Leahy Asks Republicans To Give Eventual Supreme Court Nominee A Swift Confirmation

By Justine Rellosa- Talk Radio News Service

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who chairs the Judiciary Committee, urged his Republican colleagues Tuesday to give President Barack Obama's eventual nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens a speedy and congenial confirmation.

"The Senate and the Judiciary Committee are preparing to consider President Obama's nominee to succeed Justice Stevens, and I hope the pattern of delay and obstruction, [which] has been so evident in this Congress, will not affect the Commitee's fair and prompt consideration of the president's nominee," said Leahy during a press briefing.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who appeared alongside Leahy, expressed his disappointment that other key judicial nominees whose confirmations have been stalled.

"The delay is perplexing because most of these nominees are non-controversial and it's no accident that so little controversy surrounds them because President Obama selects judges who are clearly in the mainstream," Schumer said.

Stevens, who announced his retirement Friday, will leave the Court this summer. His decision gives Obama the chance to appoint his second Supreme Court Justice. In 2009, Obama appointed Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Rockefeller Introduces Public Option Amendment To Finance Committee Bill

Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico /Talk Radio News Service

The biggest debate on the fifth day of markup of the America’s Healthy future Act focused heavily on the “public option.” Liberal Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WVa.) introduced his amendment to Senate Finance Comittee Chairman Max Baucus' (D-Mont.) mark providing for a “public option,” or what he calls the “Consumer Choice Health Plan.”

The debate began with Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) criticizing Rockefeller's amendment, calling it a “Trojan horse for a single payer program [that] would lead to Washington controlling health care and monitoring prices."

Rockefeller kept a stern attitude on his amendment stating that, “It would not be a government takeover." However, the West Virginia Democrat refused to answer questions put to him by Hatch.

Heavy debate ensued on non-profit insurance programs from Senator Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and how well they have worked in his state, and how poorly the US as a whole compares to other nations. Conrad made a compelling argument for the “Mutual” based system with non-profit companies that would attempt to provide for universal healthcare coverage.

Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) further argued that Medicare rates would be fixed during the first two years under Rockefeller's amendment - Rockefeller proudly held up two fingers. After the two years though, explained Bingaman, rates would be further negotiated, which would essentially adjust prices to fit in line with private companies.

Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) compared the health care plan to universities, saying that "There’s both a private university and public university...there should be a choice."

Democrats agreed that Rockefeller’s amendment would build competition within the open market, while Republicans contended that it will bring price adjustments along with a government-run, single payer takeover of the entire healthcare system.

“This is a slippery slope to go down… it will lead to a government-run single payer option,” said Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.).

Markup is scheduled to continue late Tuesday night and will reconvene Wednesday morning.

Senator Schumer happy with 2008 election results

Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) gave a press conference on behalf of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee concerning the current state of three Senate races.

Schumer pointed out that the Senate race between Al Franken and Norm Coleman in Minnesota is the closest race in that state’s history, with 206 votes currently separating the two candidates. He also pointed out that the state law requires a recount when races are this close, and said that both candidates should let the officials do their jobs. An “impartial recount must go forward,” said Schumer, criticizing the attacks and intimidation tactics that the right wing was using. He referred to a story that claimed 32 votes had been locked in a car overnight was “completely fabricated by the right-wing.”

In Alaska, the absentee and questionable ballots that are being counted have put Democratic candidate Mark Begich ahead of Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). Although Schumer said he would not make any predictions, he was “cautiously optimistic” that Begich would win.

In Georgia, Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Ala.) defeated Democratic candidate Jim Martin but got less than 50% of the popular vote. Under the state law in Georgia, this will require a runoff election between the two candidates. Schumer said he was pleased with the outcome and was hopeful Martin would win in the runoff, and concluded “We’ve added enough Democrats to the Senate to bring change to the American people.”

Tsunami hitting the American economy

As the Joint Economic Committee gathered for a full committee hearing on “The Employment Situation: May 2008” Senator Charles E. Schumer (D- N.Y.), the Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, and Phillip L. Rones, the Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, discussed the increasing unemployment rates effect on the American economy. They explained how the economy has experienced the biggest single-month surge in unemployment since 1986, with Schumer going as far as describing it as “a tsunami hitting our economy.”

Rones focused on the depth of the issue by saying that the unemployment rate has increased from 5.0 to 5.5 percent within the last month. For the year thus far, job losses have totaled 324,000 producing an overall estimated 8.5 million Americans who are currently unemployed.

Rones also explained that unemployment has hit most major demographic groups. Unemployment rates increased for adult men, adult women, teens, whites, and blacks, while employment also declined in the areas of construction, manufacturing, retail trade, and temporary help services.

Rones and Schumer also discussed the program cuts that have been experienced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) this past year, along with those that are planned to be cut in 2009. The BLS is experiencing a deficit of $30 million for 2008 and is preparing for another $50 million worth of programs to be cut next year. Schumer agreed with Rones saying that these deficits need to be fixed in order to guarantee that the Committee is able to receive the accurate information they require, helping them make the best possible decisions regarding the American economy.