* Gonzales testifies for seven hours about warrentless eavesdropping; defends legality of program but largely avoids providing specifics. Gonzales: “Think about the reaction, the public reaction that has arisen in some quarters about this program. If the president had authorized domestic surveillance as well, even though we’re talking about al Qaeda-to-al Qaeda, I think the reaction would have been twice as great. And so there was a judgment made that this was the appropriate line to draw in ensuring the security of our country and the protection of the privacy interests of Americans.” [WP, NYT, USAT, WT]
* Bush proposes $2.77t budget that would cut funds from most federal agencies while increasing military funding by 7%; deficit would be record $423b. The “patchwork of generosity and austerity reflects the priorities of Bush, who has defined his administration’s central goal as combating terrorist threats.” [WP, NYT, NYT, USAT, WT]
* Budget could be “risky election-year strategy” for Republican lawmakers. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.): “Politically, the right thing to do this year is also the popular thing to do, and that is to cut spending.” [LAT, NYT, USAT]
* Budget predictions depend on tax overhaul, an end to the war in Iraq, and no new funds for the Gulf Coast. [WP, NYT, USAT, USAT]
* Republicans lack unity over eavesdropping issue. Sen. Specter (R-Pa.): “I think they are seeing concerns in a lot of directions from all segments: Democrats and Republicans in all shades of the political spectrum.” [WP]
MORE »
Tags: 2006, al qaeda, alberto gonzales, arlen specter, budget, charles schumer, Democrats, eavesdropping, george w. bush, gulf coast, hillary clinton, iraq, ken mehlman, military, national security, nsa, paul ryan, republicans, senate, taxes
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OR NOT: “Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, said on Thursday that some experts think creating a ‘bad bank’ to buy toxic assets could require as much as $4 trillion.” These experts include Charles Schumer’s major donors on Wall Street, as well as Charles Schumer’s major donors on Wall Street. It’s kind of hilarious that this guy is more or less 
In a cruel attempt to 
What could be funnier than four slovenly men who hang out in their run-down old house eating cereal in their piss-stained boxer shorts? They’re lawmakers in the new Democratic majority, so they can raise your taxes and send you off to die in Iraq! 
Over at The Fix, Chris Cillizza is reporting on recent polling that shows the Senate race between incumbent Republican Conrad Burns and his likely opponents is tightening.
It’s a real shame that the shit hit the fan on the whole NSA espionage story today, because we learn that Schumer’s Communication Director Izzy Klein sent out a blast email this morning that regretfully announced that their email system was going to be offline throughout today and possibly into the weekend. As Klein put it: “In any case - think of this as an early Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa (or Chrismukkah for some of you) present from me to you.” 