Good morning . .
The flurry of activity on Capitol Hill on Thursday demonstrated the inability of the media to adequately cover important events and the liberal democrats inability to make sense.
As noted in yesterday's Afternoon Update, House Democrats showed a lack of understanding of the election process. At one point, nearly every Constitutional Amendment was mentioned as covering elections. While there may be some Amendments that would cover some aspects of a Federal election, elections are the responsibility of the individual states. The House wants Federal guidelines to cover elections. Can you imagine the huge bureaucracy needed to run elections? Can you imagine the huge cost for this new Federal Agency? Who will pay? You and I. But the saving grace is Congress will not be able to pass that kind of legislation, the President would probably veto that bill, and the Courts would eventually find the law to be unconstitutional on states rights grounds.
The Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on the nomination of Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General turned into a partisan squabble and grandstanding by liberal Democrats. Sens, Kennedy, Schumer, Biden, et al did nothing to forward the nomination or the Democratic agenda. They did, however, demonstrate that the obstructionist policy of the past is the policy of the future. In fact, Sen. Kennedy continued to ask for more time because he was making too many speeches and asking too few questions. For some reason, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) allowed the senior Senator from Massachusetts more time. During one round of questions, Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) used his entire time to make a speech. No questions, just speech making. Chairman Specter decided to make a little joke of it saying that Sen. Biden might use the time before the next round to formulate a question.
Before becoming the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) said that he would support Bush nominees and the Patriot Act. During yesterday's hearing Specter questioned the value of the Patriot Act. So, much for support for the Patriot Act. Is it too late to remove Specter as chairman?
The most disturbing aspect of yesterday's Congressional activity was the number of Representative and Senators that failed to vote on the objection to the Ohio Electoral vote. 25% of Senators and 30% of House members did not vote. Commentators on CSPAN suggested that the members had left town early. Congress does not reconvene until after the Inauguration. So, members of Congress work three days and then have two weeks off. What a job
The atheist who sued to have "under God" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance because he did not want his daughter exposed to religion has filed another suit in Federal Court.
Michael Newdow has filed suit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia saying that the use of prayer at the Inauguration is unconstitutional.
Newdow filed a similar suit in the 9th District in San Francisco, but the suit was dismissed because Newdow did not suffer and "specific injury." Although dismissed by one Court, it did not prevent Newdow from filing a similar case in another Federal District. A hearing is set for Jan. 14.
Las Vegas SUN: Atheist Sues to Thwart Inauguration Prayer
More in the Afternoon Update.
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