I'm still on break, but I can't resist this one.

Now there may be lots of idiots when it comes to tax policy. AEI, any of Grover Norquist's nutjob fronts, but CTJ?...
Mind you, pooty, that's your team saying that. That doc comes from the Tobacco Institute.

Oh Mary, mother of God, help us please. (Sigh) I can see I'm dealing with newbies and need to make sure everybody gets on the same page.

With the Congressional activity on health care intensifying over the coming months and the fate of the proposed tobacco tax increase still to be determined, continued activity by the Committee....

Translation: The Tobacco lobby is strategizing how to minimize the effects of a tobacco tax on sales of cigarettes. i.e. The more tax levied, the fewer packs of cigarettes sold, because of a higher price.

supporting reports on health care financing by credible tax and budget experts Groups which support the Committee's efforts on these critical issues include: Citizens for Tax Justic~ (CT$~ - $108,000 A liberal think-tank, CTJ is one of the most respected national authorities on progressive tax reform.

Translation: we want a progressive tax (soak the rich) group sending propaganda to Congresspeople..... because.....

CTJ will continue to serve as an expert on health care financing, particularly the problems with financing reform through regressive taxes.

Translation: We need idiots like CTJ to bang the drum for progressive (soak the rich) taxation as superior to regressive (soak the poor) taxation, because the poor are our primary market. Any bit we can do to reduce the next tax is money in our pocket.

CTJ produces tax studies and provides testimony for Congressional hearings.

Translation: CTJ can be bought. Cheap.

Heh.

It may not be time to impeach yet, but it is past time to show them they can't walk on our representatives. And if Dead-Eye Dick tells any more Senators to fuck themselves, he should be arrested on the spot, patted down, relieved of his jewelry and belt, handcuffed, and thrown in a paddy wagon. Contempt is contempt, and his behavior has already been contemptuous, he should already be forced to look over his shoulder. -- ondelette

Sorry Ondelette, but this is a classic example of overreaching into absurdity. I presume you are referring to the single occasion Cheney said something to Leahy? Yes?
* Like it or not, even the Vice President is entitled to free speech.
* We do not have an Imperial Congress, noone is going to kneel and tug their forelock in obeisance.
* Threatening to arrest and indict someone for a fruity "f--- off" is overbearing, authoritarian, and just petty meanness.
It's also childish.

This is representative of most of the bloviating on this subject. What do you have that will stand up in court? Has any crime actually been committed? Perhaps you should listen to Kovie and cool your jets. OTOH throwing around absurdities like criminalizing opinion can only help Republicans. It's your choice.

Well, now that Tillman and Lynch have become discredited attempts to make heros, does anyone know who should replace them? Surely there are examples of heroism to extole, feats of daring, bravery under fire? Is the entire army to be represented by Lyndie England as icon? Apparently so.