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mostly Monday &some News


    just another rant …

  This week is big … debates & votes on payroll tax cuts – unemployment – jobs act – education – medicare – If you belong to believe in the notion that the Middle and Lower Class have rights … It is time to #OccupyCongress

We all know that progress of our Nation is slowing down even more given Congress is unable to work in a bipartisan way. Teapublicans, though in the minority have managed to do their best to stop most efforts to create or pass laws that will help ALL Americans and while the vote to support jobs for Vets was, sort of a No Brainer the vote count was not so much. If you are like me for the last two years of the Obama Admin, you probably flinched every time a Teapublican spoke now days i no longer cringe, or say I told you so. Why? Because we must, all go into Survival mode decide flight or fight to keep the Middle and Lower Class in play. It’s on!  It is important that we remind ourselves why and what some of our Republican members of Congress said about the November Midterm elections and not let this happen again. Yes, we are all suffering on some level because folks decided to sit out, vote right of center … whatever. Yep, I was worried then, many people were, and now we are all living with a daily barrage of crap on any given platform confirming the worry with good reason. The week before the midterms, I stated … What worries me, is the possibility that people who have no experience, no common sense, or clarity may get on the floor of Congress and ruin our Democracy. The fact is this group of Republicans is not our parent’s right of center Political counterparts. The Party of No have not only proved themselves to be more concerned about those top 2% by repeatedly holding legislation hostage in the name of those job creators and financial backers even before the midterms elections. It is more than obvious they do not care about reducing the deficit, climate change, Jobs, fair share or the middle or lower classes whatsoever  and race religion and guns keep cropping up.

Teapublicans like Norquist continue to state that giving them control of the House of Representative is what Americans wanted but they have failed to listen or accept the buyer’s remorse screamed at them at town halls, meet-ups, and or calls from their own constituents. While voters on both sides of the aisle want Congress to put people back to work not to touch Medicare, Planned Parenthood, NPR, or anything else related to a social program that is best run by the Government; like that new earthquake monitor Georgia will be getting , a definite move into the 21st Century contrary to Gov. Jindal’s attitude.

Teapublicans still chant, “Take back their country”, on all levels of government. In October 2010 I said, I guess you can plug in whatever that means for you though it sounded like an awful way to live if you are a minority on any level. Now, it is obvious that it means a vote against all of your best interests. If you live on the Gulf Coast or a State with a Republican Mayor or Governor, it is likely you have been asking yourself not only why you were so easily conned but what have Teapublicans really done for you lately.  One can only wish this were happening. If you have family, friends and or co-workers who are Teachers, Cops, Mets, Firefighters or any type of Rescue worker you probably are feeling as if your vote to take back your country was one of the last nails that will or could ruin this country as you know it. Yes, that is my opinion but come on, if you have been paying attention or living under a rock, Republican members of Congress, and some blue dogs worked and have voted against their fellow Americans since President Obama Admin took office. The main mission as stated by the likes of  McConnell and  Bachmann is making President Obama a one term President by voting against all of his policies which will invariably take us all down.

The midterm elections have  negatively affected children, friends, families … All of our lives, and if we give Teapublicans our country, they will ruin our futures.

Other News

President Obama to Meet with EU Leaders in Washington

Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) Discusses His Time on the “Super Committee”

Congress Returns to Focus on FY 2012 Spending

Military Readiness Amidst Defense Budget Cuts

Newsmakers with Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)

Lessons Learned From Japan Nuclear Accident

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Congress: Republican led House – the Senate … resume consideration of S.1867, the Department of Defense Authorization Act.


The Senate will convene at 1:00pm on Monday, November 28, 2011. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of S.1867, the Department of Defense Authorization Act.

At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Calendar #270, the nomination of Christopher Droney, of Connecticut, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit with 30 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees. Upon the use or yielding back of time (at approximately 5:30pm), the Senate will conduct a roll call vote on confirmation of the Droney nomination.

Additional roll call votes in relation to amendments to the DoD Authorization act are possible Monday evening.

Following Leader remarks this afternoon, Senator Reid filed cloture on S.1867, Department of Defense Authorization. The Senate is now considering the DoD Authorization bill for debate only until 5:00pm.

At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination of Christopher Droney, of Connecticut, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit. There will be up to 30 minutes for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination.

As a result, at approximately 5:30pm today the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on confirmation of the Droney nomination.

5:33pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination of Christopher Droney, of CT, to be US Circuit Judge for the 2nd Circuit; Confirmed: 88-0

By unanimous consent, the McConnell for Kirk amendment #1084 (Iran Sanctions) and the Menendez amendment #1292 (Iran Sanctions) were withdrawn and the Menendez-Kirk amendment #1414 (Iran Sanctions) was called up. Further, notwithstanding cloture being invoked, if invoked, at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, after consultation with the Republican Leader, and prior to passage of the Defense Authorization bill, there will be up to 1 hour of debate equally divided in the usual form on the Menendez-Kirk amendment, prior to a vote in relation to the amendment. No amendments, motions or points of order are in order to the amendment prior to the vote other than budget points of order and the applicable motions to waive.

The Leahy amendment #1072 (National Guard) was passed by voice vote.

WRAP UP …

The Senate stands adjourned until 10:00am on Tuesday, November 29. Following any Leader remarks, there will be a period of morning business for 1 hour, with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. The Majority will control the first 30 minutes and the Republicans will control the final 30 minutes. Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S. 1867, the Department of Defense Authorization Act. When the Senate resumes the DoD Authorization bill, Senator Udall (CO) will be recognized to speak.

The Senate will recess from 12:30 until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.

The filing deadline for first degree amendments to the Department of Defense Authorization Act is 2:30pm on Tuesday.

Wrap Up

Legislative:

The Senate began the Rule 14 process on S.1817, the Middle Class Tax Cut Act of 2011 (Casey)

Executive:

Confirmed the nomination of Christopher Droney, of CT, to be US Circuit Judge for the 2nd Circuit; Confirmed: 88-0

————————————————————————-

The next meeting in the House is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on November 29, 2011.

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Getting the facts straight on regulation

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 a Bloomberg News analysis found that the Obama administration has passed fewer regulations than George W. Bush had at this point in his presidency — and on top of that, they’ve come at far lower costs to the economy than the annual high mark for regulatory costs set by the first President Bush, or regulatory costs in President Reagan‘s last year for that matter.

It’s funny, because a favorite theme from Republicans these days is that the President is passing an exorbitant number of regulations at crippling costs. John Boehner has said it’s “misguided” for the President to be “imposing so many new rules with such enormous costs.” Rep. Eric Cantor has said President Obama should “reevaluate his position on regulations.”

This news kind of makes all those claims about “job-crushing government regulations” seem like what they are: political talking points with no basis in the truth.

Let’s take a quick look at what this administration has actually done regulation-wise:

— President Obama has taken huge steps to reduce regulatory burdens and costs, and to make regulations more transparent. He signed a landmark executive order requiring agencies to develop tools to cut ineffective, burdensome regulations; issued a memorandum directing agencies to provide taxpayers with easy, comprehensive access to regulatory information; and has, for the first time ever, required those agencies to actually engage with the folks who would be affected by a potential regulation before they propose it.

— This administration has made it a priority to do away with the burdens of unnecessary regulations. So far during this administration’s tenure, tens of millions of hours of regulation-related paperwork have been eliminated, saving businesses hundreds of millions in related costs. And the President initiated a plan to roll back hundreds of burdensome, unnecessary regulations – all told, this overhaul will save businesses more than $10 billion in the next five years. An example of one of the regulations getting cut? An EPA regulation defining milk as an “oil.” This change is going to save the dairy industry $1.4 billion in the next decade.

— The regulations that the President has put in place have filled gaps, closed loopholes, and protected taxpayers. Wall Street reform closed the regulatory gaps that allowed banks to grow “too big to fail” in the first place. And it puts consumer protections in place to make sure financial institutions can’t continue the deceptive and abusive practices of the past — shifting interest rates, unfair late fees, and other hidden charges.

Here’s what it comes down to: This administration is in favor of smart regulations that protect middle-class families and consumers, and against burdensome ones that don’t do anything but waste time and taxpayers’ money.

And this campaign is committed to spreading the truth — not baseless attacks. So help us do just that: Get the word out about how wrong Republicans are on the President’s regulatory record.

Share this article on Twitter: http://my.barackobama.com/Bloomberg-Analysis-TW

Or, just forward this email.

Thanks,

Jen

Jen O’Malley Dillon
Deputy Campaign Manager
Obama for America

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Cage-Free Egg McMuffins …Stephanie Feldstein, Change.org


Change.org
 
 
 

A shocking undercover video released on Friday reveals gruesome and scary conditions in the production of McDonald’s Egg McMuffins.

Tell McDonald’s to stop torturing chickens and switch to cage-free eggs

 

The video is hard to watch. Chicks’ beaks are seared off. Male chicks are tossed in plastic bags to suffocate. Hens live out their entire lives in wire battery cages, packed wing to wing. And dead chickens are left to rot in the cages that serve as living quarters for remaining chickens. Outside of these standard operations, staff members are shown swinging a bird around by its feet and crushing a chick alive.

Mercy For Animals is the group that carried out the undercover investigation. Now, it has started a petition on Change.org to get McDonald’s to abandon these kinds of cruel and inhumane practices altogether by going cage-free. Will you sign Mercy For Animals’ petition to get McDonald’s to commit to purchasing 100% cage-free eggs in the US?

Right after the video aired on Friday, McDonald’s cut ties with Sparboe Farms, whose facilities and staff in Iowa, Minnesota and Colorado are documented in the investigation. But cutting ties with Sparboe Farms won’t end the torture of chickens for Egg McMuffins. The kind of abhorrent conditions at Sparboe are actually standard among battery cage egg suppliers. The only way McDonald’s can guarantee its eggs aren’t produced in the same conditions is to go 100% cage-free.

And McDonald’s has already done this for their locations in Europe, where McDonald’s eggs are already guaranteed to be 100% cage-free.

With the mega fast-food chain dropping Sparboe Farms, it’s clear that the public outcry generated by Mercy For Animals’ investigation is having a big impact. Now is the time to push McDonald’s to take real, meaningful action to distance itself from all battery cage eggs and not just move to another battery cage egg supplier. Tell McDonald’s to publicly commit to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs now:

http://www.change.org/petitions/urge-mcdonalds-to-stop-torturing-hens-for-egg-mcmuffins

Thanks for being a change-maker,

– Stephanie and the Change.org team

P.S. People are taking action on important issues using Change.org everyday. Please check out these urgent petitions that need your support:
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Obama: Keep clean car standards on track


Obama: Keep Clean Car Standards on Track!

The Union of Concerned Scientists has long led the fight to break our country’s dangerous oil dependence and address global warming by strengthening fuel efficiency and pollution standards for vehicles. Thanks to supporters like you, today we stand on the verge of historic progress.

The Obama administration recently proposed clean car standards that would nearly double fuel efficiency to about 50 miles per gallon in 2025, saving consumers billions of dollars at the gas pump, preventing millions of tons of global warming emissions, and saving as much oil in 2030 alone as we currently import from Saudi Arabia and Iraq. As clean energy and public health protections face constant attack in Congress, these standards represent a tremendous victory in the fight against climate change.

Automakers have the technology to make all new cars and trucks cleaner. Just last week at the Los Angeles Auto Show, UCS engineers put a spotlight on the most fuel efficient vehicles already available at dealerships nationwide, and the advanced hybrid and electric vehicles that can lead us to an oil-free vehicle future. But just as opportunity knocks, automakers and their allies are working behind the scenes to weaken the standards with loopholes that could increase pollution and oil dependence.

For the next two months, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation will accept comments on the proposed standards. Please tell the Obama administration to move forward with strong clean car standards and oppose industry-backed loopholes.

Take Action Today!

Sincerely,

Rachel Cohen
National Field Organizer
UCS Clean Vehicles Program

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