WATER COOLER
The Water Cooler is written by Washington Times staffers.
Latest Blog Entries
PICKET: (VIDEO) Sr. WH adviser Jarrett dodges questions on secret service detail and non-union auto pensions
Sr. White House adviser Valerie Jarrett refused to answer questions on Tuesday at a Washington D.C. event, addressing bullying prevention, about why she has a secret service detail and the recent story from the Daily Caller regarding internal emails showing that the U.S. Treasury Department was behind cutting off the pensions of non-union workers at the Delphi auto parts manufacturing company.
PICKET: Swarm of bees attacks Secretary Clinton in Malawi
The Hill is reporting that Secretary of Sate Hillary Clinton and her detail were attacked by a swarm of bees in Malawi on Monday.
PICKET: A Chick fil A in a coal mine?
Talk radio host Rush Limbaugh discussed Chick fil A appreciation day on his program Wednesday and Thursday and the implications that the large turnouts of customers to Chick fil A food chains all over the country has for the November 6 presidential election.
PICKET: (VIDEO) Sec. Chu unsure about emails with Obama donor
Questions have been raised about Obama donor Steve Westly of Westly Group Investments.
PICKET:(AUDIO)REP. Barney Frank - Gov't shouldn't discriminate against Chick fil A
Congressman Barney Frank, Massachusetts Democrat, gave me his thoughts on Thursday about the Chick fil A debate.
WISER: Frack attack — reports question science used by fracking critics
It's been a rough couple of weeks for environmental groups and activists opposed to natural gas drilling.
PICKET: Chicago GOP to file complaint against Rahm Emanuel over Chick fil A flap
The Chicago Republican Party announced last week it would file a complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights and Attorney General Lisa Madigan over the discriminatory action by Alderman Proco (Joe) Moreno against the food chain Chick-fil-A.
PICKET: Olympics math - Medal winners to pay up to $9,000 to IRS
Here is some interesting Olympics math coming from Americans for Tax Reform. American athletes who win medals at the 2012 London Olympics will have to cough up some dough to the IRS when they return the United States.
PICKET: Chick fil A debate part of long list of religious freedom battles v. government
It appears many are surprised that liberal politicians are looking for ways to ban the restaurant chain “Chick fil A” from opening their businesses as a result of the CEO Dan Cathy’s personal stance on traditional marriage. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Boston Mayor Tom Menino, and now San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee have already said that Chick fil A was not welcomed in their cities.
PICKET: Sen. Sessions: Obama ad claiming plan will pay down debt is false
Senator Jeff Sessions, Alabama Republican and ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, is not buying the administration's claims on the president's updated budget and is demanding that President Barack Obama's campaign remove an ad (above) that says he has a plan to ‘pay down the debt in a balanced way.’ President Obama claims his plan, which includes his tax proposal that would hike taxes on those making $250,000 and above would be used to pay down the debt.
PICKET: (VIDEO) Border agents say DHS tells them to release illegals after violent crimes are committed
Senator Jeff Sessions, Alabama Republican, introduced two top border immigration agents on Thursday to talk about the lax enforcement directives they are given by the Department of Homeland Security and how illegal immigrants are cheating the system to get into United States even after multiple violent crimes have been committed.
PICKET: (AUDIO) Durbin, Kerry, and Davis distance themselves from Mayors Emanuel and Menino on Chick-fil-A controversy
Boston Mayor Tom Menino and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel both made remarks recently that the restaurant chain "Chick-fil-A was not welcomed in either of their cities due to the CEO's support of traditional marriage. Democrats in Washington are already distancing themselves from the controversy.
PICKET: (AUDIO) Chicago Dem Congressman opposes barring businesses based on religious beliefs of CEO's
Congressman Danny Davis, Illinois Democrat, who represents Chicago's west side disagreed with Mayor Rahm Emanuel and local Chicago Democrat Ald. Joe Moreno who are looking to block restaurant chain "Chick-fil-A" from opening up any further businesses in the city due to the company's CEO support of traditional marriage.
PICKET: Exclusive - DOJ IG meets secretly with Gowdy and Chaffetz - 'fast and furious' report to be released 'in weeks not months'
Congressman Trey Gowdy, South Carolina Republican, and Congressman Jason Chaffetz, Utah Republican, both met with newly appointed Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz last week, Rep. Gowdy told me on Wednesday, to discuss when the IG will release his report on the investigation into the now defunct ATF “Fast and Furious” gun walking operation.
WISER: Auditing the Fed — Paul's swan song
Advocated by Rep. Ron Paul, Texas Republican, for decades, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act would direct the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office to conduct an audit of the Fed and make recommendations for legislative or administrative actions in a report submitted to Congress.
