WATER COOLER
The Water Cooler is written by Washington Times staffers.
Latest Blog Entries
PICKET: Harkin: 'GOP holding our nation hostage'--calls GOP tactics 'blackmail'
Senator Tom Harkin, Iowa Democrat, accused Republicans of taking the country "hostage" over the debt ceiling issue.
PICKET: A framework or a debt ceiling agreement?
News reports touting that a debt ceiling resolution has been struck among Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle. On the surface this appears to be the case. However, the remarks made by House Speaker John Boehner, Ohio Republican, to his GOP caucus as well as the floor statement made by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, talk more about a "framework" to develop a deal from as a opposed to a solid deal that is in place at the moment.
PICKET: McCain - No regrets over 'hobbit' remark
Senator John McCain, Arizona Republican, found himself in hot water with tea party activists when he went to the Senate floor last Wednesday and read from a Wall Street Journal editorial that compared tea party activists to "hobbits," fictional creatures from the books of fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien.
PICKET: Reid debt plan blocked in Senate, Dem leaders regroup
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, filed cloture to bring his debt ceiling bill to the Senate floor for a vote. However, the Democratic leader failed to attain the needed 60 votes and his plan to raise the debt ceiling was blocked by the GOP 50 to 49.
PICKET: House GOP passes Boehner debt ceiling bill
The U.S. House of Representatives passed Speaker John Boehner's debt ceiling bill on Friday by a vote of 218 to 210. The Republican House majority now must wait to see what happens to Boehner's bill in the Senate.
PICKET: Dem Congresswoman calls debt crisis 'An intentional disaster'
Congresswoman Kathy Hochul, New York Democrat,brought forth the Democrats’ final argument against Speaker John Boehner’s debt ceiling bill.
PICKET: (video) DNC head - Boehner bill causes pain to middle class and can't pass anyway
America's Morning News caught up with Congresswoman Debbie Wsserman-Schultz, DNC Chair and Florida Democrat, and asked if President would be putting forth a plan anytime soon during the debt ceiling debate.
PICKET:Balanced budget amendment brings new dynamic to Boehner bill
The debt ceiling bill proposed by House Speaker John Boehner, Ohio Republican, went though another revision after it failed to muster enough support from House Republicans to bring the bill to the floor for a vote. It alreadt is beginning to show hints of support from those who never supported Mr. Boehner's bill before.
PICKET: After testy exchanges rules committee approves same day rule for Boehner bill
House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, California Republican, told reporters late Thursday evening there would be not vote on Speaker Boehner's debt ceiling bill, Congressman David Dreier, California Republican and Chairman of the Rules Committee called his members into a meeting to discuss giving House Speaker John Boehner, Ohio Republican, same day authorization to his bill so changes in the legislation could be made within 24 hours without putting the it through the rules committee and require a 2/3 super majority in House.
PICKET: House conservatives keep Boehner's debt ceiling bill in limbo
Boehner's debt ceiling plan appeared to be poised for passage in the House by early Thursday evening. A number of freshman GOP'ers came out on the House triangle in the afternoon to show support for House Speaker John Boehner, Ohio Republican.
PICKET: GOP Freshmen: (video) Reid is a coward and we're not extremist radicals
Freshmen House Republicans spoke to reporters on Thursday afternoon to lend support to House Speaker John Boehner's debt ceiling plan. The GOP lawmakers also defended the party from attacks and took a number of swipes at Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat for tabling the House passed Cut, Cap, and Balance bill.
PICKET: WH's Carney invokes 'Sophie's Choice' analogy into debt ceiling debate
It seems like politicians and staffers on Capitol Hill are using movie analogies to work their way through the debt ceiling issue. House Republicans were reported to have watched a clip from the movie "The Town" and White House Press Secretary Jay Carney on Wednesday compared the holocaust movie "Sophie's Choice" to who the Treasury Department could end up sending checks to
PICKET:(video) Wu makes decision clear - debt ceiling vote before family
The Washington Times asked Congressman Wu why he does not resign immediately.
PICKET: (video) Issa calls political activism of DOJ's Asst. AG at La Raza luncheon 'inappropriate'
Justice Department's Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas Perez addressed the National Council of La Raza, a progressive latino activist organization, on Saturday and his speech was so remarkably political in tone, House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, California Republican, called it "inappropriate."
PICKET: (video) Asst. AG to La Raza- DOJ will examine state voter ID laws and redistricting plans
U.S. Justice Department Civil Rights Division Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez was the keynote speaker at the National Council of La Raza Luncheon in Washington on Saturday. Mr. Perez, a former board president of a La Raza affiliate in Maryland, gave a speech in an explicitly told the audience at the beginning of his speech: "What I see in this job is a remarkable opportunity to ensure access to opportunity." He noted, "Your work has been inspiring to me." A.G. Perez told the audience his department would examine not only states that have recently passed new ID laws but also carefully oversee how state governments handle their redistricting this year.
