Tag Archives: Democratic Party

weekend views &some News …


The weather is just as mad as what is going on politically No?

With a couple of days, left in February the countdown to March Madness and the NCAA championships begins by those devoted college bb fans. The crazy climate(changes) around the country are just as mad but the madness in Washington, DC and specifically on the floor of the Senate begins on Monday the last day of February.

Last year at this time, President Obama was in Philadelphia talking about what HCR will do for everyone what the exchanges will offer when implemented. Though if you listened to the Media garbage back then, we were supposed to believe that it is his last ditch effort to push, jam, ram and or dupe Senators to get HCR through; but contrary to what Republicans and or “the Media” says the debate on HCR took about a year. I don’t know about you but that hardly qualifies for ramming or rushing in my opinion. The biggest issue for me about HCR was that Congress did not listen to the people and of course, “the media” kept the public from hearing all of what HCR could you for us personally. Now, after a few months of media network staff shake-ups we find out that FOX was NOT the only station with a strategy to limit the information “We the People” received by the bigwigs like Murdoch and the Koch brothers. The fact is there were more people who wanted a Public Option back then but apparently little or no airplay. Finding out that the 24/7 news cycle is actually manipulated to the extent that it is should make us all give pause and question what we see or hear on the television machine.

Most of us agree that the television machine and cable stations should not be allowed to just give us what THEY want us to hear see and use to judge how those bills will not only affect us but how it might affect our voting, but if we take the November elections into account, it worked . The information coming out of the airwaves was deceptive back then when Congress was trying to pass legislation before the midterm elections and now that Congress is getting back to work next week we all need to push for better, more accurate ok demand the truth when reporting opposed to what most if not all are delivering to us currently. In addition, if being manipulated by those in the News biz industry wasn’t bad enough those guest spots are now such jokes because they seem sound and act scripted. I want the real news fair and balanced on all stations whether owned by right or center politically or on the extreme right.

It would be great if left of center, the Democratic Party in both chambers of Congress actually conceives some sort of plan and or strategy and start calling the bluffs of the Republican Tea Party. The fact is the public deserves to know what kinds of disgusting amendments the Republican Tea Party tries to attach to reasonably fair and balanced bills in order that no one could vote for them. I admit I have yet to understand why the House and Senate adjourn early or take breaks so often leaving the people’s business until the last minute. It worked during the lame duck session but you have to wonder if they are dedicated public servants or a bunch of politicians who have no plan and just avoiding the obvious for as long as they can blaming the President for his lack of leadership. The lack of leadership in Democratic Party in Congress worked for two years; seemingly distracted by their election campaigns. The lame duck session was constructive their lack of good strategy bit us back with tea party members being elected and some of them extreme with the so-called mainstream conservatives trying to keep up in order that they keep their seats in Congress and that worked too. I thought the tea party was bad and they are but they have also given a few negative blows to their Republican sub-group voting against them which was unexpected by Republican led leader of the House. There were promises made in that so called “Pledge to America” that has yet to —– and is being questioned more and more and because of the tea party, folks right of center, think John McCain, Tim Pawlenty and a few others who use to be considered reasonable have now chosen to lean even farther right, practice exclusion, are seemingly birthers. If you pay attention to what Pawlenty has been saying, if elected President will reenact dadt at least who knows what else he will promise, maybe strip the constitution of the 14th and 17th amendments. Well, calling March mad because of college basketball is mild considering the madness that is in the political air definitely applies to what we will probably see on the floor of Congress for the next two years and it will probably make us all mad. Unless of course hearing about a completely new round of offensive gossip, promotion of falsehoods and outright lies about the President’s beliefs and or if he is an American is not enough. It seems like strategically filtered blips put into interviews by potential Presidential candidates and talking heads, which makes me mad because really it just does not belong on the airwaves in any form especially in the news. Most people expect truthful news maybe some spin but these days the spin is laced with some truth or maybe it’s the Republican truth accepted pushed at us by not just right wing stations but by seemingly progressive stations who actually are owned by righties definitely limiting left of center news get on the airwaves.

Last… as February leaves let the madness of March begin …Talk about March Madness, last March Republican Senator Paul Broun, from Georgia; stated that all you had to do was read it for yourself; he knows for sure President Obama was a Socialist. A reporter asked if he thought President Obama was born in the US, Broun stated he did not know but frankly as someone in public office, he should have said yes. It might just be me but isn’t that the response birthers usually give, maybe a tea party member. It is amazing to know that this kind of behavior is what we get and accept from people holding public office that we pay to do the business of the people. If Barack Obama were white, there would be absolutely no questions about his beliefs, race, and or religion. It’s offensive that a Public Servant would behave in such a way; but then the list of Senators behaving like Broun are many and should make people outraged or at least question his competency. It is ironic that a year ago Broun was acting out, still got elected, the charade is over and the truth of what the Republicans have planned for Americans is out.

What happened, the end results of the November elections is a warning to those who stayed home to protest, voted right of center for whatever reason and for registered Republican voters. I have a question for all those above -is this what you want and voted for yourselves or the future of your children because what I see spreading all over the country, mostly the south does not fit what less government has always been described as by any stretch of the imagination.

 Other News …

**Reports of a 2week compromise by dems&repubs in the Senate which might help avoid govt shutdown

**Tripoli braces for even more deadly clashes

**NFL mediations take place on Tuesday

**Security forces switch sides in Libya -join protesters

**Shuttle docks with space station for last and the 13th time

**83rd annual Acad Awards tonight

**will cnn back off the major coverage they planned of the tea party or will they show how right of centr they truly are

**Governors will make that trip to Washington, DC minus Scott Walker who is trying to figure out how they will get the dems at the table only to proceed with dismantling the unions with a quick vote -they just have to be in the room and the vote taken -and it’s all over –

warpy Wednesday &some News


Winter continues even though that groundhog said we would have an early spring. i guess that depends on what part of the U.S. you are in. It is windy,cold and  snowing here so let the bad driving commence.  Today is a good day to take a deep breath through the nose reach up to the sky and slowly release your breath slowly through your mouth and lower your arms …repeat as needed. It is also a day to mourn, definitely a moment to see what is going on in America right now and a time to fight.

Next week Congress will be back in session hopefully willing to act on behalf of all Americans and not just for their own agendas, good luck with that right. It is time for the Democratic Party to unite in solidarity on the floor of Congress for “We the People, challenge Republicans and call their bluffs to vote against their fellow Americans which they have been succeeding at until the recent uprisings in various states by Working Families. It is obvious Republican constituents fall into a few categories, some are complicit supporters of exclusion and discrimination, a few are too busy looking at that shiny thing the Republican Tea Party is waving while others are oblivious to reality. The reality being that life as we all know it as Americans is about to change with the worst impact being on women, kids and minorities with some belonging to public or private unions while all are apart of working families.  The fight to keep democracy intact is on and those of us that are on the side of families must not give up. In Solidarity

the Democratic Party is definitely trying to get Americans back on track and the Republicans who want more of the Bush era which if you were paying attention allowed Corporations to bet against us with all the Profits being hoarded by them and our 401K being stripped, stolen and or lost completely.

The question is will Republican constituents continue to prefer the status quo or see the opportunity to move into the 21st Century

Other News …

 **U.S. decades behind other countries in parental leave report says …for complete article by David Crary-Assoc Press

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker his words condemning the unions have no rights

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBnSv3a6Nh4    

Part 2  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3a2pYGr7-k

**Pro-Union website blocked in Wisconsin Capitol

**www.buffalobeast.com  

**Democratic legislators have gone to Illinois to avoid a vote to shut down the rights of pub and private union workers to bargain…give people a chance to understand what republicans are asking them to vote on and for

**Stocks are poised for higher open afer sell-off

**Illinois seeks to borrow $3.7 billion to shore up pension shortfall

 **Gov.Walker refuses to negotiate with public and private unions

**Rahm Emanuel takes the oath to the office of Mayor on May 16th

*Ghadafi vows to die a “martyr”? — Interior minster resigns than kill his own people

**Bahrain releases prisoners as king leaves country

**Dems dare GOP to shutdown the Federal Government

**Texas Rep. says he will turn illegal immigrants to members of Congress

**

CSPAN …

Bank Industry Profits $21.7B in 4Q

http://c-span.com/Events/Bank-Industry-Profits-217B-in-4Q/10737419756/

Experts Examine Unrest in the Middle East

http://c-span.com/Events/Experts-Examine-Unrest-in-the-Middle-East/10737419757/

State briefing: c‑span.org at Noon ET

WH briefing: C‑SPAN at 12:30pm ET

3:30pm ET: Carnegie Discussion on Economic Impact of Unrest in the Arab World

Libya unrest rattles markets; oil prices jump http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9LHUKEG0.htm

President Obama’s economic strategy is examined today in a number of Washington events highlighting financial reform, the President’s spending plans and the Presidential Debt Commission. http://c-span.com/Events/Challenges-Facing-President-Obama39s-Budget-Financial-Reforms/10737419740/

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the United States is focused on getting American citizens out of Libya. There are about thirty-five nonessential U.S. embassy employees and family members who were ordered out because of the violence in that country. Other topics at this daily briefing include the four American hostages killed by Somali pirates and an American diplomat jailed in Pakistan.

http://c-span.com/Events/State-Department-Press-Briefing/10737419770/

Jason Furman, Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Principal Deputy Director of the National Economic Council spoke at an event hosted by the New Democratic Council (NDN) about President Obama’s “Winning the Future” initiative. http://c-span.com/Events/New-Democratic-Network-NDN-Discussion-on-quotWinning-the-Futurequot/10737419774/

a message from Nancy Pelosi …Extreme Assault on Women’s Health


House Republicans have begun the most radical restrictions on women’s health in our lifetimes.

Their extreme agenda would punish women and businesses by increasing their taxes if their health insurance covers the full range of reproductive health care. It would cut off funding for women’s health care clinics that offer reproductive health services. They are also refusing to drop their attempt to redefine rape.

We cannot and must not stay silent in the face of this extreme effort to undermine women’s health and reproductive freedom in our country.

I am asking for your urgent support to help us raise $100,000 for the DCCC’s Women’s Health Rapid Response Fund so we can hold the Republicans accountable.

please contribute ….click on the link below

http://www.dccc.org/page/m/1d63c406/1b9dd8ab/515b6646/4e0d113f/1592667947/VEsE/

In the face of this extreme agenda, we cannot stay silent.

With your urgent support, we will speak out strongly against the Republicans’ effort to deny millions of Americans access to reproductive health care.

Thank you,

Nancy Pelosi

Democratic Leader

Congress -what is going on in the Senate 2/2, 2/3 & 2/4


 The Senate Convenes at 10:00amET Friday 4, 2011

Following any Leader remarks, there will be a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

There will be no roll call votes during Friday’s session of the Senate.

By unanimous consent, the Senate locked in the agreement outlined below with respect to Executive nominations. As a result of this agreement, there will be 2 roll call votes at 5:30pm on Monday.

On Monday, February 7, 2011, at 4:30 pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the following nominations:

– Calendar #3 Paul Holmes, of AR, to be US District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas;

– Calendar #6 Diana Saldana, of TX, to be US District Judge for the Southern District of Texas;

– Calendar #8 Marco Hernandez, of OR, to be US District Judge for the District of Oregon.

There will be one hour for debate equally divided in the usual form. Upon the use or yielding back of time, Calendar #8 will be confirmed and the Senate will proceed to vote on confirmation of Calendar #3 and Calendar #6 in that order.

As a result of this agreement, at 5:30pm on Monday, February 7, there will be 2 roll call votes on confirmation of the following nominations:

– Calendar #3 Paul Holmes, of AR, to be US District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas; and

– Calendar #6 Diana Saldana, of TX, to be US District Judge for the Southern District of Texas;

———————————————————————————————-

The Senate Convenes at 9:30amET February 3, 2011

Morning business until 10:30am.

Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.223, the FAA Authorization bill.

The following amendments are pending to S.223:

– Whitehouse amendment #8 (laser pointers)

– Wicker amendment #14 (Excludes TSA from collective bargaining)

– Blunt amendment #5 (private screening company)

– Nelson (FL) #34 (NASA)

– Paul #21 (reduce authorization for FAA to FY2008 levels)

– Wyden #27 (increase test sites for unmanned aerial vehicles)

– Paul #19 (Davis Bacon)

Other Senators are waiting to offer their amendments. Senators will be notified when any votes are scheduled.

1-3pm morning business for the purpose of giving remarks relative to the upcoming centennial of the birth of President Ronald Reagan.

3:00pm Senator Manchin will give his maiden speech to the Senate.

The Senate has entered into an agreement that provides for 2 roll call votes around 5:20pm, if all time is used. Please note that some time may be yielded back and the votes could begin earlier.

Under the agreement, Senator Paul will call up amendment #19 (Davis Bacon). There will then be up to 30 minutes for debate equally divided between Senators Paul and Rockefeller, or their designees. There will then be up to 10 minutes for debate equally divided on the Whitehouse amendment #8 (laser pointers) between Senators Whitehouse and Hutchison, or their designees.

Upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate will proceed to vote in relation to the following amendments:

– Whitehouse #8 (laser pointers)

– Paul #19 (Davis Bacon)

There will be no amendments or points of order in order prior to the votes.

Votes:

10: Whitehouse amendment #8: (laser pointers);

Agreed To: 96-1

11: Rockefeller motion to table the Paul amendment #19: (Davis Bacon);

Tabled: 55-42

Unanimous Consent:

Adopted S.Res.42, a resolution making Majority Party committee appointments.

Adopted S.Res.43, a resolution making Minority Party committee appointments.

Adopted S.Res.44, a resolution supporting democracy, universal rights, and the peaceful transition to a representative government in Egypt.

Adopted S.Res.45, a resolution congratulating the Eastern Washington University Football team for winning the 2010 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 Football Championship Subdivision title.

—————————————-

 the Senate Convenes at 10:00amET Wednesday

Following any Leader remarks, Senator Paul will be recognized for up to 20 minutes in morning business to deliver his maiden speech.

Following his remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of S.223, the Federal Aviation Administration bill.

The following amendments are pending to S.223, FAA Authorization:

Stabenow #9 (1099 Reporting)

McConnell #13 (Health Care Repeal)

Levin #28 (1099 repeal)

This morning in his opening statement, Senator Reid announced to his colleagues that he spoke to Senator McConnell and they agreed to work towards having up to 3 roll call votes in the 5-6pm range this evening.

Those votes would be in relation to the following amendments to S.223, FAA Authorization:

– Possible Democratic amendment (1099 Reporting);

– Stabenow amendment #9 (1099 Reporting); and

– McConnell amendment #13 (Health Care Law Repeal).

At 5:15pm, the Senate will proceed to a series of 3 roll call votes in relation to the following amendments to S.223, FAA Authorization:

– Levin amendment #28 (repeal of 1099 with oil and gas offset);

– Stabenow amendment #9 (repeal of 1099 with unspent discretionary funds offset, exempts DoD, VA and Social Security Administration); and

– McConnell amendment #13 (repeal of health care reform).

The Levin amendment is subject to an affirmative 60-vote threshold for its adoption. No other amendments, points of order or motions are in order to these amendments prior to the votes except a Budge point of order, if applicable.

There will be 2 minutes for debate prior to each vote. The first vote will be 15 minutes in duration and the remaining 2 votes will be 10 minutes in duration.

Votes:

7: Levin amendment #28: (repeal of 1099 with oil and gas offset) (60-vote threshold);

Not Agreed To: 44-54

8: Stabenow motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to Stabenow amendment #9: (repeal of 1099 with unspent discretionary funds offset, exempts DoD, VA and Social Security Administration);

Waived: 81-17 (subsequently agreed to by consent)

9: McConnell motion to waive Budget Act with respect to McConnell amendment #13: (repeal of health care reform);

Not Agreed To: 47-51

There will be no further roll call votes tonight.

Unanimous Consent:

Adopted S.Res.30, a resolution celebrating February 2, 2011, as the 25th anniversary of ‘National Women and Girls in Sports Day’.

Adopted S.Res.36, a resolution raising awareness and encouraging the prevention of stalking by designating January 2011 as “National Stalking Awareness Month”.

Adopted S.Res.37, a resolution recognizing the goals of Catholic Schools Week.

Adopted S.Res.38, a resolution congratulating Brooklyn Center, Minnesota on its 100th anniversary.

Adopted S.Res.39, a resolution congratulating the Auburn University football team for winning the 2010 Bowl Championship Series National Championship.

Adopted S.Res.40, a resolution congratulating the University of Akron men’s soccer team on winning the National Collegiate Athletic Associate Division I Men’s Soccer Championship.