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Feb

11

Solis appointment moves out of Senate committee

Filed Under Announcements, Congress, employment, Government, Politics, senate, Women | 1 Comment

Finally, good news, as reported in The Nation:

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, where the [nomination of California Congresswoman Hilda] Solis had been stalled, voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday evening to recommend confirmation of the congresswoman.

Solis, a labor ally who whose confirmation process was delayed by conservative Republicans who objected to her union ties and progressive politics, got the committee O.K. on a voice vote. Only two Republican members of the committee were heard to object.

A full Senate vote is likely this week, and Republican opposition appears to be crumbling.

As noted in the article, opponents to her confirmation first latched on to a tax issue related to her husband’s small business, aka, “A partisan ploy designed to embarrass Obama following the Daschle debacle, rather than a serious complaint about Solis.”  Then, “[a]n objection to the involvement of the pro-labor congresswoman with pro-labor groups was acknowledged even by some Republicans as laughable.”

Once again, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, flown in to vote on the stimulus bill, was able to break the logjam:

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee chair Kennedy, a Solis ally and champion, saw an opening and seized it. After consulting Wednesday with key Republicans on the committee, Kennedy scheduled a hasty committee session, called for a vote and got the Solis nomination out of committee and headed toward confirmation.

And that, my friends, is the real value, for any aligned contingent, in having incumbency, experience and seniority on your side.  It’s also the textbook definition of politics.

Other reports: Alternet, Boston.com and, from the AFL-CIO blog, word that the vote might even come tomorrow.

Workforce Management offers one additional hold up that could occur, however:

Once Solis is put before the whole Senate, any member could prevent a vote by placing a “hold” on it. Her nomination would almost certainly prevail in a roll-call vote. Democrats hold a 58-41 majority, with a disputed Minnesota race still pending.

A White House spokesman said Wednesday that he anticipates Senate approval.

“I think that process will hopefully conclude quickly,” said Robert Gibbs, White House press secretary. “The president has confidence in her ability to continue the department’s mission.”

Now, to be fair, one of the concerns about Solis is her support of the Employee Free Choice Act.  You can read more about it here at Congresspedia.  It has not yet been introduced in the 111th Congress.  It deals with simplifying the way in which employees can form and choose to be members of unions.  However, employers allege a fear that people will be pressured into joining as well as a more realistic fear that the ranks of unions will swell.  Here’s an interesting article intended for management about how to deal, preventatively, with the likelihood of EFCA becoming law.

It’s late so I’ll pass on describing my experiences with unions but frankly, like most everything else, thre are points to be made for both sides and the bottom line is, as with the Lilly Ledbetter Act, if businesses treated their workers better, as a general rule, none of this stuff would be necessary, but it’s just not that way.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:48 pm February 11th, 2009 in Announcements, Congress, employment, Government, Politics, senate, Women | 1 Comment 

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Feb

11

FBI probe extends to my state senator, Tom Patton (R)(24), also Nature Stone

Filed Under Cleveland+, Crime, Ethics, Government, Jim Trakas, OH17, OH24th, Ohio, Pepper Pike, Politics, Scandal, senate, Statehouse | 14 Comments

UPDATE: 2/19/09 FBI searches Nature Stone in Bedford, Ohio.

Original post:

Oy. This cannot be good.

Federal agents working on the Cuyahoga County corruption investigation expanded their focus yet again last week, demanding documents about Parma city schools’ dealings with a state senator, a former Lakewood mayor and businesses that made more than $25 million from the cash-strapped district over the past eight years.

…

The subpoena seeks documents connected to a web of [former Parma city schools board president J. Kevin] Kelley’s friends, including his cousin,Ohio Sen. Thomas Patton.

…

The FBI also wants to know about work done at the district by another Kelley connection — Blue Technologies, an office-equipment company that employs Kelley’s cousin, Patton, as a consultant.

The district paid Blue Technologies $489,284 since 2001. What Patton’s role may have been is unclear. He did not return several messages left at his Columbus office, his office at Blue Technologies and his cell phone.

A little more curious is this mention:

The FBI seeks records involving [Russell] Masetta, his company Nature Stone and members of his family. Nature Stone billed the district for $200,853 in work since 2001.

About Masetta, according to the article:

[he is someone]…whom the FBI once identified as a member of the Los Angeles mob, an allegation Masetta denied. In the 1990s, Masetta pleaded guilty to charges connected to a union-related kickback scheme in California.

Okay – why is Nature Stone curious?

My former state rep, before Josh Mandel, was Jim Trakas who is also a former head of the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County.  As of August 2008, he was affiliated with Nature Stone.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:22 pm February 11th, 2009 in Cleveland+, Crime, Ethics, Government, Jim Trakas, OH17, OH24th, Ohio, Pepper Pike, Politics, Scandal, senate, Statehouse | 14 Comments 

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Feb

11

Carnival of Ohio Politics #154 – do not skip it

Filed Under Blogging, Carnivals, Ohio, Politics, Writing | Comments Off

Daniel Jack Williamson’s evil – or something – twin took ver the carnival this week and produced what you might imagine you’d get from someone named Jack Daniels Williamson editing the Carnival of Ohio Politics #154.

Thank you to both for their very hard and fun work this week.  A great pleasure to read.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:14 pm February 11th, 2009 in Blogging, Carnivals, Ohio, Politics, Writing | Comments Off 

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Feb

11

Live-blog: Call w/Chief Economist for VP re: Recovery & Reinvestment Act (aka stimulus bill)

Filed Under Announcements, Barack Obama, Blogging, Economy, Government, Media, Politics, Tech, Whitehouse09 | 1 Comment

Here’s the description:

On Wednesday, February 11, at 4:00 p.m. ET Jared Bernstein, Chief Economist for the Vice President, will discuss the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan on a press conference call with progressive media and bloggers.  Bernstein will discuss the impacts of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan and answer questions.

I’ll be on the call and live-blogging it with permission (it’s an on the record call).  Come on back at 4pm if you’re interested and you can also feed me a question to ask on the call, since you know I never can think of anything to ask. Ahem.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:53 pm February 11th, 2009 in Announcements, Barack Obama, Blogging, Economy, Government, Media, Politics, Tech, Whitehouse09 | 1 Comment 

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Feb

11

NY Gillibrand special election: Dems choose male candidate

Filed Under Campaigning, Congress, Elections, Gender, Hillary Clinton, leadership, Politics, Voting, Women | 1 Comment

From The Fix:

Paterson To Set Special Date (Finally): After several weeks of hemming and hawing, Gov. David Paterson appears ready to announce the date of the special election to replace appointed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) in the 20th congressional district. Paterson told a local television station yesterday that he would announce the schedule for the special today; under state law, once Paterson declares the seat vacant the special election must occur within 30 to 40 days. Both parties have already picked their nominees: state Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco will carry the Republican banner and wealthy businessman Scott Murphy will be the Democratic standard-bearer. A poll released recently by Tedisco’s campaign showed him leading 50 percent to 29 percent although that survey is almost entirely a test of name identification at this early point in the race. The district is extremely competitive and the special election will receive significant attention from both national parties.

From what I could turn up on the Dem’s choice, wealthy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be – and the chosen has no political experience in NY. From NPR’s Political Junkie:

Democrats have come up with Scott Murphy, a venture capitalist who has never run for office before, has been involved in politics in his home state of Missouri — and who, according to Politico‘s Josh Kraushaar, failed to pay “thousands of dollars in taxes on a start-up computer software company he owned more than a decade ago.” In the wake of l’affaires Geithner and Daschle, not to mention allegations about House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel, Republicans feel they have a winning issue.

More on Murphy and his problems: Read more

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:47 am February 11th, 2009 in Campaigning, Congress, Elections, Gender, Hillary Clinton, leadership, Politics, Voting, Women | 1 Comment 

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Feb

11

[update] No female Senators or Reps on stimulus package conference committee

Filed Under Barack Obama, Congress, democracy, Economy, Gender, Government, leadership, Politics, Sexism, Women | 13 Comments

You have got to be kidding me:

Senate Democratic leadership has announced who will be serving on the conference committee to iron out differences in the House and Senate versions of the stimulus bill.

  • Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
  • Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont.
  • Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii
  • Finance Committee Ranking Member Charles Grassley, R-Iowa
  • Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Thad Cochran, R-Miss.

Both Finance and Appropriations were heavily involved in the creation of the Senate version, with each committee holding markups on their portions.

And for the House:

  • Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey, D-Wis.
  • Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y.
  • Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif.
  • Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Jerry Lewis, R-Calif.
  • Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Dave Camp, R-Mich.

This is what it means to not have a critical mass, to have less than 25% of your constituency represented. Only 17% of all congressional members are female. And so, with five from the Senate (5% of the Senate) and 5 from the House (just over 1%), what chance do women get to be selected for these critical reconciliation meetings?

The evidence is out there about the economic impact on women of the recession and women’s organizations have been consulted all along the way. This exclusion of all female congressional members from this final process is absolutely perplexing to say the least.

If you’re in the know, at least explain to me whether this matters. I don’t see how it doesn’t, but I’ll listen.

UPDATE: I’m not the only one who noticed.  Read comment #24, from a man:

although two Republican women senators are chiefly responsible for the passing of the senate version, there are no women on this committee!

Argh!

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:37 am February 11th, 2009 in Barack Obama, Congress, democracy, Economy, Gender, Government, leadership, Politics, Sexism, Women | 13 Comments 

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Feb

11

Mandel suggested for Voinovich’s seat

Filed Under Congress, Ohio, Pepper Pike, Politics, senate, Voting | Comments Off

Just the messenger – this is an excerpt from a letter to the editors at the Plain Dealer, posted on their blog. I don’t know if it’s in the print version.

The recent announcement that George Voinovich will retire from the Senate has many Republicans wondering who should run to succeed him. Sen. Voinovich is a moderate, voting with Republican leadership 75.3 percent of the time. So the nominee should probably be a moderate. And despite Rob Portman announcing his candidacy, he lives in Cincinnati. Southern Ohio has traditionally voted Republican, so it would help if the nominee were from Northern or Central Ohio.

It is important for Republicans to keep this seat in order to keep balance in the Senate. The best candidates to make sure this happens are Deborah Pryce, Josh Mandel and Steve LaTourette.

What makes Mandel qualified?

Josh Mandel is a young Republican who has served in the Marine Corps and graduated first in his class from Marine Corps Intelligence School. He served two tours in Iraq and was awarded the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal for “superior performance of his duties.” On top of Mandel’s military service to this country, he brings a r sum of public service. He worked hard to bring tax relief to the people he served while he was a Lyndhurst city councilman. He currently is an Ohio state representative and serves the 17th District, which is only 17 percent Republican. On top of that, he won 71.64 percent of the popular vote last election in this Democratic district. If elected he would be, at 32, the youngest senator in Ohio history.

It appears to have been written by a Benedictine high school student who was the youngest volunteer for the McCain-Palin team’s appearance in Chagrin last fall.  But given that I might have the wrong Matt Wagner, it really would be inappropriate to do more than let readers take it in for themselves.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:12 am February 11th, 2009 in Congress, Ohio, Pepper Pike, Politics, senate, Voting | Comments Off 

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