Tag Archives: political action

Republicans have characterized the Democrats’ push to pass health care reform and their subsequent dismissal of GOP efforts to repeal the legislation as “arrogant,” pointing to opinion polls which show that Americans overwhelmingly oppose the new health care law and support its repeal. But if Republicans want to govern based on public opinion, they should be careful what they ask for.

Most of We the People 59% Want a Public Option.

A new national survey conducted between April 6th and 10th by researchers from Indiana University’s Center for Health Policy and Professionalism Research (CHPPR) finds that while 58% of Americans support repealing the law a majority of those that favor repeal want Congress to pass more liberal legislation that includes a public option:

When asked how important they thought it was for Congress to work on “establishment of a public option that would give individuals a choice between government provided health insurance or private health insurance,” 67 percent of Americans rated this as an important topic to address. This finding is even more striking given the fact that 59 percent of those in favor of repealing the health care reform legislation rated the public option as important to pursue. Another surprise is that 67 percent of Republicans and 59 percent of Independents also agreed that the public option was an important topic to be addressed by Congress.

Look:

PublicOptionParty

In some ways this isn’t very surprising. The public option remained the most popular element of health care reform throughout the 17 month debate. In fact, public opinion turned against the bill as it moved through the legislative process and became more conservative and both Republicans and Democrats continued to tell pollsters that they would like a choice between private and public coverage. Incidentally, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has promised to hold a vote on the public health care option as a stand alone measure and Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) has introduced public option legislation which has attracted 80 co-sponsors in the House. article is from the Wonk Room …think progress

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

What’s going on in Congress …Tuesday

04/12/2010 Nativegrl77

The Senate Convenes: 10:00am ET April 13th Tuesday

morning business for 1 hour with senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each. The Majority will control the first half and the Republicans will control the final half.

Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to HR4851, a bill to provide a temporary extension of certain programs including Unemployment and COBRA. The time during any period of morning business, adjournment, or recess will count count post-cloture.

Following the recess, the Senate will adopt the motion to proceed and begin consideration of the bill, HR4851. Roll call votes are possible in the afternoon in relation to amendments to the bill.

The Senate is considering HR4851, Continuing Extension Act of 2010

The following amendments are pending to HR4851:
Baucus #3721 (to extend benefits to May 31, 2010).

Unanimous Consent:
Passed S.1749, Cell Phone Contraband Act (with a Feinstein amendment)

Adopted S.Res.409, a resolution calling on members of the Parliament in Uganda to reject the proposed “Anti-Homosexuality Bill”, and for other purposes.

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
LEGISLATIVE DAY OF APRIL 13, 2010
111TH CONGRESS – SECOND SESSION

7:47 P.M. –

SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.

7:45 P.M. –

Ms. Foxx requested the following general leaves to address the House on April 20: Mr. Poe of TX for 5 min, Mr. Jones for 5 min, and Mr. Moran of KS for 5 min. Ms. Foxx requested the following general leaves to address the House on April 16: Mr. Poe of TX for 5 min, Mr. Burton of IN for 5 min, Mr. Jones for 5 min, and herself for 5 min.

Ms. Foxx requested the following general leaves to address the House on April 15: Mr. Poe of TX for 5 min, Mr. Burton of IN for 5 min, Mr. Jones for 5 min, Mr. Moran of KS for 5 min, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen for 5 min, and herself for 5 min.

Ms. Foxx requested the following general leaves to address the House on April 14: Mr. Poe of TX for 5 min, Mr. Burton of IN for 5 min, Mr. Jones for 5 min, Mr. Moran of KS for 5 min, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen for 5 min, and herself for 5 min.

7:35 P.M. –

ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.

7:29 P.M. –

The Speaker laid before the House a message from the President transmitting a copy of an Executive Order with respect to Somalia – referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 111-103).

7:28 P.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 a sealed envelope from the White House on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at 3:24 p.m., and said to contain a message from the President whereby he transmits a copy of an Executive Order to the Congress with respect to Somalia.

H. Res. 1042:: commending the Boise State University Broncos football team for winning the 2010 Fiesta Bowl

7:27 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays (2/3 required): (Roll No. 198).

7:19 P.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

H. Res. 1041:: congratulating and commending the University of Idaho’s football team for winning the 2009 Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho

7:18 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

7:17 P.M. –

On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays (2/3 required): (Roll No. 197).

7:09 P.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

6:32 P.M. –: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution Roll Call 196 – 2/3 Yea and Nay vote pending. Considered as unfinished business.
6:31 P.M. –: UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed. The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of April 13.



3:00 P.M. –: The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 6:30 P.M. today.


H. Res. 1042:: commending the Boise State University Broncos football team for winning the 2010 Fiesta Bowl

2:30 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 1042. Considered under suspension of the rules. Ms. Chu moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution.

H. Res. 1041:: congratulating and commending the University of Idaho’s football team for winning the 2009 Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho

At 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.

2:22 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 1041. Considered under suspension of the rules. Ms. Chu moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution.

H. Res. 1222:: supporting the goals and ideals of National Library Week

2:21 P.M. –

2:13 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 1222. Considered under suspension of the rules. Ms. Chu moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution.

2:12 P.M. –

The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until 6:30 p.m. today.

2:06 P.M. –

ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

What Health Care reform means to your State… OFA.org

04/12/2010 Nativegrl77

Ever wanted a quick explanation of how health reform will benefit your and your community, to share with friends and family?

We made this one-of-a-kind customized video to do just that. Watch now.

Opponents of reform are already calling for its repeal — and spreading outrageous lies about what it means for America.

We can’t let them tear down public support for reform.

Share this link with everyone you know so they can get the truth about how many people in their state will benefit from reform:

http://my.barackobama.com/WhatItMeans

Thanks,

Natalie

Natalie Foster
New Media Director

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Washington State … Fewer firms offering medical coverage to workers – April 5, 2010

04/09/2010 Nativegrl77

OLYMPIA – Finding a job right now can be tough, and finding one that comes with medical benefits is even tougher.

Washington employers offering medical insurance fell 1.6 percentage points in 2009, from 56.5 percent to 54.9 percent, according to an annual employee-benefits report released today by the Employment Security Department. That’s following a nearly 10 percentage point drop in 2008 and smaller declines in the previous three years.

“Companies are continuing to cut back where they can, while still trying to keep their employees,” said Employment Security Commissioner Karen Lee. “Unfortunately, employee benefits are a victim of the economy and rising costs.”

The study also showed that average medical-insurance premiums for employees increased from $358 per month to $366 per month. Employers covered 83 percent of that cost in 2009, down from 86.4 percent in 2008.

The number of firms offering some type of retirement plan jumped from 37.7 percent in 2008 to 44.6 percent in 2009 – closer to the 2007 level of 44 percent.

Employers also were more generous with paid days off in 2009. Firms offering paid vacation increased from 63 percent to 65 percent. An estimated 63 percent of employers offered paid holidays and 21 percent offered paid sick days, compared to 60 percent and 19 percent, respectively, in 2008.

Employment Security has produced the benefits report annually since 2003. Approximately 10,000 Washington businesses responded to the survey.

10-017

Media contact: Jamie Swift, Communications manager, 360-902-0904

Audio: /newsandinformation/releases/audio/index.php

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Hey Bankers: Stop Fighting Reform

04/09/2010 Nativegrl77 1 Comment

Mark Your Calendar for
Noon EDT , Tuesday, April 13

FACT: Wall Street bankers paid themselves more than $145 BILLION in 2009. That’s a lot of money. But guess what else they are spending big on?

Join AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka Tuesday at noon for a live online video discussion of the 2010 AFL-CIO Executive PayWatch report and learn more about Wall Street bankers, their outrageous pay and massive lobbying efforts.

RSVP TODAY.

With health care reform enacted, Congress and the president have set their sights on reforming the Wall Street casino.

We couldn’t agree more, because we can’t afford another financial mess like the one we’re still cleaning up. Millions are out of work, while bankers are taking home billions. It’s not fair and it’s not right.

Take a moment today and tell your senators to fight for real financial reform NOW.

After tanking our economy, helping put us in an 11-million-jobs hole and taking hundreds of billions in taxpayer bailout dollars, the Big Banks on Wall Street already are back to business as usual: fighting to keep their profits and pay high at the expense of working families.

Instead of lending in their communities, they are choking off much-needed credit. And instead of working with Congress to develop good, commonsense regulations to prevent another financial meltdown, they are spending millions lobbying to protect their own narrow interests.

We can’t let it happen again. Properly regulating our financial markets is central to securing the economic future of America’s working families.

Hard-working Americans are angry, frustrated and fed up. Big Wall Street banks helped create our financial crisis and must pay to create the jobs they destroyed, and accept commonsense regulations to ensure it never happens again.

The Senate is working on a financial reform bill right now. Take action today and tell your senators we’re counting on them to fight for real reform that:

Creates an independent agency to protect consumers from predatory lenders;
Sheds light on the shadow financial system; and
Puts mandatory limits on bank size and risky behavior.

Thank you for your support and we hope you can join us Tuesday at noon for the special live webcast with President Trumka launching the 2010 AFL-CIO Executive PayWatch. Learn more about Wall Street bankers, their outrageous pay, massive lobbying expenditures and how we can help make real financial reform a reality.

In solidarity,

Marc Laitin
AFL-CIO Online Mobilization Coordinator

P.S. Take a moment and tell your senators to fight for real financial reform today.