~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

a message from Robert Reich

04/10/2014 Nativegrl77

I’m sick and tired of a tax system that favors the wealthy at everyone else’s expense, so I put together a special Tax Day video that explains the problem—and what we can do about it.

I hope you’ll watch:

The first step toward solving a problem is understanding it. If, after you watch this video, you agree that it’s time to change things, please share the video with your friends.

Together, we can build an economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthiest 1%.

Thanks for lifting up your voice in our democracy.

–Robert Reich

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Charlene Dill …died

04/10/2014 Nativegrl77

By CAP Action War Room

Like CAP Action on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

A 32-Year-Old Woman Is Dead Because Of Political Games

Charlene Dill, with her son

CREDIT: GoFundMe

In too many states, Republican lawmakers are refusing to provide health coverage to millions of Americans through the Medicaid program simply because of politics. These political games have real consequences.

The debate over whether to accept or not accept federal funding to provide health insurance often deals with a lot of charts and numbers. But today, sadly, this debate has a name: Charlene Dill. Dill, a 32-year-old working mom with three small children, died recently because she didn’t have access to the care she needed. She worked three part-time jobs to stay afloat, earning an estimated $9,000 per year. Because this was more than the $6,809 limit to qualify for Medicaid in Florida, she fell into the coverage gap.

Reporter Billy Manes at the Orlando Weekly tells the story:

Dill’s death was not unpredictable, nor was it unpreventable. She had a documented heart condition for which she took medication. But she also happened to be one of the people who fall within the gap created by the 2012 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allowed states to opt out of Medicaid expansion, which was a key part of the Affordable Care Act’s intention to make health care available to everyone. In the ensuing two years, 23 states have refused to expand Medicaid, including Florida, which rejected $51 billion from the federal government over the period of a decade to overhaul its Medicaid program to include people like Dill and [her best friend Kathleen Voss] Woolrich – people who work, but do not make enough money to qualify for the Affordable Care Act’s subsidies. They, like many, are victims of a political war – one that puts the lives and health of up to 17,000 U.S. residents and 2,000 Floridians annually in jeopardy, all in the name of rebelling against President Barack Obama’s health care plan.

Indeed, Charlene Dill will not be the only one who dies because she lacked access to care due to the coverage gap. A recent study found that up to 2,200 Floridians — and 17,000 Americans overall — will die directly as a result of their states refusing to accept the federal funding to expand health care for their residents. The study also estimates that nationwide, individuals with “catastrophic medical expenditures” as a result of being in the coverage gap will number around 240,000 people.

If Florida did accept the nearly $5.2 billion in federal funding to expand health care, it has been projected to increase economic activity by $8.9 billion through 2016 and create approximately 71,300 new jobs in the state.

Kathleen Voss Woolrich, Dill’s best friend who had turned to crowdfunding websites to raise money to pay for Dill’s heart medication and then, tragically, to pay for her friend’s funeral, wrote:

You see the main argument Republicans use is that it’s some lazy person who needs Medicaid expansion. That those of us living without healthcare or dental care are lazy. But my friend, a single beautiful mother, worked three jobs. I am burying my best friend because of the policies of the Republican Party. I am burying my best friend because had Medicaid expanded, her needs would have been met.

BOTTOM LINE: Conservative legislators who have continued to refuse federal funding to expand health care for their citizens must realize that political decisions have real consequences. A 32-year-old woman who could not afford her heart medication because she fell into the medicaid coverage gap is now dead. It’s time we put an end to avoidable — but now permanent — consequences like this one.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Do you believe global warming is good for us? …Union of Concerned Scientists

04/10/2014 Nativegrl77 10 Comments

Who Will Check Their Facts ?

I believe we stand at a critical time in the fight against global warming, and against those who cynically deny it is happening and say there is nothing we can do to mitigate its effects.

“The net effect of continued warming and rising carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere is most likely to be beneficial to humans, plants, and wildlife.”
—Heartland Institute, August 2011.

Let’s end the disinformation on climate change.

Help UCS expose and challenge attacks on science.

That’s why I’m asking you to become a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) today. www.ucsusa.org

Don’t you ever wonder when the denial and disinformation about climate change will end? Make no mistake. This is an all-out attack on science. It’s well coordinated and funded, and it’s backed by opponents who are putting near-term fossil fuel profits ahead of protections for human health.

Opponents like the Heartland Institute continue to mislead the public into thinking that global warming isn’t a problem. In a recent report they even went so far as to claim that the net effects of climate change will be good for people and the environment.

But we’re not that easily fooled. We remember this same organization, that has accepted funding from the tobacco company Philip Morris, made headlines in the 1990s trying to downplay the dangers of second-hand smoke.

When you become a member of UCS, you’ll help us face down attacks on science and blatant disinformation about global warming. www.ucsusa.org

You’ll also help us move forward to build a healthier environment during our lifetime, and those of our children and grandchildren.

Consider that, in the past few months alone, UCS has:
Won historic changes in fuel economy standards for cars and trucks that will dramatically lower global warming emissions and help our economy for decades to come—preventing some 280 million tons of climate emissions from being released into our atmosphere by 2030. That’s the equivalent of shutting down 72 coal-fired power plants.
Helped design and win passage of California’s landmark Renewable Energy Standard—the toughest in the nation—mandating that one third of all the state’s energy will be produced from renewable sources by 2020.

You are a key partner in all our work.

We need your help to combat attacks on science and to move forward with positive changes to forestall the worst effects of global warming.

That’s why I’m counting on you to act now. Please don’t put it off, the stakes are too high. Become a member today.

I look forward to hearing from you and working alongside you to build a healthy environment and a safer world.

Thank you for all your help and support.

Sincerely,

Kevin Knobloch
President

Black History

the Senate CONGRESS 4/10 the House

04/10/2014 Nativegrl77

The Senate stands adjourned until 9:30am on Thursday, April 10.

Following any Leader remarks, the time until 10:30am will be equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees. At 10:30am, there will be a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #574, the nomination of Michelle Friedland, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit. If cloture is invoked, there would be up to 30 hours for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination, unless an agreement can be reached. Upon disposition of the Friedland nomination, there will be a cloture vote on the Weil nomination to be Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the Department of Labor. There would then be up to 8 hours for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the Weil nomination.

10:31am The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #574, the nomination of Michelle Friedland, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit;

Invoked: 56-41

This afternoon, Senator Toomey asked unanimous consent the HELP committee be discharged from further consideration of S.1596 and the bill be read a third time and passed.

S.1596 is a bill to require State educational agencies that receive funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to have in effect policies and procedures on background checks for school employees.

Senator Manchin also spoke in support of the bill.

Senator Harkin objected to Senator Toomey’s request stating he supports the goals of the legislation but would like the bill to go through the committee process. Senator Alexander also spoke in support of the bill going through the committee process.

A procedural vote is expected to begin around 3pm. This will most likely be a motion to instruct the SAA to request the attendance of absent senators.

The Senate is currently considering the Friedland nomination, post-cloture.

3:00pm The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the Reid motion to instruct the SAA to request the presence of absent senators. Senators are asked to report to the floor;

Agreed To: 55-37

Senator Reid asked unanimous consent that at 4pm today, the Senate proceed to a series of 3 votes on the following Executive items:

– Confirmation Executive Calendar #574, the nomination of Michelle Friedland, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit;

– Cloture on Executive Calendar #613, the nomination of David Weil, of Massachusetts, to be Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the Department of Labor; and if cloture is invoked, the proceed immediately to-

– Confirmation of the Weil nomination.

Senator Grassley objected and asked consent to delay the confirmation vote on the Freidland nomination until 5:30pm on April 28^th and then process the Weil nomination.

Senator Reid objected.

If no agreement is reached, at 5pm tomorrow, Friday, April 11, there will be up to 3 votes on the following items:

– Confirmation Executive Calendar #574, the nomination of Michelle Friedland, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit;

– Cloture on Executive Calendar #613, the nomination of David Weil, of Massachusetts, to be Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the Department of Labor. If cloture is invoked, we hope to yield back the 8 hours of post-cloture debate and proceed immediately to vote on–

– Confirmation of the Weil nomination.

WRAP UP

Roll Call Votes

1) Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #574, the nomination of Michelle Friedland, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit; Invoked: 56-41

2) Reid motion to instruct the SAA to request the presence of absent Senators; Agreed to: 55-37

Legislative items

Passed S.994, the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, with a Carper substitute amendment and a Carper amendment to the substitute.

Adopted S.Res.422, a resolution to authorize written testimony, document production, and representation in Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Foundation, Inc. v. United States.

Additional Executive items

Confirmed all nominations placed on the Secretary’s desk in the Coast Guard and the following items:

COAST GUARD

Executive Calendar #760 To be Rear Admiral

Linda L. Fagan

Thomas W. Jones

Steven D. Poulin

James E. Rendon

Executive Calendar #761 Rear Adm. William D. Lee – to be Vice Admiral

Executive Calendar #762 Rear Adm. Charles W. Ray – to be Vice Admiral

Executive Calendar #763 Rear Adm. Charles D. Michel – to be Vice Admiral

Executive Calendar #764 Vice Adm. Peter V. Neffenger – to be Vice Admiral

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

Last Floor Action:
9:18:57 A.M. -H. Con. Res. 96
DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 544, the Committee of the Whole proceeded

with 30 minutes of debate on the Woodall amendment in the nature of a substitute no. 4.

9:00:29 A.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
9:00:34 A.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable Virginia Foxx to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
9:00:48 A.M.		Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
9:02:21 A.M.		POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS ON APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL – The Speaker announced that she had examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and had approved it. Mr. Olsen demanded that the question be put on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal and by voice vote, the Speaker announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Olsen objected to the voice vote based upone the absence of a quorum and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of agreeing to the approval of the Journal until later in the legislative day.
9:02:48 A.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Kilmer to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
9:03:02 A.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches, which by direction of the Chair would be limited to 5 per side of the aisle.
9:17:43 A.M.	H. Con. Res. 96	Considered as unfinished business. H. Con. Res. 96 — “Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2015 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2016 through 2024.”
9:18:06 A.M.	H. Con. Res. 96	The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
9:18:54 A.M.	H. Con. Res. 96	An amendment, in the nature of a substitute offered by Mr. Woodall, numbered 4, printed in House Report 113-405 to balance the budget in four years and cut discretionary spending to FY2008 levels.
9:18:57 A.M.	H. Con. Res. 96	DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 544, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 30 minutes of debate on the Woodall amendment in the nature of a substitute no. 4.

9:43:57 A.M.	H. Con. Res. 96	The Committee of the Whole rose informally.
9:44:28 A.M.		The House received a message from the Senate. The Senate agreed to S. Con. Res. 33 and S. Con. Res. 35. Appointments: United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.
9:45:19 A.M.	H. Con. Res. 96	The Committee of the Whole resumed its sitting.
9:45:20 A.M.	H. Con. Res. 96	DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole continued debate on the Woodall amendment in the nature of a substitute no. 4.
9:54:37 A.M.	H. Con. Res. 96	On agreeing to the Woodall amendment (A004) Roll Call 175 – Recorded vote pending.