Thursday, August 06, 2009
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Where’s Kay? Senator Absent from Key Senate Hearings
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Posted by:
Matt Lewis at
5:28 PM
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The Dallas Morning News is reporting that Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, who recently announced she will announce her intentions to run against incumbent Republican Governor Rick Perry, has a track record of missing key committee meetings as per her responsibility of being a U.S. Senator:
Legislation to permit law enforcement to jam prisoners' cell phone calls easily cleared a Senate committee on Wednesday, the latest example of how Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has used her seniority to push Texas-centric issues that translate directly to her run for governor.
Yet Hutchison has been absent from the committee's work on two top priorities of Congress: health care legislation and consumer protection. When she recently announced her departure from the Senate in the fall, she said she'd stay in Washington long enough to participate in the health legislation.
The problem is she isn’t even participating while in Washington. As I noted before, Senator Hutchison is making an issue the length of time Rick Perry has served saying “for him to try to stay on for 15 years is too long" despite he fact she herself has been in the Senate for 16 years. KBH supporters, however, will tell you that Senate Seniority is important, and those in who come in front of her committee agree:
"It's very helpful and in the interest of consumers when the chairman and ranking member are able to be there, because it gives us a perspective on what both sides of the aisle are concerned about," said Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League, who testified at two of the consumer hearings.
But she isn’t even showing up to her own committee meetings. More from the Dallas Morning News:
“Hutchison missed all four Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearings that explored problems with health insurers, including one that showed insurers "purge" small-business beneficiaries if their claims exceed underwriters' expectations.”
So why is she missing these meetings? ... Because apparently she can’t use it to her benefit in the race against Perry.
"When she looks at the health care debate, she just doesn't see how you can really turn that to advantage in a governor's race in Texas," said Cal Jillson, a professor of political science at Southern Methodist University. "I think she's deciding she has better ways to spend her time."
... Unless it does benefit her:
The committees are integral forums for lawmakers, who use meetings to build legislation, conduct oversight and press a case for pet issues that sometimes never result in legislation.
In April, Hutchison used a Commerce hearing to promote one of the latter – her proposal to let Texas opt out of the federal system that funds highway construction. She called as a witness a Texas transportation commissioner, Ned Holmes, a Perry appointee who broke with the governor's strategy to finance most new highway construction through tolls. Rick Perry has made DC the forefront of his campaign and most Texans agree with him that it is the problem, and not the solution. This has been a winning strategy thus far, and one can anticipate the Dallas Morning News article will only serve to reinforce his message -- while simultaneously preventing Senator Hutchison from distancing herself from DC.
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was in Dallas where an AARP rep tried telling members that it was supporting the health care bill. Heh.
Cheers to the members who took the woman to task. She was lying to them. |
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Are you aware that Fannie Mae lost $15.2 BILLION...with a 'B' in Q2? ....that they're asking for $10.7 billion in aid?
Why are you wasting space playing "Where's Waldo?" There are issues to be discussed.....
Sheesh! |
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You know when "they" say they have "issues to discuss" remember one of thos "buning issues" to the "great minds" that infest this once great site is when do they get to see the real birth certificate from Kenya.
You report issues that matter-continue to do so.
Your insights into the Perry/Hutchinson battle will be critical to the overall discussion of the vast divide in the GOP. |
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You go into the Chest puffing category with Bunckey Monkey boy. I guess you didn't read any of my comments to you yesterday.
It would suck to be a know-it-all like you. My brother is a wise, er, smart man. He reminds me that it's when you "think" you know it all, that there is much more to be learned. Listening helps instead of trying to appear so superior to the rest of the writers or posters at TH.
Otherwise, please get lost and go over to DU, DKos, Huffpo where you can share superiority with all your like-minded friends. They don't debate, either, they just foam at the mouth, day in, day out and "they won!" |
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Its not a question of knowing it all; I'm just sure(100% positive, no 110%) I know more than the likes of you and the rest of you sad, vapid "joe the plumber" Birth certificate obessed anti-intellectuals.
And no dear I didn't read any of the things you wrote yesterday. Are you supposed to be somebody important? Do you post blogs here?....
Ah never mind-I just checked your "blog"
Please forgive me if I stick to what the actual pundits are writing and refrain from "debating" obvious nonsense with yokels and would be "commentariat commedians." |
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"And no dear I didn't read any of the things you wrote yesterday. Are you supposed to be somebody important? Do you post blogs here?....
Ah never mind-I just checked your "blog"
This is typical of the ignorance of the people like Val and Kaboom on this site. kaboom has been caught in many lies here as she continues to just spout garbage and does not remember what she has even written. She is more concerned about pushing her left loony agenda than actual truth. Val I suspect will do the same.
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I see you do not have a "blog." Probably for the best in your "case."
Please tell me which time and thread you plan to do your morning "rant" on today, or was that it? |
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Chest-puffing already? And I barely finished my coffee. Come back here when the Pied Piper has given you your version of Utopia and let me know how it's working for you in a few years.
Meanwhile, I'll be actively involved in keeping with the Founding Fathers visions and that pesky little document known as the US Constitution that the current COWboy President seems to care nothing about.
Ta-ta, KIA-VAL. |
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I have asked that you have a true debate on health care but it appears you cannot handle that. It seems you can rant about nothing but have a problem when challenged to actually submit facts to support your moronic posts. I am still waiting but of course I doubt you can handle anything worthwhile. Arrogance and ignorance is typical for those who post and do not have a clue what they are talking about. |
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I doubt that people like Val have ever studied the Constitution and have no idea what it stands for. |
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"Meanwhile, I'll be actively involved in keeping with the Founding Fathers visions and that pesky little document known as the US Constitution that the current COWboy President seems to care nothing about."
Yes, you do that.
I love it when people invoke the founding fathers! Certainly we wouldn't want to invoke any of the "grand achievements" of the last eight years when "Conservative Republicans" ran the country lock stock and barrel.
Personally I follow the path of one Alexander Hamiliton. But why would you know who he was?
You're too busy trying to be Paul Revere with your "tea Parties."
At best you'll wind up like "Sam Adams". |
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I hear prune juice is good for a condition such as yours.....
....but I'm not sure when the constipation is mental. Please feel free to let us know when you have an actual thought about something.
Until then, just continue to bang your cane.....
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Hmmmmmm. Three "jokes" and an outright insult-a bon mot of sheer brilliance.
Are you getting some help? Quick witted repartee such as yours could only be the work of two comedic savants, maybe three.
Please go back to oggling the interns.
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....but I can handle my own writing....
I wish I had more time to play with you today, but we don't want to overload your pacemaker, now do we....?
Just continue in your illusion that "Conservative Republicans" were in charge the last eight years. That ain't conservatism, dearie....
If you insist on following Alexander Hamilton's path, I'm sure we can find a former VP to shoot you. I hear Cheney is pretty good at that.
We'll be in touch..... |
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"Just continue in your illusion that "Conservative Republicans" were in charge the last eight years. That ain't conservatism, dearie...."
Carefull, your ignorance is showing.
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Your ignorance shows in every post. |
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I doubt very much you can comprehend my posts; after all they require more few more "IQ points" than you have availble.
Don't worry though, I was not planning on holding that against you, or paddy. Not everybody gets to be smart.
Speaking of...have you "composed" your latest "rant?" |
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Challenged to real debate and you run away. Your inability to discuss a real subject here tells a lot about you. It is obvious that you have neither the guts nor the intelligence to handle anything but quick little posts that say virtually nothing important. Apparently you are really afraid to face anyone here with real issues as they are beyond you. Keep just posting little, snide stupid comments and we will play with you just like the other worthless trolls on this site. You add nothing here but sometimes you are entertaining. |
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Matt, you're even picking up the weak Perry attacks and taking them as bible and verse. before you do that, realize that most conservatives skipped these hearings because they were partisan witchhunts on private insurance, that's why KBH, DeMint, Thune, Brownback and others all stayed away, so as to not justify and give credibility. Matt, we know you and the Perry campaign have a little thing going, but don't attack your friends when you hit KBH. silly blogger.... |
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