Briefly Noted

You can't make this stuff up.

AT A TOWN HALL MEEETING, , Rep, Jim Moran (D-Va)demanded to see a constituent's ID before he would answer a question. Video
Moran is a, well, colorful congressman. Wikipedia entry.

SUPRISINGLY, CBS News reports on the unread HR3200. "One of the problems with any proposed law that's over 1,000 pages long and constantly changing is that much deviltry can lie in the details." Those details? Your complete IRS data. Worse, the writer thinks, is the Stimulus bill that mandated the "utilization of an electronic health record for each person in the United States by 2014," but included only limited privacy protections.
With an administration seemingly preoccupied with what they term, "inappropriate salaries", that's worrisome.

THOSE CAMPAIGN FUNDS are looking more and more useful. For the first time, the Federal Election Commission is allowing a congressman, Rep. Pete Visclosky, to use campaign funds for the legal expenses of his staff.
Unmentioned party affiliation: D-IN
That will surely keep staff from becoming cooperating witnesses.

NO WONDER Senators don't always represent their constituent or state's interests. Look at this list of Senators raising a large percentage of funds from out-of-state interests. That's just in the first six months of this year. Open Secrets found "On the House side, CRP has found that donations are more likely to flow from in-state residents. Members of the U.S. House of Representatives raised a median of 77 percent of their individual contributions from in-state donors." Source: Center for Responsive Politics

THOSE MODERATES are "brain dead." It's not Republicans talking about their New England faux Republicans. No no. It's Pete Stark (D-Calif) From the AP: A key House liberal suggested Thursday that party moderates who've pushed for changes in health care legislation are "brain dead" and out for insurance company campaign donations." Stark heads the health subcommittee on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.
Wikipedia: Stark has a reputation for "controversial" remarks. Wikipedia entry. He's the first openly Atheist member of Congress. His Congressional district.

CASH FOR CLUNKERS is still making news. John Stossel credits the "economic illiterates" who designed the program. Some great video links. Ever wonderr what kind of car new buyers chose?

GET A FINANCIAL PLANNER. That's the advice of the bankruptcy judge in approving $20 million payout to creditors. (The problem seems to be he's had dozens of em.) Michael Vick is bankrupt. The debtors include "banks holding mortgages on Vick houses to his former team, the Atlanta Falcons, endorsed Vick's plan to repay them based on future earnings and the sales of assets, including houses, cars and investments. Debtors representing $132,743 rejected the plan."

If you are like me, you have to wonder if the creepy quarterback is too broke to fail?

When he filed for bankruptcy in 2008, he said he "owes between $10 million and $50 million to creditors." Damn generous of those unspecified banks who may or may not be getting bailout money from the taxpayers. And you have to wonder how much he owes the Falcons and how much that figured in his new job with the Eagles? (Partially answered here.) Some of those other debtors include: The IRS ($409,182.21 Now $600,000.) From one court filing PDF p 10

The Bankruptcy Court disclosure of assets (Nov 12, 2008) makes great reading. PDF

The case is Michael D. Vick, 08-50775, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Virginia