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Staffers' Blackberries Confiscated as the Tough Negotiations Begin at Congress

September 27, 2008 5:30 PM

Staffers for the principal negotiators of the Wall Street bailout bill were asked to turn over their BlackBerries Saturday afternoon so as to prevent leaks, as members of Congress and the Bush administration rolled up their sleeves to try to hammer out a compromise bill.

Bbs_2The BlackBerries, with Post-It notes identifying their owners, vibrated away in a small trash can, and later were spread out on a table for later retrieval, as their owners tried to help their bosses resolve the legislative logjam in one of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's offices on the second floor of the U.S. Capitol building.

House Republicans, who had not been meaningfully involved in the process until Thursday, when they announced they would not vote for the compromise bill first proposed by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, sent a high-ranking member of their leadership, Minority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., who arrived to the negotiations carrying a tall cup of coffee.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., projected confidence before the meeting, saying, "It would be my hope that this could be resolved today, that we had a day for the American people and members of Congress to review the legislation on the Internet, that we could bring something to the floor possibly Sunday night or Monday morning."

House Ways and Means chairman Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., currently the subject of an Ethics Committee investigation into whether he skirted taxes, made a surprise showing, joining Blunt, House Financial Services Committee chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., Senate Banking Committee chairman Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and the ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, Judd Gregg, R-N.H.

Republicans, who had wanted a five-person meeting with Blunt, Frank, Gregg, Dodd and Paulson, also saw the table fill with other Democrats inserting themselves into the process, including House Caucus chair Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I.

House Republicans have been pushing for the U.S. government to provide insurance for the troubled assets threatening so many financial firms, as an alternative to the U.S. government purchasing them. But today the GOPers also started hammering away on other provisions in the bill.

Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Fla., said his GOP colleagues want to make sure the bill "results in effective intervention, that impacts not only Manhattan island but all of Main Street communities across this country. We want to make sure not only is it effective for the taxpayer but it is a clean bill that does not have special interest demands attached to it, simply because it appears to be the last train leaving the Congress for this month.”

September 27, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (185)

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No wonder Obama and Democrats want taxpayers to give millions to ACORN.

ACORN is the only way Obama will win this election.

Posted by: meggie | Sep 28, 2008 11:08:32 AM

"If he loses Obama will just becomes more of a martyr. People will continue to worship him and ignore the truth."
-----
Nobody will be worshipping The CHANGEling any more, howEVER hard the media pushes the fiction that he "won" the debate with McCain.

When he loses the election, Obama will disappear into "corporate" life. He had no following BEFORE Kerry/Axelrod's bs campaign, and there's no reason to think he'll have a following when it's over, inasmuch as he's lied or backtracked on everything -- AND has been caught suppressing information in Missouri.

Posted by: Belle Starr | Sep 28, 2008 11:07:47 AM

Obama:

Millions in earmarks--Reparations

Taxcuts--Handouts/Welfare

Free Health Care--Controlled by the gov't,even for illegals, paid by taxpayers

Tax increases--kills small businesses
and jobs

Posted by: sam | Sep 28, 2008 11:05:58 AM

"Maybe [Obama]’s psychic [in "reviewing" Colin Powell's UN speech a year before it was made]."
-----
This morning, The CHANGEling's all over the news blowing his own horn on the "bailout", taking credit for ... who KNOWS what.

The interesting thing is that NO one else, from EITHER party, is singing Obama's praises. His chairing that secret meeting MUST have been pretty bad.

Posted by: Belle Starr | Sep 28, 2008 11:01:23 AM

God or fate may have a bigger plan for BHO.
If he loses Obama will just becomes more of a martyr. People will continue to worship him and ignore the truth.

But if he wins--the media,and the people will not have Bush, McCain,Palin,Republicans as a scapegoat to blame for all the world's problems.

The blame will all go to Obama,Pelosi, Reid and the Democrats.

As BO breaks promises the media will quickly turn on him. The world will see him for the fraud he really is.

Posted by: riley | Sep 28, 2008 11:00:28 AM

I don't think Obama cares about the troops, the middle-class, or our country.

He cares about making history, turning America into another wimpy country like France, and pushing his radical ideals.

He'll make Wright, Frank Davis, William Ayers so proud, at our expense.

Posted by: sally | Sep 28, 2008 10:52:10 AM

The Congressional Democrat bailout that was prematurely announced before McCain arrived on the scene was set to give 20% of any taxpayer profit and "donating" it to ACORN, La Raza, and the Urban League, all left wing "organizations". La Raza even supports Mexico's reconquest of the American southwest.

You are damn right I'm glad Sen. McCain went to DC to stop this anti-American piece of garbage the Democrats tried to pass off to the American people.

McCain lead, and Obama wasn't even smart enough to follow. He was ordered back by the President. Please don't try to say that anyone told a 25+ year Senator to keep quiet. He was a fresh set of eyes on the scene and taking in a situation; like a TRUE leader.

Posted by: J.D. | Sep 28, 2008 10:48:24 AM

Apparently, the family of the dead soldier whose name Obama wears on a bracelet (a name he had trouble remembering during the debate) told him to stop wearing the bracelet because they didn't want to draw any more attention to themselves.

Speaking on a Wisconsin Public Radio show a few months ago, Brian Jopek, father of Ryan Jopek who lost his life to a roadside bomb in 2006, said his wife was surprised that Obama was still wearing the bracelet even after the family told him to take it off but didn't want to make a big deal of it because she supported his candidacy.

A transcript courtesy of Newsbusters:

Brian Jopek: Because of some of the negative feedback she's gotten on the Internet, you know Internet blogs, you know people accusing her of... or accusing Obama of trying to get votes doing it... and that sort of thing.

Radio Host Moberg: Yeah

Jopek: She has turned down any subsequent interviews with the media because she just didn't want it to get turned into something that it wasn't. She had told me in an email that she had asked, actually asked Mr. Obama to not wear the bracelet any more at any of his public appearances. Which I don't think he's...

Moberg: It has been a while since he's brought it up.

Jopek: Right. But, the other night I was watching the news and he was on, uh, speaking somewhere and he was still wearing it on his right wrist. I could see it on his right wrist. So, that's his own choice. I mean that's something Barack Obama, that's a choice that he continues to wear it despite Tracy asking him not to... Because she is a Barack Obama supporter and she didn't want to do anything to sabotage his campaign, so, if he's still wearing the bracelet then, uh, that of course is entirely up to him.

Posted by: Yellow Journalism | Sep 28, 2008 10:46:11 AM

Getsmart, ACORN has a history of voter fraud, embezzlement and misuses of taxpayer funds. Here is a quote from the Wall Street Journal just prior to the 2006 election:

"So, less than a week before the midterm elections, four workers from Acorn, the liberal activist group that has registered millions of voters, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for submitting false voter registration forms to the Kansas City, Missouri, election board…. We wish this were an aberration, but allegations of fraud have tainted Acorn voter drives across the country. Acorn workers have been convicted in Wisconsin and Colorado, and investigations are still under way in Ohio, Tennessee and Pennsylvania."

ACORN is still in the business of registering mass numbers of voters all across the country. And based on the earlier reports the Democrats want ACORN to reap huge benefits from any profits that may occur from this $700 billion rescue package. And guess what? Sen. Obama has a long history with ACORN. He used to work with ACORN as a community organizer. And he used to train ACORN's Chicago members in leadership seminars. Sen. Obama was once ACORN's legal council. And Sen. Obama also sat on the boards of Woods Fund and Joyce Foundation that poured money into ACORN. I wonder how much of Sen. Obama's $900 million worth of earmarks went to ACORN?

Posted by: James Danley | Sep 28, 2008 10:38:59 AM

"The democratic leaders had Obama chair the meeting so they can come with a statement saying that Obama took charge and show strong leadership in the economic meeting with the President. Unfortunately, it did not go as planned. It was said that Obama started the meeting confused, using wrong facts, and not able to get his words out."
-----
If The CHANGEling can't chair a secret meeting, maybe he's NOT so grand at "bringing people to the table" blablabla.

ANYbody else for president is the way to go.

Posted by: Belle Starr | Sep 28, 2008 10:18:55 AM

take away their Blackberrys?...Now maybe they will get things done!...Never should have let them have blackberrys on the floor in the first place.... (by the way do they have stock in the blackberrys?)

Posted by: AnnD52 | Sep 28, 2008 10:15:26 AM

"How dare Pelosi stand up there and blame the House Republicans for not participating in the talks sooner than they did and hold her press conference calling them UNPATRIOTIC. Some Speaker of the House she has turned out to be."
-----
Pelosi and Obama make it pretty clear that identity politics was a really bad way to go. They make you yearn for President Nader -- an older white guy, with actual principles.

Posted by: Belle Starr | Sep 28, 2008 10:11:56 AM

"why are we not hearing more about this acorn??"
-----
Because hearing more about ACORN might bring up the sleazy subject of how The CHANGEling "won" in the primaries?

Posted by: Belle Starr | Sep 28, 2008 10:06:07 AM

"Well firstly about acorn and why fox news is the only one running it is simple. Its a lie we all know or sould know that fox news is republican and they will say ANYTHING at this point to smear the dems ..."

The Wall Street Journal has an article about it too. Search for 'Re-seeding the Housing Mess' on their website.

Posted by: mak | Sep 28, 2008 9:55:10 AM

Remember how the Patriot Act was passed. Nobody read it. It had to be passed quickly before Congress adjourned. THey passed it, didn't know what was in it and its now the law of the land and the public suffers the consequences. THat too was a Bush plan, passed by a Democrat majority without any oversight from the American people. Will we know whats in this plan before its voted on? Not if they can help it. I know we've got to do something but it better not be a give-away to the corrupt companies, CEO's and politicians who rely on the donations of these companies.
Yea, I could have bought a house but knew I could not afford it and didn't. The people who did should not be rewarded for being stupid and greedy. I know alot of people who bought homes thinking they were gonna be ATM machines. Everyday, I would hear people brag about what their house was worth although they had no equity in it. THey then bought new cars, charged up their credit cards and spent wildly on the idea they were making a fortune on a home that's value was artificially inflated.

Posted by: glennmcgahee | Sep 28, 2008 9:46:01 AM

In a time of financial crisis you can always depend on the dems to figure out away to make the middle class pay for their special projects. Whay are Barney Frank & Chris Dodd in any meetings. What keen insight are these to going to have? They both have repeatedly told us that Frannie & Freddie are fine? Where is the accountability? None because Pelosi & Reid are out their speading lies to further decieve the public?

Posted by: ubu1991 | Sep 28, 2008 9:41:38 AM

Well firstly about acorn and why fox news is the only one running it is simple. Its a lie we all know or sould know that fox news is republican and they will say ANYTHING at this point to smear the dems and why not Bush has been lieing to you for the past 8 years and you have just now all started waking up to it. Secondly the bailout bill was sent to congress by the white house i.e. Bush the republican. It got congress and it had NO OVERSITE AND NO TAXPAYER PROTECTION AND OUTRAGOUS PAYOUTS TO THE EXECS THAT RAN THERE COMPANIES INTO THE GROUND. To me people these are things that NEED to be changed. And the dems are trying to change those things and the republicans are dead set against it. So now you say well the dems are in control of congress right they can simply out vote them. Well yes and no. They could out vote them and send it to the white house where bush has PROMICED TO VETO IT IF THERE ARE THESES CHANGES TO PROTECT THE TAX PAYERS AND REGULATE EXEC PAYOUTS. Why would he do this you ask? Because he is on the way out and only cares on helping those rich folks out so they will remember him when hes out of office. The american people already hate him and they arent going to give him anything so why should he be worried about them at this point. So he vetos the bill it goes back but guess what? Even though the dems are in control THEY ONLY HAVE A 51% MAJORITY!!! THEY CANT OVERRIDE A VETO THAT TAKES A 2/3RDS!!! WHICH THEY CANT GET WITHOUT THE REPUBLICANS THAT DONT SUPPORT THEM SO THE BILL IS DEAD AND EVERYONE THINKS ITS BECAUSE OF THE DEMS THEY HAVE THE MAJORITY THEY MUST HAVE STOPED IT. When in fact they only have 51% so sence we have a republican president they cant do anything in reality the republicans can shut them down and make it look like its there fault. And you people are so stupid you allow fox news to side track you with lies so you dont see how congress and the power of a republican veto works.

Posted by: getsmart | Sep 28, 2008 9:28:52 AM

from this mornings article @ msnbc business DEAL REACHED ON FINANCIAL MARKET BAILOUT "The legislation would place "reasonable" limits on severance packages for executives of companies that benefit from the rescue plan, said a senior administration official who was authorized to speak only on background."

SEVERANCE!! Why should there be any severance at all... When the NY company I worked at for 9 years closed closed the NH location last February, there was no severance for me.. If any severance is giving out
with taxpayer money then all who voted for this should be kicked out of office.

Posted by: NHcitizen | Sep 28, 2008 9:24:29 AM

why are we not hearing more about this acorn??
why is only fox saying anything?
are the networks covering for someone??
I guess we can't handle the truth!!!

Posted by: ee | Sep 28, 2008 9:09:43 AM

McHooverville, actually it was over regulation--and lack of Congressional oversight--that caused this mess.

An article by the Investor's Business Daily (posted Sept 15, 2008) explains it very well. Here is an excerpt.

"But it was the Clinton administration, obsessed with multiculturalism, that dictated where mortgage lenders could lend, and originally helped create the market for the high-risk subprime loans now infecting like a retrovirus the balance sheets of many of Wall Street's most revered institutions.

"Tough new regulations forced lenders into high-risk areas where they had no choice but to lower lending standards to make the loans that sound business practices had previously guarded against making. It was either that or face stiff government penalties."

In addition organizations like ACORN (who may reap huge benefits from the proposed $700 billion rescue package) pushed to have the banks lower their lending standards so that low to middle income families could purchase homes that they could not afford.

Government interference inhibits the free market's ability to correct itself. The housing market downturn should have been a very simple correction. Especially if homeowners had taken fixed mortgage rates, because then the banks could not have raised the interest rates and doubled or even tripled the mortgage payments which resulted in hundreds of thousands of foreclosures. Home prices got too high, causing a pause in the buying of homes. As soon as the prices dropped enough, buyers would jump back on board--as they are right now. BUT instead, the millions of individuals who want to buy a home and are now ready to jump back into the market, find there are no loans to be had.

Posted by: James Danley | Sep 28, 2008 8:59:47 AM

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