Tag Archives: Chris Van Hollen

It’s a sham.

House Republicans think they can impose their right-wing agenda — privatizing Social Security and ending Medicare as we know it — under the pretext of deficit reduction.

And here’s the scary part: if we don’t stop them, that’s exactly what they’ll do.

The DCCC is up with ads calling Republicans out on their real agenda, but with only 3 days until the FEC deadline hits, they are still more than $200,000 short of hitting their Million Dollar grassroots goal.

Contribute $3 or more right now and my fellow House Democrats and I will match every dollar you give with $2 of our own, tripling your impact.

http://www.dccc.org/page/m/1d63cb4c/1b9dd8ab/57a3a5e6/4e0d1563/1704337409/VEsE/

Republicans are not serious about deficits. If they were, then why give huge tax breaks to the Big Oil companies and the wealthiest Americans that will add a trillion dollars to the deficit?

I’ve seen their budget plans. Here’s what they are really serious about:

**Stopping Planned Parenthood from offering cancer screening and family planning services.

**Repealing Health Insurance Reform

**Ending Medicare as we know it and imposing the cost of rising health care on senior citizens. Under their scheme, seniors would lose their current Medicare guarantees and be left to the whims of the insurance industry.

We can’t stand by and let House Republicans launch this risky experiment with our seniors’ health care.

Contribute $3 or more right now and my fellow House Democrats and I will match every dollar you give with $2 of our own, tripling your impact.

http://www.dccc.org/page/m/1d63cb4c/1b9dd8ab/57a3a5e6/4e0d1563/1704337409/VEsE/

As a former DCCC Chairman and current Ranking Member of the Budget Committee, let me tell you from experience: the numbers that each party reports after these FEC deadlines can make all the difference. The media, pundits, and Members of Congress here on Capitol Hill will be watching to see which side has the momentum. We can’t fall short now — Contribute today.

Thank you,

Rep. Chris Van Hollen

P.S. The first FEC quarterly deadline of the year is just 3 days from now. We must exceed our $1 million grassroots goal to show Republicans, their special interest backers, and pundits that we are united, strong, and determined to fight back against the right-wing Republican agenda. Contribute now.

~ my 2cents ...

TGIF & some News

01/21/2011 Nativegrl77

featured pic is a campaign poster –

President Obama will be in the NYC today speaking from a General Electric Plant about JOBs and our economy he will then go to Maryland for a retreat with others from the Democratic Party.

Changes are happening …they are in the air and i like it.

If you listen to the tone of the Republican Tea Party since the midterm elections… the talk seems filled with a little more fear. The promises made to create JOBs have yet to happen or be attempted and while the public is beginning to finally hear, see and reject the carpetbaggers for who they really are I wonder if it will take all of the next two years for the Republican Tea Party to stop saying the midterm elections signaled a change and they heard the American people and are doing what they want. It is a fact that contrary to what Republicans keep saying …”talking points” or lies the polls by CBS say 48% want to keep President Obama’s new health care law and just 40% want to repeal it. In addition, pundits, reporters and talking heads suggest that politicians on both sides of the aisle are beginning to not only understand the new law better but are starting to like the new HCR law because it will help older folks, women, folks with pre-existing condition and children under 26 years old. It would be tragic if legislation done in a good faith effort for the people were struck down by Republican Tea Party. Still, I cannot begin to express how offensive the right was by campaigning with the promise to work on Jobs, Jobs, Jobs only to have decided to denounce and malign President Obama like Michele Bachmann who stated she and her comrades want to repeal not just legislation but this President instead of working for We the People to create Jobs.

The negative, nasty, ugly diatribe coming from the very people we placed in positions of power who get paid by American tax payers seem to be abusing it because the latest comments definitely give this voter the idea that they do not represent all the people of their States but those from Corporate America.

In an article this morning, the USA today reported that conservatives would end the federal government support of Amtrak, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The National Endowment for the Arts and the U.S. Agency for International Development. I believe that this is just a start because rumors before the midterm elections were that the Departments of Educational and Agriculture would be cut if they had their way. The group promises to eliminate about $200 million a year for the District of Columbia. The article quotes Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen, calling the GOP proposal “radical” and Van Hollen’s spokesman, Doug Thornell told ABC news “Putting forward a plan that puts more people out of work and endangers our economic recovery calls into question how serious the GOP is about tackling our nation’s most difficult challenges.” This plan along with some other conflicts in what needs to be cut from the federal budget is developing a GOP rift. In contrast, an interview today among other things, President Obama stated,”Republicans will need to explain to taxpayers how tax cuts for the wealthy squares with their desire to start reducing deficits and debt.”

While Folks like palin, cheney, boehner, limbaugh and other Republicans Conservatives continue to attack Obama for any move toward collaboration with other countries calling him a Socialist, twisting his words and the meaning, practicing fear mongering and otherwise being obstacles of change… which, is what we need … a way forward, an implementation of the changes “We the People” (53%) put President Obama into office that will move Americans toward the 21st Century contrary to what the right seems to want to do.

What was the past has to be accepted, exorcised and released for room to provide change we can believe in.

my take

Other News …

**Vets and Doctors reports say that unless you don’t care it is better to stop letting you pets share your bed, lick you or kiss …. for fear of detrimental diseases -cats are far more likely to infect you …open cuts sores etc.

**Gov.Brewer continues to make it harder for people to get the help they need for transplants -at least 2 patients have died -now she wants to drop folks from Medicaid …specifically those with mental issues

**Congresswoman Giffords will be moved to Houston for great care and so her husband will be able to work and be close to him as well

**WSJ reports 50% approve of what our President is doing …across the board

**Iran and 6 World Powers begin nuke talks

**Obama picks GE Chief for Board —focus on jobs

**House GOP wants to cut $2.5trillion in the fed budget by – go to USAtoday.com for article

**Obama states “Republicans will need to explain to taxpayers how tax cuts for the wealthy squares with their desire to start reducing deficits and debt.”

**Manson denied parole

**FBI nabs numorous mafia

**rep. Cantwell is reported as looking for ways to put Boeing back on top

**Gov.Brown says Education is a civil rights issue

~ my 2cents ...

mashup Monday & some News …

12/13/2010 Nativegrl77

Today, President Obama signed the childhood nutrition bill -very good news.
I have received a lot of petitions to oppose the deal President Obama was able to get done within hours unlike you all in Congress who seemed more worried about the Midterms. He is fighting for the Middle Class because we do not have time for all your principled conversations and or ugly debates. What we need is action now but Congress does not seem any closer than they were before the Midterms. On the other hand our President and his admin was able to get a deal helping those in need. I want Rep.Weiner to know we all know that the House passed most if not all the bills on the calendar but those same bills died in the Senate and will continue to do if people cannot accept the word compromise and fight to keep the Democratic Party in power by getting more on the floor of Congress.

I do not agree with the choices I am being asked to make; it seems to be one side or the other and in my mind the people of America need help -that is who Americans are about, so if i have to make a choice it is to help Americans. If changes can be made to the deal made that might be a good thing but the quickness by which so many in the Democratic Party turned on President Obama did not sit well with me and many other people i know and we won’t stand for it. I think past President’s not only had the support of their own Party. I now wonder is that still true because i don’t see it. I see a group of progressives and yes i call some of them the “Professional Left” seem to be waiting for this President to fail, make a mistake and or say he was for something when in fact he was not. The votes were not there 20 months ago they still are not there and now look where we are just a couple of weeks before the hammer comes down. I want folks like adam greene the net roots, jane hamsher, ed shultz, bill press and others who have money to stop the BS and look for the compromise that will help get Americans back on track. The BS I and many others are talking about are of this President being weak, not strong, not fighting or does not stand up enough is total BS. I watched the HCR debate and or negotiations and it was not pretty. I blame Congress for being distracted by the midterms. I will say that not all Americans agree with what you are doing Rep.Weiner you don’t speak for me and i don’t appreciate you hoping from station to station bad mouthing this President or that it is bad decision because it might be the only choice that is, if you are just as worried about the alternative like our President- People first. I am having a hard time feeling this group like you seem to be the enemy not the support we need. The Democratic Party or mostly progressives and liberals need to stop having tantrums and place the blame where it really belongs which is the Republicans and our own Democratic Party that did not get the job done before the Midterm elections and if anyone thinks Anthony Wiener has my support after getting on every cable station with his BS he is incredibly mistaken. It was time to unite in solidarity instead we saw our own Party put off votes, scale bills down ignore what the President asked for and worried about their campaigns. I was pissed then and i am still pissed that not only did the calendar seem hastily done but absolutely no strategy to get the House bills taken care of by the Senate -one chamber was gone the other in session and stacks and stacks of bills waiting to be addressed.

I blame what I call the Republican Tea Party for the lack of improvement of our economy but i will be damned to say the deal is bad when our own party couldn’t get it done and if you paid attention this deal is not just a compromise bro it is a stimulus package 2.0 with some items that clearly need to be changed and even President Obama said this, yet this too was ignored. It makes me wonder do they all even talk or is this a planned move because i know meetings between the President and our Democratic party have happened it begs the question of what is going on. I give Props to Senator Sanders for making the filibuster go National TV style because i truly believe “the Media” has quashed the President’s and the Democratic Parties Message but i am offended by his comments of my President and will continue to support President Obama. I am all for constructive criticism but what has been happening is much more than that and i intend to fight the move from the Professional left to Primary President Obama because of this latest move toward the 21st Century.

I expect more from our Congress. We had a 85million dollar JOBS bill that got scaled down to 15million; bills that died or bills that the RTP cleverly added lewd Amendments to that no one would vote for thus killing real change.
I suggest people on the left remember that stuff -not getting the job done stands out for me, ask someone how long did it take our President to negotiate and possibly keep some people in their homes, food, and or the ability to pay for some bills? The speeches only do some much when you need to pay for your meds like Seniors do.

The action by Senator Sanders on the floor of Congress was commendable but too late in my opinion and most if not all Americans would like to know why this did not happen before the Mid-term elections. I still am trying to figure out how we lost so much if you and the other mobilizers were getting the vote out – only 4.7% of Blacks voted -some call Low information voters, women and gays actually leaned right and look where that got us …whose fault is that?
This letter is written out of frustration because i just don’t believe the debate, speeches and negotiations will help. They are a waste of time when there are so many other things that need to get passed before the new Congress convenes -I am a voter and i want a compromise with folks working behind the scenes on what can be done about the parts that are awful but worth the compromise because it will help millions –

Other News ….

**The Obama Tax deal is being supported by AARP Clinton, Harold Ford,

**Tax cut test vote in the Senate should happen at 3pmET today

**There are at least 1 million homeless Haitians right now

**Amanda Knox gave an emotional appeal

**Petraeus pushes to end DADT

**UN forest deal stalls

**Cancun delegates reach climate change deal

**Gates sees problems if DADT fails to pass in the Senate

**Seattle –UW Huskies will be going to the Holiday Bowl

**Bank of America will resume foreclosures

**TJ Maxx will cut 4400 jobs

**James Moody died over the weekend -he was 81

CSPAN …

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

You Did Make a Difference

11/09/2010 Nativegrl77

Thank you for your incredible volunteer efforts throughout this campaign. Even though the media declared this election to be over months ago, you refused to give up. You fought hard until the very end — and I cannot thank you enough for all that you did.

There is no denying that your volunteer efforts still made a difference. It may be little solace right now, but without your efforts, the damage would have been significantly worse. It’s because of your phone calls and door knocks that many courageous Democrats won close races in battleground districts.

Update – Victory Declared in AZ-08!

On that note, it is my pleasure to share an update on one such race that was too close to call on Election Night — the race in AZ-08 has now been called for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. She defeated one of the most extreme Republican candidates in America and it was her grassroots volunteers who made the difference.

That leaves approximately nine races which are now still too-close-to-call. But we are confident that when all the votes are counted, Democrats will win them all.

Thank you again for your amazing volunteer efforts in this campaign. You proved that no amount of special interest money can drown out the voices of grassroots Democrats.

Now is not the time to give up because we are disappointed or discouraged. As Chairman Van Hollen has said, “we may be bruised but our spirit will not be broken.”

Now is the time to remind ourselves that out of great adversity, great comebacks are born.

Jon Vogel
DCCC Executive Director

P.S. Our work in this campaign is not yet over. With approximately nine races that are still too close to call, we have lawyers and staff on the ground fighting hard for every vote and guarding against Republican dirty tricks. Please help us cover the cost of these expensive and important voter protection efforts so we can keep more Republican extremists out of Congress and be in a strong position to win back our House Majority in 2012.