Editor’s note: Anderson Cooper reports on Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich‘s controversial trip to Syria. Related: U.S. lawmaker on fact-finding mission to Syria … Read More
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Why I’m in Ames, Iowa …Judd Legum
As you may know, ThinkProgress has been hitting the road to ask tough questions and bring you the unvarnished truth from around the country.
For example, when Paul Ryan was booed by his constituents in Milton, Wisconsin, for defending his plan to privatize Medicare, the traditional media was nowhere to be found. But ThinkProgress was there to capture it all on tape. The clip was played dozens of times on national TV, and hundreds of thousands of people watched the video online.
Overall, our reporters have traveled to 20 states, interviewing nine presidential candidates and 56 members of Congress. We are making an impact and shaping the debate.
But this kind of on-the-ground reporting isn’t cheap. We need to raise $20,000 in the next week to keep our efforts going strong.
Can you pitch in $4 right now? www.thinkprogress.org
This week, I’m in Iowa to cover the Tea Party Bus Tour — organized by a radical group advocating a return to the gold standard. Several GOP presidential candidates are scheduled to participate.
We’ll be visiting Ames, Iowa Falls, Webster City, Oskaloosa, Creston, and Council Bluffs. With your support, we’ll be able to keep this show on the road and keep holding the right wing accountable.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any comments or questions.
Best,
Judd Legum
Founder, ThinkProgress.org
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Wednesday &some News
Today,President Obama and The First Lady host a Congressional Picnic at the White House at 7pm ET.
My rant today … Two and a half years ago the democratic party controlled both chambers in Congress and both leaders of the House and Senate were on their way to establishing a new path toward the 21st Century with several bills that included among others a jobs bill, dream act, dadt, start treaty, UI and health-care reform. The legislation our representatives brought to the floor of Congress were supposed to address American issues. However, great legislation has been difficult to pass due to Republican filibusters and more recent the lies that won them control of the House of Representatives. While we now know what the true Republican mission is, the Democratic Party has stated they will not give up trying to help the middle class.
Then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi addressing the status of the middle class stated that in the near future people would be paying 1dollar out of every 5dollars for health-care. Nancy Pelosi also stated that the problem of health-care costs will not go away and we can solve the issue by repealing the anti-trust exemptions, increase, and lower cost and improves choices for all Americans. Though the new health care law allows children under 26 to be covered under their parents insurance, has eliminated discrimination that includes pre-existing conditions, more coverage for our elders and maintaining the health care rights for women. The Republican Tea Party continues to berate the achievement call it Obamacare in order to demean it. Thankfully, the new Affordable Health Care Law passed though the new Congress has made cutting, slashing, and burning it their main mission along with so many other social programs without giving Americans any idea how they will replace hcr or social security, Medicare/Medicaid. The new effort to attack a woman’s right to choose has become more important than creating jobs and as Republicans offer up bills, amendments and comments, it is obvious it should embarrass Americans at how narrow this new party has become since the last guy was in office. The party of no has become the party of let us cut spending, decrease the deficit but they are and or will do so in on the backs of the middle class, poor and we all know minorities by giving them less. The obvious culture wars have become an issue and while candidates running for Congress not only engaged in race baiting, exclusion and outright discrimination. Most if not all were defeated at the polls thankfully but some did get through and are sitting either in the Senate or House. Honestly, I want Republican constituents to ask themselves if these people are true public servant and how upset were you when your own party voted against helping firefighters, teachers, and police while stripping away worker rights. The idea to help maintain these jobs, helping those who lost jobs by voting yes to unemployment and or create them until the lame duck session happened because the RTP wanted something, not that they wanted to help their fellow American. The Republican Tea Party, as we all know managed to hold the middle class hostage and traded the bush bonus dollars for helping Americans even though the house of bush set a date for the bush bonus dollars to expire. Is it just me or does it seem less than American to hold or use money as a tool to insure those Bush bonus tax cuts …That top 2% of our population got those tax cuts but have failed to significantly improve the job numbers even though speaker Boehner stated they were the job creators.
Two and a half years ago, in a series of votes that dramatized the conflicting pressures Democrats face to spur job growth and control the deficit. The House voted 217-212 to raise the government is borrowing authority to a record level, with 37 Democrats joining Republicans opposing the measure. The then Speaker Pelosi reminded people that among other things that the Democratic Party, focused on jobs, concerned and working toward equal rights for the people, proud that the lily Ledbetter law passed as well. Well, that was two years ago. After gaining control of the House of Representatives, the Republican Tea Party decided that taking apart any legislation that has President Obama’s stamp of approval is the only thing the people elected them for last November. This is not just offensive it is one of several issues that has divided Americans and will continue to until the Republican Tea Party stops playing games with the lives of all Americans and gets to work for the citizens of the United States instead of what seems like only for Corporate America.
Two and a half years ago, in an effort to make it hard to fill the Obama Administrations cabinet, like appointee Martha Johnson. Now, with half of President Obama’s term over, the Republican Tea Party has managed to hold up over 20% of his appointments and some have withdrawn completely, the result is a less than complete cabinet for the governing party.
This behavior by the Republican Tea Party is just not acceptable and be considered un-American. In a moment of emotion, Senator Dorgan voiced my feelings at the time,” that for over 8months Republicans have blocked her nomination and now almost unanimously vote to put her in, which raises doubts in the integrity of Republicans.”
Yes, some good things came out of the hard work that the House and Senate Democrats performed but it is obvious they need to do more while the Republican Tea Party has put the future of America at risk and will continue to do so unless Americans begin to push back.
Other News …
Life expectancy of US women slips in some regions
Washington Day Ahead: Fed Officials Discuss Inflation Target
Why Michele Bachmann is no Sarah Palin
Latest union proposal exempts Wis. transit workers
Pakistan’s arrest of CIA informants exposes Bin Laden raid frustrations …
Police Fire Tear Gas, Stun Grenades Amid Fresh Athens Clashes
Despite Crackdown, Syria Calls for Refugees to Return Home
‘US says it won’t support UN Palestinian statehood bid’
CSPAN …
House Panel Continues Look into “Fast and Furious”
Defense Secretary & Joint Chiefs Chairman Testify on Pentagon Spending
Lawmakers Review Islamic Radicalization in Prisons
F.D.A. Unveils New Rules About Sunscreen Claims – NYTimes.com
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Florida Governor Signs Welfare Drug Screening into Law
By Amanda Geronikos
Thu, 02 Jun 2011 16:11:56 GMT
Florida Gov. Rick Scott has signed new legislation requiring welfare applicants to take drug-screening tests.
The new law, which goes into effect July 1, will require the Florida Department of Children and Family Services to perform drug tests on adults applying to the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. Welfare recipients will be responsible for the cost of the screening, but will regain the money in their assistance if they qualify. Those who fail the drug test may deligate another person to receive the benefits on behalf of their children.
Some Democrats are furious over the new legislation. CNN reports that one Democrat even deemed the bill “downright unconstitutional.” “‘Indeed, investigating people when there is probable cause to suspect they are abusing drugs is one thing,’ Rep. Corinne Brown said in a joint statement,” as mentioned by CNN. “‘But these tests amount to strip searching our state’s most vulnerable residents merely because they rely on the government for financial support during these difficult economic times.'”
Can a simple drug test truly be considered “strip searching” though? Employers perform drug tests on their most loyal employees all the time.
Gov. Rick Scott says it’s “’unfair for Florida taxpayers to subsidize drug addiction,’” as noted by CNN. “’It’s the right thing for citizens of this state that need public assistance. We don’t want to waste tax dollars. And also, we want to give people an incentive to not use drugs.’”
Do you think welfare applicants should be required to take drug tests? Sound off here.
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of XFINITY.
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This week in the Senate … the Republican led House
This Week –
**Monday in the Senate: Confirmation of Executive Calendar, Jimmie V. Reyna, of Maryland, to be United States Circuit Judge;
Confirmed: 86-0 … First Latino on Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
**S.493 small biz –High Tech Start Ups
**GOP submits FY2012 Budget
**H.R4, 1099 Repeal HC Law Tax Reporting Rule
**Negotiations on amendments resume
**Net Neutrality and EPA
This Week –
**Monday in the House: H.R. 1246 to reduce the amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Defense for printing and reproduction
**HRes 200 Providing for consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 37) disapproving the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission with respect to regulating the Internet and broadband industry practices.
**Leaders are at the White House discussing the Budget – Boehner and his Freshman Tea Party members?
Be a Seed for Change 
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