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“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” -George Santayana
On March 7, 1965, hundreds of brave unarmed nonviolent women and men dared to March for African Americans right to vote. The fact is that less than 1% of eligible Blacks voted or registered to vote. People organized a Peaceful Protest March from Selma to the state capitol in Montgomery. However, as those protesters crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge to Montgomery. The police, riding horses ready for violence engaged in excessive use of force, which included brutally beating protesters, sprayed gas at them while journalists and photographers witnessed.
The brutal reaction by the police was not only caught on tape it forced then President Johnson, who was once against civil rights programs as a Senator to call on Congress for equal voting rights for all on March 15. The Voting Act of 1965 was signed into law on August 6; is a landmark piece of national legislation in the United States that outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had been responsible for the widespread disenfranchisement of African Americans in the U.S.
That awful day that started out peacefully quickly descended into a March of death for the right to vote called Bloody Sunday.
Now, 48 years later, a new “Jim Crow” era has emerged with a major step backward in the fight for civil and voting rights. There are conservative states targeting not only African Americans but also Senior citizens, first time voters, early voting, Students, low income, and the undocumented though Republicans call them (illegals). In addition, people without birth certificates were limited or completely denied access to the voting booth because their old state ID failed to meet new voter ID regulations and treated like possible( illegals). It is the 21st Century; we should be on a progressive path toward equality for all not one that will re-engage folks in the act of racism or exclusion leading to suppressing participation in the election process. This year, new stricter voter ID legislation is pending in thirty-one states. This includes, voter ID proposals in thirteen states with proposals to strengthen existing voter ID laws in ten states, and eight states that will amend the new voter ID laws passed in 2011. We need to push back all attempts to suppress the right to Vote.
With so much at stake, it is time to stop sitting on the sidelines. If we are going to succeed, Conservative lawmakers NEED to hear our Voices.
We cannot let the naysayers turn back the clock on Voting Rights or the next generation.
Thank You for Taking Action
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112th Congress Tea Party membership map. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
So, Today is a day to close your eyes breathe in through your nose slowly and deeply then release your breathe slowly exhale through your mouth … be still stay calm repeat when needed
just another rant …
It has been a big week for members of the tea party, getting a lot of airtime. I have to say that most of the interviews on the airwaves spewed pushed a conspiracy theory about not only who should get 501c(4) status, but also how the IRS’s association with the Affordable Care Act is now tainted. I guess this should not surprise anyone but the paper trail or digital one just seems too coincidental for me. I want to know what if any association do these folks have to republican members of Congress if as the media states this “scandal” will bring back the tea party. Fact is, only 18% of the public identify themselves as members of the tea party, but seem to show their true colours very loudly and it’s confusing to some because they don’t seem like a legitimate organization to even get this much notice or camera time
This is also a week, a month, no, years of Republicans coming out of the woodwork that apparently still believes or wants voters to believe the BS about the President and as the mid-terms of 2010 move into 2013-2014, these kooks who were voted into office now appear unqualified and need to be voted out. The notion that any member of Congress received or backed the tea movement is offensive. It also makes you wonder given the information regarding how many did not meet the threshold requirements just how the Tea Party folks paid for the various rallies not to mention did TV stations help, but have not admitted to sponsoring these so-called rallies. The Tea Party is not just angry they are misinformed about where the President was born, say, he is a socialist, he favors the poor and because he is Black, he seems to be giving them the advantage.
My question … are all these people actually buying this or is something else going on. I understand being upset about the IRS, policy issues and politics in general but the signs at those rallies were telling. The fact is some really are mad that 53% voted an African American into office for a 2nd term and this still upsets folks while others continue to incite fear, promote exclusion and have crossed the lines of sanity
Yes, I will say it again … most if not all are misinformed some are racists and then there is a small group who are violet. There are quite a few solutions, but the best is getting out the vote , remember that the mid-term elections have always been a no big deal vote and last… gerrymandering has made them critically important since 2010.
Clothes rack (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Sometime around the 21st of November in 2012, Greenpeace discovered and exposed Zara as one of maybe many companies using manufacturers that have toxic chemicals in their clothing…
On the 29th of November, a statement of commitment from Zara’s manufacturing company to toxic-free fashion ~~ below
Achieving the Zero Discharge
Inditex‘s commitment, in connection with the use of chemical substances in the manufacturing process of its products, is reflected in its chemical policy, which establishes restrictions and prohibitions in the use of these substances.
So far, this policy has been developed and periodically updated in conformity with the most demanding international legislation and in collaboration with the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain). The policy regulates not only those “substances whose use is legally limited” and which, if present in the product above certain levels, could be hazardous for human health, such as: Formaldehyde, Arylamines, Phenols (PCP, TeCP), Cadmium, Lead, Chromium (VI), Nickel, Allergenic Dyes, among others; additionally, it limits the use of certain parameters not contemplated by the effective legislation, such as: Organochlorinated Compounds and Isocyanates. In order to guarantee the compliance of said policy by Inditex’s suppliers, Inditex carries out audits and regular inspections of the production processes and continuous reviews of the products.
INDITEX Commitment to Zero Discharge
27th November 2012
In line with Inditex’s long-term sustainability program Inditex recognizes the urgent need for eliminating industrial releases of all hazardous chemicals (1). According to its approach based on prevention (2) and the Precautionary Principle (3) Inditex is committed to zero discharges (4) of all hazardous chemicals from the whole lifecycle and all production procedures that are associated with the making and using of all products Inditex sells (5) by 01 January 2020. Inditex recognises that to achieve this goal, mechanisms for disclosure and transparency about the hazardous chemicals used in its global supply chain are important and necessary, in line with the ‘Right to Know principle’ (6). In line with this principle Inditex will increase the public availability and transparency of its restricted substance list and audit process and will set up public disclosure of discharges of hazardous chemicals in its supply chain.
Inditex also commits to support systemic (i.e. wider societal and policy) change to achieve zero discharge of hazardous chemicals (associated with supply chain and the lifecycles of products) within one generation (7) or less. This commitment includes sustained investment in moving industry, government, science and technology to deliver on systemic change and to affect system change across the industry towards this goal.
The 2020 goal also demands the collective action of industry, as well as engagement of regulators and other stakeholders. To this end, Inditex will work with other companies in the apparel sector and other brands it could sell, as well as material suppliers, the broader chemical industry, NGOs and other stakeholders to achieve this goal.
Inditex understands the scope of the commitment to be a long term vision – with short term practice to be defined by the following individual action plan:
Individual action plan.
1. Supply-chain disclosure.
In line with Inditex’s commitment to the public’s ‘right to know’ the chemical substances used within its global supply-chain and the products it sells, Inditex will be taking the following actions:
1. publish its updated ‘Restricted Substances List’ and audit processes by the end of April 2013, and annually thereafter.
2. begin public disclosure of discharges of hazardous chemicals in its supply chain via individual facility level disclosure of chemical use and discharges data, to be achieved via an incremental process, beginning with the following actions:
i) by no later than end of March 2013 public disclosure of at least 10 Chinese supplier facilities, plus at least 10 additional facilities in other parts of the “global south” (i.e. 20 facilities in total);
ii) by no later than December 2013, at least another 30 Chinese supplier facilities (in addition to the facilities in i) above), plus at least another50 additional facilities in other parts of the “global south” (in addition to the facilities in i) above, i.e. 100 facilities in total;
using a credible public online platform, with full facility transparency (i.e. location and individual data of facilities) and covering at least the hazardous chemicals within the 11 priority groups of chemicals (8)
2. APEO elimination policy.
Inditex recognises the intrinsic hazardousness of all APEOs, and therefore acknowledges it is a priority to eliminate their use across its global supply chain. There are multiple supply-chain pathways for potential APEO contamination (including chemical formulations). Inditex will enhance both training and auditing of its supply-chain in conjunction with other global brands, as well as ensuring its suppliers have the latest information on APEOs, highlighting where there is a risk that APEOs may enter into the undocumented contamination of chemical supplier formulations.
In addition to these actions, Inditex will enforce its APEO ban with the following actions:
i. initiate an investigation into the current compliance to this requirement, reporting the findings to the public and simultaneously strengthening its supplier legal agreement language to ensure only APEO-free chemical formulations are utilized by the end of April 2013,
ii. work with its supply chain and other global industry leaders, to ensure the most current technological limits of detection are reflected via the lowest detectable limits within its testing regimes.
3. Perfluorocarbon (PFC) elimination policy.
In application of the precautionary principle, and recognizing that enough scientific evidence is available pointing towards a recognizable hazard posed by PFCs, Inditex commits to impose a ban on PFOS, PFOA, their salts and derivatives, and telomeric alcohols by January 2013. This prohibition includes the manufacturing of any products Inditex sells.
With respect to the use of PFCs, Inditex agrees to the following actions:
i. Inditex commits to eliminate C8, C7, C6 PFC based substances in manufacturing, and in any of the products it sells no later than the end of 2013.
ii. Inditex commits to work with suitable technical / scientific partners and stakeholders to find safer, non-fluorinated alternatives in the shortest timespan possible, with the goal of substituting all perfluorocarbon compounds with suitable, non-hazardous, non-fluorinated alternatives.
iii. The timelines for the elimination of all remaining PFCs will be as follows: elimination of 50% of all remaining PFCs (from the base of PFCs used as of 2012) used by January 2015; and the total elimination of all PFC use in manufacturing and in products by the end of 2015.
The elimination of all PFC use by the products it sells will be supported by:
i. A review of all products it produces to ensure there are no PFCs in the products we sell,
ii. a rigorous system of control to ensure that no traces of PFCs find their way into its supply chain in line with the above.
4. Targets for other hazardous chemicals.
Inditex commits to regularly review the science of the chemicals used in the textiles/apparel industry and periodically update its chemical policy, at least annually, to further restrict or ban chemicals, as new evidence on their impact becomes available.
In this context, its recognizes the need to not only report to the public the evidence of elimination of the 11 groups of hazardous chemicals identified as a priority but also set clear intermediate progress targets on the elimination of hazardous chemicals (beyond these 11 priority chemical groups) and the introduction of non-hazardous chemicals by 2015 on the road to elimination by 01 January 2020.
Inditex will also ensure that it is part of an industry wide approach to ensure the use of chemicals in the products its sells and that is managed responsibly and in line with the above commitment, and in particular the intrinsic hazards approach. In line with this, Inditex commits to reinforce the work of the sectoral chemical inventory and hazardous substance black list, aiming to establish this inventory, and the black list, based on an intrinsically hazardous screening methodology, by no later than December 2013.
The individual actions covered above will be reassessed by Inditex at regular intervals – at least annually.
5. Further Actions.
Within 8 weeks of the public release of this commitment, Inditex will publish further actions for its Individual Action Plan:
Including a number of substitution case studies (e.g. where in the past, or currently, Inditex has substituted any of the 11 groups of hazardous chemicals as per below (8), with others non-hazardous chemicals) via a credible format (e.g. ‘Subsport system’).
Download – Further actions included in the Individual Action Plan (updated as of 1st February 2013)
——————————————————————————————–
(1) All hazardous chemicals means all those that show intrinsically hazardous properties: persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT); very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB); carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic for reproduction (CMR); endocrine disruptors (ED), or other properties of equivalent concern, (not just those that have been regulated or restricted in other regions). This will require establishing – ideally with other industry actors – a corresponding list of the hazardous chemicals concerned that will be regularly reviewed.
(2) This means solutions are focused on elimination of use at source, not on end-of-pipe or risk management. This requires either substitution with non-hazardous chemicals or where necessary finding non- chemical alternative solutions, such as re-evaluating product design or the functional need for chemicals.
(3) This means taking preventive action before waiting for conclusive scientific proof regarding cause and effect between the substance (or activity) and the damage. It is based on the assumption that some hazardous substances cannot be rendered harmless by the receiving environment (i.e. there are no ‘environmentally acceptable’/’safe’ use or discharge levels) and that prevention of potentially serious or irreversible damage is required, even in the absence of full scientific certainty. The process of applying the Precautionary Principle must involve an examination of the full range of alternatives, including, where necessary, substitution through the development of sustainable alternatives where they do not already exist. The Precautionary Principle is applied across all products sold by Inditex (and any entities directed by, or licenced by the Inditex “Group” of entities).
(4) Zero discharge means elimination of all releases, via all pathways of release, i.e. discharges, emissions and losses, from its supply chain and its products. “Elimination” or “zero” means ‘not detectable, to the limits of current technology’, and only naturally occurring background levels are acceptable.
(5) This means the commitment applies to the environmental practices of the entire company (group, and all entities it directs or licences) and for all products sold by Inditex or any of its subsidiaries. This includes all its suppliers or facilities horizontally across all owned brands and licensed companies as well as vertically down its supply chain.
(6) Right to Know is defined as practices that allow members of the public access to environmental information – in this case specifically about the uses and discharges of chemicals based on reported quantities of releases of hazardous chemicals to the environment, chemical-by-chemical, facility-by-facility, at least year-by-year.
(7) One generation is generally regarded as 20-25 years.
(8) the 11 priority hazardous chemical groups are : 1. Alkylphenols 2. Phthalates 3.Brominated and chlorinated flame retardants 4. Azo dyes 5. Organotin compounds 6. Perfluorinated chemicals 7. Chlorobenzenes 8. Chlorinated solvents 9. Chlorophenols 10. Short chain chlorinated paraffins 11. Heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, mercury and chromium (VI).
Stay tuned in to see if they are able to succeed … Be a Seed for Change
click on 
The Affordable HealthCare Law resolves health care and jobs issues.
If you believe in moving into the 21st Century, believe in health care being accessible to all , if you believe it is a right not a privilege or that the overhaul is long overdue; then you are on the right side of history. Please do not believe how some are portraying ACA, as a law for the poor. I do not believe that parents with kids in college would say they are poor nor rich and these days most families have two or more in college at the same time. Therefore, having children covered until 26 is considered a relief to some families
The fact is over 32mil people will now have access to an improved health care system that will need more doctors, PA, and those great nurses who we usually see when we feel bad. Think about it, what does it take to run a Hospital? Our current workforce cannot possibly handle that many new customers and will need to hire more folks from the so-called bottom up such as grounds, parking lots, security, maintenance, janitors to gardeners to receptionists, and more. I have no idea how many people go to the doctor each day, but if you have an appointment during the workday, your child is in school, goes to daycare or you take them with you … most people do not; bam more jobs needed.
I cannot begin to list the impact of 32million more people added to the health care system, but the proof of it being a jobs bill is obvious.
In Solidarity …
Information : from www.Whitehouse.gov
For a comprehensive overview of the Affordable Care Act, visit WhiteHouse.gov/HealthReform and HealthCare.gov.
Let’s take a look at what today’s ruling means for the middle class:
A major impact of the Court’s decision is the 129 million people with pre-existing conditions and millions of middle class families who will have the security of affordable health coverage.
Beginning in the 1850s, Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia started Mothers’ Day Work Clubs in order to teach women proper child-care techniques and sanitation methods. In the years following the Civil War, these same clubs became a unifying force for a country ripped apart by conflict. In 1868, Jarvis and other women organized a Mothers Friendship Day, when mothers gathered with former soldiers of both the Union and Confederacy to promote reconciliation. After Ann Reeves Jarvis died in 1905, it was her daughter Anna Jarvis who would work tirelessly to make Mother’s Day a national holiday.
Anna Jarvis, who had no children of her own, conceived of Mother’s Day as an occasion for honoring the sacrifices individual mothers made for their children.
In May 1908, she organized the first official Mother’s Day events at a church in her hometown of Grafton, West Virginia, as well as at a Wanamaker’s department store in Philadelphia, where she lived at the time. Jarvis then began writing letters to newspapers and politicians pushing for the adoption of Mother’s Day as an official holiday. By 1912, many other churches, towns and states were holding Mother’s Day celebrations, and Jarvis had established the Mother’s Day International Association. Her hard-fought campaign paid off in 1914, when President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.
Jarvis’ conceived of of Mother’s Day as an intimate occasion—a son or daughter honoring the mother they knew and loved—and not a celebration of all mothers. For this reason, she always stressed the singular “Mother’s” rather than the plural. She soon grew disillusioned, as Mother’s Day almost immediately became centered on the buying and giving of printed cards, flowers, candies and other gifts. Seeking to regain control of the holiday she founded, Jarvis began openly campaigning against those who profited from Mother’s Day, including confectioners, florists and other retailers. She launched numerous lawsuits against groups using the name Mother’s Day, and eventually spent much of her sizeable inheritance on legal fees.
In 1925, when an organization called the American War Mothers used Mother’s Day as an occasion for fundraising and selling carnations, Jarvis crashed their convention in Philadelphia and was arrested for disturbing the peace. Later, she even attacked First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt for using Mother’s Day as an occasion to raise money for charity. By the 1940s, Jarvis had disowned the holiday altogether, and even actively lobbied the government to see it removed from the calendar. Her efforts were to no avail, however, as Mother’s Day had taken on a life of its own as a commercial goldmine. Largely destitute, and unable to profit from the massively successful holiday she founded, Jarvis died in 1948 in Philadelphia’s Marshall Square Sanitarium.
The sad history of Mother’s Day founder Anna Jarvis has done nothing to slow down the popularity—and commercialism—of the holiday. According to an annual spending survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend an average of $168.94 on Mother’s Day in 2013, a whopping 11 percent increase from 2012. In total, Mother’s Day spending is expected to reach $20.7 billion this year. In addition to the more traditional gifts (ranging from cards, flowers and candy to clothing and jewelry), the survey showed that an unprecedented 14.1 percent of gift-givers plan to buy their moms high-tech gadgets like smartphones and tablets.
Elbridge Gerry (1744–1814), American statesman (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Easter break is over for Congress so, let the name-calling and games commence because we all know that they are working for the people right? It is time to take Republicans onto the floor of Congress and wipe up the floor with their ideologies.
just another rant …
The things on my mind while Congress took nine days off; hopefully members of Congress have heard their constituents voices about Gun Safety, keeping ACA intact, reproductive rights safely in the hands of Women and their families, ending the Sequester, Paycheck Fairness, Immigration and Medicare/caid just to name a few. Lest we forget that Republican Governors continue to pass, ridiculous Family Values bills while squashing social service programs
I also hope the constant racial comments by people voted into Public Office, which, sadly is slurped up by people who seem to be listening and following like lemmings not only affects people of colour. It shows the World how primitive we truly are while our constitution, civil and human right achievements seem like documents and sensibilities with absolutely no value or power. The public needs to stay informed; elections suffice it to say have consequences. The fact is midterm elections are just as important as the National Elections … especially in years when gerrymandering or as they say when redistricting goes into full effect that lumps, separates, destroys diverse communities and robs some of their voting rights allowing more extreme tea party members onto the Congressional floor
In December 1975, the Congress passed Public Law (P.L.) 94-171. This law requires the Census Bureau to make special preparations to provide redistricting data to the 50 states no later than April 1 of the year following a census (so April 1, 2011, for the 2010 Census). P.L. 94-171 specifies that within 1 year of Census Day, the Census Bureau must send each state the small-area data the state will need to redraw districts for the state legislature.
P.L. 94-171 sets up a voluntary program between the Census Bureau and those states that wish to receive population tabulations for voting districts and other state-specified geographic areas.
Under this program, those responsible for the legislative apportionment or redistricting of each state may devise a plan identifying the voting districts for which they want the specific tabulations and submit it to the Census Bureau.
Beginning in 2005, the Redistricting Data Office of the Census Bureau met with state officials in 46 states. These meetings explained the timeline and programs available for the 2010 Census, providing states the time to prepare and allocate resources in advance of the census. The states also provided the Census Bureau with valuable feedback on census program planning.
The 2010 Census Redistricting Data Program is a five-phase program. During Phase 1 (2005–2006), the Census Bureau collected state legislative district boundaries and associated updates to tabulate legislative districts. This phase also included an aggressive 2010 Census communications plan, with visits to state capitals, to make sure the states were informed and prepared for the upcoming census.
Phase 2 (2008–2010) consisted of the Voting District/Block Boundary Suggestion Project (VTD/BBSP) in which states received TIGER/Line® shapefiles and the MAF/TIGER Partnership Software (MTPS) to electronically collect voting district boundaries, feature updates, suggested block boundaries, and corrected state legislative district boundaries. Both Phase 1 and Phase 2 are voluntary programs that include a step where the state verifies the submitted data.
Phase 3 constitutes the delivery of the data for the 2010 Census. The Census Bureau will deliver the geographic and data products to the majority and minority leadership in the state legislatures, the governors, and any designated P.L. 94-171 liaisons. Once bipartisan receipt of the data is confirmed, the data will be made available online to the public within 24 hours through the American FactFinder. For this census, the P.L. 94-171 data will include population counts for small areas within each state, as well as housing occupied/vacancy counts.
After the Census Bureau provides the data, the states will begin their redistricting. States are responsible for delineating their own congressional and legislative boundaries and their legislatures. Legislatures, secretaries of state, governors, and/or redistricting commissions carry out the process.
Go to census.gov for the complete article …
Republicans on the floor of Congress continue to stall, block, scale down bills, and or add nasty amendments no one could vote for in good faith while providing misinformation and misinterpretation to the public any chance they can. We the People cannot afford to vote for politicians who put Political Party over doing the Peoples business; though Republicans would have the public believe it is in our best interest. Remember Speaker Boehner said his maim concern was jobs jobs jobs among other things… the question is how many jobs bills did Republicans bring to the floor, how many Senate jobs bills were rejected and last how many awful amendments were attached. Yes, biased, but I don’t think it’s in the best interest of Americans to side on the party of no; people need to make the effort to listen to what and how bills are handled by Republicans.
We need and must move into the 21st Century if we plan to get back on track and to do so Republicans must accept that PBO won a second term has earned the right to govern … Americans … 53% of us said YES to his ideas, policies and desire to move forward.
For your information or as wiki states, “Gerrymandering is effective because of the wasted vote effect.
So, what do Packing and Cracking mean to you …
- Packing opposition voters into districts (concentrate as many voters of one type -( maybe party&race ) means they already win and by …
- Cracking the remainder among districts where they are moved into the minority (increasing votes for eventual losers), the number of wasted votes among the opposition can be maximized. Similarly, with supporters holding narrow margins in the unpacked districts, the number of wasted votes among supporters is minimized.
The Etymology
First printed in March 1812, this political cartoon was drawn in reaction to the state senate electoral districts drawn by the Massachusetts legislature to favour the Democratic-Republican Party candidates of Governor Elbridge Gerry over the Federalists. The caricature satirises the bizarre shape of a district in Essex County, Massachusetts as a dragon-like “monster.” Federalist newspapers editors and others at the time likened the district shape to a salamander, and the word gerrymander was a blend of that word and Governor Gerry‘s last name.
White House (Photo credit: HarshLight)
just another rant …
My first thoughts when we first heard the news of the elimination of Osama Bin Laden was a great relief. Then a need to clarify that “I” am not into war or killing but this person killed thousands of Americans as well as thousands of others all over the World in a ways that cannot be forgotten and while friend’s family and or co-workers cannot come back, it is with a great sigh of relief that at least one head of terror has been eliminated. The news that folks want to see the photo is odd in my opinion because it will not bring back anyone’s family member, why not just trust our government took care of the world’s worst criminal. I am not sure it translates into getting out of Afghanistan sooner than what our President has announced and since there are questions about how much Pakistan knew before our Navy SEALs eliminated Osama Bin Laden our military may need to stay longer.
War is easier to declare than end and the consequences even worse …. remind your favourite member of Congress
Though we have pulled most of our troops out of Iraq, there are still thousands serving and protecting on behalf of all Americans. We still have Corporations in the private and or public sector companies … still not hiring enough as our slow recovery takes shape, or have changed the rules by limiting the work available as well as redefining what part-time means or is. The Democratic Party was voted out of the majority in 2010. Unfortunately, We had far too many public servants with personal agendas, Republicans, Conservadems, Tea Party or Tea baggers, who were only a small group a while ago have been able to put a few in the US Congress after the midterm elections. I was unhappy then but now somewhat pleased because the current nasty rhetoric, almost negative and or competing exchanges among themselves are encouraging if not telling. Teapublicans clearly used the lack of jobs; an unstable economy to win Election2010, the distraction won them the House but not the White House. While we were all watching, waiting the truth slowly unfolded and folks who voted them into office saw the ugly Teapublican agenda, which is that they are going after President Obama instead of creating jobs or a better economy. We all know this group has very extreme ideas about what they will do when on the floor of Congress and while the voters decided to send a message to the folks on Capitol Hill I am still confused about what voting against your best interest does for anyone but make things even worse. I was upset about it and as a member of the Democratic Party; feel people need to take control over their own ability to get good information and dissect it to make intelligent choices. The loss of the House, the things we all wanted as Dems, libs and or progressives were put at risk by all the “anger votes” made me sick. I want to believe people truly had no idea what was at stake and treated the midterms as the no big deal state based elections as per usual.
The only problem is, 4.7% of Blacks Women and Gay voters decided to lean right. The fact is, the 2010midterm elections mattered and will continue to as long as the TeaParty & Republicans grab onto more control of local city state and federal levels. My first thought was outrage then confusion that folks who usually support sometimes need support from the Government vote against their best interest. Only time will tell how much we all will suffer or for how long.
If that lean to the right in 2010 was a tantrum, you have to admit at some point that this is childish behavior. I would also say people need to stop whining and understand the governing process because if not we all will suffer for it and how selfish could someone be to hold their vote hostage or vote right of center just because they are angry is not only offensive but makes me wonder how American is that.
I will never understand anyone willing to vote against his or her best interests.
Phil Gordon, the mayor of Phoenix, Arizona believes the American Jobs Act should be passed,
“We can’t afford to keep waiting. And the politics that are being played
not only in Washington, DC, but across the country are just devastating our
nation, our cities. And it’s important not only to put people back to work but
to train them for the 21st century.”
He is pleading with Congress – Republicans and Democrats – to pass the
American Jobs Act “right away.”
“Arizona has been hit—one of the two or three hardest states—in Phoenix in
particular—with housing, lack of conventions, tourism, lack of jobs,” Gordon
explains. “It’s time to stop talking about it, it’s time to move forward.
There’s plenty of time for everybody to do politics afterwards. But right now,
in Phoenix, we have a lot of people out of work. We have a lot of children that
are now homeless with their moms and dads that shouldn’t be.”
Kansas City Mayor Sly James Supports the American Jobs Act
The American Job Act will help James answer the one question he says the residents of his Missouri city
ask any time he leaves the office, “’Mayor, where can I get a job? Mayor can you
help me get a job? Mayor can you help my brother or my mother get a job?”’Jobs
are at the forefront of people’s minds.”
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer Supports the American Jobs Act
There’s a real sense of urgency right now. A lot of people have been out of
work for a long period of time. Their savings are gone or practically gone. So
they see where they thought they were going to be fitting in the American dream,
and saying, “that may not happen to me anymore right now.” And so there’s this
feeling of hopelessness that we’ve got to address, we can’t wait until the next
election cycle. This is something the American people need today.America’s Mayors Are in Sync: Congress Must Work on a Bipartisan Basis to put
America Back on Track
Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, California says that the residents
of his city are united in their message to him, and to elected officials in
Washington: “Job #1 is to create the jobs they need going into the future.”Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory Supports the American Jobs Act
Mayor Mark Mallory said that he — and the citizens of his city — are “very
excited” about the possibility of the Jobs Act because the President’s plan will
enable Cincinnati to keep firefighters and police officers on the
job.Mallory specifically refers to the provisions in the Act that provide funds for
infrastructure, and says Cincinnati’s “very large, very old” Brent
Spence Bridge needs to be replaced.Mayor of Denver: American Jobs Act an “Opportunity for all Elected Officials to
Put Aside Differences”
Mayor Michael Hancock of Denver, Colorado says there is no more important
initiative that any elected official can be focused on than “trying to get
America back to work, right now.” Hancock believes that “this Job Act is an opportunity for all elected
officials at every level but particularly here in Washington, in Congress and
the White House, to finally put aside our differences and stand again for the
people of America and begin to put them to work.”Mayor Rawlings-Blake of Baltimore Supports the American Jobs Act
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake says the country needs the American Jobs Act in order to “grow
out of this great recession.” As an older city, Baltimore has tremendous
infrastructure needs and its mayor believes the $50
billion investment in rebuilding that is a core component of the Jobs Act
will make the streets and schools of her city “safer for generations to come.”
Rawlings-Blake also applauds the Jobs Act’s focus on offering relief to small
business owners, who she says are the “backbone” of Baltimore’s economyGovernor John Kitzhaber of Oregon says that in his state,
“the American Jobs Act
will translate into almost
9,000 jobs for vital transportation, school infrastructure projects for idol
construction workers, funding for our schools and incentives for small
businesses to put people back to work.”Most importantly. says Kitzhaber, the jobs that are
created will be “good middle income family wage jobs,” which will create a
significant economic ripple across the state. “In an economic crisis we need to
be investing in the economy–we need to be investing in job creation and I think
the American Jobs Act is exactly
what we need at the right time and certainly for Oregon and I think for
America.”
