Looking for a great source for quoting McCain, Obama, and other political figures to set the record straight? Look no further than the Library Of Unified Information Sources (LOUIS), a project of the Sunlight Foundation. This database gathers in one place all text of the following "documents":

• Congressional Reports
• Congressional Record
• Congressional Hearings
• Federal Register
• Presidential Documents
• GAO Reports
• Congressional Bills & Resolutions

Although it's not yet finished, it does contain a surprising amount of info for a beta. I was disappointed, however, that a search for "UFO" didn't turn up the answers I had hoped for. :)

Labels: Congress, federal, LOUIS, president, search

The Boston Globe and others are reporting Romney’s remarks about Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Syria:

Romney brought up Pelosi's trip twice, both times unprompted.

"Frankly, the decision of Nancy Pelosi to go to meet with Assad in Syria is one which I find outrageous," Romney said, the second time.

Defying Bush, Pelosi, D-Calif., met with the Syrian president Wednesday in an attempt to pressure the Bush administration to open a direct dialogue with the Middle Eastern country. Democrats say the administration's attempts to isolate Syria have failed to force the Assad government to change its policies.

Certainly there will be outcry against Romney for his denouncement of Pelosi and whether this is a politically popular move is yet to be decided, but…

Romney is correct.

The President is the sole foreign policy organ under the constitution. This was understood early on in the history of the nation. In 1816, the Senate Committee of Foreign Relations stated:

The President is the constitutional representative of the United States with regard to foreign nations. He manages our concerns with foreign nations and must necessarily be most competent to determine when, how, and upon what subjects negotiation may be urged with the greatest prospect of success.

(U.S. Senate, Reports, Committee on Foreign Relations, vol. 8, p. 24.). The Supreme Court has reaffirmed this principle by stating that “[i]n this vast external realm, with its important, complicated, delicate and manifold problems, the President alone has the power to speak or listen as a representative of the nation.” (U.S. v. Curtiss-Wright, 299 U.S. 304, 319 (1936); Goldwater v. Carter, 444 U.S. 996 (1979)(concur. J. Powell)). Pelosi’s visit is, thus, patently unconstitutional so long as it conflicts with the President’s foreign policy.

Beyond the constitutional issues, the practical effect of the Pelosi visit is to present the United States as schizophrenic or bi-polar. One day nations are dealing with Bush-America, the next day nations are dealing with Pelosi-America. Neither schizophrenia nor bi-polarism is a healthy state for a person. Similarly neither is a healthy state for a nation. Which one is the one to deal with? Certainly the opposing viewpoints have their preferred representative, but that does little to solve the problem. Indeed it encourages similar behavior from other nations.

So Romney is right. He should be outraged that congressional representatives have acted outside the scope of their power and encouraged disregard for the Constitution itself.

Labels: Congress, foreign affairs, Presidential Power

A very detailed article from The Hill about the "behind the scenes" workings of McCain and Romney to shore up support among the members of the House and Senate in DC. Definitely worth a read. An exerpt below:

“I’ve spent some time with Gov. Romney and I like what I have seen,” said Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.), a prominent RSC member who heads up the PAC. “He seems to be a Ronald Reagan, supply-side Republican.”

Feeney’s positive reaction is proof that Romney’s talks are producing results. Madden said most of the discussions with House Republicans revolve around Romney’s commitment to fiscal discipline. Shadegg, meanwhile, said McCain and House conservatives have had their differences in the past, but they largely agree on national security issues.

. . .

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), who chairs the RSC, said he has known McCain personally for a number of years but didn’t know Romney until he spoke at the fundraiser for the RSC’s PAC. He too has not committed to either candidate.

“House Republicans will certainly be a part of any presidential strategy, and my guess is we’ll end up having a pretty healthy dialogue about who to support,” he said. “House conservatives will be looking for the candidate that most closely resembles conservative values to take up our banner into November and capture the hearts and minds of the American public. That’s what we’re going to be looking for.”

Sounds like he's describing Romney!!!

Jeff

Labels: Congress, McCain