Congressional Progressive Caucus Year In Review - 2011:

[BrendaBrick]

Just rec'd in an email: (Note - this WILL exceed the 4 paragraph minimum - but what the hay?)

Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ)
and Keith Ellison (MN) have fought throughout the year to
protect working class Americans.

JANUARY 2011
Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Question Republican NoCare Agenda, Speak Out Against Misguided Health Care Repeal Attempt
The co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), questioned why House Republicans voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act despite an authoritative analysis showing repeal would add more than $230 billion to the national debt over the next 10 years. The vote marks the Republicans’ first of many promised attempts to give primary power over health costs back to insurance companies.

FEBRUARY 2011
Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Release Video Statements in Solidarity With Wisconsin Working Families Against Governor's Power Grab
In video statements Co-Chairs voiced their support for the workers of Wisconsin and decried the ideological attempts of conservatives to cut jobs and benefits for working families.
Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs: Republican Threat of Government Shutdown Is Conservative Leadership's No Jobs Agenda In Action
Co-chairs highlighted the impending threat of a government shutdown in the wake of Republican refusals to fund continuing operations.
Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Hail Defeat of PATRIOT Act Reauthorization on Feb. 8 House Vote After Whipping Against Legislation
Both Representatives and the CPC whip operation, headed by Rep. Hank Johnson, actively urged Members of Congress to oppose the measure, which would have extended provisions allowing roving "John Doe" wiretaps without identifying the person or facility to be tapped.

MARCH 2011
Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs: Republican War on Working Families Destroys Jobs, Threatens Recovery
The Republican War on Working Families destroys jobs and job creation while doing nothing to cut spending on special interests. We are committed to smart budgeting that cuts spending on Wall Street and big oil companies who are gouging consumers, while investing in jobs for the middle class.
Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Oppose Republican Tax Hike on Middle Class Families
The co-chairs rejected Republican proposed middle class tax increase. Under their scheme, if a family of four earning $88,000 a year gets a Christmas bonus of $250, they would be required to refund their entire health insurance tax credit of $4,640 to the government.

APRIL 2011
The Progressive Caucus offers an alternative budget plan called The People’s Budget
The People’s Budget eliminates the deficit in 10 years, puts Americans back to work and restores our economic competitiveness. The People’s Budget recognizes that in order to compete, our nation needs every American to be productive, and in order to be productive we need to raise our skills to meet modern needs. The People’s Budget Eliminates the Deficit and Raises a $31 Billion Surplus In Ten Years. Our budget protects Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and responsibly eliminates the deficit by targeting its main drivers: the Bush Tax Cuts, the wars overseas, and the causes and effects of the recent recession. The budget trains teachers, restores schools and rebuild roads and bridges. It invests in job creation, clean energy and broadband infrastructure, housing and R&D programs
Budget’s Bottom Line

• Deficit reduction of $5.6 trillion

• Spending cuts of $1.7 trillion

• Revenue increase of $3.9 trillion

• Public investment $1.7 trillion

The Leadership Americans Deserve
As Republicans continue to fight for draconian cuts to the fiscal year 2011 federal budget that would cost hundreds of thousands of jobs, the Congressional Progressive Caucus released a video to show the American people some of the impacts these cuts would have.

MAY 2011

Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Hail Senate Rejection Of Republican Plan To End Medicare
The Progressive Caucus released the following statement today after the Senate rejected the Republican plan to end Medicare as we know it.
Forty-One Progressive Members Of Congress Urge Direct Involvement Of The People's Budget In Deficit Talks
Forty-one Members of Congress signed a letter to President Barack Obama today urging him to include the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) leadership in ongoing bipartisan budget negotiations.
Leading House Progressives Pen Letter to President Obama Calling for Shift to Withdrawal in Afghanistan Following Bin Laden's Death
Letter Renews Call for Significant and Sizeable Reduction of U.S. Troops in Afghanistan Beginning No Later Than July 2011.

JUNE 2011

Statement by CPC Peace and Security Taskforce Co-Chairs Reps Honda, Lee, Woolsey & CPC Co-Chairs Reps Ellison and Grijalva
Co-Chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Task Force on Peace and Security and 76 other Members of Congress sent a letter to the President asking him to move swiftly to end America’s longest war, the war in Afghanistan.

SUMMER 2011
Progressive Caucus Participate in the Speakout for Good Jobs Now Tour
Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus traveled the country to listen to what everyday Americans have to say. They made stops in numerous cities across America giving Americans the chance to speak out about how the economy is affecting them. They brought their messages back to Washington to fight to reinvigorate the American Dream — the ability to put in a day’s hard work for good wages and benefits so we can provide our children with a better future.

JULY 2011

CPC Calls for Clean Debt Ceiling, Supports The America Pays Its Bills Act
With Republicans in Washington continuing to risk default on the full faith and credit of the United States, the CPC urges an end to political posturing to avert this catastrophe.

Progressive Caucus Joins Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition in "Filibustering" Republican Proposal to Slash Environmental Protections
This afternoon the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) joined the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition to "filibuster" H.R. 2584, a bill proposing unprecedented cuts to pollution controls and public health protections. More than 20 Members of Congress spoke for more than two hours to protest the bill, in which House Republicans are attempting to make back-door changes to 40 years of federal laws that protect clean air, water, lands, and wildlife.

Eighty Members Sign on to Progressive Caucus Letter Demanding No Cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security
Eighty Members of Congress have signed onto a letter spearheaded by Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) leaders to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi insisting that cuts Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid be off the table in any budget deal. Leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Asian Pacific American have also signed the letter.
Co-Chairs Raúl M. Grijalva and Keith Ellison & Budget Task Force Chair Michael Honda Blast Republican Plan to End Medicare
Republicans have made their values abundantly clear. The "Cut, Cap, and Balance Act" would essentially make it unconstitutional to care for our seniors, our veterans, and our children.
24 Congressional Progressive Caucus Members Send Letter to White House Demanding Revenue Increases, No Cuts to Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security in Debt Deal

Twenty-four members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) today sent a letter to President Barack Obama laying out their demands that any final budget deal generate significant revenue and avoid cuts to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. The letter, unveiled at a press conference earlier this morning, says the middle class "has experienced enough pain during the last three years. Republicans are willing to inflict even more. We will not join them."

August 2011

Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Call for Super-Committee Public Hearings on Job Creation
Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva and Keith Ellison sent a letter to Co-Chairs of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, calling on the so-called "Super Committee" to hold public hearings on job creation. The letter encourages the committee to "embrace a job creation strategy as the surest way to reduce the deficit and create a sustainable economy."
Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Oppose Deficit Deal

While voting to increase the debt ceiling is a necessary step, the deficit-reduction measures included in this deal will further harm our economy and hurt working Americans. With unemployment still above 9% and stagnating economic growth, taking money out of the economy will only place a heavier burden on working families. This is the wrong approach for our economy at the wrong time, and it goes against our basic values. For that reason, we and many of our members will be voting no.

September 2011

Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reject Republican Job Killing Legislation
Standing with the American people the Progressive Caucus rejected yet another Republican proposal that will kill thousands of jobs. Americans won't stand for Republican politicians that refuse to lift a finger to help flood victims unless they can put thousands of Americans out of work in return. At no point in our history has one party attempted to hold disaster funds hostage, and it is simply unconscionable.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Announces Latest Jobs Legislation in Framework to Rebuild the American Dream

Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) co-chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva and Keith Ellison along with CPC leaders Reps. John Conyers, Charles Rangel and Barbara Lee, today unveiled the next round of legislation in the CPC "Rebuild the American Dream Framework." The new initiatives focus on rebuilding our economy immediately with emergency jobs legislation and implementing longer-term job creation strategies

Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Celebrate End of Don't Ask, Don't Tell

The end of the discriminatory ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy marks a milestone for civil rights in America. The Congressional Progressive Caucus has long supported the LGBT community in the battle against this failed policy, which is responsible for the discharge of more than 13,000 highly qualified American service members. This misguided policy forced an additional estimated 65,000 service members to hide who they are to serve the country they love.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Unveils the Rebuild the American Dream Framework

Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva and Keith Ellison were joined by colleagues Jan Schakowsky, Lynn Woolsey, John Conyers, Charlie Rangel, Jim McDermott and Barbara Lee today to introduce the Rebuild the American Dream Framework and emergency jobs legislation. Video highlights of the tour are available at http://bit.ly/o5GyDU.

October 2011
CPC Co-Chairs Applaud President's Announcement of Full Troop Withdrawal from Iraq

The President's announcement is a victory for America and another monumental step toward the end of the disastrous foreign policy of the Bush era. The President is fulfilling a promise to the American people to end this misguided war.
Progressive Caucus Releases Recommendations to Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction

The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) today sent policy proposals to Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Jeb Hensarling, Co-Chairs of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, recommending that the work of the committee focus on creating jobs.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Call for End to War in Afghanistan on Conflict's Tenth Anniversary

After ten years of war in Afghanistan, we must bring our troops home and reinvest in America. The economic and human costs in Afghanistan are far too high and we are crippling our ability to recover from a deep recession.

CPC Co-Chairs Applaud Occupy Wall Street Movement
We have been inspired by the growing grassroots movements on Wall Street and across the country. We share the anger and frustration of so many Americans who have seen the enormous toll that an unchecked Wall Street has taken on the overwhelming majority of Americans while benefitting the super wealthy.

November 2011

CPC Co-Chairs Stand Against Another GOP Assault on the Middle Class
Republican scheme would have weakened America's middle class and delayed workers' ability to exercise their right to form a union.
CPC Co-Chairs Oppose Republican Scheme to Destroy 15 Million Jobs
Instead of a plan to create jobs and rebuild America, Republicans offered the “Balanced Budget Amendment”, yet another partisan scheme to distract from the real help our country needs. They should be making decisions based on sound policy, not sound bites.
CPC Hears From Economic Experts on Need for Job Creation as Nation's First Priority
The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) hosted an ad hoc hearing on job creation today featuring economists and other critical voices that have been excluded from Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction deliberations.
CPC Co-Chairs Congratulate Ohioans on Victory for the Middle Class
The people of Ohio have spoken loudly: they will not stand by while Republican politicians take away the rights of hard-working Americans. Tonight's vote in Ohio is a victory for America's working families and a warning to politicians who would.
CPC Co-Chairs Applaud President Obama's New Initiatives to Get Veterans Back to Work

Twelve percent nationwide unemployment for our returning heroes is a national outrage. With hundreds of thousands of our veterans returning from foreign battlefields to face a tough economy at home, we must ensure that they get the support.

Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Urge No Immunity for Wall Street Banks

Across the country, Americans are outraged and taking to the streets to demand accountability from the big Wall Street banks whose reckless actions cost millions of families their homes and wreaked havoc on the American middle class.

December 2011

CPC Introduces Restore the American Dream for the 99% Act
CPC leaders traveled across the country listening to the American people talk about work, unemployment and the economy. Americans told us they want jobs and that cutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance and education is unacceptable. They want big banks to clean up the mess they made and millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share. The Restore the American Dream for the 99% Act is a comprehensive package of emergency jobs legislation, sensible revenue raisers, an end to our wars and unnecessary weapons spending, and measures to strengthen and protect Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. It creates more than 5 million jobs over the next two years and reduces the budget deficit by over $2 trillion over the next ten years.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Stands with 99% at Capitol

We want to thank the thousands of Americans who came to Washington this week to remind lawmakers that people are facing very serious problems. Millions have lost their jobs and their homes.
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It's NOT a matter of either/or with regard to Occupy vs the CPC - but rather to COMBINE the current momentum and hone in on the individual talents/influence specific to each movement and INFILTRATE from BOTH sides:

The CPC from the inside out and the Occupy from the outside in. (Personally, I see no other rational, practical alternative...all things considered - given the current obstacles that we up against.)

Also ya'll - a heads up here: Check your calendar for 1-1-2012 and DO CHECK out Current TV's airing of the documentary: "The Making Of A Revolution" The full documentary in its entirety with Gene Sharp. In case you are not familiar with it, here is a trailer:

http://current.com/entertainment/movies/93026412_how-to-start-a-revolution-trailer.htm

(If ya ask me - Gene Sharp's book ought to be REQUIRED reading for the current and upcoming generations the world 'round if we have any slight, semblance of trying to save ourselves from not only dictators present and that have yet to be born, but to also encompass a truly global mindset all the way around!)

Prevention. Education.

I'll close with this from MLK JR: "We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools."

Damn fricking skippy!!!!

Bottom line.

And in the immortal words of Sam Cooke: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOYuhLNwh3A

A Change is Gonna Come... - NEVER GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BrendaBrick]

1. Can I get a witness? n/t

[Enthusiast]

2. Kicked and recommended.

"The CPC from the inside out and the Occupy from the outside in."

[KoKo]

3. Kick & Rec!