Rude Pundit Explains Dickishness of Congress' Budget Vote

Lee Papa, The Rude Pundit

Republicans are adamant that if the Senate or the President shuts down their bargain--we'll pass a continuing resolution on the budget if ObamaCare is defunded--then it will be Democrats who shut down the government.  This is a lot like being blackmailed and refusing to pay, and then having the blackmailer claim you're responsible for your own broken knee caps. And if you think that's maybe not the best turn of a phrase, or a strained analogy, then just check out The Rude Pundit's take on the whole thing. It's brilliant.

[Excerpt]

The Next Step in Budget Blackmail: Forced Resignation?

Let us say, and why not, that back sometime in mid-2007, when President George W. Bush's approval rating was consistently below 35%, heading to sporadically below 30% in 2008, the Democratic-led House of Representatives decided that, since they couldn't get enough votes to impeach and convict Bush on, let's say, war crimes, they would allow the government to continue operating with a continuing resolution only if Bush and Cheney resigned from office. Indeed, at nearly the same time as the continuing resolution was passed, so was a hike in the debt ceiling, which was expected to be hit in October 2007. So, yes, they could have even said they'd allow the U.S. to default if Bush and Cheney didn't step down. . . 

 Read more at: The Rude Pundit

Sen. John Ensign's Parents Paid Off Mistress?

Picture from Politico

Well, one of my Senators is the nice--if somewhat ineffectual--Majority Leader of the Senate. The other is. . .well. . .getting in deeper and deeper water. Details of Senator Hairdo John Ensign's affair, and its apparent attempted cover up just keep piling up. And he said as recently today that he doesn't plan on resigning. But don't worry, Republicans. If he does resign, we have a Republican Governor (who also had an affair, if you can imagine), so the Senate isn't likely to go up to 61 Democrats just yet.

[Excerpt]

Ensign’s Parents Gave Nearly $100,000 to Ex-Mistress, Family

Sen. John Ensign ’s parents gave $96,000 to a former campaign staffer with whom he had an extramarital relationship and her family, his attorney said Thursday, denying that the payments violated campaign finance laws or Senate ethics rules. . .

Read more at: CQ Politics

Maddow: Sen. John Ensign Scandal Widens

I know that Rachel Maddow has become my "go to" gal for blog posts about Senator John Ensign. But it's because she is so succinct--and snarky--in her explanations. Also, the freeze frame of Senator Hairdo is great.