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   Dan Savage, the brilliant and foul-mouthed sex columnist, has become one of the most important ethicists in America. Are we screwed?
 The federal government is supposed to issue new rules about debt levels for students in for-profit colleges. In the meantime, the states are working on their own regulations.
 Washingtons budget hawks want to decimate the federal workforce to shrink the deficit. It will have the opposite effect.
 There arent nearly enough counterterrorism experts to instruct all of Americas police. So we got these guys instead.
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September 4, 2010
JOE 'YOU LIE' WILSON'S ETHICS PROBLEM.... Rep. Joe Wilson, a right-wing South Carolinian best known for heckling President Obama during a speech to Congress last year, acknowledged this week that he's under investigation by the House ethics committee. At first blush, the allegations didn't seem especially serious, and were largely overlooked. But Wilson may actually have a real problem on his hands.
The original controversy was over six marble goblets Wilson bought for $12. The congressman claims to have given the goblets to U.S. troops as gifts, and the whole story didn't seem especially interesting. But the ethics probe now appears to be far more expansive, with investigators looking into $100,000 in itemized expenses -- which we pay for -- during Wilson's frequent overseas travels. (The costs don't include the taxpayer-financed expense of sending him abroad in the first place.) This is unlikely to affect his re-election -- Wilson is running for re-election in a pretty conservative district -- but it's a controversy worth watching. Especially if Republicans take the House majority, and Wilson is in a more influential role on the Armed Services committee, it'd be good to know why he racked up so many expenses, and asked us to pick up the tab. —Steve Benen 8:50 AM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (7)
Comments
No wonder he turns purple with rage at the thought of illegal aliens getting health care. How dare we spend taxpayer money to save the life of a poor Latino farm worker when Joe could be spending it on trip souvenirs? Posted by: T-Rex on September 4, 2010 at 8:59 AM | PERMALINKI guess he figures there's nothing active duty soldiers need more than marble goblets. Joe Wilson is a patriot who was not afraid to speak truth to power, so it's not surprising that liberals want to smear him. Posted by: Al on September 4, 2010 at 9:29 AM | PERMALINKI've always wondered about why members of our Legislature go on these trips abroad at our expense. Aren't they supposed to be taking care of America's business at home? Certainly I understand the need sometimes to visit particular countries to get that 'first hand' look at something the US is doing and/or meet with other countries' representatives, but it seems like there really isn't a compelling need for that. That's what the Dept. of State is for. Perhaps we should have some kind of oversight mechanism whereby members must meet some minimum--yet realistic--level of 'need' for such trips or otherwise justify the rationale for the trip (e.g., sponsoring a childrens' learning center in some poor country). I just don't see that a member from Podunk, SC has a compelling need to visit Afghanistan. Posted by: terraformer on September 4, 2010 at 9:34 AM | PERMALINKinput this URL: WE ACCEPT PYAPAL PAYMENT Is a goblet even a gift when you use someone else's money to buy it? [...] it'd be good to know why he racked up so many expenses, and asked us to pick up the tab. -- Steve Benen 'cause there was no one to tell him "nay", that's why. Posted by: exlibra on September 4, 2010 at 8:03 PM | PERMALINK
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