WATER COOLER
The Water Cooler is written by Washington Times staffers.
Latest Blog Entries
PICKET: How much does Boehner plan cut?
Republican House leadership remained steadfast Tuesday morning that the debt ceiling plan House Speaker John Boehner is putting forth is deep in cuts and free of taxes. However, conservatives question the mysterious number as to how much Mr. Boehner is willing to cut in discretionary spending in 2012.
PICKET: Rep. Wu to resign after debt ceiling crisis resolved
The embattled Congressman David Wu, Oregon Democrat, who is accused of of unwanted sexual advances toward a young woman announced in a statement he will resign from Congress after the debt ceiling crisis is resolved.
PICKET: Obama's debt ceiling speech
President Barack Obama's Debt Ceiling Speech - July 25, 2011
PICKET: Boehner's debt ceiling speech
House Speaker John Boehner's debt ceiling speech - July 25, 2011
MILLER: Cantor: Obama election blocks debt ceiling deal
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor puts the blame for the standoff in a debt ceiling resolution on President Obama’s fixation on his re-election. When asked if the framework that the Republicans announced would raise the debt ceiling the full amount of $2.7 trillion that the president requested, the Virginia Republican hinted on Monday that they would not.
PICKET: Deja Wu - Dem congressman's sex scandal brings back memories of Weiner
Just as the epilogue of former Democratic New York Congressman Anthony Weiner begins to emerge, another Democrat, Oregon Congressman David Wu, is now accused of sexual wrongdoing by a young woman last November.
PICKET: Sen. Bernie Sanders: (Audio) Somebody must primary Obama
In a radio interview with Thom Hartman recently, Senator Bernie Sanders, Vermont Independent who caucuses with the Democrats, told a caller (Ryan) he believed President Barack Obama has moved too far to the right and a more progressive candidate should primary the president in 2012.
PICKET: Obama saw Gang of Six plan and likely wanted more from Boehner
Why did debt ceiling talks on Friday fall apart to begin with? A few hints lie within President Obama's own speech on Friday night, the timing of when the details of the Gang of Six plan was revealed, and Speaker Boehner's morning meeting with the GOP Conference.
PICKET: (Audio) Moran says Jefferson would be 'embarrassed' to be associated with cut, cap, and balance
Two Virginia congressmen interpret differently what Thomas Jefferson would have thought about the cut, cap, and balance plan.
PICKET: Scott Walker-Wis. accounts for half of net new jobs in U.S. in June
For all the protests public union employees in Wisconsin organized this past year in an attempt to halt labor reforms within the state's budget proposed by Governor Scott Walker, a Republican, it looks as if Wisconsin is on it's way to growing more jobs than many naysayers ever predicted.
PICKET: Norquist's ATR responds to WaPo editorial-WaPo posts audio of Norquist interview
American for Tax Reform's (ATR) Grover Norquist finds he is continually explaining what exactly violates his organization's taxpayer protection pledge that many politicians on the hill have signed.
PICKET: Rep. Poe looks to have VAWA rewritten as gender neutral
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is up for reauthorization this year and Congressman Ted Poe, Texas Republican and long time I-VAWA supporter, says he would now support re-writing the legislation as gender neutral.
PICKET: Kaplan said disgruntled alumnus at Harkin HELP hearing previously called school experience 'very beneficial'
A witness who testified before Senator Tom Harkin's HELP committee about the "gainful employment" rule may not have told the committee the full truth about his experiences at Kaplan.
PICKET: (video) Murdoch attacked by proteser at UK hacking hearing
News Corporation CEO Rupert Murdoch and his son James testified before British MP's at a Parliamentary hearing on Tuesday about the Murdochs' knowledge regarding the hacking of cell phones by individuals who were paid by former News Corp. employees at the now defunct News of the World publication. Midway through his testimony, Mr. Murdoch was rushed by a protester who slammed a shaving cream pie in his face.
PICKET: GOP lawmakers call on leadership in both parties to take military pay off table
Texas Republicans Congressman Louie Gohmert and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison discussed on Thursday their military pay bills at a joint press conference on Capitol Hill.
