“The level of anger with the president has sidetracked Congress,” Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, told The Eagle editorial board recently. He said that the left has so pressed Democratic members of Congress that they’re having trouble making progress. “We’re not focused on getting good policy done,” he said.
Tiahrt disagreed that the GOP failed to oversee the Bush administration when it was in charge of Congress. “A lot of the things were done out of the public eye to try to avoid bad press, but there was oversight,” he said.
But Tiahrt agrees with some concerns by Democrats about the power and privileges claimed by the executive branch, such as President Bush’s use of signing statements to negate legislation. “There is some truth to that,” he said.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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70 Comments
Funny, I thought the record number of filibusters and Bush’s numerous vetoes would compromise progress. Tiahrt voted against subsidies to small farmers because companies who hide behind a foreign PO Box would have to pay higher taxes.
Yeah, somehow it doesn’t appear to be the Democrats fault. How’s those term limits going Tiahrt?
all together now…everything is wonderful in it’s own way.
All this said with both of Todd’s hands clasped firmly to his buns.
They’re having trouble making progress for two reasons, Todd:
1. Bush and his staff are extraordinarily uncooperative.
2. The Republicans in Congress are stalemating. You know damn well that plenty of legislation has been put on the table.
Let’s vote you out, Todd. Then we’ll see about progress on legislation, and we’ll know where the fault REALLY lay.
He is part of the problem and needs to GO! Oversight!? We already know “A lot of the things were done out of the public eye,” and we also know it isn’t called oversight!
It sure would be nice if you all sent todd home to “spend more time with his family”.
I know, i know–We can STALL, RESIST, STALL, RESIST and then blame the new Democratic Congress for being do-nothings. THen the public will forget what a LOUSY JOB we did while in power–maybe they’ll focus less on how much we have f***ked everything up, and how much worse off this country is than it was 8 years ago!!!
Obfuscate and misdirect. It worked in Iraq, why not now?
Todd helped to turn the status of congress to little more than a presidential door mat, and now he’s complaining about executive power oversight?
What a joke! Tankerless Todd helps lead the charge against the President and now he complains when the favor is returned. Paybacks are hell ain’t they Tankerless?
By the way – just where are all those tanker jobs anyway?
I find it irritating that the Republican congress had to hide things from the public to avoid bad press! WHAT? They had to hide what going on from we, the American public? The very ones who, including MR.THaRT we put in office to represent us? Ha! “Fool me once, shame one you! Fool me twice, shame one me! You won’t get another chance to do it again! How ignorant do Republicans think Americans are?
“Avoid bad press” = “make sure the public doesn’t find out what the government is really doing.”
lj – if he meant what I have a feeling he meant then I would agree with you – uncalled for.
Tiahrt.
This is the guy that ran on “term limits” . . . in 1992.
This is the guy that still talks with a straight face about “a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget” when his party has driven the country into historic DEBT.
The man lies and does not lie well.
Make that 1994 . . .
LJ and Ben – I think we know exactly what he meant, and it was definitely uncalled for!!! I do not like what Tiahrt stands for, and have never voted for him, but losing a family member, a child no less, to suicide is NOT something that should be joked about, EVER!!!
So what did todd do behind the scenes for oversight? Set up/join a “Comittee to Implore his Highness”? Must have been some behind the scenes grovelling we weren’t aware of, lot of good it did.
“A lot of the things were done out of the public eye to try to avoid bad press, but there was oversight,” he said.
Did the Eagle editorial board question him on this statement? It seems to have caught everyone’s attention on this blog, but you would think he would have to explain this statement.
You think the WE is gonna put tough questions to their chosen and annointed one?
Pul-eeeeeeze!
They’ll do that about the same time they ban trolls…
Most progress happens “Behind the sceems” in politics.
Very little progress happens in front of the TV cameras.
Before you liberals argue with me, watch C-span, during a technical debate on a bill.
Notice how EMPTY the floor is, in the Senate or the House.
Grandstanding in front of the cameras rarely gets anything done.
Everyone knows this.
Tiahrt was just willing to say it.
Econ,
The camera in the chamber is always “on” for members to go grandstand. Unless there’s motions on the floor, most members of congress are in committee hearings or in meetings with constituents. Committees are not out of view of the press, in the sense that Tiahrt means it. I believe he’s referring to back-room dealing that’s done outside committees, and outside the process that holds him and every other member of congress accountable for their actions.
It’s really time for Todd to move on.
Okay Todd, give us just one illustrative example of when the congress changed the executive’s decree, or when th Out of Sight, Oversight was used.
Unfortunately Todd will be reelected, — primarily by the folks that defeated the casino ….
Ken,
I’m not sure that’s a completely accurate view of the voters in the county. Sebelius won Sedgwick County, as did Paul Morrison. A good, _credible_ candidate against Tiahrt could make a good run. The problem is, there hasn’t been a good, credible candidate for a few years.
Perhaps we will get lucky and Congress will descend into petty bickering and take no actions at all.
It would certainly be an improvement on what they are doing.
Um, Proudman, tell me that’s not what they’re doing right now?
WEblog editors; We realize you’re not investigative journalist, but don’t you think some of Todd’s statements beg other questions being asked? Or, is the plan to run an article with the rest of the interview?
Isn’t that what the Wizard of Oz said to Dorothy and her Kansas entourage?
“…ignore that man behind the screen”
The Wizard of Todd…
Move along folks, nothing to see here.
“put tough questions to their chosen and annointed one?”
keyword ‘their’
Ownership is empowering.
So now the rubberstamp has second thoughts about grabbing his ankles for the Bush Administration? Please. Far too little, way too late.
Great to see the loyal footsoldier express some belated embarrassment about how fully he’s abrogated his sworn duty to defend the Constitution–in the present case, against a renegade Chief Executive.
Talk is cheap, Representative Tiahrt. Why don’t you speak out, and vote, against the President’s use of signing statements and expanisve claims of limitless power?
I’m wondering if the capitualtion to signing statements wasn’t some of that behind the scenes oversight.
I seem to recall the libs on this board claiming that one of Bush’s “excesses” was the use of warantless wiretaps, which the Democrat Congress just approved, without much, PUBLIC, oversight.
(Which was a good thing.)
Editors, please remove 1:04 post
Rev Jim,
That was completely foul, tasteless, and vile. No parent should ever have to suffer the pain of losing a child, no matter what the circumstances. For you to mock Tiahrt for his family tragedy is disgusting.
As long as Tiahrt portrays himself as a champion of “family” values, *his* family’s values are worth mentioning.
I’ve been censored today because the hypocrites who would dictate their version of morality to the world are unwilling to confront the truth.
Politics ain’t beanbag.
Just for the record, I’m not posting any of this stuff that doesnt have my name on it. And I’m not posting on this thread anymore.
I remember what happened last time this subject came up.
“Tom” –
I understand and appreciate your opinion, and I respect it… to a degree.
But as long as Tiahrt proclaims his moral superiority to dictate to my daughters their control over their own bodies, I’ll piss on his plaster sainthood.
Luke Tiahrt’s sexual orientation is not the issue. Whatever prompted his to suicide, his parents were not there for him when he needed them. Ah, but Todd’s there to preach to my daughters and spur his base to call them “Baby Murderers!”
LTP,
It looks like the post of mine you’re responding to has been deleted.
All it said, in essence, was there’s nothing but unsubstantiated rumors, and people need to leave the Tiahrt family alone and let them mourn in peace.
I can’t figure out what’s offensive in that.
Paul, the 41 Democrats who approved of Bush’s unconstitutional domestic spying is not the majority of Democrats (math, it’s a new concept to you). Also, they were primarily conservative Democrats which means Republican lite. Of course you made a claim so I’m sure everyone has learned by now that you aren’t absolutely truthful.
“Tom” –
And that’s the risk of censorship.
Whomever is monitoring WEBlog today is on a roll. They deleted my original post, my response to those who objected to it, and eventually the mosts that objected to it. Your post was not objectionable in the least, other than to portray the original Luke Tiahrt rumors as possibly without basis.
There seems to be an agenda in play for whomever has the power to delete posts.
Even The Phantom,who knows the evil that lurks in mens’ souls, says loss of an offspring is nothing to joke about.
A suicide kills two people.That’s what it’s for.
As for the signing statements, it is my understanding that the problem is there is no definitive ruling on their power. Seldom have they been used to negate law, they have generally been used to define how the President understands the law to be. The only other time I recall a President using a signing statement to negate a law was Bill Clinton.
Bush have used his to negate over 800 laws and in some cases made them retroactive. Going back over a decade or better. Signing statements have always been seen as nothing more then part of the pomp and pageantry of the signing of legislation into law. They until now were never considered to have any meat or teeth. The difference between Clinton’s use and Bush’s is that Clinton told the house he was doing it and why. Bush simply let everyone think that it was a done deal and that the law was being enforced as they had written it. He did not hide it, you can go right now and pull up the signing statement from the Federal website. That is just another example of why I think that Bush&Co, have aces up their sleeves and a better understanding of how government works then the so-called experts.*******Having been at a Town hall meeting where Tiahrt was the speaker, he is just that masterful at speaking that he said a lot. But it was not until the meeting is over and he is gone, that you get the true sense of what he said. When I cornered him on the “Tax cut” and why after getting a tax cut I ended up actually having to pay when I had never before. His explanation was so asinine and illogical, that a third grader could have seen that it was not a tax cut! But that does not occur to the listener till after he was gone, that was because he explained it in such a round about way as to make it sound as if it made sense. In short, if you owe me money and instead of making payments in 12 equal amounts over twelve months I only take 10 percent of that monthly payment. Then you have more money in your pocket! yes but you will then have to pay the remaining balance at the end of the year in full. Might work OK if you do not have to use the remaining payment to live. Otherwise you better save that money to pay at the end of the year. THAT’S A TAX CUT?
Perhaps that is what happens in the interview, it was not until Tiahrt was gone that the true meaning of what he said hit the reporter. Then it “WAIT A DAMN MINUTE!”, but of course afterwards and when you contact his office to get a follow up interview. Suddenly he has a very busy schedule and will not have the time to talk.****As to the concept of visiting the sins of the father upon the son, I do not believe in it.
***Sadly this is another example how being blinded by Partisan politics can lead to ruination of this country.The Democrats could have been screaming “FIRE!” Tiahrt could have smelled the smoke and seen the flames as they climbed up the curtains in the camber floor. But because they were Democrats, he would have thought it was an attempt to discredit a Republican President. It will not be the terrorists that bring down this country, it will be foolishness!
Hey writerdog, how are ya? How is Mrs. Dog? I hope you are both doing well.
Oops, I said I wasnt going to post on this thread again, but I couldnt resist. I am rarely here when writerdog is here and couldnt pass up an opportunity to say hello.
That ksfarmgrrl–right neighborly, ah tell you what!
Hehehe CF. Good to see you too. We dont see you nearly enough.
writerdog, interesting post. You probably already know this, but signing laws have been in effect since Madison and used by many Presidents.
‘A suicide kills two people.That’s what it’s for.’
What did you mean here? I recall Menninger saying “suicide was homicide in the 180th degree.” Is that what you meant? Certainly not all suicides are like that.
The story I got on Luke Tiahrt was that he had been in trouble for being out drinking and getting arrested by cops. The same thing happened a week later and he then implusively completed suicide. I would not think that his actions were a “committing suicide _at_” someone else type of dynamic.
To clarify though, the above is only specualtion on my part and I do not have complete information on what all happened.
ksfarmgrrl,
Yeah, fair enough. I’ve been trying to get work done, which is largely incompatible with spending much time ’round these parts.
Also, the capitulation of Congress on the FISA thing was SO horrendous that it’s largely spoiled my political appetite. This Congress has demonstrated tremendous expertise at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, time and again.
Not that CF2K is giving up on the Democratic Party, mind you. It’s the only game in town, and nothing better seems to be coming along any time soon.
Well CF, you are right, there really is nowhere else to go. But there sure seems to be a case of “meet the new boss same as the old boss” going on.
I read something funny the other day, cant remember where, but the joke was that someone wanted to see the room where the DLC kept all that powder dry….
I recall you making some posts about vichy dems a long time ago :)
KFG,
You left WEBlog with some other protesters, to Wichita Voices, which was a blog of the like-minded left, gay-rights, socialist left. A dud. Just like WEBlog became in your absence.
But you wanted to provoke debate, and came back, huh? At the risk of offending Anheiser-Busch, and dating myself, I say This Blog’s For You.
MPS, the funny think about your posts is that while I cant address anyone else’s staying or going on the WV, I left because it turned out, in my opinion, the owner of the blog was a right wingnut. I know he doesnt think he is, but I thinks so and thus, I decided not to help generate any hits.
I think the other problem with the WV was that the wingnuts from here FOLLOWED us there, trolled us there, threatened us there, etc. They disrupted our postings over there, so Tracy started his own blog. Many of the WV posters can be found there.
And, someone correct me if I am wrong, you need to register to post on Tracy’s blog. That keeps out the known trolls.
So, MPS, you are wrong again. The WV was hardly “a blog of the like-minded left, gay-rights, socialist left”. Nathan posted there, republican posted there, solly posted there, several antiabortion nics posted there.
And did I mention it was owned by an antiabortion wingnut?
I have no idea what “this blog’s for you” is supposed to mean.
“But you wanted to provoke debate, and came back, huh?”
Uh no, I got tired of the wingnut lies and spin going unchallenged or weakly challenged. You can see the reaction such “challenges” provote.}
hours of fun trolling
MPS,
I wouldn’t rule out dating yourself: it may be your only option.
And WOW! Folks think other folks are out of line on this thread with regard to speculation about Luke Tiahrt? Check out THIS thread. Also features GREAT commentary regarding the Barnett / Wagle meltdown and subsequent lawsuit.
http://kansasgovernor.blogspot.com/2007/01/gop-gov-candidate-being-sued.html
CF2K expects a double dose of the usual RepubiKlan “manners-not-morals” phony outrage. No surprise there: RepubiKLANS need SOMETHING to distract from how they’ve destroyed the country.
test test test
CFK2,
Oh you nasty minded troll. I’d nuke you in a second with a megaton of invective, but the truth is, you’re probably correct.
I follow farmgirl wherever she goes. Such wonderful posts!
And farmgrrl, I’m heading to the Rockies and Canada for a vacation. I’ll stop at your restaurant in Wakeeni, on the way back, if it’s on the weekend when you’re open. If you’ll give the name here, it will be easier to find, but if not, I’ll otherwise find out from locals.
Nowhere else to go farmgirl?
No where else to go?
Must be a million blogs out there.
Try this one:
http://www.topix.net/
There are gazillions of blogs out there. Which farmgrrl should contribute to, if she wants. But WEBlog is a forum for Kansans, and her contributions should be here.
Panting….
Yes, farmgirl, please oh please stay here!
No shame, no pride: gotta be Wingnuts.
Not so sure about that CF2K. Don’t see much shame in you either. No point in calling folk names though anyway.
Wow. CF and I were talking about the democratic party, not this freakin’ blog.
Jesus WEPT the trolls are out of control here.
Uh no, I got tired of the wingnut lies and spin going unchallenged or weakly challenged.Posted by: ksfarmgrrl | August 08, 2007 at 07:54 PM
HEY!!!
I was posting here while you were off playing at WV.
Take it back!
Well Tom, I was going to say that you were the other reason I came back :) but then I figured that would REALLY set off a round of heavy duty troll poop.
Actually, it is always more fun when you and CF and Rage and the rest of the gang are here. Not to leave anyone out. You know who you are :)
…and the other reason some of us came back is that we missed old friends who were still here.
But it is always convenient for the wingers here to leave out that the boycott had preset begin and end dates. So if anyone still thinks we somehow came slinking back… well… they are just plain wrong.
I did like it over at the WV and considered not coming back here. But I did miss friends still here, I tired of the trolls following us. May as well face them here.
I was teasing, but you know that. Hugs to you, Farmgrrl. ;)
Hugs back. It’s been a rough day, both here and off the blog. Remind me to tell you about it offline sometime.