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Congress Must IMMEDIATELY Pass HR 1148: The "Stop Trading On Congressional Knowledge" Act
Update: we have learned that the current iteration of HR 682 is HR 1148, it's purpose is "To prohibit commodities and securities trading based on nonpublic information relating to Congress, to require additional reporting by Members and employees of Congress of securities transactions, and for other purposes" sponsored by Tim Waltz, and as of June 1 was... referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.
Following yesterday's 60 Minutes grotesque special which finally exposed to the general public what most experts in the industry have known for many years, namely that the bulk of "profits" for Congressmen (at a fixed $174,000 salary for the current year) and Senators are made courtesy of perfectly legal insider trading, it is time to ask the logical next question: how is it possible that the US system of checks and balances has failed so spectacularly, as to allow a glaringly illegal activity for everyone else to proceed and to generate multi-million dollar windfalls for congressional and senatorial critters? It would be perfectly understandable if some very righteous anger accompanies said question. Well, as it turns out, some, very few, Congressmen have a conscience and do believe in operating within the confines of the law, and 2 years ago proposed HR 682: Stop Trading On Congressional Knowledge Act. HR 682, sponsored by Rep. Brian Baird, has a purpose "To prohibit securities and commodities trading based on nonpublic information relating to Congress, and to require additional reporting by Members and employees of Congress of securities transaction, and for other purposes." Wonder why you have never heard of HR 682, aside from the obvious: that Congress would never vote in a law to cut off this massive illegal form of funding for itself: "This bill never became law." Well, duh.
More: "This bill was proposed in a previous session of Congress. Sessions of Congress last two years, and at the end of each session all proposed bills and resolutions that haven't passed are cleared from the books. Members often reintroduce bills that did not come up for debate under a new number in the next session." Indicatively, the bill died when it was referred to, extremely ironically, the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. So there you have it, and the question now is: who of the 435 members of Congress will be so kind to just say no to perpetuating this gross criminal act, and finally make it illegal for Congressmen to trade on inside information, just as it is for everyone else, and usually ends up leading to prison time and multimillion dollar fines for all those other "mortals" who are caught doing it. After all, is it too much to demand of Congress to follow the laws that are in place for everyone else???
And a letter penned by the original two bill sponsors to Nancy Pelosi. Logically, nothing ever happened afterwards.
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Good luck...
Wall Street = corrupt
Washington DC = corrupt
Hedge funds = corrupt
Bond funds = corrupt
Mortgage industry = corrupt
Europe = corrupt
China = corrupt
What else?
The State (the position, the institution) is corrupt.
Supposedly being in Congress is "public service" so why don't they just make a rule that you don't trade while you're in Congress at all. If that's too much to ask, maybe "public service" isn't for you.
me = not corrupt (only because they wont let me in the club)
New MP3 interview with Neil Howe on THE FOUTH TURNING
Congress voting and passing the bill that will cut their real source of income HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA
Not only will they not allow us in the club, we support the club. I don't know about you, but I work fifty hours plus a week. A portion of that goes to taxes. Those taxes pay those "public servants." Those "public servants" go and take that money and pass/do not pass laws that will make their stock options profitable. In other words, a portion of my workday (time, skills, energy) goes to making those "public servants" richer for their service of fucking me as a taxpaying citizen. I wonder when our society will get tired of being fucked.
It is public services Congress
While you're at it, cap their salaries to a mean of the average working American's salary, provide them dormitory style housing in Washington close to the capitol (They can chill in their crib when not in Washington), provide travel expenses for getting to and from Washington, and necessary fact finding trips, and eliminate any form pecuniary compensation from lobbyists.
That would attract people who would be willing to honestly serve as representatives (Think teachers), as opposed to the greedy sociopathic types that flock to the position today.
That sounds just great: a bunch of unionized teachers running the country. The whole fucking country will fail just as the schools have.
"perfectly legal," "public service" - amazing oxymorons
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
What we need is for the Freedom of Information Act to extend INTO all financial transactions held by Government Officials at ALL levels. Start with Congress. Encourage all State and Local Governments to do the same. The Federal Government should then require financial transparency laws to extend to all Federal Aid and Federal Grant recipients. If they did this we'd uncover how Federal Aid/Grant money ends up being recirculating into the pockets of Friends and Family members.
Exactly, There is two different rule books. The problem is everything has got so out of wack at this moment.
During Recession/Depression, only the top can gain, and the bottom just keep going down further.
We are in some interesting times,
Just as insulting is the fact that even if they only serve one term, they still get their pension for life!
WTF!
America died along time ago and The United States INC. was born!
Very good point. This is today's equivolent of, "Granting Titles of Royalty", something explicitly prohibited in the Founding.
Of course, we also say, "Mr. Senator", "Mr. President" to address the individual, long after the person is out-of-office. That is simliarly a life-long title. But, as you point out, it's all about the money (and control).
Alas, then we have Ms. Pelosi, who, via an official mouthpiece, decried the charges of "soft corruption" levied against her ( and her husband ), when they purchased shares in Visa -- whilst credit card legislation favorable to same was passing through her [ then ] House. These grifters in Congress, defending their character, regarding their "sneak-thief" actions.
"The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons."
Ralph Waldo Emerson had their kind fittingly illustrated one and a half centuries ago. It takes a special reprobate breed to be a Congressman.
+ 1
Such hypocrites. Talking out of both sides of their mouths. Do as we say, not as we do.
Each day more of the rot is exposed to those who wish to see. When are we going to do something?
---
Gold, without question, should be part of what everyone should own.
Socialism is for the people NOT the socialist.
Ms. Pelosi is the scum of the hill and that's quite the accomplishment since both parties are organized crime. It was Pelosi who said, some time back, that although she thought the Iraq war was illegal, destructive, and misleading, she was all for it if it hurt the other party. Criminal accomplice is a flattering term.
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Now that shit is funny!
I used to think she was just an idiot douche bag.
Now I know she's a manipulative, corrupt, selfish, idiot douche bag.
FU Nancy. You're a POS. Sleep well, bitch.
I disagree. I don't think she should sleep well.
checkout california's '3' ` little women' - boxer, pelosi, and the big kahuna, feinstein [mic` appropriations committee]
"...To understand Mrs. Pelosi, we need to first examine her family—the D’Alessandros—who’ve been in control of Baltimore’s political machine for years. Her father, Thomas, is known by some as the most corrupt mayor in Baltimore’s history... .
http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/pelosi_s_trail_215.html
Right. She makes Imelda Marcos look like a saint, (albeit with shoe obsession.)
Monetary system = corrupt
Fractional reserve banking = corrupt
Central banks = corrupt
The Bernank = corrupt
Derivatives markets = corrupt
Paper gold and silver markets = corrupt
You know what, fuck it, lets just invite a few members of Congress onto CNBC "Fast Money" every week to socialize the gains. The Congress critters that give the audience the best stock tips get to be re-elected. I mean, at this point, there is no use putting them in prison, when we can make them useful for something.
That and the fact that they own stock in the Prisons.
Brokerages=corrupt
Financial Isurance=corrupt
Medical Insurance=corrupt
Awe Heck;
Insurance=corrupt
Equities market=corrupt
since the market is dead and headlines are slow.. here are some chicks in lingerie - http://hedge.ly/gFWVSm
Are jeans lingerie?
I know I was told the financial crisis is over, and some have bought it. But you'll have a hard time selling jeans as lingerie.
It doesn't matter. They will ignore the law because they know they won't be prosecuted.
Take the money back and then hang them.
+ 1 Great reply!
I just watched the 60 minutes report and I want to cry, that show was a joke right? Its not really our government, they must have gotten us mixed up with Nigeria.
Worthless unless enforced..... Typical Congressional masturbation....
Next time the IRS comes knocking ensure your funds offshore and tell 'em congressman banksters et. al rob the coffers and scam ergo SUCK MY BALLS UNKLE SAM and push comes to shove MOVE.
i told you sheep earlier, we gave you martha and that foriegner {2 birds 1 stone} raj raj ..if you arnt satisisfied with that fuck off...see thats the problem with sheep, never satisfied...you must understand we know best, and its best that we rape and rob you to our benefit, so just in case you missed it above....fuck off
Moving only works if you have money and have had the time and energy to set up your nest.
DO NOT confront the IRS. Never confront the Big Rhino. Get out of its way, hide in the bushes (off the grid) or move. DO NOT go mano-a-mano with .gov. Big Mistake.
Nancy Pelosi/Warren Jeffs???
Nancy Pelosi/Ivan Boesky = One scary face
+ 1
Pelosi alone is scary... In almost every way...
Martin Short.
That is an ugly mug.
I have one word for you, Billy, plastic-green-army-banker-men.
I REALLY want to see the one with the bazooka.
Here's another good pic:
http://jessescrossroadscafe.blogspot.com/2011/11/are-bofa-and-jp-morgan-major-impediment.html
Again I ask: Is this the best congressional government money can buy?
Won't make any difference. THEY HOLD THE PURSE!!
We the people need to demand they pass HR 1098. That would force some responsibility in management of the purse and monetary policy.
The corrupt have always been among usTM.
Congress needs to be subject to every law and regulation on the books, just like any regular person or business. There should be absolutely no exceptions. And since they make the laws and fund the agencies that create the regulations, any Congress member or staffer found in violation of a law or regulation should be subject to the maximum penalty allowed under said law or regulation. No discretion. Period.
Eddie Hobbs on what's really going on over in Italy. MUST WATCH !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzGJWtYnAdE
WOW !
@ 3ggg
+ mucho!
That is an excellent video. One of the takeaways is that the rich in Spain and Italy are fleeing to gold.
Another is that if Italy goes, then it's AMF (my words not his). Truly must watch, thanks for bringing this to our attention!
That is what called Occupy Wall Street needs...a proof.
I know this is naive, but it's worth a shot. Here's a link to help you contact your elected rep if you live in the US.
http://www.contactingthecongress.org/
I called my congressman but was told he was too busy working on an insider trade to come to the phone.
revolution now
I prefer "Ditch the institutions and build better things now."
you want the kumbaya happy-meal version.
Not in the least. I want people to grow spines and start ACTING... ON THEIR OWN.
It takes a lot more guts to do that, than to march out with 20 other guys and shoot.
Check and balance, LOL
Check: pay check
Balance: positive balance from insider tradings.
I am going to go back to school and take a course in SPHINCTEROLOGY - the study of Finance and Politics.
Maybe someday I can be one too !
some say, TOO LATE, I already am.
You never know when you will need a bit of rope.
And the corruption is being exposed in all aspects of life.
Love it when the CEO and other exec's of the nonprofit I work for gets a 10% raise, but then we all get a 3% because of the economic problems.
Some group needs to get midevil.
Full evil or nothing.
Pelosi has about 6 stocks in her portfolio, the biggest holding is AAPL. She is not really a sophisticated trader, but her husband surely is.
I remember she wants to raise the ceiling because she didn't want the stocks to fall. Conflict of interest?
just how this has gone for this long without being exposed by tmsm is perfectly indicative of the lapdogness (new word) of the media.
btw, thanks a lot for that pictue, wb7. now i'll have to sleep with the light on for a few nights until it clears.
This is one of the reasons we needed to switch over to electronic voting... too many of you bitches complaining about the status quo. Eat your gruel bitches and never mind what we do in DC
Public service: get rich quick.
No surpise Ron Pauls name is not on that bill . Do what I say while I help myself to your money.
Please provide evidence in support of your accusation.
The Subcommittee on the Constitution shall have jurisdiction over the following subject matters: constitutional amendments, constitutional rights, Federal civil rights, ethics in government, tort liability, including medical malpractice and product liability, legal reform generally, other appropriate matters as referred by the Chairman, and relevant oversight.
112th Congress Subcommittee on the Constitution
H2-362 Ford H.O.B.
Tel: 225-2825
Mr. Franks, Chairman
Mr. Pence, Vice-Chairman
Mr. Chabot
Mr. Nadler
Mr. Forbes
Mr. Quigley
Mr. King
Mr. Conyers
Mr. Jordan
Mr. Scott
Why is this CIABS election year psyop on my ZH? 60 Minutes? Really?
What's next, an NYT editorial by Krugman?
It's medication time
From the headline and front page, I half expected to see Karl Denninger as the author.
I guess outrage is appropriate everywhere.
Thanks for the 'medication'; the condition will probably require massive chemo-level doses.
I'm doubtful they will hang up their feedbags any time soon.
So, I've offended the statist Tyler? LOL
Don't get too disappointed when your political desires fail to get you anything other than disaster. Keep voting though, as it's got to get better any minute now, right? I'm sure Pelosi is just shaking in her shoes, fearful of your attention.
All you're doing is helping to maintain the facade that these criminals are public servants. The more you rage against them, the more you empower the apparatus they use against us all.
Now, were you talking about my medication time, or yours?
Yours
Ok. I'll take two Rothbard and avoid delusional threads for a while.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/rothbard/rothbard62.html
http://mises.org/resources/196/Power-and-Market-Government-and-the-Economy
Anarcho capitalism you still have a state; a state of money and money still leads to a parasitic class that ultimately rules. Money is of course at the heart of all the ills in the world. Simply we're fucked and there's nothing that can be done about it at this point.
http://www.q-group.org/archives_folder/pdf/spring2008/ChenBehavioralBias...
They taught monkeys how to use money and so it began. I'm sure within a few generations they'd have start waging war and taking slaves.
Yes, we know by Tyler's postings that his main goal is to convince us that the system is working in our interest, working at all and working under a set of reasonable and fair rules...
NOt gunna happen....wouldnt be prudent...
OWS needs to move their tents and concerns to the front of the congress building in Washington, as that is where the real root of everything corrupt and evil has spawned!
Well said Mr Koch!
btw... intersting "Pelosi Pile On" since both bills were tabled by Dems... I guess all those (I'm gonna change Washington) TP candidates were too busy counting their stock profits and keeping women safe from Planned Parenthood to do anything about this one...
So, in your opinion, the false dichotomy of left v. right is a good reason to let corrupt politicians (of the blue variety, of course) off the hook. My hat is off to you; it takes real moral courage to take a stand like that.
That -- directing OWS people's attention away from banksters and toward politicians -- may be why the 60 Minutes piece was allowed to be aired.
Insider trading is disgusting, but banking fraud does more damage to the world. We should keep up the pressure on Wall Street.
Yes, clearly it is the combined economic prowess of the vast ghetto that is Washington D.C. that has caused money to overflow their pockets.
What good would a law acheive when the fascist only use selective enforcement ?
hang her by her nipples and slap her with a dead fish!!!!!
Put Pelosi in the same cell as Raj. Raj is getting desperate.
uhhh, prolly not that desperate. in fact, raj's current cellmate is most likely infinitely preferable.
and if not, rosie palm and her five sisters certainly are.
This stinks on so many levels. Now that the cat is out of the bag in the mainstream media, this practice will come to an end.
The key now is for those who traded on insider info to have their trades exposed publicly.
Members of Congress should be forced to make their trades public and then the fun will begin.
If congress members are barred from trading they'll simply pass on inside info to family, friends and the highest bidder. The real problem is not that they use inside info, it's the fact that government has overstepped its bounds and taken over the control of the economy from the market. The inside info is just a fringe benefit.
The market is the voluntary interaction of 300 million Americans doing their own thing in their own time. The market is everything a direct democracy might claim to be and more.
Not only that, it's equivalent to locking the barn door after the horses have escaped. This is merely more facade maintenance, in the form of a barrier-to-entry for those politicos not yet "in the club." This is election year fodder, nothing more.
Read the whole post! Boner admitted that in the first pass.
I stand a better chance of seeing Jessica Alba arrive at my home, drop to her knees and blow me as Jim Morrison rises from the grave to serenade the occasion with a song than I have of ever seeing this bill passed into law.
Morrison would make a really cool vampire.
I and my partners have been in this business a long time together. Today during lunch one of them mentioned the 60 minutes piece and asked "is that really legal?" I asked are you seriously asking me that question? He responded with the question "well why is it illegal for us if it's legal for them?" " That's not right. I responded in stunned dibelief, "surely you know there are two set's of laws..."This type of question is coming from a pretty intelligent and seasoned person,but it just goes to show how naive people are.
the problem here is the title of the proposed resolution...
HR 1148 just doesnt have that panache....whenever there is a bunch of dogshit that the govt tries to ram down our throats and convince us that it tastes like pumpkin pie...they will tag a name on it...like the "THE PATRIOT ACT"....just to make it more digestable....
HR 1148 needs a name....
"We are sorry, but we really have been pieces of Shit Act"
wascawy wabbitz!
It should be called the "Martha Stewart Act"
Eric Cantor and Stephen Bachus (who is anti-poker) have both used Congressional knowledge to inside trade, and Cantor did it towards his own fucking currency.
Fascists who worship the dollar, nothing more. Get the money out.
This law should've been in place long ago. It's not surprising the state of affairs and policymaking in this country has evolved into crony capitalism and thus has destroyed the rest of the real economy.
By the way, Ron Paul, this is what another form of crony capitalism looks like.
All citizens are treated equally before the law it’s just that some citizens (which also includes corporations) are more equal than others.
Someone explain to me how the situation above is ‘any’ different than an Oligarchy?
Which in sum is one set of rules for the rich and powerful and another set of rules for the other 99%.
Explain? Easy.
When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.
Please, that's why they are taking the club to the heads of OWS. This has no chance in hell of passing in our corrupt system. They want to discredit and shut down the movement before all eyes start turning on them and we see the real criminals of the system.
Long live CONgress,
Long live Crookbama.
I am not a crook.
~Dick Nixon
Congressional Knowledge.
I mean I get it they want to call it the S.T.O.C.K. Act and feel clever, but that's a real reach.
For Unlawful Congressional Knowledge. I love that CD...
I and my partners have been in this business a long time together. Today during lunch one of them mentioned the 60 minutes piece and said "is that really legal?" I asked are you seriously asking me that question? He responded with the question "well why is it illegal for us if it's legal for them?" " That's not right. I responded in stunned dibelief, "surely you know there are two set's of laws..."This type of question is coming from a pretty intelligent and seasoned person,but it just goes to show how nave people are.
It is like how economists like Joseph Stiglitz are "in the dark" about the Fed Reserve being a private agency, independent of government.
Some decide to stay in the dark on purpose, others dont find out until the lights are on.
A bit farther down the rabbit hole:
The Fed, the Federal Government (all branches), State/Local Governments, etc., it all flows up to the same place, the oligharchy. There are no independent entities. Nothing is independent of the oligharchs. Nothing. There may be degrees of dependency, but it's a bit like saying there are degrees of rape. Yeah, it's true, but at the end of the day, you're still getting raped. Even those of us amongst the uber-prepared, phys only, bunker/farm/firearms/neighbor network, we all still deep down know that we're participating in the dependency. You can't escape it. You can only fight it. And yes, the fight is ultimately futile, but not fighting is essentially acknowledge that you actually "enjoy the action". Fuck that.
"Congress would never vote in a law to cut off this massive illegal form of funding for itself: "This bill never became law." Well, duh."
Do Turkeys vote for Christmas?
"...windfalls for congressional and senatorial critters.."
Critters? ....think a mini-me version of Jabba the Hut with bigger teeth chumping a fat smokey cigar and a hand in the cookie jar
Why is she not being fucking arrested?
May be the Medusa effect. Or the FBI/SS are corrupt ass eaters.
Calling all patriots; We need more congressional vegetables!
They dont call CONgress the "Millionaires Club" for nothing ;)
What do you mean corrupt? What do you mean un-ethical? If it isn't specifically prohibited, then it's okay! Amirite? amirite? I mean come on! The rest of you are just a bunch of sore LOSERS! GET A JOB LOSERS! THIS IS AMERICA! WHERE ANYBODY CAN BE A CONGRESSMAN IF THEY JUST WANT TO BAD ENOUGH!
re: "The Honorable Nancy Pelosi"...
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!
http://jessescrossroadscafe.blogspot.com/2011/11/credibility-trap-us-congressmen-and.html
they should be physically overthrown out of office and at the very least never listened to ever again......do not follow their rules and laws meant to keep you down
"There is no native criminal class except Congress." - Mark Twain.
Any Congressperson or Congressional employee who traded on inside knowledge is a sociopath - period.
What pisses me off is that their constituents will make excuses for them and not hold them accountable because they are afraid of the boogy man on the other side of the ticket. If people would stop compromising their "principles" and vote these bums out we might clean up some of this mess.
On another note. I don't think BAC could possibly trade in a tighter range than it has today. How long before it has a five handle?
What's the saying, "When there is one cockroach, there is more cockroaches in a ditrty kitchen"
People hand over about 20%-50% of their earnings to an undisclosed group of political hacks and never ask what they do with the money or even have the ability to audit the daily detail transactions.
We have no idea where our money goes but we keep handing it over and big government insiders keep defrauding the system.
PentiCON:
"Woops, we lost 2.3 trillion dollars, can we have some more?"
CONgress:
"Sure".
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU4GdHLUHwU
Freudian - too true. Would we hand our hard-earned over to our neighbour and expect them to spend it wiser than us, spend it more efifciently or for our interests better than us?
Yet we do this with some jerk-off purporting to be a public representative who we don't know from Adam!!
The 'democratic' system is the biggest pile of junk ever devised and a fuking sham. Even the slightly higher IQ Ron Paul voters can't seem to work it out
If Ron Paul were really a good guy he wouldn't speak out against war and torture on the national stage. He'd sit in front of his computer in his PJs typing anonymous messages on the Internet.
Its just insane that there actually has to be debate in america about a bill which deals with tamping down on insider trading of elected public servants and representatives, totaly insane.
Insane, yes, but entirely consistent.
Why is anyone shocked ? Theses are Teflon Dons - drinking from the fountain of uber power, no incentive for them to stop
I guess we know why Congressional and Senate members have been performing so dismally in recent years -- and why they're so desperate to stay. And also why everyone who goes to Washington D.C. seems to come home far more wealthy than when they went there. They're far busier managing their stock portfolio than doing the job to which they were elected. Disappointing, but it fits with how corrupt the rest of the world seems to be these days, doesn't it?
NAME: NANCY
Origin: Hebrew --------- Meaning: Grace, Favour
http://babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/meaning_of_Nancy.html
So Grace Grace enjoys her favours? No shit! We should have known... it's all in the name ;-)
Hi. I'm Great Little One Son of Evergood.
Very freaking cool. Glad to meet you. I am Gimli son of Gloin.
Congress NEEDS to act on this jerk working behind the scenes to destroy America......
http://sorosfiles.com/soros/
I started writing some anti congressional diatribe about this, but then realized no one wants to read it, it's all been said before, and nothing will change. I am worn out, and now I'm indifferent.
Politics is bought and paid for, we are just bystandards watching for entertainment.
I've been saying for years that people avoid politics not because they care too little but because they care too much.
One of the GOP candidates needs to take this issue and run with it. It could be used as break-through that one of the back-of-the-pack GOP candidates needs to get recognition.
It truly is egregious that insider trading is illegal for all citizens except for our corrupt lawmakers--those who have best access to inside information.
...Implying that the red thieves are morally superior to the blue thieves? Nonsense. Besides, the minute one candidate of either party breaks with their party's position they will be ostracized. You ought to know that by now.
done the law, done the trick
If there was any form of legislative justice in the country, every law passed by congress would be first rolled out ON congress, their families, staff and every federal employee first.
Let those muther truckers be the first (and only) guinea pigs to be molested by TSA, the IRS and Obamacare. See how they like existing under a regime of increasing scrutiny, oppression and confiscation. We want to see TSA get molested first, before they get to rub their child-molesting hands on our kids.
Great news TSA. There are some coaching jobs open at Penn State!
Face it. The government is losing its legitimacy every week. In all its forms; the executive with its presidential signing orders, the congress with its insider trading and the judiciary for its contemptible sanction that a corporation is a human citizen of the Republic.
Rome is burning and the insiders know (want) it.
If ANY federal "official" came to your home or work making demands for anything, would you have any confidence that they were actually working for the larger benefit of the people?
I would be embarrassed to wear a federal badge in this day and age -
embarrassed that I work for Beasts that wipe their asses with our American Flag.
Yes. We are all still waiting for ONE bankster to be punished, or at least not bailed out.
Fuckers.
Like a Roman engineer standing under an arch as the supports are dismantled.
Ostracism (from Wiki)
The name is derived from the ostraka, (singular ostrakon , ????????), referring to the pottery shards that were used as voting tokens. Broken pottery, abundant and virtually free, served as a kind of scrap paper (in contrast to papyrus, which was imported from Egypt as a high-quality writing surface, and was thus too costly to be disposable).
Each year the Athenians were asked in the assembly whether they wished to hold an ostracism. The question was put in the sixth of the ten months used for state business under the democracy (January or February in the modern Gregorian Calendar). If they voted "yes", then an ostracism would be held two months later. In a section of the agora set off and suitably barriered,[1] citizens scratched the name of a citizen they wished to expel on pottery shards, and deposited them in urns. The presiding officials counted the ostraka submitted and sorted the names into separate piles. The person whose pile contained the most ostraka would be banished, provided that an additional criterion was met, about which there are two contradictory reports:
The person nominated had ten days to leave the city. If he attempted to return, the penalty was death. Notably, the property of the man banished was not confiscated and there was no loss of status. After the ten years, he was allowed to return without stigma.
I always thought that ABSCAM made paying off a congressman with an envelope a thing of the past. I knew they would come up with a better scam.
Then I heard about how the insider trading rules don't apply to Congress and realized the best way to funnel money to a congressman was to tip him about a penny stock pump and dump, or to a market that was already going to be moved by big money. I thought I was so smart, until I heard about Hillary's cattle futures trade and realized someone had already thought of it.
If there cannot be a insider trading crime because of their exemption, you cannot predicate an investigation of their trades. THAT'S THE ISSUE NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT, the exemption means that their trades will never be examined, so bribes hidden within the insider trades are invisible to law enforcement.
On the nail, Smiddy
No reason to search if there is immunity---just hold'em off with an attorney
But don't you worry about this---this has too far and limits have been breached----
I'm curious about how the universe is going balance this out----through the limits has to mean something om
"the Honorable Nancy Pelosi"= oxymoron
And her liberal district in SF will keep voting her back in office.