by propublicaon Oct 31, 2011
How powerful interests are drawing you out of a vote. Part of a ProPublica investigation.
See more at: www.propublica.org/redistricting
Tag Archives: 2ND ACT
President Obama at the Apollo Theater – Great crowd & inspiring words from President Obama
Click on the link below …it will take you to c-span site then click on the camera icon link on the right side … Enjoy his great inspiring words
http://www.c-span.org/Events/President-Goes-to-Historic-Apollo-Theater-for-Fundraiser/10737427331/
Newt
Newt and Trump Talk ‘Apprentice’ Program For 10 Poor Kids
Poor kids could work as Janitors
Poor Children have no values, no work habits, no cash unless it’s gotten illegally
Child labor laws are stupid
TGIF &Some News
just another rant …
Isn’t it bad enough we have to hear Republicans , talking heads or Pundits use this moment to jack the President all around only to have to hear our own progressives and some libs say this that or the other about how the President has obviously mishandled crossing his t’s or dotting his i’s, I get heated when I hear this nonsense. I do not understand all the nic-pic nor is it worth the time because the lawmakers in Congress as territorial as they are create the laws and all those complaining about how the President should remind each other often. The ordinary person has no idea what is actually going on behind closed doors and we never will but taking what pundits, TV hosts or political strategists do for a living, as the truth is just wrong. I used to listen to those directly involved in our political process, which, if it is coming from the conservatives it unfortunately is growing in misinformation and a party meme that is not only extreme but gives me the creeps. The things happening in both Chambers of Congress since Republicans decided to go to the dark side has made this voter distrust most if not all the words coming from McConnell, speaker Boehner, leader cantor who put Profit before the People and then Grover Norquist ahead of country. Americans should not have to suffer at the hands of, because of or due to a small group of unruly Teapublicans who seem to have forgotten they not only are supposed to be our fellow Americans they were voted into office to work for all Americans not just their respective States. Yet, the Teapublican have proved to be scary and controlling the leaders of their party. They are reckless, ruthless, and insanely responsible for the S&P rating downgrade forced upon the US. It is obvious that the brinksmanship that Republicans engaged in gave the S&P a sense of uncertainty and a lack of trust in any break in the gridlock.
This has been a tough week; the rhetoric on the airwaves is always toxic but the nastiness even hints of discriminatory talk, which has been ongoing for the last 24 months seems to be increasing. If you listen to Teapublican surrogates, many are trying to stir up trouble for the President and or second-guessing what the debt deficit, the bad employment numbers and the economy’s effect on his bid for a second term. It is sad, disappointing, let alone irritating to have to listen to my own Political Party try and put his behavior in a box. The point is he has to do what he can to get to the ultimate end and that is to bring back the Middle and Lower Class as well as our Democracy. It is a heavy lift to take on decades long of BS only to have not only the opposition work to bring you down by bring the econ to the edge of death but with friends like the pl the rest of us Obama Supporters need to remember … Barack Obama said he could not do this by himself… why? because of the obstacles that is Teapublican ideology
FYI – how often do we have to remind those out on the ledge …the opposing party is not your father’s conservative political brand.
The last guy seemed to have done everything for his Oil and Corporate friends and very few things for the Middle and Lower classes if at all.
We may not all agree with the President’s efforts but given what he has to work with, I just do not understand why most progressives and or libs have been the worst whiners ever who also seem to be holding President Obama at a higher standard than President in the past. I like to think about where we would be if the McCain/Palin ticket had won but not too long, you will get sick. There is no question; President Obama has obstacles to jump over, Republicans like McConnell who stated his job is to make Barack Obama a one term President as well as a goal post that keeps being moved by the Republican Party. President Obama has delivered on about 85% of all his promises even with all the bs going on all political levels and will need ALL of our support - no whiners need apply as the professional and elite left demands seem driven with hints of childishness. Apparently, that type of behaviour is unacceptable from both sides of the political aisle and has been called out by Standard &Poor. Is anyone else offended that a group rumored to be among those “Raters” giving out random AAA ratings to worthless toxic waste is still recognized and respected. It makes me wonder just what side of the political aisle this group is from and given what we do know they need to answer some question and be investigated for their rumored part in our financial crisis.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the World. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
Other News
Pres. Obama Speaks About Middle East Pea
UPDATE: Author & Journalist Christopher Hitchens Dies at Age 62 – click here for his C-SPAN appearances
Review Continues of Euro Debt Crisis and U.S. Impact
“The Contenders” Historians Roundtable Discussion
The Untold Story … Horne of Africa
The recent images of men, women and children starving in the Horn of Africa tell a painful story of famine and suffering. How does a nation recover from a devastating food crisis? To find out, Chip Duncan and Salim Amin returned to a Ethiopia, to a place where famine caused a massive death toll over 25 years ago. What they discovered was surprising and hopeful. In partnership with One, they created a documentary showing the contrast between 1984 and present-day Tigray. Read their words below, view a preview and watch their powerful short film. << click on link for VIDEO
In Somalia, innocent people are dying needless deaths due to a famine driven by politics and war. Those who are dying need our help and our voice.
Drought is a challenge faced by people around the world. Climate change is now making droughts more common and less predictable. But drought shouldn’t equal famine. Famine is the outcome of poor infrastructure, corrupt governments and warring factions who choose to use food as a weapon.
During our recent work in Ethiopia, we had a chance to revisit the site of the 1984 famine. Our film uses footage and stills from that famine to remind us of the suffering and of its causes. Our story also chronicles the policies and infrastructure put in place during the last two decades to build sustainable agriculture. Water retention systems, irrigation, improved transportation systems, terraced farming, training programs, improved seeds and fertilizers – this is the new legacy in Tigray Province. It’s a story worth sharing so people everywhere can promote small scale agriculture while motivating governments to make similar investments in the future.
Chip Duncan
Director, “The Untold Story”
I made a journey following the footsteps of my father from 25 years ago. When Mohamed Amin made that journey a quarter of a century ago, he never imagined it was one that would change his life forever. He had covered every major story in Africa over four decades, but nothing prepared him for what he saw in Korem in October 1984.
A famine of biblical proportions, with more than 5 million people on the verge of starvation. A famine that was, to a large extent, man-made. The ruler of Ethiopia at the time, Colonel Haile Mariam Mengistu, was using the famine as a tool to suppress the rebel movement that was rising against his brutal regime from the north of the country. He didn’t want the world to know this famine existed.
The pictures that my father shot on the plains of Korem changed his life and changed the world. They prompted the greatest single act of charity of the 20th century and saved the lives of millions of Ethiopians. After this story, he changed the way he looked at news coverage. He cared for the first time in his life and did everything he could to keep the story in the headlines. Those images were amongst the most powerful and iconic images in television history.
I was expecting to see Korem still reeling from the effects of that massive famine. It takes generations to repair that kind of damage, but I was in for a shock. I went in with the best TV production team I had ever worked with, and what we saw stunned us all! A massive drought is taking hold of the Horn of Africa once again, but Korem and Tigray Province is an oasis of crops. Irrigation schemes that have been put in place over the last decade. There’s also a new awareness of the types of crops to grow and how to market and sell them for the best prices; and new resilient seeds have all transformed a community from being “takers” to being “providers”.
The farmers of Tigray Province have proved that drought doesn’t have to equal famine, and smart aid can work.
Salim Amin
Chairman
Camerapix/A24 Media
Support ThinkProgress.org … Help keep up the fight for truth
Hey Friend, just wanted to give you a quick update. In just 2 days, we are more than halfway towards our fundraising goal for ThinkProgress. Thank you!
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– Faiz
On Tues, Dec 6, 2011 at 12:04 PM, Faiz Shakir (faiz@thinkprogress.org) wrote:
In 2012, Karl Rove, the Koch Brothers and others on the far-right are planning to spend nearly half a billion dollars to influence the political debate. Their goal is to make sure that the national dialogue protects their own deep pockets at the expense of the rest of the nation.
ThinkProgress is working around the clock to fight back with the truth. This past year, we traveled around the country to confront the right-wing with tough questions. We exposed their underhanded tactics, and crunched the numbers behind their radical policy schemes.
Next year, there is even more at stake and we need to work even harder. But we can’t do it without your help. We need to raise $25,000 this week to help fund our reporting for the coming year.
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It all comes down to the White House …Kat Barr, MoveOn.org Civic Action
We are joining with our friends at NARAL Pro-Choice America, an organization of pro-choice women and men across America, to take action in support of access to no-cost birth control. Below is their email on this important issue.
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Can you imagine if your employer were allowed to tell you your insurance plan couldn’t cover contraception?
Opponents of no-cost birth control are working hard to make this happen.
Anti-contraception groups, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, are leading the charge against the health-care law’s requirement that women receive access to prescription birth control with no copay.
We need to stand strong in support of no-cost birth control. Please send your emergency message to the White House today.
In the past few weeks, bishops have mobilized thousands of people to demand a policy that allows certain religious employers to opt out of the requirement to cover birth control at no cost.1
If the anti-birth-control forces succeed, many women who work for a corporation—like a hospital or a university—will be denied no-cost birth control. I’m talking about professors, nurses, and administrative staff who rely on their employer for their insurance—just like millions of us.
Birth control is basic health care for women. It’s so integral to mainstream culture that 98 percent of women use birth control at some point in their lives. That’s nearly all women.
Shouldn’t women who happen to work at a Catholic hospital or religious college have the same access to affordable birth control that millions of other women soon will have?
The Obama administration is being flooded with letters from people who oppose birth control, so your message today will make a big difference.
My best,
Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America
1 “Health secretary criticizes anti-abortion advocates for opposing birth control access,” The Florida Independent, October 6, 2011, http://www.moveon.org/r?r=268534&id=33517-17809870-RnpY9Nx&t=4
The text above was written by NARAL Pro-Choice America, not by MoveOn staff, and they are responsible for the content. It’s part of a new effort to pass on critical updates from other progressive groups. NARAL Pro-Choice America didn’t pay for this—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list. This email was sent through the MoveOn system, so your personal contact info was kept private. We will join NARAL Pro-Choice America in delivering your petition signatures to the White House.
Banks, Guns, Children And Coats
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CBO: Cost Estimates for …
Cost Estimate for H.R. 2815, A bill to revise the federal charter for the Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc., to reflect a change in eligibility requirements for membership
Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Commitee on the Judiciary on November 17, 2011- Cost Estimate for H.R. 1173, Fiscal Responsibility and Retirement Security Act of 2011
Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on November 30, 2011 - Cost Estimate for H.R. 1466, A bill to resolve the status of certain persons legally residing in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands under the immigration laws of the United States
Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on October 5, 2011 - Cost Estimate for H.R. 2309, Postal Reform Act of 2011
Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on October 13, 2011 - Cost Estimate for H.R. 2369, A bill to amend title 36, United States Code, to provide for an additional power for the American Legion under its federal charter.
Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on the Judiciary on November 3, 2011 - Cost Estimate for S. 302, A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to issue right-of-way permits for a natural gas transmission pipeline in nonwilderness areas within the boundary of Danali National Park
Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Reaources on November 10, 2011 - Cost Estimate for S. 1090, Tennessee Wilderness Act of 2011
Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on November 10, 2011 - Cost Estimate for S. 526, Mohave Valley Land Conveyance Act of 2011
Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on November 10, 2011 - Cost Estimate for S. 1014, Emergency Judicial Relief Act of 2011
Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on October 13, 2011
