Thanks for the inspiration Cyrus. While you’re composing Part II, I’d like elaborate on your points in Part I.  AWJEEZ

Congressional history is rich with examples of strong-willed senators and representatives battling fiercely over legislation. Since 1995, when Republicans took control of both sides of the Capitol, internal negotiating sessions often have been limited to GOP members, with the Democrats locked out along with the press.

Cyrus has mentioned Frist's "Nuclear Option" and I'd like to introduce you to the House version - the Hastert Doctrine.

The House Speaker has said that he will bring to the floor only bills that are supported by the majority of the Republican caucus.

Because of that policy, bipartisan coalitions have become rarities in the House and the emphasis now is entirely on shaping bills in conference that most House Republicans can embrace.

Today, the country is awash in the seamy fallout of this sort of Republican leadership!

If you liked the Abramoff and the Dukester scandals, whaddaya make of the spreading Jerry Lewis (R-CA) mess? While Bush beats his chest over killing Zarqawi as justification for “staying the course”, while Tom DeLay uses the House of Representatives platform to get in our faces one last time, while the GOP tries to amend the Constitution to stigmatize gays and flag burners, while Ann Coulter spews her venom to sell books again, and while BAA Boy takes a header into a dry pool because he’s found it written down somewhere that Iraq actually had WMDs, justice is quietly connecting the dots of the Republicans’ corrupt power politics.

Lewis, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, his wife and staffers are already up to their noses in the K Street Project‘s "Earmarks for Bribes" that brought down the Dukester. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) is also implicated because of his connections to seasoned heavy-hitter defense contractors c** bribery artists, Brent Wilkes and Mitchell Wade.

In recent years, San Diego’s Titan Corporation has enjoyed a generous flow of Pentagon money, thanks to Hunter and the Queen of the Earmarks, Letitia White.

White has been looking out for Titan’s interests in the House since 2004 and is it coincidence that Titan is a top contributor to White’s former employer, Representative Jerry Lewis?

Earmarks beyond what the Pentagon requested for two Navy projects, the experimental Sea Fighter LCS(X) craft and the Affordable Weapons System, were championed by Hunter and contracted by Titan.

Though the AWS has been consistently praised in House Armed Services Committee reports, a Navy report recently submitted to Congress undercuts Hunter’s additional $27 million earmark in the latest House Defense Authorization bill. The Navy’s position is reported in the May 29, 2006, Inside the Navy story:

“Originally the [Affordable Weapon System] provided much promise, however, it has experienced many technical difficulties resulting in zero successful test flights. Numerous non-Navy initiated engineering changes have significantly increased the cost of the missile. While AWS continues to receive Congressional funding, there are a number of other missile concepts that may provide similar solutions...at a reduced cost.”

In case of the Sea Fighter, Hunter's wife christened the first vessel last year and an additional $25.7 million was earmarked in the latest defense authorization bill. Yet, according to the National Journal, the LCS(X):

“...does not have a place in the Navy's ambitious 313-ship plan, which [Congressional Budget Office] already views as potentially unaffordable. And the vessel has spent two of the last four months dry-docked for major repairs to its propulsion and other systems. ‘For a ship that's brand new, it has a lot of problems,‘ said one Navy oficial.”

Got that?

Here’s some more -- last year, Titan was acquired by L3 Communications, which just happens to be currently the second top corporate donor to both Duncan Hunter and Jerry Lewis.

Hey Nick - before the first Republican can say, “Yeah, but the Democrats are just as guilty!” - pointing out how the Hastert Doctrine and DeLay’s K Street Project have cut the Democrats out of the picture while enabling and promoting this corruption.