Charlie Rangel Takes the Floor to Challenge Ethics Complaint, basically saying “Bring It On”

     In case you missed the embattled Congressman’s speech today, here it is:

Charlie Rangel Insults and Berates Luke Russert, then Calls to apologize when he is told that Luke is the son of the late Tim Russert

Russert reminded Charlie that he could also be voted out by his colleagues over the ethics violations.

This really fired up Rangel, who asked: “What station are you from?  While you’re young, I guess you do need to make a name for yourself, but basically you know it’s a dumb question.  It doesn’t really sound like NBC asking these dumb questions, but it just shows what has really happened to a channel that did have some respect.”

Apparently Rangel decided this morning that it was prudent to apologize to Luke Russert for berating him.  He said during a news conference this morning: “I had a very good conversation with Luke Russert this morning and apologized for the way I treated him on television.”

http://www.bittenandbound.com/2010/07/23/luke-russert-charlie-rangel-controversial-video-and-apology/

Your Thoughts: Charlie Rangel and Jim Bunning

     Yesterday, Sen. Jim Bunning continued, until late in the day, to try to hold the Senate to its “pay-go” legislation by objecting to the stopgap funding for such items as unemployment extensions and highway funding. The Senator stood alone and was villified by Sen. Harry Reid, Sen. Dick Durbin, Sen. Susan Collins, and even WH Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

     Throughout last night, there were reports that Rep. Charlie Rangel, the subject of several ethics investigations, would step aside from his powerful Chairmanship of the House Ways and Mean Committee. Insisting he was still in control after emerging from Nancy Pelosi’s office last night, this morning Charlie Rangel took a “leave of absence” from his Chairmanship.

    So the questions are:

                (1) Was Sen. Bunning justified in his objection to legislation that was not funded as PayGo requires?

                (2) Should Charlie Rangel resign his Congressional seat entirely?

THOUGHTS???

GOP Finds Loophole to “Counter” Reconciliation Process in the Senate

     It has been announced that the House Ways and Means Committee, headed by the ethics-plagued Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), is crafting an ObamaCare compromise bill that would enable the Senate to vote using their simple majority reconciliation process.

     However, it appears that there is a countermeasure that can be employed that will frustrate the Reconciliation process:

As it turns out, Senate Democrats may not be able to force healthcare legislation through the chamber on a simple majority vote.

Republicans say they have found a loophole in the budget reconciliation process that could allow them to offer an indefinite number of amendments.

Though it has never been done, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) says he’s prepared to test the Senate’s stamina to block the Democrats from using the process to expedite changes to the healthcare bill.

 Experts on Senate procedural rules, from both parties, note that such a filibuster is possible. While reconciliation rules limit debate to 20 hours, senators lack similiarconstraints on amendments and could conceivably continue offering them until 60 members agree to cut the process off.

For full article: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/79423-gop-finds-loophole-in-reconciliation-ploy

Are they all DEAF…. this is NOT the legislation, the reform, that the American public wants. Back up, regroup, and start from scratch— that is the message that they are missing!

Charlie Rangel Accusations examined by NBC’s Today Show

Charlie’s villa in the Dominican Republic can be rented out for $1,100 per NIGHT.

Rangel Resolution Killed Pending Ethics Outcome: Maxin Waters says “Every Member forgets to disclose”

Rep. Waters: ‘Many members’ suffer from disclosure problems like Rep. Rangel

By Michael O’Brien – 10/07/09 10:59 AM ET

“Many members” of Congress suffer from the same disclosure issues as Rep. Charles Rangel (D.N.Y.), one of his allies said Wednesday.

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) downplayed the seriousness of allegations against Rangel that he failed to disclose sources of income and pay taxes on some properties, saying that many lawmakers suffer from innocent lapses in judgment when filing mandatory financial disclosure forms.

“I want to tell you, there are many members who, if you go back over all of their records, over all of the years, you’re going to find that there were disclosures that were not made,” Waters said during an appearance on MSNBC Wednesday morning.

For full article: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/62009-waters-many-members-suffer-from-problems-like-rangels

Memo to Maxine: He forgot to claim them on his TAX RETURNS, not his Senate financial disclosure forms.

2nd Memo to Maxine: Perhaps your disclosures should include your MARRIED name so the public can see what favors are done for your spouse.

White Males Need Not Apply

     Clintonite Robert Reich has clearly stated the Obama plan with the economic stimulus package was clearly being guided toward minority based programs, and, with Charlie Rangel (D-NY), see the economic problems of the country a prime to target the economic stimulus plan to the minorities without objections from the middle class white American males!

     However, the media, while still in the Obama KoolAid, failed to mention this scenario. In the hearing, Reich says “I am concerned, as I’m sure many of you are, that these jobs not simply go to high-skilled people who are already professionals or to white male construction workers…I have nothing against white male construction workers, I’m just saying there are other people who have needs as well.”

    Additionally, on Reich’s blog, he writes:

It’s a two-fer: lots of new jobs, and investments in the nation’s future productivity.

But if there aren’t enough skilled professionals to do the jobs involving new technologies, the stimulus will just increase the wages of the professionals who already have the right skills rather than generate many new jobs in these fields. And if construction jobs go mainly to white males who already dominate the construction trades, many people who need jobs the most — women, minorities, and the poor and long-term unemployed — will be shut out.

What to do? There’s no easy solution to either dilemma…

People can be trained relatively quickly for these sorts of jobs, as well as many infrastructure j0bs generated by the stimulus — installing new pipes for water and sewage systems, repairing and upgrading equipment, basic construction — but contractors have to be nudged both to provide the training and to do the hiring.

I’d suggest that all contracts entered into with stimulus funds require contractors to provide at least 20 percent of jobs to the long-term unemployed and to people with incomes at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. And at least 2 percent of project funds should be allocated to such training. In addition, advantage should be taken of buildings trades apprenticeships — which must be fully available to women and minorities.

      And Rangel says that this is the time to do this, while average middle class whites are consumed with simply putting food on the table and will not buck the idea!

     This is the Change We Can Believe In– more racism from those who claim to be victims of racism!