WV Senator Rockefeller (D) Planning to Throw Monkey Wrench in Obama's Climate Change Policies

Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia is continuing his crusade against any possible climate change regulations that the Obama Administration might try to implement over the next two years:

Sen. John Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) is pressing forward on his drive to vote this month on his plan to delay Obama administration climate regulations for two years, threatening to go directly to the Senate floor and force a vote to include it in a catch-all spending bill.

Rockefeller has told Senate leadership “that he will insist on a vote” on his measure to block the Environmental Protection Agency global warming rules set to take effect next month.

“If left with no other option, Senator Rockefeller will seek to suspend the rules on the Omnibus Appropriations bill to bring up his legislation,” his office said in a statement. Such a maneuver would require 67 votes, which he is unlikely to get.
A POLITICO analysis shows at least 56 senators would likely support Rockefeller’s amendment.

Rockefeller has been trying for months to get Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to schedule a vote on his amendment. The West Virginia Democrat has said he would hold Reid to a promise he gave Rockefeller to hold a vote this year.

"The time has come for us to make a decision on the energy future of our country," Rockefeller said in a prepared statement. "While there are still ongoing discussions about how Congress should proceed, I want to make it clear that I intend to get a vote this year on my EPA-suspension legislation. I know there is bipartisan support for this legislation, and if necessary, I will seek to suspend the rules and bring this up for a vote. This is too important for us to delay any further."

But holding a vote on the two-year delay could be an embarrassing symbolic rebuke to the Obama administration. Rockefeller’s plan has no realistic shot of becoming law even if it passes the Senate, given the lack of desire by House Democratic leaders to take it up and a White House veto threat.

Maybe he won't have that much of a shot in this House, but the next house, when the Republicans will be the majority, he’ll have a much better shot to pass any such bans on new climate regulations or taxes.

He tried to get into the omnibus bill, last night, but of course, the omnibus bill died last night. So, he will have to try and add it to future legislation like the DREAM, DADT, or START bills, before the end of this Congress, but I think that it would be better for him to wait until next month, when the GOP will play a much bigger role in what is passed.

When he does bring it back up, he needs to be sure not just focus on the EPA like he has been. As Michelle Malkin reports, Janet Napolitano making "environmental justice" a big priority at the Department of Homeland Security. What does global warming have to do with national security? Who knows.

He is doing this to curry favor with the voters in his state of West Virginia, which is heavily reliant on coal mining for their economy. Any sort of legislation that might be passed limiting or putting taxes on carbon emissions would kill the economy for the whole state and would, in turn, kill any chances at his re-election. I know that he isn’t up for re-election until 2014, but passing any such enviromental bill, now, would have such a devestating effect on the economy that the it would still be feeling the effects four years from now.

H/T to Ed Morrissey

Napolitano Caves: Right-Wing Extremism Report Pulled, Blames Anonymous Person Releasing It Too Soon

The report released last month on extremism from the right has landed Secretary Janet Napolitano in hot water with everyone. She has apologized to every veteran that she has met lately. Apparently, she has had enough criticism over her ill-thought out report. Maybe I'm not an extremist after all:

A contentious "Rightwing Extremism" report that warned of military veterans as possible recruits for terrorist attacks against the U.S. was not authorized, has been withdrawn and is being rewritten, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told Capitol Hill lawmakers.

"The wheels came off the wagon because the vetting process was not followed," Ms. Napolitano told the House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday. "The report is no longer out there," she said.

"An employee sent it out without authorization."

The last line had me ROFL. There wasn't any anonymous rogue employee at the Dept of Homeland security like Janet Napolitano says there is. She knew full well what was being sent out and authorized it. If she doesn't know what is being broadcasted on all channels out of the department that she runs, she is incompetent.

She goes on:

"It was not authorized to be distributed. It had not even completed its vetting process within the department.

There was a vetting process done on the report the media started torching it before it was officially released and lawyers warned that it shouldn't be distributed by DHS. Did Napolitano listen to anyone of these "vettors"?

No, I'm afraid that she didn't.

Even some Democrats were taken aback by the report:

Rep. Christopher Carney, Pennsylvania Democrat, said that as a veteran he "took offense personally," and his constituents were offended by the report as well.

"It really hit home hard to me and in our district," Mr. Carney said. "It's not a good start when I go to town hall meetings and I hear people calling for your resignation."

Ms. Napolitano said the report titled "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment," is not the only report she has seen that says veterans are targets for recruitment by racist and other hate groups.

"It was an assessment, not an accusation," Ms. Napolitano said.

"It didn't say that," Mr. Carney interrupted.

She tries to put the blame on an anonymous person in her department releasing the report before it was supposed to and that "appropriate personnel action is being taken" to resolve the issue. Unless that "appropriate personnel action" includes a her resignation letter, it won't resolve the issue.

Justice Napolitano? Why Not? She's Done Such a Great Job At Homeland Security

This thought is keeping me sick:

Justice Napolitano? The homeland security secretary might just like the ring of it. Janet Napolitano declined to rule out being interested in an appointment to the Supreme Court when she was asked on "FOX News Sunday" about speculation that she might be on the list of potential candidates to replace outgoing Justice David Souter.

Fortunately, not even the One would make this boneheaded appointment. Would he?

Well, he doesn't have the best track record. His Cabinet is a who's who of tax evaders. He already lost two of his major cabinet nominees because of scandals: Richardson and Daschle. He lost Judd Gregg because of Rahmbo's power play to take the census away from Commerce and because of Obama's penchant for spending sprees on the taxpayer's dime.

On second thought, maybe he would.

Napolitano has proven herself an overachiever when it comes to inviting scandals. There many examples just pick one: here, here, and here.

Napolitano Continues Her "I'm Sorry Vets" Tour, 3rd Apology Since DHS Report

Dept of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano has been busy. She's been apologizing to every SEAL, jarhead, and marine in sight:

Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano apologized to the country's largest veterans organization Friday for a report warning that right-wing extremist groups were trying to recruit disgruntled troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Napolitano met with the American Legion at its request for about 45 minutes in a private meeting. The group had called for an apology from her in a letter earlier this month.

It was at least the third apology Napolitano has offered ever since the report was leaked to the media nearly two weeks ago, prompting a growing chorus of criticism -- including a small group of vocal conservative lawmakers calling for Napolitano's resignation.

Apparently, she just can't say "I'm sorry!" enough to get the stink off the offensive DHS report off of her.

Napolitano Receives Heat Over "Blame Canada" Rhetoric, DHS Report, Appeasing Terrorists

People used to not know anything or care about Janet Napolitano, 43% had no opinion of her when he chose her. Today, after blaming half of the country of being "extremists" and appeasing terrorists by calling terrorism "man-made disasters" for a couple months, it's a totally different story:

Forty-five percent (45%) of U.S. voters now have an unfavorable opinion of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano following her department's release of a controversial report on right-wing extremist groups last week. Twenty-three percent (23%) say their view of her is Very Unfavorable.

Who knew that insulting about half of the nation and all veterans would make people not like you very much?

After criticism mounted over her "right-wing extremism" report, she finally admitted her mistake:

Napolitano on Thursday acknowledged the criticism and reiterated that the extremist report was "not well written" and should not have been released in that form. She said she would meet with the leadership of the American Legion on Friday over the reference to returning war veterans.

Of course, it shouldn't have been "released in that form" beacause it was "not well-written". Didn't your lawyers tell you that before the report was even released?

Her South Park inspired "Blame Canada" approach to stopping terrorists from getting into our country really inflamed our neighbors to the north. Her assumption that some of 9/11 hijackers came into the US over the Canadian border was in direct conflict with evidence found in the 9/11 Commission Report.

Napolitano's performance has led some to wonder if she should resign or be fired. She's managed to upset about half of the US, Canadians, and the US military. At this pace, it won't be long until we have yet another failed Obama appointment.

Seven GOP Senators Ask DHS To Show Them Proof

This is a transcript of the letter that 7 GOP senators sent Second of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano:

April 16, 2009
The Honorable Janet Napolitano
Secretary
The Department of Homeland Security
310 7th street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20528-0150
VIA FASCMILLE
Dear Secretary Napolitano,

We write today concerning the release of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report titled “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment” prepared by the Extremism and Radicalization Branch, of the Homeland Environment Threat Analysis Division.

While we agree that we must fight extremists who are both foreign and domestic we are troubled by some of the statements your department included as fact in the report titled above, without listing any statistical data to back up such claims. First, your report states that “Returning veterans possess combat skills and experience that are attractive to rightwing extremists…” without listing any data to support such a vile claim against our nation’s veterans.

Second, the report states that the millions of Americans who believe in the Second Amendment are a potential threat to our national security. Why? Do you have statistics to prove that law-abiding Americans who purchase a legal product are being recruited by so-called hate groups?

Thirdly, the report states that those that believe in issues such as pro-life legislation, limited government, and legal versus illegal immigration are potential terrorist threats. We can assure you that these beliefs are held by citizens of all races, party affiliation, male and female, and should not be listed as a factor in determining potential terror threats. A better word usage would be to describe them as practicing their First Amendment rights.

Also, you list those that bemoan the decline of U.S. stature and the loss of U.S. manufacturing capability to China and India as being potential rightwing extremists. We would suggest that the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs in the manufacturing industry to foreign countries are not potential terror threats, but rather honest Americans worried about feeding their families and earning a paycheck.

In closing, we support the mission of DHS in protecting our country from terror attacks and are proud of the many DHS employees who make this possible in conjunction with our state and local law enforcement. We ask that DHS not use this report as a basis to unfairly target millions of Americans because of their beliefs and the rights afforded to them in the Constitution. We also ask that you provide us with the data that support the unfair claims listed in the report titled above and to present us with the matrix system used in collecting and analyzing this data?

Finally, we look forward to your prompt reply and we offer our assistance to DHS in our shared effort to fight terrorism both home and abroad by using data that is accurate and independent of political persuasion.

Senators Coburn, Brownback, DeMint, Burr, Murkowski, Inhofe, and Vitter

Basically, they're saying this:

Janet, while are you running your mouth off, give us facts.

In this country, we are innocent until proven guilty. In the DHS report, Secratary Naplitano implies that every conservative especially veterans is suspect and should be considered a potential "extremist". When did I move to the USSR?

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http://michellemalkin.com/2009/04/17/senators-to-napolitano-show-us-the-data/
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Obama Administration Gives "Terrorism" New, PC Name

Obama-Speak: Homeland Security Secretary Replaces 'Terrorism' With the Term 'Man-Caused Disaster'

March 19, 2009 - 16:19 ET

Even as President Obama compares bankers to suicide bombers, his Homeland Security Secretary is suggesting the T-word, terrorism, is too inflammatory and representative of old-fashioned "politics of fear." She's announced a new term: "man-caused disaster." From an interview with the German magazine Der Spiegel:

SPIEGEL: Madame Secretary, in your first testimony to the US Congress as Homeland Security Secretary you never mentioned the word "terrorism." Does Islamist terrorism suddenly no longer pose a threat to your country?

NAPOLITANO: Of course it does. I presume there is always a threat from terrorism. In my speech, although I did not use the word "terrorism," I referred to "man-caused" disasters. That is perhaps only a nuance, but it demonstrates that we want to move away from the politics of fear toward a policy of being prepared for all risks that can occur.

But what if the suicide bomber is a female? Isn't it sexist to use "man-caused disaster"?

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http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/tim-graham/2009/03/19/obama-speak-homeland-security-secretary-replaces-terrorism-term-man-caus
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My Thoughts

This has to be the most ridiculous story of the year, so far.

"Man-caused disaster" instead of terrorism will really strike fear in the terrorists hearts. Bin Laden is probably LMAO in a Pakastani cave somewhere.

This is PC oversensitivity gone amok. Let's just call a spade a spade.

Funny quip about the sexist aspect of the new name.