Tag Archives: Patty Murray

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Hostages

12/13/2012 Nativegrl77 1 Comment

Another Way the GOP Favors the Wealthy Over Everyone Else

While much of the discussion around the fiscal showdown has rightly focused on the top tax rates for the wealthiest Americans, there are a lot of other very important tax issues to sort. Notably, many expanded tax credits for low-wage workers and other important tax credits, such as the American Opportunity tax credit, will disappear at the end of the year if they are not extended.

The Senate has already passed a bill extending these important tax credits as well as the current tax rates for 98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses, but Republicans are holding those tax cuts hostage in order to get more tax breaks for the wealthy.

Our colleagues put together a handy infographic showing how Republican plans would impact different families.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

“New” Republican fiscal cliff offer: permanently extend tax cuts for the rich.

The public doesn’t care for Speaker Boehner’s handling of the fiscal showdown.

Rape gaffe candidate blames loss on “liberal media.”

POLL: Obama has overwhelming “mandate” to raise taxes on the rich, protect Medicare and Social Security benefits.

Liberals promise to fight any effort to raise the Medicare eligibility age.

How workers can repeal the Michigan GOP’s anti-union power grab.

Sen. Lindsey Graham’s ridiculous comments on marriage equality.

The Federal Reserve made a big move to help improve the economy.

Things in Syria are getting even worse.

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Act now: Urge policymakers to take the chained CPI off the table

12/13/2012 Nativegrl77

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

Why are policy makers thinking about cutting Social Security behind closed doors? Because it’s easier for them if you don’t really know what’s happening.

Well, the cat is out of the bag.

According to recent news reports, the chained CPI is officially on the table and gaining buzz in the current deficit reduction negotiations. If the chained CPI (a new and lower Consumer Price Index) is adopted the cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) that Social Security recipients depend on would be calculated in a new way that cuts the value of benefits each year. And no matter how Washington insiders try to spin it, it means a CUT to Social Security benefits.

Act now: Urge policymakers to take the chained CPI off the table during budget negotiations.

Need a reason to take action? How about five?

The chained CPI will cut the value of benefits each year.
The cuts add up — quickly. The cut in the value of benefits will be equivalent to the cost of a week’s worth of food each month by age 80 and nearly two weeks’ worth by 95 for the typical single elderly woman.
The chained CPI cuts everyone’s benefits — including today’s beneficiaries — as soon as it goes into effect.
It particularly hurts women because, on average, they live longer than men and are already more likely to be poor.
It’s less accurate because it doesn’t account for the real increases in the cost of living the elderly face each year.

Oh, and there’s a 6th! As the White House has pointed out, Social Security isn’t the cause of our deficits. So switching the COLA to the chained CPI is just an underhanded move to balance the budget on the backs of the elderly, especially elderly women.

Your voice can make a difference! Tell your Members of Congress and President Obama that the chained CPI should NOT be part of deficit reduction talks.

Thanks for all of your support!

Sincerely,

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

P.S. Are you on Facebook? Help us spread the word about what the chained CPI would really mean for women.

P.P.S. Read just one of the many news reports here.

Black History

Congress: the Republican led House : the Senate on break until Dec.10

12/07/2012 Nativegrl77

11:00:00 A.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
11:01:10 A.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable Andy Harris to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
11:01:18 A.M.		Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
11:02:16 A.M.		The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.
11:02:20 A.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG – The Chair led the House in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
11:02:50 A.M.		The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received the following message from the Secretary of the Senate on December 6, 2012 at 9:42 a.m.: That the Senate passed S. 1947 and S. 3254.
11:02:52 A.M.		The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received the following message from the Secretary of the Senate on December 6, 2012 at 5:22 p.m.: That the Senate passed H.R. 6582, without amendment, and passed S. 3666.
11:03:30 A.M.		The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received the following message from the Secretary of the Senate on December 6, 2012 at 3:46 p.m.: That the Senate passed H.R. 6634, without amendment.
11:04:35 A.M.		The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received the following message from the Secretary of the Senate on December 6, 2012 at 12:42 p.m.: That the Senate passed H.R. 4310, with an amendment, and requests a conference with the House, and appoints conferees; that the Senate passed S. 3331, and passed H.R. 6156, without amendment.
11:05:11 A.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn pursuant to a previous special order. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on December 11, 2012.

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Support Maria Cantwell for Senate …

10/12/2012 Nativegrl77

With just 27 days until Election Day, I’ve got big news:

We just launched our first TV ad of the general election, highlighting one of the many ways that Maria has made life better for the people of our state: by working with businesses to create jobs here in Washington, including for our veterans.

Too many veterans serve our country and then find it difficult to secure jobs when they return home. Maria knows that we’ve got to change that.

Click here to see our new ad, “Great People,” and see what Maria is doing to boost job creation and get veterans working again in Washington.

Maria was a cosponsor of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, a law that’s helping veterans find jobs here in Washington and around the country.

This law:

Offers tax incentives to businesses that hire unemployed veterans;
Created a retraining program to help veterans transition to new jobs back at home; and
Provides new pathways to make the jump back into civilian life a little easier.

While we still have more work to do to create jobs for veterans and non-veterans alike, this is a program that we can all be proud of.

Filmed in Tacoma at J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding, our new ad shows why Maria is the right choice for Washington — watch it and then share it with everyone you know.

In 27 days, we have a chance to send a champion of Washington back to the Senate. We know that Maria will fight for us day-in and day-out to increase employment opportunities and bring back jobs to Washington.

But we still need to get the word out in these final weeks of the campaign — please watch our new ad, then forward this email to your friends so that they can watch it, too!

Thank you,

Robin Brand Campaign Manager Friends of Maria

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Sen. Patty Murray D-WA Raise Revenues and Cut Taxes

07/25/2012 Nativegrl77

Jul 17, 2012 by BrookingsInstitution

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.): The way forward is clear, we have to raise revenues and cut taxes; and Republicans need to understand that tax reform isn’t a back door for sneaking through more tax cuts for the rich.
On July 16, 2012, the Budgeting for National Priorities project at Brookings hosted Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), member of the Senate Budget Committee, former chair of the bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction and a member of Senate Democratic leadership, for a conversation on the upcoming fiscal cliff, how she views the path to a balanced and bipartisan approach to avoiding it, and what steps she believes can be taken on the expiring Bush tax cuts and the scheduled sequestration.

Following Senator Murray’s keynote address, a panel of Brookings experts reflected on the current budget situation and prospects for a “grand bargain” to rein in the deficit and spur economic growth.
More on this event at: http://goo.gl/DbQpJ