Source: Associated Press
The Republican-controlled House plans to wait until Tuesday to reject a Senate measure providing a two-month extension of Social Security payroll tax cuts due to expire on Dec. 31. House GOP lawmakers favor a year-long extension instead.

Source: CBS
Following a “60 Minutes” report on how many members of Congress are making money on stock trades that are illegal for everyone else, correspondent Nancy Cordes reports a bill to ban lawmakers from insider trading is now on the fast track.

Here’s the explosive ’60 Minutes’ report that is causing an uproar around the nation:

The House of Representatives today passed Boehner-Reid-Obama debt ceiling compromise bill, also known as the Satan Sandwich. The final vote came to 269-161.

It looks like GOP leaders are in a full scale war with Conservatives at this point:

The Republican conference erupted in anger Wednesday over how a conservative faction is undermining Speaker John Boehner’s debt ceiling plan.

Republican Study Committee chairman Jim Jordan apologized to members at a closed-door meeting because a junior RSC staffer, Wesley Goodman, earlier this week sent an email to conservative outside groups identifying which members were undecided on how they will vote on Boehner’s debt ceiling legislation.

“There was a sense of frustration that, we’re on the same team, how could you do this?” says a source who was in the room.

When the subject of the email came up, one unidentified member of Congress yelled “Fire him!” about Goodman, who sent the email, the source said.

The fact that Republicans in Congress are trying to keep their votes secret from Conservatives tells me they’re voting the wrong way. That said, it was certainly a ballsy move for that staffer to snitch. He better freshen up that resume, because any chance of a career on The Hill is mighty unlikely.

Source: Associated Press
Texas Rep. Ron Paul said Tuesday he will retire from Congress when his term runs out in 2012 to focus on his campaign for president.

Source: Associated Press
Democrat Kathy Hochul’s defeat of Republican Jane Corwin in a special Congressional election in western New York seemed to pivot around preserving Medicare, something Republicans want to consider cutting to slash the deficit.

The House passed the so-called budget compromise this morning. The vote totals ended up 260-167 with 59 Republicans voting no.

Rep. Thad McCotter has a way with words like few members of Congress. His oratory is fierce and his cause is just! Here he is invoking Led Zeppelin on the House floor. McCotter is a well known music buff who also plays in a band.

The Daily Caller has a great story about Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Reporter Jonathan Strong interviewed dozens of Lee’s former staffers and the picture they paint of the congresswoman is not a flattering one. She’s a power-hungry, abusive, race-baiting witch from the sounds of it.

A lot of politicians give nicknames to their aides. George W. Bush famously referred to his attorney general, Alberto Gonzalez, as “Fredo.” Mitch Daniels, then head of the Office of Management and Budget, was known as “The Blade.” Barack Obama reportedly called Larry Summers, his chief economic advisor, “Dr. Kevorkian.”

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas also hands out nicknames to the people who work for her. The Houston Democrat addressed one of her employees as “you stupid motherfucker.” And not just once, but “constantly,” recalls the staffer, “like, all the time.”

That’s only the appetizer. It gets better from there. Click over and read the whole thing.

On a personal note, I was born and raised in Houston and I despise Sheila Jackson Lee. She’s an embarrassment to the entire state of Texas. The district she represents is in Houston’s inner city and her constituents are about 95% black and therefore solidly Democratic. As a result, she will have that seat until she either dies or retires. Her race baiting of opponents and anyone who disagrees with her is legendary. She’s a disgrace.