House republicans have some explaining to do!

United States
July 21, 2012 7:09pm CST
CNN looked at the Senate, and the House versions of the new "Congressional Knowledge Act" which has to do with insider stock purchases by congressmen and women, and noticed a difference between the two: The House version was changed. In the Senate version family members must live up the same standards as members of congress. But, in the house version family members are NOT held to the same standards as their spouses. However, that is not most surprising aspect of this. That is the reasoning given by house republicans as to why this is. It all depends on who you ask. Eric Cantor's office initially said it didn't change the intent of the bill, but when they were presented the facts, they admitted to omitting the part about spouses. According to a spokesman republicans didn't mean to make the law different than the Senate version, but a spokesman for the GOP said that Cantor and the leadership talked to Ethics lawyers and changed the bill. So if they didn't mean to change the law than why did the GOP leadership get involved, and why did they speak to the Ethics lawyers? http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/19/politics/stock-act-loophole/index.html
7 responses
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
26 Jul 12
And the Senates response to the Presidents Jobs Bill? No http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/10/11/white-house-pushes-for-passage-job-bill-in-face-likely-senate-defeat/ Lets not blame the Republicans because it could not even pass the senate. By the way what was the $800 Billion that we spent to jump start the economy and create all the shovel ready jobs? I guess there were not as many shovel ready jobs as we thought. Where is that money? Several million went to a congressional district in Minnesota - except the district does not exist. Before we spend billions more lets see what happened to the last money he used to create jobs?
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
26 Jul 12
Sorry this was a responce to the comment made by crossbones27 about the house and the jobs bill. It is late and I have a poor internet connection due to weather.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
26 Jul 12
And WHY should it be passed if the last 'stimulus' did not work. The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. Did it ever occur to you that they rejected it because it was not a good bill? the Nation is a socialist/communist publication. (if it is the same one I've heard about)
• Mojave, California
26 Jul 12
Sorry about your weather Bob. The bill did technically pass the senate, but guess what? The Republicans filibustered it. Another ridiculous law driving the country backwards. Here are 2 articles one from "The Nation," and one from "Yahoo News," just in case the nation is to liberal for people. Yet Obama will go down as not being able to get his bill passed by a stupid law . Even though he really had enough votes. Only in America! http://www.thenation.com/blog/163926/senate-votes-obama-jobs-bill-gop-filibusters-it http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/republican-filibuster-blocks-obama-jobs-bill-134332362.html
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
26 Jul 12
My feeling is that every politician when they announce they are running for office should place their investments in a blind trust and they should not get control back until 1 year after they leave office.
• United States
30 Jul 12
Bob, I don't have a problem with your idea, but that "blind Trust" should be run by either city, state, or federal government. There are many examples of "blind trust" that have been very questionable. If the trust is blind than if I pick who runs it, and who controls the investments, than how "blind" is it? But, I see that you are not calling upset about this happening in the house. I am sure that your response would be different if this was the Senate who changed the law!!!
@MntlWard (878)
• United States
22 Jul 12
Does the Senate version include members of the Supreme Court? *coughClarenceThomascough*
• United States
29 Jul 12
NO, the supreme court is above the law. The funny part of Clarence Thomas is he is a perfect example of a stereotypical government employee. The guy didn't say one word in court for five years. All of his votes are in total lock step with his conservative friends. Many have questioned if he is even awake at times.
@MntlWard (878)
• United States
22 Jul 12
Oh! What about Governors of the states? *coughRickScottcough*
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
24 Jul 12
Kinda like the pot calling the kettle black... http://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2012/04/04/awesome_harry_reids_handpicked_senate_referee_rules_against_democrats_on_budget_flap
• United States
22 Jul 12
What will be most amazing is how Republican supporters will explain this away. Just wait for it.
• United States
29 Jul 12
As you can see below it is a you did something bad, so our bad actions are excused.
@crossbones27 (48480)
• Mojave, California
22 Jul 12
It sounds like CNN may have saved the American people from more corruption by our elected officials. That is the crap why people can never trust their politicians. They say they are going to do the right thing by making sure there is one set of rules for everyone. That congress should not get special privileges from any other American. Then they do what they typically do add some loophole hoping no one will catch it until it is to late. From the sounds of things, it was also just one more reason the house keeps blocking the Presidents job bill. So they pretty tried to screw the American people twice. Now with the economy growing stagnant, one has to wonder why they don't just pass that jobs bill. Now he have less jobs created and a plan for our elected officials just to keep playing the system to make money off of insider trading through their families. That regular Americans just do not get to do. Lucky for us CNN caught it. The real question here is why didn't the senate catch it before CNN? Isn't that what we pay these people for. It could of been that all 100 senators just missed it, or maybe they did not want to catch the change in the 2 versions. Keep it up congress, you are setting a poor example and it is no wonder why all our jobs keep getting sent overseas with this kind of behavior.