Tag Archives: Franklin D. Roosevelt

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On this Day …


Women’s Rights Activists >> On This Day: March 12
Find out more about our diverse group of featured women’s rights activists, including activist Coretta Scott King, suffragist Susan B. Anthony, and writers Gloria Steinem and Alice Walker

1933
80 years ago
Franklin D. Roosevelt addresses Americans over the radio in his first fireside chat during the lowest point of the Great Depression.
Read Franklin D. Roosevelt’s biography >>

1957
56 years ago
Dr. Seuss‘ beloved children’s book The Cat in the Hat is published.
Read Dr. Seuss’ biography >>

Cover of
Cover via Amazon
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

What Conservati​ves Don’t Get


Media Matters for America Facebook Twitter
“A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned to walk forward.” Never has that phrase by Franklin D. Roosevelt seemed more apt than when reading the economic musings of the Wall Street Journal editorial page.

John Whitehouse Twitter: @existentialfish

Spending And The Economy

Economists are clear: decreased government spending is the primary culprit behind the slow economy. And experts are still calling for more infrastructure investment to prevent another bridge collapse like the 2007 one in Minneapolis. Albert Kleine fisks the WSJ‘s editorial page to show how economic growth and better jobs growth are possible in the wake of President Obama’s economic speech. http://mm4a.org/13dR749

What To Know About Detroit

Detroit filed for bankruptcy recently. While conservatives are reflexively blaming Obama for the city’s troubles, Joe Strupp spoke with Detroit reporters to get an actual picture of what led to this. http://mm4a.org/17DggJR Related: Fox thinks Detroit is a sign of things to come; Albert Kleine and Craig Harrington spoke with economist Jared Bernstein about why Detroit is a rare case: http://mm4a.org/1aYByXL

Reuters Climate Coverage Evaporates

FEATURED VIDEO

NRA board member and columnist Ted Nugent keeps pushing racism. This is a short video of the worst of Nugent’s hatred. http://youtu.be/WNiCmJpeTP8

LIMBAUGH AND O’REILLY’S BUSINESS MODEL

Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly have become outraged after President Obama’s remarks about race. Salon’s Joan Walsh examined how they stoke racial tension for cash: http://bit.ly/13fyZHQ

HAYES ON O’REILLY

A lot of what Bill O’Reilly has said about race is wrong. Chris Hayes took on O’Reilly’s “super racist rant” — and it’s well worth five minutes of your time. http://mm4a.org/140I4U0

IMAGE OF THE WEEK

The Minimum Wage Hasn’t Increased In Four Years; What You Need To Know

A new Media Matters analysis finds that Reuters climate coverage declined under Managing Editor Paul Ingrassia, a self-described “skeptic.” This comes after Reuters’ previous climate change corresspondant claimed that Ingrassia was killing stories. Max Greenberg examines the evidence: http://mm4a.org/1653RNn Related: Fox News was happy to push a story claiming the EPA targeted conservatives, but when the story predictably collapsed, Fox ignored it: http://mm4a.org/12fyTVO
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

75 years later

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NWLCHands-Circle-180“A fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work”—that was President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s goal when he signed the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) 75 years ago today, establishing a federal minimum wage. It was a wonderful start—and now it’s time to make sure the minimum wage works for the 21st century.
TAKE ACTION: Urge your Senators and Representative to support the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013.
The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013 will provide a much-needed update to the minimum wage. The federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 per hour for almost four years — and at that rate, a woman working full time, year round earns just $14,500: nearly $4,000 below the poverty line for a family of three. The bill will gradually raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour, and index it to inflation in order to keep up with the rising cost of living. It will also increase the minimum cash wage for tipped workers to 70 percent of the regular minimum wage — because right now the federal minimum cash wage for tipped workers is only $2.13 per hour.
ACT NOW: Tell your Members of Congress that it’s time for minimum-wage workers to get a raise!
Need a reason to act? How about five:

  1. Women represent nearly two-thirds of minimum-wage workers and workers in tipped occupations.
  2. Women are the majority in the 10 largest occupations that pay less than $10.10 per hour (and seven of these occupations have two-thirds or more women workers).
  3. Increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 would boost annual earnings by $5,700—enough to pull a family of three out of poverty.
  4. Raising the minimum wage will boost earnings for more than 30 million workers—generating additional economic activity and creating jobs as workers spend this income quickly to make ends meet.
  5. Raising the minimum wage would help close the gender wage gap, and would be especially helpful to women of color, who are disproportionately represented among female minimum-wage workers.

Minimum-wage workers across the country can’t afford to wait for a raise any longer. Celebrate the 75th anniversary of the minimum wage by taking action!
Thank you for all you do for women and families.
Sincerely,
Joan Entmacher  Joan Entmacher Vice President, Family Economic Security National Women’s Law Center    

P.S. States can set a higher minimum wage — and some states have done so just this year! Find out how your state is doing by checking out our interactive map.
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

It’s an American Classic – Our Social Security System


 
What’s an American classic? Something that stays fresh and wonderful generation after generation. Something that says, “This is America.” Like ice cream cones. The Statue of Liberty. Sunday drives. The March on Washington and “I have a dream.” I Love Lucy.And our Social Security system.

Social Security - It's An American Classic! Celebrate Social Security’s birthday. Share this on:

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On this date in 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act. On its 77th birthday, we hail Social Security as an American classic! Why?

  • Social Security has brought Americans together across generations. Working together, we’ve built a system that provides income and security for workers and their families when they need it — when income is lost due to retirement, disability, or death.
  • For three-quarters of a century, through wars, recessions, natural disasters — and stock market crashes — Social Security has made every payment, on time and in full.
  • Social Security is the foundation of retirement security for most Americans — especially women. Without income from Social Security, half of women 65 and older would be poor.
  • Social Security is a family insurance plan that protects young workers, their spouses, and their children. More than 3.2 million children rely on Social Security.

And Social Security is still going strong! Even with no changes, it can pay 100 percent of promised benefits for the next 20 years, and 75 percent of promised benefits after that. Yes, there’s a long-term shortfall. But to put it in perspective: eliminating the entire 75-year shortfall costs about as much as extending the Bush-era tax cuts for the richest two percent.
Social Security will only turn 77 once! To celebrate this American classic you can:

When he signed the Social Security Act, President Roosevelt said that this law “represents a cornerstone in a structure which is being built but is by no means complete.” Since 1935 Americans have expanded and improved this structure, providing benefits for widows and children, workers with disabilities, benefits for divorced spouses (initially, after a 20-year marriage, later reduced to 10 years), eliminating sex discrimination in the award of benefits, and providing automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) that help protect the value of Social Security benefits from eroding over time.
We need your help to protect and strengthen Social Security! Later this year, Congress will make far-reaching budget decisions — and cuts to Social Security benefits, particularly by reducing annual cost-of-living adjustments, are reportedly on the table. After Congress returns, we’ll keep you posted and make it easy for you to take action to protect Social Security. In addition, the policy makers we choose in November will make important decisions about the future of our Social Security system. So be sure you’re registered to vote!
Sincerely,
Joan Entmacher Joan Entmacher Vice President, Family Economic Security National Women’s Law Center   

P.S. Want to learn more about what Social Security means to women and families in your state? Check out our state-by-state fact sheets!
Black History

Congress: the Republican led House – the Senate


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The Senate Convened at 10:00amET January 24, 2012

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 4:00pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each with the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees, with the Majority controlling the first 30 minutes and the Republicans controlling the second 30 minutes.
  • The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.

Following any Leader remarks on Thursday, January 26th, the Republican Leader, or his designee, will be recognized to move to proceed to the consideration of Calendar #294, H.J.Res.98, a joint resolution relating to the disapproval of the President’s exercise of authority to increase the debt limit with the time until noon for debate on the motion to proceed, with the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders, or their designees.

At noon on Thursday, January 26th, the Senate will conduct a roll call vote on the adoption of the motion to proceed to H.J.Res.98 (majority threshold). If the motion is successful, then the time for debate with respect to the joint resolution will be equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees. Upon the use or yielding back of time, the joint resolution will be read a third time and the Senate will proceed to vote on passage of the joint resolution.

WRAP UP …

No ROLL CALL VOTES

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Adopted S.Res.353, congratulating the North Dakota State University football team for winning the 2011 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision title.

Discharged the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee from further consideration of H.R.1791, to designate the United States courthouse under construction at 101 South United States Route 1 in Fort Pierce, Florida, as the “Alto Lee Adams, Sr., United States Courthouse” and referred the bill to the Committee on Environmental and Public Works.

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

———————————————————————————————–

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE DAY OF JANUARY 24, 2012

 112TH CONGRESS – SECOND SESSION

HR3630 expires Feb.29th

-The House adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on January 25, 2012.10:24:55 P.M. -On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.10:24:50 P.M. -Mr. Cantor moved that the House do now adjourn.10:23:30 P.M. -REFERRAL OF PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE – Mr. Cantor moved that the message of the President the United States be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed as a House Document (H. Doc. 112-76). The motion was agreed to.10:23:00 P.M. -JOINT SESSION DISSOLVED – The Speaker declared the Joint Session of the two Houses dissolved.8:40:05 P.M. -JOINT SESSION – The House convened in Joint Session with the Senate for the purpose of receiving an address from the President of the United States on the subject of the state of the Union.8:40:00 P.M. -The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of January 24.4:58:00 P.M. -The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 8:35 P.M. today at which time the House will meet in Joint Session with the Senate to receive a communication from the President of the United States.4:56:00 P.M. -Mr. Carter asked unanimous consent That, when the House adjourns on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, it adjourn to meet at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 25, 2012. Agreed to without objection.4:55:08 P.M. -H.R. 3630Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.4:55:07 P.M. -H.R. 3630On motion that the House instruct conferees Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 397 – 16 (Roll no. 9).4:48:29 P.M. -H.R. 2070Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.4:48:29 P.M. -H.R. 2070On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 386 – 26 (Roll no. 8).4:41:04 P.M. -H.R. 2070Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 2070 — “To direct the Secretary of the Interior to install in the area of the World War II Memorial in the District of Columbia a suitable plaque or an inscription with the words that President Franklin D. Roosevelt prayed with the nation on June 6, 1944, the morning of D-Day.”4:40:41 P.M. -H. Res. 516Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.4:40:39 P.M. -H. Res. 516On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 410 – 1, 1 Present (Roll no. 7).4:16:59 P.M. -H. Res. 516Considered as unfinished business. H. Res. 516 — “Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the passage of a fiscal year 2013 Federal budget is of national importance.”4:16:36 P.M. -UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of motions to suspend the rules, and the Capps Motion to Instruct Conferees to H.R. 3630, all of which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.4:15:59 P.M. -Mr. Sessions filed a report from the Committee on Rules on H. Res. 522.4:15:53 P.M. -The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of January 24.3:06:59 P.M. -The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.3:06:13 P.M. -H. Res. 516At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.2:19:33 P.M. -H. Res. 516DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 516.2:19:32 P.M. -H. Res. 516Considered under suspension of the rules.2:19:18 P.M. -H. Res. 516Mr. Ryan (WI) moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution. H. Res. 516 — “Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the passage of a fiscal year 2013 Federal budget is of national importance.”2:17:03 P.M. -H.R. 3630POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 3630, the Chair put the question on the motion and by voice vote announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mrs. Capps demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until later in the legislative day.1:21:25 P.M. -H.R. 3630DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour debate on the Capps motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 3630. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the managers on the part of the House at the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the Senate amendment to the bill H.R. 3630 be instructed to file a conference report not later than February, 17, 2012.1:20:59 P.M. -H.R. 3630Mrs. Capps moved that the House instruct conferees.1:20:03 P.M. -H.R. 3800Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.1:19:58 P.M. -H.R. 3800On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.1:05:14 P.M. -H.R. 3800DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3800.1:05:13 P.M. -H.R. 3800Considered under suspension of the rules.1:05:00 P.M. -H.R. 3800Mr. Petri moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 3800 — “To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the funding and expenditure authority of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, to amend title 49, United States Code, to extend authorizations for the airport improvement program, and for other purposes.”1:03:38 P.M. -H.R. 1022At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.12:57:56 P.M. -H.R. 1022DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1022.12:57:55 P.M. -H.R. 1022Considered under suspension of the rules.12:57:40 P.M. -H.R. 1022Mr. Johnson (OH) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 1022 — “To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of alternatives for commemorating and interpreting the role of the Buffalo Soldiers in the early years of the National Parks, and for other purposes.”12:57:37 P.M. -H.R. 290Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.12:57:34 P.M. -H.R. 290On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.12:46:15 P.M. -H.R. 290DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 290.12:46:13 P.M. -H.R. 290Considered under suspension of the rules.12:46:03 P.M. -H.R. 290Mr. Johnson (OH) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 290 — “To amend title 36, United States Code, to ensure that memorials commemorating the service of the United States Armed Forces may contain religious symbols, and for other purposes.”12:45:48 P.M. -H.R. 2070At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.12:35:03 P.M. -H.R. 2070DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2070.12:35:01 P.M. -H.R. 2070Considered under suspension of the rules.12:35:00 P.M. -H.R. 2070Mr. Johnson (OH) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. H.R. 2070 — “To direct the Secretary of the Interior to install in the area of the World War II Memorial in the District of Columbia a suitable plaque or an inscription with the words that President Franklin D. Roosevelt prayed with the nation on June 6, 1944, the morning of D-Day.”12:34:34 P.M. -The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until the conclusion of general debate on all suspensions.12:04:59 P.M. -ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches which by direction of the Chair, would be limited to 15 per side of the aisle.12:04:38 P.M. -PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Ms. Hayworth to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.12:04:36 P.M. -The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.12:01:55 P.M. -Today’s prayer was offered by Reverend Dr. Kate Braestrup, Maine Warden Service, Lincolnville, Maine12:00:55 P.M. -The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of January 24.11:36:12 A.M. -The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 P.M. today.10:02:23 A.M. -MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House continued with further Morning-Hour Debate.10:02:05 A.M. -The House received a message from the Senate. The Senate passed S. 1134, and H.R. 3237. Senate agreed to H. Con. Res. 96.10:01:05 A.M. -MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate. At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 12:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.10:00:55 A.M. -The Speaker designated the Honorable Erik Paulsen to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.10:00:28 A.M. -The House convened, starting a new legislative day.