Tag Archives: Republican

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

a message from Al Franken …


Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota
If you like safe food and healthy kids, then you should be a big fan of Debbie Stabenow.

If you like Democrats who stand up to the far right when women’s rights and access to health care are under attack, then you should be a big fan of Debbie Stabenow.

And if you want to help a great fighter for the middle class beat the right-wing attack machine in this election, then you should definitely click here and help me help out my good friend Debbie Stabenow.

You might remember the infamous hearing when one of our Republican colleagues suggested that he shouldn’t have to pay for maternal health care, since he didn’t need it. Debbie quipped that his mother probably did. Argument: won.

But Debbie isn’t just a great debater. She’s an incredibly talented Senator who’s gotten a lot done for working families. And right now, she’s leading the charge to get a farm bill that supports family farmers in states like, say, Minnesota — and invests in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

These are good reasons to click here and chip in to help me help Debbie win. But here’s another one: the far right is dead-set on defeating her in 2012. And it would be great to watch Debbie do to them what she did in that hearing — fight back and win.

So join me in sending Debbie a contribution of whatever amount you can afford. And tell ‘em Al sent you.

Thanks,


Al

P.S.: There’s only one rhetorical tool more effective than the one Debbie used in that hearing — the “extra ask in the P.S.” Observe: Won’t you help me help Debbie Stabenow win by making a contribution today?

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

President Obama Speaks: Congress Must Act to Keep our Teachers on the Job


In this week’s address, President Obama urges Congress to take action now to put our teachers back to work in classrooms, because the best predictor of individual and American success in this economy is a good education.More
~ my 2cents ...

wicked Wednesday …&some News


just another rant …

The spectacle that is the Republican Party is … also like Debord‘s book,” La Société du spectacle“and suggests among other things …

“With the term spectacle, Debord defines the system that is a confluence of advanced capitalism, the mass media, and the types of governments who favor those phenomena: “the spectacle, taken in the limited sense of ‘mass media’ which are its most glaring superficial manifestation”.[4] The spectacle is the inverted image of society in which relations between commodities have supplanted relations between people, in which “passive identification with the spectacle supplants genuine activity”.

 The book by Debord is worth reading and perfect for what I am ranting about … change, misleading, misquotes, ugly images coming from the media and Republican Capitalism taking over in Congress

In 2009, We were all listening and hearing various folks in the msm, interest groups and others  make comments and complain about Obama having taken a great first step toward change but hasn’t gone far enough to sedate or fulfill the promises he made during his campaign. No President is going to make all their constituents happy but the Negative comments became bold, louder and more frequent. The unfortunate part of this was that the media gave too much PR to Republican rhetoric and some in the “professional left” followed, taking part of that 53% believing that we are tilting over the edge of an abyss. It pissed me off then and now after 3.5yrs I cannot say that the “professional left has been paying attention. I don’t know about you but I know that change takes time. In the case of America, it takes a Congress that is able and willing to put political differences aside for the greater good, we all learned about in school. It also takes a Congress that will accept the First Black President was elected by 53% of the population and that the word compromise is not dirty or bad but an action used in their daily lives with friends family and co-workers. However, Teapublicans/Republicans like Speaker Boehner Mitch McConnell made back room deals in those quiet rooms while listening to organizations that lobby and give money to politicians like Grover Norquist ending that old saying one-person one vote.

The list below gives the reader a sense of those professional left who kept whining right on through the 2010 elections. I have no idea why the professional left thought the campaign agenda should be placed above correcting what the last guy left him to fix. All I know is that the comments and the whining gave me the distinct impression some of these folks probably did not understand, care and did absolutely nothing to help push shove or throw things at Republicans in order for them to do the People’s Business. The fight for 2012 should include without a doubt the people listed below or we will all suffer. Well, I will admit the lame duck session was not bad but why wait for a lame duck session.

We need everyone to step up and speak out about what accomplishments and progresses President Obama has made since

**Environmentalist… like Phil Radford stated among other things,” Obama is missing in action” as it, relates to global warming …in an article written by Bryan Walsh from Time Magazine…

**Gay/Lesbian leaders… are starting to make comments about Obama not going far enough on don’t ask/don’t tell but today he announced he will enact federal benefits for same sex couples …moving too slow stating their needs have been set aside. Come on… People of colour know what being impatient means …

**Health-care liberals… are impatient and talking about how they put Obama in office and threatening a change in 2012 …

**Wall Street … flexed their muscles to show Obama who really is in charge of the market …

Change will happen, but President Obama cannot do it all himself, we need to call, write and March to let Congress know that, “We the People” 53% voted but the Party of NO is cancelling each vote with filibusters while obstructing our Economy and Democracy in both Chambers of Congress.

“The spectacle is not a collection of images,” Debord writes, “rather; it is a social relationship between people that is mediated by images.” 

In Other News …

Atty. Gen. Holder Back on Capitol Hill

Defense Secretary, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Testify on Defense Budget

Secretary Geithner Prepares for Upcoming G20 Summit

Chamber of Commerce Releases Nation-wide Job Growth Study

Mitt Romney Addresses Business Roundtable in Washington, DC

Sen. Finance Cmte. Examines Tax Reform & U.S. Energy Policy

Black History

CONGRESS: the Republican led House – the Senate considersS.3240,Farm bill -SNAP


the Senate Convenes: 9:30amET June 13, 2012

Senate Rejects Effort To Cut Food Stamp Program

  • Following the prayer and pledge, the Majority Leader will be recognized.
  • Following any Leader remarks, the next hour will be equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority controlling the final half.
  • At a time to be determined on Wednesday, Senators should expect 2 roll call votes in relation to the following amendments which are pending to S.3240, the Farm bill. Senators should expect the votes to be motions to table each of the amendments.

Senators should expect 2 roll call votes shortly (at approximately 12:00pm) on the following, in the following order:

12:02pm The Senate began a roll call vote on Reid motion to table Reid amendment #2393, which is text of Shaheen amendment #2160 (Sugar); Tabled: 50-46

12:35pm The Senate began a roll call vote on Reid motion to table Reid amendment #2392 (SNAP); Tabled: 65-33

The following amendments and motion are pending to S.3240, the Farm bill:

The following amendment have been considered to S.3240, the Farm bill:

Senator Reid asked unanimous consent to consider the next 4 amendments to the Farm bill. Senator Coburn objected. The request can be found below. Senator Reid then offered the following amendments:

Reid amendment # 2406 which is the text of Coburn amendment #2353 (to eliminate certain working lands conservation programs); and

Reid amendment 2407 which is the text of DeMint amendment #2285 (convert all mandatory spending to discretionary spending)

Reid’s UC request that Senator Coburn objected to:

Leader: I ask unanimous consent that the pending motion to recommit be withdrawn; that amendment #2390 be withdrawn; that the Stabenow-Roberts amendment #2389 be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be considered original text for the purposes of further amendment; that the following four amendments be the first amendments in order to the bill with no other first degree amendments in order until these amendments are disposed of:

– Coburn #2353;

– Hagan #2366;

– DeMint #2285; and

– McCaskill #2222.

That there be up to 60 minutes of debate equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees, on each of the amendments; that upon the use or yielding back of time on all four amendments, the Senate proceed to votes in relation to the amendments in the order listed; that there be no amendments or motions in order to the amendments prior to the votes other than motions to waive points of order and motions to table; that upon disposition of these amendments, the Majority Leader be recognized.

Senator Coburn objected.

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 The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on June 15, 2012.

Bills & Reports