Representative Arcuri has joined his Republican neighbor in opposing or neglecting much of the strong progressive legislation that’s been offered so far in this session of Congress. If voters in the 24th congressional district want to see a departure from the Bush-era record of regressive politics, Congressman Arcuri won’t be the leader to get them there.

For this bunch of new blue dogs, indifference to the needs of working Americans is only the start of the problem.

Practically speaking, the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 is a sound financial investment of our nation’s resources. After all, healthy children grow up to become productive adults.

Besides the highly objectionable right wing ideology Chet Edwards favors, there’s the problem of his lack of experience. Chet Edwards has represented a fringe congressional district in a fringe state. he doesn’t have any executive experience to balance Obama’s legislative experience. In the House of Representatives, Chet Edwards has never managed to hold anything but obscure leadership positions in minor subcommittees.

The FISA Amendments Act is corrupt beyond amendment. So, Rhode Island, it’s time to call Sheldon Whitehouse at (202) 224-2921 and tell him that you want him to defend the Constitution and vote NO on the FISA Amendments Act.

I wanted to know what congressional candidate Nick Sparks had to say about the FISA Amendments Act. Does he support its measures giving retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies? Does Sparks support the aspects of the law that enable physical searches of Americans’ homes by government agents without any search warrants or judicial approval?

Heckman is a fool. If he had actually read the FISA Amendments Act, Doug Heckman would never say that the FISA Amendments Act clarifies anything. He would come to the obvious conclusion that the FISA Amendments Act is written in order to be unclear. The law appears to give some protections, only to take them away in separate sections of text.

Congress still doesn’t know how far President Bush went in violating the law to spy against American citizens. Why then, is Congress granting Bush permission to keep on spying against Americans? Where is the oversight that Congress is supposed to pursue?

Pete Visclosky, a Democrat who represents the first congressional district of Indiana, was not able to make it to Capitol Hill for the vote on H.R. 6304. He has, however, registered an official statement in the congressional record that if he had been able to be present for the vote, he would have voted against the bill.

This morning I found a strong sign that, at long last, the Democratic presidential primary is over. In a few days we’ll have the Oregon and Kentucky primary elections, to be sure, but in effect the Democratic presidential nominee is already chosen. Here’s my sign: A campaign button promoting presidential candidate Barack Obama and U.S. [...]