(This event is this coming Tuesday. - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
Andy Wilson, Public Citizen and Stewart Snider, Clean Elections Texas, will headline this rally to highlight the dangers of the Supreme Court decision in January and the importance of citizen funded elections and lobbyist reform. Giant puppets will illustrate who is in bed with whom. Musician and singer Daniel Llanes will perform and our People Power Street Theater will debut. Sponsored by MoveOn, Public Citizen, Gray Panthers, Clean Elections Texas, DFA and a number of other local and national organizations this Rally is one of 130 scheduled across United States!
Come spend just one hour, Tuesday, August 10, 2010, High Noon, at the South Gate to the Capitol at 11th and Congress. FREE Parking at the Capitol Visitors Parking Garage at 12th and San Jacinto. To sign up: http://pol.moveon.org/event/pl...
This week the Congress passed a $34 billion dollar extension of benefits to Americans who have been out of work for more than 26 weeks, and these benefits where passed along party lines with the Republicans in the Senate blocking the benefits for weeks. Congressional Republicans argued that the benefits should not be passed unless a corresponding amount of budget cuts could be made, however, another argument that Republicans have offered is that unemployment benefits themselves are a disincentive to find work. At a time when long term unemployment is high than at any time since the Great Depression, and there are five workers applying for every one job these arguments seem ludicrous. The unemployment benefits will help 2 million struggling Americans, and the extension of benefits will last through November.
The idea that unemployment benefits will unacceptably add to the deficit is a relatively weak argument, considering that the fall in consumer demand if unemployment benefits are not extending in the long run will add more to the deficit in lack of tax revenue. Also, it seems a bit disingenuous for Republicans to lecture anyone on deficits or government spending. According to analysis by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, significant causes of our current deficits where due to the 2001 and 2003 Bush Administration tax cuts (which by the way Republicans are still arguing doing not need to be paid for with corresponding cuts in the budget). The other idea that unemployment benefits are a disincentive for people to find employment is another weak argument when you consider that there are not enough jobs for American workers. What these arguments are about is plain and simply politics.
The debate over immigration has been pushed into the national conversation since the Arizona state legislature passed Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, otherwise known as SB1070. Since Arizona Governor, Republican Jan Brewer, signed SB1070 into law there have been seven separate lawsuits filed against the law, including a lawsuit filed by the United States Department of Justice. In federal court last week Judge Susan Bolton heard arguments from both sides of Salgado v. Brewer, and this week Judge Bolton will hear arguments in the case brought by the Justice Department. These lawsuits argue that the law is unconstitutional on different grounds including that it violates civil liberty, that it causes racial profiling and that it is an unlawful regulation of federal immigration law.
This law has come at a significant price to Arizona. While the state is facing a budget deficit of more than $4.5 billion dollars, the law is going to cost the state millions of dollars. In addition to the $10 million in initial cost of implementing the law, county and municipal law enforcement agencies will be forced to spend millions of dollars enforcing the law. According to the Immigration Policy Center law-enforcement agencies in Yuma County alone will have to spend between $775,880 and $1,163,820 in processing expenses; jail costs would be between $21,195,600 and $96,086,720; attorney and staff fees would be $810,067-$1,620,134; and additional detention facilities would have to be built at unknown costs. Arizona will also be affected by Latino and immigrant populations that may migrate to states with less hostile environments towards these populations. According to a 2008 study by the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy at the University of Arizona, the Latino and immigrant generated $10.2 billion in state economic output, and generated tax revenues of roughly $776 million.
On Tuesday night the House Rules Committee released the Manager's Amendment to HR 3962, the "Affordable Healthcare Act for America". This starts the 72-hour clock for consideration of the legislation which means a vote could occur as early as Saturday morning.
It is important to note that the 72-hour layout period is not standard operating procedure in DC. A coalition of members of both parties pushed for this added measure of accountability. This period allows all members, the media and the public the opportunity to review the bill instead of passing huge pieces of important legislation with no layout in the middle of the night like Delay and his cronies did.
The District-By-District analysis is the best weapon against your anti-healthcare opponents that I've ever seen. Any candidate for Congress should memorize these numbers and quote them frequently.
Still a tough vote for lots of Texas Democrats. We need to make sure it is a tougher vote for Texas republicans who choose the insurance companies, healthcare management degree graduates and HMOs over middle class families..
Moving forward towards November 2010, it is imperative that we arm ourselves and supporters with this information, communicate it frequently, and shutdown misinformation before it can become "fact-like".
Support our delegation by writing letters to the editor, messaging your friends on Facebook, emailing your fantasy football buddies, etc. This is a tough vote that could cost us some seats unless we all dig in and fight shoulder-to-shoulder to breakdown the lies and promote the cause that healthcare reform is necessary AND affordable.
Congratulations to Barack Obama on being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Despite the smug denial of many, President Obama is uniquely qualified to receive this award this year.
Many Americans remain in denial, even now, of the shameful record of the previous eight years. It was a time when Americans, acting as willing dupes of reckless and immoral leaders, scapegoated entire populations for the crimes of a cabal of madmen. It was a time when Americans rationalized torture, aggression, murder, and revenge.
Americans woke up, last year, from the sinister trance that gripped them. They turned away from the grim dichotomy of domination or destruction. They listened to a voice that offered hope, and they chose a new path.
This is the real change in the world. America is once again motivated by its higher self. This prize is not for the eloquence of one man who enabled us to wake up, or the daily efforts of that man working to live up to the change he has enabled.
This Nobel Peace Prize is really for the American people. And no one is more fit to represent us in accepting this prize than the President of the United States, Barack Obama.
Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) makes an appearance in Michael Moore's latest film, "Capitalism: A Love Story." According to Bill Moyers (Bill Moyers Journal), she is the longest-serving woman ever in Congress.
BILL MOYERS: How do we get Congress back? How do we get Congress to do what it's supposed to do? Oversight. Real reform. Challenge the powers that be.
MARCY KAPTUR: We have to take the money out. We have to get rid of the constant fundraising that happens inside the Congress. Before political parties used to raise money; now individual members are raising money through the DCCC and the RCCC. It is absolutely corrupt. It's good people.
[...]
MARCY KAPTUR: And then people wonder, 'Well, why doesn't Congress get along?' Because they are made into arch enemies by the type of fundraising system that is embedded in the very guts of the institution. So, you've got to clean that out. But meanwhile, we need to get hired over at the justice department, 1,000 agents, in mortgage fraud and in securities fraud. Then, I pray, that the leadership of both chambers will do the kind of robust hearings that the nation deserves to rout out those who did wrong and to change the fundamental financial architecture of this country. And then the President needs to get his top housing advisors in the room with him. And they need to meet all weekend. And they need to get their arms around this housing market, in order to stem the rising foreclosures. We haven't stopped the bleeding out there.
BILL MOYERS: Does President Obama get it?
MARCY KAPTUR: I don't think President Obama has the right people around him. The poor man inherited a total mess, globally and domestically. I think some of the people that he trusted haven't delivered. I urge him to get new generals. It's time. [Emphasis added.]
(Another event for folks to attend later this week during the DNC meeting in Austin. - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
Recognizing the growing opportunities for political change in Texas, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is holding their next quarterly national meeting in Austin from September 10 through 12.
The Texas Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has played a key role in the state's tremendous political transformation. AAPIs comprise approximately 3.5% of the state population, but exceed 15% or even 20% in certain political subdivisions in Austin, Dallas, and Houston; additionally, AAPIs are one of the fastest growing populations in Texas. And like other Texans, AAPIs are voting more and more Democratic. According to exit polling conducted by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, 76% of AAPIs voted for President Barack Obama. Among US-born AAPIs, President Obama's margin was even higher with 87% of the vote.
Democrats believe that Texas and the AAPI community are central to their efforts to achieve meaningful and lasting reform. The Asian American Democrats of Texas - AADT, recognized by the Texas Democratic Party as the representative Texas caucus for Asian Americans, is hosting a reception for local AAPI Democrats, members of the DNC's AAPI Caucus, and local and national party and elected officials. The reception will take place at Chinatown Restaurant at 3407 Greystone Drive near MoPac from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Complimentary appetizers will be served, and the event is free and open to the public. More information is available at the Asian American Democrats of Texas's website, www.aadt.us, or by e-mailing mail@aadt.us or calling 512.326.0222.
Live video will stream this Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 8:30 AM CST from the Armed Services Committee website and the C-SPAN viewing schedule will be announced later this week.
For BOR readers in the D.C. area who would like to attend, the hearing is open to the public, and will take place in Room SD-106, Dirksen Senate Office Building.
If you want to know what's in the health care bill currently being considered by Congress, the best thing to do is to read the bill.
Now, the bill (H.R.3200, otherwise known as "America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009") as introduced in the house is very large, but since the most controversial part of this is a provision for a "public option" for health care coverage, that is the part we examine here.
Where to Find It The public option for health care coverage is found in Title II, Subtitle B of H.R. 3200.
The Context of Title II Title II itself establishes a Health Insurance Exchange. Within Title II, Subtitle A defines the Exchange, Subtitle B defines the Public Health Insurance Option, and Subtitle C defines Individual Affordability Credits which help reduce the premium cost of individuals based on their income.
Here's a great change -- the U.S. Senate is live-streaming the Sotomayor hearings, and making them available so you can host the video on your blog. Below, you will be able to watch the hearings. Though, today -- according to DailyKos -- you may not see that much in the form of questioning:
If it's Sotomayor you want to hear from, make sure you get lunch first. And maybe a nap. Because although the hearings are expected to be gaveled into session at 10 a.m., the first order of business is opening statements. From the Senators. Nineteen of them. For up to ten minutes apiece. Plus statements of introduction from home state Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirstin Gillibrand.
