~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Does Big Oil need Loopholes Washington State ?

03/24/2014 Nativegrl77

Does Big Oil need a tax loophole? Sen. Rodney Tom thinks so.

Tom and the Senate Republicans did the most profitable companies on
Earth a huge favor by protecting their $59 million tax loophole. He
killed efforts to close the loophole and invest that money in our kids’
classrooms instead.

Now oil companies are returning the favor by helping bankroll Sen. Rodney Tom’s re–election campaign.
We can’t let them win if we want to retake the Senate. Joan McBride, a
real progressive and former Kirkland mayor, has stepped up to challenge
Tom. Our job is to make sure she defeats him on Election Day.

Fuse members have already chipped in $4,000 to retire Rodney Tom and retake the Senate in 2014.
But we need to raise $6,000 more to reach our goal for launching
organizers and outreach in Tom’s district to retake the Senate. Will you
chip in $5 to retire Rodney Tom right now?

Yes! I’ll help retire Rodney Tom.

Thanks for all that you do,

Erin and entire team at Fuse

*************************************************************

Dear Friend,

Does Big Oil need a tax loophole? Sen. Rodney Tom thinks so.Tom and the Senate Republicans did the most profitable companies on Earth a huge favor by protecting their $59 million tax loophole. He killed efforts to close the loophole and invest that money in our kids’ classrooms instead.Now oil companies are returning the favor by helping bankroll Sen. Rodney Tom’s re–election campaign. We can’t let them win if we want to retake the Senate. Joan McBride, a real progressive and former Kirkland mayor, has stepped up to challenge Tom. Our job is to make sure she defeats him on Election Day.

Fuse members have already chipped in $4,000 to retire Rodney Tom and retake the Senate in 2014. But we need to raise $6,000 more to reach our goal for launching organizers and outreach in Tom’s district to retake the Senate. Will you chip in $5 to retire Rodney Tom right now?

Yes! I’ll help retire Rodney Tom.

Thanks for all that you do,

Erin and entire team at Fuse

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Aaron Ostrom, Fuse Votes <info@fusewashington.org>
Date: Tue, Mar 18, 2014 at 6:58 AM
Subject: Four more years of Rodney Tom?

Sen. Rodney Tom and the Senate Republicans set new lows for partisanship and obstruction this legislative session. It’s clear we need a change in the state Senate. Will you chip in $5 to defeat Sen. Tom?
Chip in!

Dear Friend,

We’re ready for a change in the state Senate.

Sen. Tom’s Republican caucus set new lows for partisanship and obstruction this legislative session. Tom refused to allow a vote on the Reproductive Parity Act or paid sick leave for workers. He tried to kill a bipartisan bill that extended funding for homeless housing. Instead of funding education, they even protected all 650 of the state’s tax loopholes – including Big Oil’s – and created or extended 18 more.

We can defeat Tom and retake the Senate with a strong grassroots campaign – as long as we start now.

We held our first canvass against Tom on March 11 because we can’t wait until October to educate voters about his far–right record. Online and on the ground, we’re going to make sure every voter knows the issues at stake and the importance of retaking the Senate. But we can’t make it happen without you.

We’ve set up a dedicated fund to retire Rodney Tom and retake the Senate in 2014. One hundred percent of the money raised will be used for organizers and outreach to reclaim the Senate. We need to raise $10,000 to jumpstart our campaign this week. If we fall short, we’ll have to endure another four years of Tom in the Senate. Will you chip in $5 to retire Rodney Tom?

Yes! I’ll help retire Rodney Tom.

I want to support long–term progressive change by donating $10 per month!

Two years ago, Sen. Tom switched sides to form a new majority with the Senate Republicans. Their far–right Republican caucus has doomed any hope for progress on climate change, women’s health, gun safety, closing tax loopholes, and more. The Republicans aren’t even running a candidate against Sen. Tom because he’s the key to their power.

Now Sen. Tom is up for re–election and retaking his seat is critical to winning back the Senate. We’ve set up a “Retire Rodney Tom” fund at Fuse to make sure every voter in the 48th District knows about his dangerous record of obstruction in Olympia. Will you chip in $5 to kick off our campaign to retire Rodney Tom?

Yes! I’ll help retire Rodney Tom.

I want to support long–term progressive change by donating $10 per month!

Thanks for all that you do,

Aaron and the entire team at Fuse

Senate considers;S.2124, a bill to support sovereignty and democracy in Ukraine CONGRESS 3/24 House considers;Transportation&Infrastructure

03/24/2014 Nativegrl77

The Senate will convene at 2:00pm on Monday, March 24, 2014.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.2124, the Ukraine Act.

At 5:30pm, there will be a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2124.

As a reminder to all Senators, on Thursday, March 13^th, cloture was filed on the following items in the following order:

– Motion to proceed to Calendar #329, S.2124, a bill to support sovereignty and democracy in Ukraine, and for other purposes.

– Executive Calendar #581, Christopher Reid Cooper, of D.C., to be U.S. District Judge for D.C.

– Executive Calendar #582, M. Douglas Harpool, of Missouri, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Missouri

– Executive Calendar #583, Gerald Austin McHugh, Jr., of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and

– Executive Calendar #584, Edward G. Smith, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

As a reminder when cloture is filed sequentially on several items, the Senate will consider one motion at a time. If cloture is invoked on the motion to proceed to S.2124 and once the motion to proceed is adopted (30 hours after cloture is invoked) or if cloture is not invoked, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session and vote on the next motion to invoke cloture on the Cooper nomination. If cloture is invoked on any of the US District Judge nominations, there will be up to 2 hours of debate equally divided and controlled on the nomination prior to confirmation of the nomination.

5:30pm The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2124, a bill to support sovereignty and democracy in Ukraine;

Invoked: 78-17

WRAP UP

Roll Call Votes

1) Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2124, a bill to support sovereignty and democracy in Ukraine; Invoked: 78-17

Legislative items

Began the Rule 14 process of S.2149, the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act (Reed) in order to place the bills on the Legislative Calendar.

Completed the Rule 14 process of the following items in order to place the bills on the Legislative Calendar:

– H.R.3474, the Hire More Heroes Act,

– H.R.3979, Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responder Act, and

– S.2148, the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2014 (Reed-Heller and others).

No Executive items

===================================================

Last Floor Action:
2:07:33 P.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.

The next meeting in the House is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on March 24, 2014

Mr. Shuster notified the House that on March 13, 2014, the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure met in open session to consider resolutions to
authorize 14 prospectuses, including three leases, ten alteration projects, a
one project design, included in the General Services Administration’s FY2013 and
FY2014 Capital Investment and Leasing Programs and transmitted copies of the
adopted resolutions.

Last Floor Action: 3/21
10:04:27 A.M. – The Speaker announced
that the House do now adjourn.

The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on March 24, 2014

=============================================

Last Floor Action:
5:25:47 P.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for approximately 6:30 P.M. today.

12:00:13 P.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
12:00:20 P.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable Fred Upton to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
12:00:44 P.M.		MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate. At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 2:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.
12:06:18 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 P.M. today.
2:00:09 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of March 24.
2:00:22 P.M.		Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
2:01:59 P.M.		The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.
2:02:03 P.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Wilson of SC to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
2:02:27 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.
2:07:33 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.

4:00:21 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of March 24.
4:01:37 P.M.		The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until 6:30 p.m. today.
4:02:27 P.M.	H.R. 1228	Mr. Farenthold moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. H.R. 1228 — “To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 300 Packerland Drive in Green Bay, Wisconsin, as the “Corporal Justin D. Ross Post Office Building”.”
4:02:43 P.M.	H.R. 1228	Considered under suspension of the rules.
4:02:45 P.M.	H.R. 1228	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1228.
4:12:54 P.M.	H.R. 1228	At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
4:13:43 P.M.	H.R. 3060	Mr. Farenthold moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 3060 — “To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 232 Southwest Johnson Avenue in Burleson, Texas, as the “Sergeant William Moody Post Office Building”.”
4:13:57 P.M.	H.R. 3060	Considered under suspension of the rules.
4:13:58 P.M.	H.R. 3060	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3060.
4:22:26 P.M.	H.R. 3060	At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
4:23:01 P.M.	H.R. 1451	Mr. Farenthold moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 1451 — “To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14 Main Street in Brockport, New York, as the “Staff Sergeant Nicholas J. Reid Post Office Building”.”
4:23:08 P.M.	H.R. 1451	Considered under suspension of the rules.
4:23:10 P.M.	H.R. 1451	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1451.
4:29:45 P.M.	H.R. 1451	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
4:30:02 P.M.	H.R. 1376	Mr. Farenthold moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 1376 — “To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 369 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Jersey City, New Jersey, as the “Judge Shirley A. Tolentino Post Office Building”.”
4:30:06 P.M.	H.R. 1376	Considered under suspension of the rules.
4:30:08 P.M.	H.R. 1376	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1376.
4:38:10 P.M.	H.R. 1376	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
4:39:16 P.M.	H.R. 1813	Mr. Farenthold moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. H.R. 1813 — “To redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 162 Northeast Avenue in Tallmadge, Ohio, as the “Lance Corporal Daniel Nathan Deyarmin Post Office Building”.”
4:39:40 P.M.	H.R. 1813	Considered under suspension of the rules.
4:39:44 P.M.	H.R. 1813	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1813.
4:46:51 P.M.	H.R. 1813	At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
4:47:34 P.M.	H.R. 1036	Mr. Farenthold moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 1036 — “To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 103 Center Street West in Eatonville, Washington, as the “National Park Ranger Margaret Anderson Post Office”.”
4:47:50 P.M.	H.R. 1036	Considered under suspension of the rules.
4:47:53 P.M.	H.R. 1036	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1036.
4:56:28 P.M.	H.R. 1036	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
4:57:18 P.M.	H.R. 3771	Mr. Kelly (PA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. H.R. 3771 — “To accelerate the income tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for the relief of victims of the Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.”
4:57:53 P.M.	H.R. 3771	Considered under suspension of the rules.
4:57:55 P.M.	H.R. 3771	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3771.
5:13:55 P.M.	H.R. 3771	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
5:15:42 P.M.	H.R. 4275	Mrs. Brooks (IN) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 4275 — “To amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for cooperative and small employer charity pension plans.”
5:16:05 P.M.	H.R. 4275	Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:16:08 P.M.	H.R. 4275	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4275.
5:25:06 P.M.	H.R. 4275	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
5:25:47 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for approximately 6:30 P.M. today.

6:30:32 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of March 24.
6:30:45 P.M.		UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
6:31:09 P.M.	H.R. 3060	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 3060 — “To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 232 Southwest Johnson Avenue in Burleson, Texas, as the “Sergeant William Moody Post Office Building”.”
6:58:58 P.M.	H.R. 3060	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 398 – 0 (Roll no. 136).
6:59:04 P.M.		MOMENT OF SILENCE – Ms. DelBene asked unamimous consent to address the House and observe a moment of silence in remembrance of the victims of the natural disaster in Washington State.
7:01:41 P.M.	H.R. 1813	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 1813 — “To redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 162 Northeast Avenue in Tallmadge, Ohio, as the “Lance Corporal Daniel Nathan Deyarmin Post Office Building”.”
7:09:57 P.M.	H.R. 1813	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 393 – 0 (Roll no. 137).
7:09:58 P.M.	H.R. 1813	The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
7:12:09 P.M.	H.R. 2391	Mr. Issa moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 2391 — “To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5323 Highway N in Cottleville, Missouri as the “Lance Corporal Phillip Vinnedge Post Office”.”
7:12:25 P.M.	H.R. 2391	Considered under suspension of the rules.
7:12:27 P.M.	H.R. 2391	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2391.
7:22:29 P.M.	H.R. 2391	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
7:22:45 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.
7:36:53 P.M.		SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.
10:00:47 P.M.		Mr. Gohmert moved that the House do now adjourn.
10:00:50 P.M.		On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
10:00:58 P.M.		The House adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on March 25, 2014.

===================================================

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Join the Book Club

03/22/2014 Nativegrl77

Union of Concerned Scientists

EVENT INVITATION March 27: Fukushima Online Book Club Discussion

Please join the authors of our new book, Fukushima: The Story of a Nuclear Disaster, in an online “book club” discussion on March 27. Praised as a “gripping, suspenseful page-turner,” the book is a definitive, scientific retelling of what happened at Fukushima three years ago—and an urgent reminder that U.S. nuclear power isn’t as safe as it could and should be.

Fukushima Online Book Club Date: Thursday, March 27 Time: 2:00-3:15 p.m. EST

RSVP for the Online Discussion Today

The book’s co-authors, UCS nuclear power safety experts, Dave Lochbaum and Edwin Lyman, and award-winning journalist, Susan Q. Stranahan, will discuss what the situation in Japan is three years later, what we have learned, and what more needs to be done to make nuclear power safer in the United States.

Visit our website to learn more about the book. If you have any questions about the book club or if you’d like to submit questions for the authors in advance, please email nuclearsafety@ucsusa.org.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

the NFL and non-profits

03/22/2014 Nativegrl77

March 05, 2012

Why Does the National Football League Deserve Tax-Exempt Status?

You may not know it, but the National Football League is a nonprofit organization. It may seem absurd that a collection of teams that generated at least $9 billion in revenue last season would be given tax-exempt status, but the NFL is technically classified as a 501(c)6 organization. Here’s how the IRS describes 501(c)6 tax-exempt status:

Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code provides for the exemption of business leagues, chambers of commerce, real estate boards, boards of trade and professional football leagues, which are not organized for profit and no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.

It’s obviously notable that only professional football leagues are included here, as opposed to all sporting leagues. The exemption for football stems from lobbying efforts by Pete Rozelle in the 1960’s to earn an antitrust exemption for the merger of the NFL and AFL. The antitrust and tax exemptions were cleverly attached to an uncontroversial 1966 bill to “suspend the investment credit and the allowance of accelerated depreciation in the case of certain real property.” The NFL-AFL merger language was included at the end of the bill that had nothing else to do with football.

Here’s the meat of the IRS’ explanation of how these tax-exempt leagues are supposed to work:

A business league is an association of persons having some common business interest, the purpose of which is to promote such common interest and not to engage in a regular business of a kind ordinarily carried on for profit. Trade associations and professional associations are business leagues. To be exempt, a business league’s activities must be devoted to improving business conditions of one or more lines of business as distinguished from performing particular services for individual persons. No part of a business league’s net earnings may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual and it may not be organized for profit to engage in an activity ordinarily carried on for profit (even if the business is operated on a cooperative basis or produces only enough income to be self-sustaining). The term line of business generally refers either to an entire industry or to all components of an industry within a geographic area. It does not include a group composed of businesses that market a particular brand within an industry.

It seems inconceivable that the NFL is not “engag[ing] in a regular business of a kind ordinarily carried on for profit.” How are their efforts to maximize profits any different than those of Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association or the National Hockey League? As far as the NFL’s “net earnings,” the nonprofit was actually in the red in 2009, according to its latest available return. Virtually all of the leagues $192.3 million in revenue in 2009 came from “membership dues & assessment.” While the NFL doesn’t explain how much each clubs pays in dues, it averages to about $6 million per team. NFL owners don’t have to pay taxes on those dues, as they are considered donations to a nonprofit. Meanwhile, the NFL had $234.6 million in expenses in 2009, but the “nonprofit” paid $53.6 million to 8 individuals. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell earned $9.9 million in 2009 (and will earn $20 million by 2019) but he wasn’t even the highest paid individual. NFL Network President Steve Bornstein was paid $12.6 million by the “nonprofit” even though NFL Network is part of NFL Enterprises, LLC. In other words, the only reason the NFL is operating in the red is because of the massive salaries it’s paying its key executives.

In 2010, Andrew Delaney, a Vermont Law School student, put together a fascinating paper examining the tax status of the NFL and found that the NFL was working like a “glorified tax shelter.” Delaney explains:

Through for-profit companies, the NFL sells licenses to use NFL intellectual property, broadcast games, etcetera, making a ton of money. That money is then distributed to the individual teams. The individual teams, in turn, pay their “dues and assessments” to the NFL. I don’t intend to mislead—some taxes certainly get paid here. The teams are considered for-profit and pay regular taxes. The teams’ tax liability is significantly reduced, however, when they pay their tax-deductible “dues and assessments.” How much and what gets taxed is just not publicly available. And it should be if the NFL is going to enjoy tax-exempt status.

Delaney ultimately concludes that “if the NFL isn’t violating the letter of nonprofit status, it’s certainly violating the spirit.”

The important thing here is that WE THE PEOPLE granted the NFL this tax exemption, even if it was decades ago. (Just as we granted the leagues the anti-trust exemption for negotiating television broadcast contracts.) As a result, we can revoke that exemption if the league blacks out its fans, forces fans to pay for personal seat licenses, extorts public money from municipalities by threatening to move teams, etc. The NFL may technically be a “nonprofit,” but it sure as hell isn’t acting in the public interest.

Brian Frederick is the Executive Director of Sports Fans Coalition. He holds a Ph.D. in Communication and is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. Email him at brian@sportsfans.org and follow him on Twitter here.