This is for pocket, who earlier asked about the anthrax investigation. I posted this link to the Portland Independent Media Center in the orignial post, but only when I read your query.

http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2007/07/361805.shtml

This was originally on AfterDowningStreet on July 3. The whistleblower is a PhD and law prof. He'd like to see Leahy bring forward a few of those involved to testify, esp the FBI agent. The AfterDowningStreet entry has a huge number of replies. Very interesting.

Don:
Bite me.

Too bad I didn't know about this when I was speaking to Meredith on the other thread. I like the analogy -- BITE 'EM, YOUNG!!!

ahhhh, the irony of teh new boss state of corruption taking on the old one!

Careful not to bite off more than you can chew, Don!

Too bad TPM edited the speech -- I liked the parts I saw which is more than what is quoted above -- I do have one question though: is there only one Representative from New Jersey, who obviously did NOT do a good job getting enough money for the students in his State? If so, then it is obvious who Rep. Young was referring to, just as if someone else didn't mention Young's name but referred to "Alaska's Representative".

linda:

See the "Speech and Debate Clause", Art. I., United States Constitution.

The way I heard it, I think it is was "Pitting" not "Splitting" state against state and "what's been called" not "this we'll be called". YMMV.

Did he just threaten to kill another Congressman?!

It's our money, Don, not yours, you idiot.

Alaska--statehood since 1949. That's 48 years.

When will Rep. Young feel that Alaska is established?

Did he just threaten to kill another Congressman?

Rep. Young would be wise to recall that the money belongs to the American people, not him.

What's wrong with voters in Alaska, anyway? Seriously, can someone tell me why they elect and re-elect such idiots?

So, the King of Pork is now a mink?

Or a skunk?

Um, he really did say "splitting." Maybe a slip of the tongue, but that's what he said.

He probably also meant to say "will" instead of "we'll," (which would make more sense), but he paused and it came out "we'll." TPM got his quotes accurately.

this ladies and gentlemen is what's called 'instead of the detox center!'

Alaska--statehood since 1949. That's 48 years.

When will Rep. Young feel that Alaska is established?
Posted by: Roberta

Tens years off, Roberta. It was 1959. Your point is still valid. AK is perhaps getting more per capita tax dollars than any other state. My personal experience is that no matter how much they get, they'll always be rude and stupid.

Would encourage the committees to review descriptive summaries: Put zeroes in them; don't wait to adjust the budgets with an Amendment.

Put the burden on the GOP to use Amendments to add money back. President's veto will not change the budgeting documents.

kw = defunding

This administration needs to recognize the war in Iraq is a complete failure and mistake. Not only are the lives of the American people not secured, more threats and terror are further fueled by this government. There are also more critical issues that affecting the lives of millions of americans and people world wide, that our president is not taking actions against. Now the war has proven to be a failure and is causing more violence, terror and poverty in this world. According to the Borgen Project, it only takes $19 billion dollars annually to eradicate world hunger and poverty. However, our government has already spent more than $450 billion dollars over this fruitless war in Iraq. It is time for the Bush Administration to take a real interest in the lives of the American people as well as people who are in desperate needs around the world. Stop the lies and stop poverty now. Put away the arrogance and put the needs of the people before political gains.

"now we have an individual from a state that doesn't have the greatest reputation in the world..."

dude, only new yorkers can slur new jersey like that...

Wow what a credit to his party.

Dear Don Young - try mixing Thunderbird and Raspberry KoolAid - it will get you just a notch higher than whatever you were before you hit the House floor. Kodiak assures you, you are a foolish example of an Alaskan. When some of our local ladies showed up to visit you before, you screamed at your wife who was apparently drunk and in her nightgown in your office, then you picked your nose in front of them. We, Alaskans, know better than others exactly who you are... and there is no enjoyment watching your family meltdown. But I for one plan to do everything possible to put your stupid snot-pickin kind in jail. But wasn't that what was bothering you so much - FBI probes - that you had to attack someone else? Get off your MY MY MY high horse and for god's sake seek some therapy! We are going to turn back your crooked Pombo Amendment to the fisheries act on the basis of your corruption. Just watch...

Groundswell Fisheries Movement, from Kodiak Island

Hey, c'mon, give them a break.

They (Alaska) needs the money because they're opening a new school on that island. You know, the essentially uninhabited island that's at the other end of that $300+ million "bridge to nowhere"

code: public (as in, "dude, it's the public's money, not yours")

As a native New Jerseyan, I'd be curious to know what return MY state gets on their Federal tax dollar, and how Alaska compares. Then again, I guess home repairs, bridges to nowhere and cheap riverside property DO add up.
BK

Windowdog - To be fair, among Republicans "poverty you don't even think of" is just their redundant way to refer to all poverty.

Roberta:

It was not "splitting" -- he said "pitting" twice just as I heard -- here's the ENTIRE speech from the official Congressional Record:

The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. My friends, this is a sad day in this body. Apparently the students of New Jersey are trying to take money from Alaskan students, pitting State against State instead of talking about education.

I am a little bit chagrined with the gentleman from New Jersey. This is supposed to be a House of honor. You didn't tell me you were going to offer this amendment. You didn't talk to the gentleman from Hawaii on the amendment. You are attacking two States that are not contiguous
to the United States. This is a harmful thing to do. We are a new State. I have poverty that you don't even think of, and yet you say you want my money, my money, for my students that need to be educated, to go to New Jersey.

That is a sad day for this House.

I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee for putting this in the bill. And if we continue this, we will be called "biting one another", very much like the mink in my State that kill their own. There is always another day when those who bite will be killed, too, and I am very good at that.

I just think it is a disgrace to have one State, the education of one State, being pitted against another State. This is education. These are needy students, a minority that has been neglected, has not been helped to the degree they should have been over the centuries. I can truthfully say and pridefully say we have been good in the last years, over the last 35 years. I have provided education and supported education. My people have risen and become leaders because this Congress saw the wisdom of us providing us money.

And now we have an individual from a State that doesn't have the greatest reputation in the world trying to take money from one State to give to another State. If that is the case, then let's just all have a big donnybrook right here. I'm ready. I'm really ready because what we are doing is dead wrong.

[[Page H8021]]

I told the gentleman here about 2 years ago, shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on each one of you. And the guys that are trying to not spend money and the guys that are trying to balance the budget, to take and attack education in States, Hawaii and Alaska, that have the least
representation as far as numbers go. And if there is guilt here, it is because I have been able to represent my State better than New Jersey. I would suggest New Jersey ought to elect some new Congressmen, I suggest respectfully, that can do the job. I believe that is really true. If they can't do the job, elect somebody new. I have done it. I am going to continue to do it. I am going to fight for my State, and I am going to fight for my State every time.

Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, is it appropriate for the speaker to say that the people from New Jersey should be electing----

The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Capuano). Does the gentleman from Alaska yield for a parliamentary inquiry?

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. I have not yielded. I will not yield.

Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. I make a point of order.

The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentleman will state his point of order.

Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Is it a violation of parliamentary decorum by suggesting that a Member not be reelected in the State of New Jersey?

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. I don't know what the gentleman is talking about. I just said they were not well represented. Respectfully, if I
can say that. I don't name anybody's name. I don't mention anybody. I don't specifically mention any names. And that is not why. For the rest of you that continue this constant harping on this floor about cutting monies from other areas under the guise of balancing the budget, I say shame on you, too. I say shame on you because we are not doing the legislative process any good.

Regardless of who is in power in this House, Democrat or Republican, we should be leading this Nation and we are at a standstill now. That is one reason our ratings are very low, totally, and that is a shame. Because we do have the work of this Nation that we should be doing and we should be addressing and we should take care of it.

I don't agree with everything that side does. We should not always agree on everything, but we should have the ability to get together and solve problems and to legislate, and we have not done that. So I am a little frustrated. And like I say, those that bite me will be bitten
back.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

There was also this later "Parliamentary Inquiry":

Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Parliamentary inquiry.

The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentleman may state his parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Is it appropriate political decorum for a Member to say that he represents his State in a better manner than the
entire delegation of another State represents their State?

The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Chair is unable to rule on such remarks after other debate has ensued.

Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Further parliamentary inquiry.

The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentleman may state his parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Is there a manner in which I can rephrase the question so that the Chair will be able to answer the question or
comment on the previous speaker's statements?

The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Chair can only rule on such words if a timely point of order is made.

Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. I'm sorry, I didn't hear the last part.

The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Chair is unable to rule on words between Members previously spoken in debate, absent a timely point of order or demand that such words be taken down.

Also, why did TPM "edit" the following out of Young's speech -- is it because it hits too close to the truth as well? TPM is doing everything it can to attack just Republicans but not acknowledge that Congress as a whole has the LOWEST APPROVAL RATING since polling began:

"I just think it is a disgrace to have one State, the education of one State, being pitted against another State. This is education. These are needy students, a minority that has been neglected, has not been helped to the degree they should have been over the centuries. I can truthfully say and pridefully say we have been good in the last years, over the last 35 years."

"I told the gentleman here about 2 years ago, shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on each one of you. And the guys that are trying to not spend money and the guys that are trying to balance the budget, to take and attack education in States, Hawaii and Alaska, that have the least
representation as far as numbers go.

I say shame on you because we are not doing the legislative process any good."

"Regardless of who is in power in this House, Democrat or Republican, we should be leading this Nation and we are at a standstill now. That is one reason our ratings are very low, totally, and that is a shame. Because we do have the work of this Nation that we should be doing and we should be addressing and we should take care of it."

"I don't agree with everything that side does. We should not always agree on everything, but we should have the ability to get together and solve problems and to legislate, and we have not done that."

Dolooper:

Now that I've reviewed Rep. Young's comments in their entirety, I can state my opinion that they did not violate Jefferson's Rules, Section 359. Good try though.

New Alaska state slogan "Alaska, come for the fishing, stay for the graft." Such a tragic political legacy for such a physically beautiful place. I feel for the good people of Alaska. What a bunch of buffoons they've got in charge--almost as if being a crotchety, juvenile, embarrassing whiner is a prereq for the job.

If the Republics keep this up, I'm gonna have to make more popcorn.

So if education monies were the target of being struck specifically from African American education efforts for Black History Month (February) by "conservative" Republicans, how long would it take for Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and other "progressives" to howl at the moon over such actions?

What labels would be attached to the good representatives from New Jersey?

It would be a national racist story of epic proportions, but since it is going for Native Alaskan and Native Hawaiian education efforts, it seems to be OK to racially profile them as a group for funding cuts.

Spare me on how progressive your thinking is on this subject.

You have to consider the billions of dollars of defense money and other earmarks now traveling through the Alaska Native Corporations, and the tremendous resource assets they are picking up in fisheries, for example. And how little is shared with native peoples as shareholders. It is not a matter of progressive thinking (nice try) or profiling, it is a ruse of Don using a 'guilt about natives' to wrench from all American taxpayers an undebated welfare system that has turned into huge corporate profits.

The gentleman from New Jersey was not off base, as Don Young showed disdain for balancing the budget. Wait, didn't he give support the troops speeches? Hey, the entire Congress has run wild with spending via earmarks at a time this Nation is at war - not in Iraq as much as against the middle class, too - and it is time to stop all these wars. The New Jersey congressman was carving at an edge, one that might make any other Congressman wake up, that Young was savagely eating his cake and others' too, and cares not about taxpayers. It's a form of economic treason! There has been plenty of money given to Alaska and it is Ted Stevens and Don Young who made sure not enough went to education, no one else. They could start by demanding real audits of all the ANC and other earmarks they gave to the state (destined for cronies), but that would put them both in jail: a decade ago.

We thank the gentleman from New Jersey... esp. since he did not stoop to Young's level of vitriol. Of course, Alaska's corruption is going to make far more notorious history, and will make NJ's seem street level and hardly comparable. Put on your seat belts, as this has become a runaway train of federal law enforcement and no amount of badger-behavior will stop it for Alaska's delegates merely angry that they are ALL getting caught.

But this week,in case Don hasn't noticed, Lisa Murkowski became the low hanging fruit.

Kodiak Island, Alaska