Don’t question how it got there. You wackos.

In addition to the corruption style arguments in favor of the above (e.g. banks don’t like it), there’s the strong general argument that expensive credit cards are better than none.

Arguing against the above is the Fed’s move to implement much of this effective in a few years.

I understand the logic, and maybe the “need”, to do it this way, but I remain unhappy with the method.

I’m probably MORE unhappy with the lack of procedural fairness in the Senate. It seems to me (an out-sider, ignorant of the House rules) that if they had the numbers to PASS such a bill in a “straight up-and-down” vote, surely there should be way to call for that vote despite resistance from the majority leadership.

Okay, so maybe it wasn’t a shocker. Still, NRA-PVF was being generous in 2006, since Casey had no track record on the issue then. Given his big-government tendencies and his support for Holder, it wouldn’t have surprised me if Casey had followed Lamar Alexander’s example.

You left a real stunner off your list of observations — Casey voted for it!

Whatever was in the water at the Capitol yesterday, we need to bottle it and distribute it nationwide. PA voters should send thanks to Specter and Casey.

I tend to agree with you on the legislative tactic of attaching unrelated amendments to bills. However, consider the following, from Senator Coburn’s website:

“Members of Congress have repeatedly attempted to bring up this measure for a clean, fair vote. Unfortunately, Congressional Leadership has gone to extreme lengths to avoid having a straight up-and-down vote on this measure.”

Since the lunatics who currently run the asylum won’t allow a strongly-supported initiative to get to the floor, it’s fair and appropriate for proponents to use whatever tactic works for them.