More Democrat Corruption (Charlie Rangel Breaking the Law)
By dld1717 Posted in Archived — Comments (21) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/nyregion/11rangel.html?_r=1&hp&oref=sl...
Mr. Rangel, the powerful Democrat who is chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, uses his fourth apartment, six floors below, as a campaign office, despite state and city regulations that require rent-stabilized apartments to be used as a primary residence.
As a NYC resident what I would give to have 4 NYC apartments at only 1,000 a month.
I once made a profile of him on my website. Rangel has said such hateful, racist and viscous things about republicans and gets a total pass on it.
here is a link to it.
http://impudent.blognation.us/blog/_archives/2006/9/13/2322187.html#post...
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
I go back and forth on term limits.
On one hand, it gets rid of scum.
On the other hand, it also gets rid of good conservative folks as well.
----------------------
Dependence is Slavery.
Political Compass
Economic Left/Right: 7.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 1.85
term limits themselves might not do much, but what if we got an amendment that had both term limits, balanced budget, and line item veto?
Then we might get some real results.
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
I am in favor of the line-item veto though.
McCain for POTUS so the left can't ruin SCOTUS.
it really does more harm than good. In times of recession it is shown to delay the exit from the recession. Because, as much as we don't like it, it is possible for the gov't to spend us out of a recession.
McCain for POTUS so the left can't ruin SCOTUS.
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
How about if we pressured the states to get a test to vote.
Nothing more complicated than what immigrants need in order to become citizens.
Then we wouldn't have clueless half-wits voting for Obama because "he's hot".
----------------------
Dependence is Slavery.
Political Compass
Economic Left/Right: 7.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 1.85
the old Jim Crow laws used literacy tests to bar Blacks from voting. No way you could make an argument for that in today's climate.
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
VERY easy to make a very good and valid argument for it.
Unfortunately, there are so many people who would actually listen to cries of "RACIST!" that it'd never pass.
I don't quite know why a test with questions like "Name the three branches of government" is 'racist' . . . but then, apparently black holes are racist, so who knows?
----------------------
Dependence is Slavery.
Political Compass
Economic Left/Right: 7.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 1.85
conservative = racist, sexist, homophobic, hateful.
Everything else descends from that.
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
1) Too easy to corrupt. Who chooses the questions? Who administers the test? As long as people are in charge, there will be bias.
2) Unfair to ESL citizens. You're suggesting that an honest, hardworking shop owner who has a hard time reading English is not as worthy of a vote as someone whose first language is English and who read a "Voting Test for Dummies" on the way to the poll. I could be very well versed in American History and still misunderstand the question "Who was the second President?" as "Who is second to the President?"
Historically, literacy tests were meant to keep immigrants from the polls before they were used to disenfranchise blacks (the first literacy tests were put in place before blacks even had the right to vote). It's not racism, it's elitism.
1. The test already exists. It is given to immigrants who wish to become citizens. It tests basic knowledge of our Governmental System. The questions really are not difficult, unless one is a clueless idiot. I'm of the mind that if one is going to vote, they should at least be as educated on how our government works as the legal immigrants that become citizens.
2.) Again, this is the same test given to legal immigrants who are becoming citizens. I would incorporate this test into the voter registration process. Each time you register to vote in a state, you have to take this test. (If you move from one city to another, I wouldn't require it).
Is it 'elitist' to request that those voting have at least a simple and basic knowledge of the government system in which they are voting?
We're not talking about questions like "State the philosophical differences between Marxist Communism and the Communism as practiced in China today." but questions like "Name two politcal parties" and "Name two people who have been Presidents" and "Name the three branches of the Federal Government."
----------------------
Dependence is Slavery.
Political Compass
Economic Left/Right: 7.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 1.85
If you make it this simple, who do you think you're going to exclude? All the 20-somethings who think Obama is hot are going to know the answers to these questions.
I'm pretty happy with our current system of having educated, qualified people setting the laws for us. It's called a Republic. If we were a Democracy, I might give some credit to your suggestion. I certainly wouldn't want someone with a 6th grade education setting fiscal policy.
And really, why do you have to exclude anyone? I could be the dumbest moron to walk the face of the earth who knows absolutely nothing about how government works, but still be able to rationally decide who I want to represent me simply based on a matrix of policies.
Candidate A -- Pro Abortion, Pro Gun Control, Pro National Healthcare
Candidate B -- Anti Abortion, Anti Gun Control, Pro Private Healthcare
There, that simple. I now have someone who represents me in government without having any idea how they do their job. That's the power of a Republic.
If you make it this simple, who do you think you're going to exclude? All the 20-somethings who think Obama is hot are going to know the answers to these questions.
I've conversed with many of these people. no, they wouldn't pass. High Schools don't teach this very well, and college's sure don't, unless you're a poli-sci major.
Knowledge of government is boring to today's young folk.
Heck, P. Diddy's "Vote or Die!" campaign to get the younger folks to vote was a total failure.
I know many people who do not have a basic knowledge of how our government operates.
It is very sad.
----------------------
Dependence is Slavery.
Political Compass
Economic Left/Right: 7.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 1.85
could you use my RS account to contact me?
________________
Thou art the Great Cat, the avenger of the Gods, and the judge of words...-Inscription on the Royal Tombs at Thebes
Lets keep the thread focused.
I love how in Times article Rangel hung up the phone and said, " Why should I help you embarrass me?”
Why would a sitting Congressman need 4 apartments in a rent stabilized bldg (he even uses 1 for his campaign office-the gaul)? Isn't Mr Rangel always going on and on about the Republicans abusing the poor? I think having 4 apt bldgs takes away from the poor you supposedly fight for.
By the way the Republican running in the Open Walsh seat would be very wise to use this stuff against Maffei who worked for Rangel and must of learned his type of politics.
That's 4 Apartments, not 4 apartment buildings.
----------------------
Dependence is Slavery.
Political Compass
Economic Left/Right: 7.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 1.85
Yes, sorry my error (I meant that)
Still 4 apts in NYC is a whole lot. The Republicans had better file and ethical abuse and they better keep on using this
I already noticed the NJ Republican party is using it against 2 Dems running in the open House Seats (both received almost 20,000 from Rangel)
the bums don't get thrown out.....he also gets his cadillac paid for by the constiutents....he is a culture of corruption and a culture of poltical welfare.....he is like the welfare king.
Freedom of Religion NOT Freedom from Religion