POST OFFICE NAMING THRIVES IN CONGRESS
By Brit Hume

FOX News
Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Confirmation on Hold

New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez has put the confirmation of Richard
E. Hoagland – the Bush administration’s nominee to be U.S. ambassador
to Armenia – on hold. Why?

Menendez said the move comes in response to the Bush administration’s
refusal to recognize the Armenian genocide and added: "As a leader and
defender of democracy, it is our nation’s responsibility to speak out
against injustice and support equality and human rights. If the Bush
administration continues to refuse to acknowledge the atrocities of
the Armenian genocide, then there is certainly cause for great alarm,
which is why I am placing a hold on this nominee."

The atrocities Sen. Menendez speaks of took place from 1915 to 1923.

Lucrative Legislation

There’s a once rarely used legislative privilege now thriving in
Congress.

In a culture where scrutiny of earmarks and other constant goodies
is on the rise, post office naming is now the most common form of
legislation.