Bill Thomas

honoring our rubber-stamp congress, whose members have found plenty of time to do squat

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Thomas breathes new life into the phrase “in bed with industry.” Despite the controversy surrounding the affair, Thomas went on to author the term’s key Republican health care legislation.

The Dan Quayle Award

Rep. Mark Foley, the son of a public school teacher, wanted voters to know of his opposition to TPA, or Trade Promotion Authority. He released a statement denouncing the “PTA.”

Senator John Breaux (D-La.) wrote a note during the stimulus package debate and pinned it to a Congressional elevator, reading “STIMULAS NEEDED!”

Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) pontificated last December on the need for yet another C.R., or “continuing resolution,” whereby Congress avoids shutting down the government by borrowing a few hundred million more dollars. Despite gales of laughter from Congressfolk, he persisted in referring to the need for “CPR .”

Senator Thomas Daschle (D-S.D.) denounced spending billions on Bush’s space-based missile-defense system, saying, “This isn’t rocket science here.”

Back | And the winner is…

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4 DAYS LEFT—AND EVERYTHING RIDING ON IT

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

With just 4 days left, we need a huge surge in reader support to get to our $400,000 year-end goal. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters. All gifts are 3X matched and tax-deductible.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

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