Tag Archives: Colin Powell
Occupy Wall Street movement
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They can take away the tarps and the tents. But they can’t slow down the Occupy Wall Street movement. There have been police raids on Occupy Wall Street in Oakland, Calif.; Portland, Ore.; Denver; Albany, N.Y.; Burlington, Vt.; and Chapel Hill, N.C.—and now, last night in New York’s Zuccotti Park—orchestrated by politicians acting on behalf of the 1%. But the 99% is undaunted. Occupy Wall Street’s message already has created a new day. This movement has created a seismic shift in our national debate—from austerity and cuts to jobs, inequality and our broken economic system. The Occupy Wall Street movement has been committed to peaceful, nonviolent action from its inception. And it will keep spreading no matter what elected officials tell police to do. But that doesn’t mean these raids are acceptable. In fact, they are inexcusable. As former Secretary of State Colin Powell put it, these protests are “as American as apple pie.” Americans must be allowed to speak out against pervasive inequality, even if the truth discomfits the 1%. The AFL-CIO will do everything in our power to make sure the free speech rights of these peaceful protesters are protected. We are the 99%. In Solidarity, Richard L. Trumka |
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Three votes
On Thursday, Republicans in the Senate stood in the way of progress, blocking legislation to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
No surprise there — they’ve been turning a blind eye to the majority of Americans, legions of grassroots Democrats, and fellow lawmakers who’ve supported repeal for some time now.
But now, they’re also ignoring top military leaders — from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen to former Secretary of State Colin Powell — who support overturning this policy. They’re ignoring the 70 percent of American servicemen and women who say that repeal wouldn’t negatively affect morale, and the Pentagon study that says it won’t affect troop readiness.
They’re no longer simply holding up progress that would advance the American values of fairness and equality, enrich our military, and strengthen our national security — they seem to be willing to tune out just about anyone, all in the name of a political tally mark.
But we’re not done fighting.
We need just three votes to move forward on repeal — and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and our allies in the Senate have promised that the Senate will vote on repeal again before the year is out.
Your voice could be the difference right now: Write the Senate Republicans who are currently blocking repeal and tell them to stop playing politics with people’s lives.
We couldn’t have gotten to this point without your support.
Thousands of you added your names in support of the President’s call for repeal. Those petitions — 582,000 in total — were delivered by volunteers to Senator Susan Collins‘s office on Thursday morning.
Now, your voice could make sure this discriminatory policy is overturned before Congress adjourns — and that it doesn’t have to wait another year, or for another Congress to take it up.
And by reaching out to senators standing in the way, you will make this issue harder and harder for them to tune out.
Three more votes is all we need. The letter you send today could be the final push that gets us there.
Write Republican senators standing in the way of progress today — and let’s make sure we repeal this thing before the year is out:
http://my.democrats.org/DADTRepealLetters
Thanks,
Jen
Jen O’Malley Dillon
Executive Director
Democratic National Committee
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weekend review &some News
Sunday Buzzzzz … A good day to reach for the sky while breathing deeply through your nose then slowly exhale through your mouth while slowly lowering your arms, head, shoulders, chest and waist bend knees -repeat when needed …
Tired of “the media” BS yet? and can i just say the only grown-ups on the floor of Congress on Saturday were from the Democratic party but hey that is just my opinion. In his latest commentary, Bloomberg states the President needs better advisors even though President Obama has kept more than half of his campaign promises made to the 53% that voted for him in 2008. I wonder if that information has been readily available in your State.I would like to thank our President for doing such a great job despite the 24/7 News cycle bashing him and the obstructionist called the Republican Tea Party. I would ask our President to keep his campaign promises and heed this alert: the Low Information Voters are not tuning in or paying attention so get out there because according to reports they made up 10% of those that decided to lean right. I say folks have to remember that President Obama does not make, create or pass legislation into laws, our Congress does so all complaints about bills not getting on the floor of Congress should be directed at Republican Tea Partiers who have held most if not all of them up or blocked, stalled and just said no to.
FYI President Obama signs major trade pact agreement with S.Korea -which is a big deal though “The Media” has chosen to ignore it as well as signing the bill to avert a government shut-down.
Today I got up early to see the Bush tax giveaways also called procedural votes on the Senate floor and was quite sad but of course, the media predicted the defeat before hand and unfortunately, they were correct. The point was to get it on the record while showing Americans just what and who they voted for in the Mid-term elections. It is a sad day to realize that a Political Party would put their ideology above the needs of their fellow Americans but the Republican Tea Party did without flinching, thinking of their constituents I guess and all for the love of money. The Bush Tax Cuts of 2001&2003 were given, scheduled to expire 12/31/10 and unpaid for a long with the two wars waged which cost Americans trillions of our money. The fact is the tax cuts, 2Wars, Wall Street bets, AIG insurance selling banking products as well as too much deregulation sent our economy over the cliff -sigh
In great news, The President secured a trade agreement with S.Korea that all Americans should be proud of though if you listen to the News that trade agreement is not as important at least not to “the media” as the defeat or votes against the Obama Administration coming from the cables. Is it just me or does anyone else feel like it is un-American to see so many in the news waiting to report a defeat or any other negative item regarding President Obama. In a time when things are so tough and a large number of voters leaned left we all see the Republican Tea Party gain strength tell the public lies and now the joke is on all of us. They say their focus is on Jobs, economy and doing the work of the People yet RTP continue to vote against UI stating people on UI do not look for jobs. I have to say every time one of them makes a statement that is obviously negative I wonder where the outrage is. I wonder what will be enough BS in order for people to March on DC the reports are that there are five people applying for one job and while members of RTP Congress have jobs it is clear they are all out of touch, engage in elitist behavior and decided a long time ago that not only would they refuse to cooperate with the First Black President they will do whatever is necessary to bring him down even if it means taking us all down and today provided an insight to the horrible people that obviously fooled Americans into voting for them on Nov.2 and that is quite sad.
So, it’s Friday and very cold but we def are not snowbound like the east coast …a lot has happened and it’s only 10am here in the 206. I am hoping the President’s trip goes well and is def a safe one. The debating and or voting going on in Congress today will continue into the weekend and it has my blood boiling. Hopefully, our Democratic Party will hold firm and show Americans the truth of how the Republican Tea Party just is not who the claim to be as shown to us all with the letter stating they will not cooperate unless they get their Bush tax giveaways. If nothing else this should be the evidence Americans need to show they had no intention of focusing on jobs our economy or doing the peoples business. The last two years the focus has been on obstruction, ruining the governing party and President Obama. The jobs numbers tell me that Corporate America has a long and complicit relationship with the Republican Tea Party that is long, deep, probably cannot be broken and or completely be reformed unless and until ALL Americans see the trouble the Republican Tea Party will be and put the Democratic Party back in control…in both Chambers of Congress.
This week the lame duck session restarted on a positive note with a vote of 73-25 passing the Food Safety Bill that will when put into implementation keep most Americans Safe. Unfortunately, due to a Senate error this Bill was put on hold and is probably going to be held hostage along with other legislation that would not only protect Americans it could have been a bill that passed with bipartisanship but that was clearly too much to ask for. While that was taking place, we all waited for the DADT report and most if not all reports were that the response had been better than anticipated. Reports were that 70% were okay with repealing DADT but folks in the Marines were not as responsive. The comments made by Gen.Gates about dadt were definitely positive. It would seem like an easy task to just take the vote and pass dadt but the Republican Tea Party who supported the repeal of DADT now have flip flopped by deciding the reports from Generals were not good enough. Again, my question is where is the outrage from people who support the repeal and or gays who know the impact the repeal would have on so many because contrary to folks out there it is Congress who has the responsibility to make it a law not the President who is getting the blame.
I am quite sure the START treaty is not only a National Security issue but is and has always been a bipartisan issue but is being used by the Republican Tea Party along with other legislation as pawns to again-get those Bush giveaways or else. This kind of behavior is childish and
In other News, our President had his first of many meetings to come with Republicans and the first documented outcome of that meeting by President Obama is below:
Though our President held a positive press conference concerning the meeting with Republicans, it is unfortunate that the Republican Tea Party thumbed their noses at our President and continue to be the Party of No by blocking unemployment today to several million. The Republican Tea Party continues want those Bush tax give always before they will cooperate on the floor of Congress, which Americans or most Americans feel we cannot afford to give them right now. At what point during the course of the lame duck Session in Congress will Republican constituents finally see the carpetbaggers for what they are?
The President has asked the Middle lower class to sacrifice again by freezing federal salaries for two years now he must make the rich sacrifice as well because they have not.
Other News
**If you order online on or before Dec.17th most will offer free shipping -called free shipping day
**A grocery workers have ratified their contract in king, kitsap, snohomish counties and covers indpdt grocery workers as well 95% voted yes
**SKnight was arrested on parole violation
**Did you know the RNC is in debt -15million w/about 2million banked the DNC is in debt -15million but has about 10million banked
** http://www.king5.com/home/Late-TD-gives-Washington-35-28-win-over-WSU-111332549.html <<< copy & paste link for the story
**President Obama secures major trade pact with S.Korea
**The President signs bill that will avert government shut down
**President Obama is met with newly elected Gov. -told them to call w/any and all probs they don’t want to hear it on tv first -sigh-
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**Health Care Premiums have gone up 41%
**Alan Simpson debt comm vote to bring there legislation to the floor of Congress needs 14 votes they have 7 at this time. The final vote was 11-7 and failed to get to the flr of Congress
**Temp Fed spending FY 2011 239-178 -with 8Democrats voting No and 2Republicans voting yes
**Rangel censure vote will happen on Thursday with a full Censure
**Food Safety bill may be held up by the House GOP due to Senate errors
**Mid-Class tax cut vote may take place today-Steny Hoyer might allow them
**The START treaty is being debated in the Senate but who knows when the vote will be
**Kathleen Kennedy Townsend has put together a group to battle against the big money used in the Mid-terms
CSPAN …
President Obama Remarks on New Free-Trade Agreement 
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Big news on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
It’s time.
The Pentagon study released yesterday confirms what we’ve long known: The military is ready to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
The report found that 70 percent of troops do not believe the change would have a negative impact on morale, and troop readiness would not be affected.
This important news means that we are closer than ever to ending this discriminatory policy that punishes patriotic men and women who want nothing more than to serve our country — and harms our own security by preventing qualified and much-needed Americans from serving.
Last time, we were just two votes shy of passing repeal in the Senate. And now the lawmakers who have been dragging their feet have no excuses left.
Neither do we. On this issue, our voices may not get more powerful than they are today — after the military has weighed in, when the media is paying close attention, just before the Senate starts its debate.
Let’s ensure the Senate passes repeal — and sends it to President Obama’s desk — before the end of the year.
Please add your name to the President’s call to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” now.
The release of the Pentagon’s report is just one more sign that the days are numbered for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
But the Republican opposition in the Senate — led by Senator John McCain — is already digging in its heels.
People like Sen. McCain said they would defer to military leadership — and then refused to budge when people like Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell all came forward to support repeal.
These senators said they were worried about how repeal would weaken our military or hurt troop morale — and that we should wait for the results of the Pentagon study.
Well, the results are in: Our military believes the time has come to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
We know that some of these senators are going to do everything they can to shift their standards once again. But we don’t need them all to agree with us — we just need two more votes to end this policy once and for all.
With the hearings set to begin tomorrow, it’s important we make our voices heard now.
Join President Obama — and add your name to the call for repeal:
http://my.barackobama.com/RepealDADT
Thanks — now let’s make history,
Mitch
Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America
Be a Seed for Change 