Tag Archives: Democratic Party

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Purjury – Chevron

11/04/2013 Nativegrl77

Having virtually all the money in the world often means you can buy silence, you can buy time, and you can buy lies. Chevron has demonstrated this time and again in its decades-long battle to evade accountability for deliberately dumping 18 billion gallons of toxic wastewater into the Ecuadorian Amazon.

The problem is that this time what Chevron has bought is a bag of lies in the form of false testimony from a thoroughly disreputable source, and they aren’t able to hide the price tag…

Read the rest on Eye on the Amazon »

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Bush is Gone, But His Judges Are Here to Stay

11/04/2013 Nativegrl77

By CAP Action War Room

Filibuster Wars Return

Following a brief detente over executive branch nominations over the past few months, Republicans yesterday went back to their same old obstructionist ways.

First, Republicans used the filibuster to block an up-or-down vote on Rep. Mel Watt, who has been nominated to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency, an important agency that oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This is the first time since the Reconstruction Era that a sitting Member of Congress has been denied confirmation. Watt is also the first African-American FHFA nominee.

Republicans then filibustered the nomination of Patricia Millett for the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, despite her sterling credentials as one of the most well-respected members of the Supreme Court bar, previous experience in both Democratic and Republican administrations, and the support of conservative legal luminaries like Ken Starr and Ted Olson.

The D.C. Circuit is second only to the Supreme Court in importance. It hears cases involving key national security issues and federal regulations like environmental and labor rules. During the Bush administration, all 11 seats on the court were happily filled by Republicans. But now that three vacancies have opened up, they are refusing to allow votes on President Obama’s nominees.

It’s no secret why — conservatives currently have a stranglehold on this important court and Republicans want to keep it that way. Of the eight current judges, four were appointed by Republicans and four were appointed by Democrats; however, five of six semi-retired senior judges who still hear cases were appointed by Republicans.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) indicated that Obama’s nominees will be voted on again and not-so-subtly threatened to change the filibuster rules if Republicans continue their blockade.

Why Courts Matter

The last 24 hours have provided important reminders about why the courts — and federal appeals courts in particular — matter.

In Texas, a three-judge panel of conservative Bush-appointed judges overruled an earlier ruling and reinstated Texas’ draconian new restrictions on abortion. The restrictions forced about one-third of Texas abortion clinics to close. Today.

And then this morning, D.C. Circuit Judge Janice Rogers Brown, one of Bush’s most radical appointees, issued a ruling against the Obamacare mandate that requires insurers to offer no-cost birth control.

Both of these vital cases will likely head to the Supreme Court, which also continues to be controlled by Republican-appointed justices, where they will face an uncertain fate.

BOTTOM LINE: The courts matter and it’s important that President Obama be allowed to exercise his constitutional duty to fill vacancies on the D.C. Circuit, other federal appeals courts, and district courts. Unless more progressive judges make it on to the bench, radical judges appointed by Bush and other Republicans will continue to try and drag the country backward and undermine hard won progressive victories.

Had enough? Click HERE to tell your senators that enough is enough and it’s time to allow a vote on the president’s nominees.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Become a Charter Member

10/30/2013 Nativegrl77

NMAAHC -- National Museum of African American History and Culture

Thank you for spreading the word about the Smithsonian’s newest museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). However, not a roof beam can be raised, a nail hammered, or a window set into place without the steadfast commitment from friends like you.
That is why I hope you’ll become a Charter Member of the Museum. Every dollar you can give brings us one step closer to the day we open the doors on what will truly be a great addition to the Smithsonian’s family of museums.
The NMAAHC will present the dark days of slavery and also celebrate individual heroism and collective resiliency that was the Civil Rights Movement to the triumph of the election of the first African American president and beyond. But this history is not solely for African Americans. This history is America’s history.
Our challenge now is to raise the money we need to build this exciting addition to the American cultural landscape. Of the $500 million needed, Congress has committed to provide half of the funds required to build the Museum. This means we need your help to raise the additional $250 million in private donations to open the doors of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2015.
We broke ground in February 2012, but to continue construction, your generous support of the Museum as a Charter Member is critical. In return, you’ll be eligible for many special benefits:

For your gift of $25, you will receive a 10% discount at all Smithsonian gift shops and online, special E-updates about Museum events, programs and exhibitions, and your name added to the Museum’s prestigious electronic Honor Roll of Charter Members to be displayed at the Museum.
For your gift of $40, you will also receive a beautiful 8.5″ x 11″ Certificate of Appreciation, perfect for framing and proudly displaying your support of the Museum.
For your gift of $100, you will also receive the double CD Every Tone a Testimony, a fascinating aural history of African Americans in words, music and poetry.
For your gift of $250, you will also receive the book Let Your Motto Be Resistance: African American Portraits, a beautiful collection of portraits and stories of prominent African Americans.

Please don’t delay in becoming a Charter Member. We need your help to build this great Museum. . With your help, we’ll build this important museum to honor the great legacy of the African American experience.
Sincerely,

Lonnie Bunch
Director
National Museu

~ my 2cents ...

ACA is a job creator

09/23/2013 Nativegrl77

click on

The Affordable HealthCare Law resolves health care and jobs issues.

If you believe in moving into the 21st Century, believe in health care being accessible to all , if you believe it is a right not a privilege or that the overhaul is long overdue; then you are on the right side of history. Please do not believe how some are portraying ACA, as a law for the poor. I do not believe that parents with kids in college would say they are poor nor rich and these days most families have two or more in college at the same time. Therefore, having children covered until 26 is a relief to some families

The fact is over 32mil people will now have access to an improved health care system that will need more doctors, PA, and those great nurses who we usually see when we feel bad. Think about it, what does it take to run a Hospital? Our current workforce cannot possibly handle that many new customers and will need to hire more folks from the so-called bottom up such as grounds, parking lots, security, maintenance, janitors to gardeners to receptionists, and more. I have no idea how many people go to the doctor each day, but if you have an appointment during the workday, your child is in school, goes to daycare or you take them with you … most people do not; bam more jobs needed.

I cannot begin to list the impact of 32million more people added to the health care system, but the proof of it being a jobs bill is obvious.

In Solidarity …

Information : from www.Whitehouse.gov

For a comprehensive overview of the Affordable Care Act, visit WhiteHouse.gov/HealthReform and HealthCare.gov.

Let’s take a look at what this ruling means for the middle class:

Insurance companies no longer have unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny you coverage, or charge women more than men.
Soon, no American will ever again be denied care or charged more due to a pre-existing condition, like cancer or even asthma.
Preventive care will still be covered free of charge by insurance companies–including mammograms for women and wellness visits for seniors.
By August, millions of Americans will receive a rebate because their insurance company spent too much of their premium on administrative costs or CEO bonuses.
5.3 million seniors will continue to save $600 a year on their prescription drugs.
Efforts to strengthen and protect Medicare by cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse will remain in place.
6.6 million young adults will still be able to stay on their family’s plan until they’re 26.

A major impact of the Court’s decision is the 129 million people with pre-existing conditions and millions of middle class families who will have the security of affordable health coverage.

~ my 2cents ...

We got him …

05/03/2013 Nativegrl77

just another rant …

My first thoughts when we first heard the news of the elimination of Osama Bin Laden was a great relief. Then a need to clarify that “I” am not into war or killing but this person killed thousands of Americans as well as thousands of others all over the World in a ways that cannot be forgotten and while friend’s family and or co-workers cannot come back, it is with a great sigh of relief that at least one head of terror has been eliminated. The news that folks want to see the photo is odd in my opinion because it will not bring back anyone’s family member, why not just trust our government took care of the world’s worst criminal. I am not sure it translates into getting out of Afghanistan sooner than what our President has announced and since there are questions about how much Pakistan knew before our Navy SEALs eliminated Osama Bin Laden our military may need to stay longer.

War is easier to declare than end and the consequences even worse …. remind your favourite member of Congress

Though we have pulled most of our troops out of Iraq, there are still thousands serving and protecting on behalf of all Americans. We still have Corporations in the private and or public sector companies … still not hiring enough as our slow recovery takes shape, or have changed the rules by limiting the work available as well as redefining what part-time means or is. The Democratic Party was voted out of the majority in 2010. Unfortunately, We had far too many public servants with personal agendas, Republicans, Conservadems, Tea Party or Tea baggers, who were only a small group a while ago have been able to put a few in the US Congress after the midterm elections. I was unhappy then but now somewhat pleased because the current nasty rhetoric, almost negative and or competing exchanges among themselves are encouraging if not telling. Teapublicans clearly used the lack of jobs; an unstable economy to win Election2010, the distraction won them the House but not the White House. While we were all watching, waiting the truth slowly unfolded and folks who voted them into office saw the ugly Teapublican agenda, which is that they are going after President Obama instead of creating jobs or a better economy. We all know this group has very extreme ideas about what they will do when on the floor of Congress and while the voters decided to send a message to the folks on Capitol Hill I am still confused about what voting against your best interest does for anyone but make things even worse. I was upset about it and as a member of the Democratic Party; feel people need to take control over their own ability to get good information and dissect it to make intelligent choices. The loss of the House, the things we all wanted as Dems, libs and or progressives were put at risk by all the “anger votes” made me sick. I want to believe people truly had no idea what was at stake and treated the midterms as the no big deal state based elections as per usual.

The only problem is, 4.7% of Blacks Women and Gay voters decided to lean right. The fact is, the 2010midterm elections mattered and will continue to as long as the TeaParty & Republicans grab onto more control of local city state and federal levels. My first thought was outrage then confusion that folks who usually support sometimes need support from the Government vote against their best interest. Only time will tell how much we all will suffer or for how long.

If that lean to the right in 2010 was a tantrum, you have to admit at some point that this is childish behavior. I would also say people need to stop whining and understand the governing process because if not we all will suffer for it and how selfish could someone be to hold their vote hostage or vote right of center just because they are angry is not only offensive but makes me wonder how American is that.

I will never understand anyone willing to vote against his or her best interests.