Monday mashup &some News …


did you know …it’s Black History Month

Campaign 2011…

Today, President Obama will meet with the Chamber of Commerce …whom in my opinion helped the Republican Tea Party hold the middle class hostage until they gave the bush bonus giveaway to the rich.

I do not know about anyone else but debates are just a fraction of what i use to make my choice of who to vote for elections. I have been following what the Republicans have been saying and or doing over the months let alone the last few years, gone to YouTube to check out comments, questions and the behavior on the part of these candidates. What stands out for me is that they continue to backtrack, lie and or ignore legitimate questions. They often choose to be interviewed only on one station, usually with the same party line -that is troubling and should give pause to anyone who doesn’t know who they will vote for-words matter, anyone practicing exclusion, targeting minorities and willing to throw fellow Americans under the bus to take back their America-(what does that even mean)? In addition, politicians that are so extreme are not worthy to hold Public office or seat in Congress. These positions of power call for working for “We the People” not some or a select few -they say they want the Government out of our lives yet when it comes to “social issues”; they want to control All Americans by way of privatizing most if not all social programs. If you want less government, why among other things tell women what they can do with their own bodies. The stance on less government is definitely a joke when they pull out that whole family values platform. Republicans are for Profits before the People on steroids. They are into privatizing everything, which will put our democracy at risk from the bottom up -the real world understands that the government works for the people -Cops, Teachers, EMT, and Firefighters! In addition, shame on States that make people pay for such services. It makes you wonder about what these States did with the stimulus money targeted toward government programs. I wonder is there “a dirty little secret” in States that would choose to let your house burn down if you have not paid up your privatized service and let’s be honest if the Republican Tea Party gets back in control that is what will happen. If Republicans repeal replace or eliminate –Social Security and other governmental programs, which is more likely to happen because as of late -they, the Republican Tea Party have not announced an alternative plan. When will Republican Tea Party constituents ask themselves how will going back to the failed spending of 2007 be a good thing, telling people how to live or love and practice discriminatory behavior to folks considered under protected status.

Politicians say, do and offer up resolution or promises that are over the top and because the fight is on to win a seat in Congress or keep your seat, it is obvious it does not mean candidates will give great politics or ideology, but how much money you have to look good and out PR your opponent. I have to say it was nice to see that even with all the money thrown out there by Whitman, Fiorina, angle, O’Donnell and others running for midterm elections. The people were listening, watching and made a decision that these embarrassing women were unqualified to hold public office let alone be described as possible public servants of all the people not just some or a select few. In the en People with or without money can be offensive.

We live in a time when money is speaking excessively loud in the world of Politics, protected by activist judges like some in the Supreme Court. I absolutely believe it is time for all of us to complain and or call them out when one side decides to push the envelope too far right of center instead of the so-called “fair and balanced” news of old. The wonders and need to tweet, FB and or blog about how Republicans have all the cable, major newspapers, magazines and whatnot that dominate the airwaves are offensive. If you listen folks or companies like the Chamber of Commerce, who seems to not only represent right of center Corporate America but pushes business to outsourcing jobs. A guy like Murdoch gives to both sides of an issue and when one side becomes more of a commodity and gets more airtime he feeds it. The NRA supports 58 democrats as well as a whole lot of Republicans because they can make money on both sides of the issue, which is hypocritical and offensive.

Americans cannot do a thing about all the money given up by these corporate giants yet. We can object to the lies coming from Fox, fear mongering and race baiting this station engages in what seems like on a daily basis…even CNN has moved right of center and though that rhetoric has 1st amendment on its side it is still offensive. As a person of colour and as a mom hearing Glenn beck send subliminal nonsense out into the airwaves with actual people choosing to do the wrong thing instead of right -and people get hurt and now worse …that is my prob.

My sense of democracy means total cooperation from both sides of an economic collapse yet the Republican Tea Party has decided they will take all the money you’re handing out but vote no or scale down most if not all legislation as well as throw their own constituents under the bus in order to regain power -that is not democracy.

Other News …

**Packers defeat the Steelers -Superbowl

**Palestinians watch Egypt with a sense of hope

**Huff Post/ AOL deal -for $315million

**Missing Google exec released by authorities after sev days

**Thailand/Camboida still trading military fire…charges over ancient temple

**Cuomo’s budget moving through NY has hit NYC schools

**merger deals causing stocks to climb

**Groupon – epic failure –Superbowl commercial -tasteful comments on the back of what seems like Tibetans

**Justice Thomas‘s wife has decided to try her hand at being a lobbyist …

**Factories are doing well but no new hiring being done

CSPAN

Senate Ethics Committee appoints special counsel in John Ensign case

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/feb/01/senate-ethics-committee-appoints-special-counsel-j/

House Republicans move to slash domestic programs

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110203/ap_on_re_us/us_congress_budget_3

Obama signs nuclear treaty documents Wednesday

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110202/ap_on_re_us/us_obama_russia_nuclear

Shortly after announcing an overhaul of the nation’s homeland security measures, Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), joins C‑SPAN’s Newsmakers to expound on the new approach to prevent terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. http://c-span.com/Events/DHS-Secretary-Janet-Napolitano/10737419403/

**

Egypt will not back to the way it was before protests disrupted the country, President Obama said tonight in a pre-Super Bowl interview. Speaking to Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly, the President would not say when Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak would step down http://c-span.com/Events/President-Obama-Egypt-Not-Going-Back/10737419356/ 

Professor Elizabeth Varon teaches a class on fugitive slave laws in the run up to the Civil War at the University of Virginia. Passed in 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act indirectly resulted in the expansion of the Underground Railroad by which slaves could escape from Southern slave-holding states. http://c-span.com/Events/Lectures-in-History-Fugitive-Slave-Laws/10737419325/

Stop the radically anti-choice, anti-woman H.R. 3


The anti-choice caucus in Congress is still pushing an extreme anti-choice bill that would significantly restrict women’s access to abortion services.

Republicans may have caved to pressure to remove an outrageous provision in their bill that sought to redefine rape in order to limit the number of rape victims with access to abortion services. But the bill if passed remains a horrific rollback in a woman’s right to choose.

We must redouble the pressure on Congress and defeat this radically anti-woman and anti-choice bill.

I just signed a petition urging my U.S. Representative to oppose this extreme bill and protect women’s health. You should too. Click below to take action.

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/stop_hr3/?r_by=16100-2591629-wh0ZoYx&rc=confemail

Congress: The Senate -is in Session on 2/7


The Senate Convenes at 2:00pmET Monday February 7, 2011 

Following any Leader remarks, there will be a period of morning business until 3:00pm with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

At 3:00pm, the Senate will resume consideration of S.223, the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization bill. If senators have amendments to the bill they would like to offer they should contact the bill managers.

The following amendments are pending to S.223:

– Wicker amendment #14, as modified (Excludes TSA from collective bargaining)

– Blunt amendment #5 (private screening company)

– Nelson (FL) #34 (NASA)

– Paul #21 (reduce authorization for FAA to FY2008 levels)

– Wyden #27 (increase test sites for unmanned aerial vehicles)

– Inhofe amendment #6 (liability protection to volunteer pilots)

– Inhofe amendment #7 (flight time limitations/rest requirements)

– Ensign amendment #32 (military remotely piloted aerial systems)

– McCain amendment #4 (Essential Air Service)

At 4:30pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive session to consider the following nominations with one hour for debate equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees.

– Calendar #3 Paul Holmes, of AR, to be US District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas;

– Calendar #6 Diana Saldana, of TX, to be US District Judge for the Southern District of Texas;

– Calendar #8 Marco Hernandez, of OR, to be US District Judge for the District of Oregon.

At approximately 5:30pm, the nomination of Marco Hernandez will be confirmed by unanimous consent and the Senate will immediately proceed to a series of 2 votes on confirmation of the Saldana and Holmes nominations.

As a result, senators should expect 2 stacked roll call votes at 5:30pm on confirmation of the following nominations:

– Calendar #6 Diana Saldana, of TX, to be US District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, and

– Calendar #3 Paul Holmes, of AR, to be US District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas.

The Senate has reached an agreement that results in a roll call vote at 10:30am tomorrow. At 10:20am, the Senate will resume consideration of Nelson (FL) amendment #34 (NASA) to S.223, FAA Authorization, and there will be 10 minutes for debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Nelson (FL) and Hutchison, or their designees. Upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate will proceed to vote in relation to the amendment. The agreement precludes any amendments, motions or points or order to the amendment prior to the vote.

Votes:

12: Confirmation of Calendar #6 Diana Saldana, of TX, to be US District Judge for the Southern District of Texas;

Confirmed: 94-0

13: Calendar #3 Paul Holmes, of AR, to be US District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas;

Confirmed: 95-0

This is the last vote of the day.

Bankrate.com


Here are stories published today.

National mortgage rates for Feb. 3, 2011 | 2011-02-04

See rates from our survey of CDs, mortgages, home equity products, auto loans and credit cards.

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/interest-rate-roundup-for-feb-3-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110203

Home equity loan rates for Feb. 3, 2011 | 2011-02-04

Here are the average home equity rates from Bankrate‘s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/home-equity/national-home-equity-loan-rates-for-feb-3-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110203

Focus paying debts that most affect credit | 2011-02-04

Pick the right order when you’re paying down debt.

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/debt/paying-right-debt-will-fix-credit-faster.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110203

CD rates for Feb. 3, 2011 | 2011-02-04

Here are the average CD rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/cd/national-cd-rates-for-feb-3-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110203

Auto loan rates for Feb. 3, 2011 | 2011-02-04

Here are the average auto loan rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/auto/national-auto-loan-rates-for-feb-3-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110203

Credit card interest rates for Feb. 3, 2011 | 2011-02-04

Here are the average credit card rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/national-credit-card-rates-for-feb-3-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110203

Dear Citi, You screwed up big time


In 2009, you helped push Citi to announce a “robust MTR Environmental Due Diligence Process,” giving hope that the bank would reduce its financial backing for mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mining.

We’ve now discovered Citi’s mountaintop removal “due diligence process” is not worth the paper it’s printed on!

Join us in calling on Citi to stop funding mountaintop removal.  212 559 1000

MTR is a crime against America’s environment and people. Every day MTR coal corporations literally blow the tops off Appalachia‘s mountains: clear-cutting forests, wiping out natural habitats and poisoning rivers and drinking water. Not only are these mountains lost forever, but also the heritage and the health of families across the region are being sacrificed.

Last weekend, mountaintop removal mining company Alpha Natural Resources announced that it was purchasing Massey Energy, formerly the largest and most nefarious mountaintop removal company in Appalachia. Together, Massey and Alpha are responsible for more than 26 percent of all mountaintop mining in Central Appalachia. Citi is responsible for funding this toxic merger.

Join us in calling on Citi to stop funding mountaintop mining all together. 212 559 1000

Thanks for all that you do.

For the mountains,

Amanda Starbuck, Annie Sartor and Scott Parkin

Global Finance Campaign Team