Archive for September 10th, 2012

10
Sep
12

CONGRESS – the Republican led House : Congress will do only about 8days of work prior to Election2012 : the Senate led by Dems


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 Senate Convenes: 2:00pm

  • Following the prayer and pledge, the Majority Leader will be recognized.
  • At 4:55pm, there will be a moment of silence for the 40th anniversary of the Munich Olympics massacre.
  • At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #664, the nomination of Stephanie Marie Rose, of IA, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa with 30 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees.  Upon the use or yielding back of time (at approximately 5:30pm), there will be a roll call vote on confirmation of the Rose nomination.
  • As a reminder, on Thursday, August 2nd, cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to S.3457, the Vets Jobs Corps Act.  The cloture vote on the motion to proceed to S.3457 will be at 2:15pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012.

5:30pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination of Stephanie Marie Rose, of Iowa, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa

5:30pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination of Stephanie Marie Rose, of Iowa, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa; Confirmed: 89-1

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTE

1)      Confirmation of Executive Calendar #664, the nomination of Stephanie Marie Rose, of IA, to be United States District judge for the Southern District of Iowa; Confirmed: 89-1

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Star printed the committee report to accompany S.3521, the Family and Business Tax Cut Certainty Act of 2012.

Began the Rule 14 process of H.R.8, the Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act of 2012. (Republican request)

Began the Rule 14 process of S.3522, the Responsible Homeowner Refinancing Act of 2012. (Menendez and others)

Began the Rule 14 process of S.3525, the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012. (Tester)

Completed the Rule 14 process of S.3519, the Pay for Printing Act (DeMint).

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

——————————————————————————-

House hearings for Today …

2:00 pm Hearing: Legislative Hearing on H.R. 6040 and H.R. 6147Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs
5:00 pm Hearing: H.R. 5949-FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012Committee on Rules: Full Committee
5:00 pm Hearing: H.R. 5544-Minnesota Education Investment and Employment ActCommittee on Rules: Full Committee

The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on September 10, 2012.

http://www.houselive.gov/

10
Sep
12

Voter ID


Republicans are working hard to suppress your vote. Mitt Romney and Paul RyanCan you contribute $12 today to the Emergency Black Voter Fund? Join Us

 

Last week 2,260 delegates from all 50 states elected Mitt Romney to represent their party in this election. Yet at the same time the Republican party is talking about freedom and American values, it is doing everything it can to make it harder for Black folks to exercise their right to vote.1

In Ohio, Secretary of State Jon Husted has eliminated weekend access to polls, an option that was exercised by Black voters in past elections.2 In Pennsylvania, Republicans pushed through a law requiring specific forms of restrictive photo identification to vote, a constraint that systematically pushes Black and low-income voters out of the system.3 In Florida, Republican Gov. Rick Scott has overseen a sweeping voter purge that has erased hundreds – if not thousands – of lawful citizens from the voter rolls.4

That’s why we’re launching an Emergency Black Voter Fund. Can you chip in $12 a month until election day, to create a fighting fund to help make sure that these attacks on our right to vote don’t go unanswered. Can you spare $12 a month?

http://act.colorofchange.org/pledge/emergency_recur_donate

With your help we will register thousands of new Black voters and prepare them to have everything they need to vote on Election Day. We will also launch rapid response media campaigns in key states like Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio to fight back against conservative attempts to make it harder for Black folks to vote.

The Republican machine has invested millions to keep us from voting.5 This will take significant resources, which is why we don’t have a minute to lose. We need your help to get these plans off the ground. Can you chip in $12 a month from now until election day to help turn these plans into reality?

http://act.colorofchange.org/pledge/emergency_recur_donate

Thanks and Peace,

– Rashad, Dani, Matt, Arisha, Charlene and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team     September 1st, 2012

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://www.colorofchange.org/donate

References

1. “Republicans Boast About Voter Suppression in Tampa, but the Ground Is Shifting,” The Nation (Blog), 08-29-12 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1759?t=7&akid=2614.1174326.U3rkmV

2. “Equal voting processes for Ohio counties may still be unfair for voters,” WKSU, 08-16-12 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1703?t=9&akid=2614.1174326.U3rkmV

3. “Shocker: PA Judge Upholds Voter Disenfranchisement Law, Setting Up Chaos Like 2004 in Ohio,” AlterNet, 08-15-12 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1760?t=11&akid=2614.1174326.U3rkmV

4. “How Governor Rick Scott Is Preventing Eligible U.S. Citizens From Voting In Florida,” ThinkProgress, 05-23-12 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1761?t=13&akid=2614.1174326.U3rkmV

5. “Many states’ voter-ID laws, including Pennsylvania’s, appear to have tie to same U.S. group,” Philadelphia Inquirer, 08-15-12 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1762?t=15&akid=2614.1174326.U3rkmV

10
Sep
12

The stakes for clean air, clean water, and clean energy jobs …


Here’s something Mitt Romney actually joked about with pride — and plenty of scorn — while formally accepting the Republican nomination for president of the United States:

“President Obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans and heal the planet.”

And the crowd went wild.

It is nothing short of terrifying to imagine a party that openly mocks climate change taking back the White House.

The contrast between our candidate and theirs couldn’t be any clearer.

President Obama has more than doubled the amount of electricity we get from wind and solar over his first term — and his plans for wind power are expected to help grow the wind industry to support 100,000 jobs by 2016. Both Romney and Ryan want to kill the wind production tax credit, which could come at the expense of 37,000 American jobs. Oh, but they would keep giving $4 billion in tax breaks to Big Oil every single year.

And just this week, while President Obama’s administration finalized historic fuel economy standards to double our vehicles’ mileage by 2025 and cut carbon pollution from vehicles in half, the GOP adopted a platform that could kill investments in clean energy, and calls on Congress to prohibit the EPA from moving forward with new greenhouse gas regulations.

Surprise, surprise — according to the Los Angeles Times, the platform “was written at the direction of the Romney campaign,” making it heavily influenced by Big Oil interests.

So there you have it — the stakes for clean air, clean water, and clean energy jobs couldn’t be higher. Make sure your friends and family know what we’re fighting for:

Thanks, and stay tuned.

Buffy

Buffy Wicks National Operation Vote Director Obama for America

10
Sep
12

Order Your Free Copy of 4 Basic Steps to Food Safety at Home


Each year millions of people get sick from food illnesses. Clean, cook, separate and chill to keep food from spoiling and causing people to get sick.

Download and order your free copies of 4 Basic Steps to Food Safety at Home

Find more food safety publications at Publications.USA.gov

10
Sep
12

Media Matters for America : Reality Check


 

This week is about reality checks: those who are providing them and those who need them. Economic reporters provide a reality check, while CBS may want to take a closer look at their newest business partner. All that and more.John Whitehouse Twitter: @existentialfish

Economic Reporters: We’re Better Off Now

As the conservative media manufacture a controversy whether the country is better off now than in fall 2008 when the economy was collapsing, Media Matters investigative reporter Joe Strupp talked to five veteran economic reporters. Their opinion was unanimous: of course the country is better off now than four years ago: http://mm4a.org/UuZtCp

CBS Hires Fox’s Republican Strategist Who Plotted Against Obama

Frank Luntz created Politifact’s 2010 “Lie of the Year,” in labeling the Affordable Care Act a “government takeover” of health care. Despite all of this, CBS News has just hired the discredited Republican strategist. Ben Dimiero looks at Luntz’s particular brand of dishonesty at Fox: http://mm4a.org/Ra0i4R

It’s Almost Like The Right-Wing Never Really Loved Bill Clinton At All

As you’ve probably seen, right-wing media figures look for any chance to portray deep discord and division between President Clinton and President Obama. After Clinton’s DNC speech Wednesday, those same right-wingers are suddenly attacking President Clinton like it’s 1998 all over again. Simon Maloy looks at the Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin’s stunning turnaround on the matter.  http://mm4a.org/QeB1Ry

To Fox, Social Security And Medicare Are “Handouts”

Fox is now attacking anyone who dares collect unemployment, Medicare, and Social Security benefits. Fox’s Gretchen Carlson and Jonah Goldberg argued that unemployment, Social Security and Medicare benefits were handouts – even though Americans pay for these benefits from their own paychecks: http://mm4a.org/Q2JxbY

FEATURED VIDEO

One of the right-wing’s favorite myths is that President Obama is guilty of “leading from behind” in foreign policy.  But when a tea party spokesperson tried that line on CNN, New Yorker‘s Ryan Lizza busted the myth.
http://mm4a.org/Q2LVts

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?

Some members of the press corps are complaining that the election is boring them, as if the purpose of democracy is amusement for the media. Eric Boehlert explains how this metastasizes into something far more worrisome and troubling. http://mm4a.org/Q2GJLP

GO BACK TO HECKLING

The discredited Daily Caller thought they had a big scoop – President Obama was the lead attorney in a lawsuit that caused the financial crisis. Two problems: One, they misread the legal documents and Obama was actually barely involved. Two, the 1995 lawsuit had nothing to do with the 2008 financial crisis. http://mm4a.org/OUWnHs

IMAGE OF THE WEEK

Always Look At The Anti-Obama Side Of Life

10
Sep
12

Palermo Workers Union


10
Sep
12

the Progress Report


GOP Blocks More Than 1 Million Jobs for an Entire Year

Today is the day we got the monthly jobs report, which unfortunately did not meet expectations. But today is also important for a related reason — it’s the one year anniversary of the introduction of the American Jobs Act, a vital jobs bill that Republicans have been blocking since day one.

The plan included stimulus spending in the form of immediate infrastructure investments, tax credits for working Americans and employers to encourage consumer spending and job growth, and efforts to shore up state and local budgets to prevent further layoffs of teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public safety officials.

ThinkProgress’ Travis Waldron explains just how much the bill would’ve done if Republicans hadn’t repeatedly voted it down in the Senate and refused to even take it up the House:

–Moody’s Analytics estimated the American Jobs Act would create 1.9 million jobs and add two percent to gross domestic product.

–The Economic Policy Institute estimated it would create 2.6 million jobs and protect an addition 1.6 million existing jobs.

–Macroeconomic Advisers predicted it would create 2.1 million jobs and boost GDP by 1.5 percent.

–Goldman Sachs estimated it would add 1.5 percent to GDP.

The American economy has continued to recover since the American Jobs Act failed. It added 96,000 jobs last month, according to today’s Bureau of Labor Statistics report, making August the 30th consecutive month in which the private sector has grown. But growth could have been faster: the public sector shed 7,000 jobs in August, adding to the more 700,000 it has lost since 2009. That includes hundreds of thousands of teachers and educators, firefighters, and police officers. Had the public sector spent the last three years growing at its previous rate, unemployment would be at least a full point lower than it is now.

The American Jobs Act and policies like it would have unquestionably boosted job creation and economic growth, a stark contrast to the tax-cutting policies put forth by congressional Republicans, whose “job creation” bills would have actually destroyed thousands of jobs. Republicans nevertheless continue to ignore economists and basic economics, instead pushing supply-side tax policies that have repeatedly failed to boost job creation and economic growth.

BOTTOM LINE: It’s time for Republicans to stop sabotaging the economy for political reasons and start working with the president to put Americans back to work.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have Missed

The Romney campaign appears to be giving up on 243 electoral votes.

Romney defends not mentioning the troops in his RNC speech: “You talk about things you think are important.”

Even Fox News is sick of Romney hiding the details of his tax plan.

Romney also defended insulting the British before the Olympics: “Nothing wrong with telling people the truth.”

Ohio’s GOP Secretary of State backs down on early voting and is forced to apologized to the court for ignoring its ruling.

Romney praised a GOP Congressman today, just a day after Steve King said that comparing immigrants to dogs was actually “a compliment.”

100,000 people want CNN to fire one of its sexist contributors.

Obama’s approval rating is up following the DNC.

Judge tells assault victim that she just shouldn’t have been at a bar in the first place.

10
Sep
12

Congressional Budget Office


H.R. 2706, Billfish Conservation Act of 2011

10
Sep
12

This Week’s Top 3 On ThinkProgr​ess: The DNC Edition


Now that both parties have wrapped up their conventions, the presidential election is just two months away. ThinkProgress will make sure you don’t miss a thing. Here are three important posts from this week:

1. ‘It’s Arithmetic’: The Best Of Bill Clinton’s DNC Speech, In One Infographic

2. CHARTS: Yes, We’re Better Off Than We Were Four Years Ago

3. Tens Of Thousands Of Feminists Call On CNN To Fire Sexist Contributor

Best,

Igor Volsky Deputy Editor, ThinkProgress

10
Sep
12

the Daily Share


Even Mitt Romney thinks we are better off than 4 years ago.

5 Sentences That Could Spell The End Of Mitt Romney’s Campaign

Does this make sense to you?

One Simple Graphic About Jobs That Will Make You Very Angry

“If you mess with this ‘V’, this ‘V’ is gonna kick your ass.”

What The Republican Party Needs To Know About The ‘Proud, Free, American Vaginas’

Four more years? Yes, please.

Barack Obama’s Amazing Speech Is The Reason Why ‘Register To Vote’ Searches Doubled On Google

Rep. John Lewis was a Freedom Rider over 50 years ago. He reminds us of where we’ve come from and cannot ever go back to.

One Of The Most Powerful Speeches Of The Entire Democratic National Convention

The former Republican Governor of Florida has a little something to say about the party he used to belong to.

Charlie Crist, Jr. – ‘I Didn’t Leave The Republican Party, The Republican Party Left Me!’




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