Loose Cannon: John Bolton

Having deja-vu? Funny, so are we. Bush tapped Bolton to be U.N. ambassador in the spring of 2005, but got some nasty push-back from the Senate. So he did what any good President would do: wait until August and make a recess appointment. That means that Bolton was able to serve without Senate approval — until now. Here’s your tool kit for understanding today’s big issue: John Bolton’s confirmation hearings. The Big Issue »

Celebration Excuse

1789

Get your passports ready: The Department of Foreign Affairs, later to become the Department of State, is created. It was the first U.S. federal government agency.

1794

The end of terror. For a while. Robespierre is arrested in France after encouraging the execution of more than 17,000 “enemies of the Revolution.”

1940

And we all smiled a little more often. Bugs Bunny makes his official debut in the animated cartoon A Wild Hare.

1965

Thank the Surgeon General: Public Law 89-92 requires caution labels on cigarettes and establishes a National Clearinghouse for Smoking and Health.

1974

Yes, you are, in fact, a crook: House Judiciary Committee votes 27-11 to recommend Nixon impeachment.

1995

In Washington, DC, the Korean War Veterans Memorial is dedicated.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

Give it up for baseball star A-Rod and for professional wrestler Triple H, who will be blowing out candles today.

Daybook

9:30AM

Here we go again, one year later. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee meets to discuss the nomination of John Bolton to ambassador and U.S. representative to the United Nations.

9:30AM

Remember Seabiscuit. The House Agriculture Committee meets to discuss H.R.503, to amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting and moving of horses to be slaughtered for human consumption.

10AM

Discussing the latest do-it-yourself. Senate Special Committee on Aging holds a hearing on “At Home DNA Tests: Marketing Scam or Medical Breakthrough?”

12PM

Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary for Tax Analysis Robert Carroll addresses the National Economists Club. The topic: the president’s tax proposals.

2PM

House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations holds a hearing on the impacts of global warming and climate changes.

ALL DAY

President Bush hosts Romanian President Traian Basescu at the White House.
Goin’ green: Green Party’s national meeting, Tuscon, AZ

 

Popularity Contest

Finally! House majority whip Roy Blunt announced this week that “they would soon hold the first House vote in a decade on increasing the minimum wage, and predicted that the bill will pass.” [Boston Globe]

THE BACKGROUND: The national minimum wage hasn’t increased from $5.15/hr since 1997. Since then, Congress has raised its own pay 9 times. Yes, 9 times.

THE PLAN: We’re still waiting on the details. Many supporters of an increased minimum wage are pushing for $7.25 an hour. It’s unknown whether conservative members will embrace that number, or push for a smaller raise.

THE NEED: There’s never been a better time. Inflation has cut the minimum wage’s buying power to its lowest level in more than 50 years.

Masthead

Questions? Comments? Send us e-mail.

Problems logging in? Reset/reactivate your password.

Mic Check is produced every weekday by Christy Harvey, Sara Langhinrichs and Nicole Murphy, and is a project of the Center for American Progress Action Fund. Read more about Mic Check.

RSS icon RSS headlines feed