WATER COOLER
The Water Cooler is written by Washington Times staffers.
Latest Blog Entries
Dems confident Obama to be more engaged on national issues
President Barack Obama is getting criticism for not being fully engaged with national and international issues and, instead, focusing on more recreational activities like golf, basketball brackets, and a weekend in Rio.
Male escort hired as staffer for self-proclaimed NY tea party candidate?
New York's 26th open Congressional District seat, formerly held for a short period by Republican Chris Lee, could become known as a place where politicos either have to look for dates on Craig's List or, in the case of a staffer recently hired by a self-professed tea party candidate running for the seat, will be a male escort to those in need of dates.
Hoyer turnaround; former majority leader critical of funding government through CR's
House Republicans and Democrats passed a short term continuing resolution that would fund the government for three weeks. The CR passed the House 271 to 158. House Republicans who opposed the CR could only garner 54 votes and more Democrats voted against the measure than Republicans. The continuing resolution would cut $6 billion in federal spending by the end of the week.
House Speaker blog: House will vote to eliminate ObamaCare slush funds
House Speaker John Boehner's office sent out the following blog from their website: Red County.com is reporting that “billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded Obamacare slush money will be among the programs targeted” soon as part of the new House majority’s “broad assault on wasteful mandatory spending,,.” That effort “began last week with passage of two bills saving taxpayers as much as $9 billion,” including one beginning the process of shutting down the TARP bailout program
House GOP leadership denies accusations of supporting ObamaCare approp
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican, and House majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, California Republican, sat with reporters on Monday afternoon to discuss the stop gap measure that would fund the federal government for three more weeks. Both Congressmen expressed frustration at the Senate and White House for either not communicating their intentions to see the issue resolved or find 60 votes in the Senate to pass a Continuing resolution.
New sting video dogs NPR
As NPR fights to maintain its federal funding, the media outlet continues to face more scrutiny following the release of another undercover sting video.
(Audio) CBC Congressman: KKK bigger threat than Muslims
Congressman Al Green, Texas Democrat, found himself in a heated debate with Republican members on the Homeland Security Committee on Thursday over whether or not the Ku Klux Klan should be considered a terrorist organization. Rep. Peter King, New York Republican and chairman of the committee said, "There is no equivalency of threat between al Qaeda and Neo-Nazis, environmental extremists, and other isolated madmen." Peter King continued, "Indeed, by the Justice Department’s own record, not one terror-related case in the last two years involved neo-Nazis, environmental extremists, or anti-war groups."
Will House GOP rescind Obamacare funding appropriation?
Republicans ran their 2010 mid-term campaigns on chiefly the promise that the Democratic health care law would eventually be repealed, but in the meantime, de-funding the entire health care legislation would have to be a way to at least slow down the implementation of the law. H.R. 1 promised to accomplish the de-funding of Obamacare, but according to discoveries made by former Republican Oklahoma Congressman now a distinguish fellow at the Heritage Foundation Ernest Istook, the health care bill has a mandatory appropriation that would fund the legislation almost a decade into the future.
Former NPR fundraiser loses Aspen Institute job
Ronald Schiller former Senior Vice President of Development of NPR will not be going to a new position at the Aspen Institute like he planned. The former NPR executive found himself the target of an undercover sting operation on Tuesday, when video was released of a lunch meeting he had with a two individuals pretending to represent a group that supported Sharia law. Mr. Schiller's remarks in the video included: insults towards the GOP, tea party, and an admission that NPR could survive without federal funding.
Remembering David Broder
David Broder was a straight shooter.
NPR CEO resigns following early exit of Sr. VP
NPR President and CEO Vivian Schiller resigned Wednesday morning. According to its website, a statement released from NPR Board of Directors Chairman Dave Edwards confirms her resignation.
Cousin of conservative commentator goes missing
Marizela Perez, cousin of conservative commentator Michelle Malkin went missing in the Seattle area and has not been heard from since Saturday afternoon.
(audio) NPR CEO dodges questions on NPR willingness to accept donations from supporters of Muslim Brotherhood
Following remarks to the National Press Club on Monday, NPR President Vivian Schiller refused to answer my questions about whether or not NPR would be willing to accept donations from any group that backed Sharia law or supported the Muslim Brotherhood.
(video) NPR Sr. VP on NPR: We can survive without federal funding
Senior Vice President of NPR Ron Schiller met with individuals he believed to be potential donors. However, undercover video was running during this meeting. In the posted video clip, Mr. Schiller describes how NPR will find funding if the media outlet were ever to lose funding from the federal government.
(video) NPR officers compare deniers of climate change to birthers and flat earth believers
Senior Vice President of NPR Ron Schiller met with individuals he believed to be potential donors. However, undercover video was running during this meeting. In the following clip, Mr. Schiller and his co-worker Betsey Liley describe how NPR covers those who deny climate change is happening.
