Tag Archives: United States

~ my 2cents ...

Reject the Status Quo …


merycorp&valentine

just another rant …

My question for all you mostly sane people today is: What would your neighborhood look like without Teachers, Police, EMTs, Firefighters and other public service workers if the Democratic Party had not passed bill HR1586.  Two years ago folks like Bachman, Boehner called HR1586 a bailout and as the President’s 2nd term moves forward Republicans continue using Americans as pawns in their mission to make PBO look bad and make no mistake they are still willing to throw ALL of us under the bus! Hello … this includes you constituents who voted right of center and seem to be complacent about it all which by definition is: To be content and satisfied with your life and surroundings, even when something which may destroy these conditions is imminent.

We cannot be complacent with the status quo!

The leadership we need from folks in Congress … a willingness to act in a bipartisan way … put People ahead of Party! know that the sequester; a congressional act was not well thought out and will hurt ALL Americans, accept that cutting spending means austerity , be selfless and think about how to better the current status of the middle and lower classes because the rich are doing just fine, think globally, environmentally, respect Public Service workers, support education, allow more stem research, respect a woman’s right to choose, equal wages for women, safe and affordable health care for all families.

The fact is President Obama has gotten Congress to pass legislation that will be good for middle class families but to get the change 53% of we voted for we need democrats on the floor of Congress to step up.

It is important that we do not repeat history by understanding the past stop the current austerity program republicans keep shoving Americans into; remember that trust, respect and the votes Republicans are soliciting cannot be seasonal…

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Climate Reality …


What I Love -- Share it with your friends

climatereality

“It starts out like a good trip, then ends with a jolt of reality. Warm and fuzzy, beautiful, manipulative, and disconcerting all at once. This is brilliant.”

We launched our new digital experience, What I Love, last week, and within hours, users like the one above were sharing their excitement.

Around the world, thousands of people have been visiting the site to encounter the things they love — whether it’s a steaming cup of coffee to wake you up in the morning … a long walk surrounded by trees in a nearby forest … the smell of a pie or freshly baked cookies — and to learn about their uncertain futures.

Most of all, users keep telling us that the experience transforms how they see climate change. Renee W., a Climate Reality supporter, wrote “this is a very valuable site … to see what you love and how the climate changes are affecting what you love” is so important. Helen D. says that What I Love “brings it all home.”

So many others are discovering the experience … but we noticed that you haven’t quite yet. Perhaps you’ve been outside raking newly fallen leaves, or have had your nose buried in a good book. No matter what you’re up to, something you love is being affected by climate change.

Remember what’s most important and find out how those things are being affected by climate change … and how you can protect them.

It’s not too late. But without you protecting the things you love … one day it could be.

Thanks for your help,

The Climate Reality Team
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Another Self-Inflicted Wound to the Economy?


By ThinkProgress War Room

GOP to Blame for Latest Manufactured Crisis

The country is bearing down on March 1, the day that deep, damaging across-the-board spending cuts — known as the “the sequester” in Beltway parlance — start to kick in.

If Republicans hadn’t taken the entire economy — the full faith and credit of the United States — hostage in 2011, there would not be a sequester. Period. End of story. What’s more, an overwhelming majority of Republicans in the House and the Senate voted in favor of the cuts. At the time, Speaker Boehner said he’d gotten 98 percent of what he wanted in the deal that wrote the cuts into law.

In the year and a half since Republicans demanded — and received — the cuts, they have rebuffed every effort to substitute something else smarter, more balanced and less damaging to the economy in their place . The president repeatedly offered significant spending cuts and changes to social insurance programs, including Medicare and Social Security, as part of balanced plan that also included new revenues, but Republicans always said no in order to protect millionaires and special interests from having to pay their fair share in taxes.

Just months ago, Mitt Romney and Speaker Boehner actively advocated for closing tax loopholes and eliminating giveaways in the tax code. But now Republicans are saying no in order to protect the wealthy and special interests like Big Oil and Wall Street. They say they now prefer spending cuts that stand to kill several hundred thousand jobs and could potentially drag the economy back into recession to raising even a penny more in new revenue. Just months ago, leading Republicans like Rep. Paul Ryan said these cuts would “devastate” the country, but now they appear to be fine with them.

Here’s a few examples of what the choices we face actually mean — and which side Republicans are coming down on:

  • Republicans will let the wealthiest Americans keep special tax breaks instead of funding our military.
  • Republicans will kick 70,000 kids off Head Start and fire 10,000 teachers instead of ending giveaways to Big Oil.
  • Republicans want to cut 1,000 FBI agents and aid to thousands of schools instead of ending loopholes that allow people like Mitt Romney to pay a lower tax rate than middle class workers.
  • Republicans will cut thousands of food safety inspectors, which could shut down the entire meat industry, instead of eliminating giveaways for corporate jets and special tax breaks for horse breeders in Kentucky (the home state of Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell).
  • Republicans want to cut unemployment benefits and loans to small businesses rather than end tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas.

We need to reduce our deficit, but we should do it in a balanced, targeted way instead of with blunt, across-the-board cuts that will harm the economy. Instead of governing, the GOP is only interested in gimmicks and games. As the President said again last week, we have got to stop governing by crisis. Our economy cannot afford to play the GOP’s games any longer.

BOTTOM LINE: Once again we find ourselves facing yet another crisis manufactured by the GOP. It’s time for the GOP to choose sides: the middle class and the military or millionaires and special interests.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

¿GOP en Español? Not no fast.

The latest frontier in the GOP’s war on abortion rights.

Anti-Hagel Republicans in disarray.

GOP Congressman invites Ted Nugent, who threatened the president’s life to be his guest at the State of the Union.

Pentagon to offer expanded benefits to same-sex partners.

NRA lobbyist dismisses the “Connecticut Effect.”

A few things you might not know about outgoing Pope Benedict XVI.

Why the GOP is and will continue to be the party of white people.

Karl Rove’s latest scheme could backfire for the GOP.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Opposed to birth control ?


 

NARAL Pro-Choice America

 

President Obama is leading our nation one step closer to near-universal contraceptive coverage!Now we need to get his proposal adopted.Add your support to a critical 60-day comment period.

Say Yes to Birth Control

Last Friday, President Obama took an important next step to make sure that most American women can get their birth-control coverage at no personal cost.

The Department of Health and Human Services released a draft regulation that ensures that women who work for faith-based organizations don’t lose rights guaranteed to the rest of us under Obamacare.

The President went to extra lengths to protect these women while taking into consideration concerns of religious leaders. Still, there are some opponents to women having contraception at all who just can’t take yes for an answer.

Just yesterday, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said they oppose the regulation and will use a mandated comment period to try to stop these protections from moving forward.1 

So, it’s up to us to help secure this big win for women and families and make near-universal birth-control coverage a reality.

A 60-day comment period just started. If enough of us weigh in, we’ll drown out the anti-women, anti-choice forces. Will you add your comment in support of the regulation?

By improving access to birth control, the Obama administration is working to give women the tools they need to prevent unintended pregnancy – a goal on which both pro-choice and anti-choice people ought to agree.

The Catholic Bishops are not alone in mobilizing to stop this rule from taking effect. Susan B. Anthony List called it “unacceptable.”2

Please add your comment supporting this important policy today. Make sure the Obama administration hears loud and clear from people who support birth-control coverage.

Thanks. Together, we can get to a world where choice is real for all women.

Ilyse Hogue

Ilyse Hogue
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

1 – “Catholic Bishops oppose revisions to contraception mandate,” The Hill, February 7, 2013
2 – “On contraception, White House tries to balance the rights of access and of conscience,” MSNBC, February 1, 2013
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Weekly Address: Averting the Sequester and Finding a Balanced Approach to Deficit Reduction

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Weekly Address: Averting the Sequester and Finding a Balanced Approach to Deficit Reduction

President Obama urges Congress to act to avoid a series of harmful and automatic cuts — called a sequester — from going into effect that would hurt our economy and the middle class and threaten thousands of American jobs. The President urges Congress to find a balanced approach to deficit reduction that makes investments in areas that help us grow and cuts what we don’t need.

Watch this week’s Weekly Address.

Weekly Address: Averting the Sequester and Finding a Balanced Approach to Deficit Reduction

In Case You Missed It

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov:

Common-sense Reforms: On Monday, President Obama traveled Midwest to Minneapolis to speak with local police, community leaders and folks who have experienced gun violence in their family. The President firmly believes “law enforcement and other community leaders must have a seat at the table.”

With mounting support for universal background checks, President Obama is driving Congress to listen and take action. While pressing for background checks, the President did not let up.

“We shouldn’t stop there. We should restore the ban on military-style assault weapons and a 10-round limit for magazines,” said President Obama. “And that deserves a vote in Congress — because weapons of war have no place on our streets, or in our schools, or threatening our law enforcement officers.”

Watch the full speech here and read our blog post tracking the two weeks since President Obama released his plan for reducing gun violence.

Sequester Delay: On Tuesday, President Obama talked about the sequester and urged Congress to act before automatic spending cuts are put into place starting March 1. If a new deal is not struck by March 1, automatic spending cuts, which are known as the sequester will begin.

Billions of dollars in cuts would hinder education and research, along with defense spending to name a few. President Obama called for “a smaller package of spending cuts and tax reforms” as he is prepared to work with republicans to strike a deal for the American people.

Newest Cabinet Nominee: On Wednesday, President Obama nominated Sally Jewell to head the Interior Department. If the current CEO of the outdoor retail giant REI is confirmed, she will play a critical role in protecting our country’s land and natural resources. Along with an enthusiasm for the outdoors, she carries with her experience as a former oil engineer and commercial banker, which will be vital in dealing with our energy sector and creating jobs for Americans.

Jewell is very excited to work with the Interior and “sharing their hopes and their dreams for our public lands, our resources, our people — especially our first people — our history and our culture.”

Revamped Immigration Page: On Wednesday, the White House released a new issue section laying out what is at stake for comprehensive immigration reform. The President’s proposal calls for the strengthening of our borders, cracking down on companies that hire undocumented workers, creating a path to earned citizenship and streamlining our legal immigration system.

National Prayer Breakfast: On Thursday, President Obama attended the National Prayer Breakfast at the Washington Hilton. Citing the importance of faith in his life, the President discussed the comfort Scripture gave President Abraham Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “I thought about their humility, and how we don’t seem to live that out the way we should, every day, even when we give lip service to it,” said the President.

The biggest hope from the breakfast was Americans, especially our public servants, should embrace cooperation and humility to avoid the constant bipartisan rhetoric in Washington. Watch the full speech here.

SOTU Preparation: This Tuesday, the President will speak to the country through the annual State of the Union address. President Obama will discuss the most demanding issues facing our country and offer solutions to tackle these challenges. On February 12, at 9 pm ET head to our State of the Union page to watch a live enhanced version with charts, graphs, and data to coincide with his address. Before Tuesday, check out our page to view the 2012 enhanced version and discover new ways you can participate in this year’s State of the Union.