congress
A handy guide to all Congress happenings on both sides of the aisle. Thank goodness for this political body that keeps Presidential power in check.
Bay of Pigs
When John F. Kennedy became President of the United States on January 20, 1961, he inherited every policy decision that Eisenhower had yet to carry out. (1) One of these was the planned invasion of Cuba to depose Fidel Castro and the 26th of July Movement. The Central Intelligence Agency had recruited and trained Cuban exiles to conduct the invasion. The operation became known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion after the point that the Cuban exiles made their landing. The planning of the invasion began with the 1959 defeat of Fulgencio Batista, the former president of Cuba. The CIA believed that the use of Cuban exiles would work because of their perceived success in the 1954 coup against President Jacobo Arbenz of Guatemala. In the 1954 coup against Arbenz, the CIA had used disgruntled Guatemalan military officers and Agency provided air support to aid in the coup. In the Bay of Pigs, there would be no such saving graces. The air and artillery support the US promised was either canceled or so delayed that Castro's forces easily repelled the invading forces. Additionally, the CIA had no understanding of the environment in which they were operating. In Guatemala, there had been differing factions to exploit within Arbenz's government. In 1961 Cuba there were no such factions left on the island. This was due to any that had opposed the 26th of July Movement fleeing the island in the wake of losing their benefactor. This meant that the invaders had no support to meet them once they arrived. This led to the spectacular failure that is now associated with the Bay of Pigs. By 1961, the CIA had grown confident enough in its abilities to conduct such an operation. However, they operated with undeserved confidence, as they had not learned how to conduct such operations in hostile nations. It is by looking at the CIA's overconfidence in their ability to pull off the Bay of Pigs Invasion that we see how Fidel Castro and the Cuban government were able to assert their sovereignty, and become a regional power despite the lopsided odds stacked against them.
Eric AndersonPublished 19 days ago in The Swamp
Bryan Watch: July 2021
Ten votes in Congress this week after the House came back from vacation. Eight were party line, and as usual, Rep. Steil always answered at his party’s call.
John HeckenlivelyPublished 2 months ago in The Swamp
Bryan Watch: June III
The big vote this week was on H Res 503, which established a Select Committee to investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Steil sustained his record as a Trump toady by refusing to investigate what happened (RC 197, June 29). The only Republicans to support finding the truth were Liz Cheney (WY) and Adam Kinzinger (IL).
John HeckenlivelyPublished 3 months ago in The Swamp
Bryanwatch - June 2021 II
A fairly slow week in Congress, with only 13 votes. Ten of them were party line and Representative Steil voted with the Republicans every time. On the one vote where Republicans were fairly evenly split (RC 177), Steil actually sided with the conservatives.
John HeckenlivelyPublished 3 months ago in The Swamp
Public Servant, Private Slave
I’m sold. A sitting member of Congress would be a good thing to own. I could get them to sponsor bills I wanted, vote on ones I agree with, and give me tours of the Capitol so that I might be awed by Federal splendor. They could get one of my children into West Point or Annapolis, but those are just the minor perks. The big deal is the lawmaking.
Stacey RobertsPublished 3 months ago in The Swamp
The Root Of Partisan Divide
A look at partisan politics perse but who is the real villain in this story? I'm going to attempt to shed some light on a truly dark topic, in the hopes that if we address the problem, maybe we can work together to the solution...
Todd SimmonsPublished 4 months ago in The Swamp
Bryan Watch - May 2021 II
To wrap the week, , the House followed up the January 6 Commission with a bill to improve security at the Capitol Complex. Republicans, to a person (including Steil), voted against making the very buildings they work in safer. Yes, that really happened (RC 156, May 20)
John HeckenlivelyPublished 4 months ago in The Swamp2021 Civic Action Project Fellow
Democracy has never been equal. It has never been easy and without trouble. These times and like other times, we must rise above the occasions. We must stand against all the injustices in the land because our nation must repay the issues of its beginning. We cannot turn a blind eye to this discouragement of unity. The most powerful force and freedom is the right to vote. Voters choose those who govern and ultimately decide the government. When we neglect to vote, we neglect to build a government that protects and provides liberty. America enjoys its liberty in every form. For liberty, the founding fathers fought one of the world's most powerful armies dreaming of a nation that cares about its citizens. For liberty, they fought to instill principles and education into citizens so they might in turn preserve the union and happily live at peace with their neighbor. For liberty, our soldiers fought relentlessly to keep America we know and love so dearly. To undermined voting is to undermine hope. Voting relies on faith in the common good of this nation. That wrongs can be repaid with good, that each one of us has a purpose to be at peace with one another. We must set aside all divisions, punished every discrimination, and fight for every American through the will of the people revealed through voting. I cannot stress it enough. Voting is sacred to the union. Voting is the highest citizen duty to their country and the true test of patriotism. It is up to us to take the lead and fight suppression. It is up to us to be the will of the people and fight for representation. Laws can be changed and legislation must represent America. We cannot swear allegiance to obey when the laws are injustice. History has taught that Americans naturally and gradually refused and even revolt against strict and authoritative leadership. Yet our future is being decided for us blindly in the past and presently. And if we do not fight then it is clear our rights will be stripped of us, and the policies we care so dear, about might be destroyed through the process. Granted that we need more representation and more political awareness by the people. The people must be told the truth that gerrymandering denies justice. Districts have been historically decided by competitive striving bureaucrats meant for the people to lose. When the people who have no interest in unity are controlling the government then the people lose. When we stand idly by and watch without working earnestly, the people lose. There comes a time where courage is needed. Courage is not exactly necessary but it is prevalent against fear. We must rise above every fear challenging the legacy we know and building the legacy we should have. Justice is the purpose of government. Voting is meant to find the leaders who will administer it. America needs those who can stand on their bootstraps and fight for justice. Those who can call out the wrong and challenge it with the ideas that will bring freedom. Those who can stand away from the ideologies of division and indifference. America needs towers of strengths and pillars of wisdom to guide the will of the people. We need it now for education is nothing without purpose and character. We must show purpose and character to create a nation of strength and moral conquest. I hope you join me and commit your legacy to this enduring principle and concept that we must protect every vote and end the lie. Your vote matters and your voice has to be heard. The time is now.
Matthew PrimousPublished 4 months ago in The Swamp
Bryan Watch: May 2021 - I
A fairly slow week in Washington last week, as Congress only cast 10 votes. Eight of them were party line, and Rep Steil voted with the Republican caucus 7 out of 8 times.
John HeckenlivelyPublished 4 months ago in The Swamp
BryanWatch: April II
A relatively slow week for Congress, with only 14 votes this week, 10 of them party line. As usual, Rep. Steil voted with the Republicans 100 percent of the time this week.
John HeckenlivelyPublished 5 months ago in The Swamp
A Country Without Pity
These are the times that try men's souls. If you really think about it. The times of today where so much anger, hate, confusion and bewilderment about what the hell is happening to our world defies logic. From a pandemic that should never have been, to an unimaginable global humanitarian crisis and our own government where those little minds {Republican and Democrats} keep tearing this nation apart contributes toward the downward trajectory of mankind.
Dr. WilliamsPublished 6 months ago in The Swamp
Bryan Watch: Mar 2021 II
Congress dealt with two three issues this week. The biggest was President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID relief package (HR 1319), which passed the Senate March 6. Next was HR 842, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. And the third was gun violence and background checks, with H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act up for votes.
John HeckenlivelyPublished 7 months ago in The Swamp
