Gregg Shrugs Off Right Wing’s Census Tantrum: White House Would ‘Do A Pretty Good Census’
Gregg Shrugs Off Right Wing’s Census Tantrum: White House Would ‘Do A Pretty Good Census’
Recently, the White House announced that it would appoint a Census Bureau director who would have a direct line to the White House, after “black and Hispanic leaders raised concerns over Commerce Secretary-nominee Judd Gregg’s commitment to core functions of the Census Bureau.”
In the following days, conservatives had a conniption over the new census procedures, claiming it would lead to White House politicization at the behest of chief of staff Rahm Emanuel. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) even called for an official investigation:
Rep. John Boehner: It just tells me that the census, the counting of the population of the United States is going to be politicized.
Sen. John Cornyn: And to shift it to the White House to me just politicizes the census, which is not something we should be doing.”
Rep. Darrell Issa: Would Democrats Trust Karl Rove to Control Census?
But in an interview with CNBC today, Gregg suggested that the census procedures weren’t much of an issue to him. “The way it was explained to me is that the Census would still report to the Commerce Secretary, but the White House wanted to have a major interest in the census process also,” he said. Gregg even praised the White House:
GREGG: The person that the White House has proposed to manage the Census, Ken Pruitt, did it in 2000 when I was chairman of the Appropriations Committee that had oversight over Commerce Dept. And I thought he did an excellent job. So I thought the people were going to be in place to do a pretty good census.
When CNBC asked if he “didn’t feel comfortable” with the White House’s involvement, Gregg responded, “I actually hadn’t concluded as to how that was going to play out, to be honest. I thought that when I go there I could probably straighten that out if it was a problem.” Watch it:
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Rep. John Boehner: It just tells me that the census…is going to be politicized.
Hidden message: When Dems do this without corruption, we Repukes are going to lose districts and won’t be able to gerrymander to our advantage.
Fcuk the Republicans.
February 13th, 2009 at 4:32 pmAt least Gregg is showing some level of discretion in the face of all of this.
Now, off to celebrate my birthday! Yup, Friday the 13th! See you all tomorrow to send some Valentine’s Day love!
PEACE
February 13th, 2009 at 4:34 pmRep. Darrell Issa: Would Democrats Trust Karl Rove to Control Census?
Since Rove is not an elected official (and certainly not the president), I would hope everybody would have a problem with it.
February 13th, 2009 at 4:40 pmHappy Birthday, spencers mom!
from a fellow Aquarian
February 13th, 2009 at 4:41 pmGeez, talk about a loaded question, there.
Democrats wouldn’t trust Karl Rove to change a light bulb. Nobody should.
February 13th, 2009 at 4:42 pmGregg begged for the job and then his GOP buddies got to him. The excuses don’t add up and he knows it. If you lie at lease make it one we can believe. Now he’s hosed and wont get re elected. All this is about what Tom Delay did in Texas. Yes the Delay aka bug man changed the districts so more Republicans could get in office for control. The Census has always left out people and Republicans made sure that continued. We pride ourselves in saying every American counts and can vote but it isn’t true. As Obama traveled during the Primaries he learned from States where both black/white/hispanic didn’t get counted. Why? Because Republican felt those votes would go to Democrats. Gregg was told to drop out and hopefully bring attention to this issue to save the GOP from losing more seats. Gregg is a good soldier and fell on the sword for his Party.
February 13th, 2009 at 4:43 pmRalph, I doubt Kkkkkkarl even knows how to change a light bulb. He has in innate understanding of screwing something but unscrewing is beyond his comprehension.
February 13th, 2009 at 4:45 pmBut if we count them (fill in your favorite whipping boy) – then we’ll have to provide services to them and let them vote.
February 13th, 2009 at 4:46 pmHe has in innate understanding of screwing something…
Except women.
February 13th, 2009 at 4:49 pmGee, politicization of an arm of the federal government by the White House? Say it ain’t so — why, I bet that hasn’t happened since the politicization of the Dept. of Justice…
Oh, and happy b’day, Spencers Mom!!
February 13th, 2009 at 4:50 pmHappy Birthday, spencers mom. And many more. Now, get away from the computer and go enjoy yourself! :)
February 13th, 2009 at 4:50 pmGregg said today that he will vote no on the recovery package.
The same package that he praised early on – before his fellow Republican obstructionists took him to the woodshed for some “learnin’”.
February 13th, 2009 at 4:50 pmWayne A. Schneider Says:
He has in innate understanding of screwing something…
Except women.
Screwing is screwing. He understands the mechanics, its the details that escape him on that one.
And the opportunity.
February 13th, 2009 at 4:52 pmSo the census wasn’t an issue and he already knew what was in the stimulus bill before he accepted the Commerce nomination. Not that I am sorry to see him go but the rationale doesn’t make sense. Either someone has pictures of him in a men’s room stall at the Minneapolis airport or Boehner and Vitter are holding his entire family hostage.
February 13th, 2009 at 4:54 pmWhy are they bringing up Karl Rove? He’s not an elected official and has nothing to do with anything. They might as well have asked how the dems would feel if Limbaugh were to control the census…
Off topic, but happy birthday, Aquarians! I love Aquarians and think they are some of the brightest, forward thinking individuals on the planet. I know… I married one. ;)
February 13th, 2009 at 4:55 pm——————————————————————————–
To Jackie Says: My god, you cant even tell the truth. Better check out who asked who. Of wow with people like you we will fail.
February 13th, 2009 at 4:57 pmYou know what? Republicans worried about Democrats politicizing Governmental duties makes me…
happy.
February 13th, 2009 at 5:02 pmThe more I think about it, “hypocrites” is the nicest thing I can say about the Republican Party.
February 13th, 2009 at 5:06 pmSweet keanette, how do you know who’s telling the truth?
The White House says Gregg approached them, Gregg says the opposite. You seem to have the inside dope. ‘Fess up.
February 13th, 2009 at 5:07 pmSorry, that should be “sweet jeanette”.
I know no one would have gotten it without a correction. The “sweet” part would have thrown everybody off.
February 13th, 2009 at 5:08 pmOf wow with people like you we will fail.
February 13th, 2009 at 5:11 pm–
So time for another Tom Collins?
Why are the Repignicans so anti-American? Any time anyone disagreed with Bush the Repignicans called those people traitors or worse. Is it any different now? Aren’t the Repinicans now doing the same thing? Aren’t they being traitors? Why do Repignicans hate America?
February 13th, 2009 at 5:18 pmWhy is it trolls always jump to the conclusion that any plan means one person will have absolute control of something?
Can you spell projection? I knew you could.
February 13th, 2009 at 5:21 pmBecause that’s the way they would do it.
Oh. I see you already knew that.
February 13th, 2009 at 5:32 pmjeanette, doll, still waiting on your “inside scoop” about how you know who asked who.
Thanks, love.
February 13th, 2009 at 5:42 pmTracy__5 Says:
“But letting Rahm control the entire national census, i.e. the entire electorial college, is OK where as DeLay did it one one state.”
You said it, not us, but for the record, we did okay anyway.
It’s the Republican’s failed policies and hypocrysies that got you/us here. You have no one but yourselves to blame… or let me guess… you’re a Libertarian now, too?
February 13th, 2009 at 5:43 pmralph the wonder llama Says:
jeanette, doll, still waiting on your “inside scoop” about how you know who asked who.
Oh Ralph, you know that trolls have magical mind powers!
And that’s what would be required, because Gregg says he was asked to take the job and the White House says he asked to have the job. Unless the FBI was recording phone calls . . .
February 13th, 2009 at 5:44 pmRalph, do you have a thing for fishnets and hotpants?
February 13th, 2009 at 5:49 pmSen. Gregg’s abrupt about Face puzzled me too, until I read this:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/13/32013/1373/707/696949
From Dengre’s Posting:
A few weeks ago on a Friday, Todd Boulanger pleaded guilty for his role in the ongoing Abramoff corruption scandal. He was a key member of Team Abramoff and before that he worked for former NH Senator Bob Smith (one of Jack’s go-to Senators). Boulanger’s plea identified a Legislative Director for a US Senator as “Staffer F” and laid out the many favors Team Abramoff did for this staffer and some of the deeds done in return.
Over that weekend, a network of scandal researchers had concluded that “Staffer F” was Kevin Koonce and that the Senator was Judd Gregg. The rumor was that Gregg would soon be nominated to be President Obama’s Commerce Secretary. It was too late for Gregg’s link to scandal to filter up and stop it. The day after Gregg was nominated; the Koonce story broke in the AP, Washington Post, NYTs and elsewhere.
February 13th, 2009 at 5:56 pmCan we skip ahead in this thread to the point where Tracy says he never said Rahm would have control over the whole ‘electorial’ sic college
and that he only asked ‘if we would be okay with it’
and that he was ‘only joking’ about something or other
and never acknowledges that Ken Pruitt (the same guy who did in 2000 right before the Republicans went on to build their ‘permanent’ sic majority) had been asked to do this and not Rahm Emmanuel.
or that Gregg thinks Pruitt is a good choice and that the Census will be fine…
Can we just assume that that all happens and ignore Tracy for the rest of the thread… he’s become tiresome.
February 13th, 2009 at 5:58 pmThere is always the possibility that Gregg didn’t want to open his financial/tax stuff to the process.
February 13th, 2009 at 6:00 pmWhy change something that isn’t broken. Would you support this if George Bush suggested this? No, you wouldn’t. Keep is it where it is, in the Commerce Department, so they can do the job that they are supposed to do.
February 13th, 2009 at 7:18 pmWhat can also be done is when a Republican gets elected in 2012 the Census can be taken away from the White House. You guys got it all planned.
The Crook Boehner thinks because he is corrupt everyone must be corrupt.
February 13th, 2009 at 7:31 pmAfter the 2000 census, Republicans sought to redraw the district lines to support a GOP …. He characterized the 2003 change cited by DeLay’s lawyers as a …
February 13th, 2009 at 9:16 pmYes it’s was the cenus that the GOP needed that go Tom Delay in trouble. I know no one likes to hear the truth and more will also like to call those who report the truth a liar, but the facts don’t change. Like most of the Bush supporters who have forgotten the pass 8 year crime wave as if it never happen.
Okay, please forgive me if someone has explained this already, by why is the Census (the official count of the nation’s population) a function of the Department of Commerce? Shouldn’t that fall under the control of a different department, like the Department of Health and Human Services? Knowing exactly how many people they have to service would be a big help. What would the Commerce Dept get out of it? A complete list of consumers?
February 13th, 2009 at 9:35 pmThis is just like Acorn: a non-issue ginned up by mouth-breathing morons who are tying to make Democrats look corrupt and government look incompetent. The goal isn’t even to make Democrats necessarily look bad; it’s about making the entire process of governing look unseemly.
http://www.pufferfishblog.com/
February 13th, 2009 at 9:39 pm# 39
Your question is answered below as what the Dept. of Commerce does:
The mission of the department is to “promote job creation and improved living standards for all Americans by creating an infrastructure that promotes economic growth, technological competitiveness, and sustainable development.” Among its tasks are gathering economic and demographic data for business and government decision-making, issuing patents and trademarks, and helping to set industrial standards.
Now President Obama will be removing the Cenus from that Dept. and Gregg’s Republican Party doesn’t want it removed. As I said earlier Majority Whip Tom Delay used it to make sure some people didn’t get counted and then re districted area’s in favor of the Republican Party. Like I said President Obama learned about this from the people he spoke to during the Primary. You’ll hear more about this decision as it is announced by the White House. Gregg called Obama and asked for the Job, then his Party Leaders told him to turn it down. That’s why his excuse sounded so strange.
February 14th, 2009 at 2:30 amThank you, Jackie,
Among its tasks are gathering economic and demographic data for business and government decision-making, issuing patents and trademarks, and helping to set industrial standards.
So I was right when I said they were compiling a complete list of consumers.
You know something? This is bullshit. If businesses want to know this kind of information, they can mine all the data they collect on us through the Credit Reporting Services. (Information they can get easily.) I see no reason why our government should be giving businesses information about us. At least, that should not be the reason the data is collected.
February 14th, 2009 at 7:43 am# 6 Jackie!
February 14th, 2009 at 10:24 amYou are 100% correct. The Republicans are taking a collective s**t at the thought of the census moving to the White House…..Obama said Change and he means it!
Judd Gregg is a sissy!
gopny,
Maybe I’m a little more thick-headed than most liberals, but I do not see anything in that list you gave at #43 that has anything to do with how many people live in the ocuntry. Maybe the Commerce Dept does those things, but none of those things required knowing how many people live in the US. So why is the Commerce Dept in charge of the Census?
Sorry, I still think it should be another Dept that runs it. Like Health & Human Services.
February 14th, 2009 at 12:56 pm“I could probably straighten that out if it was a problem.”
you gonna fix the problem, you should fix yourself first then fix the problems
February 14th, 2009 at 11:45 pmgoPUNKny conservative=MORONS. you prove it with every post you make. Is that WHY you come here? To show JUST how stupid you are? Mission accomplished you are very VERY stupid, congratulations
February 16th, 2009 at 1:54 amgoPUNKny
The right is DESTROYING the country mostly with abject stupidity just like yours. You are a moron. You are a troll. You are a liar and you are a punk.
February 16th, 2009 at 1:55 am