Tag Archives: congress

Tom Foley Dies; Former House Speaker Was 84

Tom Foley, the former U.S. Congressman from Washington State and Speaker of the House from 1989-95, has passed away at the age of 84. Foley passed away due to complications from a stroke, which he suffered last December. Wife Heather said he was hospitalized in May with pneumonia. He returned home but had been under hospice care there ever since. After being ousted from Congress in 1994 after 30 years, Foley also served as U.S. ambassador to Japan for four years in the Clinton administration. He was replaced as speaker by his nemesis, Georgia Republican Rep. Newt Gingrich, who later called Washington the “ground zero” of 1994. That wave election gave Republicans their first control of the House in 40 years. The GOP held the House majority until 2006, then regained it in 2010. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., herself House Speaker from 1997-2011, called Foley “a quintessential champion of the common good.” She added, “Speaker Foley’s unrivaled ability to build consensus and find common ground earned him genuine respect on both sides of the aisle.”

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Tom Foley Dies; Former House Speaker Was 84

Lobbyists Lobbying to Drop "Lobbyists" From Association Name

The Washington association that lobbies for lobbyists feels the group needs some rebranding and wants to change its name to nix the word “lobbyists.” The leaders of the American League of Lobbyists say their work has evolved, and members do lots more than troll Congress to try to shape legislation. They’re into grassroots organizing and public affairs, they say and other sorts of politics and advocacy. In short, they’re not simply lobbyists anymore! But as professionals, they know that reputation matters, and theirs stinks (see above). They poll only slightly better than U.S. Congress these days. “Everybody has a misconception that lobbyists are walking around with a pocketful of cash and that’s it,” said Monte Ward, the group’s president. Ward says, “The new brand will seek to fully represent the broad range of responsibilities that a government relations professional practices daily.” They narrowed the new name down to The Association of Government Relations Professionals or The National Association of Government Relations Professionals. Edgy stuff, we know. The board of directors had some tense discussions, and there were a few early October focus groups to test the waters on this. On Monday, the board finalized its decision. Ward will ask members to approve the switch to the Association of Government Relations Professionals. The board also approved a new tag-line: “Voice of the Lobbying, Public Policy, and Advocacy Professions. Members will have 30 days to vote. The group’s bylaws require two-thirds approval before the name can be changed, but we’re guessing this lobbying effort will be nearly unanimous. Congress may want to follow suit if the shutdown ever ends.

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Lobbyists Lobbying to Drop "Lobbyists" From Association Name

Exactly How Long Does Congress Plan On Keeping The Government Shutdown?

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In order to fund the government, Congress needs to figure out what they’re doing with this spending bill. As of today, they still haven’t come…

Exactly How Long Does Congress Plan On Keeping The Government Shutdown?

Exactly How Long Does Congress Plan On Keeping The Government Shutdown?

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In order to fund the government, Congress needs to figure out what they’re doing with this spending bill. As of today, they still haven’t come…

Exactly How Long Does Congress Plan On Keeping The Government Shutdown?

Nina Dobrev: Topless for Obamacare!

Nina Dobrev is reportedly dating Derek Hough . But The Vampire Diaries actress nearly gives fans a look at certain body parts reserved for this new boyfriend in a WhoSay image with a political agenda: She’s holding a sign up over her boobs that encourages folks to #GetCoverage and which shows support for the Affordable Health Care Act, which went into effect on Tuesday: “Im Canadian. We have healthcare for all,” Dobrev wrote as a caption to the photo. “If you dont have insurance go to [HealthCare.gov] and#GetCovered ,Because w/o it, youre naked.” Translation: Kate Upton , please do not get coverage! The fight over this act has led to a government shutdown , with over 800,000 employees forced to stay home and national parks/monuments closed until Congress can each a budgetary agreement. What a mess.

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Nina Dobrev: Topless for Obamacare!

Hi Hater: Nasty Newt Gingrich Blames Gov’t Shutdown On Obama – “He Was Trying To Form A Dictatorship And Refuses To Behave Like An American President!”

Newt Gingrich: President Obama Is Trying To Form Dictatorship Newt Gingrich likes to stay with a little President Obama slander in his mouth… According to Raw Story: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R) argued on Tuesday that the government shutdown stemmed from an attempt by President Barack Obama to create a dictatorship. “The big problem is that President Obama refuses to behave like an American president,” Gingrich said in an interview on The 700 Club. “He refuses to deal with the Congress as equal, which it is in the Constitution.” Gingrich then went into an explanation of the constitutional articles providing for the establishment of all three government branches, accusing Obama of putting himself “above the Constitution, and that’s very dangerous for our freedoms.” Peep video below: Discuss…

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Hi Hater: Nasty Newt Gingrich Blames Gov’t Shutdown On Obama – “He Was Trying To Form A Dictatorship And Refuses To Behave Like An American President!”

The Jonas Brothers Address Gay Rumors, Praise Miley Cyrus as "Very Smart"

The Jonas Brothers are handsome, well-dressed, good dancers and solid singers. But that doesn’t mean Nick, Kevin and Joe make like Michelle Rodriguez . They only swing one way, the boy band members tell the latest issue of Out . “We have a lot of gay friends and gay fans. It’s a boy band stereotype; people assume, but we don’t take offense,” Joe tells the publication of the chatter, while Nick adds: “Prior to us being a band, I was a super theater geek. I loved theater and I still do, and I care about fashion, and I care about a lot of things that I feel like stereotypes are attached to.” The siblings are touch on something even more controversial than their sexuality: Miley Cyrus and her recent raunchy antics. Asked about the singer’s infamous VMA routine , Joe admitted: “It wasn’t my favorite performance of hers. I think that there’s one way of saying you’ve grown up, and there’s another way – I think that’s her way.” Still… Cyrus has a number-one single. Her album is expected to sit atop the charts when it goes on sale next week. “She’s smart,” Nick says of his ex-girlfriend. “She’s very smart. We’ve always known that about her. She’ll always be successful. [The performance] was funny – I was laughing.” As for their own upcoming album? Kevin hopes people will keep their minds open: “We have a lot of people hearing new stuff, and maybe they have had misconceptions in the past of who we are as a band. At the end of the day, I think people are surprised to know that we’re a rock band at our core.”

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The Jonas Brothers Address Gay Rumors, Praise Miley Cyrus as "Very Smart"

Government Shutdown Mocked By N.Y. Daily News, World

The first government shutdown in 17 years, which is in effect as of this morning, has people everywhere pointing fingers and/or scratching their heads. In a nutshell, the federal government is closed after Congress could not reach an agreement on the funding to keep it running past September 30. The GOP-controlled House passed a short-term funding bill conditional upon a repeal of a medical device tax and a one-year delay in the implementation of Obamacare. Clever way to block policy labeled as toxic since it passed in 2010? Pointless, desperate political gambit? All depends who you ask. The Democratic-controlled Senate and President Barack Obama weren’t having any of it, and with both sides at an impasse and no end in sight, here we are. Government Shutdown Mocked Around the World Will Republicans’ hard-line approach resonate with Americans? Will it have consequences – either good or bad – for the GOP in future elections? That’s for the pundits to speculate on right now, but the Republican House majority does not see itself as at fault (unlike the New York Daily News cover above). Rather, they say Obama and the Senate Democrats brought this upon America because of their failure to negotiate or listen to what the people clearly want. Or so they claim. Either way, it’s little surprise that blame is being cast on both sides and the jokes are flying freely throughout the nation and world at this debacle. Talk to THG: What do you think of the government shutdown?   Love it! Suck it Obamacare! Hate it! It’s both pointless and harmful! Wait … what’s going on? Is Breaking Bad really over? View Poll »

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Government Shutdown Mocked By N.Y. Daily News, World

Oprah Winfrey Apology Over Racism Controversy: Heartfelt or Passive-Aggressive BS?

Oprah Winfrey’s apology over the racism flap she caused by recalling a trip to Switzerland in a recent interview has been criticized by some as inauthentic. Oprah Winfrey on Paula Deen, Racism Earlier this week, she said she was “sorry” for fallout that ensued after she told ET about a racist encounter at a purse store in the European country. The Butler star made the allegations (above) when asked about a time she encountered racism personally – in Switzerland, where no one knows her. She claimed a shop owner refused to even show her a ridiculously expensive purse, assuming she could not afford it, presumably because she’s black. The COUNTRY of Switzerland apologized, while the shop owner says the whole thing was a “misunderstanding” and had “nothing to do with racism.” Last night, Oprah backpedaled a bit, apologizing for the racism controversy , saying, “I think that incident in Switzerland was just an incident in Switzerland.” “I’m really sorry that it got blown up,” Winfrey added. “I purposefully did not mention the name of the store. I’m sorry that I said it was Switzerland.” The thing is, as TMZ notes, Oprah couldn’t possibly believe allegations of racism made by OPRAH would go unreported or taken lightly by the media. Pretending not to know that telling that story would spark controversy and become a huge story would be naive at best … and Oprah is far from that. The question is: Does she feel legitimately bad about potentially blowing something out of proportion, or is she just walking it back to save face now? According to the celebrity gossip site, Oprah’s encounter wasn’t really about race, but the fact that she wasn’t treated the way she is accustomed to. Perhaps, with the employee alleging that she is being unfairly portrayed, O’s feeling guilty. The question for you, THGers: Is her apology sincere?   Sincere Half-a$$ed View Poll »

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Oprah Winfrey Apology Over Racism Controversy: Heartfelt or Passive-Aggressive BS?

White House Makes Like Mean Girls, Tells Off Bo

It’s not often that the world of politics, movies and comedy melds together so perfectly as they do in the following picture, Tweeted out by the White House earlier today. It would make Regina George proud: With the caption “Bo, stop trying to make fetch happen,” millions of Mean Girls fans have just Liked the White House on Facebook. It’s actually a little surprising it took this long. Surely someone there at one time thought of “Oh my god, Karen, you just can’t ask people why they’re white.” Or at the very least: “Oh hell no. I did NOT leave the South Side for this!” No word yet on when Lindsay Lohan will be meeting up with President Obama and Bo in the cafeteria.

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White House Makes Like Mean Girls, Tells Off Bo