Peter Roff Yesterday

Time for Term Limits in Congress?

By Peter Roff, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

In the early '90s the Republican march to majority included the idea that it was time to impose term limits on members of the U.S. House and Senate. A part of the Contract with America, term limits died thanks in part to a disagreement among its supporters over just what those terms should be.

It also didn't help the cause that those who followed Newt Gingrich and Dick Armey as leaders of the House GOP determined that voluntarily ceding power to other people might not be the most prudent of ideas, especially after the party had spent 40 years in the political wilderness.

Bonnie Erbe Yesterday

Google's Free Airport Wi-Fi: Techno-Heroin?

By Bonnie Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

I'm conflicted about Google's announcement today that it will subsidize free wireless network access in 47 airports from now until January 15—and indefinitely in the airports of Burbank, Calif., and Seattle.

The promotion, in cooperation with Boingo Wireless, Advanced Wireless Group, and Airport Marketing Income, is the latest effort to use free Wi-Fi to boost a brand. Among others: Yahoo is sponsoring Wi-Fi in Times Square in New York, and Google is sponsoring Internet access on Virgin America flights during the holidays.

It's a great holiday gift, don't get me wrong. I'm one of those frequent travelers who hates long layovers with my laptop. I'm stuck killing time between flights only to encounter the deal-breaker of a $5.00 or $10.00 charge when I try to logon at an airport.

Doug Heye Yesterday

Pelosi’s Cynical Politics: Cutting the Voters Out of the Healthcare Debate

By Doug Heye, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

Did you get the sense that the House Democratic Leadership was frantic, even desperate, to nail down the vote for the 1,990-page healthcare reform bill?

No, not the actual votes from members Democrats were worried might go south on them—though House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer had good reason to be concerned about that; 39 Democrats opposed their party's bill—but scheduling the actual vote itself. It had to be before the Veterans' Day recess.

What was the hurry? The vote was promised before Congress' August recess and didn't happen—what are a few more days to allow the legislation to be seen by the American public for 72 hours, as Pelosi promised?

Jamie Stiehm November 09, 2009

The Army Deserves Better Than Afghanistan--and Fort Hood

By Jamie Stiehm, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

Let's get real about the Army and Afghanistan. Now's not the season to study more war.

Let me count the ways, saving the Fort Hood tragedy for last.

Clearly, the Army has suffered enough in the Iraq War—so has the nation and the world since 2003. The president of peace, Barack Obama, has a historic opening to close out two conflicts started by the bellicose George W. Bush. The 43rd president's fingerprints are all over these scenes; let him own the failures in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Nor is this a matter of sending 35,000 or 40,000 troops to take care of the problems in Afghanistan. Guess what: All those troops mean another 10 years on the ground (at least). Those troops cost more money and resources than our distressed economy can afford right now. We have lost so many lives—more than 5,000—in these cruel winters of war.

Mary Kate Cary November 09, 2009

Bill Clinton on the Berlin Wall and Why We Owe George H.W. Bush Thanks

By Mary Kate Cary, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

Today is the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and I thought you might enjoy President Bill Clinton's take on what happened on November 9, 1989. He and President George H.W. Bush were both honored a few weeks ago by The International Crisis Group at a dinner in New York City. Lauren Bush stood in for her grandfather, and here's what 42 had to say, both about 41 and 43:

Lauren, thank you for coming for your grandfather. I love him very much and we have had the time of our lives in our dotage doing the work we've done in the tsunami, for Katrina. I can't tell you how much I admire him. 

And I want to emphasize something that means a lot to me and that made my job as President much easier. When the Berlin Wall fell, it was the product of nearly a half century of bipartisan American determination to protect the freedom of Western Europe and to stand up for our values. You can argue that not every call we made was right, but in the end I think we were on the right side of history. But whenever some momentous event like that happens, the question is always "Then what?"

Bonnie Erbe November 09, 2009

Women Don't Have More Family-Work Conflicts Than Men Do

By Bonnie Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

Now here's a study the results of which make me jump up and yell, "huzzah!"

According to the Academy of Management:

Bosses mistakenly believe female workers have more family-work conflict than men do, and that misconception stymies women's careers.

Just last week, I was seething over a different study that seemed to show the opposite. The second study showed that women were increasing, not decreasing, their share of household chores and child care, and that kids are being raised believing Mom does (and therefore should do) more work around the house than Dad.

Linda J. Killian November 09, 2009

Pelosi Jeopardized Vulnerable Democrats With Healthcare Vote

By Linda Killian, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

In all of the celebratory remarks by President Barack Obama and other Democrats about making history with this weekend's House vote in favor of healthcare reform nobody is really talking much about the fact that the Democrats did it by the skin of their teeth.

Thirty-nine Democrats voted against the measure which passed 220-215.

Shortly after the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic leadership team gathered before reporters to take a victory lap. But House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer couldn't help but let reality intrude on the celebration. "Much work remains," he said soberly.

Truer words were never spoken.

Peter Roff November 06, 2009

Voters Have Spoken: Stop Bailouts and Fix the Economy

By Peter Roff, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

Tuesday's exit polls, while far from an exact science, showed that nearly 80 percent of those who turned out to vote in both Virginia and New Jersey cited the economy as a major concern. New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine's mishandling of his state's economy certainly played a significant role in his ouster while Republican Bob McDonnell's "jobs, jobs, jobs" campaign clearly resonated with voters in Virginia.

If there is a message for the national politicians buried somewhere in the elections returns it is that Washington's handling of the economy needs to change, and quickly.

By all accounts, however, the Obama administration continues tacking to port, and at full speed. Not only is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi trying to rush a healthcare bill through Congress, the administration—despite the new 10 percent unemployment numbers—continues to hint that another stimulus package is in the offing, the first one having proven to be so successful.

Mary Kate Cary November 06, 2009

Wall Street's Swine Flu Vaccine Score Shows the Perils of Government Healthcare

By Mary Kate Cary, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

The blogosphere and the cable news channels are full of outrage at the fact that Wall Street firms such as Goldman Sachs, Citi, and J.P. Morgan have received thousands of doses of H1N1 vaccine, while shortages across New York City have prevented pregnant women and high-risk children from receiving shots first. Believe me, as a parent of a high-risk child who had a heck of a time getting her a shot last week—I think this is outrageous.

But in the midst of all the anger at the bailed-out bankers getting their shots, no one seems to be noticing that the New York City government health authorities are the ones who sent the vaccines to the banks in the first place, after receiving their share of the state's shipment from the publicly-run Centers for Disease Control. Clearly we have a scarce supply of vaccines, with great demand nationally, and that supply is being rationed by the government.