~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Congress: the Republican led House holds 21st Century JOBs&FEMA funds Hostage – the Senate debates/votes HR2608


the Senate Convenes: 3:30pmET September 26, 2011

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning
    business until 4:30pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10
    minutes each.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the
    motion to concur in the House message to accompany H.R.2608 with an amendment,
    which is a 6-week continuing resolution with the time until 5:30pm equally
    divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees.
  • The filing deadline for second degree amendments to the motion to concur in
    the House message to accompany H.R.2608 is at 5:00pm on Monday.
  • At approximately 5:30pm, there will be a roll call vote on the motion to invoke
    cloture on the Reid motion to concur in the House message to accompany H.R.2608
    with the Reid amendment #656, the continuing resolution.

The filing deadline for second degree amendments to the motion to concur in the
House message to accompany H.R.2608 is at 5:00pm today, Monday, September 26th.

If your Senator has a germane 2nd degree amendment
and would like to preserve his or her right to offer, please send a signed copy
of the amendment to the cloakroom prior to the deadline so that we may file it
for you.  If you have already filed, there is no need to re-file.

The Reid motion to concur in the House message to accompany H.R.2608 with the
Reid amendment #665 (clean 6-week continuing resolution) was agreed to by a vote
of 79-12.

There will be no further roll call votes this week.  The next roll call vote
is expected on Monday, October 3rd.

WRAP UP

Passed H.R.2005, the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act of 2001

Passed S.1280, Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011 with a
substitute amendment and a committee-reported amendment.

Discharged Judiciary and Adopted S.J.Res.22, A joint resolution to grant the
consent of Congress to an amendment to the compact between the States of
Missouri and Illinois providing that bonds issued by the Bi-State Development
Agency may mature in not to exceed 40 years.

Adopted H.Con.Res.81, correcting the enrollment of H.R.2608 with a title
amendment

Discharged Judiciary and adopted S.Res.275, designating October 30, 2011, as
a national day of remembrance for nuclear weapons program workers.

Adopted S.Res.283, designating the year 2011 as the “International Year of
Chemistry”.

Adopted S.Res.284, designating September 23, 2011, as “National Falls
Prevention Awareness Day” to raise awareness and encourage the prevention of
falls among older adults.

Executive Items:

Ratified Calendar #2, Treaty Document 110-23, Investment Treaty with
Rwanda

Ratified Calendar #3, Treaty Document 111-6, Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty
with Bermuda

Discharged Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee and confirmed
PN541, Mark D. Acton-Postal Regulatory Commission and PN542, Robert Taub-the
Postal Regulatory Commission.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

#281 Thomas M. Countryman – to be an Assistant Secretary of State
(International Security and Non-Proliferation)

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION

#324 Constance Smith Barker – to be a Member of the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

#325 Robert J. Zimmer – to be a Member of the National Science Board,
National Science Foundation

#326 Arnold F. Stancell – to be a Member of the National Science Board,
National Science Foundation

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

#327 Walter A. Barrows – to be a Member of the Railroad Retirement Board

BARRY GOLDWATER SCHOLARSHIP AND EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION FOUNDATION

#328 Charles R. Korsmo – to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Barry
Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation

#329 Charles R. Korsmo – to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Barry
Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation (Reappointment)

#330 John H. Yopp – to be a Member of the Board of Trustees for the Barry
Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation

#331 John H. Yopp – to be a Member of the Board of Trustees for the Barry
Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation (Reappointment)

#332 – Marcos Edward Galindo – to be a Member of the Board of Trustees for
the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation

#333 – Maria E. Rengifo-Ruess – to bea a Member of the Board of Trustees for
the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation

NATIONAL BOARD FOR EDUCATION SCIENCES

#334 Robert C. Granger – to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the
National Board for Education Sciences

#335 Anthony Bryk – to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the National
Board for Education Sciences

NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY

#336 Matan Aryeh Koch – to be a Member of the National Council on
Disability

FINANCIAL STABILITY OVERSIGHT COUNCIL

#343 S. Roy Woodall, Jr. – to be a Member of the Financial Stability
Oversight Council

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

#347 S. Amanda Marshall – to be United States Attorney for the District of
Oregon

#348 John Malcolm Bales – to be United States Attorney for the Eastern
District of Texas

#349 Kenneth Magidson – to be United States Attorney for the Southern
District of Texas

#350 Robert Lee Pitman – to be United States Attorney for the Western
District of Texas

#351 Sarah Ruth Saldana – to be United States Attorney for the Northern
District of Texas

#352 Edward M. Spooner – to be United States Marshal for the Northern
District of Florida

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

#362 John A. Heffern – to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
the United States of America to the Republic of Armenia

UNITED STATES TAX COURT

#368 Maurice B. Foley – to be a Judge of the United States Tax Court

#369 Juan F. Vasquez – to be a Judge of the United States Tax Court

#370 Joseph H. Gale – to be a Judge of the United States Tax Court

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

#404 David B. Barlow – to be United States Attorney for the District of Utah

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

huge developmen​t …Crystal King, DSCC Political Director


News just broke that a major Tea Party organization has created a new “Super PAC” to elect extreme right-wing candidates like Rand Paul and Jim DeMint. I put together a quick memo below about the major threat this poses to our 2012 plans.

This is a huge development that we will watch closely. But we can’t take them on unless everyone pitches in before this deadline.

Please contribute $5 to fight against this extreme group before midnight Sept. 30. Meeting this goal just got a lot more crucial to keeping the Tea Party from taking over the Senate.
WWW.DSCC.ORG

TO: Grassroots Activists
FROM: Crystal King, Political Director

PROBLEM: Yesterday, a major Tea Party group announced the launch of a SuperPAC, “FreedomWorks for America.” This group is planning a $20 million campaign dedicated to electing candidates in the mold of Jim DeMint and Rand Paul. They could spend even more. Thanks to the Citizens United decision, this PAC can spend unlimited money attacking our candidates.

THIS IS DIFFERENT: Unlike many other organizations, this well-funded group will focus on the most extreme, right-wing candidates. In fact, the PAC is already pledging support for Tea Party-Republican Senate candidates in Texas, Arizona and Florida.

IF THEY WIN: The Tea Party takes over the Senate, just like the House. The current Senate firewall blocking their dangerous agenda would be gone. Led by FreedomWorks’ new senators, they would end Medicare, privatize Medicaid, stop unemployment benefits, repeal health care reform, roll back civil rights, and shutter the EPA.

HOW WE WIN: Fulfill every fundraising goal, especially the one coming at midnight on Sept. 30. It’s the only way we can fight them head-to-head in every state. Otherwise, we hand over states – and likely the majority – to the GOP.

WHY: Because the DSCC is currently protecting 23 seats, under a razor-thin four-seat majority. We have to meet monthly budgets to stay ahead of the Republicans. Also, if the GOP gains a fundraising advantage, it can create runaway momentum before campaign season even starts.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: More than 90% of the DSCC’s contributions come from grassroots supporters. We absolutely can’t hold the Senate without your help. Please give $5, $10 or whatever you can. We still need to raise $465,000 by midnight Friday to stop the Tea Party takeover.   WWW.DSCC.ORG

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Why do Republican​s hate Social Security? …Senator bernie sanders


Republicans hate Social Security because it has been an extraordinary success and has done exactly what it was designed to do. It is the most successful government program in our nation’s history and is enormously popular.

When Social Security was developed, 50 percent of seniors lived in poverty. Today, that number is 10 percent — still too high, but a testament to the success of Social Security.

Republicans have spent years demonizing Social Security and spreading lies about its sustainability. They want to scare Americans and build support for making drastic cuts to the program or privatizing it entirely. Their long-term goal is to end Social Security as we know it, and convert it into a private account system which will enable Wall Street to make hundreds of billions in profits.

The truth is that, today, according to the Social Security Administration, Social Security has a $2.7 trillion surplus and can pay out every benefit owed to every eligible American for the next 25 years.

Further, because it is funded by the payroll tax and not the U.S. Treasury, Social Security has not contributed one nickel to our deficit.

Now — in a prolonged recession that has decimated the poor and middle class and pushed more Americans into poverty than at any point in modern history — we need to strengthen Social Security. That’s why I, along with nine co-sponsors, have introduced the “Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act.” This legislation would lift the Social Security Payroll tax cap on all income over $250,000 a year, would require millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share into the Social Security Trust Fund, and would extend the program for the next 75 years.

Join me now as a citizen co-sponsor of the Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act.

For 76 years, through good times and bad, Social Security has paid out every benefit owed to every eligible American. The most effective way to strengthen Social Security for the next 76 years is to scrap the payroll tax cap for those earning $250,000 a year or more.

Right now, someone who earns $106,800 pays the same amount of money into Social Security as billionaires like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. That is because today, all income above $106,800 is exempt from the Social Security tax. As a result, 94% of Americans pay Social Security tax on all of their income, but the wealthiest 6% do not.

That makes no sense.

The “Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act” will ensure the long-term solvency of Social Security without cutting benefits, raising the retirement age or raising taxes on the middle class.

Join me and Democracy for America in fighting to strengthen Social Security — Sign on as a citizen co-sponsor of the Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act.

Social Security is keeping tens of millions of seniors out of poverty today. I can think of no more important issue facing our country today than making sure that Social Security remains strong for generations to come.

Thank you.

-Bernie

Senator Bernie Sanders
U.S. Senator from Vermont

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Never stop fighting for justice and WE WILL WIN …Ana Zamora, Death Penalty Focus


I write today with a heavy heart. Troy Davis was executed yesterday at 11:08 pm EST, by the state of Georgia. Last night, I was full of sorrow and grief for Mr. Davis, his family, the family of Officer Mark MacPhail, and our failed justice system.  This morning, I awake with a renewed sense of urgency and ready to channel this grief into action.

It has become utterly clear to me:  We must fight with everything we have, to end the death penalty.  The only way to ensure an innocent person is not executed is by erasing the death penalty as an option.  Mr. Davis, in his last day with us, understood this reality best:        WWW.deathpenalty.org

“There are so many more Troy Davis’. This fight to end the death penalty is not won or lost through me but through our strength to move forward and save every innocent person in captivity around the globe. We need to dismantle this unjust system city by city, state by state and country by country…Never Stop Fighting for Justice and We will Win!”

Today, while I grieve the loss of Mr. Davis, I also make the following promise: I, Ana Zamora, promise to fight to end the death penalty one state at a time.

In memory of Troy Davis and in the spirit of justice, will you join me? CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE PLEDGE.   WWW.deathpenalty.org

This will, by no means, be an easy task and we will need the support of many. We have already been successful in New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Illinois.  These successes, coupled with our powerful show of unity and strength for Mr. Davis, makes me confident that we will continue to succeed in ending the death penalty.

Thank you,
Ana Zamora

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Sick of your student loans? …Robert Applebaum

1 Comment

Below is an email from Robert Applebaum, a MoveOn member who created a petition at SignOn.org that is getting a lot of attentionand may be of interest to you. If you have concerns or feedback about this petition, clickhere >>>  http://civic.moveon.org/signon_feedback/?id=31019-17809870-F5JLeRx&t=1

Dear MoveOn member,

Forgiving the student loan debt of all Americans will have an immediate stimulative effect on our economy.  With the strokeof the President’s pen, millions of Americans would suddenly have hundreds, or in some cases, thousands of extra dollarsin their pockets each and every month to spend on ailing sectors of the economy.

As consumer spending increases, businesses will begin to hire, jobs will be created, and a new era of innovation, entrepreneurship,and prosperity will be ushered in for all.  A rising tide does, in fact, lift all boats—forgiving student loan debt,rather than tax cuts for corporations, millionaires and billionaires, has a MUCH greater chance of helping to raise thattide in a MUCH shorter time-frame.

The future economic success of this country is wholly dependent upon a well-educated, prosperous middle class.  Instead ofsaddling entire generations with debt from which there is no escape, let’s empower the American people to grow this economyon their own!

That’s why I created a petition on SignOn.org, calling on President Obama and Congress to support legislation seeking studentloan forgiveness as a means of economic stimulus.

Will you sign the petition? Click here to add your name, and then pass it along to your friends:

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=263764&id=31019-17809870-F5JLeRx&t=2

Thanks!

–Robert Applebaum

The text above was written by Robert Applebaum, not by MoveOn staff, and MoveOn is not responsible for the content. This email was sent through MoveOn’s secure system, and your information has been kept private.

politics,pollution,petitions,pop culture & purses