Tag Archives: Washington DC

Just another rant …

Today, is the last day of August and while the last week has been crisis filled the last 24months has seen record numbers of hurricanes, a lot of flooding displacing numerous Americans with most if not all of us wondering why those on the right don’t believe in climate change or maybe just leaving the bs out for awhile. I think the weather and the damage we have seen should not be used another tool to hold middle America hostage for more spending cuts. It is not the time as this is the beginning of hurricane season covering the entire eastcoast is just or should be a reminder of things that should be reassessed the old taken out while rules regulations and infrastructure be moved into the 21st Century. President Obama spoke to Americans about the Surface Transportation Bill which is due to be reauthorized or expire by the end of September that provides an extension of Federal-aid highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs …though given how Teapublicans have been acting this legislation might need “We the People” to push in the current environment. The Political climate is getting heated as the sometimes-ugly rhetoric regarding race religion and gender preferences seem to be the big stick Republicans are wielding at those with truly weak minds who seem unwilling to remember what being an American is all about. It makes you wonder what is taught at home or at the schools of right leaning people these days given the things we hear happening at the Middle and High School level . It really seems like an overt dogma of exclusion of or violence toward anyone who appears different, which is exactly what so-called adults politicians are behaving and acting out on all levels. My hope that any sane person would think this attitude is not what Americans are all about by any stretch of the imagination. We are a country of immigrants with various types of families that are blended but apparently to Teapublicans and their “family values platform, family is something only they and their religion can support. If you listen to Teapublicans, the meaning of family and marriage is limited and definitely make sense only to them. I do not understand the attitude and do not subscribe to it because it is un-American. While TV is steering clear of the whole “birther” and “other” label once forced upon President Obama and his family. The Right Wing radio airwaves continue to push for tribalism and would have us all believing President Obama among other things is not trust worthy, what with his funny name and family history being proof he just is not the one to vote for the White House. In some circles President Obama has been bashed for not being Black enough or on the other extreme … too Black to represent all Americans which is so offensive in and of itself. Well, while i do not like opinion news at all it does seem to be all that is offered up these days even with a 24/7 news cycle. I prefer news without a side jab at President Obama and gossip is great …that is if i tuned into a show that does gossip for a living; don’t say you’re a news station then spend time on some celebrities personal life say a couple of strange things and ask viewers to respond. It is a waste of time when there is real news to be reported on stations that call themselves News

lets leave the gossip to gossip shows unless it’s connected to politics but then again one person’s gossip is another’s news … ugh

President Obama made remarks at the American Legion convention in Minneapolis. He talked about his plan to help veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan find jobs. Unemployment among veterans is at almost 23%, which is double the national average. More Info »

Click on the link below to find out just what President Obama has done even with all the obstacles he has met from both Chambers of Congress both sides of the aisle and Political Parties … http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/

Other News

Libyan rebel official predicts
Gadhafi’s downfall in a week

Syrian Activists
Say Troops Raid Central City

South Africa Skips
Libyan Conference

Released from
Prison

Commission to Submit Report on Waste in Wartime Contracts

Panel to offer 15 strategic recommendations

Irene Clean Up Continues

Washington Journal examines climate change

Gen. Petraeus Retires & Heads to CIA

Will be sworn in as Director on Sept 6

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis sat down today for an hour-long interview on the nation’s employment situation and the administration’s job creation plans. The White House announced earlier this month that the President will reveal a new jobs plan shortly after Labor Day.

More Info »

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East Coast flood
dangers develop in Irene’s wake

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Defending science at the EPA

08/29/2011 Nativegrl77

Union of Concerned Scientists

Defending Science at the EPA

During the Bush administration, the White House worked to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from protecting us from formaldehyde pollution, smog, and global warming. In fact, White House officials secretly manipulated or suppressed EPA scientific analysis on each of these issues and many others.

And we all suffered for it.

Now, the EPA is drafting a scientific integrity policy that could keep politics out of EPA science. But the agency’s first draft still gives the White House the opportunity to censor or suppress scientific research from the agency—and the public would never be the wiser.

www.ucsusa.org

Take Action Today
Sincerely,

Michael Halpern
National Field Organizer
UCS Scientific Integrity Program

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction …Washington View

08/23/2011 Nativegrl77

Murray a standout leader for debt supercommittee

Aug 2011

Washington, D.C., seems light years away from the Tri-Cities sometimes, not just in miles but in values.
Here, as there, we differ on how to get things done and what things we need to do. But we tend to work these things out, one local interest group to another, without a lot of drama.
There, the numbers are immensely larger but the concepts are quite similar — finding the right balance between money and services. It is against this background that we welcome, enthusiastically, the appointment of Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., to co-chair the debt reduction supercommittee with Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas.- Tri-City Herald

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Murray: Job training crucial for laid-off

Aug 12 2011

Shannon Dininny

Seven months before graduation, Alex Dimas toured aviation manufacturer GE Aviation Systems and applied for a job. Then, the company and his instructors at Perry Technical Institute worked with him to strengthen his skills until he graduated. Three years later, he’s still at the company, working as a machinist building hydraulic fuses for 737s. “They gave me the confidence to know I can come in here and know what I’m doing,” the 29-year-old married father of two said. State and local officials say making that caliber of training available to young and laid-off workers is crucial to filling the available jobs, not just in Washington state, but nationally. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray calls it a deficit of infrastructure and innovation.

– The Seattle Times

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Vets sound off at session

Aug 10 2011

Sheila Hagar

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray was in town Monday, wearing her trademark tennies and sporting a listening ear. And there was plenty to hear as Murray, D-Wash., and her assembled panel sat in a room packed with veterans and others at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 992. Led by facilitator Doug Bayne, director of the Walla Walla Community College Foundation, panelists took turns explaining to the senator the issues they see in the universe of veterans. Housing challenges, for example. Renee Rooker, of Walla Walla Housing Authority, told Murray there are nearly 150 homeless veterans in the area. While there are programs in place to help get those men and women into housing, actually getting that done is a problem. “There is a lack of funding for deposits, security and utility deposits, to get veterans into a permanent home.” Coupled with communication gaps between federal agencies that are supposed to help veterans and a retroactive 17 percent reduction in administrative fees — that cut screening staff — it all equals an inability to fully serve a vulnerable population, Rooker told Murray. She gets it, Murray assured her audience. Her father served in World War II. His war-caused injuries affected every component of family life.

– Walla Walla Union-Bulletin

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Health Insurance Coverage with No Waiting Period

Are you uninsured? Do you have a pre-existing condition?

If your answer is yes to both questions, you may be eligible for the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan – a new federal program for children and adults with pre-existing conditions who have been uninsured for at least six months – with no waiting period.

For more information and how to apply, go to the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan – Washington website or call toll-free 1-877-505-0514

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Patty Murray … Working for Washington State … and more

07/26/2011 Nativegrl77

Time for Slogans to End, Work to Begin on Safeguarding Our Economic Future

As we continue to work to forge compromise and avoid a default on our nation’s debts, I was deeply upset that Republicans continued to waste the little time we have left by introducing a plan that balances the budget on the backs of the people who can least afford it. The clock is ticking for families across America. It is time for Republicans to step up and join us in the job of governing. Too much is on the line for average families to allow partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C. to once again endanger the livelihoods of millions.

That is why I gave a speech on the Senate Floor this week urging Republicans to stop playing political games with this country’s economic future. With less than two weeks to go before the August 2 ^nd deadline, Democrats and Republicans need to come to the table for serious negotiations that involve shared sacrifices.

Preserving Benefits for Veterans Suffering from Agent Orange Exposure

On Thursday, I helped defeat an amendment introduced by Senator Tom Coburn that would have created a nearly impossible standard for Vietnam Veterans to receive compensation for certain types of exposure to Agent Orange. Before the vote on Coburn’s amendment, I went to the Senate Floor and called out the amendment for what it was: another hurdle Vietnam veterans would have to overcome in their 40 plus year struggle for compensation and care. The amendment ultimately failed to be included in the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill after I successfully asked that the amendment be tabled – which it was – by a vote of 69-30. Soon after the tabling of the amendment, the Senate passed the Military Constructions and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill which will ensure that veterans across the country get the support they deserve.

“Military Construction-VA Spending Bill Easily Passes Senate” – CQ

“Military funding bill clears Senate” – The Hill

Supporting Women’s Health

On Wednesday, the Institute of Medicine released their recommendation that critical preventive health care services for women and girls, including a full range of FDA-approved contraceptive methods, be fully covered by insurance companies at no additional cost. I believe that implementing these recommendations is the right thing to do and will end unnecessary and burdensome costs for millions of American women who currently struggle to afford the contraceptive coverage and other preventive health care services they need and deserve.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Exclusive: First look at our report … Jim Messina, BarackObama.com

07/13/2011 Nativegrl77

We’re filing this campaign‘s first financial report with the Federal Election Commission on Friday.

You own this campaign, so you deserve to get this news first.

And thanks to you and other supporters all over the country, there’s a lot of good news to share.

I’m not going to steal my own thunder here in the email — you’ve got to watch the video to get the news about what we’ve raised, how we’re spending it, and what’s next:

The Washington chatter around the report we’re releasing has focused on one number: the sum total we’ve raised.

But other numbers that the pundits often ignore — like how many field offices we and the DNC have open, how many one-on-one conversations we’ve had with potential supporters, and how many people have already decided to own a piece of this campaign — tell the real story of our campaign.

All those numbers are in the video, and they’re the ones you should be proud of today. Watch it now …above

One more thing: It’s a fact that our opponents won’t have hundreds of thousands of people giving whatever they can afford — so they’ll be relying heavily on money from two sources to fund an unprecedented barrage:

1. Washington lobbyists and special interests whose explicit aim is to influence the federal government in any way they can.

2. Outside groups that don’t have to disclose a word about what they’ve raised or who they’ve raised it from, like one of Karl Rove’s political organizations. His groups have set an astounding $120 million fundraising goal in their campaign to tear down President Obama.

The threat to our success from these determined groups — acting solely in their own interest, not the public interest — is real, and it’s growing. And it’s going to take serious commitment and vigilance from all of us to withstand their attacks while still building the grassroots campaign we’ll need to win.

Thanks to you, we’re off to a solid start. But this is just the beginning.

So now, back to work.

Thanks,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America