GOP Congress first order of business? Scrap the independence of ethics oversight.

[JimL]

So much for transparency and draining the swamp, on day one the republican house, behind closed doors mind you, has voted to scrap the independence of the Office of Congressional Ethics. No more independent watchdog, Congress will now be able to, if it passes the full house, be a law unto themselves. So, now we have an administration comprised of corrupt plutocrats and a Congress that, if Democrats allow it to pass, is above the law.

[Mountain Man]

And it's happening while Obama is still president.

[Bill the Cat]

So much for transparency and draining the swamp, on day one the republican house, behind closed doors mind you, has voted to scrap the independence of the Office of Congressional Ethics. No more independent watchdog, Congress will now be able to, if it passes the full house, be a law unto themselves. So, now we have an administration comprised of corrupt plutocrats and a Congress that, if Democrats allow it to pass, is above the law.

Careful Jimmy, you are agreeing with Trump!

http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/02/politi...tee-amendment/

"With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it ... may be, their number one act and priority. Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance! #DTS," Trump said over two consecutive tweets.

[One Bad Pig]

Hey Jim,

Would it kill you to provide a link when you start these threads?

[Jedidiah]

Hey Jim,

Would it kill you to provide a link when you start these threads?

It might over tax him . . .

[Cow Poke]

Hey Jim,

Would it kill you to provide a link when you start these threads?

I'm beginning to think he doesn't know how to do that, because I have asked numerous times for a link or a backup, and he never seems to be able to provide them.



ETA: I'm thinking maybe he doesn't know how to link to the pile of faxes he gets from LiberalTalkingPointsForLoonies.

[Cow Poke]

So much for transparency and draining the swamp, on day one the republican house, behind closed doors mind you, has voted to scrap the independence of the Office of Congressional Ethics. No more independent watchdog, Congress will now be able to, if it passes the full house, be a law unto themselves. So, now we have an administration comprised of corrupt plutocrats and a Congress that, if Democrats allow it to pass, is above the law.

In the first place, you got this story all wrong.

But, I'm guessing you had no problem at all when Obamacare was crafted in the middle of the night behind closed doors and rammed down the throats of the American people with Pelosi's infamous "well, you'll just have to vote on the bill to see what's in it" crap.

[seer]

They dropped the proposal after Trump criticized it! Make America Great Again!

https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/a...pendent-status

[Bill the Cat]

They dropped the proposal after Trump criticized it! Make America Great Again!

At least Jimmy was on the right side of a story for once! #JimmyIsOnTeamTrumpNow

[Mountain Man]

At least Jimmy was on the right side of a story for once! #JimmyIsOnTeamTrumpNow

OK, that's hilarious. Now watch Jimmy pull an about-face once he realizes he just agreed with Trump!

[One Bad Pig]

OK, that's hilarious. Now watch Jimmy pull an about-face once he realizes he just agreed with Trump!

And then another as that puts him in agreement with the Republicans. This has the potential to be one of those perpetual motion machines - either he agrees with Trump, or he agrees with the Republican Party.

[JimL]

Careful Jimmy, you are agreeing with Trump!

http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/02/politi...tee-amendment/

"With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it ... may be, their number one act and priority. Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance! #DTS," Trump said over two consecutive tweets.

Nah, I doubt that Trump cares one way or the other but he, like Paul Ryan, at least recognizes the bad optics involved. This vote has to do with the character of the GOP Congress, not with Trump. Trump has produced enough bad optics of his own already, with his Cabinet appointees and his own failure to comply with the practiced rules of conduct befitting a President. But this is the GOP Congress who, rather than draining the swamp, want to put themselves above the law. Again Trump is merely concerned with the optics as is implied by his "as unfair as it(an independent watchdog)...may be, quote.

[Mountain Man]

Nah, I doubt that Trump cares one way or the other but he, like Paul Ryan, at least recognizes the bad optics involved. This vote has to do with the character of the GOP Congress, not with Trump. Trump has produced enough bad optics of his own already, with his Cabinet appointees and his own failure to comply with the practiced rules of conduct befitting a President. But this is the GOP Congress who, rather than draining the swamp, want to put themselves above the law. Again Trump is merely concerned with the optics as is implied by his "as unfair as it(an independent watchdog)...may be, quote.

You can't make this stuff up, folks!

[JimL]

You can't make this stuff up, folks!

Thats right MM, you can't make up the truth.

[Jedidiah]

Nah, I doubt that Trump cares one way or the other but he, like Paul Ryan, at least recognizes the bad optics involved. This vote has to do with the character of the GOP Congress, not with Trump. Trump has produced enough bad optics of his own already, with his Cabinet appointees and his own failure to comply with the practiced rules of conduct befitting a President. But this is the GOP Congress who, rather than draining the swamp, want to put themselves above the law. Again Trump is merely concerned with the optics as is implied by his "as unfair as it(an independent watchdog)...may be, quote.

I have to agree with the idea that congress, though not just the GOP portion, is lacking on ethics. As long as we have professional politician running things there will be a large surplus of dishonesty. I support a citizen legislature with only a single term for any one in a lifetime, with no perks at all, and certainly no retirement.