Congress for doin what is in your party's best interests, not what's best for the American people.  USA was made out of beer, tobacco, and conflict. If you touch my beer, I will kick your ass, don't forget to empty the ashtray. Now accepting two recruits for the revived Armored Division. | ||||
| GonzoStyle | posted on 09-21-2001 @ 1:41 AM | | |||
| Hanger-On Registered: Jan. 70 | Morons, and not congress. "For all we have and are, for all our children's fate, stand up and take the war, the Hun is at the gate!" --- Rudyard Kipling She-Mail Me Here | ||||
Displaying 1-8 of 8 messages in this thread. |