The Week in Congress
SCOTUS
Obviously the biggest game in town.
BTW, for those who missed it here’s the partisan breakdown of the final vote:
4/44 - Democrats in favor of Justice Alito (9%).
54/55 - Republicans in favor of Justice Alito (98%).
Less Federal Spending
The full Congress passed that deficit reduction package on which they were working last December.
Among the programs subjected to reduced spending: Medi-care, Medi-caid, tuition grants, health research, and farm subsidies.
The partisan breakdowns of the votes were:
U.S. House:
Zero = Democrats in favor of less spending (0%).
216/229 = Republicans in favor of less spending (94%).
The bill passed the House: 216-214.
U.S. Senate:
Zero = Democrats in favor of less spending (0%).
50 = Republicans in favor of less spending (91%).
The bill passed the Senate: 51-50 (VP Cheney having cast the deciding vote).
Tax Cuts
The Senate passed a $70 billion tax cut package.
Here’s the liberal print media’s version of events.
That legislation is designed to extend prior tax cuts, reign in the AMT, provide further tax breaks for various businesses, close a few loopholes, and to do other types of gummint business.
The House and Senate versions of the bill need to be reconciled. Then it’ll be off to the Prez’s desk for his signature.
The Patriot Act
That legislation was extended for another five weeks, to allow the White House and the Congress additional time to figure out what they want to do about FISA and related provisions.
The Fed
The Senate confirmed Ben Bernanke as Fed Chief.
Bernanke is a supply-sider.
But it remains to be seen whether he’ll be too dogmatic about inflation.
* * *
Next up on the agenda: Completing the tax cut package, asbestos liability reform, the FY 07 budget resolution, immigration reforms, and, of course, more federal judges.
Judges such as: this guy.
Yeah, Mr. Haynes currently is legal counsel to Donald Rumsfeld and once was legal counsel to Dick Cheney (when the latter was Sec. of Defense).
You approve of that nomination, don’t you, Sullivan-Chomsky?
– Jayson