The Next Open Thread

by DemFromCT

While there was a minor tempest yesterday about Dems criticizing Dems in the papers, the REAL story is Republicans not criticizing Republicans when it counts.

Representative Tom DeLay, forced to step down as the No. 2 Republican in the House after being indicted in Texas on campaign fund-raising charges, was rewarded by party leaders Wednesday with a seat on the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. DeLay, who was a member of the powerful committee until becoming majority leader in 2003, was able to rejoin the panel because of a vacancy created after the resignation of Representative Randy Cunningham, Republican of California. Mr. Cunningham pleaded guilty in November to charges relating to accepting $2.4 million in bribes for government business and other favors.

Mr. DeLay was also given a seat on the subcommittee overseeing the Justice Department, which is investigating an influence-peddling scandal involving the disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his dealings with lawmakers. The subcommittee also has responsibility over NASA, a top priority for Mr. DeLay because the Johnson Space Center in Houston is in his district.

They really are corrupt. Thank you, Mr. DeLay, for driving that point home with a Hammer.

This is an open thread. Anyone want another book club?

Comments

[shep]

Republicans use government to serve themselves.

[DemFromCT]

On the same day that Bush claims success, the courts say he was illegally wirepapping Americans.

[emptypockets]

Quiet lately. Everyone hunting wabbits? This caught my eye:

QUEENS: FUEL CELL TO POWER NEW SUBWAY SHOP The New York Power Authority and New York City Transit said yesterday that they would equip a subway maintenance shop under construction in Corona with a 200-kilowatt fuel cell, capable of powering maintenance and cleaning equipment and saving the equivalent of 2,800 barrels of oil a year that would otherwise be used to generate electricity. The new shop, serving the No. 7 subway line, is next to the Casey Stengel Bus Depot. Brian Warner, a spokesman for the Power Authority, said the authority would install the fuel cell by summer at a cost of $2 million, and would be reimbursed by New York City Transit.THOMAS J. LUECK (NYT)

I don't know what kind of fuel cell it is (there are different kinds, right?). But even if it runs on rat fur and discarded chewing gum, it seems like it would take over 14 years to pay for its installation assuming oil at $50/barrel. Put differently, if oil prices go up above $700/barrel by this summer, it will pay for itself in a year.

is it a sound investment?

[Petey]

"the REAL story is Republicans not criticizing Republicans when it counts."

I'd say the REAL story is Bush including Social Security privatization in his budget and Republicans not criticizing it.

Does that mean they favor it?

[jonnybutter]

I'm looking forward to this book by Reagan economist Bruce Bartlett called: Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy. From the press release:

...Bartlett concludes, Bush is less like Reagan than like Nixon: an arch-conservative Republican, bitterly hated by liberals, who vainly tried to woo moderates by enacting big parts of the liberal program. It didn't work then, and it won't work now—and may have similar harmful effects for the GOP.

[KdmFromPhila]

I'd be interested in the book club. In December, I suggested the new book by Todd Gitlin.

[Melanie]

How 'bout "Monster at our Door?"