Tag Archives: Congress

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Tell Senator Murray: No Cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid

11/01/2011 Nativegrl77 2 Comments

National Women's Law Center - Don't Discount Women: Demand Fair Change Not Spare Change


	Tell Senator Murray: No Cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid



	If you want to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, now is the time to act, and Senator Murray is the one to call.

	Call 1-866-251-4044 today!

Senator Patty Murray is the co-chair of a very powerful 12-member super-committee in Congress charged with deciding how to cut the federal deficit by $1.5 trillion over ten years.

Just yesterday we learned that the super-committee is negotiating about cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. These program provide income security or health care to more than 1 out of 7 Washington residents — mostly women.

Your phone call today can make a difference! A handful of members of Congress serving on the super-committee will decide the fate of these programs. Your senator — Patty Murray — is one of them.

Please call 1-866-251-4044 today to tell Senator Murray:

I want Senator Murray to oppose cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid in the super-committee.
That includes no Social Security COLA cut.
No raising the Medicare eligibility age.
No slash in Medicaid funds.
It’s time to make millionaires and corporations contribute to deficit reduction by paying their fair share of taxes.

Women in Washington can’t afford cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. The average Social Security benefit for older women in Washington is just $12,400 per year. Even with Medicare, women face higher out-of-pocket health care costs that strain their smaller incomes. And over 307,000 low-income women with disabilities, pregnant women, and mothers in Washington relied on Medicaid for health care coverage, and over 60,000 elderly women relied on Medicaid for help with long-term care and certain other health expenses.

Programs for women and their families have already been cut, in Washington State and across the country — but so far, tax breaks for millionaires and corporations haven’t been touched. It’s time to stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of women and their families, and to demand that those with the greatest ability to pay contribute their fair share.

Please call 1-866-251-4044 today to tell Senator Murray: No Cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

The super-committee is meeting now to develop its plan. If seven members agree, their plan will be voted on in Congress before the end of the year: no amendments, no filibusters. If you want to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, now is the time to act, and Senator Murray is the one to call.

Sincerely,

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

Judy Waxman
Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights
National Women’s Law Center

P.S. Have friends in Washington state? Please forward them this email. Every call makes a difference.

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Student loan reform can’t wait

10/28/2011 Nativegrl77

James Kvaal is the Policy Director for Obama for America.

Friend —

President Obama just took two serious steps to make life a lot easier
for folks with student loans — and there’s a good chance you or someone
you know will benefit from these changes very soon.

Here’s how:

— Effective this January, if you’re someone who has different kinds
of loans — guaranteed and direct — you’ll be able to roll them both
into one direct loan and bring down your interest rate. You’ll only have
to write one check a month, and you’ll see a discount. This switch adds
no cost to taxpayers across the board.

— You might remember that, as part of last year’s student loan
reform, borrowers’ loan payments could be no higher than 10 percent of
their disposable income. This is a big deal — but it wasn’t going to
help anyone enrolling before 2014. Today, the President announced that
he’s speeding up this program so it will affect students next year —
helping over 1 million students. This will have huge consequences for
people struggling to make their student loan payments.

Sometimes, it can be hard to see how policy changes will actually affect your day-to-day life.

Not the case with this one. These changes will make a real difference in helping millions of Americans get by month to month.

We put together a video explaining how these changes will help Americans. Watch
it to learn a little more about what today’s steps would do, and then
make sure everyone you know who should hear about it does.

Learn how student loan reforms help you.

President Obama isn’t waiting on Congress to take action. He’s doing
everything in his power, right now, to help bolster our economy and get
folks back on their feet.

On Monday, he laid out new rules on federal mortgages to help make sure more families don’t lose their homes to foreclosure.

On Tuesday, the administration announced two new initiatives to help veterans find work.

Today, it means making changes that make student loans a lot easier to manage.

These are actions that can’t wait on the next vote or the next election.
So long as people are struggling, this President and this
administration will do everything in their power to help them when and
where they can. It’s just that simple.

Now, let’s make sure that the millions of people who stand to benefit from today’s steps know about it.

Watch the video to learn more about today’s student loan changes — and then help get the word out:

http://my.barackobama.com/Student-Loan-Reforms

Thanks,

James

James Kvaal

Policy Director

Obama for America

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U.S. Constitution – Amendment 14

10/25/2011 Nativegrl77

Amendment 14 – Citizenship Rights

1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

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We can’t wait …James Kvaal, BarackObama.com

10/25/2011 Nativegrl77

Now that each and every Senate Republican has vowed to block measures that would create jobs, President Obama is not going to wait for them to rebuild the economy and bring financial security back to the middle class.

Today, he announced new rules on federal mortgages to prevent more families from losing their homes to foreclosure. And that’s just the beginning — the President said he would continue to make the changes he can by executive action, while continuing to urge Congress to act on legislation to strengthen the economy and create jobs.

If Congress doesn’t act, he will — because millions of Americans can’t just wait for Congress to do their jobs. That’s why thousands of you have been calling and tweeting your representatives over the past month, joining the President in sending a message to lawmakers in Washington that they need to act now.

We’re not just going to continue to wait — and we’ll be keeping up the pressure by making sure they’re hearing from folks across the country every day about why they need to act.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/m/55c11c7b/6c0d017d/132d201b3/118ab764/190700188/VEsH/p/eyJKU1ZGVFVGSlRDVWwiOiJ5bmF0aXZlNzdAZ21haWwuY29tIiwiSlNWYVNWQWxKUT09IjoiOTgxMTUifQ==/

Republicans in Congress have repeatedly filibustered the President’s ideas to create jobs now — ideas that until recently were supported by Republicans.

The President’s action today also stands in stark contrast to the positions of the Republicans running for president. Mitt Romney even told a newspaper last week that we actually shouldn’t act; we should let the housing crisis “run its course” and “hit the bottom” so that “investors” can come in and buy up these homes at cheap prices. He’s saying to homeowners that they are on their own, forcing thousands of families to explain to their kids why they have to give up their homes.

Doing nothing while families struggle: that’s the opposite of what this president and this campaign stand for. President Obama isn’t going to let Congress’ inaction stop him from doing what he can right now.

So here’s what the President’s announcement means:

— More families whose homes are under water will get help and save money on their monthly mortgage payment through the Home Affordable Refinance Programs.

— If the value of your mortgage is $100,000 and your house is valued at $75,000, you previously weren’t able to refinance to save your home — forcing many families to pay higher interest rates. As a result of today’s announcement, many more responsible homeowners will be able to lower their rates and pay their debts.

— And this is just one of the incremental changes to come. Next, the President will announce new steps to help young people manage their federal student loan debt while they look for a job and get on their feet. He’ll also take action to help small businesses and entrepreneurs, spur the engines of job growth, create new jobs, and assist veterans in finding them.

These measures alone are not a comprehensive solution to the economic challenges we face. That needs to come out of Congress — and if they’re going to finally put party aside, they’re going to need to keep hearing from us. President Obama is stepping up the pressure, and he’s counting on us to keep going, too.

Get the President’s back and keep the heat on Congress — tell your story of why we can’t wait any longer:

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wicked weather Wednesday &some News …

10/19/2011 Nativegrl77

just another rant ….

In response to an article written by AFL-CIO … I was sent an article by Rep.Dennise Kucinich from jhaines, which i may not agree with because it is full of his “real” truth with not that much reality in my opinion

jhaines: What American Workers Don’t Need – by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, | 2012: What’s the ‘real’ truth?
jhaines6.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/what-american-w…

ME:

While i did not agree with what Clinton did by implementing NAFTA to begin with, certainly with hindsight being 20/20 he might if given better info changed the process of trade some to favour Americans more so than it ended up doing.” NAFTA was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on December 8, 1993 and entered force January 1, 1994. Although it was signed by President Bush, it was a priority of President Clinton’s, and its passage is considered one of his first successes. (Source: History.com, NAFTA Signed into Law, December 8, 1993.” from about.com I will say that after hearing how President Obama put some stipulations into the Korea agreement i am far more trusting of trade agreements that our current President is trying to implement … it’s called fair and balanced contracts. I also feel that rep.Kucinich just does not agree or support President Obama from all of his comments and statements … I worry that Kucinich is against President Obama for reasons that are coming from the far right and that for me is enough to ignore
everything that Kucinich says. I would like to ask you- how do you feel that Kucinich was willing to jump out to Washington State at the drop of a hat just
to stay in the political game. I was offended that this guy would shop States because he wants to stay in the game not because he cares? Kucinich knows
nothing about Washington State let alone love my State and this is a sad example for any member of Congress but Kucinich is the topic so
his truth is just that … Rep.Dennis Kucinich truth. I prefer President Obama’s

thank you Jhaines for taking the time to respond to the Afl-cio article … I say talk is cheap action gets traction …I get it people have been ill-treated in
the past &why should Obama be different? I think that years of BS has been dumped at the doorstep of this President yet he has little slim or no partners
in that change we can believe in … why? Frankly, both chambers in Congress are okay with the status quo. We all have to remember that President Obama does not
create or pass the laws Congress does and so far they do not seem willing to get the job done… first they accuse him of not writing or presenting bills then
when he does both sides of the aisle whine. I say we need better members of Congress that will do the right thing, do their jobs, and work with President
Obama not against him …, which i feel Kucinich does

Other News …

Secretary Napolitano Updates Congress on Border Security