RE: Senate votes on Libby, then erases record

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From: § Lori §
Date: Jul 21, 2007 5:05 PM


From: Aloha Robert
Date: Jul 21, 2007 4:01 PM


RE: Senate votes on Libby, then erases record
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From: truth09
Date: Jul 21, 2007 1:59 PM


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From: soothe
Date: July 21, 2007 1:40 PM
Body: WASHINGTON (AP) — A brawl over presidential pardons punctured the normally courtly ambiance of the Senate on Thursday night, but Republicans and Democrats agreed to bury the hatchet and erase the evidence before the sun rose Friday.
In the heat of a partisan spat, Democrats forced a vote on a non-binding measure to instruct President Bush not to pardon former vice presidential aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. But there's no record of the 47-49 vote in the daily record of congressional proceedings — or anywhere else.

That's because senators agreed less than an hour later to undo their vote and pretend it had never happened.

It was a short detour from consideration of a popular bill to boost aid to college students. But it was a vivid example of frayed nerves in a chamber increasingly riven by partisan stalemate, on vivid display this week during the all-night Iraq debate.

The debate took a dubious turn just after dinnertime, when Republicans brought up a number of unrelated amendments that Democrats decried as politically motivated.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Democrats | Senate | Republicans | Bill Clinton | Capitol | Libby
They included a measure by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., approved 94-3, putting the Senate on record against transferring terrorism detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to "facilities in American communities and neighborhoods." That was a direct dig at Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, who has proposed shifting the detainees to U.S. prisons and shutting down Guantanamo.

An unsuccessful amendment by Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., would have barred the Federal Communications Commission from reinstating the so-called Fairness Doctrine to require broadcasters to balance conservative and liberal content. Another failed measure by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., sought to require secret ballot elections for the formation of unions, instead of making it optional — a direct challenge to organized labor, a strong source of Democratic political support.

Democrats retaliated with their own partisan salvo, the Libby pardon resolution.

"Regrettably, if you are going to shoot this way, we have to shoot that way," Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., said as he brought up the "sense of the Senate" measure.

What followed was a scene more commonly witnessed in the more raucous House on the other side of the Capitol. As senators hooted and brayed amid calls of "Regular order!", Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. pointedly noted that it's against Senate rules to call an amendment politically motivated.

After Salazar's amendment failed, Republicans took their turn, offering a non-binding resolution deploring the actions of Bill Clinton for issuing pardons to the likes of his half brother Roger, and clemency for members of a Puerto Rican nationalist group blamed for bombings in the 1970s and 1980s.

"If the Senate has decided to go into debating the appropriateness of future pardons, there is plenty of material to go around on past pardons," said McConnell.

Before that could happen, though, the two leaders cut a deal to defuse the tension. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said his side would take back their Libby amendment — including zapping the vote from the record — if McConnell took back his Clinton swipe.

With that, the Senate got back to business and completed the education bill in the wee hours of Friday morning.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

George Bush: The International Jew

RE: Terrorist in White House - Israel running the show

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From: randomlight
Date: Jul 21, 2007 5:28 PM




The reason for the war in Iraq. Oil flowing to Israel.

RE: FDA announces plan to eliminate vitamin companies

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From: ♥Galactic♥ Angel♥
Date: Jul 21, 2007 5:46 PM





Another prime example of The Supposed American Freedoms In Action
Love & Light too

33.33 Alice In Quantumland 12212012 ©
Date: Jul 21, 2007 3:35 PM


Brandon
Date: Jul 21, 2007 5:31 PM


∞ Josilyn
Date: Jul 21, 2007 4:25 PM


Thanks: Civilly disobedient
Date: Jul 21, 2007 2:13 PM


FDA Announces Plan to Eliminate Vitamin Companies
In June, the FDA announced new standards for dietary supplements that are supposed to improve consumer safety. In reality, the 800-page rule will likely interfere with business while intentionally eliminating various dietary supplement companies from the market.

Gone Within Five Years

The rule will be phased in over the next three years, and within five years half of the supplement industry could be gone or selling their products at significantly higher prices.

Independent analysis of the rule found that compliance costs will be 10 times the FDA estimates. The ruling surrounds the dietary supplement industry with regulations and requirements in excess of those imposed on the drug industry, and up to 50 percent of small companies will simply not be able to afford to comply.

“Hard Pressed to Continue to Operate”

The FDA itself states in the rule that:

“Establishments with above average costs, and even establishments with average costs, could be hard pressed to continue to operate. Some of these may decide it is too costly and either change product lines or go out of business.”

The rule will also raise the price of dietary supplements to consumers. According to the FDA:

“We expect that the majority of these costs will be borne by consumers of dietary supplements, who will likely respond to the increase in prices by reducing consumption.”

News With Views June 27, 2007

Dr Mercola's comments:
Makers of dietary supplements, including vitamins, herbs, and others, are going to be hard-pressed to comply with these new standards. They are already operating at an unfair disadvantage, compared to the big drug companies that have enough cash to bend any legislation in their favor.

Even before this new ruling, they were limited from making health claims (this is reserved only for drugs). Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? But consider that it’s still illegal even in cases where the claims have been clearly proven -- cherry growers cannot legally say that tart cherries may do more good than aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs when it comes to pain relief, even though studies back them up.

The drug companies financially support the FDA in the form of user fees for drug approval, so naturally the FDA tends to protect the hand that feeds it. In addition, from 1998 to 2005, drug and chemical corporations spent $758 million on lobbying politicians, in efforts to influence what food and drug products can be marketed and how they are labeled.

In the 2004 elections alone, nearly $1 million was contributed to President Bush, $500,000 to his opponent John Kerry, and over $100,000 was contributed to approximately 18 members of Congress. The drug and chemical industries employ over 1,200 full-time lobbyists, including 40 former members of Congress.

The drug and chemical corporate lobbyists are extremely successful at what they do, which puts the FDA at the mercy of the very same chemical industry that they aim to regulate. The inevitable result is that the FDA puts drug company profits ahead of your health.

Although the FDA and government are loaded with people trying to eliminate all competition for the drug companies, there are still some who are seeking justice. U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, for instance, has introduced much-needed legislation that would limit the FDA’s authority over supplements.