January 9, 2009 – Capitol Hill Blue

Palin: Kennedy getting a free ride from press

January 9, 2009

She messed up her first interviews, didn’t show much of a grasp of the issues and, dontcha know, had a speech pattern that was widely mimicked. Sarah Palin? You betcha. But Caroline Kennedy also fits the bill. The difference is that while the conservative Republican Palin was ridiculed in the press and on "Saturday Night Live" in her quest to be vice president, the liberal Democratic Kennedy, after early criticism in the media, remains the perceived favorite in her bid for a Senate seat from New York.

Illinois Court: No 2nd signature needed for Burris

January 9, 2009

The Illinois Supreme Court says Secretary of State Jesse White doesn’t need to sign Roland Burris’ appointment to the U.S. Senate to make it valid.

The ruling says no Illinois official has to do anything further to validate the appointment made by Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Burris was refused President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat this week in part because Senate Democratic leaders said his paperwork was incomplete without White’s signature.

The state Supreme Court says nothing in state law requires White to sign the appointment.

Jobless rate hits 7.2 percent

January 9, 2009

The nation’s unemployment rate bolted to 7.2 percent in December, the highest level in 16 years, as nervous employers slashed 524,000 jobs, capping one of the worst years in modern history for American workers.

Illinois House impeaches Blagojevich

January 9, 2009

The Illinois House voted overwhelmingly Friday to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich, an unprecedented action that sets up a Senate trial on whether he should be thrown out for allegedly trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat.

Impeachment required just 60 votes. The final result was 114-1.

Legislators accused the second-term Democratic governor of letting down the people of Illinois by letting ego and ambition drive his decisions.

Democratic Senators unhappy with Obama tax cuts

January 9, 2009

Senators from Barack Obama‘s own Democratic Party have raised red flags over a 300 billion dollar tax cut at the core of his stimulus plan, questioning whether it would spur growth or create jobs.

Obama team retooling financial rescue plan

January 9, 2009

President-elect Barack Obama’s economic team is urgently overhauling the $700 billion financial rescue package to broaden its scope beyond Wall Street, The Washington Post reported on Friday.

Divisions threaten Obama’s stimulus plan

January 9, 2009

Lawmakers are under orders to finish action on President-elect Barack Obama’s nearly $800 billion economic recovery plan by mid-February. But already it is plain that a set of serious fissures need to be bridged if the bill is to be completed within five weeks.

Obama urged Congress on Thursday to "act boldly and act now" to fix an economy growing perilously weaker, even as top Democrats said they dislike key provisions, especially the design of his tax cuts.

What if the stimulus plan doesn’t work?

January 9, 2009

While most people in a position of power agree an economic stimulus plan is needed, some are questioning whether or not it will work. The nation doesn’t even have a stimulus plan yet and some economists are raising red flags.

Talk about raising on the President-elect’s parade.

Illinois House ready to impeach Blagojevich

January 9, 2009

Gov. Rod Blagojevich faces almost certain impeachment by the Illinois House, a historic step that would trigger a trial to determine whether the Democratic governor should be tossed out of office.

A simple majority vote will be enough to impeach. With Blagojevich defenders almost impossible to find, the outcome appears set.