BUSINESS — BOEING LOBBIES LAWMAKERS TO KEEP PURCHASING PLANES THE PENTAGON DOESN’T WANT: Despite strong objections from the Defense Department, the House of Representatives has moved forward to fund a second engine for the F-35 fighter jet. The Pentagon says that the alternative engine is a huge waste of money and has asked Congress to jettison the program, but the House decided to fund it anyway in the 2011 defense authorization bill. The second engine is hardly the only example of wasteful defense spending from Congress: even though the Pentagon hasn’t requested any new C-17s — military transport planes — over the last four years, “Congress has appropriated $12 billion for 43 of the transport aircraft, including eight in the fiscal 2009 war supplemental spending measure and 10 in the fiscal 2010 Defense appropriations law.” As Congressional Quarterly pointed out, Congress’ insistence on funding a plane the Pentagon doesn’t want is “due in no small part to the lobbying efforts of Boeing Co., which builds the planes in California, Missouri, Georgia, Connecticut and elsewhere.” Boeing is also “belatedly lobbying for the purchase of five more C-17s at a cost of about $1.3 billion” for this year. Earlier this year, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates addressed the lobby’s influence, saying he’s “fully aware of the political pressure to continue building the C-17″ while announcing he would “strongly recommend that the president veto any legislation that sustains the unnecessary continuation.” As Pentagon officials told a Senate subcommittee this week, “it is not in the national interest to continue adding more C-17s. In our view, the production line should begin shutting down.” As the Wonk Room’s Pat Garofalo points out, “This isn’t just about the upfront cost of purchasing more planes, which is considerable. It’s about then paying to maintain the planes for years. The Pentagon actually spends $1 billion per year to maintain the 43 C-17s that it didn’t request, but received anyway.” President Obama has called the continued purchase of C-17s “waste, pure and simple.”
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Economic Stimulus …
The $787 Billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was signed into law by President Obama on February 17th, 2009. Known as the economic stimulus law, it was passed to jumpstart the U.S. economy as well as to save and create more than 3.5 million jobs over the next two years.
Recovery Progress Report:
As of July 7, $403.8 billion of the $787 billion stimulus has been committed to states; $257.3 billion has been paid out.
As of July 7, $403.8 billion of the $787 billion stimulus has been committed to states; $257.3 billion has been paid out.
This website contains news conferences, hearings and Congressional debates on the stimulus as well as links to government and watchdog groups who are tracking spending.
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Cutting Social Security
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There’s a showdown coming in Washington.
On one side are conservatives and the Blue Dog Democrats. Most of them supported Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy and two unfunded wars.1 But now, they say, we have to focus on the deficit—even if it means cutting Social Security and leaving millions of Americans jobless for years.2
On the other side are progressives who agree we have to rein in our deficits, but think we should do it in a way that protects the middle class and makes Wall Street clean up its own mess.
Here’s the scary part: the conservatives are winning hands down. They’re spending millions of dollars to push their position and hoping that the president’s new deficit commission—which is stacked with conservatives—will strike a deal to cut Social Security before the end of the year.3
If we’re going to have a shot at stopping them, we need to start pushing back right now. So we’re spinning up a massive six-month campaign to make sure we deal with the deficit the right way—by getting the middle class back on their feet and making Wall Street pay its fair share—with polling, hard-hitting ads, and rallies all over the country.
But we need to raise $185,000 to kick it off—which means 64 donations from Seattle. Can you chip in $5?
https://pol.moveon.org/donate/deficit_commission0.html?bg_id=hpc5&id=21761-9640874-7OlEv0x&t=3
Social Security belongs to the American people, who pay into it every working day of our lives. But this election could determine whether conservative budget hawks finally have their way and make deep cuts to our benefits.
And there is a disturbing pattern of conservative fear-mongering on Social Security that is ramping up each day. Most recently it was Republican Leader, John Boehner followed by several other Republican congressmen. And before that former Senator Alan Simpson, the head of a commission that will make recommendations on Social Security this fall, called Americans who rely on Social Security “lesser people.”
That’s why we’re kicking off a major campaign to push back on the lies about Social Security, hold politicians who want to cut it accountable, and get progressive solutions to the deficit—like a bold job creation program or making sure corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes—on the table.
Here’s some of what we’re planning:
- Deep grassroots organizing: We’re going to organize MoveOn members in races to make sure those on the wrong side of the economy and Social Security hear about it everywhere they go. At the same time, MoveOn members across the country will be making sure that Democrats know that voters want an ambitious jobs program and they expect Wall Street and the super rich to pay their fair share of taxes.
- Polling: We’re planning to poll in critical swing states and districts to show that voters don’t support conservative answers on the economy. We know that voters are more interested in jobs than Social Security cuts but in an election year, the only language that politicians understand is polling. And that’s what we’ll do.
- Ads: We’re going to work on a cutting-edge media program to push out the voices of those who are hurting most in this economy so Washington hears from them directly. Their stories are powerful. And they’ll show politicians that cutting Social Security for the elderly or Medicaid from those who need it most is not the answer voters are looking for.
This is critical work—but the other side is well organized and we need to start right away if we’re going to make an impact. Can you chip in $5?
https://pol.moveon.org/donate/deficit_commission0.html?bg_id=hpc5&id=21761-9640874-7OlEv0x&t=4
Thanks for all you do.
–Nita, Daniel, Duncan, Amy, and the rest of the team
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Garland County update
Michael Snook with the PCCC.
You requested an update on the Garland County voter suppression situation in Arkansas. We wanted to send you the latest…
First the good news: Charles Tapp, the election commissioner who reduced the number of polling stations from 42 to 2 in the runoff, was forced to resign. This is a clear recognition that Garland County failed to do its job.
This resignation prompted the main voter disenfranchisement lawsuit brought by local attorney Ben Hooten to be dropped. At this time, no other legal action is ongoing but the situation is fluid.
Charles Tapp was replaced first by Gina Watson, but she was then replaced by George Hozendorf, chairmain of the Garland County Democratic Party, in a legally questionable removal vote. The Board of Election Commissioners told KARK TV that “there is no legal process for removing someone mid-term”. The Garland County Election Commission remains in turmoil after this election fiasco.
If you want to contact the local ACLU to share your thoughts, the number is: (501) 374-2660.
We’ll keep you updated on any new developments.
Thanks,
Michael Snook
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Apologize to BP? add your name …we won’t apologize
When BP CEO Tony Hayward testified before Congress this morning, many expected to hear him apologize for the disaster his company has caused. Instead, GOP Congressman Joe Barton was the one saying he was sorry — to BP.
In his opening statement, Barton, the top Republican on the committee overseeing the oil spill and its aftermath, delivered a personal apology to the oil giant. He said the $20 billion fund that President Obama directed BP to establish to provide relief to the victims of the oil disaster was a “tragedy in the first proportion.”
Other Republicans are echoing his call. Sen. John Cornyn said he “shares” Barton’s concern. Rep. Michele Bachmann said that BP shouldn’t agree to be “fleeced.” Rush Limbaugh called it a “bailout.” The Republican Study Committee, with its 114 members in the House, called it a “shakedown.”
Let’s be clear. This fund is a major victory for the people of the Gulf. It’s a key step toward making them whole again. BP has a responsibility to those whose lives and livelihoods have been devastated by the disaster. And BP oil executives don’t deserve an apology — the people of the Gulf do.
Rep. Barton and Republicans like him don’t understand that the real tragedy is what’s happening to the people in the Gulf Coast. They’re the ones who deserve his apology — not BP.
But big oil knows exactly who its allies are. And if Republicans win control of the House, Rep. Barton could be chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee — overseeing regulation of the oil and gas industry.
Notably, companies like Halliburton — the folks responsible for cementing the Deepwater Horizon rig — are directing their political committees to deliver thousands of dollars to GOP candidates this cycle. Barton himself has received more than $100,000 from the oil and gas industry this election cycle.
Barton should apologize to the people of the Gulf and he should step down as the highest-ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Adding your name to our open letter is one of the best ways you can show him and other Republicans that they weren’t elected to defend big oil.
Sign the open letter today:
http://my.barackobama.com/NoApologies
Thanks,
David Plouffe
Be a Seed for Change 
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