a message from David Plouffe

	Republicans in the House of Representatives voted to shower the wealthiest two percent of people in America with a $1 trillion tax cut. That’s what they’re demanding in return for keeping taxes low for the middle class.But here’s the other thing that has happened over the past week: Tens of thousands of you from all across the country have started speaking out about why it’s so important to prevent taxes from going up on 114 million middle-class families on January 1. And tomorrow, when President Obama calls on Congress to stop holding the middle class tax cuts hostage, a group of you who have shared your stories on the White House website will be standing there beside him. Even if you aren’t one of the people in the room, we want you to tune in to hear what the President has to say. Will you watch with us tomorrow at 11:45 a.m. EDT? WHAT: President Obama speaks on the middle-class tax cuts WHEN: Friday, August 3 at 11:45 a.m. EDT WHERE: WhiteHouse.gov/We-Need-You As dysfunctional as Washington can be, this fight is far from hopeless. We saw that last week when Republicans and Democrats in the Senate agreed to allow a vote on extending the middle-class tax cuts, and the legislation passed. Now the House needs to follow the Senate’s lead and vote to ensure taxes don’t go up on the middle class. With so many of you adding your voices to the President’s, we have a real chance to cut through the partisanship and the noise to get this done — because the arguments we’ve heard from real people are all powerful. Eileen from California wrote in to argue that “The middle class is the backbone of America. When the middle class thrives, so does America.” Katherine from Virginia told us “No one wants to pay more than their fair share of taxes, but the wealthiest of Americans CAN manage it, while still allowing the economy to continue to recover fully.” As it stands right now, House Republicans are the only folks in Washington who are willing to let a typical family of four pay an extra $2,200 in taxes next year. And if you continue to weigh in on this debate, they’ll have to realize just how isolated they really are. So take the next step tomorrow and watch President Obama: http://www.whitehouse.gov/we-need-you Thanks, David David Plouffe Senior Advisor to the President

West Wing Week 08/03/12 “98 & 98″

 

This week, the First Lady brought ‘Let’s Move!’ to the Summer Olympics, the President signed both the US-Israel Enhanced Security bill and HEARTH act, hosted twelve new Ambassadors to the United States, and met with inspirational groups of young people, both the PECASE science and engineering early career award winners and the 98 boys and 98 girls of the 2012 American Legion Auxiliary. That’s July 27th to August 2nd or “98 & 98.”      More

Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) Winners

Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) Winners

On July 31st President Obama welcomed 96 winners of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. Hear, in their own words, what some of them are doing in the wide world of Science. Learn more on the White House website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/23/president-obama-honors-outstanding-early-career-scientistsMore

CBO : Asbestos and more

• 

  H.R. 4057, a bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop a comprehensive policy to improve outreach and transparency to veterans and members of the Armed Forces through the provision of information on

   

• CBO To Release Updated Budget and Economic Outlook On August 22

   

• S. 1494, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2012

   

• S. 3370, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Federal Land Conveyance Act of 2012

   

• H.R. 4369, Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act of 2012

   

Union of Concerned Scientists

A Huge Show of Support for the Power Plant Standard The Environmental Protection Agency received more than 2.3 million comments in support of the carbon pollution standard, breaking its previous public comment record by leaps and bounds. Thank you for making history with us.

You Made History! The EPA Received a Record-Breaking Number of Comments in Support of the Carbon Pollution Standard

 

We all understand that carbon pollution from burning fossil fuels—the gasoline in our cars and coal in our power plants—are contributing to global warming. With so much of the country undergoing drought, heat waves, and other weather extremes, many are asking if climate change is playing a role.

The latest science studying extreme weather events over decades indicates strong evidence for links between climate change and extreme heat, intense precipitation, and droughts. It’s clear that the time for climate action is now.That’s why I’m so excited to say that, with your help, more than 40,000 UCS supporters submitted comments in support of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) proposed standard to reduce carbon pollution from new power plants.

Not only did UCS surpass our goal of 40,000 comments, but together with a broad coalition of public health, environmental, labor, faith, and other organizations, we made history and broke a record! More than 2.3 million citizens across the country submitted comments to the EPA in support of the carbon pollution standard.

This is the most comments the EPA has ever received on a proposed standard, and demonstrates the widespread public support for the EPA’s efforts to protect our health and clean up dirty power plants. In addition, UCS staff and members of the UCS Science Network—including doctors, nurses, and economists—testified in support of the standard at hearings in Chicago and Washington, DC. We also released a letter from 372 public health professionals who back the EPA’s efforts to address climate change.

This was truly an unprecedented showing of support for action to limit carbon emissions from power plants. Now, we’re ready for the next step.

We expect the EPA to finalize its standard for new power plants this year and then to follow up with similarly strong standards to limit carbon pollution from existing power plants—like our nation’s oldest and dirtiest coal fired power plants—which accounts for about 40 percent of our global warming emissions.

Unfortunately, some lawmakers have already announced that they plan to introduce legislation to block or delay this historic standard as soon as it is finalized this year. But I know I can count on you to help defend the EPA’s standard from congressional attacks in the coming months.

Thank you for helping make this a big success! The EPA has heard loud and clear that the country is ready to meet the climate challenge—and that this is only the first, small step towards protecting our health and the environment from the impacts of global warming.

Sincerely,

Chrissy Elles Outreach Associate UCS Climate & Energy Program

the Progress Report : The Middle Class … Romney Tax Hike

All About the Middle Class

By         ThinkProgress War Room

Trickle Down Didn’t Work Then & It Won’t Work Now

The middle class in this country is struggling, which is a big reason why our economy also continues to struggle. The good news is that there are loads of progressive ideas (here are 35) about how to revitalize the middle class. The bad news is that conservatives are still clinging to their failed, discredited trickle-down theory, which has just resulted in the rich getting richer at the expense of everyone else.

Here are SEVEN charts showing why the GOP’s favorite economic theory is a failure:

And just in case charts aren’t your thing, here’s a short animation on this topic from Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Mark Fiore.

The middle class is the engine of our economy and middle class workers – not the wealthy – are the real job creators. It’s time to stop giving more tax cuts to the wealthiest and start making investments in the middle class.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have Missed

The tax trap spring shut on Mitt Romney.

NINE things you need to know about Mitt Romney’s tax plan.

60 faith leaders don’t care for the GOP’s plan to raise taxes on 24 million families.

The terrible performance of Facebook stock is blowing a hole in California’s budget.

Meet Mitt Romney’s closest foreign policy adviser.

Iowa’s GOP governor is upset by Mitt Romney’s opposition to wind energy tax credit: ‘Get Out Here In The Real World To Find Out What’s Really Going On’

Mitt Romney has a reading comprehension problem.

No, you’re not entitled to see beach volleyball players in bikinis.

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) continues to insist that Mitt Romney paid no taxes at all some years.

Other recent Progress Reports

Aug 1, 2012: Mitt Gets Worse

Mitt Romney’s Plan for a $2,000 Middle Class Tax Hike As we reported yesterday, we already know that Mitt Romney has an economic plan to enrich the wealthy at the expense of everyone else.  Well, a new non-partisan, independent analysis of Romney’s tax plan released today by the Tax Policy Center shows just how far Romney would [...]

Jul 31, 2012: You’re Admitted to Romney University

An Advanced Seminar on Mitt Romney’s Policy Positions Don’t worry, Mitt Romney himself doesn’t run this school, so there won’t be any hazing. Romney University, a new project of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, is your one-stop shop for everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Mitt Romney’s policy positions. We offer classes [...]

Jul 30, 2012: This Is Why Obamacare Matters

A Personal Story About the Importance of Obamacare In the back and forth of politics, it’s sometimes easy to forget why we fight so hard for progressive values each and every day. So today we wanted to share a personal story from one of our ThinkProgress colleagues, Ian Millhiser: About two years ago, my boss [...]

Jul 27, 2012: GOP Chooses Millionaires Over Military

Republicans to Blame for Impending Defense Cuts Earlier this week, Mitt Romney denounced the president’s “radical cuts” to the military. Republican Sens. John McCain (AZ), Kelly Ayotte (NH), and Lindsey Graham (SC) are launching a road show to attack the president for automatic defense spending cuts set to take effect January 1, 2013 — cuts [...]

CONGRESS: the Republican led House & the Senate on pro forma session

Schedule for Pro Forma Sessions only, with no business conducted   …

(note that beginning on Tuesday, August 7^th, the pro forma sessions will be held in Hart 216 while repairs are being made to the Senate Chamber)

-          Friday, August 3rd at 10:15am

-          Tuesday, August 7th at 11:00am

-          Friday, August 10th at 11:00am

-          Tuesday, August 14th at 2:30pm

-          Friday, August 17th at 11:30am

-          Tuesday, August 21st at 10:00am

-          Friday, August 24th at 10:00am

-          Tuesday, August 28th at 2:30pm

-          Friday, August 31st at 11:30am

-          Tuesday, September 4th at 11:30am and

-          Friday, September 7th at 12:00pm

If the Senate receives a message from the House that it has adopted S.Con.Res.59, providing for a conditional adjournment or recess of the Senate and an adjournment of the House of Representatives, the pro forma sessions above will not occur and   …

the Senate will adjourn until 2:00pm on Monday, September 10, 2012.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

The next meeting in the HOUSE is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on August 7, 2012.?

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on August 3, 2012

http://www.houselive.gov/

What have Republicans done FOR Americans ? When will the Middle and Lower classes get  tired of  the Austerity Republicans have forced upon us

10:00:44 A.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
10:00:59 A.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable Bill Flores to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
10:01:23 A.M.		Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
10:03:08 A.M.		JOURNAL APPROVED – The Chair announced that pursuant to section 3(a) of H. Res. 747, the Journal of the last day’s proceedings was approved.
10:03:22 A.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair led the House in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
10:03:53 A.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 U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received a message from the Secretary of the Senate on August 3, 2012 at 9:23 a.m. stating that that body had passed S. 3245, H.R. 4240, H.R. 3670, and H.R. 1402; and agreed to S. Con. Res. 59, S. Con. Res. 58, and H. Con. Res. 135.
10:04:53 A.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn pursuant to section 3(b) of H. Res. 747. The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on August 7, 2012.