Palin Abused Power

After weeks of investigation the Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin abused her powers and violated ethics when she fired a state official who refused to fire her state trooper, brother-in-law, according to a legislative investigation.

However Palin said she fired Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan due to a budget dispute. While Monegan maintains that he was fired because he refused to fire Palin's brother-in-law Mike Wooten, after a bombardment of demands from Palin, her husband and staff to fire the trooper.

ApparentlyWooten was involved in a bad divorce and custody battle with Palin's sister.

Palin's husband, Todd, said the reason he made inquiries into Wooten was because the trooper behaved inappropriately by driving under the influence, shooting a moose without a permit, threatening Palin's father and striking his own stepson with a low-level electric Taser.

The report doesn't say that the reasons why Palin wanted him fired were legitimate, it was the means that weren't such as using her husband and staff to conduct a campaign against Monegan.

Palin spent part of the weekend trying clean up the mess that came with the investigation.

Meet The Press - in regards to SNL's new skit!!

Tina Fey has done it again, this time with the help of Queen Latifah! Enjoy :)

Bailout Passed!

After a long week on Capitol Hill the $700 billion bailout plan has been passed by the Senate, House of Representatives and signed by President Bush on Friday.

President Bush said on Friday, "[that] by coming together on this legislation, we have acted boldly to help prevent the crisis on Wall Street from becoming a crisis in communities across our country. We have shown the world that the United States of America will stabilize our financial markets and maintain a leading role in the global economy."

On Friday the House passed the bill on Friday with a vote of 263-171.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday after the vote, "we confront a crisis of historic magnitude that has the ability to do serious injury not simply to our economy, but to the American people: not just to Wall Street, but to everyday Americans on Main Street."

Officials say the final cost of the bailout will be far less than $700 billion because the government will resell the assets that it buys.

The money will be disbursed in parts allowing the U.S. Treasury to buy up billions in bad mortgages debts. Congress able to block the second $350 billion.

Don't Vote

A new campaign to persuade young voters!

DREAM Act Shot Down Again

This past Tuesday Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed Sen. Gilbert Cedillo's California Dream Act. Literally a dream for the thousand's of undocumented student's throughout the nation who are struggling to receive a higher education without the help from financial aid or loans. It is estimated that about 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school every year.

The DREAM Act would grant those students or AB 540 students the right to apply and receive State University Grants, UC Grants, scholarships, and loan programs which are all funded by non-state monies.

CSUN is home to many of these students, in fact they have started their own group DREAM's to be Heard. Two semesters ago they along with supporters successfully pushed for Associated Student's to back the DREAM Act, as it was about to go to the governor's desk.

The students who attend a college or university are some of the hardest working students, working three to four jobs to pay for tuition on their own while taking a full load of classes. Some where brought to this country as infants with no say in deciding to immigrate to this country.

They are also some of the brightest who, despite barrier after barrier, continue to excel.

You can hear some of the stories of these AB 540 students while at a press conference in Washington D.C. as they advocated for the DREAM Act last fall to no avail.

In the face of budget cuts to California higher education institutions which leads to increases in tuition and fewer students being admitted to universities, AB 540 students will have an even tougher time gaining access to higher education.

It is because of the current budget for California universities that the governor said he refused to sign the DREAM Act.

For now AB 540 students will have to wait and plan their next attempt at passing this legislation, however this blow has left many of them disappointed and exhausted.

Biden Vs. Palin

Here's a short clip of last nights vice presidential debates and in a few hours you can expect a more in depth post on last nights debate.

Senate OK's Bailout

The modified $700 billion bailout plan was approved by the Senate putting pressure on the House of Representatives.

"The strong vote is helpful. We believe the house has a better chance to pass this bill than the one it considered on Monday," a Republican leadership aide said after Wednesday night's vote. "Having said that, we're going to need more Democrat and Republican votes to pass this bill in the House."

74-25 was the final vote in the Senate on Wednesday night with large bipartisan support.

Under the modified plan Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson would buy up to $700 billion in bad mortgage-related securities and other bad assets but it increases the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) cap from $100, 000 to $250, 000.

The modified plan also makes $250 billion immediately available to purchase bank assets, leaving $100 billion at the president's discretion and $350 billion subject to congressional review.
Today President Bush urged the house to pass an "improved" bill.

The House could vote on the modified plan Friday.