American Family Voices - Miriam V.

AM Feed - September 13, 2005

Hot Topics
List of 3 items
FEMA chief Michael Brown, already removed as leader of the Hurricane Katrina
relief effort, resigned from his position yesterday while stating that he
didn't
want to become a distraction. His replacement, acting director R. David
Paulison, is a former firefighter who actually has disaster relief
experience.
It is worth noting that Brown's resignation keeps the Bush administration's
woeful .000 batting average intact when it comes to assuming responsibility
and firing ineffective employees (remember, Bush actually told everyone four
days after the hurricane that Brown was doing "a heck of a job").
[link]
Senate confirmation hearings for US Supreme Court nominee John Roberts
continue today after a relatively mild-mannered opening day yesterday. Not
at all
surprisingly, Roberts has adopted a tight-lipped strategy when responding to
inquiries - and Republicans in the Senate have encouraged this approach.
"You
have no obligation to tell us how you will rule. Don't take the bait,"
advised Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX). For the record, the White House is still
refusing
to release documents from Roberts' days as solicitor general.
[link]
Today the Senate will vote on a measure that would overturn the Bush
administration's approach to dealing with mercury pollution. The Bush team
has adopted
an industry-backed plan that allows power plants to avoid cleanups by simply
purchasing pollution allotments from plants that are under allowable limits
as long as national emissions fit under a certain limit. Mercury is a toxic
metal that is especially harmful to newborns and young children. It is
unclear
whether the measure will pass the Senate, although several Republicans have
already pledged to break ranks and overturn the rules. For its part, the
White
House has promised to veto any changes.
[link]
list end

Who Says That?

"Now tell me the truth boys, is this kind of fun?" - House Majority Leader
Tom DeLay (R-TX) to three young evacuees staying in Houston

Morning Snark
List of 1 items
Rep. Tom DeLay sure does have a warped idea of fun. But hey, when your PAC
is facing an indictment, your super-lobbyist friend Jack Abramoff is hitting
the skids and your whole crooked empire is on the verge of collapse - maybe
anything looks like fun to you.