August 5, 1861

Lincoln imposes first federal income tax

On this day in 1861, Lincoln imposes the first federal income tax by signing the Revenue Act. Strapped for cash with which to pursue the Civil War, Lincoln and Congress agreed to impose a 3 percent tax on annual incomes over $800.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=50716

August 5, 1963

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty signed

Representatives of the United States, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain sign the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which prohibited the testing of nuclear weapons in outer space, underwater, or in the atmosphere. The treaty was hailed as an important first step toward the control of nuclear weapons.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=2750

1974 - U.S. President Nixon said that he expected to be impeached. Nixon had ordered the investigation into the Watergate break-in to halt.

Judd Gregg is 8th Republican to back Sotomayor

Another retiring Republican senator is saying yes to Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court.

Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) is the eighth Republican to announce his support for Sotomayor, making it clear that the judge will get somewhere between 65 and 70 yes votes for her confirmation vote Thursday evening.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0809/Judd_Gregg_is_8th_Republican_to_back_Sotomayor.html?showall

House Democrats agreed late last week to allow Republicans to send their constituents a mailing critical of the majority’s health care bills, after a two-week delay caused by Democratic allegations that the mailing was inaccurate.

http://www.rollcall.com/news/37500-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS

GOP Senator: White House Encroaching on First Amendment

August 05, 2009 1:33 PM

ABC News’ Rick Klein reports:

A Republican senator is calling for the White House to suspend a new project that asks members of the public to flag “fishy” claims about President Obama’s health care plans, arguing that it raises privacy concerns and will serve to chill free speech.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is sending a letter to the White House today asking the president to “cease this program immediately” -- or to explain how Americans’ privacy will be protected if e-mails are forwarded to the White House as requested.

House Orders Up Three Elite Jets
August 5, 2009
By Paul Singer
Roll Call Staff

Last year, lawmakers excoriated the CEOs of the Big Three automakers for traveling to Washington, D.C., by private jet to attend a hearing about a possible bailout of their companies.

But apparently Congress is not philosophically averse to private air travel: At the end of July, the House approved nearly $200 million for the Air Force to buy three elite Gulfstream jets for ferrying top government officials and Members of Congress.

Jefferson convicted in freezer cash case

Former Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) has been convicted on 11 of 16 criminal counts in the freezer cash case.

But on the count related to that $90,000 in his freezer, he actually was not found guilty.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune has more:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0809/Jefferson_convicted_in_freezer_cash_case.html?showall

71% Say Obama’s Policies Have Driven Up Deficit

Seventy-one percent (71%) of U.S. voters say President Obama’s policies have increased the size of the federal deficit, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Only five percent (5%) say the president’s policies have cut the deficit, and 10% say they have had no impact. Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/august_2009/71_say_obama_s_policies_have_driven_up_deficit

What is reconciliation?

A lot of people are trying to look forward in time, attempting to predict how the health care legislative process will play out this fall.  It is way too soon to make any concrete predictions – I can confidently say that the political dynamics will look quite different four weeks from today, but have no idea how they will look different.  Neither does anyone else.

There are certain things we can understand in advance.  Yesterday I described why I think the “health insurance consumer protections” that are the central focus of the President’s and Speaker’s August message cannot work as a standalone piece of legislation.  This is a substantive policy point and is independent of the political dynamics.

I also provided thoughts on the reconciliation process, prompting some friends and commenters to ask for a crash course on reconciliation.

http://keithhennessey.com/2009/08/05/what-is-reconciliation/

Did Secretary LaHood lie to Congress?

By: David Freddoso
Commentary Staff Writer
08/05/09 8:08 AM EDT

Specifically, the question is whether he put four cabinet secretaries up to writing bullying letters to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, R. The letters asked whether Arizona wanted its stimulus funds cut off, shortly after Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., suggested repealing the stimulus package. In this Politico story by Jonathan Martin, two administration officials have confirmed Emanuel's involvement in demanding that the secretaries write the letters.

[A]fter seeing [Sen. Jon] Kyl [R-Ariz.] and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) again paint the legislation as a failure on Sunday talk shows, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel directed that the letters from the Cabinet secretaries be sent to Brewer, according to two administration officials.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Did-Secretary-LaHood-lie-to-Congress-52514122.html

Mary Who?   [Tevi Troy]

I have been asking whether the White House knew that Mary Robinson was a controversial pick for the Medal of Freedom or if they were caught unawares by the controversy. A source has now indicated that she was not fully vetted, but that the White House feels that backing down at this point would make things worse. Tough call. Still, there are reasons these announcements have to be researched in advance.