All posts by Nativegrl77

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Politics … caught on tape


President Obama’s Export Council meets to discuss increasing U.S. exports and creating American jobs. June 6, 2012.More
 
                     
 

President Obama calls on Congress to pass the bipartisan, paid-for ideas that he proposed last year to put construction workers back to work upgrading our roads and bridges, teachers back in the classroom educating our kids and police and firefighters back on the job keeping our communities safe, and addresses the state of the economy, including the situation in Europe, which continues to pose headwinds to our recovery here at home. June 8, 2012.More
       
                                               
 
 

The White House Office of Public Engagement hosts a briefing for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. June 11, 2012.More
 
 
 
 

The White House holds a town hall to discuss the benefits of the Affordable Care Act for seniors and caregivers. June 11, 2012.More
 

President Obama is urging Congress to take up his proposal to cut through the red tape that prevents so many homeowners from refinancing their mortgages and saving hundreds of dollars each month. On June 6th, 2012 we asked Americans what they thought of the President’s proposal. On June 8th, 2012, we held a conference call with a group of people who responded to answer their questions. http://www.whitehouse.gov/More

 

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Another fossil fuel industry attack … Union of Concerned Scientists


Here We Go Again—Another Fossil Fuel Industry Attack on Science

Tell your member of Congress: Don’t block standards that protect our health and environment—vote no on the Gasoline Regulations Act.

                      WWW.UCSUSA.Org

The House of Representatives will soon vote on yet another fossil fuel industry-backed bill, attacking clean air and public health. It is critical that we stand up for strong standards based on independent science, not false economic claims from big polluters.

The Gasoline Regulations Act (H.R. 4771) is an all-out attack on our clean air and public health. The bill would force the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to give undo weight to the industry’s economic claims when setting what should be, first and foremost, science-based standards that protect our health and environment.

The legislation delays standards that would save lives and save money by reducing sulfur in gasoline.

The bill also attacks standards that would limit ozone and other harmful air pollutants from power plants and global warming emissions from oil refineries. Some members of Congress may even attempt to amend the bill to prevent the EPA from moving forward with their historic draft standard to limit global warming pollution from new power plants.

Fossil fuel lobbyists and their allies in Congress are attacking the EPA with false claims about the impact that these proposed standards might have on gas prices. But we know that this bill will have no effect on fuel prices, but would have a lasting, negative impact on public health.

Congress needs to hear from Americans like you who support the EPA’s efforts to protect our health from dirty energy and dirty fuels.

WWW.UCSUSA.Org

Tell your member of Congress: Don’t block vital standards for our health and environment—vote no on the Gasoline Regulations Act.

Take Action Today!

Sincerely,

Chrissy Elles
Outreach Associate
UCS Climate & Energy Program

~ my 2cents ...

wicked Wednesday …&some News


just another rant …

The spectacle that is the Republican Party is … also like Debord‘s book,” La Société du spectacle“and suggests among other things …

“With the term spectacle, Debord defines the system that is a confluence of advanced capitalism, the mass media, and the types of governments who favor those phenomena: “the spectacle, taken in the limited sense of ‘mass media’ which are its most glaring superficial manifestation”.[4] The spectacle is the inverted image of society in which relations between commodities have supplanted relations between people, in which “passive identification with the spectacle supplants genuine activity”.

 The book by Debord is worth reading and perfect for what I am ranting about … change, misleading, misquotes, ugly images coming from the media and Republican Capitalism taking over in Congress

In 2009, We were all listening and hearing various folks in the msm, interest groups and others  make comments and complain about Obama having taken a great first step toward change but hasn’t gone far enough to sedate or fulfill the promises he made during his campaign. No President is going to make all their constituents happy but the Negative comments became bold, louder and more frequent. The unfortunate part of this was that the media gave too much PR to Republican rhetoric and some in the “professional left” followed, taking part of that 53% believing that we are tilting over the edge of an abyss. It pissed me off then and now after 3.5yrs I cannot say that the “professional left has been paying attention. I don’t know about you but I know that change takes time. In the case of America, it takes a Congress that is able and willing to put political differences aside for the greater good, we all learned about in school. It also takes a Congress that will accept the First Black President was elected by 53% of the population and that the word compromise is not dirty or bad but an action used in their daily lives with friends family and co-workers. However, Teapublicans/Republicans like Speaker Boehner Mitch McConnell made back room deals in those quiet rooms while listening to organizations that lobby and give money to politicians like Grover Norquist ending that old saying one-person one vote.

The list below gives the reader a sense of those professional left who kept whining right on through the 2010 elections. I have no idea why the professional left thought the campaign agenda should be placed above correcting what the last guy left him to fix. All I know is that the comments and the whining gave me the distinct impression some of these folks probably did not understand, care and did absolutely nothing to help push shove or throw things at Republicans in order for them to do the People’s Business. The fight for 2012 should include without a doubt the people listed below or we will all suffer. Well, I will admit the lame duck session was not bad but why wait for a lame duck session.

We need everyone to step up and speak out about what accomplishments and progresses President Obama has made since

**Environmentalist… like Phil Radford stated among other things,” Obama is missing in action” as it, relates to global warming …in an article written by Bryan Walsh from Time Magazine…

**Gay/Lesbian leaders… are starting to make comments about Obama not going far enough on don’t ask/don’t tell but today he announced he will enact federal benefits for same sex couples …moving too slow stating their needs have been set aside. Come on… People of colour know what being impatient means …

**Health-care liberals… are impatient and talking about how they put Obama in office and threatening a change in 2012 …

**Wall Street … flexed their muscles to show Obama who really is in charge of the market …

Change will happen, but President Obama cannot do it all himself, we need to call, write and March to let Congress know that, “We the People” 53% voted but the Party of NO is cancelling each vote with filibusters while obstructing our Economy and Democracy in both Chambers of Congress.

“The spectacle is not a collection of images,” Debord writes, “rather; it is a social relationship between people that is mediated by images.” 

In Other News …

Atty. Gen. Holder Back on Capitol Hill

Defense Secretary, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Testify on Defense Budget

Secretary Geithner Prepares for Upcoming G20 Summit

Chamber of Commerce Releases Nation-wide Job Growth Study

Mitt Romney Addresses Business Roundtable in Washington, DC

Sen. Finance Cmte. Examines Tax Reform & U.S. Energy Policy

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Register for the Webinar Today! UCS


Join Our Webinar to Learn about the Farm Bill

What does the Farm Bill have to do with you? The answer to that question is simple: a lot. The Union of Concerned Scientists is hosting a webinar to help you learn why, with the inside scoop from our experts.

Toward Healthy Food and Farms: How Science-Based Policies in the 2012 Farm Bill Can Transform Agriculture
Date: Thursday, June 14
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST (11:00 a.m.-noon PST)

Register for the Webinar Today!

When you’re grocery shopping, do you ever wonder why corn chips and sugary drinks cost less than carrots and squash? In large part, it’s because government policies make the wrong foods cheaper and more abundant. UCS analysis shows that practical changes to agricultural policies can shift priorities to provide greater support to healthier food and farms instead of subsidizing unhealthy, processed foods.

Congress is currently working to finalize the Farm Bill, and while we’ve seen some good changes, they’re not enough. And the chance to change these policies comes just once every five years!

The webinar will cover the latest Farm Bill news from Capitol Hill, followed by an overview of UCS analysis showing that support for local food can benefit the economy and our health. Finally, we’ll share how you can take effective action now to urge Congress to support healthy and sustainable food production in the 2012 Farm Bill.

Time is ticking down for us to encourage a healthy and sustainable food system, so register for the webinar today!

Sincerely,
Jenn Yates
Jenn Yates
National Field Organizer
UCS Food & Environment Program

Black History

CONGRESS: the Republican led House – the Senate considersS.3240,Farm bill -SNAP


the Senate Convenes: 9:30amET June 13, 2012

Senate Rejects Effort To Cut Food Stamp Program

  • Following the prayer and pledge, the Majority Leader will be recognized.
  • Following any Leader remarks, the next hour will be equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority controlling the final half.
  • At a time to be determined on Wednesday, Senators should expect 2 roll call votes in relation to the following amendments which are pending to S.3240, the Farm bill. Senators should expect the votes to be motions to table each of the amendments.

Senators should expect 2 roll call votes shortly (at approximately 12:00pm) on the following, in the following order:

12:02pm The Senate began a roll call vote on Reid motion to table Reid amendment #2393, which is text of Shaheen amendment #2160 (Sugar); Tabled: 50-46

12:35pm The Senate began a roll call vote on Reid motion to table Reid amendment #2392 (SNAP); Tabled: 65-33

The following amendments and motion are pending to S.3240, the Farm bill:

The following amendment have been considered to S.3240, the Farm bill:

Senator Reid asked unanimous consent to consider the next 4 amendments to the Farm bill. Senator Coburn objected. The request can be found below. Senator Reid then offered the following amendments:

Reid amendment # 2406 which is the text of Coburn amendment #2353 (to eliminate certain working lands conservation programs); and

Reid amendment 2407 which is the text of DeMint amendment #2285 (convert all mandatory spending to discretionary spending)

Reid’s UC request that Senator Coburn objected to:

Leader: I ask unanimous consent that the pending motion to recommit be withdrawn; that amendment #2390 be withdrawn; that the Stabenow-Roberts amendment #2389 be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be considered original text for the purposes of further amendment; that the following four amendments be the first amendments in order to the bill with no other first degree amendments in order until these amendments are disposed of:

– Coburn #2353;

– Hagan #2366;

– DeMint #2285; and

– McCaskill #2222.

That there be up to 60 minutes of debate equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees, on each of the amendments; that upon the use or yielding back of time on all four amendments, the Senate proceed to votes in relation to the amendments in the order listed; that there be no amendments or motions in order to the amendments prior to the votes other than motions to waive points of order and motions to table; that upon disposition of these amendments, the Majority Leader be recognized.

Senator Coburn objected.

—————————————————————————————————————

 The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on June 15, 2012.

Bills & Reports