Inside the NutHouse...

As Jed Bartlet's administration is unafraid to raise the level of public debate in the country,
the WingNuts feel it behooves them to do much the same with their website.

Listed below you will find both information (about topics raised on previous episodes of The West Wing) and links to some sites where other information can be found.  The information and opinions expressed on any of the sites is not necessarily that of the WingNuts. These are merely spots suggested to the WingNuts by visitors: friends and foes alike.  The information is merely provided to encourage further exploration into some issues facing us today.(And if any of this seems too serious for you, the recipe for a Pink Squirel is available here, too).

             Ways and Means
        After watching the episodes “Ways & Means,” “On the Day Before” and “War Crimes,” I became curious as to
        the actual Committee of Ways and Means. Now, while I’m not a big fan of Clifford Calley (and probably will
        never be), I wanted to know why Josh was in a heated battle. And I came upon some interesting information.
                                                                                                    -- WingNut CoS Westwinger247

            The current chairman of House Ways and Means is Bill Thomas, a Republican from California.

        Subcommittees of Ways and Means are Social Security, Trade, Oversight (where Cliff was “traded” to) and Health & Human Resources.

         Former members of the Committee on Ways and Means include Former Presidents George Bush, Andres Jackson, James Madison and James K. Polk; former Vice-Presidents Millard Fillmore, John N. Garner, John Tyler and Charles Curtis.
 

    The Committee on Ways and Means was first established in the first session of Congress on July 24, 1789. Congressman Fitsimons from Pennsylvania pointed out a desirability of having a committee to review the expenditure needs of the Government and the resources available.

    The Committee on Ways and Means is responsible for raising the revenue that finances the Federal Government. This includes all forms of taxes ranging from individual to corporate to estate and other forms of taxes. The Committee also has jurisdiction to borrow money. The current statutory limit on the amount of public debt is $5.95 trillion.

    The Committee also oversees the National Social Security Program.  Some principal programs under the National Social Security Program consist of Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (commonly referred to on your paycheck as Social Security tax), Medicare, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income, Social Services, Unemployment Compensation programs and Child Welfare.

    In the early days of the Country, tariff and customs receipts were one of the major sources of revenue for the Government. Since the Committee on Ways and Means held the jurisdiction over revenue raising measures, the committee became responsible for international trade policy. One of the most recent programs was the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). That and other trade agreements provide the basis for the United States to bargain with other countries to have reciprocal trade agreements for the mutual reduction of tariff and nontariff trade barriers.

    If you would like more information on the Committee on Ways and Means, you can visit "
 
                    http://waysandmeans.house.gov
 
                                       OR
 
                  http://www.house.gov/ways_means
 
 
 

                   « Filibuster, from the Dutch, meaning pirate, is to delay debate or block legislation .  It became popular
                                in the 1850s when it was applied to efforts to hold the Senate floor in order to prevent action on a
                                bill.
                   « The use of the filibuster in the Senate has been restricted by the regulation relating to cloture rule, adopted by
                                the Senate in 1917 as the suggestion of President Woodrrow Wilson.
                    «  The latest ruling requires the vote of three-fifths of the full Senate membership to end debate.
                    «  The longest uninterrupted filibustering speech ever recorded in the Senate was made by Sen. Strom Thurmond
                                of South Carolina in August 1957, when he spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes in opposition to a civil
                                rights measure.
                    « The longest filibuster since the first cloture rule was adopted by the Senate took place in 1964.  Southern
                            senators, led by Louisana's Russell Long, extended debate on the Civil Rights Act for 74 days.

For more on the senate, governance rules and filibusters Click here!

          Childhood Autism: Check out one mother's view for parents of children with this disorder.

         Spring Training for the New York Mets (and other teams training in South Florida)
                                    1.  They do have camp in Port St. Lucie
                                    2.  However, catcher/slugger Mike Piazza would not be in the batter's box calling Josh "dude" this
                                         year as he bruised the bone in his left knee.  He hopes to be cleared for play by opening day, April
                                        3, against Atlanta.
                                    3. Last season, Piazza hit .324 with 38 home runs and 113 RBIs last season. He is a .328 career hitter
                                        with 278 home runs in a major league career that started in late 1992 with Los Angeles.
                                    4. He was the National League's top vote-getter for the All-Star game in 2000.
 

                            A "lame duck" congressional session occurs after the election for the succeeding Congress has been held
                            but before the term of office of the expiring Congress ends. This provides that some defeated members
                            of Congress still make laws for a short time.

                           There have been 12 Lame Duck sessions since 1935.  The last was called in 2000.
 
 

                        Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: a natural emotional reaction to a deeply shocking and disturbing
                                                                            experience.  It is a normal reaction to an abnormal situation.

                                  http://www.successunlimited.co.uk/PTSD/

                            http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-an06.html
 
 

                                    How to make a Pink Squirel: (curtesy of Westwinger247)
Things you will need:
Directions
1 oz.  crème de noyaux
1 oz. white crème de cacao 
1 oz. cold half-and-half 
cracked ice 
cocktail shaker and cocktail strainer 
chilled cocktail glass
1. Put cracked ice into a shaker. 
2. Add white crème de cacao, crème de noyaux and half and half. 
3.  Shake 5 times (blame it on the Bossa nova). 
4.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Warnings: Mixed drinks contain alcohol, so use moderation. Never drink and drive.
 Also, be wary of drinking and dancing
 (particularly if you are wearing a bathrobe in the Steampipe Trunk Distribution Venue).



                            For other beverage or food "how to's" visit:  http://www.ehow.com/eHow
 
 

            View continuous tally showing monetary counter showing how much federal and state governments are
                paying for the war on drugs.

                  http://www.drugsense.org/wodclock.htm
 

           The war on drugs: a collection of articles complied from both major and minor journals of repute.
                  http://tfy.drugsense.org/wodarts.htm
 

                VAWA: The Violence Against Women's Act (a.k.a. The 1994 Crime Bill):
                   http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo/laws/vawa/vawa.htm
 

           There are some who believe violence against women is something the government should not concern itself
                with, check out the following on why some believe VAWA should be stopped.  This educated, well-spoken
                idiot likens women's liberation the neo-marxist movement and refers to it as irreversible ruin:

                   http://www.acfc.org/vawa/pizzey-vawa.htm
 

                Or, if either of those is too serious for your taste, try another VAWA site:
                Vancouver Amateur Winemakers Association.

                            http://www.bcwine.com/
 

           "... They had 132 guns deaths last year; we have 32,000.  Do you think Americans are more homicidal by
            nature or do you think it's because those guys have gun control laws?"
                                                                                     --Toby Ziegler, Bartlet White House Communication's Director

           For information on the gun control debate:

                    http://usgovinfo.about.com/newsissues/usgovinfo/cs/guncontrol/
                       (Gun Control Online Debate.  A free online forum dedicated to the gun control issue.)
 

                    http://www.jurist.law.pitt.edu/gunlaw.htm
                        (JURIST: The Legal Education Network presents this guide to Gun Laws, Gun Control & Gun Rights
                                as a resource for individuals on all sides in the ongoing debate about the legal status of guns in the U.S.)
 
 

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