Re: Who Will Cheney Shoot Next?

Did Franken suggest any political platform?
Yes he did. He mentioned universal health care and student loans
(which have been cut) among other topics.

I will give you that. Socialized medicine does seem like a Democratic Party
ideal. Should we put FEMA in charge of it? You guys seem to really like
the Federal Government's ability to provide emergency medical assistance.

Perhaps Bush will put the Arabs in charge, like he's doing with our
ports.

Here's one from FOXNEWS, the name you can trust:
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House GOP Leaders Line Up Against UAE Port Deal
Tuesday, February 21, 2006

WASHINGTON - House Speaker Dennis Hastert and newly-minted House
Majority Leader John Boehner will soon be "flexing muscle" against the
Bush administration-approved transaction that permits shifting control
of port operations in six U.S. ports from a British company to a
company owned by the United Arab Emirates.

"We are very concerned about it and that it could threaten our national
security," one senior House Republican leadership aide told FOX News
late Monday. Another senior aide said: "Most indications point to
leadership flexing muscle against this transaction."

On Monday, New York Rep. Peter King, chairman of the House Homeland
Security Committee, said he was urging President Bush to delay approval
of the deal. King also said he saw many reasons to cancel it
altogether.

"I'm strongly urging the president to intervene to stop this, to freeze
it, to put it on hold," King said. "This contract should not be allowed
to go forward until there is a full and complete investigation. And
there has not been a full investigation of this company nor of its
roots in the United Arab Emirates."

King said UAE-owned Dubai Ports World won approval without thorough
administration vetting.

"There have been allegations of weapons parts going through that port
to Iran," King said of that country's own territory. "There's been
allegations of corruption about that port. None of these have ever been
investigated by our government."

King's comments were cleared by House GOP leaders and, according to
sources, reflect the view of the House Republican Conference at large.
Republicans are increasingly concerned at the political impact of the
port story. They fear it could leave them vulnerable to Democratic
criticism and at least partially undermine their political advantage on
national security.

Late Monday, Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., called on the president to
intervene immediately.

"We have 10 days to stop this transaction, a transaction that we think
is not in the national security of the united states, and that needs to
be stopped by the president," Menendez said.

Under federal law, the president has until March 2 to overrule approval
granted by the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United
States for DP World to purchase the London-based Peninsular and
Oriental Steam Navigation, which has been running the commercial
operations at ports in New York, New Jersey, New Orleans, Baltimore,
Philadelphia and Miami.

The multi-agency task force headed by Treasury Secretary John Snow and
comprised of members of the departments of State, Justice, Commerce,
Defense and Homeland Security reviewed the transaction and said it
posed no national security threat.

DP World would not provide security at any U.S. port. That job is
conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs, both agencies in the
Department of Homeland Security. The employees working at the ports
will remain American longshoremen.

But, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he is concerned that the deal was
approved without congressional oversight. He added that DP World is
owned by a questionably "ally."

"There is no question it is not a fly-by-night company, but it is a
company that is controlled by a country that has a nexus with
terrorism," he said.

Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge told FOX News on Monday
that congressional questions will persist until more is learned about
the administration review process.

"It's very difficult without total transparency and I'm not saying I
should necessarily have it but members of congress who have expressed
concern should be given a look at the agreement to see who ultimately
has operational responsibility and what kind of information is going to
be shared with whom once the transaction is completed," Ridge said.

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan defended the process that
approved the $6.8 billion deal.

McClellan said the process of review was followed. He did not, however,
defend the decision to approve the transaction or rule out the
president's future involvement.

Republican Govs. George Pataki of New York and Robert Ehrlich of
Maryland have also voiced doubts about the sale.

"I have directed the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to
explore all legal options that may be available to them in regards to
this transaction," said Pataki, who is still in the hospital recovering
from an appendectomy.

"We needed to know before this was a done deal, given the state of
where we are concerning security," Ehrlich told reporters in the State
House rotunda in Annapolis.

The state of Maryland is considering its options, up to and including
voiding the contract for the Port of Baltimore, Ehrlich said, adding:
"We have a lot of discretion in the contract."

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