making the environment more friendly … are you participating?

 

Have you started reclaiming, reusing, recycling, repurposing and or reducing items from your life that will cut the amount of material going into landfills or buying locally to hopefully reduce your eco-footprint as well? I’m in; even PBO alluded to a big change being needed for the next generation.

Unfortunately, the House of Representatives, led by Republicans are the minority party but they control the purse strings and if you listen closely, they sound like they had different school books, syllabus and teachers, so the path

to sustainable 21st Century living was is going to be a struggle.

Though after NAFTA the struggle for American workers was bad it also made most us all rely on goods made in foreign lands with questionable ingredients and on the cheap; I for one have looked at my clothes and sighed after finding brands that once sold mostly “made in the USA”   went to the dark side. I guess it really is too addictive. cheap labor cheap cheap is addictive

Addictive, but the question is -  will authorities at the top recognize that NAFTA needs reforming due to an increase of carbon foot-print,  allowed foreign companies to possibly use toxic chemicals, use less than 100% organic and in some cases, let our children play with toys made with excessive amounts of lead.  We need a quick acceptance an apology and a big change implemented in every state regulating not just what comes into the US of A, but how, what is dumped, recycled and where; it makes sense on so many levels given what we now know about pollution, climate change, landfills and the effects on Americans …and our at risk population, whether folks want to admit it or not a reality check is needed.  Washington State, along with a few others decided they are all in on banning plastic bags though the effort needs to be much more vigorous as cooperation from big corporations who do not always implement the process fast enough, but we have to start somewhere right.

However, it is obvious that as those at the top debate and delay changes in our man-made and natural global warming experiences, they are leaving minorities and the poor out of the conversation of sustainable living, let alone offer up alternatives or commit to viable restorations of communities most impacted by bad urban planning. We have all heard or know that certain populations are definitely unable to control the negative impact that some big corporations are having on their communities or environments as more and more cases are revealed, aired and reported. It is disturbing to know that some cases are over twenty thirty years old or older, the sad truth that there were are too many middle class, minority and poor communities built on or near landfills, gas lines, ex-chemical plants, manufacturer plants or smokestacks with dirty air while providing jobs at those same facilities though the people had no idea that they and the lives of their families could be negatively affected and life in some cases probably cut short. The abuse of land in rural and or urban settings is not just offensive it is still unchecked and just one more thing the EPA needs to revisit.

The idea of sustainable living is not new, yet, it means something different depending on what State you live in and how your officials deal with the agencies we are supposed to trust whether the issue is about fracking, mad cow, GMO ,salmonella etc. or bird flu.  Most people I know love all kinds of food and are careful about at home preparation, but I do believe that the way food is inspected, accepted and processed is still suspect and an update in federal laws regarding food inspection are overdue.  I hope we all agree that our food should not be considered a state’s rights issue; it is a keep American population safe issue. I come from a fishing based family that believed in staying away from so-called store freshly caught and to always smell the fish, ask if wild or hatchery and if it’s wrapped in plastic question it all because It may look like the real deal but… I will admit I remember when most if not all seafood caught,  was sold and bought fresh and or wild but not farmed because my family preferred to buy at the market or at the pier, but mostly from my family’s fishing for it. When farm fisheries started popping up my family felt it might be a good way to keep wild off the endangered list, but unfortunately some collateral damage was created when farmed and wild fish crossed paths lest we discuss the nasty toxic developments at some not all farmed hatcheries.

Unfortunately,

folks did not know in the early stages the influx of farmed fish to grocery stores and restaurants meant insufficient labeling or the profound lack of available information for consumers to make independent and or intelligent decisions by leaving out info whether it’s about fish, beef, chicken, clothes or toys they are selling comes from the most “environmentally friendly” way possible instead of taking risks that could hurt lives

written 2/1/2013

Another Reminder: Gov. Christie -did what to Seniors and the Disabled of NJ in 2010?

source: www.NorthJersey.com

Hispanics say N.J. Gov. Christie’s proposed budget cuts would hit them hard

Sunday, June 20, 2010
Last updated: Sunday June 20, 2010, 10:27 AM

 BY ELIZABETH LLORENTE

The Record

STAFF WRITER

Hispanic leaders are warning that Governor Christie’s proposed budget cuts will devastate their communities by leaving little or no funding for programs that assist the unemployed, disabled and the destitute, among others.

Leaders are particularly concerned about the pending elimination of the Center for Hispanic Policy, Research and Development, which funnels funds to some 40 agencies that they say serve about 300,000 mostly low-income Latinos annually. The 35-year-old department, they note, is the only state agency that focuses on Hispanics.

The cuts are the latest source of frustration among Hispanics over Christie. They were angered by his decision to drop legal immigrants who are not naturalized U.S. citizens from NJ FamilyCare, a health insurance program for low-income parents, and by the possibility that he would eliminate the Commission on New Americans, a long-awaited initiative by his predecessor to address immigrant issues in New Jersey.

“This is not shared sacrifice,” said Guillermo Beytagh-Maldonado, executive director of the Hispanic Directors Association, an umbrella group, referring to the proposed cuts. “He’s cutting our head off. So many people in New Jersey are talking about how Hispanics are going be profiled in Arizona because of the new immigration law. But right here in New Jersey we’re being profiled, we’re being treated outrageously.”

Hispanics say Christie seems indifferent to the problems and needs of their communities, though Hispanics are now the state’s largest minority group, making up 16 percent of the population. Nearly 30 percent of the state’s Hispanics in New Jersey are uninsured and about 16 percent live in poverty.

Deborah Howlett, the head of New Jersey Policy Perspective, said that about 80 percent of residents will be affected by Christie’s cuts to varying degrees.

“The economic recession has hit minorities harder than other people,” Howlett said. “People in lower income brackets, which include a disproportionate share of Hispanics, are being asked to shoulder more of the burden because they’re more reliant on the social services being cut.”

A spokesman for Christie said the governor was not singling Hispanics out, or acting insensitively toward them.

“No one can possibly say they’re being singled out,” said Michael Drewniak, Christie’s spokesman. “That’s just ridiculous. It’s a wrong assumption. By that logic, we’re targeting every group of every kind.”

“The governor is trying to tackle an $11 billion deficit that he inherited,” Drewniak said. “The cuts must be deep and wide.”

Drewniak said the cuts were not made thoughtlessly.

“We tried to be as careful as we could,” he said. “Everyone is pretty much in the same boat.”

Hispanic leaders say they understand that the governor faces a tough job in trying to deal with the deficit.

“We’re all willing to tighten our belts,” said Lorenzo Hernandez, who heads the Hispanic Information Center of Passaic, one of the agencies that gets funding from the Center for Hispanic Policy, Research and Development.

But Hernandez and other leaders say it is a mistake to slash funding for Hispanic community organizations that serve a group that not only is one of the most needy in the state, but one whose language and cultural barriers make access to services difficult.

“When I lost my job, my employer did not pay me vacation or holiday pay that I was owed,” said Maria Cristina Caballero, a Passaic resident who came to this country from Colombia two years ago. “I tried going for help to public agencies but got nowhere, and I felt I was in a hopeless, dead-end situation.”

Caballero went to the Hispanic Information Center, which provides a wide range of services, including assistance to domestic violence victims, the unemployed and people who need shelter, food and medical attention. The center helped Caballero get the money owed to her by her former employer.

“I would not have gotten it on my own,” Caballero said. “I was truly lost and overwhelmed.”

Many people who turn to the Paramus-based Hispanic Institute for Research and Development, which offers classes such as word processing and English, have lost jobs and are trying to get back on their feet, said Emilio Fandino, the non-profit group’s executive director. Many of the clients of HIRD, which gets about $75,000 from the state, have taken free English and job skills classes elsewhere, but those usually cover only the basics, Fandino said. The institute offers classes in conjunction with Bergen Community College.

“If we stopped getting the funding from the state, maybe about 200 people wouldn’t get the scholarships we give them, and couldn’t take the classes because they can’t afford it,” Fandino said.

Beytagh-Maldonado has met with legislators to drum up support for restoring funds for programs on which many Hispanics depend. Hispanics in New Jersey typically have received inadequate resources from the state government, he said.

“I don’t think the state has ever really adjusted to the reality that Hispanics are the group with the most needs,” he said. “We have the highest dropout rates, highest uninsured, high poverty rate, and the community is growing in New Jersey.”

Of the community-based agencies, he said: “They go with the people to the schools, talk with the teachers, with social workers. These are the people on the front lines who provide preventative services so that problems don’t get bigger and become crises.”

Many of the agencies and programs were set up in the 1970s and 1980s in response to the growth of immigrant residents who lacked the linguistic skills and knowledge about U.S. public agencies to access services on their own.

“So the idea was to have people from the community, who knew the language and culture, to guide these immigrants,” said Frank Argote-Freyre, a professor at Kean University and head of the state Commission on New Americans, an advisory group that has expressed concerns about Christie’s willingness to keep it alive.

Like other Latino leaders, Argote-Freyre and Beytagh-Maldonado called Christie’s decision to drop legal immigrants from the state’s insurance program for the poor a harsh move.

Nearly 12,000 legal immigrant parents are being removed from the program. U.S. citizen parents are also to be denied coverage if their annual family income exceeds $24,000 a year for a family of three.

“They’re taking people from FamilyCare and are going to force them into charity care,” Beytagh-Maldonado said. “When immigrants can’t get access to health care, everyone is affected, everyone’s health is at risk. All these cuts are just going to end up being more expensive for New Jersey in the long run.”

E-mail: llorente@northjersey.com

********************************************************

N.J. Assembly fails to override Christie veto of millionaires tax

Monday, June 21, 2010
Last updated: Monday June 21, 2010, 5:01 PM

 

BY MATT FRIEDMAN

State House Bureau

STATE HOUSE BUREAU

 

TRENTON — Democrats have failed to override Governor Christie’s veto of a tax that would increase taxes on income more than $1 million.The bills, which would devote the proceeds to restoring property tax rebates for seniors and the disabled, died on the Assembly floor Monday when Democrats could not convert any Republicans who voted against it last month, when it passed strictly along partisan lines.Although a majority of Assembly members (47 to 33) voted for the bill, Democrats did not reach the two-thirds majority needed to override it. The override would have required flipping seven Republican votes. Because the override attempt failed in the Assembly, where the bill originated, the Senate will not attempt it.

The Assembly and Senate both passed the millionaires tax last month strictly along partisan lines, only to see it vetoed by Christie minutes later.

The bill would have raised the tax rate on income over $1 million for approximately 16,000 households. A companion bill, also vetoed by Christie, would have devoted the funds to restoring property tax rebates for the seniors and disabled as well as cuts to state-supplemented senior drug programs that have since been reversed.

The Assembly first took up the companion bill, which Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (R-Monmouth) said would not help seniors because there is no money to restore rebates.

“What can help (seniors) is a hard 2.5 percent cap on property taxes,” she said.

*****************************************************

 

N.J. Senate resolution urges Christie not to join health care reform lawsuit

Monday, June 21, 2010

 

BY MATT FRIEDMAN

State House Bureau

STATE HOUSE BUREAU

 

The state Senate Monday approved a resolution urging Governor Christie not to join 20 other states in a lawsuit against the federal health care reform law.Christie has faced pressure from conservative activists to join the suit, which argues the law’s penalty on individuals for not buying insurance is unconstitutional. Senate Democrats, in turn, responded with the resolution, which points out that Christie was able to restore proposed cuts to subsidized senior drug programs in part with money allocated from the law.Christie has not said whether he plans to join the suit. Most of the states challenging the law have either Republican governors or elected Republican attorneys general.

“You can’t have it both ways. You can’t be for the senior citizens and use the Obama health care plan to fund their programs and then challenge it in court,” said state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), a sponsor.

The state Senate Monday approved a resolution urging Governor Christie not to join 20 other states in a lawsuit against the federal health care reform law.

Christie has faced pressure from conservative activists to join the suit, which argues the law’s penalty on individuals for not buying insurance is unconstitutional. Senate Democrats, in turn, responded with the resolution, which points out that Christie was able to restore proposed cuts to subsidized senior drug programs in part with money allocated from the law.

Christie has not said whether he plans to join the suit. Most of the states challenging the law have either Republican governors or elected Republican attorneys general.

“You can’t have it both ways. You can’t be for the senior citizens and use the Obama health care plan to fund their programs and then challenge it in court,” said state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), a sponsor.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo

The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be! And Cinco de Mayo is not an American holiday, but it should be. Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810.  And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico.

So, why Cinco de Mayo? And why would Americans savor this day as well? 

Because 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5 1862.  For more info:  history.com

On This Day … 2/23

 

W.E.B. Du Bois Born: February 23, 1868 Died: August 27, 1963 Age: 95 years old Birthplace: Great Barrington, MA, United States Occupation: Educator, Civil Rights Activist, Journalist Read W.E.B. Du Bois’s biography >>

Cobell v Salazar

June 15, 2010

Dear Indian Country

This is the eleventh letter in a series of open letters that I’m sending to Indian Country. The purpose of this letter is to update you about the settlement and to let you know what you can do to help.

Before the Memorial Day holiday, the House of Representatives voted to pass the “American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010″ which includes a provision authorizing the Cobell settlement. This is good news and we now await approval in the Senate. I hope that the Senate passes the bill before the July 4 recess, but there is a chance that might not happen.

Individual Indian trust beneficiaries have expressed their overwhelming support for this settlement. Not only does it put $1.4 billion into the hands of individual Indians in a relatively short period of time, but it promises to make another $2 billion available to individual Indians over the next ten years, preserve sacred Indian lands for future generations and create a fund for post-secondary education worth up to $60 million. This is the largest settlement/judgment against the United States since the founding of the Republic and we have a unique opportunity to right an historic injustice. For these reasons I intend to direct our attorneys to work with the government to extend the settlement agreement yet again so that justice may have a chance. However, every extension of time delays the distribution of our settlement funds. Enough is enough. Further, there are a few tribal leaders in Indian Country, some with misguided intentions, who want to terminate the settlement for their own personal purposes.

Senator Barrasso (R – WY), Vice-Chairman, Senator Committee on Indian Affairs, has introduced an amendment that he says would “improve” the settlement agreement. However, the agreement provides that the settlement terminates if there are any changes to its terms. Senator Barrasso knows this and he knows that adoption of his amendment would kill the settlement. Why? He is playing Washington politics because the dirty truth is that he would vote against the current Senate bill even if his amendment is adopted.

Tribal leaders should know better (and most do) than to support a new Senator from Wyoming who rarely, if ever, has supported Indians. Senator Barrasso has made an effort to gain support from certain leaders in Indian Country for his amendment. He argues that his amendment really does not make significant changes to the settlement. Of course, most tribal leaders and individual Indian trust beneficiaries are not buying it. Still, there are a few wrong-headed tribal leaders who support his plan to kill our agreement. If your tribal leaders are voting to change the settlement in any way, they are helping Senator Barrasso kill our settlement and they are depriving you of your money. They do not deserve your vote and should be voted out of office if they stand for re-election. Have your friends and family demand that their tribal representatives support our settlement.

Understanding who is with us and who is against us is important because the National Congress of American Indians says that it will consider a resolution that would help Senator Barrasso kill the Cobell settlement during its conference June 20-23, 2010. If you don’t know whether your representative to NCAI is with you on Cobell, make sure you find out in advance. Any legislative changes to the settlement agreement will terminate the settlement.

Let me also stress that most tribal leaders support our settlement. I thank each of you for resisting the efforts of Senator Barrasso and his staff to undermine what we have achieved.

Will the Native American Bank hold the settlement funds or have any role in distribution? I am the Chair of Native American Bank and I have been asked whether Native American Bank would handle or otherwise be involved in the distribution of our settlement funds. The answer is no. The settlement agreement sets forth standards for selection of a federally insured depository institution that would hold and distribute the settlement funds. Only well capitalized commercial banks with trust powers are eligible for selection (and, the Native American Bank has no trust powers). Only banks with highly rated trust departments and proven experience and skill in the distribution of class action mega-settlements will be considered for this important task. We must be sure that prompt and accurate distributions are made by bankers who understand fully the nature and scope of their fiduciary duties to you. Anything less isn’t good enough.

Does this settlement resolve any future claims? No. The settlement agreement resolves only covered claims through September 30, 2009. It does not resolve any claims that may accrue after September 30, 2009. A list of claims not covered by the settlement agreement (e.g., pre-September 30, 2009 claims that may be brought against the government) can be reviewed here and here. For a complete list of claims, you should consult the settlement agreement.

What does settlement of the Cobell case mean for the tribes and tribal trust cases? Tribes are not parties in our case and would receive no funds from our settlement. Nevertheless, they are beneficiaries of our settlement. We have over 80 published decisions and an encyclopedia of factual findings that have been established in Cobell regarding the government’s trust duties, information technology security, and the destruction of trust records and information. Volumes have been written on the government’s breaches of trust. This material provides a free roadmap to litigation success and it is readily available to tribes in connection with their trust litigation against the government if they decide to actually litigate their cases. On the other hand, I understand that most tribal cases have been dormant (while they have observed our litigation) and their attorneys would prefer a quick settlement so they don’t need to spend the time and resources required to litigate effectively against the United States government. Nonetheless, such tribes and their attorneys are likely to be disappointed because it is also my understanding from conversations with senior Interior and Justice officials and certain tribal attorneys that there will be no settlement with any tribe if Cobell is not settled.

Finally, tribes will benefit directly from the $2 billion land consolidation program which would result in the largest restoration of land to Indian tribes in the history of the United States. It still amazes me that tribal leaders would oppose our multi-billion dollar settlement that so clearly benefits them and their members – even though they, themselves, didn’t do anything to help us. However, this is not the first time in our history that some of our leaders have decided to sacrifice individual Indian interests for their political gain. I am working hard to see that they fail and urge you to do the same.

Prior Ask Elouise letters can be found on the settlement website:

http://cobellsettlement.com/class/ask_elouise.php
. We also have a “frequently asked questions” section while includes the most common questions we’ve received as well as questions and answers from prior Ask Elouise letters:
http://cobellsettlement.com/press/faq.php
. With so many members of the class, I can’t answer every question that you send. The Ask Elouise letters will answer as many questions as possible that are relevant to the entire class.

The most common question I receive every week relates to whether a particular person is included in this settlement. Unfortunately, I do not have that information. The settlement agreement provides general guidelines (see also http://cobellsettlement.com/press/faq.php), but I also understand that many of you have unique or unusual circumstances, which make it unclear to me whether you are included in the settlement class. For those of you who still have questions, I recommend that you register to receive all Court-ordered communications to ensure you do not miss important information. There is no need to register if you are receiving a quarterly IIM statement. The Court ultimately will determine who is included in this settlement. Registration information can be found at the end of this and every Ask Elouise letter.

If you are not currently receiving an IIM statement from the government, please remember to register for correspondence over the Internet or by calling the number below.

Internet: Telephone:

https://cert.tgcginc.com/iim/register.php 1-800-961-6109

If you have a question, send an e-mail to: askelouise@cobellsettlement.com. Otherwise you can send me a letter to the address below. To expedite the processing of your letters our contractor has set up a post office box in Ohio, but I assure you this letter is coming from me and I will see your letters.

Ask Elouise
Cobell Settlement
PO Box 9577
Dublin, OH 43017-4877

Thank you and keep your questions coming!

Best wishes

Elouise Cobell
Browning, Montana

Budgets, Income and Child Nutrition

The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2013 to 2023

Economic growth will remain slow this year, CBO anticipates, as gradual improvement in many of the forces that drive the economy is offset by the effects of budgetary changes that are scheduled to occur under current law. After this year, economic growth will speed up, CBO projects, causing the unemployment rate to decline and inflation and interest rates to eventually rise from their current low levels.

Macroeconomic Effects of Alternative Budgetary Paths

Federal debt held by the public now exceeds 70 percent of the nation’s annual output (gross domestic product, or GDP) and stands at a higher percentage than in any year since 1950. Under an assumption whereby current laws generally remain unchanged, federal debt will be 77 percent of GDP in 2023, CBO projects. Such a large amount of federal debt will reduce the nation’s output and income below what would occur if the debt was smaller, and it raises the risk of a fiscal crisis (in which the government would lose the ability to borrow money at affordable interest rates).

Key Assumptions in Projecting Potential GDP—February 2013 Baseline

 

Budget Projections—February 2013 Baseline Projections

 

Historical Budget Data—February 2013 Baseline Projections

 

Baseline Economic Forecast—February 2013 Baseline Projections

 

Individual Income Tax Receipts and the Individual Tax Base—February 2013 Baseline

 

Child Nutrition Programs—February 2013 Baseline

 

New Polls: Nearly 100% Support

 

You’ve done something amazing. By sharing your support and spreading the word, you’ve helped raise public approval for requiring a background check for every gun sale to nearly 100%.1Think about that for a minute. There’s almost nothing that 100% of Americans agree on. But thanks to supporters like you, we agree about the best way to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people!Now that you’ve gotten your friends and family to agree with you, we need to make sure Congress responds to public opinion. Call your Senators RIGHT NOW and ask them to be an original co-sponsor of the Fix Gun Checks Act to require background checks for all gun sales!   Even gun owners and NRA members overwhelmingly support background checks2 — although the NRA’s leadership opposes background checks and is at odds with its own members.3 Let’s make sure members of Congress listen to their constituents and not the gun lobby. Call your Senators right now and ask them to support the Fix Gun Checks Act: http://DemandAPlan.org/100percent Thanks for supporting common sense reform and spreading the word! Mayors Against Illegal Guns  ______________ 1. “Background Checks Overwhelmingly Supported By Gun Owners In 4 States,” January 21, 2013. 2. “Does the NRA agree with Wayne LaPierre?” January 31, 2013. 3. “NRA Supported Universal Background Checks After Columbine Massacre,” January 31, 2013.

Weekly Address and more

In this week’s address, President Obama calls on Congress to work together on a balanced approach to reduce our deficit and promote economic growth and job creation.

Watch this week’s Weekly Address.

In Case You Missed It

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov:

Immigration Reform: On Tuesday, President Obama traveled to Las Vegas to present his plans for comprehensive immigration reform. The four parts of the White House proposal call for a strengthening of our borders, cracking down on companies that hire undocumented workers, creating a path to earned citizenship and streamlining our legal immigration system for all.

“Now is the time to do this so we can strengthen our economy and strengthen our country’s future,” said President Obama, urging a bipartisan effort.

• Speak out to show your support and get the facts on our immigration reform page.
• Read the President’s remarks on comprehensive immigration reform.
• Watch the President’s speech on comprehensive immigration reform.

Turning to Law Enforcement: On Monday, President Obama and Vice President Biden welcomed police chiefs and sheriffs from across the country to hear their ideas on protecting our communities from gun violence. The President is seeking to prevent mass shootings like Newton, where 20 young children and six adults were killed by a gunman, and explained, “it’s also what happens on a day-in-day-out basis in places like Chicago or Philadelphia, where young people are victims of gun violence every single day.”

Advancing Gender Equality: On Wednesday, President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum to champion gender equality and empower women and girls. While in office President Obama has acknowledged the importance of women in the political and economic worlds. Under the President’s guidance, the White House Council on Women and Girls was initiated and his first piece of legislation was the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which makes it easier for women to challenge unequal pay.

Mama, I Made It: On Monday, the Miami Heat were honored at the White House for their 2012 NBA Finals victory. After President Obama’s remarks, an excited LeBron James candidly described the moment. “We’re in the White House right now,” James said. “This is like, hey, mama, I made it.”

Check out the full ceremony and watch James present President Obama a signed ball and star forward Dwayne Wade give a jersey to the President. Be sure to also take a look at our behind the scenes look on the Heat’s trip to the White House.

Relief for Syria: On Tuesday, the White House released a video message from President Obama announcing an additional $155 million in humanitarian assistance to the people of Syria. The aid provides food, clean water, medicines and medical treatment. The United States and its allies are working together to ensure the aid goes directly to those who need it most. The United States total contribution to the people of Syria stands at $365 million as the aid comes at a critical moment when allies are fighting for an end to the corrupt Assad regime.

Fireside Hangout: On Thursday, the White House continued their series of Google+ hangouts with senior White House officials. Cecilia Muñoz, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, discussed the President’s proposal for comprehensive immigration reform with participants from across America. Follow the White House on Google+ to receive the latest updates and stay in the loop for ways you can be involved for the next hangout.

Get Updates

Sign up for the Daily Snapshot

the Gun Debate

By ThinkProgress War Room

The Ultimate Guide to the Gun Debate

Americans from the kitchen table to Congress are debating how to stop the epidemic of gun violence plaguing our country. As is often the case, there is a lot of misinformation being spread by opponents of commonsense measures to prevent gun violence. In order arm you with the best facts so you can win the debate on guns, ThinkProgress’ Zack Beauchamp has assembled the ultimate guide to the gun debate.

Click through to get everything you need to know to make your own argument and to refute the false arguments advanced by our opponents:

THE ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN

1. “The law’s ban on some so-called assault weapons is nonsensical. All such weaponry terminology means is that they are semi-automatic weapons (which most guns are) with some military-style external features.”

2. “The last assault-weapons ban didn’t work.“

3. “So-called ‘assault weapons’ are nowhere near the root of the American violence problem.”

4. “Violent crime has decreased 17 percent since the assault weapons ban expired..”

UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS AND DEALER INSPECTIONS

1. “How is this supposed to prevent mass murder?”

2. “Although better enforcement of existing restrictions on gun ownership sounds unobjectionable, it would unjustly deny millions of people the right to armed self-defense.”

HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINES

1. “High-capacity magazines…require less frequent reloading, but are more likely to jam, and at any rate changing magazines is not difficult even for the untrained.”

2. “Magazine size is more likely to matter for people defending against aggressors.”

3. “In the latest incarnation of Mrs. Feinstein’s ban, we would see the return of an ammunition limit that had no proven impact on crime while it was in effect from 1994-2004.”

THE SCIENCE ON GUNS

1. “More guns, less crime.”

2. “If gun control works, Chicago ought to be safe.”

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

The NRA has an official enemies list.

Bradley Cooper stopped by our office to discuss mental health.

How taxpayers are footing the bill for the site of this year’s Super Bowl.

Exxon and Chevron made $71 BILLION last year thanks to record high gas prices.

Six key facts about the American jobs market in 2012.

More bizarre comments about gays from San Francisco 49ers players.

Everything you need to know about the new birth control coverage rules out today.

The Chinese espionage action against major American newspapers.

GOP lawmaker behind extreme abortion ban has a few problems with minorities too.

CBO : Children’s Hospital,Hydropower,Vets, Republicans and Energy

H.R. 297, the Children’s Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2013

As ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on January 22, 2013

 ******

H.R. 124, a bill to redesignate the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps

As introduced in the House of Representatives on January 3, 2013

H.R. 124 would change the official title of the Department of the Navy to the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps, and would change the titles of certain offices, such as the Secretary of the Navy, in a corresponding manner.

******

 

H.R. 235, the Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2013

 

As ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on January 22, 2013

H.R. 235 would authorize grants to states for streamlining state certification and licensing requirements for veterans to become licensed or certified emergency medical technicians (EMT).

*****

H.R. 267, the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013

As ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on January 22, 2013