Tag Archives: Congress

twisted Tuesday … a Govt shutdown?


Pfawextremism

 

just another rant

Will somebody tell Republicans it is time to pay the bills? The media keeps reminding us that thousands of people will be out of jobs, as if anyone needs to be reminded. In what was/is considered the worse economic collapse, Republicans voted against the stimulus package in 2008, but they acted as if they voted for it when the money came in. While they were handing out checks left and right they continued to bad mouth PBO and the big government behavior, some Republicans asked for more money others said the money really did help but would deny it if asked.  The fact is, even more tried to give the money back which not only hurt their constituents it put Teachers, Police and other first responders at risk of losing their jobs.

 

Yet, here we are in the year 2013 with Republicans deciding that holding America hostage in the 11th hour is the best way to do “The Peoples Business.”  Apparently, they are still pissed that #ACA passed through Congress ~ became a law (ACA) which was then deemed constitutional by SCOTUS but they do not care so #ACA has been on the floor say 43 – 46 times. The Republican Party talks about how unfair the Democrats have been while wasting tax payer money and looking quite stupid at the same time.  So, after hours and hours of legislative ping pong, Republicans continue to say NO to just about everything to people/voters who might otherwise be unemployed before the November elections.  It baffles me and got to wonder how does this 1%  behavior look to their constituents, not to mention it seems reckless and inadvisable but given the last few months of The Political Party of NO does not disappoint.  They have proven not to be honest players, have not voted on any jobs bills and call unemployment bailouts; listen if this does not open your eyes what Republicans can do to let the public realize they are willing to use Americans as pawns to gain control of Congress. Though PBO is in his 2nd term, Republicans continue to play political games, the governing party is in place and the fix needed is not.

 Congress knows what to do to fix the problem, yet Republicans do not seem to care

 The month of September has so many memories,  good bad and the really ugly. It is a time when summer ends a time to remember history and is yet another step to move the debt deficit and new bills forward, not to experience past acts or behaviors. It is a month to invoke compassion, peace, love and cooperation, we all know the weather and the NFL won’t

 Republicans seem to say one thing and do anther on the floor of Congress. If the economy had been ok prior to the election of President Obama, the amount of spending would be next to nothing …people just seem to have amnesia … but we cannot let Republicans gain control of what will be  not only a correction but a move toward the 21st Century.  It may cost a little more but what better way to spend money …on All Americans not a select few not for a group who practices exclusion.  The notion that the collapse of our economy just happened is stupid and people need to realize the sad reality that the last guy could have fended off this but opted to pass the buck on the next President. I remember Bush saying this guy has no clue, it was an offensive comment then, and now 5.5 yrs. later, it does not take a rocket scientist to know that the state of our economy was a lot worse than we will ever really know. I would like to know whom among us is that stupid to think it would be corrected in 20 months when the fix is for about 30 years of errors that got us into this financial crisis?

I blame the Republican Tea Party for our current lack of improvement with all their no votes, blocking major legislation and using Americans as pawns to gain back control by any means necessary. Conservatives continue invoke fear, promote hate toward people considered to be in the Protected Classes and that is not just scary but should be a red flag for those who expect Politicians to speak out and up for All Americans; clearly The Republican Tea Party is not for everyone.


What’s all this about Obamacare?


Consumers Union, Policy and Action from Consumer Reports

Get yourself ready 

Next week is a pivotal one for our country. Millions of Americans who need health coverage can begin signing up for it through new insurance marketplaces.

The marketplace isn’t like anything you’ve experienced. It’s a one-stop resource where you can easily compare policies and prices, see if you qualify for financial help, and enroll in a plan.

Like anything new in health care, it can be confusing. So Consumer Reports created
HealthLawHelper.org, an online tool to help you understand your options, responsibilities, and steps to take. Just answer a few questions about your family situation, and you’ll Chris Meyer, Vice Presidentreceive personalized information on what to do next.

We’ve identified a glitch with Health Law Helper for people using IE8, so switch browsers if you can. We’re working on it!

Chris Meyer, Consumer Reports

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Consumer Reports

Navigating Medicare can be confusing, especially if you’re new to the program. Here’s what you need to know.

350,844
 consumer messages sent to the top six hip and knee makers asking that implants be warrantied. Send your own email here.

How will health reform affect you?

We know you’re wondering. And with next Tuesday’s biggest change – the opening of health insurance ‘marketplaces’ – you’ll likely need some help to cut through all the noise and confusion.

Consumer Reports’ new online tool, HealthLawHelper.org, does that. Just answer a few short questions about your family situation – your answers are anonymous – and you will get personalized information on what steps, if any, you may need to take. Even if you have coverage, it’s worth checking out. (You may experience problems with the tool if you use IE8, so try a different browser while we fix the issue).

It’s quick, easy and free. Take two minutes to find out what you need to know about health reform. The results may surprise you!
try this tool

Enough with the defund Obamacare votes! 
Despite taking 42 votes to gut the health law, a group in Congress is still trying to block it, even attempting to hold hostage our nation’s finances. It’s time politicians focus on implementing health reform right, rather than picking it apart before it’s given a chance. Tell Congress to stop obstructing and move forward.

Health reform: What’s real, and what isn’t
Judging from talk radio and Facebook posts, you’d think Obamacare will upend everyone’s health care. That’s not the case. At least 80 percent of people will notice little change because they already have insurance that meets the law. From the mandate to Medicare to who gets what help, get the straight story in our latest Consumer Reports coverage.

Will you be using the new marketplace?
If you’re among those who need coverage, either because your job doesn’t offer it, you’re retired but too young for Medicare, or you simply can’t afford it, we want to hear from you. Tell us about your situation and what you are hoping to find in the insurance marketplace.

Get the biggest bang for your health-care dollar
Consumer Reports has ranked 987 health insurance plans nationwide to help you choose the best one for you and your family. Check out where your plan ranks, or see how the plan you’re considering stacks up.

From the headlines

Average individual policy $328 a month under Obamacare

Progress on our hip and knee warranty campaign

CDC sounds alarm about growing antibiotic-resistance threat

Setting the Record Straight


Load images to who Obamacare protects.

$#!^@#%!


GOP Takes Obamacare Meltdown To A Whole New Level

A mere seven days remain for Congress to pass a spending bill in order to avoid a government shutdown. But Republicans are farther away than ever from agreeing to a reasonable plan that would keep the government open.

On Friday, the House GOP continued its march toward shutdown by passing a bill that ties keeping the government open to–surprise!–fully defunding Obamacare. Once again, Republicans refuse to do the hard work of actual governing in favor of playing political games that threaten to sabotage the economy. But while the vote only solidified the GOP’s ideological and dangerous strategy, it opened the floodgates for more infighting among its owns members. Here is what a number of key GOP players and establishment thinkers have to say about the “defund at all costs” plan:

  • GOP Sen. John McCain (AZ): “I can tell you that in the U.S. Senate, we will not repeal or defund Obamacare. We will not. And to think we can is not rational.”
  • GOP Strategist Karl Rove: The GOP defunding strategy is “self-defeating…It is an ill-conceived tactic, and Republicans should reject it.”
  • Fox News Host Bill O’Reilly: Defunding Obamacare is “fanaticism on the right,” O’Reilly says. “There’s no way Obamacare is going to be defunded. It’s not gonna happen.”
  • GOP Sen. Tom Coburn (OK): “Tactics and strategies ought to be based on what the real world is, and we do not have the political power to do this.”
  • GOP Sen. Rand Paul (KY): “I’m acknowledging we can’t probably defeat or get rid of Obamacare.”
  • GOP Sen. Kelly Ayotte (NH): “I don’t believe they should shut down the government to [defund Obamacare], and I don’t think that is a strategy that is good for America.”
  • GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson (GA): “It’s total atrophy. We’re earning our 11 percent popularity. It’s easier to talk about Obamacare than the major sources of our problems.”
  • Wall Street Journal Editorial Board: “Kamikaze missions rarely turn out well, least of all for the pilots… The kamikazes could end up ensuring the return of all-Democratic rule.”

Now, they all may just be trying to protect their party’s interests. But they seem to know what most Americans already do: the extreme demands by the GOP to push a narrow ideological agenda are out of touch. A new bipartisan CNBC poll released today proves that point. Almost six in ten Americans oppose defunding the health care law if it means a government shutdown, while just 19 percent support. A poll released last week found that only 23 percent of Americans want to make the health care law fail.

BOTTOM LINE: Republicans’ political games are threatening our nation’s economic recovery. Americans don’t want to shut down the government and want an end to the hostage-taking political tactics that place ideology over practical solutions for stability and growth.

Great News for Alaska’s Bristol Bay —


September 2013 Take ActionDonate
The Big Story
Anglo American Quits the Proposed Pebble Mine
In a surprise decision that brought new hope to Alaska’s Bristol Bay, British mining giant Anglo American — the lead company behind the Pebble Mine — announced that it is abandoning the project. The announcement dealt a heavy blow to the proposed gold and copper operation, which would produce some 10 billion tons of contaminated waste and threaten the greatest wild salmon runs on the planet. NRDC Members helped make this victory possible by deluging Anglo American with nearly one million messages of protest. The fight is not over yet — we’ll need new funding to ratchet up the pressure on the remaining companies behind the mine and win EPA action to protect Bristol Bay from large-scale mining.

Pebble Mine

Campaign Updates
Navy Refuses to Protect Marine Mammals from Deadly Sonar
The U.S. Navy says it will ignore a unanimous recommendation by the California Coastal Commission to reduce the harmful effects of naval sonar on the state’s marine mammals, which would violate California law. The Navy is planning to dramatically increase its use of dangerous sonar and high-powered explosives off the coast of Southern California during training and testing. It predicts that such operations will kill hundreds of marine mammals — and injure thousands of others — over the next five years. New research shows that the Navy’s California training is already putting entire whale populations at risk, including endangered blue whales, the largest animal on Earth.
Marine Mammals
Ad of the Month
Ad of the Month
Nobel Laureates Denounce Keystone XL
NRDC and our partners ran a full-page ad in The Washington Post that featured a letter from ten Nobel Peace Prize winners, calling on President Obama to reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline and lead the way beyond dirty oil.
Nobel Laureates Ad
See the Ad
In the News
U.S. Blocks Import
of Wild-Caught Belugas
The National Marine Fisheries Service has denied a permit — opposed by NRDC — that would have allowed the Georgia Aquarium to import 18 wild-caught belugas from Russia for public display purposes at aquaria around the country. We applaud the decision since Russia’s wild beluga population is still recovering after being hunted nearly to extinction in the 1960s. Read more. Beluga
CA County Cracks Down
on Fracking
In July, NRDC’s Community Fracking Defense Campaign scored a big victory when California’s San Benito County approved an ordinance imposing new safeguards on this dangerous form of oil and gas extraction, including a greater setback from homes and disclosure of the chemicals used during drilling or fracking. Read more. Fracking