Friday, December 12, 2014
Nancy Pelosi Halts The Republican Effort to Totally Screw Women Over In Government Funding Bill
http://www.politicususa.com/2014/12/10/nancy-pelosi-forces-republicans-totally-screw-women.html
"Yes, Republicans thought that they’d use a funding bill to control women’s access to contraception while giving corporations more rights."
"Yes, Republicans thought that they’d use a funding bill to control women’s access to contraception while giving corporations more rights."
Email of Florida GOP Consultants Reveals the Gerrymandering of Democracy
Email of Florida GOP Consultants Reveals the Gerrymandering of Democracy
"in Pennsylvania and North Carolina where Democrats won the congressional vote in 2012, Republicans won 21 of the 31 seats in the US Congress, roughly 2/3's - even though the party lost the majority of the vote in both states in 2012. That is ruinous to democracy and goes a long way toward explaining how the Republicans, particularly their right wing, have helped thwart popular government programs and policies."
"in Pennsylvania and North Carolina where Democrats won the congressional vote in 2012, Republicans won 21 of the 31 seats in the US Congress, roughly 2/3's - even though the party lost the majority of the vote in both states in 2012. That is ruinous to democracy and goes a long way toward explaining how the Republicans, particularly their right wing, have helped thwart popular government programs and policies."
N.J. Pension Funds To Sue Christie Over $2.4B Money Grab
N.J. Pension Funds To Sue Christie Over $2.4B Money Grab
"Christie agreed to increase payments into the system in return for a reform package that raised the retirement age from 62 to 65, eliminated cost-of-living increases for retirees, and required workers to contribute more toward their pensions and health benefits.
But instead of pumping in extra money, Christie grabbed $2.4 billion from pension payments to balance budgets over two years after revenue collections fell far short of projections."
"Christie agreed to increase payments into the system in return for a reform package that raised the retirement age from 62 to 65, eliminated cost-of-living increases for retirees, and required workers to contribute more toward their pensions and health benefits.
But instead of pumping in extra money, Christie grabbed $2.4 billion from pension payments to balance budgets over two years after revenue collections fell far short of projections."
Rick Perry: The Bible proves that poverty is inevitable
Rick Perry: The Bible proves that poverty is inevitable
"Texas may have the country’s highest rate of people who lack health insurance and rank in the top 10 states with the highest poverty levels, but Gov. Rick Perry can’t be bothered."
"Texas may have the country’s highest rate of people who lack health insurance and rank in the top 10 states with the highest poverty levels, but Gov. Rick Perry can’t be bothered."
Rep. Michele Bachmann delivers her farewell address
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/10/1350819/-Rep-Michele-Bachmann-delivers-her-farewell-address
"So let us wish Rep. Michele Bachmann well in her new career of waiting to be indicted for campaign finance oopsies"
"So let us wish Rep. Michele Bachmann well in her new career of waiting to be indicted for campaign finance oopsies"
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Congress Is Showing How Eager It Is To Gut Financial Reform
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/12/11/3602761/wall-street-reform-under-attack/
"The plan to tie financial de-regulation to the funding bill is part of a strategy by Wall Street’s allies in Congress to use any leverage necessary to weaken oversight of our financial institutions. As one senior GOP aide explained, “The regulatory reforms in the cromnibus [funding bill] are the first cracks in the Dodd-Frank armor…. If liberal Democrats vote for this package it shows that conservatives can use must pass legislation to repeal the regulatory state.”
This strategy is on display elsewhere in Congress this week. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), chairman of the House Committee that has oversight over our financial system, is insisting that any extension of Terrorism Risk Insurance include an unrelated provision that will weaken separate Dodd-Frank reforms intended to make swaps trades less risky."
"The plan to tie financial de-regulation to the funding bill is part of a strategy by Wall Street’s allies in Congress to use any leverage necessary to weaken oversight of our financial institutions. As one senior GOP aide explained, “The regulatory reforms in the cromnibus [funding bill] are the first cracks in the Dodd-Frank armor…. If liberal Democrats vote for this package it shows that conservatives can use must pass legislation to repeal the regulatory state.”
This strategy is on display elsewhere in Congress this week. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), chairman of the House Committee that has oversight over our financial system, is insisting that any extension of Terrorism Risk Insurance include an unrelated provision that will weaken separate Dodd-Frank reforms intended to make swaps trades less risky."
Congress to Reinstate Taxpayer Subsidies for Reckless Derivatives Trading
Congress to Reinstate Taxpayer Subsidies for Reckless Derivatives Trading
"After reckless derivatives trading helped bring the global economy to its knees in 2008, prompting a Congressional bailout worth some $700 billion and Federal Reserve emergency loans worth trillions, Section 716 was implemented "as a commonsense provision to protect taxpayers from future derivatives deals gone awry," says economist Simon Johnson. The measure took "the state out of subsidizing some of these particularly high risk derivatives."
But America's "too big to fail" banks desperately want to continue business as usual. Citi, which itself was rescued by taxpayers to the tune of $100 billion in Federal Reserve loans, wrote the provision, says the New York Times.
You remember Citi: the behemoth bank was instrumental in killing the Glass-Steagall law that for 60 years separated everyday banking from high-stakes, high-speed trading. Citibank merged with Travelers Insurance to form Citigroup in 1998, and later became one of the first too-big-to-fail banks to collapse in the financial crisis.
The Times detailed that "Citigroup's recommendations were reflected in more than 70 lines of the House committee's 85-line bill. Two crucial paragraphs, prepared by Citigroup in conjunction with other Wall Street banks, were copied nearly word for word."
"After reckless derivatives trading helped bring the global economy to its knees in 2008, prompting a Congressional bailout worth some $700 billion and Federal Reserve emergency loans worth trillions, Section 716 was implemented "as a commonsense provision to protect taxpayers from future derivatives deals gone awry," says economist Simon Johnson. The measure took "the state out of subsidizing some of these particularly high risk derivatives."
But America's "too big to fail" banks desperately want to continue business as usual. Citi, which itself was rescued by taxpayers to the tune of $100 billion in Federal Reserve loans, wrote the provision, says the New York Times.
You remember Citi: the behemoth bank was instrumental in killing the Glass-Steagall law that for 60 years separated everyday banking from high-stakes, high-speed trading. Citibank merged with Travelers Insurance to form Citigroup in 1998, and later became one of the first too-big-to-fail banks to collapse in the financial crisis.
The Times detailed that "Citigroup's recommendations were reflected in more than 70 lines of the House committee's 85-line bill. Two crucial paragraphs, prepared by Citigroup in conjunction with other Wall Street banks, were copied nearly word for word."
Good riddance, Darrell Issa: A wasteful blowhard’s humiliating history
Good riddance, Darrell Issa: A wasteful blowhard’s humiliating history
"During the Bush administration, the California congressman used his perch to obstruct investigations, defend unethical acts, and attack those who dared to accuse a Republican White House of wrongdoing."
"During the Bush administration, the California congressman used his perch to obstruct investigations, defend unethical acts, and attack those who dared to accuse a Republican White House of wrongdoing."
Warren: CitiGroup 'Literally' Wrote Last-Minute Budget Bill Provision
Warren: CitiGroup 'Literally' Wrote Last-Minute Budget Bill Provision
"The provision, which Warren said was added by surprise, would eliminate a requirement under the Dodd-Frank financial reform law that banks trade financial derivatives separately from regular bank accounts, which are protected through the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)."
"The provision, which Warren said was added by surprise, would eliminate a requirement under the Dodd-Frank financial reform law that banks trade financial derivatives separately from regular bank accounts, which are protected through the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)."
Why right-to-work-for-less is stupid for Wisconsin- and everywhere else
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/04/1349524/-Why-right-to-work-for-less-is-stupid-for-Wisconsin-and-everywhere-else
"one look at the economic figures would tell you that states that have right-to-work-for-less laws generally end up worse off than states who don't, with lower wages for their workers. And low wages are Wisconsin's biggest economic PROBLEM, and doubling down on that trend isn't really the way to solve it."
"one look at the economic figures would tell you that states that have right-to-work-for-less laws generally end up worse off than states who don't, with lower wages for their workers. And low wages are Wisconsin's biggest economic PROBLEM, and doubling down on that trend isn't really the way to solve it."
How The U.S. Supreme Court Turned Into A Corporate Echo Chamber
How The U.S. Supreme Court Turned Into A Corporate Echo Chamber
"A Reuters examination of nine years of cases shows that 66 of the 17,000 lawyers who petitioned the Supreme Court succeeded at getting their clients' appeals heard at a remarkable rate. Their appeals were at least six times more likely to be accepted by the court than were all others filed by private lawyers during that period.
The lawyers are the most influential members of one of the most powerful specialties in America: the business of practicing before the Supreme Court. None of these lawyers is a household name. But many are familiar to the nine justices. That's because about half worked for justices past or present, and some socialize with them.
They are the elite of the elite: Although they account for far less than 1 percent of lawyers who filed appeals to the Supreme Court, these attorneys were involved in 43 percent of the cases the high court chose to decide from 2004 through 2012."
"A Reuters examination of nine years of cases shows that 66 of the 17,000 lawyers who petitioned the Supreme Court succeeded at getting their clients' appeals heard at a remarkable rate. Their appeals were at least six times more likely to be accepted by the court than were all others filed by private lawyers during that period.
The lawyers are the most influential members of one of the most powerful specialties in America: the business of practicing before the Supreme Court. None of these lawyers is a household name. But many are familiar to the nine justices. That's because about half worked for justices past or present, and some socialize with them.
They are the elite of the elite: Although they account for far less than 1 percent of lawyers who filed appeals to the Supreme Court, these attorneys were involved in 43 percent of the cases the high court chose to decide from 2004 through 2012."
Thanks To Obama, $13.5 Million in Vouchers Will Be Used to Help Homeless Veterans
http://www.politicususa.com/2014/12/08/obamas-leadership-13-5-million-vouchers-homeless-veterans.html
"Real patriotism is not expressed by waving a flag and chanting “USA!” as a way to prove that your side of the aisle is best."
"Real patriotism is not expressed by waving a flag and chanting “USA!” as a way to prove that your side of the aisle is best."
Energy Companies Team Up With State Attorney Generals To Kill EPA Regulations
Energy Companies Team Up With State Attorney Generals To Kill EPA Regulations
"Kochtopia! What energy producers want, energy producers are going to get, whether it's on a national scale or state-by-state."
"Kochtopia! What energy producers want, energy producers are going to get, whether it's on a national scale or state-by-state."
Why Dick Cheney Is Wrong About the CIA Torture Memos
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/27920-why-dick-cheney-is-wrong-about-the-cia-torture-memos
"Going back to his days in the Nixon White House, and certainly during his time as the Reagan administration's chief defender during the Iran/Contra inquiry, Cheney has rejected accountability and transparency."
"Going back to his days in the Nixon White House, and certainly during his time as the Reagan administration's chief defender during the Iran/Contra inquiry, Cheney has rejected accountability and transparency."
The Torture Report Reminds Us of What America Was
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/10/opinion/the-torture-report-reminds-us-of-what-america-was.html?_r=2
"In some future college classroom, a professor will require her students to read about the things this country did in the early years of the 21st century. She’ll assign portions of the Senate torture report. There will be blank stares and apathetic yawns. There will be essays and writing assignments. The students will come to know that this country isn’t always something to be proud of."
"In some future college classroom, a professor will require her students to read about the things this country did in the early years of the 21st century. She’ll assign portions of the Senate torture report. There will be blank stares and apathetic yawns. There will be essays and writing assignments. The students will come to know that this country isn’t always something to be proud of."
Are Rush Limbaugh And Fox News Still Laughing About Torture?
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/12/10/are-rush-limbaugh-and-fox-news-still-laughing-a/201830
"the nearly decade-long campaign to laugh off torture and treat the brutal practice as a running joke helps highlight how truly radical the conservative media in America have become."
"the nearly decade-long campaign to laugh off torture and treat the brutal practice as a running joke helps highlight how truly radical the conservative media in America have become."
Senate Report: CIA Torture Was Brutal and Ineffective | The Nation
Senate Report: CIA Torture Was Brutal and Ineffective | The Nation
"If there’s one sentence to take away from the report, it’s this: “the use of the CIA’s enhanced interrogation techniques was not an effective means of obtaining accurate information or gaining detainee cooperation.” The report found literally not one instance where torture led to a useful piece of information that couldn’t have been otherwise obtained by routine interrogation. This undercuts virtually every defense made by Bush officials of the CIA program."
"If there’s one sentence to take away from the report, it’s this: “the use of the CIA’s enhanced interrogation techniques was not an effective means of obtaining accurate information or gaining detainee cooperation.” The report found literally not one instance where torture led to a useful piece of information that couldn’t have been otherwise obtained by routine interrogation. This undercuts virtually every defense made by Bush officials of the CIA program."
The 5 Most Damning Revelations From The CIA’s Report On Bush-Era Torture
http://thinkprogress.org/world/2014/12/09/3601209/cia-torture-report-findings/
"Though former Bush administration officials — who officially approved the methods in August of 2002 — have argued that the revelations could endanger American security at home and abroad, the report completely discredits the former president’s long-standing claims that torture prevented attacks against America and helped capture high value terrorist targets"
"Though former Bush administration officials — who officially approved the methods in August of 2002 — have argued that the revelations could endanger American security at home and abroad, the report completely discredits the former president’s long-standing claims that torture prevented attacks against America and helped capture high value terrorist targets"
PERRspectives: President Obama's Nuclear Option on Torture
PERRspectives: President Obama's Nuclear Option on Torture
"while many of the GOP's best and brightest want to torpedo the federal government over Barack Obama's immigration actions that have both the law and historical precedent on their side, actual presidential lawlessness remains unpunished. As this week's release of the Senate Intelligence Committee's highly redacted torture report will remind Americans, under President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, the United States brutalized terror detainees in ways that both shock the conscience and violate U.S. and international law."
"while many of the GOP's best and brightest want to torpedo the federal government over Barack Obama's immigration actions that have both the law and historical precedent on their side, actual presidential lawlessness remains unpunished. As this week's release of the Senate Intelligence Committee's highly redacted torture report will remind Americans, under President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, the United States brutalized terror detainees in ways that both shock the conscience and violate U.S. and international law."
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
FBI Files Charges Against President Of Company Behind West Virginia Chemical Spill
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/12/09/3601157/gary-southern-arrested-west-virginia-freedom-industries/
"The former president of the company that contaminated drinking water for 300,000 West Virginians this past January has been arrested on criminal fraud charges, according to a Federal Bureau of Investigation complaint unsealed Monday.
Former Freedom Industries president Gary Southern was charged with bankruptcy fraud, wire fraud, and lying under oath during the company’s bankruptcy proceedings following the massive spill — a 10,000 gallon dump of a coal-cleaning chemical called crude MCHM into the Elk River. FBI Special Agent James F. Lafferty said in a sworn affidavit that Southern, in an attempt to protect his personal fortune of nearly $8 million and shield himself from lawsuits, developed a scheme to distance himself from the company and “deflect blame” to other parties."
"The former president of the company that contaminated drinking water for 300,000 West Virginians this past January has been arrested on criminal fraud charges, according to a Federal Bureau of Investigation complaint unsealed Monday.
Former Freedom Industries president Gary Southern was charged with bankruptcy fraud, wire fraud, and lying under oath during the company’s bankruptcy proceedings following the massive spill — a 10,000 gallon dump of a coal-cleaning chemical called crude MCHM into the Elk River. FBI Special Agent James F. Lafferty said in a sworn affidavit that Southern, in an attempt to protect his personal fortune of nearly $8 million and shield himself from lawsuits, developed a scheme to distance himself from the company and “deflect blame” to other parties."
How Republicans in Congress Working Feverishly to Block Legal Marijuana in the Nation's Capital
http://www.alternet.org/drugs/congress-republicans-block-dc-decriminalization-legalization
"The Washington, DC city council approved marijuana decriminalization earlier in 2014. District voters went even further than the council in last month's elections, approving an initiative to legalize the possession and cultivation of small amounts of pot with a whopping 70% of the vote.
Now, congressional Republicans are working feverishly to block the District from putting the results of this exercise in democracy into effect."
"The Washington, DC city council approved marijuana decriminalization earlier in 2014. District voters went even further than the council in last month's elections, approving an initiative to legalize the possession and cultivation of small amounts of pot with a whopping 70% of the vote.
Now, congressional Republicans are working feverishly to block the District from putting the results of this exercise in democracy into effect."
Michigan House Just Passed Bill That Would Deprive LGBT People of Their Most Basic Rights
http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/michigan-house-just-passed-bill-would-deprive-lgbt-people-their-most-basic-rights
"The Michigan House of Representatives just gave the nod to bigots to discriminate against LGBT people under the guise of religious freedom. The “Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” a bill that allows people with “deeply-held religious beliefs” to deny LGBT people services -- including life-saving health care or medication -- was passed by Statehouse Republicans this weekend."
"The Michigan House of Representatives just gave the nod to bigots to discriminate against LGBT people under the guise of religious freedom. The “Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” a bill that allows people with “deeply-held religious beliefs” to deny LGBT people services -- including life-saving health care or medication -- was passed by Statehouse Republicans this weekend."
Elizabeth Warren blasts Wall Street sweetheart deal in spending bill
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/10/1350800/-Elizabeth-Warren-blasts-Wall-Street-sweetheart-deal-in-spending-bill
"Sen. Elizabeth Warren is not happy about the plan to weaken regulation of big banks that Republicans managed to insert in the spending bill."
"Sen. Elizabeth Warren is not happy about the plan to weaken regulation of big banks that Republicans managed to insert in the spending bill."
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