Republicans in the House yesterday passed legislation giving themselves even more power. The “Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny Act” – or REINS Act – gives either chamber of Congress complete veto power over new regulations put in place by White House executive orders.

The bill most helps corporate polluters – as Republicans would be able to shoot down new environmental regulations that keep our children and environment safe – and to hell with the balance of power that’s supposed to exist in our government. The ironic thing about this legislation is that President Obama has enacted far fewer regulations than the George W. Bush – but there was no outcry about over-regulation during Bush's presidency.

So while Republicans pass legislation that won’t create a single job – and won’t even pass the Senate – the clock is ticking on middle class Americans who face a $1,000 tax hike at the end of the year unless House Republicans agree to extend the payroll tax cut.

-Thom

(How do you think we can rein in the Republican Party? Tell us here.)

The Daily Stack

Hour One: can't find a job...marching on Boehner's office
- Krista Rand, Unemployed college grad from Concord, NH (27yrs old) Masters in Civil & Environmental Engineering

Article: "Undermining the Executive Branch" (REINS Act).

Article: "My Occupy LA Arrest, by Patrick Meighan" by Patrick Meighan.

Article: "Occupy protesters block K Street; 62 arrested" by Andrea Noble and Meredith Somers.

Twitter: "Thom Hartmann".

Article: "Bernie Sanders Proposes A Constitutional Amendment To Overturn Citizens United" by Jason Easley.

Sexual assault against younger women and the re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act
- Judge Susan Carbon, Director of the United States Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)

Article: "Violence Against Women Act"(1994).

Event: "It's Time to Talk Day", December 8, 2011.

Article: "Crapo, Leahy introduce bipartisan bill to reauthorize Violence Against Women Act" by Joe Newby.

Hour Two: TSA Violates Seniors at Terminal
- Les Rayburn, Conservative Commentator

Article: "Ruth Sherman, 88, says she was strip-searched at JFK Airport just like Lenore Zimmerman, 85 ‘I went on the flight and my eyes were crying all the time,’ Florida woman tells Daily News" by Tracy Connor & Christina Boyle.

Geeky Science alert: "Jesus Sightings: Why Some People See The Face Of God In Their Pizza " by David Moye.

Article: "Claim: Collection of anecdotes about honesty includes real quotes from President Harry S. Truman." by Snopes.

Book: "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell.

Occupy Seattle Civil Rights Lawsuit update
- Mark Taylor-Canfield, Occupy Seattle

Article: "Class Action Civil Rights Lawsuit Filed in Federal Court on Behalf of Occupy Seattle Protesters" by Mark Taylor Canfield.

Article: "US District Court Grants Temporary Restraining Order In Occupy Seattle Civil Rights Lawsuit" by Mark Taylor Canfield.

Article: "Police SWAT Team Raids Occupy Seattle Media Black Out" by Mark Taylor Canfield.

Time to Talk Day
- William L. McComb, Liz Claiborne, Inc.

Hour Three: Why is Mitch McConnell afraid of the popular vote?
- Scott Keyes, Think Progress

Book: "The History of England, as Well Ecclesiastical as Civil" by Paul de Rapin-Thoyras.

Book: "The Autobiography of Thomas Jefferson" by Thomas Jefferson.

Book: "Works of Cornelius Tacitus. Includes Agricola, The Annals, A Dialogue Concerning Oratory, Germania and The Histories" by Cornelius Tacitus.

Article: "Sen. McConnell Claims Electing The President By Popular Vote Is A ‘Genuine Threat To Our Country’" by Scott Keyes.

Article: "Mitch McConnell: We Must Rewrite The Constitution Because ‘Elections’ Haven’t ‘Worked’" by Ian Millhiser.

Should the GOP fear OWS?
- Craig Shirley, Author-“December 1941: 31 Days That Changed America and Saved the World”

Book: "December 1941: 31 Days That Changed America and Saved the World" by Craig Shirley.

Article: "Up the establishment" by Craig Shirley, 10/18/2011.

Article: "Top GOP Strategist Admits He’s ‘Scared’ Of Occupy Wall Street Because It’s ‘Having An Impact’" by Zaid Jilani.

The good: Scott Holcomb: "In Response To Proposal To Drug-Test Welfare Recipients, GA State Rep. Introduces Bill To Drug-Test State Lawmakers" by Scott Keyes.

The bad: "On The Road, Newt Gingrich Needs Two Loos" by Smoking Gun.

The very, very ugly: "Carlson: "Maybe Christmas Won't Be A Federal Holiday Coming Up If It Continues Down This Path"" by Media Matters.

Article: "The Story of Seattle's Hooverville" by Jesse Jackson, 1938.

Excerpt: "The Story of Seattle's Hooverville" by Jesse Jackson, 1938.

Article: "Virginia Tech shootings: Two killed, suspect at large" by Stephen Ceasar and Rene Lynch.

Site: "The Organic Wine Company".

Domestic violence often unreported by LGBTQ community
- Sharon Stapel, New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP)

Article: "REINS Act To Transform Washington Business Operations, Davis Says" by Janie Amaya.

Article: "Banks Prep for Life After Euro" by David Enrich, Deborah Ball and Alistair Macdonald.

Article: "State Income Tax Avoided By 68 Large Profitable U.S. Companies In Recent Years: Study" by Bonnie Kavoussi.

Article: "Warren leads in Massachusetts Senate race" by Reuters.

Article: "Crossroads GPS Launches New Ads — Accuses Elizabeth Warren Of Liking Wall Street!" by Eric Kleefeld.

Article: "At Climate Talks, a Familiar Standoff Between U.S. and China" by John M. Broder.

Crazy alert: "Islamic Cleric Says Women Should Not be Allowed to Eat Bananas and Cucumbers" by Kathy Jones.

Hour One: If it's Friday, it's "Brunch With Bernie"... the honorable Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) will be here with all the news from our nation's capitol and as always he'll be spending the hour taking your calls and answering your questions too...

Plus, It's Anything Goes on Townhall Friday...you choose the topics and we'll talk...

And, of course, the best of the rest of the news right here on...

The Thom Hartmann Program... your media support group for we the people.

Read an excerpt here, and buy the book!