Tom Tancredo (R-CO): Race based Congressional Caucus is hypocrisy
article from a Jan 25 post from the AP:
White House hopeful Tom Tancredo said Thursday the existence of the Congressional Black Caucus and other race-based groups of lawmakers amount to segregation and should be abolished.
and here is the quote:
"It is utterly hypocritical for Congress to extol the virtues of a colorblind society while officially sanctioning caucuses that are based solely on race," said the Colorado Republican,
Well the problem here is that Representative Tancredo gives no examples of Congress extolling the virtues of a colorblind society (and frankly I doubt there are very many examples). In addition I'm not sure there is a difference between regular hypocrisy and utter hypocrisy. I presume this is just a rhetorical device. Finally, I am pretty sure the race based caucuses do essentially nothing at all.
Case dismissed.
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2007/01/25/D8MSH6A00.html
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Monday, January 15, 2007
The Pelosi-Samoa story evolves
Subsequent to the passage of the house minimum wage bill, Speaker Pelosi has, as I understand it, placed a note in the House records advising any conferees appointed to a Senate-House conference to agree to give up the Samoan exception to the minimum wage bill. However, it is unclear what this actually means because subsequent to the 'note in the House records' event, Pelosi and Representative Miller (of CA) announced that, in deference to the Representative from American Samoa they would jointly oppose requiring American Samoa to be covered since 'it would be devestating to the Samoan economy'. Of course, the Senate hasn't taken up the bill yet so this is a long way from over. And here is the statement of the Representative of American Samoa (non voting, Dem) on the issue:
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/as00_faleomavaega/minimumwage2007.html
Subsequent to the passage of the house minimum wage bill, Speaker Pelosi has, as I understand it, placed a note in the House records advising any conferees appointed to a Senate-House conference to agree to give up the Samoan exception to the minimum wage bill. However, it is unclear what this actually means because subsequent to the 'note in the House records' event, Pelosi and Representative Miller (of CA) announced that, in deference to the Representative from American Samoa they would jointly oppose requiring American Samoa to be covered since 'it would be devestating to the Samoan economy'. Of course, the Senate hasn't taken up the bill yet so this is a long way from over. And here is the statement of the Representative of American Samoa (non voting, Dem) on the issue:
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/as00_faleomavaega/minimumwage2007.html
Friday, January 12, 2007
Nancy Pelosi, Samoa and the Marianas Islands
The new speaker of the House of Representatives is Nancy Pelosi. She had promised, that, if she became speaker, the House would pass legislation raising the minimum wage.
Apparently, this came to pass earlier this week.. There is, however, a little glitch. Apparently the existing minimum wage (which now is $5.15) did not apply to US administered territories, including the Marianas Islands and American Samoa. The legislation passed does apply to the Marianas Islands but not to American Samoa. Businesses in the Marianas Islands are thought to give money to Republican fundraising efforts. American Samoa has a large tuna canning industry. One tuna related company operating in American Samoa is StarKist Tuna, a subsidiary of Del Monte Industries, which has a HQ office in SF (Pelosi's district). The other tuna related company operating in American Samoa is Chicken-of-theSea which has a HQ in California outside Pelosi's district.
Pelosi's office denied that Pelosi had been lobbied by either company to have the minimum wage not apply to American Samoa.
I'll grant you this is sneaky, probably suspicious, maybe even sleazy, but what is the hypocrisy? Did Nancy Pelosi ever say, "The minimum wage should apply everwhere the American Flag flies" or words to that effect. Apparently, the only statements she made were of the "We believe the minimum wage should be raised." variety. Thus, I'm going to give Pelosi a pass unless I get access to more definitive statements.
A headline writer who is more free with the charge of hypocrisy wrote at this site:
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20070112-120720-2734r.htm
The new speaker of the House of Representatives is Nancy Pelosi. She had promised, that, if she became speaker, the House would pass legislation raising the minimum wage.
Apparently, this came to pass earlier this week.. There is, however, a little glitch. Apparently the existing minimum wage (which now is $5.15) did not apply to US administered territories, including the Marianas Islands and American Samoa. The legislation passed does apply to the Marianas Islands but not to American Samoa. Businesses in the Marianas Islands are thought to give money to Republican fundraising efforts. American Samoa has a large tuna canning industry. One tuna related company operating in American Samoa is StarKist Tuna, a subsidiary of Del Monte Industries, which has a HQ office in SF (Pelosi's district). The other tuna related company operating in American Samoa is Chicken-of-theSea which has a HQ in California outside Pelosi's district.
Pelosi's office denied that Pelosi had been lobbied by either company to have the minimum wage not apply to American Samoa.
I'll grant you this is sneaky, probably suspicious, maybe even sleazy, but what is the hypocrisy? Did Nancy Pelosi ever say, "The minimum wage should apply everwhere the American Flag flies" or words to that effect. Apparently, the only statements she made were of the "We believe the minimum wage should be raised." variety. Thus, I'm going to give Pelosi a pass unless I get access to more definitive statements.
A headline writer who is more free with the charge of hypocrisy wrote at this site:
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20070112-120720-2734r.htm
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