Senator Grassley's Bizarre Behavior (updated)

(Here's one view of Grassley's investigation of the LightSquared project, which I haven't previously covered at this blog. For balance I've added several statements from Grassley in the comments blow. Incidentally, Grassley did change his position on PIPA last month.   - promoted by desmoinesdem)

Many of us who became bloggers did so to keep politicians honest. As that pertains to our Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, it seems to be getting more difficult these days. Let's just peruse the docket of recent Grassley behavior as summarized by Howie Klein at Down With Tyranny:
 

Grassley viciously attacked Office of Legal Counsel chief Virginia Seitz because he doesn't like an opinion of hers– something even a former Bush appointee to this position, Jack Goldsmith, referred to as “name callling” and “misplaced.”
 

He was so rude to the victims of the massacre in Tuscon a year ago that they sent him a letter demanding an apology. And recently the hacker group Anonymous saw him as such a corporate shill for SOPA and PIPA that out of all the corporate whores whose Twitter accounts they could have hacked they thought Grassley's made the most sense.
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Iowans divided as House passes "legislative line-item veto" bill

Most governors have the power to veto specific line items in appropriations bills, and many deficit hawks believe bills passed by Congress should be subject to the same kind of scrutiny. However, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1998 that it is unconstitutional to give the president line-item veto power over appropriations bills. Seeking a way around that problem, the House approved a bill yesterday that would allow the president to recommend budget rescissions for Congress to consider. The legislation attracted an unusually bipartisan group of supporters and opponents.

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GOP presidential race discussion thread: Colorado, Missouri, Minnesota edition

Colorado and Minnesota held caucuses today, while Missouri held a “beauty contest” primary (that state’s delegates will be determined by caucuses set for March 17). A few links on the Republican presidential race are after the jump, and I’ll be adding results as they come in. Tonight may be Rick Santorum’s best shot at becoming the “not Romney” flavor of the month.

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Schultz Vindicated: Voter Fraud Proven!

(Another reminder that photo ID laws don't address real problems with the voting system. - promoted by desmoinesdem)

In his press conference in January Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz said voter fraud cases were “getting prosecuted all over the country.” This must have been one of them.  The convict is the Indiana Secretary of State, Charlie White, a Republican. He has stepped down from office.

This one would not have been prevented even if White had shown his ID. He probably did show his ID, given that Indiana has a recent voter ID law.

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House bill to change budget analysis splits Iowans on party lines

Yesterday the U.S. House approved a bill to require additional Congressional Budget Office analysis on legislation with a large price tag. The concept is intended to reduce the apparent cost of tax cuts to the federal budget. Iowa’s representatives split on party lines over this bill and proposed amendments, including one offered by Democrat Leonard Boswell (IA-03).

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Charles City named Iowa River Town of the Year

Iowa Rivers Revival announced today that Charles City won its 2011 “Iowa River Town of the Year” award. The non-profit organization, created to advocate for protecting Iowa rivers and streams, honored the Floyd County seat because city leaders “responded to record floods in 1999 and 2008 by embracing the Cedar River with new ideas and bold projects, such as transforming a low-head dam into Iowa’s first whitewater kayak course and installing the state’s largest permeable paving system.” A press release describing Charles City’s river projects in more detail is after the jump. UPDATE: Click here for more information about Charles City Whitewater at Riverfront Park.

Iowa Rivers Revival previously recognized Webster City (2007), Elkader (2008), Coon Rapids (2009) and Cedar Falls (2010) as River Town of the Year. Bleeding Heartland summarized those cities’ river programs here. Click here to download the full applications submitted by Charles City and the past winners.  

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Braley, Loebsack, and Boswell vote with Republicans to extend federal worker pay freeze

Candidates love to empathize with struggling middle-class Americans, but middle-income government employees are an easy target for politicians trying to earn their deficit warrior stripes. Today more than a third of U.S. House Democrats voted with nearly all the House Republicans to keep most civilian federal employees’ salaries frozen through 2013. All five Iowans voted for the legislation, even though Democrats Bruce Braley (IA-01), Dave Loebsack (IA-02), and Leonard Boswell (IA-03) have repeatedly said they oppose balancing the budget on the backs of the middle class.

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Florida GOP primary discussion thread

With about 80 percent of the votes counted in the Florida GOP primary, Mitt Romney is beating Newt Gingrich by 47 percent to 32 percent, a wider margin than most of the last week’s polls had indicated. Rick Santorum and Ron Paul are well back with 13 percent and 7 percent, respectively.

Any comments about the Republican presidential race are welcome in this thread. It’s hard for me to see a path for Gingrich or anyone besides Romney winning the nomination. Even though 39 percent of exit poll respondents in Florida “said they were not satisfied” with the candidates on the ballot, a doubt a new conservative “not Romney” savior could seize the crown.

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