Tag Archives: Point/Counterpoint

BoldProgressives.org


Progressive Change Campaign Committee

 

BREAKING: The “bipartisan” deficit reduction commission — appointed by President Obama and led by millionaires — just made their ideas public. And they are ridiculous.

They recommend to Congress cutting Social Security benefits and raising the retirement age. (Shockingly, the commission of millionaires didn’t focus on raising taxes on the wealthy.)

We need to respond fast to make sure this goes nowhere. House Progressive Caucus Chair Raul Grijalva (who we just helped re-elect) has boldly organized over 100 of his colleagues to fight this proposal.

We need to show they have grassroots support. Can you join over 31,000 others in being a “citizen signer” of Grijalva’s letter? Click here.

Then, share with others — including on Facebook or Twitter.

We’ll inform Grijalva of our progress, so he can work with us to inform the media of this grassroots support.

Just today, Talking Points Memo reported on a poll we commissioned asking voters their preference on how to reduce the deficit:

  • 43% say raise taxes on the wealthy
  • 22% say cut the huge military budget
  • Only 12% say cut Social Security

Yet this “bipartisan” commission of millionaires recommends the exact opposite? Nancy Pelosi calls it “simply unacceptable.”

Help House progressives declare loudly: Cutting Social Security is simply not an option. Click to be a “citizen signer” of Grijalva’s letter — then share this email with others.

Thanks for being a bold progressive.

— Stephanie Taylor, Julia Rosen, Jason Rosenbaum, Forrest Brown, and the PCCC team

Save Social Security!

thrips Thursday & some News -Veterans Day


Today is Veterans Day … a day to enjoy either the crisp sunny 38degrees outdoors or stay indoors to celebrate and honor the men and women of the Military then pop corn watch Military movies all day long, talk about it and remember what the Men and Women in uniform mean to all of us here in the States. While i cannot begin to list all the Military people i know who have chosen to serve and protect our country in some form, it is with great pride to have and I thank them all for keeping us safe. I especially am thinking about a couple of brothers named Luis and Carlos both cutie pies and who still support others after time served… Semper Fi ! Luis …love ya over there in Brazil

Vice President Biden will lay the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns Today

FYI  Seattle

-Veterans Day -A Federal Holiday so most public service offices will be closed as well as many businesses -check before you leave your house

Most banks and credit unions:are closed

Parking Meters are mostly free today

Most government offices: closed Thursday. Exceptions include health-and-safety workers, such as state troopers, prison guards and child-protection workers.

Post offices: closed Thursday; no home mail delivery.

Schools and public libraries: closed.

State-run liquor stores: Open at either 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. and close at either 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. Contract liquor stores also may be open. Individual store schedules can be found on the Washington State Liquor Control Board‘s website at www.liq.wa.gov.

Metro buses: On Thursday, Metro Transit buses will operate a reduced weekday schedule in which some commuter and school-oriented routes won’t run, and other routes will run less frequently. Most buses will still run more frequently than on weekends. All Metro offices will be closed on the holiday, including the Customer Information Center phone lines. For information about transit service, go to www.kingcounty.gov/metro.

Pierce Transit: All buses, shuttles and express services will operate on a regular weekday schedule. Administrative offices and all Bus Shop facilities will be closed.

Community Transit: All buses will operate on a regular weekday schedule.

Sound Transit: All buses and trains will operate on a regular weekday schedule.

State ferries: All ferries will run on a regular weekday schedule.

Water taxis: Neither the Vashon nor the West Seattle water taxis — including the free West Seattle Water Taxi shuttles — will operate Thursday.

Washington State Department of Licensing offices: closed

Washington State Department of Health offices: closed

Waste pickup: In King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties, there will be normal garbage, yard-waste and recycling collection Thursday

Other News …

Obama deficit commission chairs came out without warning with news of what they felt will need to be put on the chopping block though other members of the commission have already objected

Amazon comes to Seattle w/10,000 jobs

New Chevy Volt on sales in Seattle next Fall

President Obama and the new congressional membership will meet Nov.18th

Grocery Workers are considering a strike contact UCFW21.org

G20 starts on Nov.12th

Tony Hayward says BP was totally unprepared to deal with the oil spill

Ask.com will be laying off 130 employees

GM lays off Mr. Goodwrench

Olympic

CSPAN …

 

Wicked Wednesday –As we move deeper into autumn and winter like weather it is the day before Veterans Day. My mind is on many things but the news and numerous ads on TV have brought back memories of my brother. My bother was a lifetime Marine, a phenomenal artist and promising professional football athlete drafted in high school under the old laws of military service overcame his height. I know he actually used his height as an advantage for the military though we all know the end result of the war he served the best he could earned medals at the cost of having a pace maker, heavily grafted and a hand that was quite mangled from protecting his men. I will say he made some mistakes during and after his years in service; he suffered from all that he endured while in Viet Nam like so many others in the name of military service. I am very proud of my brother.

…in 2008 53% voted for change and thank goodness people were bold enough to take the risk of voting for the first person of colour for the Office of President. The change we need will move Americans into 21st Century though as we have learned over the last twenty months that change is not what Wall Street, big Banks, AIG types, or the Republican Tea Party want.  The Republicans have voted against progress consistently on the floor of the Senate. If you are listening to the current rhetoric since the midterm elections, the Political Party of NO has managed to in my opinion fool those who decided to lean right because of the charade or label they have managed to sell to Americans -being the fiscally conservative political party. This only works when you are fiscally conservative until it involves some of their favorites like War and Tax cuts for the rich both of which the house of Bush dove into and in my mind rolled around in. The surplus $$$  i guess was spent in the name of being a good Republican in a pre-emptive strike against Iraq with reports of the house of Bush sending at least 10 million dollars a month to Iraq and Afghanistan. I have no idea how much they sent to Afghanistan but it is clear not enough and by the end of his reign, Americans found themselves in the depths of a deep recession. I am using humpty dumpty as my symbol of America with the need to put him back together again.  The fact that folks need reminding is offensive but here it is. America not having been through a recession this deep since the depression watched as the clowns in the house of Bush ran around trying to hide the fact that the sky was definitely on its way to falling. While they were looking for an out the rest of us watching waiting for answers participated in the 2008 Presidential Election as never before and when it came down to the choice 53% elected a guy named Barack Obama to deal with the chaos as people were losing their jobs left and right. I know some might say there were better candidates to have dealt with what the Republican Tea Party did to Americans but if you were paying attention no one had the calm, sanity,  resolve and trustworthy demeanor to handle what seemed like WMD on our country had just been dropped. The story behind the near financial collapse is by far a sad and devastating journey that has shaken the lives of so many Americans yet only one side of our government wants to make the corrections needed. We have two Political Parties and the other called the Political Party of NP has members of their party choosing to engage in fear mongering, threats, racism, stripping of Amendments, cutting and or privatizing social services programs. I am offended but not so naive to believe that change means keeping all things attached to social services and yes, we need to accept something cuts to shrink the deficit. I get frustrated when people think big spending equal big government was a choice made by President Obama when in reality we needed to save the system, who better then the very people who had more than just a topical knowledge of how the system works. I ask… who does not get that? It may not have been what anyone wanted to do but think about whom you would want to fix something when time is running out. The many branches connected to the near collapse reached out globally like fire moving state to state and  country after country with CEO’s reacting in various ways specifically laying off firing or outsourcing jobs in larger numbers than ever to possibly save themselves. It was obvious to have those with an intimate knowledge and experience to negotiate the terms in order to save us from what looked like the abyss. Though we hear people complain on a daily basis that the Obama Administration hired the very people who committed the crimes -i say suck it up because he hired or surrounded himself with the people who knew what to do to stop the flow toward a depression quickly. There was probably some distaste in the process but to say there was corruption as Issa would have everyone believe is just ridiculous in my opinion.

Other News …

CSPAN …

Actor Jeff Bridges Remarks on Combating Childhood Hunger Actor Jeff Bridges Remarks on Combating Childhood Hunger
Today
State Department Joint Press Briefing on U.S. Aid to Palestine State Department Joint Press Briefing on U.S. Aid to Palestine
Today
House GOP Majority Transition Office News Conference House GOP Majority Transition Office News Conference
Today
Fmr. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf Remarks at the Atlantic Council  Fmr. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf Remarks at the Atlantic Council
Today
Common Cause Discussion on 2010 Elections Common Cause Discussion on 2010 Elections
Today
British House of Commons Prime Minister's Questions British House of Commons Prime Minister’s Questions
Today
President Obama's Speech at the University of Indonesia President Obama’s Speech at the University of Indonesia
Tuesday
State Department Press Briefing State Department Press Briefing
Monday
NTSB Aging Driver Forum NTSB Aging Driver Forum
Tuesday
House Republican Transition Committee Meeting House Republican Transition Committee Meeting
Tuesday

Take the quiz. Get a free sticker.


Union of Concerned Scientists - Got Science?

Quick! True or False: Global warming will be good for farmers because they’ll be able to grow more corn.

Know the answer? If you do then you’re doing better than many of the people we see on television these days. Keep going by taking our Got Science or Not Science quiz today and we’ll send you a “Got Science?” sticker for your effort.

Test your global warming smarts and get your free “Got Science?” sticker today.

Take the Quiz and get a sticker! The Union of Concerned Scientists and CREDO Action have been keeping a close eye on what public personalities like Sean Hannity and Senator James Inhofe are saying on the airwaves about global warming. And we’ve come to the sad conclusion that in too many cases, there’s something missing: science.

See what we’re talking about right here. We’ve gathered quotes from climate experts, politicians, and news media. It’s up to you to determine whether each quote has got science or if it’s not science. Click here to take the quiz.

It’s pretty outrageous that the airwaves are still rampant with global warming deniers who will stop at nothing to mislead the public. So, that’s why the Union of Concerned Scientists and our friends at CREDO Action are fighting back with the truth. Test your global warming smarts and get your free “Got Science?” sticker Today. Take the quiz, get the sticker

Then, show off your smarts to your friends and let them know how they can get a free “Got Science?” sticker too.

Take the quiz. Get the sticker. Tell your friends.

Thank you for standing with the Union of Concerned Scientists to help restore scientific integrity to the national conversation about global warming.

Sincerely,
Kate Abend
Kate Abend
National Field Organizer
UCS Climate and Energy Program

Help bluefin tuna before they go extinct


Latest news and action alert from Greenpeace

Bluefin tuna are often called the cheetahs of the oceans. That’s because they can reach speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. They can reach lengths of 10 feet and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. But, as magnificent as they are—the bluefin tuna may not survive much longer.

Rampant overfishing has pushed the bluefin tuna to the brink of extinction. Their populations are so low that they’re now considered a delicacy. An individual bluefin tuna can be worth over $100,000 and found at high-end sushi restaurants.

take action today

To make matters worse, fishermen in the Mediterranean Sea target Atlantic bluefin during their peak-breeding season. The overfished bluefin aren’t even given a chance to recover their populations. Large fleets of fishing vessels race to encircle whole schools with dangerous nets known as “purse seines.”

The second place that bluefin tuna breed is in the Gulf of Mexico. And, this year, the bluefin tuna have a new threat to contend with—the largest oil spill in U.S. history. The Deepwater Horizon oil disaster resulted in the release of more than 200 million gallons of oil and 1.8 million gallons of toxic dispersants. All of this pollution occurred during the peak of bluefin spawning season.

Clearly, the bluefin tuna need our help.

Please take action and urge the Obama Administration to call on the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas to protect spawning bluefin in the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea now!

Sincerely,
Phil Kline
Phil Kline
Oceans Campaigner

RE: Recount Alerts: Eight Outstanding


Midnight tonight marks a critical milestone in our unwavering campaign to move America forward.

That’s the deadline for sending urgently needed financial resources to the field to support eight Democrats in races that remain too close to call. The most important thing you can do right now to ensure we win these battleground races is help us raise the remaining $43,627 we need by tonight’s Voter Protection deadline.

In the early morning hours after Election Day, we sent staff and legal teams to help these members locked in battles but they need urgent resources to keep up the fight.

Contribute $5, $10 or more before Midnight Tonight to our Voter Protection efforts to help keep up the fight.

Stand Up for Democrats

I know I’ve asked a lot of you already. But what happens in these eight campaigns has enormous implications for the future. Having more Democrats in Congress will not only give us a head start on returning to the Majority in 2012, but it will also affect our ability to oppose the Republicans‘ radical plans for rolling back health care reform, dismantling the Department of Education and privatizing Social Security and Medicare.

Contribute $5, $10 or more before Midnight Tonight to our Voter Protection efforts to help keep up the fight.

Time and time again, you have refused to have your voices silenced by the special interests. Now we must reaffirm our commitment to ensure every vote is counted fairly and accurately.

Thank you,

Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House

P.S. There are only hours left before tonight’s Midnight deadline to send out money to our voter protection efforts. Please stand with me to make sure Republicans don’t repeat the questionable tactics they used in Florida in 2000. We need these eight Democrats in Congress. Contribute before Midnight Tonight to our Voter Protection efforts to help keep up the fight.