Tag Archives: United States Congress

Let’s talk turkey.

Politics might not be on the Thanksgiving menu, but when families and friends gather, it seems to be a side dish some of us are force fed.

We want to give you something to be thankful for by making sure you’re prepared to talk about what women and families have at stake in the economy and the truth about what happened with the super-committee. Remember that the super-committee was a special committee of Members of Congress created to come up with a plan to reduce the federal deficit over the next decade.

Last night, the super-committee announced that it did not reach agreement on a deficit reduction plan. To explain what this means for you — and Aunt Edith — below are a few key myths and facts.

MYTH: It would have been better if the super-committee reached a deal.FACT: No deal is better than a bad deal — and we were headed toward a bad deal. The fact that some members of the super-committee felt a strong enough obligation to protect the programs that women and families depend on is incredibly important. Had key safety net programs like Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare been cut in a last-minute deal, the damage could have been irreparable. For more info, check out our latest blog post: Five Reasons Why No Deal is Better than a Bad Deal.

MYTH: I heard Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare will automatically be cut.FACT: The automatic cuts do not reach Social Security, Medicaid, or many other programs for low-income Americans. Any Medicare cuts would affect payments to providers, not beneficiaries. The automatic cuts that are scheduled would affect defense and non-defense programs equally. Unfortunately, discretionary programs that specifically serve low-income people are not exempt. However, the cuts won’t start to take effect until 2013, so Congress has time make changes through the regular legislative process.

MYTH: The super-committee didn’t reach a deal and important programs were protected — so our advocacy worked! We don’t need to worry anymore.FACT: We still have lots to do. We need to work to extend federal emergency unemployment benefit programs and pass job creation measures. We need to fund the government through the rest of this fiscal year, without strings attached that limit women’s rights. And the fight to make millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share and to protect Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, and other vital programs will continue. So enjoy, rest up — and join us next week.

This Thanksgiving, we could not be more grateful for the dedication of our network of activists like you, who took action to send emails and make phone calls throughout the super-committee’s deliberations.While the super-committee’s work has ended, our work for a fair economy continues. We couldn’t do it without you.National Women’s Law Center

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“It’s something we have to fight for”

11/22/2011 Nativegrl77

I’d like to share a video with you. It features Mike McCarry, a 59-year-old veteran who juggles two jobs to make ends meet.

Mike talks about the veterans portion of President Obama’s jobs plan — the piece that Congress passed earlier this month thanks in part to your work, and that the President signed into law today.

But the fight for American jobs continues, and many in Congress — including almost every single Republican — still refuse to do the right thing for teachers, cops, firefighters, and middle-class families like they did for our vets.

Watch the video, then pass it along to your friends to keep the pressure on Congress:

It can be easy to get discouraged when members of Congress put party before people and block legislation that would help American families.

But you didn’t let up in the fight for our veterans’ future. The bill that went to the President’s desk for his signature today — which provides tax credits for small businesses that hire unemployed veterans — is proof that Congress can still come together and act when Americans demand it.

Here’s what’s next: After Thanksgiving, the Senate will vote on extending President Obama’s payroll tax cut, which puts $1,500 in the pockets of the typical middle-class family.

It’s the provision that Mitt Romney called a “little band-aid.” But $1,500 wouldn’t be a band-aid for me or Mike McCarry — and probably not for you either.

Our job right now is to make sure Congress does the right thing again.

Share this video with friends and family and encourage them to keep the pressure on:

http://my.barackobama.com/Vets-Jobs-Video

Thanks,

James

James Kvaal
Policy Director
Obama for America

~ my 2cents ...

tempest Tuesday &some News

11/22/2011 Nativegrl77

just another rant …

I saw a story and video on a website called rawstory re: rep. Waters comments about President Obama to what looks like a small group of people looking to do something negative with an on camera performance. The first question I thought of is why the Democratic Party always seems to sabotage ourselves when in the majority let alone when we are not and in serious need of acting as a cohesive Political Party ready to defeat the extreme conservative right. What we all saw in 2009 was a group of lefties worried about election2010 while trying to control the message and lawmaking instead of governing with the Democratic President. I get it, the Democratic tent is huge, and so are the degrees of how left we all lean but contrary to how some not all act in this Party of and for the People. I did not vote for President Puppet and leader only when convenient as some progressive representatives seem to want. I am no expert nor do i have Political influence but having watched the Waters video repeatedly on msm at some point; it occurred to me that it looked staged for the media, which was beyond disappointing. I am still wondering … why blame President Obama for what members of Congress are supposed to do and while some folks still have that do as we say not as we do mentality that behavior has no place on the Hill especially when it is beyond critical to circle the wagons. I voted for change in 2008 and in 2012 I am hoping for a change in Congress willing to work for ALL Americans and President Obama or be kicked to the curb. The video is below …

California Rep. calls on the Black community to pressure Obama

With all due respect, to Rep. Waters; Black unemployment has been in the double digits for years. The question for me as well as some folks i know is should Rep.Waters, the CBC, and other African American members of Congress take a huge amount of responsibility for the lack of progress for Black Unemployment over the last few years. I wish people would ask Rep.Waters what she and the CBC have done for the last few years to fight for jobs to lower the ever present high unemployment numbers for minorities. I want to make sure folks know I went to the CBC website and while there seems to be a lot of things going on doing stuff the truth is unemployment numbers for people of colour have not changed that much over the last few years. Yes, Teapublicans in Congress have made this effort to help People of Colour practically an impossibility. The notion that a Black President in the White House is the remedy to years of discrimination or the cause of current problems or that President Obama’s supposed lack of effort to make direct moves to change the status or plight of just African Americans is not only offensive it sounds slightly ignorant. To play the race card is just wrong but then that is just me. We all have our opinions. I get it though, we are not only in class warfare; the middle class is fighting for the rights of women, children and minorities of all kinds. If you stop to think, but not too long the conservative right looks to be on the wrong side of History on so many issues affecting their fellow Americans. There are reports and rumors that most in the CBC wanted and supported Hillary Clinton in 2008 but her campaign was terrible, she said some questionable racial things and was maybe still is a hawk. I get it folks have opinions about Obama but we do not have Kings… Congress is responsible for creating and making laws… Call your member of Congress – ask them how and who they are voting for

Americans need a Congress willing to work for everyone … for Economic Inequality hell Equality on so many levels –

Other News

Pres. Obama Touts American Jobs Act in New Hampshire

Iran’s Nuclear Program Examined

How to Get 270 Electoral Votes

Regulators Announce Latest Bank Earnings

Conservative Groups Discuss Taxes

British Phone Hacking Inquiry Continues

President Signs Veterans Jobs Legislation

Lawmakers Look at Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Postmaster General on the Future of the Postal System

British Phone Hacking Inquiry Continues

“Super Committee” Deadline Looms

Scholars Give Deficit-Cutting Advice to “Super Committee”

Senator Tom Coburn Discusses Deficit Reduction

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Who should we support for Congress?

11/15/2011 Nativegrl77

We’ve been hearing a lot about the race in Washington’s 1st Congressional district from local DFA members, so I wanted to check in to see where you stood.

DFA is committed to electing progressives who share our values of community, security and liberty, and as the country’s only people-powered PAC, we want to hear from our members who we should support in this race.

So, who do you support for Congress? Vote now. http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/1317?akid=1497.1480546.fO-0eN&t=1

Thank you for all that you do.

– Nick

Nick Passanante, Deputy Political Director
Democracy for America