Tag Archives: Chuck Grassley

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Hostages

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ThinkProgress War Room

Another Way the GOP Favors the Wealthy Over Everyone Else

While much of the discussion around the fiscal showdown has rightly focused on the top tax rates for the wealthiest Americans, there are a lot of other very important tax issues to sort. Notably, many expanded tax credits for low-wage workers and other important tax credits, such as the American Opportunity tax credit, will disappear at the end of the year if they are not extended.

The Senate has already passed a bill extending these important tax credits as well as the current tax rates for 98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses, but Republicans are holding those tax cuts hostage in order to get more tax breaks for the wealthy.

Our colleagues put together a handy infographic showing how Republican plans would impact different families.

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Act now: Urge policymakers to take the chained CPI off the table


 

National Women's Law Center - Don't Discount Women: Demand Fair Change Not Spare Change
 
 
Why are policy makers thinking about cutting Social Security behind closed doors? Because it’s easier for them if you don’t really know what’s happening.

Well, the cat is out of the bag.

According to recent news reports, the chained CPI is officially on the table and gaining buzz in the current deficit reduction negotiations. If the chained CPI (a new and lower Consumer Price Index) is adopted the cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) that Social Security recipients depend on would be calculated in a new way that cuts the value of benefits each year. And no matter how Washington insiders try to spin it, it means a CUT to Social Security benefits.

Act now: Urge policymakers to take the chained CPI off the table during budget negotiations.

Need a reason to take action? How about five?

  1. The chained CPI will cut the value of benefits each year.
  2. The cuts add up — quickly. The cut in the value of benefits will be equivalent to the cost of a week’s worth of food each month by age 80 and nearly two weeks’ worth by 95 for the typical single elderly woman.
  3. The chained CPI cuts everyone’s benefits — including today’s beneficiaries — as soon as it goes into effect.
  4. It particularly hurts women because, on average, they live longer than men and are already more likely to be poor.
  5. It’s less accurate because it doesn’t account for the real increases in the cost of living the elderly face each year.

Oh, and there’s a 6th! As the White House has pointed out, Social Security isn’t the cause of our deficits. So switching the COLA to the chained CPI is just an underhanded move to balance the budget on the backs of the elderly, especially elderly women.

Your voice can make a difference! Tell your Members of Congress and President Obama that the chained CPI should NOT be part of deficit reduction talks.

Thanks for all of your support!

Sincerely,
 
Joan Entmacher   Joan Entmacher
Vice President, Family Economic Security
National Women’s Law Center 		 

P.S. Are you on Facebook? Help us spread the word about what the chained CPI would really mean for women.

P.P.S. Read just one of the many news reports here.
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a message from .. Lindsey Twombly


Human Rights Campaign

Thank you for all you did to secure marriage equality in Washington

Planning on getting married? Or know someone who’s getting ready to walk down the aisle?

This past election, people across the county watched as you made history in Washington. Washingtonians voted to approved Referendum 74, which allows loving same-sex couples to legally marry in the state. This law will take effect tomorrow, Thursday, December 6, 2012. We wanted to make sure you have access to this information about implementation of marriage equality in Washington.

How do I obtain a marriage license in Washington?
Once licenses are made available to same-sex couples, the procedures will be the same as the existing ones for other married couples. They are issued at the county level and procedures/fees may vary slightly; links to information from individual counties is available online. Marriage licenses will be available starting Thursday, December 6. Don’t forget about the three-day waiting period – marriages will begin to take place on Sunday, December 9.

What rights and responsibilities do same-sex couples who legally marry receive in Washington?
Same-sex spouses receive the same rights and responsibilities provided to different-sex spouses under Washington law, including health care decision-making, property and inheritance rights. Married same-sex couples do not receive access to the more than 1,100 federal rights and responsibilities based on marriage because of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, and the new law in Washington does not change that.

What do I have to do if I’m a Washington resident who is legally married in another jurisdiction?
You do not have to get married in Washington or otherwise register your marriage in Washington. Washington’s marriage equality law recognizes as valid lawful marriages between same-sex couples from other jurisdictions.

What does the law mean if I have entered into a domestic partnership with my partner in Washington?
In 2007, Washington enacted statewide domestic partnerships, and expanded them in 2009 to grant all the rights and benefits of marriage to registered domestic partners. A couple who is currently in a registered domestic partnership can marry and their domestic partnership will dissolve. On June 30, 2014, the remaining domestic partnerships will automatically convert to marriages unless they are dissolved. Domestic partnerships will continue, however, for couples (gay and straight) where at least one partner is at least 62.

Sincerely,

Lindsey Twombly

Lindsey Twombly
Associate Director, Online Mobilization
And soon-to-be married Seattle, WA resident

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Workers Under Attack — Again


By ThinkProgress War Room

Last Minute Attack on Unions in Michigan

After sweeping into complete control of state government for the first time in almost a decade following the 2010 election, Michigan Republicans wasted little time before pursuing numerous pieces of right-wing legislation, including

*The emergency manager law was repealed via referendum by Michigan voters last month; however, the Michigan legislature is rushing to pass a new version as we speak.

Despite pursuing this extreme agenda and other anti-union measures, Republicans had chosen to set aside one of the right’s favorite goals: a so-called “right to work” anti-union law. Indiana Republicans passed such a law in 2011 and well-known fights over anti-union measures occurred in numerous other states including Ohio and Wisconsin. For his part, Snyder even went so far as to say that right to work legislation was “divisive” and not “appropriate for Michigan in 2012.”

Mere months after making those comments, Snyder has flip-flopped and endorsed a last-minute, lame duck effort by Republicans in the legislature to push through a right to work bill. Worse yet, Republicans are including a provision in the bill that will make it impossible for voters to repeal the measure via referendum.

ThinkProgress’ Travis Waldron explains why such laws are accurately referred to as “right to work for less” by unions and pro-worker groups:

Though Snyder refers to his agenda as “pro-worker,” a quick glance at studies of “right-to-work” legislation paints a different picture. According to the Economic Policy Institute, right-to-work laws have virtually no impact on job growth and have a negative impact on both union and nonunion workers, reducing wages by up to $1,500 a year. A Ball State University study conducted during Indiana’s push to pass right-to-work found that “no impact is likely” for job growth or wages in the manufacturing sector. Another EPI study suggests that right-to-work laws had a negative impact on Oklahoma’s economy and that right-to-work is “is ineffective as a strategy for increasing a state’s employment.”

The right-to-work experiment failed miserably the last time it was tried in the Midwest. Indiana originally passed right-to-work laws in 1957, but workers hated the new laws so much that they were repealed just eight years later.

Check out this recent Center for American Progress report for more on why right to work is wrong.

It should come as no surprise that the Koch Brothers and their Americans for Prosperity front group are heavily involved in this anti-union push, just as they have been in other states like Wisconsin, Indiana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Ohio.

Unfortunately, it appears that the measure could become law within the next few days. A bill narrowly cleared the Michigan House just within the past hour. Since several Republicans opposed the measure and Democrats actually picked up seats in the Michigan House in last month’s elections, it’s clear why Republicans are rushing this and other controversial measures through at the last minute during a lame duck session.

The situation on the ground is evolving very quickly and the state capitol in Lansing has been the site of large protests today. Earlier today, the doors of the capitol were locked in order to prevent demonstrators from entering; however, an injunction ordering the capitol to be re-opened. A few demonstrators able to make it inside were arrested and pepper-sprayed after they attempted to enter the senate chamber.

Stay tuned to ThinkProgress for the latest updates.

BOTTOM LINE:Stronger unions mean a stronger middle class, so right-wing attacks on unions are really just attacks on all working and middle-class Americans.

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As of today, you can legally get same-sex married and smoke pot (at least under state law) in Washington State.

Former Bush press secretary: female domestic abuse victims should “make better decisions.”

Extending emergency unemployment benefits will support far more jobs than extending the Bush tax cuts would.

Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell filibustered his own bill to lift the debt ceiling.

The GOP’s bad fiscal cliff hand, by the numbers.

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Black History

Congress: the Republican led House : the Senate on break until Dec.10