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Wednesday, June 20, 2012 | ||
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Tag Archives: United States
Please Contribute to Support Charlie Rangel and Alan Grayson
 The Rockets’ Red Glare, the Bombs Bursting In Air. |
Congressman Charlie Rangel often says that the last bad day he had was way back in 1950. Let me explain what he means by that.
Rangel joined the US Army at 18. He was assigned to the segregated, all-African-American 503rd Field Artillery Battalion. His nickname was “Sarge,” which was funny, because Rangel actually was a private first class, not a sergeant.
On November 27, 1950, Rangel’s commander, General Douglas MacArthur, learned that the Chinese Army was about to surround America’s Eighth Army. MacArthur ordered the Eighth Army to retreat. But that could happen only if American units held off the Chinese forces on the Eighth Army’s right flank. Charlie Rangel’s unit was given that suicide mission, in what became known as the Battle of Kunu-Ri.
The Chinese Army quickly surrounded Rangel’s unit. His unit kept fighting.
Sundown brought less shooting, but also bitter cold. The temperature dropped below zero. Even at night, the Chinese Army’s bugle orders rang out, and the night sky was lit by Chinese flares. Rangel called it a “waking nightmare.” He kept fighting.
Having the high ground, the Chinese Army pounded Rangel’s unit with artillery fire. On the third day, an explosion sent shrapnel into Rangel’s back. The shrapnel hit him so hard that he was tossed into a ditch. He kept fighting.
Rangel and his unit could hear American soldiers screaming and moaning. They could hear American soldiers being taken prisoner. Rangel said, “We couldn’t see any possible way out of the situation.” They could have surrendered. But they didn’t.
Rangel and his unit were trapped behind enemy lines for three days of heavy fighting. After three terrible days, under cover of darkness, Charlie Rangel, sleepless, wounded, bleeding and freezing, led 40 American soldiers to safety.
Half of Rangel’s battalion died in the fighting. Rangel spent a long time in the hospital, recuperating. For his courage and leadership, he was awarded a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, two Presidential Unit Citations, and three battle stars.
And Charlie Rangel was awarded a certain perspective on life itself. As Charlie always says, “Since Kunu-ri, I have never, never had a bad day.”
One week from Tuesday, Congressman Charles Rangel faces the voters in the New York Democratic Primary. National Public Radio calls it Rangel’s “toughest reelection challenge” since he won the seat in 1970.
Win or lose, it won’t be a bad day for him. Not after what he went through at Kunu-ri. But I want it to be a good day for him. That’s why I’m helping him, and why you should, too. Click here.
Courage,
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Politics Blowing UP the Transportation Bill ?
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I’m writing to you because this is urgent. Jobs are at stake.
Here’s the deal. Both the U.S. Senate and House have passed versions of the surface transportation bill—the Senate version of the bill would create or sustain nearly 3 million jobs—and a conference committee of key House and Senate leaders is negotiating final details of the bill right now. But some Republicans in the House want to make it their way or the highway. They want to starve funding for badly needed infrastructure projects and hold hostage family-sustaining jobs.
In the past two and a half years, Congress has settled for nine short-term extensions instead of coming up with a long-term solution to fix our crumbling infrastructure and get ironworkers, crane operators, cement masons and other construction workers—14 percent of whom are currently unemployed—back on the job.
This is a chance for our leaders to come together and do their part to create good jobs in the United States and invest in our future. For too long, we have watched while politicians pushed policies that have sent jobs overseas while kicking the can down the road on investing in infrastructure projects that would create jobs here.
We’re at a critical point in the legislative process. The conference committee reportedly has narrowed the gap between the bills passed in the House and Senate. But, without pressure from working people like you, a few extreme Republicans—intent on slowly starving funding for the transportation system—may get their way. We can stop this from happening.
E-mail your lawmakers to tell them that now is the time for Congress to set differences aside and come together to pass a surface transportation bill that creates and saves family-sustaining jobs, fixes our crumbling bridges, roads and transportation system and keeps in place Buy America and Davis-Bacon prevailing wage protections for projects financed by the bill.
Thank you for your support.
In Solidarity,
Andy Richards
Digital Strategies, AFL-CIO
P.S. Actions and events are being organized across the country to call for elected leaders to stop helping companies outsource jobs and instead support the patriotic companies that create jobs here. Click here to find an event near you.
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Be a Seed for Change
I needed a place to sound off. To increase awareness on some issues we should all know and care about, start a dialogue, get people to sign a petition(s), offer and post some info from folks who know, challenge the people who think they know. I feel we should Question not only their comments, views, and reviews but be a part of a community who believe in action not lip service, my 2cents or more.
It’s time for a change … & contrary to what is going on now… I still have the Audacity for HOPE and CHANGE
I am a MOM first, earned my BA in English Lit, Activist, and Advocate for my children and my family. I am an ex-track rat, ex-cheerleader, ex-gymnast, and a lover of dance: free/ballet 10yrs or more of dance training, contemporary/lyrical, and jazz. In other words, I am competitive. I come from a fishing based family, love talking, food, gorgeous men & movies, not necessarily in that order; my pet fishy détente loves word games I have a great love of books, words, and music –Oye Como VA
I support Obama because he represents the bold and drastic changes we need NOW in Washington, DC … he believes in action, not the lip service we’ve gotten from the last administration… he knows and understands we need to pay attention to our environment, that we need to narrow the gap between the haves and have none, better health-care. Last, our future is our children and that means better educational opportunities…
Americans should demand nothing less than … Equal rights for everyone in all its forms.
The change Americans believed in 2008 … is now one we must all take part in and fight for so, look for, sign, and or comment on Petitions available. Use the petitions to voice your opinion, tell me what YOU think, support, or push Congress for… “We the People” GOTV for Barack H. Obama 2012
My Blog: Point/CounterPoint… named after the Novel written in the 1920′s
Yet, Reflects our 21st-century society … characters in Politics and Pop culture who denounce the dangers of sacrificing humanity for intellectualism while expressing concerns about the staggering progress of science and technology.
Who also condemn opinions on class and the reactions of people as the barriers break down comparing where the various possibilities and relationships collide or cross paths while looking with judgmental eyes at the dichotomy between reason and passion.
The push and pull of social values … Point/CounterPoint .
Issues: equality /immigration/ civil rights; civil liberties / privacy; peace & social justice; foreign policy / human rights/security; economic fairness / security; environment / conservation; smart energy policy; public infrastructure / transportation; good government / ethics; electoral reform; affordable health care; education Registered to Vote: Yes
Leave me a message …
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WhiteHouse Expert answers questions on REFINANCING
Jun 19, 2012 by whitehouse
James Parrott, Senior Advisor for the National Economic Council, answers your questions on President Obama’s around the country to refinance their mortgages and save hundreds of dollars each month. It will cut through the red tape will be good for families, good for communities, and good for the country at large
Be a Seed for Change 
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