American Politics 101

[deja vu]

Now that the elections are over a new thread to cover all things related to US Politics. Not just
McCain/Obama/Palin/Biden, but all aspects of their politics, White House, Congress, Senate and
State.

Three Bush appointees likely to stay
Continuity in crucial positions may trump change under Obama

As President-elect Barack Obama prepares to fill top positions for his incoming government, he faces a
stubborn reality: Some of the key individuals he will rely upon to tackle the country's most serious
challenges are holdovers from the current administration -- a trio of Bush appointees who will likely
stay in place for at least the first year or two of Obama's presidency.

In confronting the financial crisis and weakening economy, Obama must turn to Ben S. Bernanke, a Republican
and former chairman of President Bush's Council of Economic Advisers, who will lead the Federal Reserve
for at least the first year of the new administration.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27636495/

[fishandchips]

US voters need to keep their elected representatives keen to make changes to laws to help the taxpayers, not the lobbyists. Energy laws for example especially if deregulation is bandied about one more time as "cheaper"... I understand that the laws that allowed Enron and its affliated companies, as well as competitors, to make scads of money on energy (their lobbyists helped decision makers to write the laws) still remain in existence.

Have a broom and sweep bad legislation out!

[dreamon]

Terry McAuliffe Forms Committee for Possible Virginia Governor Run
Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe signs candidate papers, as he explores a possible
run for Virginia governor.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe signed papers Monday necessary to run
for governor in Virginia next year.

McAuliffe told The Associated Press he set up a campaign committee and will tour Virginia for the next 60 days before making
his candidacy certain.

He also said he would be announcing political advisers over the next week.

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/11/10/terry-mcauliffe-forms-committee-possible-virginia-governor-run/


We know the Clintons will be out there campaigning for him. Wonder if Obama will join in?

~~~~~~

Dean to Step Down as DNC Chairman
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean is planning to step down from his post in January.

Howard Dean is preparing to step down as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Dean, a physician and former Vermont governor who was briefly his party's presidential front-runner in 2004, was elected
DNC chairman in 2005 and has long vowed to serve only one, four-year term. At a post-election news conference in Washington
last week, Dean indicated again that he didn't plan to stay on.

While some speculated that Dean's work with Barack Obama's campaign might lead him to stick around for a second term,
aides confirmed he plans to leave when his term expires in January.

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/11/10/report-dean-step-dnc-chairman/


Wonder if Obama will give him a job in the White House?

[CielOnTap]

Nader returns to WPIRG after 35 years

Ralph Nader, who received 668,473 votes for president of the United States in last week's election, will be at UW on Thursday as a guest of the Waterloo Public Interest Research Group, which he helped to found 35 years ago.

"It's really quite an honour to be hosting him again," says Evan Coole, WPIRG's programming coordinator."Mr. Nader has been involved in advancing some of the most important environmental, safety and consumer protection legislation in North America. In addition, he recognizes the special role students can play in promoting the public interest."

It was a speech by Nader on October 13, 1972, that "inspired University of Waterloo students to establish a service for social justice and environmental education and advocacy," a WPIRG news release recalls. It gives some background on Nader, who is now 74: "Honoured by Time magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Americans of the Twentieth Century, and recently as one of the 100 Most Influential Figures in American History by The Atlantic, Ralph Nader has devoted his life to promoting the public interest. His start in public life began when a report he published on the auto industry's disregard for the safety of their customers led to the creation of strong automobile safety legislation.

http://www.bulletin.uwaterloo.ca/2008/nov/10mo.html

Good to see a vote tally for an independent candidate in last week's election. It is quite exciting to know that Mr. Nader will be visiting Ontario this week. Perhaps he will share a few election campaign stories during his speech at UWO.

[yukon]

I cant see Nader trying again in 2012. Might be best if he sticks to the lecture circuit and his other work

Guantanamo Bay 'not easy to close'

The White House has warned president-elect Barack Obama about his campaign promise to close Guantanamo Bay saying
"it's not so easy" to shut down the detention centre.

Hopes that Senator Obama would move swiftly to dismantle the notorious prison rose after the Associated Press reported on
Monday that his legal advisers were drafting plans to transfer scores of inmates from the offshore centre to the mainland to
stand trial in United States courts.

Under plans drawn up by Senator Obama's advisers, between 60 and 80 detainees would be put on trial in the US in a mix of
civilian criminal courts and the court martial system.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/us-election/guantanamo-bay-not-easy-to-close/2008/11/11/1226318653105.html

[fishandchips]

I wish President-elect Obama well in his plan to close down Guantanomo Bay. The place is unfinished business that needs closure.

[dreamon]

Obama wants Lieberman to stay with Dems
President-elect doesn't want Lieberman ousted for McCain endorsement

President-elect Obama has told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid he's not interested in seeing the Democrats oust
Connecticut's Joe Lieberman from their ranks over his endorsement of Republican John McCain.

Obama told Reid in a phone conversation last week that expelling Lieberman from the Democratic caucus would hurt the
message of bipartisanship and unity that he wants for his new administration, a Senate Democratic aide said Tuesday.
This aide spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions were confidential.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27668003/

Harry Ried started that the day after the election and not unexpected. So much for bipartisanship. I wonder if Reid will
listen to Obama or continue the get even theme. The same old song and dance is still going strong in DC.

[CielOnTap]

Hoax NY Times newspaper declares end of Iraq war
Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:43pm EST By Michelle Nichols

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A group of pranksters handed out more than 1.2 million fake New York Times newspapers mainly in New York City and Los Angeles on Wednesday with a front page story declaring "Iraq War Ends."

The elaborate 14-page edition, dated July 4, 2009, is said to be the work of a group called the Yes Men, whose previous hoaxes include masquerading as World Trade Organization officials announcing they were disbanding the body.

"It is fake and we are looking into it," said New York Times spokeswoman Catherine Mathis.

A statement sent from a Web site set up for the fake edition, http://www.nytimes-se.com, said creating the newspaper took six months and that it was printed at six different presses and then given to thousands of volunteers to distribute.
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE4AB76Q20081112

The Iraq war is certainly getting attention from the American people and from past article posts, this issue will be on the President-Elect's agenda of things to resolve.
The fake newspaper would have generated discussions in the streets after people reading them figured out the news was bogus.

[deja vu]

Want an Obama job? Prepare to tell all

For a Washington job, be prepared to tell all
White House applicants to face extensive, possibly invasive questionnaire

Want a top job in the Obama administration ? Only pack rats need apply, preferably those not
packing controversy.

A seven-page questionnaire being sent by the office of President-elect Barack Obama to those
seeking cabinet and other high-ranking posts may be the most extensive — some say invasive
— application ever.

The questionnaire includes 63 requests for personal and professional records, some covering applicants’
spouses and grown children as well, that are forcing job-seekers to rummage from basements to attics,
in shoe boxes, diaries and computer archives to document both their achievements and missteps.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27690267/

Perhaps this should be the norm for those that want to be a member of the Senate or Congress. Given all
the scandals that keep happening, in both houses and parties, might weed out some problems before they
begin. Would they agree to go along wih this, probably not.

[dreamon]

Palin still the star attraction

When the governor of Alaska walks into a room, every long lens, television camera and microphone is pointed
in her direction.

An observer of the jostling and yelling of the US media might be mistaken for thinking that a major film star had
just strolled in, complete with a posse of hangers-on.

Even at the best of times it is hard to see the diminutive star of the Republican Party when she is surrounded by
journalists desperate to know of her plans for the next few years.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7728331.stm