Print out the 5 things you need to know card.
Go Vote - for Harris County.
League of Women Voter's - Houston Area, Texas.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Cost of Tax Cuts | costoftaxcuts.com
Cost of Tax Cuts | costoftaxcuts.com
Cost equals money lost to the U.S. Treasury due to tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.
Over $1 TRILLION DOLLARS. How many jobs did it buy? None, there is evidence it cost jobs.
Cost equals money lost to the U.S. Treasury due to tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.
Over $1 TRILLION DOLLARS. How many jobs did it buy? None, there is evidence it cost jobs.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Advantage of free consultation with lawyer
You can find out that the lawyer is not for you.
For example: on not receiving proper benefits: He did not know the 1000 hours annually rule for ERISA retirement accounts.
He did not know the Texas Administrative Code 30 hours a week rule for medical benefits coverage.
He did not know that the Texas Workforce Commission does not handle claims against political institutions like school and college districts.
He seemed to be a little shaky in math. Multiplying the number of hours worked by the lost benefits and reduced pay puts the claim well above small claims court.
For example: on not receiving proper benefits: He did not know the 1000 hours annually rule for ERISA retirement accounts.
He did not know the Texas Administrative Code 30 hours a week rule for medical benefits coverage.
He did not know that the Texas Workforce Commission does not handle claims against political institutions like school and college districts.
He seemed to be a little shaky in math. Multiplying the number of hours worked by the lost benefits and reduced pay puts the claim well above small claims court.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Not So Secret Republican Master Plan
I have turned over this blog post to small businessman Kristan Overstreet. Here is his thoughts on the Republican plan for the Masters.
The Republican Master Plan
And here I'm going to descend into a bit of conspiracy theory, but I'm not identifying any Sekrit Masters or Grand Protocols or anything like that. I posted this as a reply to someone's post, and it was long enough and fits my current political thinking enough that I thought I'd better post it here too.
* The Republicans want to privatize and/or abolish Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare, and unemployment assistance- to force the poor to "take responsibility for themselves," i. e. accept horrible jobs with terrible work conditions and low pay. The poor would be left wholly dependent on wealthy employers.
* At the same time, the Republicans want to abolish the minimum wage and repeal child labor and overtime laws- making those horrible jobs more dangerous, lower paying, and longer hours.
* The Republicans have largely succeeded in shutting off the civil court system of justice to workers complaining of being harassed, abused, or exploited- and, through their version of "tort reform," they are on the way to ensuring that punishment for even the most obviously illegal and abusive violations of law is minimal.
* The Republicans seek to repeal all government workplace regulation, food safety regulation, and environmental regulation- so the rich can pollute, poison, and exploit the working classes to their heart's content.
* The Republicans seek to cap taxation at such a low point as to either require all regulatory and law enforcement agencies to be abolished, or to destroy the government entirely under its own debts- thus leaving the poor at the mercy of those with enough money and power to take care of their own security.
* The Republicans seek to repeal the 17th Amendment and make Senators appointed by state legislatures again- returning America to a period when one house of Congress was selected by a tiny elite of political bosses.
* The Republicans seek further, more extreme sanctions against all those who cannot demonstrate their citizenship on demand - thus creating a permanent underclass too frightened to stand up for their human rights, and thus infinitely exploitable.
* The Republicans seek nonsensical and extreme laws punishing sexuality, credos, religions, speech and press, and other social issues- creating a system in which it becomes a practical impossibility to NOT break a law, and thus be vulnerable to extortion by those who control law enforcement.
* And, through it all, the Republicans insist on vastly oversized, overpowerful military establishments for the indefinite future, regardless of any actual international threats or the best means of responding to same.
Taken all together, the Republican end goal is a feudal state ruled by a tiny wealthy elite, in which the vast majority have no voice, no power, and no defense. Destroying the economy is only one step towards that goal- and from a Republican point of view, a very useful and desirable step, as the resources of the poor will dry up long before the super-wealthy's hoard..
And the sad thing is, not only are most Democrats doing little or nothing to stop this, some- including our president- are helping ADVANCE parts of this agenda in the name of "compromise" and "good government."
WE NEED SOMETHING ELSE.
And here I'm going to descend into a bit of conspiracy theory, but I'm not identifying any Sekrit Masters or Grand Protocols or anything like that. I posted this as a reply to someone's post, and it was long enough and fits my current political thinking enough that I thought I'd better post it here too.
* The Republicans want to privatize and/or abolish Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare, and unemployment assistance- to force the poor to "take responsibility for themselves," i. e. accept horrible jobs with terrible work conditions and low pay. The poor would be left wholly dependent on wealthy employers.
* At the same time, the Republicans want to abolish the minimum wage and repeal child labor and overtime laws- making those horrible jobs more dangerous, lower paying, and longer hours.
* The Republicans have largely succeeded in shutting off the civil court system of justice to workers complaining of being harassed, abused, or exploited- and, through their version of "tort reform," they are on the way to ensuring that punishment for even the most obviously illegal and abusive violations of law is minimal.
* The Republicans seek to repeal all government workplace regulation, food safety regulation, and environmental regulation- so the rich can pollute, poison, and exploit the working classes to their heart's content.
* The Republicans seek to cap taxation at such a low point as to either require all regulatory and law enforcement agencies to be abolished, or to destroy the government entirely under its own debts- thus leaving the poor at the mercy of those with enough money and power to take care of their own security.
* The Republicans seek to repeal the 17th Amendment and make Senators appointed by state legislatures again- returning America to a period when one house of Congress was selected by a tiny elite of political bosses.
* The Republicans seek further, more extreme sanctions against all those who cannot demonstrate their citizenship on demand - thus creating a permanent underclass too frightened to stand up for their human rights, and thus infinitely exploitable.
* The Republicans seek nonsensical and extreme laws punishing sexuality, credos, religions, speech and press, and other social issues- creating a system in which it becomes a practical impossibility to NOT break a law, and thus be vulnerable to extortion by those who control law enforcement.
* And, through it all, the Republicans insist on vastly oversized, overpowerful military establishments for the indefinite future, regardless of any actual international threats or the best means of responding to same.
Taken all together, the Republican end goal is a feudal state ruled by a tiny wealthy elite, in which the vast majority have no voice, no power, and no defense. Destroying the economy is only one step towards that goal- and from a Republican point of view, a very useful and desirable step, as the resources of the poor will dry up long before the super-wealthy's hoard..
And the sad thing is, not only are most Democrats doing little or nothing to stop this, some- including our president- are helping ADVANCE parts of this agenda in the name of "compromise" and "good government."
WE NEED SOMETHING ELSE.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
ObamaCare and Texans after one year
None of this matters for those who don't care about others.
In the Medicare program, there is a gap when someone uses up the initial amount the program will pay for prescription drugs and before they hit the catastrophic coverage. That area of out-of-pocket expenses is often called the “donut hole.” More than 221,121 Texas residents who hit the donut hole received $250 tax-free rebates and will receive a 50 percent brand-name prescription drug discount. The White House estimates the hole will be closed completely by 2020.
There are 2.8 million Texans on Medicare. They are all eligible now for free preventive services and yearly wellness visits from a doctor.
Most insurance companies must cover children with pre-existing conditions now. This means an estimated 1.6 million children who might have been denied before will be covered.
Speaking of kids, if the economy — or the future unknown — has left your offspring unemployed, parents may keep their children on their plans until age 26. That’s about 149,000 Texas young adults.
Small businesses who now face insuring their employees can get tax credits. There is $40 billion in tax credits set aside for up to 4 million small businesses for providing insurance for employees and making premiums affordable. That could mean almost 300,000 in Texas.
About 12 million Texas residents have private insurance. The law keeps insurance companies from dropping or capping insurance plans unexpectedly and from imposing lifetime limits that pose problems for people with chronic diseases, such as cancer or HIV.
In the Medicare program, there is a gap when someone uses up the initial amount the program will pay for prescription drugs and before they hit the catastrophic coverage. That area of out-of-pocket expenses is often called the “donut hole.” More than 221,121 Texas residents who hit the donut hole received $250 tax-free rebates and will receive a 50 percent brand-name prescription drug discount. The White House estimates the hole will be closed completely by 2020.
There are 2.8 million Texans on Medicare. They are all eligible now for free preventive services and yearly wellness visits from a doctor.
Most insurance companies must cover children with pre-existing conditions now. This means an estimated 1.6 million children who might have been denied before will be covered.
Speaking of kids, if the economy — or the future unknown — has left your offspring unemployed, parents may keep their children on their plans until age 26. That’s about 149,000 Texas young adults.
Small businesses who now face insuring their employees can get tax credits. There is $40 billion in tax credits set aside for up to 4 million small businesses for providing insurance for employees and making premiums affordable. That could mean almost 300,000 in Texas.
About 12 million Texas residents have private insurance. The law keeps insurance companies from dropping or capping insurance plans unexpectedly and from imposing lifetime limits that pose problems for people with chronic diseases, such as cancer or HIV.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Krauthammer stamps his little feet over Social Security again
Time for another editorial by Charles Krauthammer over Social Security. He is wrong again and his stamping his feet and speaking in a louder voice doesn't make him right. Charles is a fine example of the So-Called-Liberal Washington Post's senile and privileged opinion writers.
1. There is no difference in government bonds held by the Social Security Administration and other government bonds. They are all numbers on computers and interest is calculated and paid. In one sense it is one branch of government having a debt and another branch having an obligation but governments work that way. If Social Security redeemed those bonds and bought other government bonds Charles would still object and those purchases would do nothing but generate a lot of transaction costs.
2. Those bonds also represent an obligation to the American people who have paid for those bonds with the Social Security tax and a default would have a big meaning. Such a big meaning I imagine that workers would riot and sweep away Charles's little world if the government ever did what Charles wants and sweeps away the bonds.
3. The statement that the debt is not used in calculations of government debt is simply wrong. It is easy to find presentations of where that debt is used in calculations of government debt and it seems more common than not.
4. Means testing is not any kind of "cure" for reducing Social Security obligations as even a little thought would show. Rich people are not a significant percentage of the population collecting Social Security. Other means for extending the current Social Security payment system past the 30 so years already covered, and is even covered well past that time at higher payments than today, will undoubtedly come to pass but it has nothing to do with the national deficit. It may have a little something to do with the scare-mongering of people like Charles Krauthammer.
5. The real usefulness of idiots like Krauthammer is preparing the people for another grab by the rich from the poor. The rich don't want to pay the taxes they have deferred and Wall Street wants its hands on the people's money that goes into Social Security.
6. As an aside, when is Charles going to quit using that 40-year-old picture that is published in his syndicated columns? Is it a reverse Dorian Gray, it doesn't age while his real face shows all the ravages of corruption and serving the interests of the rich and privileged? The one on the Washington Post page is midway between the Houston Chronicle's and what shows when he emerges from his crypt to appear under TV lights even after pancake make-up and black hair dye.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Today's economy
Who's screwed? Anyone's whose not a CEO of a company on the S & P 500. While many have lost their jobs and many more have seen their hours cut at work and their paychecks not going as far as they used to go, transnational corporations are poised to see the biggest profit gains in 18 years. Some of the nation's biggest corporations are expected to see a 9% profit gain this year - the biggest since 1993. And unlike in 1993 - when high profits spurred a hiring spree - don't expect the same things to happen today. That's because - thanks to insane free trade policies - these huge transnational corporations have gotten into a very lucrative business - shipping US jobs overseas. In fact - that's about all our nation exports these days - jobs.
-Thom Hartmann
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Einstein on American Democracy
Private capital tends to become concentrated in few hands, partly because of competition among the capitalists, and partly because technological development and the increasing division of labor encourage the formation of larger units of production at the expense of smaller ones. The result of these developments is an oligarchy of private capital the enormous power of which cannot be effectively checked even by a democratically organized political society. This is true since the members of legislative bodies are selected by political parties, largely financed or otherwise influenced by private capitalists who, for all practical purposes, separate the electorate from the legislature. The consequence is that the representatives of the people do not in fact sufficiently protect the interests of the underprivileged sections of the population. Moreover, under existing conditions, private capitalists inevitably control, directly or indirectly, the main sources of information (press, radio, education). It is thus extremely difficult, and indeed in most cases quite impossible, for the individual citizen to come to objective conclusions and to make intelligent use of his political rights.
I Stand with the Unions
I don't want to say a lot about Wisconsin; though it occupies a lot of my attention. I don't want to say a lot because I really believe this thing could get ugly. While it may seem that Governor Walker and the Wisconsin legislature hold the upper hand; the fact is, they are left with NO OPTIONS in this; they took it too far to reverse course; it's way too late for them to back down, and the threat to fire anyone who strikes was the trump card. After playing that card, there are no options left for Governor Walker. If the protesters do NOT back down now, in the face of that threat, Governor Walker has one choice: violence, or the threat of violence; he has to intimidate the protesters; and the only way to do that now is to draw blood. Real blood.
But here's what little I will say about Wisconsin:
The Wisconsin decision to strip public workers of their right to bargain collectively followed a long campaign by right-wingers to create a stereotype of public workers as lazy, overpaid, bureaucratic paper-pushers who contribute nothing, and whose very jobs don't matter. They were attacked only after they were first weakened; a group of people they thought no one else will put themselves on the line to defend.
Except, people are paying attention and standing with Wisconsin's teachers, and not just public service employees. A lot of people are offended by the rightwing portrayal of government employees as public welfare recipients.
I am VERY proud of Wisconsin's firefighters for standing with the teachers; Governor Walker made it clear that they would be exempted from any attacks on the teachers. The firefighters chose on principle to stand with the teachers; or maybe they just realized how this kind of thing works, and knew their turn was coming.
All of us need to stand with Wisconsin's public workers. On principle. We don't have to march, or carry signs. We don't have to go to Madison. We can do it simply by sharing our support with those who know us well, and respect us. Our stated opinions are needed.
- Charles A.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Bad Voter ID Bill
The Republican State Attorney General has spent millions trying to find instances of voter fraud that this bill will fix and found none. In fact, the only problems he caught were friends helping elderly and disabled to vote and forgetting to sign the mail in ballots on the proper lines. (That still counted as a success because the elderly and handicapped and the type of people assisting people to vote are also largely Democratic voters.)
The main problems with this bill include:
1) The legislation does not provide any alternatives to photo identification examples of identification that will no longer be acceptable to voter include student id cards, Medicaid/Medicare cards, expired driver’s licenses, expired passports, expired military id cards, birth certificates, official government letters, and employer id cards even if issued by a governmental entity.
2) Texas has a long history of voter discrimination and this law if enacted will be used primarily against minorities.
3) Voters, especially the working poor, will not return to the county elections department to provide the required identification within 6 days and cure his or her provisional ballot.
4) The bill contains no provisions to accommodate or address eligible voters whose last name on their driver’s license does not match their voter registration, such as recently married women.
5) The bill contains no provisions or guidelines to address a driver’s license that does not match the address of the voter registration certificate. This provision impacts students.
6) Offering a free personal identification certificate from DPS will not address the problem. Voters that lack the identification necessary to satisfy SB 14 will likely lack the means to obtain a personal identification card.
7) To implement this legislation, the state must put in substantial money for training and extensive public education. Money that would be better spent to address budget shortfalls in education, higher education, nursing homes, and healthcare costs.
8) The budget should be the first and only priority emergency item for the 82nd Legislature.
9) Implementing redistricting plans and extremely strict photo id laws right before a Presidential election is a recipe for disaster in voter confusion.
The people most impacted by this bill include students, the recently married, the recently moved, those with very low income, the elderly, legal immigrants, the handicapped, and the mainly urban dwellers who don't drive a car. These groups all lean Democratic so the Republicans count this bill as a success, getting any edge possible for elections.
See the bill here.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Congress Passes Socialized Medicine and Mandates Health Insurance - In 1798
How ignorant are most conservatives and how much do they lack a knowledge of history?
Rick Unger points out that they are over 200 years too late to stop insurance mandates for private citizens and socialized medicine. Forbes, by far not a liberal web site, has this.
Congress Passes Socialized Medicine and Mandates Health Insurance - In 1798
It not only covered sailors working in international waters but the U.S. lakes and rivers.
Rick Unger points out that they are over 200 years too late to stop insurance mandates for private citizens and socialized medicine. Forbes, by far not a liberal web site, has this.
Congress Passes Socialized Medicine and Mandates Health Insurance - In 1798
In July of 1798, Congress passed – and President John Adams signed - “An Act for the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen.” The law authorized the creation of a government operated marine hospital service and mandated that privately employed sailors be required to purchase health care insurance.
Keep in mind that the 5th Congress did not really need to struggle over the intentions of the drafters of the Constitutions in creating this Act as many of its members were the drafters of the Constitution.
And when the Bill came to the desk of President John Adams for signature, I think it’s safe to assume that the man in that chair had a pretty good grasp on what the framers had in mind.
Realizing that a healthy maritime workforce was essential to the ability of our private merchant ships to engage in foreign trade, Congress and the President resolved to do something about it.
Enter “An Act for The Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen”.
I encourage you to read the law as, in those days, legislation was short, to the point and fairly easy to understand.
First, it created the Marine Hospital Service, a series of hospitals built and operated by the federal government to treat injured and ailing privately employed sailors. This government provided healthcare service was to be paid for by a mandatory tax on the maritime sailors (a little more than 1% of a sailor’s wages), the same to be withheld from a sailor’s pay and turned over to the government by the ship’s owner. The payment of this tax for health care was not optional. If a sailor wanted to work, he had to pay up.
The law was not only the first time the United States created a socialized medical program (The Marine Hospital Service) but was also the first to mandate that privately employed citizens be legally required to make payments to pay for health care services. Upon passage of the law, ships were no longer permitted to sail in and out of our ports if the health care tax had not been collected by the ship owners and paid over to the government – thus the creation of the first payroll tax in our nation’s history.
When a sick or injured sailor needed medical assistance, the government would confirm that his payments had been collected and turned over by his employer and would then give the sailor a voucher entitling him to admission to the hospital where he would be treated for whatever ailed him.
While a few of the healthcare facilities accepting the government voucher were privately operated, the majority of the treatment was given out at the federal maritime hospitals that were built and operated by the government in the nation’s largest ports.
It not only covered sailors working in international waters but the U.S. lakes and rivers.
Clearly, the nation’s founders serving in the 5th Congress, and there were many of them, believed that mandated health insurance coverage was permitted within the limits established by our Constitution.
The moral to the story is that the political right-wing has to stop pretending they have the blessings of the Founding Fathers as their excuse to oppose whatever this president has to offer.
History makes it abundantly clear that they do not.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
The fallacy of the reasonable middle
Crazy Extremist: "We have to kill all the kittens!"
Sane 'Extremist': "What?!? No! That's crazy! There's no need to kill any kittens!"
Moderator: "Now, now, none of that namecalling. Compromise is called for. We'll kill half the kittens."
...
A decade later, as the sane extremist has been repeatedly berated for their extremism, the "kill half the kittens" compromise has become the status quo, the best of a bad situation as it were. The yelling dies down.
Whereupon the crazy extremists again call for killing all the kittens, and the moderator insists on a "compromise" where only three quarters of the kittens die
The sane extremist then - understandably - goes ballistic, and is universally put down for being so impolite
The "middle grounders" are in fact, helping the craziest extremists.
In the presence of effective always-middle-grounders, then, the only reasonable approach is to be even crazier than the other guy. Otherwise, the middle grounders eventually hand all the ground to whoever is craziest.
Sane 'Extremist': "What?!? No! That's crazy! There's no need to kill any kittens!"
Moderator: "Now, now, none of that namecalling. Compromise is called for. We'll kill half the kittens."
...
A decade later, as the sane extremist has been repeatedly berated for their extremism, the "kill half the kittens" compromise has become the status quo, the best of a bad situation as it were. The yelling dies down.
Whereupon the crazy extremists again call for killing all the kittens, and the moderator insists on a "compromise" where only three quarters of the kittens die
The sane extremist then - understandably - goes ballistic, and is universally put down for being so impolite
The "middle grounders" are in fact, helping the craziest extremists.
In the presence of effective always-middle-grounders, then, the only reasonable approach is to be even crazier than the other guy. Otherwise, the middle grounders eventually hand all the ground to whoever is craziest.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Think the GOP will reduce the Federal Deficit?
(Click for larger image.)
Hasn't happened since Deficits-R-Us Reagan was elected.
As I have said before Republicans don't believe in government so they can't govern well.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Many Insane People Running This Year
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Because of ignorance and people's desire to "send a statement" and the new shrunken media a lot of these crazies are likely to win.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
GOP reveals its Master Plan: return to Bush years
Despite Obama's fall in the polls he is much more popular than Bush was and the lastest survey even shows people still much prefer him to Bush. So why is the GOP new "Pledge For America" a return to the Bush year policies?
The pledge, their master plan for America, does not reduce the deficit and is mostly pages of platitudes.
It said it was developed from ideas posted on a website set up this Summer for citizens yet they have explicitly rejected the most popular idea - quit providing tax breaks to companies that outsource jobs and promote jobs in America. Nope, no way say Republican leaders.
The most detailed proposals are on health care where they vow to repeal the Democrats health care plan and replace it with - the Democratic health care plan. The proposals they list are already in the existing plan. If they do repeal the health care plan they don't explain how they replace the $140 billion in deficit reduction the plan provides.
They vow to cut taxes, while ignoring the rise in the deficit that will cause.
They have learned to even avoid talking about Medicare and Social Security which are left out of the pledge entirely, with a later admission they want to have frank talks with the American people later about how those are problems.
They vow to cut the deficit, with no serious proposals to cut the deficit and several proposals like tax cuts and repeal of Obamacare that increase the deficit.
No wonder even the Republicans are backing away from this plan when they are not outright condemning it.
It is also no surprise that the "Pledge to America" was put together by a major business lobbyist temporarily working for the Republicans.
Republicans can't govern, they just have experts in marketing from Wall Street. Eventually their empty promises will catch up with them. To answer the question poised at the beginning, they want to return to Bush policies despite their unpopularity and the economic collapse they caused because they have no new ideas.
The pledge, their master plan for America, does not reduce the deficit and is mostly pages of platitudes.
It said it was developed from ideas posted on a website set up this Summer for citizens yet they have explicitly rejected the most popular idea - quit providing tax breaks to companies that outsource jobs and promote jobs in America. Nope, no way say Republican leaders.
The most detailed proposals are on health care where they vow to repeal the Democrats health care plan and replace it with - the Democratic health care plan. The proposals they list are already in the existing plan. If they do repeal the health care plan they don't explain how they replace the $140 billion in deficit reduction the plan provides.
They vow to cut taxes, while ignoring the rise in the deficit that will cause.
They have learned to even avoid talking about Medicare and Social Security which are left out of the pledge entirely, with a later admission they want to have frank talks with the American people later about how those are problems.
They vow to cut the deficit, with no serious proposals to cut the deficit and several proposals like tax cuts and repeal of Obamacare that increase the deficit.
No wonder even the Republicans are backing away from this plan when they are not outright condemning it.
It is also no surprise that the "Pledge to America" was put together by a major business lobbyist temporarily working for the Republicans.
Republicans can't govern, they just have experts in marketing from Wall Street. Eventually their empty promises will catch up with them. To answer the question poised at the beginning, they want to return to Bush policies despite their unpopularity and the economic collapse they caused because they have no new ideas.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
What Bills Have Republicans Attempted To Block?
Here's just a short list of some of the bills that Republicans have blocked, or attempted to block, since Obama became President:
* Senator Franken’s Anti-Rape Amendment to the Defense Appropriations Bill - Makes it so that women raped overseas while working for foreign contractors have the right to have their case heard in an American court instead of having their case mediated by the company they work for. Only Republican men voted against this, but it passed.
* Benefits for Homeless Veterans - Would have expanded benefits to homeless veterans and homeless veterans with children. Republicans blocked this.
* Health Care - Prevents insurance companies from discriminating against you on the basis of "pre-existing conditions". Requires that insurance companies spend 85 cents of every dollar that you pay on your actual health care. Limits health insurance companies profit margins. Republicans blocked this for months before it finally passed.
* Health Care for the 9/11 First Responders who got sick from being at Ground Zero- Would provide billions of dollars in health care to help the 9/11 First Responders who were at Ground Zero on 9/11 and are now sick because of it. Republicans blocked this.
* The Jobs Bill- Offsets the payroll tax for 1 year for companies that hire new employees, or people receiving unemployment insurance. Also gives other tax incentives to companies hiring new employees. Republicans attempted to block this. Small business lending bill- would give LOCAL, community banks access to billions of dollars to loan to small businesses. Republicans blocked this.
* Financial reform - Puts stricter regulations on the banks, preventing them from becoming "too big to fail". Curbs reckless spending practices that caused the banking crisis. Republicans attempted to block this.
* Stimulus Bill - Pumped billions of dollars into state and local governments to prevent us from sinking into a second Great Depression. Republicans opposed this but now want to take credit for the parts of it that we know are successful or the spending in their districts.
* Oil Spill Liability - Raises the liability on what companies can be made to pay to clean up after an oil spill. Republicans blocked this. Political Ad disclosure bill- Would have required all donors to political campaigns to reveal themselves. Republicans blocked this.
* Immigration - Republican suggested comprehensive immigration reform until Obama supported it. Now they're rabidly opposed to it and even voted against their own legislation. Republicans blocked this.
* Unemployment Extension - Would provide additional aid to the millions of Americans still on unemployment who are just trying to support themselves and their familes. Republicans blocked this bill for 8 weeks before it finally passed. Republicans blocked this for 8 weeks before it finally passed.
* Fair Pay Act of 2009 - Also called the Lily Ledbetter bill. Requires that women receive equal compensation to men for doing the same work. Republicans attempted to block this.
**** The next time someone tells you that the Republicans care about the American people just give them this list of all the bills Republicans wanted to fail. ****
* Senator Franken’s Anti-Rape Amendment to the Defense Appropriations Bill - Makes it so that women raped overseas while working for foreign contractors have the right to have their case heard in an American court instead of having their case mediated by the company they work for. Only Republican men voted against this, but it passed.
* Benefits for Homeless Veterans - Would have expanded benefits to homeless veterans and homeless veterans with children. Republicans blocked this.
* Health Care - Prevents insurance companies from discriminating against you on the basis of "pre-existing conditions". Requires that insurance companies spend 85 cents of every dollar that you pay on your actual health care. Limits health insurance companies profit margins. Republicans blocked this for months before it finally passed.
* Health Care for the 9/11 First Responders who got sick from being at Ground Zero- Would provide billions of dollars in health care to help the 9/11 First Responders who were at Ground Zero on 9/11 and are now sick because of it. Republicans blocked this.
* The Jobs Bill- Offsets the payroll tax for 1 year for companies that hire new employees, or people receiving unemployment insurance. Also gives other tax incentives to companies hiring new employees. Republicans attempted to block this. Small business lending bill- would give LOCAL, community banks access to billions of dollars to loan to small businesses. Republicans blocked this.
* Financial reform - Puts stricter regulations on the banks, preventing them from becoming "too big to fail". Curbs reckless spending practices that caused the banking crisis. Republicans attempted to block this.
* Stimulus Bill - Pumped billions of dollars into state and local governments to prevent us from sinking into a second Great Depression. Republicans opposed this but now want to take credit for the parts of it that we know are successful or the spending in their districts.
* Oil Spill Liability - Raises the liability on what companies can be made to pay to clean up after an oil spill. Republicans blocked this. Political Ad disclosure bill- Would have required all donors to political campaigns to reveal themselves. Republicans blocked this.
* Immigration - Republican suggested comprehensive immigration reform until Obama supported it. Now they're rabidly opposed to it and even voted against their own legislation. Republicans blocked this.
* Unemployment Extension - Would provide additional aid to the millions of Americans still on unemployment who are just trying to support themselves and their familes. Republicans blocked this bill for 8 weeks before it finally passed. Republicans blocked this for 8 weeks before it finally passed.
* Fair Pay Act of 2009 - Also called the Lily Ledbetter bill. Requires that women receive equal compensation to men for doing the same work. Republicans attempted to block this.
**** The next time someone tells you that the Republicans care about the American people just give them this list of all the bills Republicans wanted to fail. ****
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Republicans bad for your income
This is a newer edition of something that has been out there for years.
You usually see charts analyzing income growth under Democratic Presidents versus Republican Presidents and conservatives always respond it is Congress that passes economic and tax policies. This chart does two things, it splits it up by income category and by what branches the parties control.
Click for larger image.
It is obvious the GOP governs to benefit the rich either not caring or mistakenly thinking that benefits everyone. That is wrong. They don't even do as good a job benefiting the rich.
The second response I always get from conservatives is it is a coincidence because government doesn't affect income growth. LOL!!! Remember that when they say Democrats are bad for your pocket book and show them this chart.
There are other charts out there with analysis of other parts of the economy and even government job growth and debt levels and pretty much anything you can shake a stick at. The bottom line is that Republicans don't govern well when they are in control, they don't even meet their stated goals of reducing debt and the size of government. The best thing they do is direct government money to their cronies and tax cuts for the rich, who save it instead of creating jobs. Savings does not create job, creating demand does.
You usually see charts analyzing income growth under Democratic Presidents versus Republican Presidents and conservatives always respond it is Congress that passes economic and tax policies. This chart does two things, it splits it up by income category and by what branches the parties control.
Click for larger image.It is obvious the GOP governs to benefit the rich either not caring or mistakenly thinking that benefits everyone. That is wrong. They don't even do as good a job benefiting the rich.
The second response I always get from conservatives is it is a coincidence because government doesn't affect income growth. LOL!!! Remember that when they say Democrats are bad for your pocket book and show them this chart.
There are other charts out there with analysis of other parts of the economy and even government job growth and debt levels and pretty much anything you can shake a stick at. The bottom line is that Republicans don't govern well when they are in control, they don't even meet their stated goals of reducing debt and the size of government. The best thing they do is direct government money to their cronies and tax cuts for the rich, who save it instead of creating jobs. Savings does not create job, creating demand does.
Thursday, September 09, 2010
RADICAL RIGHT - Hate Takes Center Stage
This has been an unfortunate Summer of Hate stirred up by the party of FEAR! and NO!
Looking back, I see these hate and fear campaigns have a long history in America and the haters lose, eventually.
Very little difference between the law and order campaigns, the anti-civil rights campaigns, and the communist hysteria last century and today's summer of hate.
This too shall pass, but we should oppose this fear, hate, and hysteria to remain true to America's best ideals.
RADICAL RIGHT - Hate Takes Center Stage
Looking back, I see these hate and fear campaigns have a long history in America and the haters lose, eventually.
Very little difference between the law and order campaigns, the anti-civil rights campaigns, and the communist hysteria last century and today's summer of hate.
This too shall pass, but we should oppose this fear, hate, and hysteria to remain true to America's best ideals.
RADICAL RIGHT - Hate Takes Center Stage
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