Tag Archives: Republican

President Obama urges Congress to stop the sequester — the harmful automatic cuts that threaten thousands of jobs and affect our national security from taking effect on March 1.

Watch this week’s Weekly Address.

Just Dumb

03/02/2013 Nativegrl77

By ThinkProgress War Room

Sequester: “A Fancy Word for a Dumb Idea”

That’s what the President of the AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka, called the sequester — and he’s absolutely right.

Republicans have once again shown that they’ll do almost anything to protect the wealthy and special interests like Big Oil — no matter the cost to the rest of us and to the economy. This time, they have allowed devastating across-the-board spending cuts to kick in.

Just yesterday, the Senate voted on a balanced plan to replace this year’s indiscriminate cuts with a mix of targeted cuts and new revenues from ending loopholes for the very wealthiest Americans and corporate special interests. This plan got 52 votes and should have passed but Republicans blocked it by insisting on a 60-vote margin.

It’s clear that Republicans would rather impose painful spending cuts that will hurt the economy and millions of Americans than end a single tax loophole for the wealthy and special interests like Big Oil and Wall Street.

As a reminder, here’s a list of things Republicans apparently prefer to happen instead of eliminating wasteful giveaways in the tax code:

70,000 kids will get kicked off of Head Start
10,000 teacher jobs will be at risk
7,200 special education teachers, aides, and staff could be cut
Nearly 140,000 fewer children will receive life-saving vaccinations
Up to 373,000 seriously mentally ill adults and seriously emotionally disturbed children could go untreated
2,100 fewer food inspections will take place
Tax returns and refunds will be delayed
The long-term unemployed will see their benefits cut by about 10 percent
Nearly a billion dollars in loans to small businesses cut
It could take several hours to get through security at the airport
More than 100 airports might have to simply close down
Our military leaders have said it would weaken our national security
The Secretary of Homeland Security said the cuts will make it harder to protect the country from a terror attack and that the border will be less secure

Not all these things will happen overnight, but they will happen. And the longer the sequester goes on, the worse things will get. Worse yet, unless a permanent replacement is agreed to, these painful and damaging cuts will continue for nine years.

BOTTOM LINE: Instead of standing by and watching as our economy and millions of Americans are hurt by these irresponsible and devastating cuts, Republicans need to agree to reduce our deficit with the kind of responsible, balanced approach that three-quarters of Americans prefer. Their reckless behavior got us into this mess in 2011 and now it’s time for them to come back to the table and help get us out of it before the worst impacts of these indiscriminate cuts happen.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

Draft State Department report says the Keystone XL pipeline is environmentally sound.

How sequester cuts to the IRS might raise the deficit.

President Obama: marriage equality should be the law of the land.

Happy 100th Birthday, Big Oil tax breaks!

VIDEO: The GOP constantly pretends we haven’t already cut trillions in spending.

Sean Hannity launches Islamophobic attack on Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN).

Austerity fail: European unemployment hits record high, again.

Another day, another extreme anti-abortion bill enacted by the GOP.

Don’t worry, the next manufactured crisis is just over three weeks away!

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

thinkprogress … VAWA

03/01/2013 Nativegrl77

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

Justice Scalia is worse than you already thought.

Washington doesn’t have to be broken.

Yes, the vast majority of our long-term debt is because of Bush-era policies.

GOP congressman says the debt is just as “immoral” as slavery.

Obama administration calls for marriage equality in upcoming Proposition 8 Supreme Court case.

Shocking but true: top GOP senator wants to give the NRA veto power over judges.

Another day, another extreme anti-abortion law enacted by the GOP.

FACT: low tax states have lower economic growth.

**Violence Against Women Act Finally Passes**

A year and a half after the landmark law expired, House Republicans finally relented and allowed the updated and expanded reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to pass. The bill had already passed the Senate with overwhelming, bipartisan majorities not once, but twice.

We say House Republicans allowed it to pass because they’ve done nearly everything in their power to block it from doing so, including:

refusing to even take up the Senate bill last year
passing a watered-down, partisan version that had no chance of passing the Senate
attempting to block a vote on the Senate bill as recently as this week
trying to remove protections for LGBT people and Native Americans from the Senate bill earlier today
voting against the Senate bill en masse today

Last time VAWA was reauthorized, in 2005, just two House Republicans voted against the measure. Sadly, 138 House Republicans voted against VAWA today. Even more shamefully, 27 House Republicans voted against both the Senate bill and the watered-down version Republicans themselves had proposed.

Take a look at these 27 Republicans. Notice a pattern?

BOTTOM LINE: Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act is a huge victory for women and their families — a victory that came in spite of the GOP’s best efforts to prevent it.

Climate change and the Arab Spring.

Black History

CONGRESS : the Republican led House :::::: VAWA,PAYCHECK Fairness,Immigration and S.388 :::::: the Senate led by Dems

02/27/2013 Nativegrl77

The Senate stands in adjournment until 10:00am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business for one hour with the Majority controlling the first 30 minutes and the Republicans controlling the second 30 minutes.
The nomination of Jacob Lew to be Treasury Secretary was reported out of the Finance committee on Tuesday. We hope to reach an agreement to consider the Lew nomination on Wednesday.
Also during Tuesday’s session, cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to S.388, the American Family Economic Protection Act (introduced by Senators Mikulski, Murray and Reid). Under the rule, that cloture vote will occur on Thursday.

The Senate has turned to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #26, the nomination of Jacob Lew, of
New York, to be Secretary of the Treasury. There will now be up to 8 hours for
debate equally divided between the two Leaders or their designees. Upon the use
or yielding back of time, the Senate will proceed to vote on confirmation of the
nomination.

There will now be 10 minutes for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the
Lew nomination. If all times is used, the vote would begin at approximately
5:37pm.

5:38pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #26, the nomination of Jacob J. Lew, of New York, to be Secretary of the Treasury;

Confirmed: 71-26

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTE

1) Confirmation of Executive Calendar #26, Jacob J. Lew, of New York, to be Secretary of the Treasury; Confirmed: 71-26

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Passed H.R.307, a bill to reauthorize certain programs under the Public Health Service Act and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response, and for other purposes with a Committee-reported substitute amendment.

Adopted S.Res.58, authorizing the reporting of committee funding resolutions for the period of March 1, 2013 through September 30, 2013.

Adopted S.Res.61, designating March 1, 2013, as “Read Across America Day”.

Adopted S.Res.62, a resolution to authorize the production of records by the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

—————————————————————————————-

Watch Most Recent House Floor Activity

Last Floor Action:
7:14:10 P.M. – The House adjourned. 2/26/13

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on February 27, 2013.

10:00:22 A.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
10:00:27 A.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
10:01:02 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.

11:19:14 A.M.

The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 P.M. today.

12:00:50 P.M.

The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of February 27.

12:00:55 P.M.

Today’s prayer was offered by Reverend Ronald Derrick, American Legion National Chaplain, Rigby, Idaho.

12:01:00 P.M.

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS ON APPROVAL OF JOURNAL – The Chair announced that he had examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and had approved it. Mr. Joyce demanded that the question be put on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal and by voice vote, the Chair announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Joyce demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal until later in the legislative day.

12:02:25 P.M.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Roskam to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

12:02:54 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.

12:38:13 P.M.

H. Res. 83

Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 83 — “Providing for consideration of the bill (S. 47) To reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.”

12:38:34 P.M.

H. Res. 83

DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 83.

1:28:00 P.M.

H. Res. 83

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on H. Res. 83, the Chair put the question on ordering the previous question and by voice vote announced that the ayes had prevailed. Ms. Slaughter demanded the yeas and nays, and the Chair postponed further proceedings on ordering the previous question until later in the legislative day.

1:28:20 P.M.

The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.

3:14:15 P.M.

The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of February 27.

3:15:33 P.M.

Mr. Nugent asked unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9:00 a.m. on February 28. Agreed to without objection.

3:15:34 P.M.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 83, which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

3:16:13 P.M.

H. Res. 83

Considered as unfinished business. H. Res. 83 — “Providing for consideration of the bill (S. 47) To reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.”

3:47:08 P.M.

H. Res. 83

On ordering the previous question Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 229 – 196 (Roll no. 51).

3:54:31 P.M.

H. Res. 83

On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 414 – 9 (Roll no. 52).

3:54:32 P.M.

H. Res. 83

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

3:54:41 P.M.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal which had been postponed from earlier in the day.

4:01:42 P.M.

On approving the Journal Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 293 – 119, 1 Present (Roll no. 53).

4:02:34 P.M.

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

4:32:17 P.M.

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

6:05:56 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 message from the Secretary of the Senate on February 27, 2013 at 1:57 p.m. containing appointments that body had made to the Joint Committee on Taxation.
6:06:39 P.M.		SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House continued with further Special Order speeches.
6:30:00 P.M.		Ms. Speier moved that the House do now adjourn.
6:30:06 P.M.		On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
6:30:10 P.M.		The House adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on February 28, 2013.

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Grand Theft Election II: Keystone State Stories

02/26/2013 Nativegrl77

By ThinkProgress War Room

GOP Plan to the Steal the White House is Back

Earlier this year, Republicans in several swing states unveiled sore loser plans to allocate their electoral college votes by congressional district or in some other proportional manner rather than the current winner-take-all system in place in 48 states. This would result in votes that would likely go to the Democratic nominee being pushed over into the GOP column. Tellingly, the GOP is not proposing to split the electoral votes of red states.

Had such a plan been in place in every swing state last year, Mitt Romney would most likely be president right now despite having lost the popular vote by nearly 5 MILLION votes.

Fortunately, massive outcry quickly killed this plan in Virginia, Florida, and other states where it reared its head.

Unfortunately, this GOP plan to steal the White House is now back in two key swing states:

Pennsylvania: 13 GOP state senators, including the senate majority leader, have formally introduced their electoral college rigging bill. Republicans need a total of 26 votes to pass the bill. They currently control the chamber and hold 27 seats total. As they also control the state house in Pennsylvania, the GOP could theoretically ram the bill through in as little as 4 days as soon as they have the votes to pass it.Pennsylvania has been at the forefront of recent efforts to rig the electoral college, with Republicans from Gov. Tom Corbett on down first considering this scheme way back in 2011.
Michigan: On Saturday, Republicans gathered for their state convention voted overwhelmingly (1370-132) to back a scheme to divide their state’s electoral votes by congressional district. For his part, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) has opposed the scheme, saying it’s not the “appropriate time” to consider it. This, however, is cold comfort, as Snyder once said the exact same thing about an anti-union bill that he later signed after it was rammed through the legislature with little debate.

BOTTOM LINE: If the GOP wants to win elections the old fashioned way — by winning more votes — then they should change their unpopular policies instead of trying to change the rules in the middle of the game.