Tag Archives: United States

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

900,000

10/17/2013 Nativegrl77

GOP Crises Alone Have Killed 900,000 Jobs

After shutting down the government for over two weeks in a failed attempt to deny affordable health insurance to millions of Americans, the prospect of a catastrophic economic shutdown caused by an unprecedented default on our obligations has finally brought enough Republicans to their senses. A bipartisan deal negotiated by senators to re-open the government and avoid a default appears set to pass both the House and the Senate this evening.

President Obama and Democrats stood strong and refused to grant Republicans any of their ransom demands in exchange for Congress agreeing to simply do its job, but unfortunately the series of crises manufactured by the GOP over the past few years has already taken a terrible toll on the economy.

A new report out yesterday pins the number of jobs killed by the GOP’s government-by-crisis strategy over the past few years at 900,000.

As ThinkProgress notes, the report also finds that the painful and unnecessary austerity spending cuts (themselves largely imposed by the GOP using crises and threats) in place have cost us more than a million jobs:

The report also finds that cuts to discretionary spending from 2011 to the present have cost the country 1.2 million jobs and 0.7 percentage points of GDP growth. About three-quarters of the $2.4 trillion in total deficit reduction enacted since the fall of 2010 was in the form of spending cuts. The Peterson-commissioned estimate of what that steep reduction in government expenditures has cost is a bit more conservative than previous estimates by other economists, but only slightly less negative.

This graphic from our Center for American Progress colleagues illustrates how many more Americans would have jobs in a world without austerity:

Finally, a different report out this evening finds the current shutdown crisis pulled $24 BILLION out of the economy and will slash more than a half-percentage off GDP growth.

BOTTOM LINE: It’s time for Republicans to stop trying to govern by crisis, hostage-taking, and extortion. The fight over the debt limit is over. Period. It’s now time for us to come to a long-term agreement on the budget that gets rid of the damaging sequester cuts and is instead focused on our real problems: jobs and economic growth.

It’s also time for Speaker Boehner to abandon his failed attempts to appease the extreme Tea Party wing of the GOP and instead seek a bipartisan governing majority focused on doing what’s best for our country, including the passage of immigration reform with a pathway to earned citizenship.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

Houston Chronicle regrets endorsing Ted Cruz.

POLLS: Shutdown hurting GOP Senate chances, even in red states.

Right-wing group that orchestrated shutdown overt Obamacare now admits that “everybody knows” Obamacare can’t be repealed.

Ted Cruz admits the shutdown was all about building email fundraising lists.

Anti-tax crusader says defunders owe conservatives an apology.

Senate Republicans: GOP didn’t get anything out of shutdown.

Tea Party already seeking purge of non-extremists in 2014.

Tea Party congresswoman who voted to shut down the government now wants billions in disaster aid.

More than five million poor Americans won’t get health coverage because of the GOP’s refusal to expand Medicaid.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

CNBC Isn’t Reporting the Facts, But You Can

10/17/2013 Nativegrl77

In June, Media Matters released a report showing that business news channel CNBC had cast doubt on science in more than half of its 2013 climate change coverage. [1] As the first analysis of its kind, the report was a wake-up call: by regularly denying climate science, CNBC was falling short of its core mission of providing “fast, accurate, actionable, [and] unbiased” business news to its viewers.

Environmental groups mobilized in response to the findings, collecting 42,000 signatures urging CNBC to improve its climate reporting. [2]

Four months after first sounding the alarm, Media Matters conducted a follow-up study to see if CNBC had adjusted its coverage. [3] Remarkably, we found that climate denial at the network actually increased, rising from 51 percent to 55 percent of climate reporting. Worse, one-third of the segments that did accurately report the science occurred during a limited “special week of climate coverage” on Worldwide Exchange, which airs at 4 AM ET. [4]

Help us let CNBC viewers know that they aren’t getting all the facts.

Scientists overwhelmingly agree that climate change exists, and more and more businesses are deciding that they can’t afford to wait and see. According to a recent study, more than 70 percent of companies think climate change can significantly affect their revenues—and many are already hedging against the risk. [5] In fact, businesses are becoming leading climate advocates: more than 650 major U.S. companies have already signed a letter calling for stronger federal clean energy laws [6], and just last month, nearly two dozen leading U.S. businesses announced support for carbon pollution standards proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency for new power plants. [7]

In business, there’s a clear trend toward taking climate science seriously—but on CNBC, there’s a clear trend toward dismissing and distorting it. As a network that prides itself on serving the information needs of the business community, CNBC is failing its viewers and damaging its reputation by rejecting science.

Last month, we sent a letter to CNBC, offering to help develop a plan to gradually improve its climate reporting. The network dismissed this outreach.

CNBC is ignoring scientists and media watchdogs, so it’s time to bring the truth to an audience it can’t ignore: its viewers.

CNBC has had multiple opportunities to address its climate denial problem, but has only let it get worse. At this point, the network can no longer claim ignorance: CNBC is intentionally misleading its viewers about climate change, and it needs to stop.

To push back, Media Matters will charter a fleet of fuel-efficient mobile billboards to blanket major U.S. financial districts with ads calling out CNBC for denying climate science.

Can you chip in $5 to help fund a billboard?

With your participation, we can scale up our efforts to expose the bad business of CNBC’s climate denial to the viewers that determine its bottom line.

Cynthia Padera
Campaigns Manager
Media Matters for America

—–

[1] REPORT: CNBC’s Climate Denial Is Bad For Business http://mm4a.org/12GKKLW

[2] Environmentalists Deliver 42,000-Signature Petition For Better Climate Coverage To CNBC Headquarters http://mm4a.org/1dE9gSI

[3] REPORT: CNBC Still Deeply In (Climate) Denial http://mm4a.org/1doZkKa

[4] After Petition, CNBC Unveils A “Special Week Of Climate Coverage” http://mm4a.org/156wbkn

[5] Carbon Disclosure Project and Accenture: “Reducing risk and driving business value” https://www.cdproject.net/en-US/News/CDP%20News%20Article%20Pages/major-climate-threat-to-global-supply-chains.aspx

[6] CERES: Major U.S. Companies Call For Climate Change Action http://www.ceres.org/press/press-releases/major-u.s.-companies-call-for-climate-change-action

[7] CERES: Major U.S. Companies and Investors Support Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants http://www.ceres.org/press/press-releases/major-u.s.-companies-and-investors-support-carbon-pollution-standards-for-new-power-plants

Black History

the Senate considers S.1569 Congress 10/14 the House considers

10/14/2013 Nativegrl77

SCHEDULE FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2013

The Senate stands adjourned until 2:00pm on Monday, October 14.

When the Senate convenes, Senator Reid intends to renew the motion to proceed to S.1569, a bill to ensure the complete and timely payment of the obligations of the United States Government until December 31, 2014.

At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #206, the nomination of Andrea Wood, of Illinois, to be a United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois; and Executive Calendar #207, the nomination of Madeline Haikala, of Alabama, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama. There will be 30 minutes for debate equally divided prior to a series of up 2 roll call votes on confirmation of the nominations

At approximately 5:30pm, the Senate will vote on confirmation of the following nominations:

– Executive Calendar #206, the nomination of Andrea Wood, of Illinois, to be a United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois; and

– Executive Calendar #207, the nomination of Madeline Haikala, of Alabama, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama.

The Wood nomination is expected to be confirmed by voice vote and the Haikala nomination is expected to be confirmed by roll call vote.

Executive Calendar #206, the nomination of Andrea Wood, of Illinois, to be a United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, was confirmed by voice vote.

5:31pm The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #207, the nomination of Madeline Haikala, of Alabama, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama.

Confirmed: 90-0

There will be no further roll call votes today.

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTE

1) Confirmation of Executive Calendar #207, the nomination of Madeline Haikala, of Alabama, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama; Confirmed: 90-0

No LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

EXECUTIVE ITEMS

Confirmed Executive Calendar #206, the nomination of Andrea Wood, of Illinois, to be a United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois by voice vote.

********************************************************************

Last Floor Action:
12:37:54 P.M. – The House adjourned. 10/12

The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on October 14, 2013.

12:00:17 P.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
12:00:26 P.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable George Holding to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
12:00:43 P.M.		MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate. At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 2:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.
12:19:25 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 P.M. today.

2:00:13 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of October 14.
2:00:26 P.M.		Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
2:02:09 P.M.		The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.
2:02:12 P.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Wilson of SC to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
2:02:38 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.
2:08:16 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 House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received a message from the Secretary of the Senate on October 14, 2013, at 1:25 p.m., stating that that body had passed S. 812.
2:08:30 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.

2:08:30 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.
5:00:46 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of October 14.
5:01:29 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	Considered as unfinished business. H.J. Res. 80 — “Making continuing appropriations for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education, and the Indian Health Service for fiscal year 2014, and for other purposes.”
5:01:37 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	DEBATE – Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule 19, the House resumed debate on H.J. Res. 80.
5:18:11 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
5:18:31 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule 19, the Chair announced that further proceedings on H.J. Res. 80 were postponed.
5:18:55 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.
6:20:20 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of October 14.
6:20:26 P.M.		UNFINISHED BUSINESS – Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule 19, the House resumed consideration of H.J. Res. 80.
6:20:54 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	Mrs. Kirkpatrick moved to recommit with instructions to Appropriations.
6:21:12 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	DEBATE – The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Kirkpatrick motion to recommit with instructions, pending the reservation of a point of order. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to replace the underlying bill with the Senate Amendment to H.J. Res. 59, Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014.
6:27:46 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	Mr. Simpson raised a point of order against the motion to recommit with instructions. Mr. Simpson stated that the proposed amendment contained in the motion to recommit with instructions was not germane to the underlying bill. Sustained by the Chair.
6:27:46 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	Point of order sustained against the motion to recommit with instructions.
6:28:18 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	Mrs. Kirkpatrick appealed the ruling of the chair. The question was then put on sustaining the ruling of the chair.
6:28:38 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	Mr. Simpson moved to table the appeal of the ruling of the Chair.
6:55:49 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	On motion to table the appeal of the ruling of the Chair. Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (Roll no. 547).
7:04:54 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	On passage Passed by recorded vote: (Roll no. 548).
7:04:55 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
7:04:56 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	Amendment offered by Mr. Grayson.
7:04:57 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	Pursuant to the rule, the Chair announced the amendment was not debatable.
7:05:56 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	On agreeing to the Grayson amendment to the title Roll Call 549 – Recorded vote pending.

:22:26 P.M.	H.J. Res. 80	On agreeing to the Grayson amendment; Failed by recorded vote: 161 – 228 (Roll no. 549).
7:22:46 P.M.	H.R. 3190	Mr. Goodlatte asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
7:22:56 P.M.	H.R. 3190	Considered by unanimous consent. H.R. 3190 — “To provide for the continued performance of the functions of the United States Parole Commission, and for other purposes.”
7:23:08 P.M.	H.R. 3190	On passage Passed without objection.
7:23:09 P.M.	H.R. 3190	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
7:24:04 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.
7:27:45 P.M.		SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.

—————————————————————————-

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Government Shutdown Pain Spreads

10/11/2013 Nativegrl77

By CAP Action War Room

7 Ways the GOP Shutdown is Hurting Americans

House Republican leaders are at the White House right now presenting their plan to give the nation a six-week reprieve from certain economic doom by agreeing that Congress will pay the nation’s bills through November 22.

We’re glad the Republicans recognize that we absolutely cannot risk an economic shutdown by defaulting on our obligations. As President Obama and Democrats have made clear and continue to make clear, it is non-negotiable for Congress to pay the bills Congress itself has already racked up.

Nevertheless, House Republicans are still insisting on prolonging another crisis – the government shutdown – for absolutely no reason. Republicans started this government shutdown in a failed attempt to deny affordable health insurance to millions of Americans but it should not go on a minute longer, whether it’s over Obamacare, hurt feelings, or any other reason.

Here are seven stories of the pain that is rippling across America thanks to the GOP shutdown:

Shutdown Leaves Maine’s Poor Without Heating Assistance As Winter Approaches: Maine has no home heating aid money left from last season as the shutdown wears on the temperatures fall.

Child Care Subsidies Jeopardized By The Shutdown: While many states should be able to cover the costs during the shutdown, some may not have much money to fall back on.

Jobless Claims Spike As Government Shutdown Cripples Thousands Of Contractor Jobs: About 15,000 of last week’s unemployment benefit applications came from laid-off government contractors.

Some Of The Neediest Schools Running Out Of Money As Shutdown Continues: The shutdown is delaying payments that some schools near Native American reservations and military bases need to keep operating.

The Ongoing Government Shutdown Is Preventing The National Institutes of Health (NIH) From Admitting New Patients To Clinical Trials: NIH clinical trials are typically the last resort for people whose illnesses haven’t responded to other types of treatment. Since the shutdown began last week, just a handful of desperately ill patients have managed to get a spot in an experimental trial at the so-called “House of Hope.”

Five Ways The Government Shutdown Is Threatening Our Health And Safety: The government shutdown is compromising everything from workplace safety to food security to public health research.

Republicans Downplay The EPA’s Closure During The Shutdown — Except When It Hurts Their Districts: Some think it’s better when EPA’s not allowed to protect clean air and water. But Rep. Steve King (R-IA) said on Wednesday that he didn’t see why EPA couldn’t just continue writing a biofuels standard he supports.

BOTTOM LINE: Enough is enough. The longer the GOP keeps the government closed, the more Americans and our economy will suffer. It’s time for Speaker Boehner to allow a vote on a clean funding bill to end this shutdown crisis and re-open the entire government.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Fracking, superstorms, and science: What you don’t know can hurt you

10/11/2013 Nativegrl77

How will my city hold up against the next superstorm? What’s the truth about the effect of fracking on my drinking water? These days our communities are faced with more and more complex issues. To make smart decisions that protect the health, welfare, and environment of our communities, we need access to current, accurate scientific information. With tools like our recently-released fracking information toolkit that helps citizens and policy makers make informed decisions on hydraulic fracturing (fracking), and our upcoming webcasted forum on how communities can improve prediction, response, and recovery in the face of extreme weather events—UCS is working to integrate science into community decision making so we can better plan for a healthier and safer future. —Karla


Click to view larger image.

Ask a Scientist

Gretchen Goldman
Analyst
Scientific Integrity Initiative

Follow
Gretchen’s blog >>

“With all the polarized discussion about fracking in the news lately, what does the evidence and data actually tell us about the risks associated with this extraction process for oil and natural gas?”—P. Simon, Oscoda, MI Technological advances such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (commonly known as “fracking”) have resulted in the rapid expansion of unconventional oil and gas extraction from shale and other tight rock formations that had been previously deemed inaccessible or too costly to tap. Fracking for oil and natural gas has now expanded into some 28 U.S. states, creating new risks in new places including drinking-water contamination, air pollution, and earthquake risks. MORE

This Just In

Join us: What can your community learn from New Jersey?
One year after Hurricane Sandy devastated communities on the east coast, UCS invites you to join us for a forum to learn from New Jersey’s circumstances and experience. Discover strategies that can help coastal states throughout the country use the latest available research to make smart planning decisions as we brace for more damaging storms in the future. MORE

Science in Action

$Join the conversation about fracking$

Fracking: You can help separate fact from fiction
When it comes to air and water quality, we can’t play around with the facts. Join UCS experts on October 17 to explore the pressing questions on people’s minds about fracking and its impact on communities. Using our new report findings, we’ll discuss the barriers that people face in trying to find this information, and offer some needed steps to overcome these obstacles. Join our web-based conversation today.