A senior White House adviser says it is time to move forward with the compromise. CNN Wire Staff Washington (CNN) — Senators are expected to open debate on the tax compromise reached by President Barack Obama and Republicans Monday, but House Democrats will likely try to change the deal, one of their leaders said … Read More
Tag Archives: White House
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: START To End
One year ago today, President Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, which was given in large part because of his commitment to nuclear arms reduction. Today, the administration’s signature foreign policy achievement, the successful negotiation of a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia, which has been essential to rehabilitating relations between the two countries, is languishing in the Senate. Why? Republicans have consistently sought to delay and obstruct the treaty, but this opposition has now faded. It is now a question of time and whether Majority Leader Harry Reid will bring New START to the floor of the Senate. The treaty, if brought up, likely has the 67 votes to achieve ratification. But thus far, START has been put off. Meanwhile, the Senate is taking the weekend off with just one week left to go until the scheduled end of the session. START is critical for our national security and advances a major progressive priority of reducing the number of nuclear weapons in the world. Today, leaders from the national security, scientific, and religious communities are sending a letter to Reid urging him to “take up and approve New START now, if need be by extending the Senate in session beyond December 17.”
IT HAS THE VOTES: Early in the lame duck session, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) “blindsided” the White House when he broke off months of negotiations and insisted on a delay of New START. Instead of caving, the White House fought back. The reaction was fierce. In the last month, more than 40 editorial boards from newspapers around the country urged ratification and ripped Kyl for putting politics above America’s national security. Republican threats to delay also exposed a deep rift within the Republican establishment, as a who’s who of Republican officials have come out urging ratification now, including this week President George H.W. Bush and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who joined Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, James Baker, among others, in support of New START. These Republican officials join the U.S. military establishment and our Eastern European allies that live in the shadow of Russia in support of START. A recent CBS News poll found that 82 percent of the American people support the treaty. Against this wave of support, Republican intransigence has softened and now a split has emerged with a significant number of the Republican caucus favor a vote on START in the lame duck session — more than enough to ratify the treaty. Just this morning Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins said they will support START.
REID CAN FORCE A VOTE: Unlike normal Senate legislation, which can be blocked by a filibuster that requires 60 votes to overturn, a treaty only requires 50 votes to proceed to debate and a vote. The New START treaty was therefore not included in the letter from the Senate GOP caucus that threatened to block any legislation that was brought up before tax cuts. Unlike Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, where Republican senators who claimed to support repeal voted to filibuster on process grounds, on START, Republicans will have to vote on the actual treaty and can’t hide behind procedure. However, Foreign Policy’s Josh Rogin reported last night that some Republicans attempt to offer a number of “treaty killing” amendments that would alter the treaty and therefore require renegotiating with Russia. Yet, these amendments can be voted down by 50 votes and were already overcome during the vote in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee through the work of Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN). Republicans could use the amendment process in an effort to drag out the process, but this is why Reid should make clear that they would only be delaying their Christmas vacation.
DANGER OF DELAY: Some Republicans have suggested that START should be delayed for just a few months until January or February when a new Senate is sworn in. This is a ruse. At every step of the ratification process, Republicans — led by Kyl — have urged delay. Kyl was actually for holding a vote during the lame duck session, until, of course the lame duck session arrived. Furthermore, the willingness to offer treaty-killing amendments only further casts doubt on Kyl’s intentions. At the very least a delay in the treaty ratification process, which has taken nine months, would start from scratch. The new make up of the Senate would also make getting the 67 votes for ratification much harder and would make the ratification process much more dependent on Kyl, likely leading to only more leverage to extort nuclear pork funding. In the end, a delay would in all likelihood mean the death of the New START treaty. This would have huge consequences for our relationship with Russia, which is critical to dealing with Iran and supplying our troops in Afghanistan. Furthermore, the collapse of the verification measures that monitor Russia’s nuclear arsenal were in place under the original treaty, could eventually upset nuclear stability and lead to significant uncertainty in nuclear relations. Failure to ratify START would also send shockwaves around the world and would be seen as the U.S. putting a knife in the back of the whole nuclear non-proliferation regime. The consequences of delay and defeat of New START are grave.
Share this:
weekend review &some News
Sunday Buzzzzz … A good day to reach for the sky while breathing deeply through your nose then slowly exhale through your mouth while slowly lowering your arms, head, shoulders, chest and waist bend knees -repeat when needed …
Tired of “the media” BS yet? and can i just say the only grown-ups on the floor of Congress on Saturday were from the Democratic party but hey that is just my opinion. In his latest commentary, Bloomberg states the President needs better advisors even though President Obama has kept more than half of his campaign promises made to the 53% that voted for him in 2008. I wonder if that information has been readily available in your State.I would like to thank our President for doing such a great job despite the 24/7 News cycle bashing him and the obstructionist called the Republican Tea Party. I would ask our President to keep his campaign promises and heed this alert: the Low Information Voters are not tuning in or paying attention so get out there because according to reports they made up 10% of those that decided to lean right. I say folks have to remember that President Obama does not make, create or pass legislation into laws, our Congress does so all complaints about bills not getting on the floor of Congress should be directed at Republican Tea Partiers who have held most if not all of them up or blocked, stalled and just said no to.
FYI President Obama signs major trade pact agreement with S.Korea -which is a big deal though “The Media” has chosen to ignore it as well as signing the bill to avert a government shut-down.
Today I got up early to see the Bush tax giveaways also called procedural votes on the Senate floor and was quite sad but of course, the media predicted the defeat before hand and unfortunately, they were correct. The point was to get it on the record while showing Americans just what and who they voted for in the Mid-term elections. It is a sad day to realize that a Political Party would put their ideology above the needs of their fellow Americans but the Republican Tea Party did without flinching, thinking of their constituents I guess and all for the love of money. The Bush Tax Cuts of 2001&2003 were given, scheduled to expire 12/31/10 and unpaid for a long with the two wars waged which cost Americans trillions of our money. The fact is the tax cuts, 2Wars, Wall Street bets, AIG insurance selling banking products as well as too much deregulation sent our economy over the cliff -sigh
In great news, The President secured a trade agreement with S.Korea that all Americans should be proud of though if you listen to the News that trade agreement is not as important at least not to “the media” as the defeat or votes against the Obama Administration coming from the cables. Is it just me or does anyone else feel like it is un-American to see so many in the news waiting to report a defeat or any other negative item regarding President Obama. In a time when things are so tough and a large number of voters leaned left we all see the Republican Tea Party gain strength tell the public lies and now the joke is on all of us. They say their focus is on Jobs, economy and doing the work of the People yet RTP continue to vote against UI stating people on UI do not look for jobs. I have to say every time one of them makes a statement that is obviously negative I wonder where the outrage is. I wonder what will be enough BS in order for people to March on DC the reports are that there are five people applying for one job and while members of RTP Congress have jobs it is clear they are all out of touch, engage in elitist behavior and decided a long time ago that not only would they refuse to cooperate with the First Black President they will do whatever is necessary to bring him down even if it means taking us all down and today provided an insight to the horrible people that obviously fooled Americans into voting for them on Nov.2 and that is quite sad.
So, it’s Friday and very cold but we def are not snowbound like the east coast …a lot has happened and it’s only 10am here in the 206. I am hoping the President’s trip goes well and is def a safe one. The debating and or voting going on in Congress today will continue into the weekend and it has my blood boiling. Hopefully, our Democratic Party will hold firm and show Americans the truth of how the Republican Tea Party just is not who the claim to be as shown to us all with the letter stating they will not cooperate unless they get their Bush tax giveaways. If nothing else this should be the evidence Americans need to show they had no intention of focusing on jobs our economy or doing the peoples business. The last two years the focus has been on obstruction, ruining the governing party and President Obama. The jobs numbers tell me that Corporate America has a long and complicit relationship with the Republican Tea Party that is long, deep, probably cannot be broken and or completely be reformed unless and until ALL Americans see the trouble the Republican Tea Party will be and put the Democratic Party back in control…in both Chambers of Congress.
This week the lame duck session restarted on a positive note with a vote of 73-25 passing the Food Safety Bill that will when put into implementation keep most Americans Safe. Unfortunately, due to a Senate error this Bill was put on hold and is probably going to be held hostage along with other legislation that would not only protect Americans it could have been a bill that passed with bipartisanship but that was clearly too much to ask for. While that was taking place, we all waited for the DADT report and most if not all reports were that the response had been better than anticipated. Reports were that 70% were okay with repealing DADT but folks in the Marines were not as responsive. The comments made by Gen.Gates about dadt were definitely positive. It would seem like an easy task to just take the vote and pass dadt but the Republican Tea Party who supported the repeal of DADT now have flip flopped by deciding the reports from Generals were not good enough. Again, my question is where is the outrage from people who support the repeal and or gays who know the impact the repeal would have on so many because contrary to folks out there it is Congress who has the responsibility to make it a law not the President who is getting the blame.
I am quite sure the START treaty is not only a National Security issue but is and has always been a bipartisan issue but is being used by the Republican Tea Party along with other legislation as pawns to again-get those Bush giveaways or else. This kind of behavior is childish and
In other News, our President had his first of many meetings to come with Republicans and the first documented outcome of that meeting by President Obama is below:
Though our President held a positive press conference concerning the meeting with Republicans, it is unfortunate that the Republican Tea Party thumbed their noses at our President and continue to be the Party of No by blocking unemployment today to several million. The Republican Tea Party continues want those Bush tax give always before they will cooperate on the floor of Congress, which Americans or most Americans feel we cannot afford to give them right now. At what point during the course of the lame duck Session in Congress will Republican constituents finally see the carpetbaggers for what they are?
The President has asked the Middle lower class to sacrifice again by freezing federal salaries for two years now he must make the rich sacrifice as well because they have not.
Other News
**If you order online on or before Dec.17th most will offer free shipping -called free shipping day
**A grocery workers have ratified their contract in king, kitsap, snohomish counties and covers indpdt grocery workers as well 95% voted yes
**SKnight was arrested on parole violation
**Did you know the RNC is in debt -15million w/about 2million banked the DNC is in debt -15million but has about 10million banked
** http://www.king5.com/home/Late-TD-gives-Washington-35-28-win-over-WSU-111332549.html <<< copy & paste link for the story
**President Obama secures major trade pact with S.Korea
**The President signs bill that will avert government shut down
**President Obama is met with newly elected Gov. -told them to call w/any and all probs they don’t want to hear it on tv first -sigh-
**
**Health Care Premiums have gone up 41%
**Alan Simpson debt comm vote to bring there legislation to the floor of Congress needs 14 votes they have 7 at this time. The final vote was 11-7 and failed to get to the flr of Congress
**Temp Fed spending FY 2011 239-178 -with 8Democrats voting No and 2Republicans voting yes
**Rangel censure vote will happen on Thursday with a full Censure
**Food Safety bill may be held up by the House GOP due to Senate errors
**Mid-Class tax cut vote may take place today-Steny Hoyer might allow them
**The START treaty is being debated in the Senate but who knows when the vote will be
**Kathleen Kennedy Townsend has put together a group to battle against the big money used in the Mid-terms
CSPAN …
President Obama Remarks on New Free-Trade Agreement 
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
Share this:
Time to Focus on Middle Class Tax Relief
 |
These days, every newspaper, television, and radio show seems fixated on one thing: taxes. But after so much talk and speculation, tax packages are finally moving in Congress and we need to cut through the media buzz. It’s time to focus on what’s important: tax relief for struggling families. At long last, the House voted for a middle class tax relief package, and we must urge the Senate to do the same. Just yesterday, the House of Representatives passed legislation that includes essential tax cuts for middle class families. Even more importantly, the package includes valuable refundable tax credits that help working families — like the child tax credit and the earned income tax credit. The package also allows tax cuts benefiting only the wealthiest 2% of Americans to expire as scheduled, ensuring that help is directed to those who need it most. The House set a good precedent and now we need the Senate to act. E-mail your Senator and ask them to pass a middle class tax relief package! Time is running out. These provisions, unless extended, will expire at the end of this month, leaving families out in the cold. Please take action today! We expect a vote in the Senate as soon as tomorrow and we need them to focus on the needs of the middle class and struggling families, not the very wealthy. Thank you for your support! Sincerely, |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Share this:
Moment of truth
|
Republicans in Congress are pushing to continue Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans, at the same time that they’re opposing extending unemployment insurance for people struggling to find work. Democrats have started to talk tough, but have also given signals they might cave without a real fight. We need to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Please take a moment to demand that your representative, senators, and the President stand strong and oppose these tax breaks for the rich:
http://www.colorofchange.org/taxcuts/?id=2275-1238940
Many in Congress are working to extend tax cuts for the middle class, but Republicans have said that they’ll try to block tax cuts for the middle class unless Democrats agree to pass tax cuts for the very rich as well.1 Of course, Republicans don’t want to look like they’re looking out for the richest Americans, so they want to vote on both tax cuts at the same time.
Democrats shouldn’t fall for it. Hundreds of thousands of people have stood up and called on Democrats in Congress to stand strong. Democratic leadership in the House appears ready to fight,2 but the White House and leaders in the Senate are wavering. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has floated the idea of multiple votes (with one of them still attaching middle and upper-income tax cuts together),3 and the White House has said it might be open to “compromise”4 — in other words, giving in to the Republicans’ demands without forcing them to defend their position to the American public.
This discussion about extending tax cuts to the rich is happening amidst talk of making cuts to all kinds of programs that help the economy and protect the most vulnerable people in our society — because “we can’t afford” those programs. The fact that the same politicians making that argument would support massive tax breaks for the wealthy shows that they’re not really concerned about cutting spending or reducing the deficit — rather, they appear to be interested in protecting the wealthy at the expense of everyone else.
The battle around these tax cuts is a perfect opportunity to point this out. If we learned anything from this year’s midterm elections, it’s that Democrats need be bolder in fighting for everyday people and exposing the hypocrisy and greed represented by Republicans, conservative Democrats, and the wealthy corporate interests that dominate our government.
If Democrats cave to Republicans on this issue — even though a large majority of people are against extending tax cuts for the rich — it will show that Democrats have taken exactly the wrong lesson from the election. And it will demonstrate again that neither party can be counted on to stand up for the needs of working people when it really counts.
Democrats who oppose these tax cuts for the rich need to know that we’ll have their back if they fight. And the conservative Democrats and Republicans who want to keep handing more and more of our country over to the rich — while the rest of us are struggling — need to know that they’ll be called out and face actual consequences come election time. Please join us in calling on Congress and the White House to reject tax cuts for the rich:
http://www.colorofchange.org/taxcuts/?id=2275-1238940
Thanks and Peace,
— James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Natasha, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
November 23rd, 2010
Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU — your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don’t share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5?akid=1727.1174326.dvaFbm&t=5
Be a Seed for Change 
You must be logged in to post a comment.