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Segami
Segami's Journal
Segami's Journal
November 13, 2012
Fighting the good fight!! Elizabeth Warren is the face of ' Change ' and ' Forward ' governing. We need her on that committee.
Now that Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) was elected against all of Scott Brown’s Wall Street money (5.5 million from the financial services industry alone), the woman one banker called “akin to the antichrist” may get to sit on the powerful Senate Banking Committee. That is, if the powers waging a quiet war against her don’t get their way.
On the Senate Banking Committee, Warren could do some serious damage (read: regulation) to the banking industry. The Senate Banking Committee oversees banking, insurance, financial markets, securities, housing, urban development and mass transit, international trade and finance, and economic policy. They write the legislation focusing on our banks. From their website:
Warren, who created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and was chair of the Congressional TARP oversight panel, campaigned against big banks and lobbyists. She’s a natural fit for one of the two open seats on the committee, but as a freshman Senator (freshwoman?), it’s not a given that she’ll get one of them. Even though Warren hasn’t said yet if she wants the spot, lobbyists and staffers who serve senators on the committee are fighting against her already. They don’t want her on the Senate Banking Committee, because she might actually push for change that would be beneficial to the people.
http://investorplace.com/investorpolitics/the-quiet-campaign-against-elizabeth-warren/
President Obama said of Warren, “Elizabeth Warren will be a strong, tireless and determined advocate for the people of Massachusetts, building on her remarkable record of working to help middle class families get ahead. Her life’s work has been helping ordinary Americans get the fair shot they need and deserve. Elizabeth’s passionate advocacy on behalf of consumers led to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The agency is now protecting people from being taken advantage of by powerful companies.”
http://www.politicususa.com/push-elizabeth-warren-senate-banking-committee.html
Help PUSH To Get Elizabeth Warren on the Senate Banking Committee
Fighting the good fight!! Elizabeth Warren is the face of ' Change ' and ' Forward ' governing. We need her on that committee.
Now that Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) was elected against all of Scott Brown’s Wall Street money (5.5 million from the financial services industry alone), the woman one banker called “akin to the antichrist” may get to sit on the powerful Senate Banking Committee. That is, if the powers waging a quiet war against her don’t get their way.
On the Senate Banking Committee, Warren could do some serious damage (read: regulation) to the banking industry. The Senate Banking Committee oversees banking, insurance, financial markets, securities, housing, urban development and mass transit, international trade and finance, and economic policy. They write the legislation focusing on our banks. From their website:
"..The U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is one of twenty Senate committees tasked with conducting Senate business related to specialized areas of legislative interest..."
http://banking.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=CommitteeInformation.Home
http://banking.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=CommitteeInformation.Home
Warren, who created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and was chair of the Congressional TARP oversight panel, campaigned against big banks and lobbyists. She’s a natural fit for one of the two open seats on the committee, but as a freshman Senator (freshwoman?), it’s not a given that she’ll get one of them. Even though Warren hasn’t said yet if she wants the spot, lobbyists and staffers who serve senators on the committee are fighting against her already. They don’t want her on the Senate Banking Committee, because she might actually push for change that would be beneficial to the people.
http://investorplace.com/investorpolitics/the-quiet-campaign-against-elizabeth-warren/
President Obama said of Warren, “Elizabeth Warren will be a strong, tireless and determined advocate for the people of Massachusetts, building on her remarkable record of working to help middle class families get ahead. Her life’s work has been helping ordinary Americans get the fair shot they need and deserve. Elizabeth’s passionate advocacy on behalf of consumers led to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The agency is now protecting people from being taken advantage of by powerful companies.”
http://www.politicususa.com/push-elizabeth-warren-senate-banking-committee.html
November 13, 2012
"Boehner is very serious about cutting back on spending. I saw him today touching up his tan with an orange sharpie." –Jay Leno
John Boehner has apparently come to grips with the election results, where his party got fewer votes and if it were not for gerrymandering, he would be now referred to as soon-to-be-ex-Speaker Boehner. This puts him in a very precarious position, both in the House and in his own party. With the fiscal cliff looming, and the Democrats having all of the cards, the Speaker of the House is finding himself between a rock and a hard place, with right-wing pundits are already calling for his removal.
Having already played their trump card with the debt debate last year, the Republicans now find themselves with no choice but to cave in. Their stubborn refusal to make any deal has now resulted in the unthinkable, they now must make a deal, a deal on the Democrats’ terms, or else they lose all negotiating power in the next Congress. Speaker Boehner has reportedly already informed his caucus that they have no room for negotiations, that they must take the Democratic proposal. And reports are coming in that despite protests seen with the earlier debt deal which nearly sank it, the base has fallen in-line.
What happened to the GOP House is that they have forgotten the lessons of history. Being a do-nothing congress never works, as Thomas Dewey can attest to. What happened in 1948, after the Republican congress then tried to sink Harry Truman through identical tactics as this congress has used against President Obama is happening again. They burned away all of their political capital, and the result was a Democratic House majority for 30 years. Now they are in damage control, kept in power only due to gerrymandering of districts in their home state, and that is a situation which can change in under two years. Now they have to move fast to prove themselves capable of working with the President or else they will find themselves removed from office and in a minority role for decades to come.
And the Democrats know this.
So any compromise now is that the GOP must accept the Democratic proposals, as/is or with minor alterations. There is no room for a GOP proposal, they burned up that capital already. Their scorched-earth tactic of governing has left them without any room for negotiations. When they won a victory in 2010, I’d predicted that if they carried out their plan, of total obstructionism, the result would be just this situation here, them powerless and despondent. With many elements of the party now calling for a split or civil war, Speaker Boehner now has only one thing to say when the President says he wants a bill – “Yes Mr President.”
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/11/12/boehner-fighting-to-keep-job-as-pundits-call-for-his-head/
.
Boehner Fighting To Keep Job As Pundits CALL FOR HIS HEAD
"Boehner is very serious about cutting back on spending. I saw him today touching up his tan with an orange sharpie." –Jay Leno
John Boehner has apparently come to grips with the election results, where his party got fewer votes and if it were not for gerrymandering, he would be now referred to as soon-to-be-ex-Speaker Boehner. This puts him in a very precarious position, both in the House and in his own party. With the fiscal cliff looming, and the Democrats having all of the cards, the Speaker of the House is finding himself between a rock and a hard place, with right-wing pundits are already calling for his removal.
Having already played their trump card with the debt debate last year, the Republicans now find themselves with no choice but to cave in. Their stubborn refusal to make any deal has now resulted in the unthinkable, they now must make a deal, a deal on the Democrats’ terms, or else they lose all negotiating power in the next Congress. Speaker Boehner has reportedly already informed his caucus that they have no room for negotiations, that they must take the Democratic proposal. And reports are coming in that despite protests seen with the earlier debt deal which nearly sank it, the base has fallen in-line.
What happened to the GOP House is that they have forgotten the lessons of history. Being a do-nothing congress never works, as Thomas Dewey can attest to. What happened in 1948, after the Republican congress then tried to sink Harry Truman through identical tactics as this congress has used against President Obama is happening again. They burned away all of their political capital, and the result was a Democratic House majority for 30 years. Now they are in damage control, kept in power only due to gerrymandering of districts in their home state, and that is a situation which can change in under two years. Now they have to move fast to prove themselves capable of working with the President or else they will find themselves removed from office and in a minority role for decades to come.
And the Democrats know this.
So any compromise now is that the GOP must accept the Democratic proposals, as/is or with minor alterations. There is no room for a GOP proposal, they burned up that capital already. Their scorched-earth tactic of governing has left them without any room for negotiations. When they won a victory in 2010, I’d predicted that if they carried out their plan, of total obstructionism, the result would be just this situation here, them powerless and despondent. With many elements of the party now calling for a split or civil war, Speaker Boehner now has only one thing to say when the President says he wants a bill – “Yes Mr President.”
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/11/12/boehner-fighting-to-keep-job-as-pundits-call-for-his-head/
.
November 12, 2012
Sniff, sniff.....is someone roasting a pig?
- Having first made his splash by the use of stolen stationary to disrupt a political rival’s campaign event, Rove has been a cornerstone of Republican tactics for over 20 years. With the Citizens United decision, he thought to take his tactics and strategy to the next level, founding American Crossroads. Reinforced by the conservative entertainment complex, Rove and his tactics were key to putting their anointed candidate, Mitt Romney, in the White House, much as he’d been in putting George W. Bush into the office in 2000. To Rove and company, their carefully developed and refined tactics over the years have been foolproof. Their strategy in 2008: let the White House go to the Democrats, then sweep in and act like rescuers, blaming the President for all the problems in the nation. From their viewpoint, this is how Clinton won in 1992; voters were blaming the first President Bush.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/rove072399.htm
It became tunnel vision for them.And now, the political leaders are calling for blood. Since Rove led them down this path, it’s his head they now seek to stick on a stake.
He managed to burn through several hundred million of donor money, which went not only to his organizations, but affiliated ones. This money did not go to the party directly, hurting their ability to fundraise, organize, and coordinate. This money went to consultants who did things like waste a fortune on broken get-out-the-vote systems and broken voter suppression tactics. And, backed by the conservative entertainment complex echo-machine, they fell into a trap. They only heard the parts they wished to hear, because those were only the parts given; Karl Rove’s tactical strategy as a roadmap.
As reported on Business Insider, there are those calling for the ousting and excommunication of the political strategist. One of the more vocal is David Lane, another GOP kingmaker:
Instead of addressing the underlying issues, the GOP leadership, such as Mr. Lane, are fishing about for anything else to blame. Even Rove himself, usually a calm character, has lost it, throwing a tantrum on live television after the election.
Politico is reporting on how donors to both Rove’s and other SuperPAC and dark money groups are demanding answers. Having only gotten a 1% return on their investment, the Citizens United decision looks to, instead of being a boom for them, have opened up these companies and organizations to huge liabilities. Already groups have had their donor lists made public, and the pressure mounting could cause their attempt to buy the 2012 election to blow up in their faces.
cont'
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/11/11/gop-scapegoat-karl-rove/
GOP Pundits Select Scapegoat – KARL ROVE
Sniff, sniff.....is someone roasting a pig?
- Having first made his splash by the use of stolen stationary to disrupt a political rival’s campaign event, Rove has been a cornerstone of Republican tactics for over 20 years. With the Citizens United decision, he thought to take his tactics and strategy to the next level, founding American Crossroads. Reinforced by the conservative entertainment complex, Rove and his tactics were key to putting their anointed candidate, Mitt Romney, in the White House, much as he’d been in putting George W. Bush into the office in 2000. To Rove and company, their carefully developed and refined tactics over the years have been foolproof. Their strategy in 2008: let the White House go to the Democrats, then sweep in and act like rescuers, blaming the President for all the problems in the nation. From their viewpoint, this is how Clinton won in 1992; voters were blaming the first President Bush.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/rove072399.htm
It became tunnel vision for them.And now, the political leaders are calling for blood. Since Rove led them down this path, it’s his head they now seek to stick on a stake.
He managed to burn through several hundred million of donor money, which went not only to his organizations, but affiliated ones. This money did not go to the party directly, hurting their ability to fundraise, organize, and coordinate. This money went to consultants who did things like waste a fortune on broken get-out-the-vote systems and broken voter suppression tactics. And, backed by the conservative entertainment complex echo-machine, they fell into a trap. They only heard the parts they wished to hear, because those were only the parts given; Karl Rove’s tactical strategy as a roadmap.
As reported on Business Insider, there are those calling for the ousting and excommunication of the political strategist. One of the more vocal is David Lane, another GOP kingmaker:
Karl Rove presents a different problem — while [evangelical leaders] are politically naive (from my angle) — Karl is not, he’s as shrewd as a serpent.
Karl is far more formidable…in the presidential Republican primary in ’12, Karl stepped on Rick Perry and then Newt Gingrich every chance he got — albeit with deceit and sophistication — and elevated Mitt Romney at strategic, crucial points along their way to the Republican nomination — Rove’s candidate.
As an example of how sophisticated Rove is…Karl Rove was out raising money to keep Santorum alive until they could kill Newt — Santorum basically ran for Governor of Iowa in 2011, visiting all 99 counties; Santorum, out of Iowa, had no organization, no money and no chance in 2012 to be the Republican nominee; he was only a stalking horse for Mitt Romney — Rove kept Santorum alive until he could kill Rick Perry first, and then Newt Gingrich.
It’s instructive to note that Santorum placed 3rd in the South Carolina Presidential Primary the third week of January, and placed 3rd again the next week in Florida — yet Rove [by encouraging GOP donors to donate to Santorum] was able to parlay two third place finishes into a $1M shot of money to keep Santorum alive…this is political gamesmanship on a whole other level, plus access to unlimited money.
That FOX News and the The Wall Street Journal worked out a hefty financial contract with Karl Rove is of no concern to me, Karl has every right to be paid well and — like me —participate in the political process. But giving Karl Rove the perch as a neutral analyst and an unbiased observer – honest broker – when in reality Karl is driven by his desire to enhance his clients and/or personal interests — corrupts the process.
Being whipsawed…[by] Karl Rove & the GOP chieftains and lieutenants has to be dealt with on our way toward 2016.
http://www.businessinsider.com/karl-rove-gop-money-civil-war-republicans-2012-11
Karl is far more formidable…in the presidential Republican primary in ’12, Karl stepped on Rick Perry and then Newt Gingrich every chance he got — albeit with deceit and sophistication — and elevated Mitt Romney at strategic, crucial points along their way to the Republican nomination — Rove’s candidate.
As an example of how sophisticated Rove is…Karl Rove was out raising money to keep Santorum alive until they could kill Newt — Santorum basically ran for Governor of Iowa in 2011, visiting all 99 counties; Santorum, out of Iowa, had no organization, no money and no chance in 2012 to be the Republican nominee; he was only a stalking horse for Mitt Romney — Rove kept Santorum alive until he could kill Rick Perry first, and then Newt Gingrich.
It’s instructive to note that Santorum placed 3rd in the South Carolina Presidential Primary the third week of January, and placed 3rd again the next week in Florida — yet Rove [by encouraging GOP donors to donate to Santorum] was able to parlay two third place finishes into a $1M shot of money to keep Santorum alive…this is political gamesmanship on a whole other level, plus access to unlimited money.
That FOX News and the The Wall Street Journal worked out a hefty financial contract with Karl Rove is of no concern to me, Karl has every right to be paid well and — like me —participate in the political process. But giving Karl Rove the perch as a neutral analyst and an unbiased observer – honest broker – when in reality Karl is driven by his desire to enhance his clients and/or personal interests — corrupts the process.
Being whipsawed…[by] Karl Rove & the GOP chieftains and lieutenants has to be dealt with on our way toward 2016.
http://www.businessinsider.com/karl-rove-gop-money-civil-war-republicans-2012-11
Instead of addressing the underlying issues, the GOP leadership, such as Mr. Lane, are fishing about for anything else to blame. Even Rove himself, usually a calm character, has lost it, throwing a tantrum on live television after the election.
Politico is reporting on how donors to both Rove’s and other SuperPAC and dark money groups are demanding answers. Having only gotten a 1% return on their investment, the Citizens United decision looks to, instead of being a boom for them, have opened up these companies and organizations to huge liabilities. Already groups have had their donor lists made public, and the pressure mounting could cause their attempt to buy the 2012 election to blow up in their faces.
cont'
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/11/11/gop-scapegoat-karl-rove/
November 11, 2012
After hosting a Veterans Day White House breakfast for servicemen and veterans, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden aand his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, traveled to Arlington National Cemetary for the laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The solemn ceremony is an American tradition spanning decades and honoring the dedication and sacrifice of all American men and women who have served in every branch of our military. Earlier – the day after his re-election – President Obama issued the following annual proclamation:
VETERANS DAY, 2012
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Whether they fought in Salerno or Samarra, Heartbreak Ridge or Helmand, Khe Sanh or the Korengal, our veterans are part of an unbroken chain of men and women who have served our country with honor and distinction. On Veterans Day, we show them our deepest thanks. Their sacrifices have helped secure more than two centuries of American progress, and their legacy affirms that no matter what confronts us or what trials we face, there is no challenge we cannot overcome, and our best days are still ahead.
This year, we marked the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. We began to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. We welcomed our veterans back home from Iraq, and we continued to wind down operations in Afghanistan. These milestones remind us that, though much has changed since Americans first took up arms to advance freedom’s cause, the spirit that moved our forebears is the same spirit that has defined each generation of our service members. Our men and women in uniform have taught us about strength, duty, devotion, resolve—cornerstones of a commitment to protect and defend that has kept our country safe for over 200 years. In war and in peace, their service has been selfless and their accomplishments have been extraordinary.
Even after our veterans take off the uniform, they never stop serving. Many apply the skills and experience they developed on the battlefield to a life of service here at home. They take on roles in their communities as doctors and police officers, engineers and entrepreneurs, mothers and fathers. As a grateful Nation, it is our task to make that transition possible—to ensure our returning heroes can share in the opportunities they have given so much to defend. The freedoms we cherish endure because of their service and sacrifice, and our country must strive to honor our veterans by fulfilling our responsibilities to them and upholding the sacred trust we share with all who have served.
On days like this, we are called to reflect on immeasurable burdens that have been borne by so few. We pay tribute to our wounded, our missing, our fallen, and their families—men and women who have known the true costs of conflict and deserve our deepest respect, now and forever. We also remember that our commitments to those who have served are commitments we must honor not only on Veterans Day, but every day. As we do so, let us reaffirm our promise that when our troops finish their tours of duty, they come home to an America that gives them the benefits they have earned, the care they deserve, and the fullest opportunity to keep their families strong and our country moving forward.
With respect for and in recognition of the contributions our service members have made to the cause of peace and freedom around the world, the Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 11 of each year shall be set aside as a legal public holiday to honor our Nation’s veterans.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2012, as Veterans Day. I encourage all Americans to recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans through appropriate public ceremonies and private prayers. I call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to participate in patriotic activities in their communities. I call on all Americans, including civic and fraternal organizations, places of worship, schools, and communities to support this day with commemorative expressions and programs.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.
BARACK OBAMA
.
President Obama’s Proclamation In Honor Of Veterans Day
After hosting a Veterans Day White House breakfast for servicemen and veterans, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden aand his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, traveled to Arlington National Cemetary for the laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The solemn ceremony is an American tradition spanning decades and honoring the dedication and sacrifice of all American men and women who have served in every branch of our military. Earlier – the day after his re-election – President Obama issued the following annual proclamation:
VETERANS DAY, 2012
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Whether they fought in Salerno or Samarra, Heartbreak Ridge or Helmand, Khe Sanh or the Korengal, our veterans are part of an unbroken chain of men and women who have served our country with honor and distinction. On Veterans Day, we show them our deepest thanks. Their sacrifices have helped secure more than two centuries of American progress, and their legacy affirms that no matter what confronts us or what trials we face, there is no challenge we cannot overcome, and our best days are still ahead.
This year, we marked the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. We began to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. We welcomed our veterans back home from Iraq, and we continued to wind down operations in Afghanistan. These milestones remind us that, though much has changed since Americans first took up arms to advance freedom’s cause, the spirit that moved our forebears is the same spirit that has defined each generation of our service members. Our men and women in uniform have taught us about strength, duty, devotion, resolve—cornerstones of a commitment to protect and defend that has kept our country safe for over 200 years. In war and in peace, their service has been selfless and their accomplishments have been extraordinary.
Even after our veterans take off the uniform, they never stop serving. Many apply the skills and experience they developed on the battlefield to a life of service here at home. They take on roles in their communities as doctors and police officers, engineers and entrepreneurs, mothers and fathers. As a grateful Nation, it is our task to make that transition possible—to ensure our returning heroes can share in the opportunities they have given so much to defend. The freedoms we cherish endure because of their service and sacrifice, and our country must strive to honor our veterans by fulfilling our responsibilities to them and upholding the sacred trust we share with all who have served.
On days like this, we are called to reflect on immeasurable burdens that have been borne by so few. We pay tribute to our wounded, our missing, our fallen, and their families—men and women who have known the true costs of conflict and deserve our deepest respect, now and forever. We also remember that our commitments to those who have served are commitments we must honor not only on Veterans Day, but every day. As we do so, let us reaffirm our promise that when our troops finish their tours of duty, they come home to an America that gives them the benefits they have earned, the care they deserve, and the fullest opportunity to keep their families strong and our country moving forward.
With respect for and in recognition of the contributions our service members have made to the cause of peace and freedom around the world, the Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 11 of each year shall be set aside as a legal public holiday to honor our Nation’s veterans.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2012, as Veterans Day. I encourage all Americans to recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans through appropriate public ceremonies and private prayers. I call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to participate in patriotic activities in their communities. I call on all Americans, including civic and fraternal organizations, places of worship, schools, and communities to support this day with commemorative expressions and programs.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.
BARACK OBAMA
.
November 11, 2012
Most people understand that public servants, especially politicians, serve the people and part of their service includes following the law according to their oath of office, but Republicans reject the law when it contradicts ultra-conservative think tanks funded by wealthy industrialists Charles and David Koch. The Constitution is clear on how legislation becomes the law of the land, and one expects elected officials to reject special interest groups demands when they oppose established law, but over the past four years Republicans have demonstrated their disdain for the Constitution when neo-conservative think tanks have a different agenda.
The Affordable Care Act was hotly contested after it passed both houses of Congress and President Obama’s signature making it a legitimate law, and after it was upheld in the Supreme Court, one thought Republicans would finally accept that it cleared every legal challenge and begin implementing provisions at the state level to help 20-30 million Americans get access to affordable health care. One of the mainstays of Willard Romney’s campaign was his promise to repeal the ACA on his first day in office that not only displayed his ignorance of the repeal process, but also his lack of concern that millions of Americans would once again be at the mercy of the predatory health insurance industry and suffer from lack of healthcare. However, Romney’s defeat was not the end of the battle over the ACA and, as expected, Republican governors are doing the bidding of the Koch Brothers to frustrate the health law’s implementation.
The Koch Brothers think-tank, Americans for Prosperity, handed down a warning to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for not rejecting provisions in the ACA to submit health insurance exchange plans ahead of the health law’s full implementation. Republicans were already furious with Christie for praising President Obama’s rapid response to the super-storm Sandy that ravaged parts of the East Coast last week, and now the Koch Brothers are pressuring him to reject a New Jersey exchange bill to rebuff the ACA’s requirement before a November 16 cutoff date for states to set up health insurance exchanges. If states fail to set up the exchanges, the federal government does it for them and the provision gave individual states leeway to set up a healthcare marketplace according to their resident’s needs.
The New Jersey chapter of Americans for Prosperity sent out a press release Thursday questioning Governor Christie’s obedience to the Koch Brothers and encouraged him to accept the “burden on the states to thwart” the ACA because after Republicans lost the election, “Congress will not be able to repeal the law.” The press release cited “other conservative governors across the country like Bobby Jindal, Rick Perry, Scott Walker, and others have already taken a principled stand,” and questioned whether Christie “will prevent New Jerseyans from having their health care choices controlled by federal bureaucrats? Or will he continue to go along to get along with Barack Obama?” Now, the issue is not whether Christie is going along with the President, but rather, will he be vindictive and take away the state’s right to set up their own exchanges or leave it to the federal government. Either way, the health law will be implemented.
cont'
http://www.politicususa.com/koch-brothers-turn-chris-christie-warn-setting-obamacare.html
The KOCH BROTHERS Turn On Chris Christie and WARN HIM About Setting Up Obamacare
Most people understand that public servants, especially politicians, serve the people and part of their service includes following the law according to their oath of office, but Republicans reject the law when it contradicts ultra-conservative think tanks funded by wealthy industrialists Charles and David Koch. The Constitution is clear on how legislation becomes the law of the land, and one expects elected officials to reject special interest groups demands when they oppose established law, but over the past four years Republicans have demonstrated their disdain for the Constitution when neo-conservative think tanks have a different agenda.
The Affordable Care Act was hotly contested after it passed both houses of Congress and President Obama’s signature making it a legitimate law, and after it was upheld in the Supreme Court, one thought Republicans would finally accept that it cleared every legal challenge and begin implementing provisions at the state level to help 20-30 million Americans get access to affordable health care. One of the mainstays of Willard Romney’s campaign was his promise to repeal the ACA on his first day in office that not only displayed his ignorance of the repeal process, but also his lack of concern that millions of Americans would once again be at the mercy of the predatory health insurance industry and suffer from lack of healthcare. However, Romney’s defeat was not the end of the battle over the ACA and, as expected, Republican governors are doing the bidding of the Koch Brothers to frustrate the health law’s implementation.
The Koch Brothers think-tank, Americans for Prosperity, handed down a warning to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for not rejecting provisions in the ACA to submit health insurance exchange plans ahead of the health law’s full implementation. Republicans were already furious with Christie for praising President Obama’s rapid response to the super-storm Sandy that ravaged parts of the East Coast last week, and now the Koch Brothers are pressuring him to reject a New Jersey exchange bill to rebuff the ACA’s requirement before a November 16 cutoff date for states to set up health insurance exchanges. If states fail to set up the exchanges, the federal government does it for them and the provision gave individual states leeway to set up a healthcare marketplace according to their resident’s needs.
The New Jersey chapter of Americans for Prosperity sent out a press release Thursday questioning Governor Christie’s obedience to the Koch Brothers and encouraged him to accept the “burden on the states to thwart” the ACA because after Republicans lost the election, “Congress will not be able to repeal the law.” The press release cited “other conservative governors across the country like Bobby Jindal, Rick Perry, Scott Walker, and others have already taken a principled stand,” and questioned whether Christie “will prevent New Jerseyans from having their health care choices controlled by federal bureaucrats? Or will he continue to go along to get along with Barack Obama?” Now, the issue is not whether Christie is going along with the President, but rather, will he be vindictive and take away the state’s right to set up their own exchanges or leave it to the federal government. Either way, the health law will be implemented.
cont'
http://www.politicususa.com/koch-brothers-turn-chris-christie-warn-setting-obamacare.html
November 11, 2012
The ' turtle ' must go!!
Senator Mitch McConnell has based his entire tenure as Senate Minority Leader on the proposition of blocking legislation, of making President Obama a “One Term President.” With the re-election of Obama, it is clear that Mitch McConnell has failed, utterly and absolutely. His six years as Senate Minority Leader has been one of the most abysmal of any minority party. Through his failure to engage with the majority, he has effectively turned the Republicans into what the public view as “the party of no,” a do-nothing Congress. His positions have painted the Republican party as anti-women, anti-LGBT, anti-minority, the party of rich, white men only. If he stays in his position as Senate Minority Leader, 2014 will be a Republican bloodbath.
In order to prevent this, MoveOn has put up this petition calling for him to resign his leadership position and have Maine’s senior senator, Susan Collins, take up the mantle. This is the message they advance with the petition:
We, the undersigned, believe that one of the major reasons the Republican Party lost the 2012 election was their general lack of respect for women. While it will take many years for Republicans to overcome the sour taste they have left in the American electorate’s mouth, we believe there is something they can do immediately to begin to heal the problems they have with women. The first step in this process would be to not place Mitch McConnell back into the Senate Minority Leader Position. Instead, they should select Susan Collins of Maine for this position. Susan Collins has been a Senate Republican since being elected in 1996. She has cast over 5,000 votes in the Senate. More importantly, she has supported issues important to women. She has supported the re-authorization of the CHIP program. She has called for limits on pollution which is important because it is causing many children to develop asthma. And she voted for important middle class tax cuts in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the stimulus).
http://signon.org/sign/replace-mcconnell-with
While good qualifications, there are far more pressing reasons why Susan Collins would make a better minority leader in the Senate.
Currently holds the record for most continuous votes taken
Positions on LGBT rights are in the mainstream
Strong pro-business without being anti-worker
Good at balancing the needs of the environment with business demands
Pro-American focus on trade, including enacting punishments against countries which engage in currency manipulation
Against the Citizens United decision
cont'
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/11/11/petition-to-senator-mcconnell-step-down-as-minority-leader/
PETITION To Senator McConnell – STEP DOWN As Minority Leader
The ' turtle ' must go!!
Senator Mitch McConnell has based his entire tenure as Senate Minority Leader on the proposition of blocking legislation, of making President Obama a “One Term President.” With the re-election of Obama, it is clear that Mitch McConnell has failed, utterly and absolutely. His six years as Senate Minority Leader has been one of the most abysmal of any minority party. Through his failure to engage with the majority, he has effectively turned the Republicans into what the public view as “the party of no,” a do-nothing Congress. His positions have painted the Republican party as anti-women, anti-LGBT, anti-minority, the party of rich, white men only. If he stays in his position as Senate Minority Leader, 2014 will be a Republican bloodbath.
In order to prevent this, MoveOn has put up this petition calling for him to resign his leadership position and have Maine’s senior senator, Susan Collins, take up the mantle. This is the message they advance with the petition:
We, the undersigned, believe that one of the major reasons the Republican Party lost the 2012 election was their general lack of respect for women. While it will take many years for Republicans to overcome the sour taste they have left in the American electorate’s mouth, we believe there is something they can do immediately to begin to heal the problems they have with women. The first step in this process would be to not place Mitch McConnell back into the Senate Minority Leader Position. Instead, they should select Susan Collins of Maine for this position. Susan Collins has been a Senate Republican since being elected in 1996. She has cast over 5,000 votes in the Senate. More importantly, she has supported issues important to women. She has supported the re-authorization of the CHIP program. She has called for limits on pollution which is important because it is causing many children to develop asthma. And she voted for important middle class tax cuts in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the stimulus).
http://signon.org/sign/replace-mcconnell-with
While good qualifications, there are far more pressing reasons why Susan Collins would make a better minority leader in the Senate.
Currently holds the record for most continuous votes taken
Positions on LGBT rights are in the mainstream
Strong pro-business without being anti-worker
Good at balancing the needs of the environment with business demands
Pro-American focus on trade, including enacting punishments against countries which engage in currency manipulation
Against the Citizens United decision
cont'
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/11/11/petition-to-senator-mcconnell-step-down-as-minority-leader/
November 11, 2012
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor spoke to an FBI whistle-blower two weeks ago who accused then-CIA Director David Petraeus of having an extramarital affair and potentially jeopardizing the security of classified information, according to a news report. Cantor’s chief of staff, Steve Stombres, later spoke with FBI officials to pass on the accusations from the whistle-blower, the New York Times reported on Saturday night. Cantor’s involvement in the Petraeus scandal is the first indication that anyone outside of the FBI knew Petraeus was under scrutiny for an extramarital relationship or potentially leaking classified information.
The FBI had been investigating Petraeus for several months after his alleged mistress, author Paula Broadwell, was suspected of sending “harassing” e-mails to another woman close to Petraeus. During their probe of Broadwell’s activities, FBI agents uncovered information about a reputed romantic relationship between Broadwell and Petraeus. Broadwell is the author of a flattering biography on Petraeus’s extraordinary military career that was released early in 2012. There were also concerns that Broadwell may have obtained sensitive information via her ties to Petraeus.
But the revelation of Cantor’s role in the scandal - and the emergence of an FBI whistle-blower - raises dramatic new questions about how the bureau conducted what was clearly a hugely sensitive problem, both in terms of the FBI’s relationship with the CIA and what it could mean for the highly esteemed Petraeus. It also raises the stakes for the political fallout surrounding the scandal. Top CIA officials have been asked to brief members of the House Intelligence Committee next week on what happened and how the case unfolded.
“I was contacted by an F.B.I. employee concerned that sensitive, classified information may have been compromised and made certain [FBI] Director Mueller was aware of these serious allegations and the potential risk to our national security,” Cantor said in a statement. Petraeus resigned on Friday after 14 months atop the CIA while admitting to an extramarital affair. The announcement stunned Washington, as lawmakers, Obama administration officials and the press scrambled to find out the reasons behind his abrupt departure.
cont'
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83681.html?hp=l1
FBI Whistleblower TIPPED CANTOR OFF to Petraeus Affair
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor spoke to an FBI whistle-blower two weeks ago who accused then-CIA Director David Petraeus of having an extramarital affair and potentially jeopardizing the security of classified information, according to a news report. Cantor’s chief of staff, Steve Stombres, later spoke with FBI officials to pass on the accusations from the whistle-blower, the New York Times reported on Saturday night. Cantor’s involvement in the Petraeus scandal is the first indication that anyone outside of the FBI knew Petraeus was under scrutiny for an extramarital relationship or potentially leaking classified information.
The FBI had been investigating Petraeus for several months after his alleged mistress, author Paula Broadwell, was suspected of sending “harassing” e-mails to another woman close to Petraeus. During their probe of Broadwell’s activities, FBI agents uncovered information about a reputed romantic relationship between Broadwell and Petraeus. Broadwell is the author of a flattering biography on Petraeus’s extraordinary military career that was released early in 2012. There were also concerns that Broadwell may have obtained sensitive information via her ties to Petraeus.
But the revelation of Cantor’s role in the scandal - and the emergence of an FBI whistle-blower - raises dramatic new questions about how the bureau conducted what was clearly a hugely sensitive problem, both in terms of the FBI’s relationship with the CIA and what it could mean for the highly esteemed Petraeus. It also raises the stakes for the political fallout surrounding the scandal. Top CIA officials have been asked to brief members of the House Intelligence Committee next week on what happened and how the case unfolded.
“I was contacted by an F.B.I. employee concerned that sensitive, classified information may have been compromised and made certain [FBI] Director Mueller was aware of these serious allegations and the potential risk to our national security,” Cantor said in a statement. Petraeus resigned on Friday after 14 months atop the CIA while admitting to an extramarital affair. The announcement stunned Washington, as lawmakers, Obama administration officials and the press scrambled to find out the reasons behind his abrupt departure.
cont'
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83681.html?hp=l1
November 11, 2012
Some serious media attention and pressure needs to be applied here.
Nearly a third of votes cast in Arizona remained uncounted the day after the election. Most of them were probably cast by Latinos, organized and newly registered by multiple civil rights groups in the state to combat candidates like the notorious Maricopa County Sheriff, Joe Arpaio.
On Thursday, the Secretary of State, Ken Bennett, announced the figures: 631,274 early and provisional ballots remained uncounted out of a total of 1.8 million votes. At least 350,000 of them are from Maricopa County (Phoenix metropolitan area), where Joe Arpaio has already claimed victory. Activist Randy Parraz, president of Citizens for a Better Arizona, told the Huffington Post, “We’re not conceding anything until every vote is counted. They’re just going to act like, ‘Oh, the election’s over, Arpaio wins.’ Hell no.”
Three Congressional races also remain in limbo. Although Democrat Rich Carmona originally conceded the Senate seat to Jeff Flake on election night, he changed his mind after hearing the unprecedented number of uncounted votes. On Friday, he sent this message to supporters: “We will take every necessary step to make sure all of our supporters’ ballots are counted.” Two U.S. House races are also too close to call until the remainder of the votes are tallied. Protestors from a coalition of rights groups are maintaining a continuous presence outside of the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center. In a letter to the county recorder, Helen Purcell, the American Civil Liberties wrote that the “public confidence in the voting process” was at risk.
The situation has attracted attention all across the nation. Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid weighed in, issuing a statement of his concern: “All of the votes in Arizona must be counted promptly, accurately and equally. The uncounted votes in Maricopa County alone represent a major portion of the total votes cast in Arizona on Tuesday.” He also pointed out that this problem occurs just as the Supreme Court is ready to consider whether the voter protections in 1965?s Voter Rights Act should be scaled back. Specifically, the justices are being asked to rule that the part that prevents states from disenfranchising minorities is no longer relevant.
cont'
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/11/11/outrage-builds-as-arizona-continues-to-count-votes/
OUTRAGE Builds As Arizona Continues To COUNT VOTES
Some serious media attention and pressure needs to be applied here.
Nearly a third of votes cast in Arizona remained uncounted the day after the election. Most of them were probably cast by Latinos, organized and newly registered by multiple civil rights groups in the state to combat candidates like the notorious Maricopa County Sheriff, Joe Arpaio.
On Thursday, the Secretary of State, Ken Bennett, announced the figures: 631,274 early and provisional ballots remained uncounted out of a total of 1.8 million votes. At least 350,000 of them are from Maricopa County (Phoenix metropolitan area), where Joe Arpaio has already claimed victory. Activist Randy Parraz, president of Citizens for a Better Arizona, told the Huffington Post, “We’re not conceding anything until every vote is counted. They’re just going to act like, ‘Oh, the election’s over, Arpaio wins.’ Hell no.”
Three Congressional races also remain in limbo. Although Democrat Rich Carmona originally conceded the Senate seat to Jeff Flake on election night, he changed his mind after hearing the unprecedented number of uncounted votes. On Friday, he sent this message to supporters: “We will take every necessary step to make sure all of our supporters’ ballots are counted.” Two U.S. House races are also too close to call until the remainder of the votes are tallied. Protestors from a coalition of rights groups are maintaining a continuous presence outside of the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center. In a letter to the county recorder, Helen Purcell, the American Civil Liberties wrote that the “public confidence in the voting process” was at risk.
The situation has attracted attention all across the nation. Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid weighed in, issuing a statement of his concern: “All of the votes in Arizona must be counted promptly, accurately and equally. The uncounted votes in Maricopa County alone represent a major portion of the total votes cast in Arizona on Tuesday.” He also pointed out that this problem occurs just as the Supreme Court is ready to consider whether the voter protections in 1965?s Voter Rights Act should be scaled back. Specifically, the justices are being asked to rule that the part that prevents states from disenfranchising minorities is no longer relevant.
cont'
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/11/11/outrage-builds-as-arizona-continues-to-count-votes/
November 10, 2012
The Party of Choice for Rapists is in Denial....
So the Republicans have been shocked into disbelief if not into silence by President Obama’s re-election. Impossible as it was for them to believe a black man could inhabit the White House as anything other than a butler or gardener, they are having even more problem understanding how he could have been re-elected. They had managed to convince themselves that it was all a terrible mistake that would be righted when 2012 came along.
- As Rachel Maddow, Jon Stewart, and others have quipped, do the math.
But conservatives do not want to do the math. They look for the most bizarre explanations they can find to rationalize their collective delusion. So we find Tim Wildmon, the president of the American Family Association (AFA) – Bryan Fischer’s boss – and his research director, Ed Vitagliano, getting together with Joseph Farah of World Net Daily to talk about the impossible and their inability to comprehend our shared reality. Fortunately, they didn’t do it in secret and Right Wing Watch was there to listen and to share. As I said, unable to comprehend basic math, the conservatives have come up with all sorts of theories, including what was, up until now, their deepest thought yet: because people want stuff and Obama will give them stuff. Karl Rove even insisted Obama had suppressed the vote! How? By saying bad things about Mitt Romney.
Yes, the Republican Party is the Party of choice for rapists but it is also the party of those with the collective wisdom, knowledge, and emotional development of a third grader.
-......On the other hand, I haven’t seen a Republican lately who would know the Constitution if it fell on him.
cont'
http://www.politicususa.com/republican-excuse-defeat-134-george-clooney.html
.
Republicans are BLAMING GEORGE CLOONEY for Mitt Romney’s Defeat
The Party of Choice for Rapists is in Denial....
So the Republicans have been shocked into disbelief if not into silence by President Obama’s re-election. Impossible as it was for them to believe a black man could inhabit the White House as anything other than a butler or gardener, they are having even more problem understanding how he could have been re-elected. They had managed to convince themselves that it was all a terrible mistake that would be righted when 2012 came along.
- As Rachel Maddow, Jon Stewart, and others have quipped, do the math.
But conservatives do not want to do the math. They look for the most bizarre explanations they can find to rationalize their collective delusion. So we find Tim Wildmon, the president of the American Family Association (AFA) – Bryan Fischer’s boss – and his research director, Ed Vitagliano, getting together with Joseph Farah of World Net Daily to talk about the impossible and their inability to comprehend our shared reality. Fortunately, they didn’t do it in secret and Right Wing Watch was there to listen and to share. As I said, unable to comprehend basic math, the conservatives have come up with all sorts of theories, including what was, up until now, their deepest thought yet: because people want stuff and Obama will give them stuff. Karl Rove even insisted Obama had suppressed the vote! How? By saying bad things about Mitt Romney.
Yes, the Republican Party is the Party of choice for rapists but it is also the party of those with the collective wisdom, knowledge, and emotional development of a third grader.
The Men of the American Family Association Explain how George Clooney Swung the Election to Obama
"....Vitagliano: They said ‘what Hollywood star do women love’ and they found that they love overwhelmingly George Clooney, so what they did is they went and got George Clooney to have a dinner with President Obama and then they had a big fundraiser and they said to women, ‘if you want to have dinner with George Clooney and President Obama here is how much you pay per plate for this big fundraiser.’ They did the same thing in the east with Sarah Jessica Parker, who was a beloved icon of many women. So what they did, and it’s brilliant even while cynical, is they hooked women to Obama through these Hollywood stars. These women were saying well ‘George Clooney loves President Obama,’ and a fair number of them I’m guessing said, ‘so I love President Obama,’ and the same thing with Sarah Jessica Parker. That to me, and this is obviously an overstatement, that to me is not what the Founding Fathers envisioned that when they were hoping for a well-informed electorate being advised of the issues and studying the issues, no, what we’ve devolved to is ‘I love George Clooney, George Clooney loves President Obama, therefore I love President Obama...."
listen :
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/american-family-association-george-clooney-election-obama
"....Vitagliano: They said ‘what Hollywood star do women love’ and they found that they love overwhelmingly George Clooney, so what they did is they went and got George Clooney to have a dinner with President Obama and then they had a big fundraiser and they said to women, ‘if you want to have dinner with George Clooney and President Obama here is how much you pay per plate for this big fundraiser.’ They did the same thing in the east with Sarah Jessica Parker, who was a beloved icon of many women. So what they did, and it’s brilliant even while cynical, is they hooked women to Obama through these Hollywood stars. These women were saying well ‘George Clooney loves President Obama,’ and a fair number of them I’m guessing said, ‘so I love President Obama,’ and the same thing with Sarah Jessica Parker. That to me, and this is obviously an overstatement, that to me is not what the Founding Fathers envisioned that when they were hoping for a well-informed electorate being advised of the issues and studying the issues, no, what we’ve devolved to is ‘I love George Clooney, George Clooney loves President Obama, therefore I love President Obama...."
listen :
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/american-family-association-george-clooney-election-obama
-......On the other hand, I haven’t seen a Republican lately who would know the Constitution if it fell on him.
cont'
http://www.politicususa.com/republican-excuse-defeat-134-george-clooney.html
.
November 10, 2012
Andrew Sullivan And SE Cupp Clash Over Gay Marriage, Mormonism On Real Time
Bill Maher brought up all the big liberal victories in Tuesday's election on his show tonight, from states legalizing marijuana to gay marriage passing in a number of states. Andrew Sullivan celebrated the latter as the biggest night in U.S. history for gay marriage, but got heated with S.E. Cupp when he argued that the gay marriage victories were equally as significant for the progress of the United States as marijuana legalization. Cupp scolded him and said he shouldn't be equating two entirely different issues.
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