While Rove is out there being an ass, and Bush looks even worse when he talks to reporters (no wonder they don't let him do press conferences often) this article comes up:
Updated: 02:04 PM EDT
House votes to block UAL pension default
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted to block bankrupt United Airlines from defaulting on its pension plans and shifting them to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. (PBGC)
More.....
The provision was attached to a government spending bill expected to pass the chamber later in the day. The bill would still have to pass the Senate before it could take effect.
However, even then its impact would be unclear, as the PBGC does not spend government-appropriated funds. In any case the agency has already taken over one of United's four "defined benefit" pension plans.
More than 30 Republicans joined the proposal's Democratic sponsors in supporting the measure by a vote of 219-185. It said the PBGC could not spend government funds to carry out a court-approved agreement to take over four pension plans from the bankrupt airline.
California Rep. George Miller, the amendment's sponsor, and other Democrats warned more airlines could follow United's lead, inundating the PBGC and forcing a taxpayer bailout of the agency.
"This amendment is absolutely necessary if we are going to stop the dumping of pension obligations on the taxpayers of the United States," said Rep. David Obey, a Wisconsin Democrat. "Without this amendment, Uncle Sam is being Uncle Sucker."
A PBGC spokesman said the agency was examining the amendment.
06/24/05 14:03 ET
The fact that this was a DEMOCRATIC sponsored action, with Gopers joining in is a GOOD thing.
Miller is paving the way for some reality for the GOP, and we need to keep on this. Democrats are out there saving those who are retired, protecting those who are being harmed.
At some point the pension issue is going to get even bigger, and if Dems take the lead, it could bode well for us in 2006.
