http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/09/california-tightens-lid-dark-money-groups
"California regulators took another step last week to crack down on secretive money in state elections. And for that, we have the Koch brothers to thank.
Politically active nonprofits have become a preferred way for deep-pocketed donors to influence elections without revealing their identities. As nonprofits, these groups are under no obligation to disclose where their money comes from. But as the amount of dark money entering elections has soared, federal regulators have largely taken a pass on adding new disclosure requirements. California regulators, on the other hand, have gone straight at the issue, and in the wake of a 2012 scandal involving several groups from the network of political organizations run by the Koch brothers, they have aggressively fought to keep dark money groups out of state elections.
On Thursday, state regulators added another layer of security, closing a loophole that might have allowed out-of-state groups and donors to secretly buy influence in California elections. If there was any wiggle room for dark money groups to operate in California, it's likely gone now.
California's dark-money crackdown stems from an investigation sparked in the run-up to the 2012 election, in which regulators uncovered a plot by a Virginia-based dark-money group called Americans for Job Security to funnel more than $24 million from secret donors through a series of intermediary groups to be spent on two state ballot initiatives: one to raise taxes and the other to ban labor unions from making political donations. According to the investigation, AJS routed the money to an Arizona dark-money group called the Center to Protect Patient's Rights, which then passed it on to two more groups, including one called Americans for Responsible Leadership. Those groups, in turn, channeled the money to at least two California-based groups that spent it on campaigns to defeat the tax increase proposal and to support the ban on donations from unions.
The CPPR, which was actually just a post office box in Arizona, became known as the ATM for a sprawling network of politically active groups tied to libertarian brothers Charles and David Koch."
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Mathematician Declares War On Kansas Republicans For Committing Election Fraud (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/23/mathematician-declares-war-on-kansas-republicans-for-committing-election-fraud-video/
"Kansas Republicans should be shaking in their boots right about now. Because mathematician Beth Clarkson is taking them to court to force Secretary of State Kris Kobach to release voting records that would prove that Republicans committed election fraud to help them maintain control over the state."
"Kansas Republicans should be shaking in their boots right about now. Because mathematician Beth Clarkson is taking them to court to force Secretary of State Kris Kobach to release voting records that would prove that Republicans committed election fraud to help them maintain control over the state."
The Republican Insurgency Against the Judicial Branch
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/32895-the-republican-insurgency-against-the-judicial-branch
"What's really going on here is another example of the "Caucus Room Conspiracy," the plot Republicans hatched on the day President Obama took office to prevent him, our nation's first Black President, from building up any legacy what-so-ever.
On January 20, 2009, the night when the Obamas were dancing at inaugural balls and most Americans were out celebrating the end of the Bush years, a group of powerful Republicans was planning the end of Obama presidency before it even got going.
At the Caucus Room restaurant in Washington, DC, GOP leaders drew up a plan to intentionally sabotage President Obama at every point possible.
On the guest list for this "invitation only" meeting were Republican Senators like Jim DeMint, Jon Kyl, Tom Coburn, John Ensign and Bob Corker.
Also in attendance were Congressmen Paul Ryan, Pete Sessions, Jeb Hensarling, Pete Hoekstra, Dan Lungren, Eric Cantor and Kevin McCarthy.
The whole thing was orchestrated by Republican propaganda mastermind Frank Luntz and over the course of four hours, this group of the most powerful conservative lawmakers in the country committed to a plan of action.
They promised each other that they would filibuster and obstruct any and all legislation supported by the new president, Barack Obama."
"What's really going on here is another example of the "Caucus Room Conspiracy," the plot Republicans hatched on the day President Obama took office to prevent him, our nation's first Black President, from building up any legacy what-so-ever.
On January 20, 2009, the night when the Obamas were dancing at inaugural balls and most Americans were out celebrating the end of the Bush years, a group of powerful Republicans was planning the end of Obama presidency before it even got going.
At the Caucus Room restaurant in Washington, DC, GOP leaders drew up a plan to intentionally sabotage President Obama at every point possible.
On the guest list for this "invitation only" meeting were Republican Senators like Jim DeMint, Jon Kyl, Tom Coburn, John Ensign and Bob Corker.
Also in attendance were Congressmen Paul Ryan, Pete Sessions, Jeb Hensarling, Pete Hoekstra, Dan Lungren, Eric Cantor and Kevin McCarthy.
The whole thing was orchestrated by Republican propaganda mastermind Frank Luntz and over the course of four hours, this group of the most powerful conservative lawmakers in the country committed to a plan of action.
They promised each other that they would filibuster and obstruct any and all legislation supported by the new president, Barack Obama."
The GOP’s venomous Pope tirades are the ultimate example of hypocritical right-wing rage
The GOP’s venomous Pope tirades are the ultimate example of hypocritical right-wing rage
"The ultimate incongruity is this: The Pope has consistently, though not always, illustrated exactly how people of faith can serve the common good, while the GOP is more interested in exploiting religion to oppress, restrict and demonize. This really what’s freaking them out. And once again, the rage is growing thick and loaded down with flaming hypocrisy."
"The ultimate incongruity is this: The Pope has consistently, though not always, illustrated exactly how people of faith can serve the common good, while the GOP is more interested in exploiting religion to oppress, restrict and demonize. This really what’s freaking them out. And once again, the rage is growing thick and loaded down with flaming hypocrisy."
Pope Francis Reminds Us that Our Economic Systems Should Reflect our Moral Values
Pope Francis Reminds Us that Our Economic Systems Should Reflect our Moral Values
"While many have lauded Pope Francis for consistently discussing economic inequality and poverty, some on the right have been less enthusiastic. In response to the pope’s encyclical on poverty and the environment, Jeb Bush, for example, remarked, “I don’t get economic policy from my bishops or my cardinal or my pope. I think religion ought to be about making us better as people and less about things that end up getting in the political realm.”
Bush’s dismissal of the pope’s positions on economic issues not only contradicts his earlier claims about the relationship between religion and politics, but also ignores the history of his own church."
"While many have lauded Pope Francis for consistently discussing economic inequality and poverty, some on the right have been less enthusiastic. In response to the pope’s encyclical on poverty and the environment, Jeb Bush, for example, remarked, “I don’t get economic policy from my bishops or my cardinal or my pope. I think religion ought to be about making us better as people and less about things that end up getting in the political realm.”
Bush’s dismissal of the pope’s positions on economic issues not only contradicts his earlier claims about the relationship between religion and politics, but also ignores the history of his own church."
Latinos Are Fighting Back Against Republican Racism (Video)
http://samuel-warde.com/2015/09/latinos-are-fighting-back-against-republican-racism-video/
"Not since the 2004 re-election campaign of President George W Bush has a Republican presidential candidate earned as much as 40% of the Hispanic vote. Mitt Romney got a dismal 27% in the 2012 contest against President Barack Obama."
"Not since the 2004 re-election campaign of President George W Bush has a Republican presidential candidate earned as much as 40% of the Hispanic vote. Mitt Romney got a dismal 27% in the 2012 contest against President Barack Obama."
Latinos are fighting Republican racism by registering voters
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/09/20/1421435/-Latinos-are-fighting-Republican-racism-by-registering-voters
"The 2016 primary campaign continues to expose the ugly behavior of Republicans toward the Latino community"
"The 2016 primary campaign continues to expose the ugly behavior of Republicans toward the Latino community"
'Son of an immigrant family' Pope Francis gets a White House welcome
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/09/23/1424105/--Son-of-an-immigrant-family-Pope-Francis-gets-a-White-House-welcome
"Francis does not address Congress until Thursday, but already he is giving Republicans reason to grind their teeth, introducing himself as "the son of an immigrant family," and noting that America "was largely built by such families." But he focused more on climate issues:
Mr. President, I find it encouraging that you are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution. Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation. When it comes to the care of our “common home”, we are living at a critical moment of history. We still have time to make the changes needed to bring about “a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change” (Laudato Si’, 13). Such change demands on our part a serious and responsible recognition not only of the kind of world we may be leaving to our children, but also to the millions of people living under a system which has overlooked them. Our common home has been part of this group of the excluded which cries out to heaven and which today powerfully strikes our homes, our cities and our societies. To use a telling phrase of the Reverend Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note and now is the time to honor it."
"Francis does not address Congress until Thursday, but already he is giving Republicans reason to grind their teeth, introducing himself as "the son of an immigrant family," and noting that America "was largely built by such families." But he focused more on climate issues:
Mr. President, I find it encouraging that you are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution. Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation. When it comes to the care of our “common home”, we are living at a critical moment of history. We still have time to make the changes needed to bring about “a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change” (Laudato Si’, 13). Such change demands on our part a serious and responsible recognition not only of the kind of world we may be leaving to our children, but also to the millions of people living under a system which has overlooked them. Our common home has been part of this group of the excluded which cries out to heaven and which today powerfully strikes our homes, our cities and our societies. To use a telling phrase of the Reverend Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note and now is the time to honor it."
Pope Francis To Conservatives: If I’m ‘A Liberal’, So Was Jesus!
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/pope-francis-to-conservatives-if-im-a-liberal-so-was-jesus-3/
"it illustrates the GOP’s false religiosity and their true devotion to the altar of hypercapitalism and the free market, their disdain for the poor and the needy, the constant catering to the rich and powerful."
"it illustrates the GOP’s false religiosity and their true devotion to the altar of hypercapitalism and the free market, their disdain for the poor and the needy, the constant catering to the rich and powerful."
Pope Visit Backfires On Republicans As Obama and Francis Team Up On Climate Change
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/09/23/pope-visit-backfires-republicans-obama-francis-team-climate-change.html
"Pope Francis spoke positively about President Obama’s proposed steps to combat climate change:
Mr. President, I find it encouraging that you are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution. Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to our future generation. When it comes to the care of our common home, we are living at a critical moment of history. We still have time to make the change needed to bring about a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change.
Such change demands on our part a serious and responsible recognition not only of the kind of world we may be leaving to our children, but also to the millions of people living under a system which has overlooked them. Our common home has been part of this group of the excluded, which cries out to heaven and which today powerfully strikes our homes, our cities, our societies. To use a telling phrase of the Reverend Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note, and now is the time to honor it.
Republicans are some of the few remaining holdouts in the world who have a stated public policy position that deny the reality of climate change."
"Pope Francis spoke positively about President Obama’s proposed steps to combat climate change:
Mr. President, I find it encouraging that you are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution. Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to our future generation. When it comes to the care of our common home, we are living at a critical moment of history. We still have time to make the change needed to bring about a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change.
Such change demands on our part a serious and responsible recognition not only of the kind of world we may be leaving to our children, but also to the millions of people living under a system which has overlooked them. Our common home has been part of this group of the excluded, which cries out to heaven and which today powerfully strikes our homes, our cities, our societies. To use a telling phrase of the Reverend Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note, and now is the time to honor it.
Republicans are some of the few remaining holdouts in the world who have a stated public policy position that deny the reality of climate change."
The Planet Set Three Major Heat Records In August
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/09/17/3702638/hottest-august-summer-year/
"Like a broken record, we are breaking records for temperature over and over and over again. NOAA’s latest monthly State of the Climate Report reports that the Earth just experienced the hottest August on record, the hottest summer (June to August) on record, and the hottest year to date."
"Like a broken record, we are breaking records for temperature over and over and over again. NOAA’s latest monthly State of the Climate Report reports that the Earth just experienced the hottest August on record, the hottest summer (June to August) on record, and the hottest year to date."
Sounds Like Sci-Fi Horror, but It's Frighteningly Real: Giant Viruses May Be Unleashed by Arctic Thaw @alternet
Sounds Like Sci-Fi Horror, but It's Frighteningly Real: Giant Viruses May Be Unleashed by Arctic Thaw @alternet
"This newly discovered pathogen, named Mollivirus sibericum, is 0.6 microns long and has more than 500 genes. By contrast, the contemporary influenza A and B viruses each contain eight genes.
Viruses are classed as “giant” when they are longer than half a micron, or about 0.00002 inch."
"This newly discovered pathogen, named Mollivirus sibericum, is 0.6 microns long and has more than 500 genes. By contrast, the contemporary influenza A and B viruses each contain eight genes.
Viruses are classed as “giant” when they are longer than half a micron, or about 0.00002 inch."
Human Activity Pushing Marine Life to the Brink of Collapse
Human Activity Pushing Marine Life to the Brink of Collapse
"Human activity is pushing marine life to the brink of collapse, warned a leading international conservation group, which found that overfishing, destruction of marine habitats, and climate change has led to the loss of almost half the world's marine mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish within a single generation."
"Human activity is pushing marine life to the brink of collapse, warned a leading international conservation group, which found that overfishing, destruction of marine habitats, and climate change has led to the loss of almost half the world's marine mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish within a single generation."
47 Republican Senators Want To Block The EPA’s Clean Water Rule
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/09/18/3703024/senate-republicans-disapprove-of-waters-rule/
"The rule, developed with the Army Corps of Engineers using what a White House spokesman called “the best science available” to determine how waterways are connected, protects two million miles of streams and 20 million acres of wetlands that the Clean Water Act did not clearly cover before. The EPA estimates that a third of Americans get their drinking water from sources connected to the added waterways." The pro pollution, pro poison party strikes again."
"The rule, developed with the Army Corps of Engineers using what a White House spokesman called “the best science available” to determine how waterways are connected, protects two million miles of streams and 20 million acres of wetlands that the Clean Water Act did not clearly cover before. The EPA estimates that a third of Americans get their drinking water from sources connected to the added waterways." The pro pollution, pro poison party strikes again."
Exxon Doubled Down on Climate Denial and Deceit
Exxon Doubled Down on Climate Denial and Deceit
"ExxonMobil’s own scientists had secretly confirmed the science behind human-caused climate change as early as the late 1970s.
Yes—this is the same ExxonMobil that has funded efforts to attack the science of climate change for more than two decades."
"ExxonMobil’s own scientists had secretly confirmed the science behind human-caused climate change as early as the late 1970s.
Yes—this is the same ExxonMobil that has funded efforts to attack the science of climate change for more than two decades."
The Pope's Visit Is Illustrative Of How Screwed Up The Republican Party Has Become
The Pope's Visit Is Illustrative Of How Screwed Up The Republican Party Has Become
"It's an ironic twist; we finally have a pope who seems to be trying to lead the Catholic Church based on the values and teachings of Jesus Christ – the man on which Christianity is based – and that's really pissing off a lot of Republicans."
"It's an ironic twist; we finally have a pope who seems to be trying to lead the Catholic Church based on the values and teachings of Jesus Christ – the man on which Christianity is based – and that's really pissing off a lot of Republicans."
Scientists Seek Prosecution Of Climate Change Deniers Under RICO Statutes
http://samuel-warde.com/2015/09/scientists-seek-prosecution-of-climate-change-deniers-under-rico-statutes/
"A RICO investigation (1999 to 2006) played an important role in stopping the tobacco industry from continuing to deceive the American people about the dangers of smoking. If corporations in the fossil fuel industry and their supporters are guilty of the misdeeds that have been documented in books and journal articles, it is imperative that these misdeeds be stopped as soon as possible so that America and the world can get on with the critically important business of finding effective ways to restabilize the Earth’s climate, before even more lasting damage is done."
"A RICO investigation (1999 to 2006) played an important role in stopping the tobacco industry from continuing to deceive the American people about the dangers of smoking. If corporations in the fossil fuel industry and their supporters are guilty of the misdeeds that have been documented in books and journal articles, it is imperative that these misdeeds be stopped as soon as possible so that America and the world can get on with the critically important business of finding effective ways to restabilize the Earth’s climate, before even more lasting damage is done."
Pope Francis Attacked By Climate Deniers Over Support For Accurate Science
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/09/21/3703544/climate-deniers-smear-pope-francis/
"From George Will to the Heartland Institute, climate science deniers are a one-trick pony when it comes to responding to effective climate change communicators: smear, smear, smear. They are at it again, shamelessly, on the eve of the U.S. visit by the widely-admired Pope Francis — who issued a ground-breaking Encyclical on the moral urgency of climate action back in June."
"From George Will to the Heartland Institute, climate science deniers are a one-trick pony when it comes to responding to effective climate change communicators: smear, smear, smear. They are at it again, shamelessly, on the eve of the U.S. visit by the widely-admired Pope Francis — who issued a ground-breaking Encyclical on the moral urgency of climate action back in June."
Debunking 5 of the Biggest Republican Lies About President Obama and the Middle East
Debunking 5 of the Biggest Republican Lies About President Obama and the Middle East
"1. President Obama is the reason why American troops left Iraq: This is easily the biggest one I come across. The truth remains that the timetable for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq was setup by George W. Bush in 2008 when he signed a SOFA agreement with the Iraqi government. President Obama simply enforced that agreement. Oh, by the way, Dick Cheney called the SOFA agreement signed by his boss a “sign of success” in Iraq."
"1. President Obama is the reason why American troops left Iraq: This is easily the biggest one I come across. The truth remains that the timetable for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq was setup by George W. Bush in 2008 when he signed a SOFA agreement with the Iraqi government. President Obama simply enforced that agreement. Oh, by the way, Dick Cheney called the SOFA agreement signed by his boss a “sign of success” in Iraq."
Bogus Veterans’ Group Backing Donald Trump Loses Its Non-Profit Status
http://www.liberalamerica.org/2015/09/19/bogus-veterans-group-backing-donald-trump-loses-its-non-profit-status/
"It was proven earlier this week that Veterans for a Strong America is actually one man named Joel Arends who lives in South Dakota. The group has $30 cash in assets and $318 in debts. Yet this is the group Trump sold tickets to support with his speech aboard the USS Iowa. Those tickets ranged in price from $100-1,000. The group’s endorsement of Trump at the event could also raise larger legal issues under campaign finance laws."
"It was proven earlier this week that Veterans for a Strong America is actually one man named Joel Arends who lives in South Dakota. The group has $30 cash in assets and $318 in debts. Yet this is the group Trump sold tickets to support with his speech aboard the USS Iowa. Those tickets ranged in price from $100-1,000. The group’s endorsement of Trump at the event could also raise larger legal issues under campaign finance laws."
Trump Galvanizing the Hispanic Vote to the Death of GOP: Hispanic Grassroots Rising
http://ringoffireradio.com/2015/09/trump-galvanizing-the-hispanic-vote-to-the-death-of-gop-hispanic-grassroots-rising/
"America’s Hispanic community is thanking Donald Trump. Because of his racist, xenophobic, rhetoric, repeated by other GOP candidates, Hispanic voters will be showing up to the polls in droves to make sure the GOP doesn’t gain the White House."
"America’s Hispanic community is thanking Donald Trump. Because of his racist, xenophobic, rhetoric, repeated by other GOP candidates, Hispanic voters will be showing up to the polls in droves to make sure the GOP doesn’t gain the White House."
Trump’s Fake Veteran Group Endorsement Just Lost its Charitable Exemption from the IRS
http://ringoffireradio.com/2015/09/trumps-fake-veteran-group-endorsement-just-lost-its-charitable-exemption-from-the-irs/
"Veterans for a Strong America, the fake vets group that endorsed Trump and has no members, just lost its non-profit status. Joel Arends, the group’s founder and only member, has not filed any tax returns for the group in three years, prompting the IRS to revoke the group’s non-profit status."
"Veterans for a Strong America, the fake vets group that endorsed Trump and has no members, just lost its non-profit status. Joel Arends, the group’s founder and only member, has not filed any tax returns for the group in three years, prompting the IRS to revoke the group’s non-profit status."
President Obama Makes History With Record-Setting Economic Turn-Around (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/18/president-obama-makes-history-with-record-setting-economic-turn-around-video/
"President Obama’s economy had already smashed existing records in the area of private-sector jobs creation, dragging the country back from the job-gushing economy left to us by former Republican President George W. Bush.
A year later, President Obama continues to shatter previous records for economic performance.
The US has now seen 66 straight months of job creation, the longest streak ever recorded. Over that time period, American businesses have added 13.1 million jobs to the economy. As we approach the holiday season, a time of year when jobs are routinely added to the economy, that record streak is certain to continue.
During the first year of the George W. Bush economic crash more than $13 trillion dollars in household wealth evaporated. Nearly 20 percent of the country’s total wealth was swallowed up, a figure which was five times higher than losses during the first year of the Great Depression.
From a historical perspective, the kind of devastating losses that gripped the United States following the Bush presidency had never been seen before, not even in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, when the country was in the darkest days of the Great Depression. From the same perspective, no president had ever before been charged with the task of engineering a financial recovery of the magnitude that was needed to stop our country’s financial bleeding, and return the economy to a place of productivity and economic growth.
Seven years after the economic crash of 1929, household wealth remained at 30 percent below pre-depression levels. Yet in spite of the fact that the first year of the GWB recession hit Americans five times harder than the Great Depression, today total household wealth is 30 percent above what it was in 2008.
Another record set by former republican president George W. Bush, during the first year of the Great Recession housing prices plummeted faster and farther than they had fallen during the first year of the Great Depression. Today property values, a major component to U.S. household wealth, are back to pre-recession levels and the housing market is flourishing again. 65 percent of U.S. housing markets reported an 8-year sales high in July of 2014. Construction-related jobs are also making a strong comeback, as the housing market continues to stabilize.
Again the quick recovery of the U.S. housing market following the 2008 economic disaster is another of President Obama’s historic achievements. Home foreclosures are now at a 15 year low, whereas in 2008, home foreclosures spiked by a record-setting 81 percent over the previous year, and rose by 225 percent between 2006 and 2008, as George W. Bush was leaving office."
"President Obama’s economy had already smashed existing records in the area of private-sector jobs creation, dragging the country back from the job-gushing economy left to us by former Republican President George W. Bush.
A year later, President Obama continues to shatter previous records for economic performance.
The US has now seen 66 straight months of job creation, the longest streak ever recorded. Over that time period, American businesses have added 13.1 million jobs to the economy. As we approach the holiday season, a time of year when jobs are routinely added to the economy, that record streak is certain to continue.
During the first year of the George W. Bush economic crash more than $13 trillion dollars in household wealth evaporated. Nearly 20 percent of the country’s total wealth was swallowed up, a figure which was five times higher than losses during the first year of the Great Depression.
From a historical perspective, the kind of devastating losses that gripped the United States following the Bush presidency had never been seen before, not even in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, when the country was in the darkest days of the Great Depression. From the same perspective, no president had ever before been charged with the task of engineering a financial recovery of the magnitude that was needed to stop our country’s financial bleeding, and return the economy to a place of productivity and economic growth.
Seven years after the economic crash of 1929, household wealth remained at 30 percent below pre-depression levels. Yet in spite of the fact that the first year of the GWB recession hit Americans five times harder than the Great Depression, today total household wealth is 30 percent above what it was in 2008.
Another record set by former republican president George W. Bush, during the first year of the Great Recession housing prices plummeted faster and farther than they had fallen during the first year of the Great Depression. Today property values, a major component to U.S. household wealth, are back to pre-recession levels and the housing market is flourishing again. 65 percent of U.S. housing markets reported an 8-year sales high in July of 2014. Construction-related jobs are also making a strong comeback, as the housing market continues to stabilize.
Again the quick recovery of the U.S. housing market following the 2008 economic disaster is another of President Obama’s historic achievements. Home foreclosures are now at a 15 year low, whereas in 2008, home foreclosures spiked by a record-setting 81 percent over the previous year, and rose by 225 percent between 2006 and 2008, as George W. Bush was leaving office."
'Justice Is Not For Sale': Sanders Leads Charge Against For-Profit Prisons
'Justice Is Not For Sale': Sanders Leads Charge Against For-Profit Prisons
"The bill is designed to counteract the lobbying efforts of corporations that benefit financially from mass incarceration."
"The bill is designed to counteract the lobbying efforts of corporations that benefit financially from mass incarceration."
Bill Maher Lays Waste To Republican Predictions Of Doom And Gloom Under Obama
Bill Maher Lays Waste To Republican Predictions Of Doom And Gloom Under Obama
"Bill Maher Annihilates Republicans By Debunking 11 Wrong GOP Predictions In 100 Seconds:
During the last election Mitt Romney said, “If President Obama is elected you will not be able to get a job.” But unemployment is now lower than it ever was under Reagan. It’s Romney who can’t get a job.
Mitt also said if we bailed out the car companies you could kiss the American automotive industry goodbye. But we did bail them out, and it’s doing better than ever.
Donald Trump said Obamacare would be a job killer. But it didn’t kill jobs. It didn’t result in death panels. It didn’t bankrupt the states. It didn’t bankrupt the nation. It didn’t bankrupt Medicare. It didn’t bankrupt the insurance industry.
Here’s what actually happened. Insurance companies got richer; some black kids got inhalers, and John Boehner had to pay more taxes on his tan.
Or how about Newt Gingrich in 2012 saying if you want ten dollar a gallon gasoline, Barack Obama should be your candidate. Or the NRA president saying that a reelected Obama would erase the Second Amendment from the Bill of Rights. Or Rick Santorum warning that if gay marriage became the law of the land our country will fall.
You know, for a party that’s so anti-gay, they sure pull a lot of stuff out of their ass.
The basis for the Republican Party’s comprehensive track record of being wrong about everything is their decision to oppose anything President Obama suggests. The Republican refusal to compromise combined with a failed social and economic ideology has created an inability for Republicans to be right.
The Republican refusal to recognize facts has left them living a parallel universe that is governed by their feelings and beliefs. Republicans can’t share common ground with the rest of us because they invent their own reality. Until Republicans decide to join the rest of us, they are going to be off on an island watching the rest of the world pass them by.
The United States is changing, evolving, and growing while the castaways on GOP island cling on to the past."
"Bill Maher Annihilates Republicans By Debunking 11 Wrong GOP Predictions In 100 Seconds:
During the last election Mitt Romney said, “If President Obama is elected you will not be able to get a job.” But unemployment is now lower than it ever was under Reagan. It’s Romney who can’t get a job.
Mitt also said if we bailed out the car companies you could kiss the American automotive industry goodbye. But we did bail them out, and it’s doing better than ever.
Donald Trump said Obamacare would be a job killer. But it didn’t kill jobs. It didn’t result in death panels. It didn’t bankrupt the states. It didn’t bankrupt the nation. It didn’t bankrupt Medicare. It didn’t bankrupt the insurance industry.
Here’s what actually happened. Insurance companies got richer; some black kids got inhalers, and John Boehner had to pay more taxes on his tan.
Or how about Newt Gingrich in 2012 saying if you want ten dollar a gallon gasoline, Barack Obama should be your candidate. Or the NRA president saying that a reelected Obama would erase the Second Amendment from the Bill of Rights. Or Rick Santorum warning that if gay marriage became the law of the land our country will fall.
You know, for a party that’s so anti-gay, they sure pull a lot of stuff out of their ass.
The basis for the Republican Party’s comprehensive track record of being wrong about everything is their decision to oppose anything President Obama suggests. The Republican refusal to compromise combined with a failed social and economic ideology has created an inability for Republicans to be right.
The Republican refusal to recognize facts has left them living a parallel universe that is governed by their feelings and beliefs. Republicans can’t share common ground with the rest of us because they invent their own reality. Until Republicans decide to join the rest of us, they are going to be off on an island watching the rest of the world pass them by.
The United States is changing, evolving, and growing while the castaways on GOP island cling on to the past."
Jade Helm is over, but America's conspiracy theorists have moved on
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/09/19/1421644/-Jade-Helm-is-over-but-America-s-conspiracy-theorists-have-moved-on
"one third of current American Republican voters are extraordinarily, almost mind-bogglingly, well, stupid."
"one third of current American Republican voters are extraordinarily, almost mind-bogglingly, well, stupid."
In Less Than Two Minutes, Bill Maher Slams The GOP’s Failed Doomsday Prophecies (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/19/maher-gop-prophecies/
"The world has left the GOP behind. They have had to resort to the same tactics as evangelical scam artists in order to maintain their power. Rather than worry about the problems facing the United States and the world, they simply take what the left has to offer in terms of progress and say “No.” Whether it is their denial of climate change, their refusal to accept that trickle-down economics is nonsense, or that minorities deserve the same rights as everyone else, they simply cannot join the rest of world and try to actually work to make the United States a stronger nation."
"The world has left the GOP behind. They have had to resort to the same tactics as evangelical scam artists in order to maintain their power. Rather than worry about the problems facing the United States and the world, they simply take what the left has to offer in terms of progress and say “No.” Whether it is their denial of climate change, their refusal to accept that trickle-down economics is nonsense, or that minorities deserve the same rights as everyone else, they simply cannot join the rest of world and try to actually work to make the United States a stronger nation."
Noam Chomsky: Why the Republican 'Radical Insurgency' Is So Panicked About the Iran Nuclear Deal @alternet
Noam Chomsky: Why the Republican 'Radical Insurgency' Is So Panicked About the Iran Nuclear Deal @alternet
"It is important to bear in mind that the Republicans have long abandoned the pretence of functioning as a normal parliamentary party. Rather, they have become a “radical insurgency” that scarcely seeks to participate in normal parliamentary politics, as observed by the respected conservative political commentator Norman Ornstein of the right-wing American Enterprise Institute. Since Ronald Reagan, the leadership has plunged so far into the pockets of the very rich and the corporate sector that they can attract votes only by mobilising sectors of the population that have not previously been an organised political force, among them extremist evangelical Christians, now probably the majority of Republican voters; remnants of the former slave-holding States; nativists who are terrified that “they” are taking our white Christian Anglo-Saxon country away from us; and others who turn the Republican primaries into spectacles remote from the mainstream of modern society—though not the mainstream of the most powerful country in world history."
"It is important to bear in mind that the Republicans have long abandoned the pretence of functioning as a normal parliamentary party. Rather, they have become a “radical insurgency” that scarcely seeks to participate in normal parliamentary politics, as observed by the respected conservative political commentator Norman Ornstein of the right-wing American Enterprise Institute. Since Ronald Reagan, the leadership has plunged so far into the pockets of the very rich and the corporate sector that they can attract votes only by mobilising sectors of the population that have not previously been an organised political force, among them extremist evangelical Christians, now probably the majority of Republican voters; remnants of the former slave-holding States; nativists who are terrified that “they” are taking our white Christian Anglo-Saxon country away from us; and others who turn the Republican primaries into spectacles remote from the mainstream of modern society—though not the mainstream of the most powerful country in world history."
Democrat Files Bill To Take Away Pay From All Congressmen Who Shut Down Government
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/democrat-files-bill-to-take-away-pay-from-all-congressmen-who-shut-down-government-4/
"Nolan introduced a similar bill during the last shutdown, and donates his shutdown pay to charities in his district. His actions send a strong message to the rest of Congress. The constant re-fighting of political battles and the brinkmanship that the Republican-led Congress has established as business as usual is a huge embarrassment to our country and a dire indictment of our political system. Congress’s 15% approval rating is evidence enough. There are huge issues facing our nation, but the right-wing insists on wasting our time on social issues that the majority of Americans aren’t concerned about. It’s far beyond time our legislators began behaving like rational adults and actually sit down to govern."
"Nolan introduced a similar bill during the last shutdown, and donates his shutdown pay to charities in his district. His actions send a strong message to the rest of Congress. The constant re-fighting of political battles and the brinkmanship that the Republican-led Congress has established as business as usual is a huge embarrassment to our country and a dire indictment of our political system. Congress’s 15% approval rating is evidence enough. There are huge issues facing our nation, but the right-wing insists on wasting our time on social issues that the majority of Americans aren’t concerned about. It’s far beyond time our legislators began behaving like rational adults and actually sit down to govern."
Democrat Introduces Bill Aimed At Stripping Congress Of Their Paycheck If The Government Shuts Down
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/19/democrat-introduces-bill-aimed-at-stripping-congress-of-their-paycheck-if-the-government-shuts-down/
"If Ted Cruz and Republicans think they can take America hostage in order to get what they want and not face any consequences or backlash, they are sorely mistaken."
"If Ted Cruz and Republicans think they can take America hostage in order to get what they want and not face any consequences or backlash, they are sorely mistaken."
Can independent state judiciaries survive the onslaught of Republican rule?
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/09/19/1421272/-Can-independent-state-judiciaries-survive-the-onslaught-of-Republican-rule
"What the Kansas legislature actually did pass, and Brownback signed into law, is […] a measure to defund all Kansas courts if any state judge overturns a 2014 law removing the state Supreme Court's authority to select 31 chief district judges. Could the message be any clearer? "Decide a legal case the exact way we want, or we'll put you out of business." This month, after a judge struck down the judicial-appointment law for violating the separation of powers, the court-defunding law is now facing a constitutional challenge in court.
In Wisconsin, legislators pushed through a ballot initiative this year on a party line vote to amend the state constitution, laying the foundation for replacing a liberal, longtime chief justice in the middle of an elected term of office, with a conservative one.
And that’s exactly what happened. The court’s conservative majority voted quickly, by email, for the change in leaders. This consolidated political clout on a court that has subsequently quashed a campaign finance probe, with several special interest groups under investigation.
Finally, in North Carolina, legislators passed a bill changing the way elected Supreme Court justices go about seeking a new term. They will have an option to run in retention (up-or-down) rather than contested races. Gov. Pat McCrory, a Republican, signed the bill into law and it takes effect next year."
"What the Kansas legislature actually did pass, and Brownback signed into law, is […] a measure to defund all Kansas courts if any state judge overturns a 2014 law removing the state Supreme Court's authority to select 31 chief district judges. Could the message be any clearer? "Decide a legal case the exact way we want, or we'll put you out of business." This month, after a judge struck down the judicial-appointment law for violating the separation of powers, the court-defunding law is now facing a constitutional challenge in court.
In Wisconsin, legislators pushed through a ballot initiative this year on a party line vote to amend the state constitution, laying the foundation for replacing a liberal, longtime chief justice in the middle of an elected term of office, with a conservative one.
And that’s exactly what happened. The court’s conservative majority voted quickly, by email, for the change in leaders. This consolidated political clout on a court that has subsequently quashed a campaign finance probe, with several special interest groups under investigation.
Finally, in North Carolina, legislators passed a bill changing the way elected Supreme Court justices go about seeking a new term. They will have an option to run in retention (up-or-down) rather than contested races. Gov. Pat McCrory, a Republican, signed the bill into law and it takes effect next year."
Walker's Partisans Poised to Raze Nonpartisan Government Accountability Board
Walker's Partisans Poised to Raze Nonpartisan Government Accountability Board
"Stung by the campaign finance probe into potentially illegal coordination between Governor Scott Walker and independent campaign finance groups, the Wisconsin GOP is on the warpath. Governor Walker called for “dismantling” of the Government Accountability Board (GAB), the nonpartisan, independent agency that oversees Wisconsin elections, campaign finance and ethics laws.
So now the GOP-controlled legislature is getting down to business."
"Stung by the campaign finance probe into potentially illegal coordination between Governor Scott Walker and independent campaign finance groups, the Wisconsin GOP is on the warpath. Governor Walker called for “dismantling” of the Government Accountability Board (GAB), the nonpartisan, independent agency that oversees Wisconsin elections, campaign finance and ethics laws.
So now the GOP-controlled legislature is getting down to business."
As CEO of HP, Fiorina Violated U.S. – Iran Sanctions: Selling Millions of Computers to Them
http://ringoffireradio.com/2015/09/as-ceo-of-hp-fiorina-violated-u-s-sanctions-on-iran-and-sold-millions-of-computers-to-them/
"GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina likes to portray herself as a hard-liner on Iran. However, during Fiornia’s six-year tenure at Hewlett-Packard between 1999 and 2005, the company sold more than $100 million worth of computers and other high-tech equipment to Iranian customers, despite US export sanctions at the time. It’s a small detail she has neglected to mention while on the campaign trail."
"GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina likes to portray herself as a hard-liner on Iran. However, during Fiornia’s six-year tenure at Hewlett-Packard between 1999 and 2005, the company sold more than $100 million worth of computers and other high-tech equipment to Iranian customers, despite US export sanctions at the time. It’s a small detail she has neglected to mention while on the campaign trail."
California Just Outlawed Undisclosed ‘Dark Money’ Donations To Political Campaigns
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/california-just-outlawed-undisclosed-dark-money-donations-to-political-campaigns/
"We are all familiar with the infamous 2010 Supreme Court Citizens United decision, in which the Court ruled that it was a violation of the First Amendment for the government to prohibit political expenditures by a nonprofit corporation. The decision unleashed a torrent of dark money into our politics, threatening the integrity of our democracy and giving the wealthy an unprecedented level of influence over our elections.
One of the biggest results of that decision was the rise of political action committees (PACs) and their larger counterparts (Super PAC) – a vehicle by which nonprofit groups contribute ‘dark money’ to ballot measures and candidates in California. Dark money is money whose source needn’t be disclosed – until yesterday – at least in California."
"We are all familiar with the infamous 2010 Supreme Court Citizens United decision, in which the Court ruled that it was a violation of the First Amendment for the government to prohibit political expenditures by a nonprofit corporation. The decision unleashed a torrent of dark money into our politics, threatening the integrity of our democracy and giving the wealthy an unprecedented level of influence over our elections.
One of the biggest results of that decision was the rise of political action committees (PACs) and their larger counterparts (Super PAC) – a vehicle by which nonprofit groups contribute ‘dark money’ to ballot measures and candidates in California. Dark money is money whose source needn’t be disclosed – until yesterday – at least in California."
California Bans Undisclosed Dark Money
California Bans Undisclosed Dark Money
"Right now we have no disclosure and unlimited money. If we can't limit donations, we should understand who is paying for all that speech, and there's nothing in the Citizens United decision that stands in the way of that."
"Right now we have no disclosure and unlimited money. If we can't limit donations, we should understand who is paying for all that speech, and there's nothing in the Citizens United decision that stands in the way of that."
Tea Party Senator: $7/Hour Is Too Much For You, But $700,000/Year Is Barely Enough For Me
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/tea-party-senator-7hour-is-too-much-for-you-but-700000year-is-barely-enough-for-me/
"Johnson is just another plutocrat working to keep the working class perpetually downtrodden and exploitable and to continue funneling America’s wealth to the top."
"Johnson is just another plutocrat working to keep the working class perpetually downtrodden and exploitable and to continue funneling America’s wealth to the top."
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Republicans Prove Once Again That Facts Are Meaningless To Them
Republicans Prove Once Again That Facts Are Meaningless To Them
"While discussing Jeb(!) Bush's revisionist history during the second Republican "debate," and I use that term loosely, here's her response when asked about Bush saying that his brother "kept us safe"."
"While discussing Jeb(!) Bush's revisionist history during the second Republican "debate," and I use that term loosely, here's her response when asked about Bush saying that his brother "kept us safe"."
The GOP’s bullsh*t campaign: Why they’re drowning the country in an ocean of lies
The GOP’s bullsh*t campaign: Why they’re drowning the country in an ocean of lies
"Republicans are spending so much of their time misleading and lying to the public. How will the media keep up?"
"Republicans are spending so much of their time misleading and lying to the public. How will the media keep up?"
The Republican Candidates Just Can’t Quit Neoconservatism
http://www.thenation.com/article/the-republican-candidates-just-cant-quit-neoconservatism/
"what last night’s ridiculous and at times rather alarming GOP debate showed is a party that remains in thrall to a bankrupt neoconservative ideology, willfully deaf to reason, blind to reality and unable and unwilling to learn from its multitude of past mistakes."
"what last night’s ridiculous and at times rather alarming GOP debate showed is a party that remains in thrall to a bankrupt neoconservative ideology, willfully deaf to reason, blind to reality and unable and unwilling to learn from its multitude of past mistakes."
The GOP debate’s terrifying alternate reality: Inside the political delusions of a party on the edge
The GOP debate’s terrifying alternate reality: Inside the political delusions of a party on the edge
"Last night’s Republican debate was a theater and master class in lies. Joseph Goebbels would be proud as the 2016 Republican candidates channeled his Principles of Propaganda and their directives that:
16. Propaganda to the home front must create an optimum anxiety level.
18. Propaganda must facilitate the displacement of aggression by specifying the targets for hatred
The reality is this: Social security will not be bankrupt in 7 to 8 years. George Bush did not keep America “safe” as he presided over the worst terrorist attacks in the country’s history. The Iraqi government demanded that the United States leave after years of a disastrous war—Obama did not choose to “abandon” the country of Iraq. Global warming is a fact. And “Benghazi” has been investigated repeatedly. There is only malfeasance and “treason” in the minds of the right-wing faithful and their media. Christians are not “under assault” in America."
"Last night’s Republican debate was a theater and master class in lies. Joseph Goebbels would be proud as the 2016 Republican candidates channeled his Principles of Propaganda and their directives that:
16. Propaganda to the home front must create an optimum anxiety level.
18. Propaganda must facilitate the displacement of aggression by specifying the targets for hatred
The reality is this: Social security will not be bankrupt in 7 to 8 years. George Bush did not keep America “safe” as he presided over the worst terrorist attacks in the country’s history. The Iraqi government demanded that the United States leave after years of a disastrous war—Obama did not choose to “abandon” the country of Iraq. Global warming is a fact. And “Benghazi” has been investigated repeatedly. There is only malfeasance and “treason” in the minds of the right-wing faithful and their media. Christians are not “under assault” in America."
Stop calling it a “debate”: CNN’s GOP circus was a postmodern spectacle
Stop calling it a “debate”: CNN’s GOP circus was a postmodern spectacle
"even if CNN were interested in something a bit more high-minded, the ideological conformity of the Republican Party is so rigid, and the conservative movement’s obsession with white identity politics is so entrenched, the network wouldn’t have much to work with. The hollowing-out of democracy wrought by inequality and polarization has reduced our politics into a shell — bright, glittering, and empty."
"even if CNN were interested in something a bit more high-minded, the ideological conformity of the Republican Party is so rigid, and the conservative movement’s obsession with white identity politics is so entrenched, the network wouldn’t have much to work with. The hollowing-out of democracy wrought by inequality and polarization has reduced our politics into a shell — bright, glittering, and empty."
It’s Time to Tell the Truth: The GOP Presidential Primary is an Embarrassment to the United States
It’s Time to Tell the Truth: The GOP Presidential Primary is an Embarrassment to the United States
"It’s a sad state of affairs when you look at a group of Republican candidates and Jeb Bush is probably the most moderate of the bunch."
"It’s a sad state of affairs when you look at a group of Republican candidates and Jeb Bush is probably the most moderate of the bunch."
‘Kept us safe?’ Victims’ families slam Jeb Bush’s 9/11 claim
‘Kept us safe?’ Victims’ families slam Jeb Bush’s 9/11 claim
"In one of his biggest moments of Wednesday night's Republican presidential debate, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said his brother, former President George. W. Bush, "kept us safe" from terrorism during his years in the White House. The retort drew raucous applause from the audience at the Reagan Presidential Library in California, but the line was not as well-received in cyberspace, or in the homes of families who lost loved ones on 9/11."
"In one of his biggest moments of Wednesday night's Republican presidential debate, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said his brother, former President George. W. Bush, "kept us safe" from terrorism during his years in the White House. The retort drew raucous applause from the audience at the Reagan Presidential Library in California, but the line was not as well-received in cyberspace, or in the homes of families who lost loved ones on 9/11."
How the Republican Party became a haven of resentment and rage
How the Republican Party became a haven of resentment and rage
"The modern right’s ideological alchemy has already turned Kim Davis into a latter-day Rosa Parks, the founding fathers into born-again evangelicals, climate science into a hoax, and Reagan’s outlandish and discredited “voodoo economics” into the only way America can get back on track."
"The modern right’s ideological alchemy has already turned Kim Davis into a latter-day Rosa Parks, the founding fathers into born-again evangelicals, climate science into a hoax, and Reagan’s outlandish and discredited “voodoo economics” into the only way America can get back on track."
11 Distortions, Misrepresentations and Outright Lies in the GOP Debate @alternet
11 Distortions, Misrepresentations and Outright Lies in the GOP Debate @alternet
"Candidates made statement after statement that represented distortion, mistruths, and outright lies."
"Candidates made statement after statement that represented distortion, mistruths, and outright lies."
No Jeb, Your Brother Did Not Keep Us ‘Safe’
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/09/17/3702732/jeb-bush-911-kept-us-safe/
"Much of the analysis following the World Trade Center attacks revealed that the Bush administration ignored warnings that such a plot could be in the works. Declassified documents indicate that Osama bin Laden had been planning the attacks for years. But rather than preparing for potential terrorist attacks, reports indicated that the Bush administration was more focused on missile defense.
Furthermore, even if Bush is trying to argue that it was his brother’s post-9/11 counterterrorism strategy that kept America “safe,” most evidence indicates that the war in Iraq was dangerously misguided. The Iraq war wasn’t linked to the attacks on U.S. soil, and a 2006 intelligence report indicated that the U.S. presence in Iraq actually worsened the threat of terrorism."
"Much of the analysis following the World Trade Center attacks revealed that the Bush administration ignored warnings that such a plot could be in the works. Declassified documents indicate that Osama bin Laden had been planning the attacks for years. But rather than preparing for potential terrorist attacks, reports indicated that the Bush administration was more focused on missile defense.
Furthermore, even if Bush is trying to argue that it was his brother’s post-9/11 counterterrorism strategy that kept America “safe,” most evidence indicates that the war in Iraq was dangerously misguided. The Iraq war wasn’t linked to the attacks on U.S. soil, and a 2006 intelligence report indicated that the U.S. presence in Iraq actually worsened the threat of terrorism."
Jeb Bush: My Brother 'Kept Us Safe'
Jeb Bush: My Brother 'Kept Us Safe'
"Scott Walker did his best to get in on some of the action before Bush made a bigger fool of himself, saying that we needed some sort of "forces agreement" before we pulled out of Iraq, forgetting of course that it was his brother's Status of Forces Agreement that the Obama administration was following when they pulled out troops out of Iraq in the first place.
The revisionist history is strong with this one. I don't think he's going to make it out of the GOP primary race, but if he does, treating the public like a bunch of idiots that can't remember what happened when his brother was in office isn't going to go over too well with the majority of the electorate that isn't insane and still remembers the damage that his brother did to the United States in the general election."
"Scott Walker did his best to get in on some of the action before Bush made a bigger fool of himself, saying that we needed some sort of "forces agreement" before we pulled out of Iraq, forgetting of course that it was his brother's Status of Forces Agreement that the Obama administration was following when they pulled out troops out of Iraq in the first place.
The revisionist history is strong with this one. I don't think he's going to make it out of the GOP primary race, but if he does, treating the public like a bunch of idiots that can't remember what happened when his brother was in office isn't going to go over too well with the majority of the electorate that isn't insane and still remembers the damage that his brother did to the United States in the general election."
Jeb Bush’s noxious myth: Dubya didn’t “keep us safe” — he made the world infinitely more dangerous
Jeb Bush’s noxious myth: Dubya didn’t “keep us safe” — he made the world infinitely more dangerous
"Jeb Bush is trying desperately to distance himself from his brother, George W. Bush, and for obvious reasons. George W. Bush’s presidency was an unmitigated disaster"
"Jeb Bush is trying desperately to distance himself from his brother, George W. Bush, and for obvious reasons. George W. Bush’s presidency was an unmitigated disaster"
Carly Fiorina Fabricates Fantasies About Iran, Planned Parenthood
Carly Fiorina Fabricates Fantasies About Iran, Planned Parenthood
"Carly Fiorina took great advantage of her moment on the Big "Stage last night, but it will take more than telling a lot of lies with great authority for her to overwhelm Donald Trump and even Jeb Bush."
"Carly Fiorina took great advantage of her moment on the Big "Stage last night, but it will take more than telling a lot of lies with great authority for her to overwhelm Donald Trump and even Jeb Bush."
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
GOP’s Hispanic rebrand delusions: The party’s problems go far beyond “tone”
GOP’s Hispanic rebrand delusions: The party’s problems go far beyond “tone”
"To stand a chance of winning in 2016, the Republican nominee will have to pull in more Latino support than John McCain and Mitt Romney were able to muster. That would be a heavy lift on its own, and the fact that the 2016 immigration policy discussion has been framed by Donald Trump’s undiluted nativism isn’t making it any easier."
"To stand a chance of winning in 2016, the Republican nominee will have to pull in more Latino support than John McCain and Mitt Romney were able to muster. That would be a heavy lift on its own, and the fact that the 2016 immigration policy discussion has been framed by Donald Trump’s undiluted nativism isn’t making it any easier."
Robert Reich: Americans Obsess Over the Sex Lives of Strangers While CEOs Rob the Country Blind @alternet
Robert Reich: Americans Obsess Over the Sex Lives of Strangers While CEOs Rob the Country Blind @alternet
"Glass-Steagall must be resurrected. Big banks have to be broken up.
CEO pay must be bridled. Pay in excess of $1 million shouldn’t be deductible from corporate income taxes. Corporations with high ratios of executive pay to typical workers should face higher tax rates than those with lower ratios."
"Glass-Steagall must be resurrected. Big banks have to be broken up.
CEO pay must be bridled. Pay in excess of $1 million shouldn’t be deductible from corporate income taxes. Corporations with high ratios of executive pay to typical workers should face higher tax rates than those with lower ratios."
Take That Billionaires: The Average Donation to Bernie Sanders’ Campaign Is a Soul-Saving $30 @alternet
Take That Billionaires: The Average Donation to Bernie Sanders’ Campaign Is a Soul-Saving $30 @alternet
"Start with the “Billionaire 400,” a clique of the elite organized by the conniving Koch brothers. These ultra-rich right-wingers gather each winter in some warm weather resort for a secretive, invitation-only retreat.
There, they plot strategies and pledge money for electing politicos who support their vision of corporate rule in America. For the 2016 elections, their network has already committed nearly a billion dollars to impose its vision of plutocracy over our democratic ideals — more than double the combined amount the Republican and Democratic parties spent in 2012.
Then there are the secretive SuperPACs that are sacking up tens of millions of dollars to back various presidential candidates. Again, a mere 400 corporations and rich families — each writing checks for hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars — have put up nearly half of all the money in these electioneering committees.
But now, here comes the antidote to this corruption of our politics by fat cats. Instead of being financed by 400 billionaires bent on their special interests, Bernie Sanders’ White House bid has raised its $15 million from 400,000 ordinary Americans. In fact, the average donation to the Vermont senator is a heartwarming, soul-saving $33.51!
"Start with the “Billionaire 400,” a clique of the elite organized by the conniving Koch brothers. These ultra-rich right-wingers gather each winter in some warm weather resort for a secretive, invitation-only retreat.
There, they plot strategies and pledge money for electing politicos who support their vision of corporate rule in America. For the 2016 elections, their network has already committed nearly a billion dollars to impose its vision of plutocracy over our democratic ideals — more than double the combined amount the Republican and Democratic parties spent in 2012.
Then there are the secretive SuperPACs that are sacking up tens of millions of dollars to back various presidential candidates. Again, a mere 400 corporations and rich families — each writing checks for hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars — have put up nearly half of all the money in these electioneering committees.
But now, here comes the antidote to this corruption of our politics by fat cats. Instead of being financed by 400 billionaires bent on their special interests, Bernie Sanders’ White House bid has raised its $15 million from 400,000 ordinary Americans. In fact, the average donation to the Vermont senator is a heartwarming, soul-saving $33.51!
‘Veterans Group’ Donald Trump Fundraised For Is Really Just Some Guy Named Joel (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/16/veterans-group-donald-trump-fundraised-for-is-really-just-some-guy-named-joel-video/
"Trump’s use of a fake veteran’s organization shows us that he will do quite literally anything to win — and, sadly, Republicans will likely ignore this, just like they do every single other thing the billionaire does in his quest to become our next President."
"Trump’s use of a fake veteran’s organization shows us that he will do quite literally anything to win — and, sadly, Republicans will likely ignore this, just like they do every single other thing the billionaire does in his quest to become our next President."
Media Covers Trump’s Fake Veteran’s Speech and Endorsement: Doesn’t Realize it was a Fraud
http://ringoffireradio.com/2015/09/corp-media-covers-trumps-fake-veterans-speech-and-endorsement-doesnt-realize-it-was-a-fraud/
"Donald Trump stood on the U.S.S. Iowa yesterday giving a speech billed by Corporate Media as a pro-military message in support of veterans. Corporate Media even announced that the group’s sponsor Veterans for a Strong America endorsed him.
There is a big problem. Veterans for a Strong America is a fake organization. It has one member, it’s creator Joel Arends, an attorney from South Dakota. It has $30 in cash on hand, and $318 in debts. Trump claimed at the event that the organization has hundreds of thousands of members, but it appears to be only one person, Arends, its founder. It’s not a Veteran’s organization. It’s a Super PAC fundraising business."
"Donald Trump stood on the U.S.S. Iowa yesterday giving a speech billed by Corporate Media as a pro-military message in support of veterans. Corporate Media even announced that the group’s sponsor Veterans for a Strong America endorsed him.
There is a big problem. Veterans for a Strong America is a fake organization. It has one member, it’s creator Joel Arends, an attorney from South Dakota. It has $30 in cash on hand, and $318 in debts. Trump claimed at the event that the organization has hundreds of thousands of members, but it appears to be only one person, Arends, its founder. It’s not a Veteran’s organization. It’s a Super PAC fundraising business."
Screw U: The GOP’s War on College Students @alternet
Screw U: The GOP’s War on College Students @alternet
"As nutty as the current slate of GOP nominees may seem, it would be a mistake to ignore the very real threat of their higher education policy. Across the board, in a variety of ways, the GOP lineup is on the hunt for higher education as we know it."
"As nutty as the current slate of GOP nominees may seem, it would be a mistake to ignore the very real threat of their higher education policy. Across the board, in a variety of ways, the GOP lineup is on the hunt for higher education as we know it."
5 Examples Proving Republicans Have Become the Party of Crazy
5 Examples Proving Republicans Have Become the Party of Crazy
"when you really look at it, it’s not just stupidity that’s running rampant through the GOP; crazy has fully cemented itself as a driving force within the Republican party as well."
"when you really look at it, it’s not just stupidity that’s running rampant through the GOP; crazy has fully cemented itself as a driving force within the Republican party as well."
The 5 Craziest Conservative Claims About President Obama
The 5 Craziest Conservative Claims About President Obama
"literally none of their outlandish fear-mongering has been based in reality."
"literally none of their outlandish fear-mongering has been based in reality."
The Fearsome Four: The Leading Governors Seeking 2016 GOP Nomination Are All Dismal Right-Wingers @alternet
The Fearsome Four: The Leading Governors Seeking 2016 GOP Nomination Are All Dismal Right-Wingers @alternet
"The four have worked from nearly identical playbooks in pursuing a similar extremist agenda, unashamedly serving the top 1 percent and other so-called job creators, while grinding down the rights, wages and living conditions facing poor and working families. Their record provides a clear flash-forward into the future of America, should any of them be elected president in 2016.
This shared agenda of the Fearsome Foursome has common roots in the model legislation and strategies launched by the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council, which has been propelled to national importance with funding from the multi-billionaire Koch brothers."
"The four have worked from nearly identical playbooks in pursuing a similar extremist agenda, unashamedly serving the top 1 percent and other so-called job creators, while grinding down the rights, wages and living conditions facing poor and working families. Their record provides a clear flash-forward into the future of America, should any of them be elected president in 2016.
This shared agenda of the Fearsome Foursome has common roots in the model legislation and strategies launched by the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council, which has been propelled to national importance with funding from the multi-billionaire Koch brothers."
Republican insiders continue to fret over their party's obvious slide into extremism
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/09/09/1419825/-Republican-insiders-continue-to-fret-over-their-party-s-obvious-slide-into-extremism
"We've been here before, of course. For years now Republican insiders have fretted that their party's obsession with racism, bigotry, religious zealotry and general "righteous" lawlessness has been making them look bad, and yet the Republican base not only continues to persist in all these things but seems to have ratcheted them up after each brow-furrowing plea for them to not do that. The Republicans just want to be a nice, simple party of doing good things for rich people, but decades of dog-whistles to racists and bigots in order to put together a coalition capable of winning has left them with a base of, unsurprisingly, racists and bigots."
"We've been here before, of course. For years now Republican insiders have fretted that their party's obsession with racism, bigotry, religious zealotry and general "righteous" lawlessness has been making them look bad, and yet the Republican base not only continues to persist in all these things but seems to have ratcheted them up after each brow-furrowing plea for them to not do that. The Republicans just want to be a nice, simple party of doing good things for rich people, but decades of dog-whistles to racists and bigots in order to put together a coalition capable of winning has left them with a base of, unsurprisingly, racists and bigots."
Jeb Bush Crashes And Burns Immediately After Announcing Plan To Cut Taxes For The Rich
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/09/09/jeb-bush-doubles-failed-trickle-unpaid-tax-cuts-rich.html
"Bush has unveiled his tax plan and it’s basically the same old same old Republican Trickle Down promise, replete with tax cuts for the rich and corporations"
"Bush has unveiled his tax plan and it’s basically the same old same old Republican Trickle Down promise, replete with tax cuts for the rich and corporations"
Meet The Trickle-Down Conservatives Behind Jeb Bush’s Tax Plan
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/09/09/3699564/jeb-bushs-economic-advisers/
"But these men aren’t just any trickle-down economists. They’re all high-profile proponents of Reaganomics — they all actually advised Reagan while he was in the White House."
"But these men aren’t just any trickle-down economists. They’re all high-profile proponents of Reaganomics — they all actually advised Reagan while he was in the White House."
The terrifying reason Donald Trump is winning: The infantilized conservative base wants rage, not ideas
The terrifying reason Donald Trump is winning: The infantilized conservative base wants rage, not ideas
"Trump’s success (and Jeb’s decline) shows how easy it is to openly infantilize the conservative base. You don’t need ideas to win over Republicans anymore; you simply have to reflect their paranoia and frustration, with as much bombast and superficiality as possible."
"Trump’s success (and Jeb’s decline) shows how easy it is to openly infantilize the conservative base. You don’t need ideas to win over Republicans anymore; you simply have to reflect their paranoia and frustration, with as much bombast and superficiality as possible."
The GOP And Fox News Are Pushing For War With Iran The Same Way They Did Iraq (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/11/the-gop-and-fox-news-are-pushing-for-war-with-iran-the-same-way-they-did-iraq-video/
"Fox News repeatedly spreads false information and half-truths at the expense of the American people, and at the benefit of Republican policies and those who take advantage of Republicans in Congress."
"Fox News repeatedly spreads false information and half-truths at the expense of the American people, and at the benefit of Republican policies and those who take advantage of Republicans in Congress."
Dick Cheney’s despicable alternate history just got even worse
Dick Cheney’s despicable alternate history just got even worse
"If anyone thinks that Cheney and his fellow travelers learned a thing from the Iraq debacle, think again."
"If anyone thinks that Cheney and his fellow travelers learned a thing from the Iraq debacle, think again."
Myths and Facts About The Landmark Iran Deal
http://mediamatters.org/research/2015/09/08/myths-and-facts-surrounding-the-landmark-irania/205419
"the myths that have pervaded the media debate on the deal."
"the myths that have pervaded the media debate on the deal."
Fox News Has Been Promoting War With Iran For Almost A Decade
Fox News Has Been Promoting War With Iran For Almost A Decade
"Fox is using the same rhetoric it used to gin up support for the war in Iraq to gin up a new war with Iran."
"Fox is using the same rhetoric it used to gin up support for the war in Iraq to gin up a new war with Iran."
Plutocrats have captured it all: How Sheldon Adelson shows the need for campaign finance reform
Plutocrats have captured it all: How Sheldon Adelson shows the need for campaign finance reform
"A billionaire extremist is buying his way to the top of the GOP. Thanks again, Citizens United!"
"A billionaire extremist is buying his way to the top of the GOP. Thanks again, Citizens United!"
Watch A Retired Colonel Rip Cheney: He’s An ‘Insane’ War Profiteer Who Won’t Go Away!
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/watch-a-retired-colonel-rip-cheney-hes-an-insane-war-profiteer-who-wont-go-away/
"Cheney is a very devious, dangerous man who cannot be allowed to have any say in our foreign policy."
"Cheney is a very devious, dangerous man who cannot be allowed to have any say in our foreign policy."
Dick Cheney Was for the Iran Deal Before He Was Against It
https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/09/08/dick-cheney-hypocritical-speech-aei-iran-deal/
"Cheney’s dishonesty extends beyond his revisionist history of the Bush administration — it also is evident in his proposed measures to undermine the nuclear agreement."
"Cheney’s dishonesty extends beyond his revisionist history of the Bush administration — it also is evident in his proposed measures to undermine the nuclear agreement."
Watch the 1991 Documentary Donald Trump Didn’t Want Anyone to See @alternet
Watch the 1991 Documentary Donald Trump Didn’t Want Anyone to See @alternet
"the film was never aired because Trump managed to prevent its circulation."
"the film was never aired because Trump managed to prevent its circulation."
How Jeb Bush's Florida Plan for School 'Choice' Created an Industry of Corruption and Chaos @alternet
How Jeb Bush's Florida Plan for School 'Choice' Created an Industry of Corruption and Chaos @alternet
"Aided by influencers like the Waltons and others, Jeb Bush put South Florida squarely at the forefront of the charter school bonanza. And the rise of the charters as big business in Florida brought with it new and special forms of financial corruption."
"Aided by influencers like the Waltons and others, Jeb Bush put South Florida squarely at the forefront of the charter school bonanza. And the rise of the charters as big business in Florida brought with it new and special forms of financial corruption."
“He’s a progressive!”: Glenn Beck explains to Bill O’Reilly why he can’t support Donald Trump
“He’s a progressive!”: Glenn Beck explains to Bill O’Reilly why he can’t support Donald Trump
"On Tuesday night’s edition of “The O’Reilly Factor,” once and future Fox hosts Glenn Beck and Bill O’Reilly discussed the legitimacy of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign — or, more precisely, Beck attempted to convince O’Reilly of its illegitimacy, given that all of the solutions Trump poses are inherently “progressive"."
"On Tuesday night’s edition of “The O’Reilly Factor,” once and future Fox hosts Glenn Beck and Bill O’Reilly discussed the legitimacy of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign — or, more precisely, Beck attempted to convince O’Reilly of its illegitimacy, given that all of the solutions Trump poses are inherently “progressive"."
Rick Santorum Perfectly Showcases Just How Ignorant Republicans Are About Science
Rick Santorum Perfectly Showcases Just How Ignorant Republicans Are About Science
"Maybe it’s time Rick Santorum takes his own advice and starts listening to the scientists."
"Maybe it’s time Rick Santorum takes his own advice and starts listening to the scientists."
Monday, September 7, 2015
Let the Toilers Assemble
Let the Toilers Assemble
"In light of this long weekend of beach and barbecue time, a moment to give thanks to the long struggle of a labor movement, born in heartfelt resistance, that won it for us. Read, listen and remember those fighting, then and now, for "a glimpse of something you're not allowed to see." Also check out Bernie on a picket line. Because "this is what I do"."
"In light of this long weekend of beach and barbecue time, a moment to give thanks to the long struggle of a labor movement, born in heartfelt resistance, that won it for us. Read, listen and remember those fighting, then and now, for "a glimpse of something you're not allowed to see." Also check out Bernie on a picket line. Because "this is what I do"."
Why the DOL's New Overtime Rule is Such a Big Deal
Why the DOL's New Overtime Rule is Such a Big Deal
"This summer, the Department of Labor announced sweeping changes to federal overtime rules that would dramatically impact the lives of working Americans. The new rules raise the income level at which workers can automatically qualify for overtime eligibility for the first time in decades, effectively giving around five million workers a raise while strengthening overtime protection for another ten million, according to the White House. This week, the Department of Labor ends its public comment period on the proposed changes, with enforcement set to begin early next year."
"This summer, the Department of Labor announced sweeping changes to federal overtime rules that would dramatically impact the lives of working Americans. The new rules raise the income level at which workers can automatically qualify for overtime eligibility for the first time in decades, effectively giving around five million workers a raise while strengthening overtime protection for another ten million, according to the White House. This week, the Department of Labor ends its public comment period on the proposed changes, with enforcement set to begin early next year."
The best way to support low-wage workers: Save their tax credits
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/09/07/1417844/-The-best-way-to-support-low-wage-workers-Save-their-tax-credits
"As many as 19 million low-wage workers could lose what's been called "one of the most successful labor market innovations in U.S. history." The income these credits bring "leads to better maternal and infant health, improved school performance, higher college enrollment, and increased work effort and earnings in adulthood." That's a lot of bang for some federal bucks.
But key provisions are expiring in 2017, and Senate Republicans have already staked out ground suggesting they'll be ready to gut them. At H&R Block's behest, they've put policy riders into a key spending bill that would make filing for these tax credits difficult and expensive. Because that's what Republicans do."
"As many as 19 million low-wage workers could lose what's been called "one of the most successful labor market innovations in U.S. history." The income these credits bring "leads to better maternal and infant health, improved school performance, higher college enrollment, and increased work effort and earnings in adulthood." That's a lot of bang for some federal bucks.
But key provisions are expiring in 2017, and Senate Republicans have already staked out ground suggesting they'll be ready to gut them. At H&R Block's behest, they've put policy riders into a key spending bill that would make filing for these tax credits difficult and expensive. Because that's what Republicans do."
Bernie Sanders Has President Obama’s Back On Paid Sick Leave Executive Order
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/09/07/bernie-sanders-applauds-pres-obama-ordering-paid-sick-leave-fed-workers.html
"Workers of the country should be asking Congressional Republicans what is so wrong with allowing people to have a few days of paid sick leave. Why is this something they criticize, when they spent fewer days at work last year than President Obama spent on vacation in his entire presidency and in the Senate, had nearly as many days off in a year as President Obama has taken in his entire two terms of office."
"Workers of the country should be asking Congressional Republicans what is so wrong with allowing people to have a few days of paid sick leave. Why is this something they criticize, when they spent fewer days at work last year than President Obama spent on vacation in his entire presidency and in the Senate, had nearly as many days off in a year as President Obama has taken in his entire two terms of office."
President Obama Fights For the American Workers Republicans Hate
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/09/07/president-obama-fights-american-workers-republicans-hate-passionately.html
"Republicans hate American workers and hold them in contempt for expecting to be paid for their work, especially one sector predominated by professional women.
It is really simple to comprehend why Republicans detest public school teachers; it hardly makes any sense, but they are reasons unique to conservatives. For one thing, public school teachers enjoy union representation and maybe the only thing Republicans hate more than women, minorities, paying wages, or the New Deal’s workplace protections are unions."
"Republicans hate American workers and hold them in contempt for expecting to be paid for their work, especially one sector predominated by professional women.
It is really simple to comprehend why Republicans detest public school teachers; it hardly makes any sense, but they are reasons unique to conservatives. For one thing, public school teachers enjoy union representation and maybe the only thing Republicans hate more than women, minorities, paying wages, or the New Deal’s workplace protections are unions."
10 times GOP candidates gave labor a giant middle finger
10 times GOP candidates gave labor a giant middle finger
"On this Labor Day holiday, American workers who already get the least paid vacation time of any developed nation in the world and who are taking the fewest days off in four decades, must suffer through (or are treated to) the Republican presidential circus of the 2016 campaign, featuring more than a dozen presidential hopefuls who have demonstrated tone-deafness or outright disdain toward labor."
"On this Labor Day holiday, American workers who already get the least paid vacation time of any developed nation in the world and who are taking the fewest days off in four decades, must suffer through (or are treated to) the Republican presidential circus of the 2016 campaign, featuring more than a dozen presidential hopefuls who have demonstrated tone-deafness or outright disdain toward labor."
Why Union Members Are Better Off
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/09/07/3698487/unions-women-people-of-color/
"The benefits aren’t limited to salaries, either. Workers in unions are much more likely to get employer benefits like pensions and health care. And this is also particularly true for women and people of color. About three-quarters of unionized women have a pension, compared to 42 percent of non-union female workers, and more than three-quarters have health insurance coverage through work versus about half of non-unionized women. Unionized black and Hispanic workers are between 27 and 30 percent more likely to have those benefits."
"The benefits aren’t limited to salaries, either. Workers in unions are much more likely to get employer benefits like pensions and health care. And this is also particularly true for women and people of color. About three-quarters of unionized women have a pension, compared to 42 percent of non-union female workers, and more than three-quarters have health insurance coverage through work versus about half of non-unionized women. Unionized black and Hispanic workers are between 27 and 30 percent more likely to have those benefits."
Obama orders paid sick leave for workers at federal contractors
http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-obama-paid-sick-leave-20150906-story.html
"The U.S. is the only industrialized nation without a federal family-leave law that guarantees workers can receive pay while taking time to care for themselves and loved ones. Some states have paid-leave laws. Current federal law mandates that companies provide leave, but does not require that it be paid."
"The U.S. is the only industrialized nation without a federal family-leave law that guarantees workers can receive pay while taking time to care for themselves and loved ones. Some states have paid-leave laws. Current federal law mandates that companies provide leave, but does not require that it be paid."
President Obama Celebrates Labor Day By Giving Paid Sick Leave To 300,000 American Workers
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/07/president-obama-celebrates-labor-day-by-giving-paid-sick-leave-to-300000-american-workers/
"The order will help 300,000 American workers at a time when the United States continues to rank dead last behind the rest of the developed world in paid sick leave requirements. That’s putting it kindly, since the United States is the ONLY developed nation without a paid sick leave policy."
"The order will help 300,000 American workers at a time when the United States continues to rank dead last behind the rest of the developed world in paid sick leave requirements. That’s putting it kindly, since the United States is the ONLY developed nation without a paid sick leave policy."
36 Reasons To Celebrate Unions This Labor Day Weekend
http://samuel-warde.com/2015/09/36-reasons-celebrate-unions-labor-day-weekend/
"With the vilification of unions so strident on the right, it might be a good time to remind them (and ourselves) of the things we enjoy due to the union movement."
"With the vilification of unions so strident on the right, it might be a good time to remind them (and ourselves) of the things we enjoy due to the union movement."
Want to shrink the wage gap? Unions are one powerful solution
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/09/07/1416597/-Want-to-shrink-the-wage-gap-Unions-are-one-powerful-solution#
"Women represented by a union are also more likely to get health insurance and a pension. The overall effect is that unions are helping to lift women into financial security and move workplaces toward equality, just as they helped create the middle class during the 20th century. It's one more thing to think about as we continue to watch Republicans attack unions and everything they stand for."
"Women represented by a union are also more likely to get health insurance and a pension. The overall effect is that unions are helping to lift women into financial security and move workplaces toward equality, just as they helped create the middle class during the 20th century. It's one more thing to think about as we continue to watch Republicans attack unions and everything they stand for."
Scott Walker Is Trying to Save His Failing Campaign by Bashing Unions
http://www.thenation.com/article/at-the-labor-day-pivot-a-tanking-scott-walker-doubles-down-on-union-bashing/
"Attacking unions never yields the benefits that the attackers claim are just around the corner. That’s because the first Republican president was right when he told Congress that “Labor is prior to and independent of capital.”
Some truths are self-evident. And Abraham Lincoln stated one of them: “Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration"."
"Attacking unions never yields the benefits that the attackers claim are just around the corner. That’s because the first Republican president was right when he told Congress that “Labor is prior to and independent of capital.”
Some truths are self-evident. And Abraham Lincoln stated one of them: “Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration"."
Watch: Sanders Rips Trump For ‘Using Racism’ To Blame Immigrants Instead Of Wall Street
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/watch-sanders-rips-trump-for-using-racism-to-blame-immigrants-instead-of-wall-street/
"Democratic presidential candidate and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders takes aim at his rival across the aisle and calls out Donald Trump for his ham-fisted attempts to blame America’s economic problems on immigrants, when really it was wealthy tycoons like Trump who crippled the world’s economy with their high-risk gambling."
"Democratic presidential candidate and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders takes aim at his rival across the aisle and calls out Donald Trump for his ham-fisted attempts to blame America’s economic problems on immigrants, when really it was wealthy tycoons like Trump who crippled the world’s economy with their high-risk gambling."
Labor Unions: The Folks Who Gave You the Weekend
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/32674-labor-unions-the-folks-who-gave-you-the-weekend
"The celebration of Labor Day is a good time to remember the role that labor unions have played in raising living standards and improving the quality of life for working people in the United States. While most people recognize that unions have been beneficial for their members - raising pay, improving work conditions and increasing job security - there is little appreciation of role of labor unions in promoting benefits and work rules that protect all workers.
Unions were crucial in the passage of just about all the benefits and rules that we take for granted today, starting with the weekend. The 40-hour workweek became the standard in the 1937 with the passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act. This bill, which also put in place a federal minimum wage, required a premium of 50 percent of pay for any hours that an employer required in excess of 40 hours a week. Unions had pressed for similar rules for decades, but it took the power of a militant labor movement, coupled with a sympathetic president and Congress to finally make the 40 hour workweek a standard across the country.
This was also the year that the Social Security system was created. Again, the leadership of President Roosevelt was essential, but the Social Security would not have come into existence without the support of the labor movement. There was a similar story with the passage of the Medicare Act three decades later. The leadership of President Johnson was important, but there is no way the bill would have passed Congress without the pressure coming from organized labor.
These two programs provide a layer security that is absolutely essential to anyone who is not rich. More than 70 percent of retirees rely on Social Security for more than half of their income. Very few seniors would be able to afford health care in their last years if it were not for Medicare and its sister program Medicaid."
"The celebration of Labor Day is a good time to remember the role that labor unions have played in raising living standards and improving the quality of life for working people in the United States. While most people recognize that unions have been beneficial for their members - raising pay, improving work conditions and increasing job security - there is little appreciation of role of labor unions in promoting benefits and work rules that protect all workers.
Unions were crucial in the passage of just about all the benefits and rules that we take for granted today, starting with the weekend. The 40-hour workweek became the standard in the 1937 with the passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act. This bill, which also put in place a federal minimum wage, required a premium of 50 percent of pay for any hours that an employer required in excess of 40 hours a week. Unions had pressed for similar rules for decades, but it took the power of a militant labor movement, coupled with a sympathetic president and Congress to finally make the 40 hour workweek a standard across the country.
This was also the year that the Social Security system was created. Again, the leadership of President Roosevelt was essential, but the Social Security would not have come into existence without the support of the labor movement. There was a similar story with the passage of the Medicare Act three decades later. The leadership of President Johnson was important, but there is no way the bill would have passed Congress without the pressure coming from organized labor.
These two programs provide a layer security that is absolutely essential to anyone who is not rich. More than 70 percent of retirees rely on Social Security for more than half of their income. Very few seniors would be able to afford health care in their last years if it were not for Medicare and its sister program Medicaid."
Obama Slams Republican Lies On Labor Day, “They Don’t Let Facts Or Evidence Get In The Way.”
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/09/07/obama-slams-republican-lies-labor-day-they-facts-evidence-way.html
"President Obama called out Republicans for being wrong about every single prediction of doom that they have offered, being tied to an ideology that makes the economy worse, not caring about facts and reality, and pretending to care about the middle-class and workers when they are doing things that hurt the middle-class and workers."
"President Obama called out Republicans for being wrong about every single prediction of doom that they have offered, being tied to an ideology that makes the economy worse, not caring about facts and reality, and pretending to care about the middle-class and workers when they are doing things that hurt the middle-class and workers."
7 Union Heroes To Remember This Labor Day
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/09/07/3698935/7-union-heros-to-remember-this-labor-day/
"These noteworthy people left behind a legacy that we enjoy today, from the end of child labor to the more humane treatment of farm workers."
"These noteworthy people left behind a legacy that we enjoy today, from the end of child labor to the more humane treatment of farm workers."
Scott Walker Just Doesn't Get Labor Day
Scott Walker Just Doesn't Get Labor Day
"Yeah, nothing honors the American worker like selling cheap crap made in China to promote a guy who has devastated his state's middle class."
"Yeah, nothing honors the American worker like selling cheap crap made in China to promote a guy who has devastated his state's middle class."
How The GOP’s Top 5 Presidential Candidates Really Feel About American Workers
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/06/how-the-gops-top-5-presidential-candidates-really-feel-about-american-workers/
"This Labor Day, it’s important to remember that, without workers, without labor, most companies wouldn’t exist. Companies depend on their workers to get business done. Small business owners actually seem to realize this, as many of them pay their employees well and provide benefits, even without federal laws. Big, highly profitable corporations, however, have forgotten that they’re built on their workers. The GOP has clearly forgotten that, too."
"This Labor Day, it’s important to remember that, without workers, without labor, most companies wouldn’t exist. Companies depend on their workers to get business done. Small business owners actually seem to realize this, as many of them pay their employees well and provide benefits, even without federal laws. Big, highly profitable corporations, however, have forgotten that they’re built on their workers. The GOP has clearly forgotten that, too."
Get The Facts on President Obama’s Labor Day Executive Actions to Protect Workers
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/09/07/facts-president-obamas-executive-actions-protect-workers.html
"The President will be giving a speech in Boston at the Greater Boston Labor Council Labor Day Breakfast to highlight his Administration’s continued efforts to expand the labor force, support greater workplace flexibilities, and strengthen the middle class."
"The President will be giving a speech in Boston at the Greater Boston Labor Council Labor Day Breakfast to highlight his Administration’s continued efforts to expand the labor force, support greater workplace flexibilities, and strengthen the middle class."
The media vs. the American worker: How the 1 percent hijacked the business of news
The media vs. the American worker: How the 1 percent hijacked the business of news
"they tend to subscribe to the notion that what very rich chief executives think is best for the economic structure of the United States is, by definition, the only point of view worth listening to."
"they tend to subscribe to the notion that what very rich chief executives think is best for the economic structure of the United States is, by definition, the only point of view worth listening to."
The rebellious spirit of the first Labor Day is spreading anew
The rebellious spirit of the first Labor Day is spreading anew
"America’s grassroots have come alive with organizing campaigns to reverse the rampant inequities and abuses being perpetuated by the plutocratic powers"
"America’s grassroots have come alive with organizing campaigns to reverse the rampant inequities and abuses being perpetuated by the plutocratic powers"
The Fight for 15 Is Creating a Fighting Labor Movement for the 21st Century
http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/18365/to_understand_the_power_of_fight_for_15_look_to_mcdonalds
"Wage theft is another travesty in the fast-food industry. Managers are under intense pressure to squeeze workers and cut costs while getting ever more productivity out of them. Almost 90 percent of fast-food workers report wage theft. Sixty percent of fast-food workers report being required to perform tasks before clocking in or after clocking out. Forty-six percent have not been paid for all hours worked or all tasks performed. Wage theft results from of a lack of power and collective organization among workers—employers steal wages when they think employees are powerless to do something about it."
"Wage theft is another travesty in the fast-food industry. Managers are under intense pressure to squeeze workers and cut costs while getting ever more productivity out of them. Almost 90 percent of fast-food workers report wage theft. Sixty percent of fast-food workers report being required to perform tasks before clocking in or after clocking out. Forty-six percent have not been paid for all hours worked or all tasks performed. Wage theft results from of a lack of power and collective organization among workers—employers steal wages when they think employees are powerless to do something about it."
GOP Budget Cuts Leave Nuclear Sites Dangerously Vulnerable
GOP Budget Cuts Leave Nuclear Sites Dangerously Vulnerable
"Republican-led budget cuts have left dangerous caches of uranium deposits vulnerable as the security systems of containment complexes become outdated and undermanned"
"Republican-led budget cuts have left dangerous caches of uranium deposits vulnerable as the security systems of containment complexes become outdated and undermanned"
Sarah Palin Says She Wants To Be Donald Trump’s Energy Secretary
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/09/06/3699123/sarah-palin-energy-secretary/
"Palin went on to explain that her theoretical tenure as Energy Secretary would be short, primarily because she would immediately disband the entire department."
"Palin went on to explain that her theoretical tenure as Energy Secretary would be short, primarily because she would immediately disband the entire department."
Palin Wants To Lead Trump's D.O.E. So She Could Get Rid Of It
Palin Wants To Lead Trump's D.O.E. So She Could Get Rid Of It
"Jake Tapper gave Sarah Palin over fifteen minutes to vomit a copious amount of word salad upon the unfortunate viewers of CNN."
"Jake Tapper gave Sarah Palin over fifteen minutes to vomit a copious amount of word salad upon the unfortunate viewers of CNN."
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Understanding the Historic Divergence Between Productivity and a Typical Worker’s Pay: Why It Matters and Why It’s Real
Understanding the Historic Divergence Between Productivity and a Typical Worker’s Pay: Why It Matters and Why It’s Real
"The entirety of the gap between productivity and hourly pay growth is income accruing somewhere in the economy besides the paychecks of typical workers. Mostly, this “somewhere” has been in the pockets of extraordinarily highly paid managers and owners of capital."
"The entirety of the gap between productivity and hourly pay growth is income accruing somewhere in the economy besides the paychecks of typical workers. Mostly, this “somewhere” has been in the pockets of extraordinarily highly paid managers and owners of capital."
PERRspectives: Unicornomics
PERRspectives: Unicornomics
"Unveiling the Congressional Budget Office's latest long term forecast this week, new CBO Director Keith Hall made an unremarkable statement. "The evidence," Hall explained, "is that tax cuts do not pay for themselves." For the overwhelming majority of economists or just about anyone with a passing familiarity with the U.S. budget since Ronald Reagan first took the oath of office in 1981, Hall's inescapable conclusion is about as close to a self-evident truth as his profession can offer.
But for Republicans and their conservative water carriers, Hall's remark came as an unpleasant surprise indeed. After all, Congressional Republicans chose Hall over incumbent Douglas Elmendorf precisely to implement "dynamic scoring" models which would show their tax-cutting schemes wouldn't hemorrhage red ink (or at least as much), thanks to amped-up economic growth the cuts themselves would magically produce. Worse still, virtually every one of the 2016 GOP presidential candidates is counting on Arthur Laffer's 40 year-old myth and other fictions to produce economic growth no one's seen, tax revenue that has never materialized and balanced budgets that simply cannot come to pass.
Call it Unicornomics."
"Unveiling the Congressional Budget Office's latest long term forecast this week, new CBO Director Keith Hall made an unremarkable statement. "The evidence," Hall explained, "is that tax cuts do not pay for themselves." For the overwhelming majority of economists or just about anyone with a passing familiarity with the U.S. budget since Ronald Reagan first took the oath of office in 1981, Hall's inescapable conclusion is about as close to a self-evident truth as his profession can offer.
But for Republicans and their conservative water carriers, Hall's remark came as an unpleasant surprise indeed. After all, Congressional Republicans chose Hall over incumbent Douglas Elmendorf precisely to implement "dynamic scoring" models which would show their tax-cutting schemes wouldn't hemorrhage red ink (or at least as much), thanks to amped-up economic growth the cuts themselves would magically produce. Worse still, virtually every one of the 2016 GOP presidential candidates is counting on Arthur Laffer's 40 year-old myth and other fictions to produce economic growth no one's seen, tax revenue that has never materialized and balanced budgets that simply cannot come to pass.
Call it Unicornomics."
A New Way American Cities Can Free Themselves of Wall Street’s Control @alternet
A New Way American Cities Can Free Themselves of Wall Street’s Control @alternet
"This is the mentality that led Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi to call Goldman Sachs “a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money.”
It’s not just Goldman. All of municipal finance has become an extractive industry, pumping billions away from the communities that need them most. Morality is an externality that financial firms seldom concern themselves with. The financial sector’s fee-based business model is designed to maximize profits, not to protect taxpayers.
Banks may not have a moral compass, but their business contracts with our state and local governments can and should. After all, our cities, states and school districts are not simply fodder for Wall Street’s insatiable greed. Our elected leaders have a duty to protect us from predatory financial practices. Cities and states can force banks to charge drastically lower fees, do away with arbitrary fee structures and eliminate onerous terms that divert billions of dollars away from the most vulnerable members of our society into bonus checks for our nation’s wealthiest few.
Governors in states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois are waging war on collective bargaining and telling taxpayers that empowering publicsector unions robs state coffers, but the real drain on public treasuries is the billions in fees paid to banks every year. And unlike money that goes into workers’ pockets, most of these fees are not recycled back into the local economy but sent to offshore tax havens or invested in complex financial schemes. The irony is that collective bargaining is one of the most effective tools available to public officials who truly want to do right by taxpayers—and cast off Wall Street’s tentacles."
"This is the mentality that led Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi to call Goldman Sachs “a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money.”
It’s not just Goldman. All of municipal finance has become an extractive industry, pumping billions away from the communities that need them most. Morality is an externality that financial firms seldom concern themselves with. The financial sector’s fee-based business model is designed to maximize profits, not to protect taxpayers.
Banks may not have a moral compass, but their business contracts with our state and local governments can and should. After all, our cities, states and school districts are not simply fodder for Wall Street’s insatiable greed. Our elected leaders have a duty to protect us from predatory financial practices. Cities and states can force banks to charge drastically lower fees, do away with arbitrary fee structures and eliminate onerous terms that divert billions of dollars away from the most vulnerable members of our society into bonus checks for our nation’s wealthiest few.
Governors in states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois are waging war on collective bargaining and telling taxpayers that empowering publicsector unions robs state coffers, but the real drain on public treasuries is the billions in fees paid to banks every year. And unlike money that goes into workers’ pockets, most of these fees are not recycled back into the local economy but sent to offshore tax havens or invested in complex financial schemes. The irony is that collective bargaining is one of the most effective tools available to public officials who truly want to do right by taxpayers—and cast off Wall Street’s tentacles."
Prescription Drug Prices Are Out Of Control. Bernie Sanders Has A Plan.
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2015/09/03/3697990/sanders-prescription/
"The U.S. has some of the highest prescription drug prices and spending in the world, with much higher average yearly spending compared with Europeans or Canadians."
"The U.S. has some of the highest prescription drug prices and spending in the world, with much higher average yearly spending compared with Europeans or Canadians."
Sanders Vows To End Pres. Bush’s ‘Prescription Drug Heist’
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/sanders-vows-to-end-pres-bushs-prescription-drug-heist/
"President Bush catered to a billion dollar industry and made sure that elderly Americans on Medicare had no choice but to pay insanely high drug prices; none of the Republican presidential candidates will address this issue, because they don’t care about vulnerable Americans who do not pad their bank accounts."
"President Bush catered to a billion dollar industry and made sure that elderly Americans on Medicare had no choice but to pay insanely high drug prices; none of the Republican presidential candidates will address this issue, because they don’t care about vulnerable Americans who do not pad their bank accounts."
Sanders Does What He Does Best; Beats the Hell Out of Spineless War Pimps
http://ringoffireradio.com/2015/09/sanders-does-what-he-does-best-beats-the-hell-out-of-spineless-war-pimps/
"Unlike Republicans who claim such, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) actually cares about military veterans. Sanders gave a scathing criticism of war hawk Republicans and explained why he opposed the Iraq War."
"Unlike Republicans who claim such, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) actually cares about military veterans. Sanders gave a scathing criticism of war hawk Republicans and explained why he opposed the Iraq War."
Dick Cheney’s savage revisionist history: inside his disturbing campaign to twist the facts of Iraq
Dick Cheney’s savage revisionist history: inside his disturbing campaign to twist the facts of Iraq
"There was an estimated 31-60 billion dollars worth of contractor fraud and waste in Iraq war, and a large part of that came from Halliburton, now known as KBR. As Adam Weinstein reported for Mother Jones, KBR cost “at least $193 million in pay for unnecessary personnel, and maybe as much as $300 million,” which includes $100 million of government-furnished property that cannot be accounted for. KBR has also been blamed for the electrocution and death of 12 soldiers, because of poor wiring jobs at army bases.
In a country where leaders were held accountable, Cheney would currently be in a prison cell. Luckily for the former vice-president, we live in a country where the corrupt revolving door is everywhere and political bribery is the name of the game. Iraq was really a perfect capitalist war, and Cheney was doing what any good capitalist would. This is what many call crony-capitalism — when private industry infiltrates the government (or donates millions to political campaigns) and then uses it to their advantage — but really, it’s just plain old capitalism, and private industry has always been in cahoots with the state to some degree (today more than ever). The Bush administration invaded Iraq with the intent of privatization and ended up making millions for private industry. It’s just like when Wall Street executives from Goldman Sachs or Citibank become financial regulators, bail out big banks and then return to their banks after concluding their honorable duty. If gaining control of the government helps the profit motive, you can be sure private industry will attempt to do it."
"There was an estimated 31-60 billion dollars worth of contractor fraud and waste in Iraq war, and a large part of that came from Halliburton, now known as KBR. As Adam Weinstein reported for Mother Jones, KBR cost “at least $193 million in pay for unnecessary personnel, and maybe as much as $300 million,” which includes $100 million of government-furnished property that cannot be accounted for. KBR has also been blamed for the electrocution and death of 12 soldiers, because of poor wiring jobs at army bases.
In a country where leaders were held accountable, Cheney would currently be in a prison cell. Luckily for the former vice-president, we live in a country where the corrupt revolving door is everywhere and political bribery is the name of the game. Iraq was really a perfect capitalist war, and Cheney was doing what any good capitalist would. This is what many call crony-capitalism — when private industry infiltrates the government (or donates millions to political campaigns) and then uses it to their advantage — but really, it’s just plain old capitalism, and private industry has always been in cahoots with the state to some degree (today more than ever). The Bush administration invaded Iraq with the intent of privatization and ended up making millions for private industry. It’s just like when Wall Street executives from Goldman Sachs or Citibank become financial regulators, bail out big banks and then return to their banks after concluding their honorable duty. If gaining control of the government helps the profit motive, you can be sure private industry will attempt to do it."
Scott Walker, meet Noam Chomsky: Here’s the real Iran history Republicans need to learn
Scott Walker, meet Noam Chomsky: Here’s the real Iran history Republicans need to learn
"For years, Washington and the news media have portrayed Iran as the most dangerous national power on the planet. That opinion is not widely shared by the global community, however, which by a significant margin places the United States at the top of a list of the biggest threats to world peace. Despite the abundance of negative public opinion on Iran in the U.S., the question of what exactly makes the country such a threat is rarely meaningfully explored.
A brief history of U.S.-Iranian relations reveals everything about who should be distrustful of whom.
In 1953, the CIA overthrew Iran’s democratically elected government and installed the Shah, a brutal dictator who proceeded to establish one of the worst human rights records of the era. Following the Iranian Revolution in 1979, which deposed the Shah, Washington turned its favor to another brutal dictator in the region: Saddam Hussein, who received U.S. aid throughout the Iran-Iraq War. Ever since the revolution, the U.S. has imposed various sanctions on Iran. And most recently, we launched major military operations in two of Iran’s neighboring states, further destabilizing the region and threatening Iran’s own safety.
But in the eyes of U.S. commentary, Iran remains the supreme evil. It’s instructive, for instance, that without any irony or self-awareness we charge Iran with interfering in the Iraq War – a war we instigated from the other side of the world, against massive international protest, on Iran’s doorstep. Actually, Iran’s involvement in the Iraq conflict has necessarily increased with the growing threat of ISIS, a group that only exists because of the immense power vacuum and destabilization caused by the U.S. invasion.
With all the trouble Washington causes in and around Iranian borders, it’s a wonder Tehran has as much restraint as it does. Iran has launched zero invasions in modern history."
"For years, Washington and the news media have portrayed Iran as the most dangerous national power on the planet. That opinion is not widely shared by the global community, however, which by a significant margin places the United States at the top of a list of the biggest threats to world peace. Despite the abundance of negative public opinion on Iran in the U.S., the question of what exactly makes the country such a threat is rarely meaningfully explored.
A brief history of U.S.-Iranian relations reveals everything about who should be distrustful of whom.
In 1953, the CIA overthrew Iran’s democratically elected government and installed the Shah, a brutal dictator who proceeded to establish one of the worst human rights records of the era. Following the Iranian Revolution in 1979, which deposed the Shah, Washington turned its favor to another brutal dictator in the region: Saddam Hussein, who received U.S. aid throughout the Iran-Iraq War. Ever since the revolution, the U.S. has imposed various sanctions on Iran. And most recently, we launched major military operations in two of Iran’s neighboring states, further destabilizing the region and threatening Iran’s own safety.
But in the eyes of U.S. commentary, Iran remains the supreme evil. It’s instructive, for instance, that without any irony or self-awareness we charge Iran with interfering in the Iraq War – a war we instigated from the other side of the world, against massive international protest, on Iran’s doorstep. Actually, Iran’s involvement in the Iraq conflict has necessarily increased with the growing threat of ISIS, a group that only exists because of the immense power vacuum and destabilization caused by the U.S. invasion.
With all the trouble Washington causes in and around Iranian borders, it’s a wonder Tehran has as much restraint as it does. Iran has launched zero invasions in modern history."
America’s silent-but-deadly billionaires: How our tight-lipped overlords are waging stealth campaigns against the middle class
America’s silent-but-deadly billionaires: How our tight-lipped overlords are waging stealth campaigns against the middle class
"The United States also needs a robust public financing system, which would allow for more small donor democracy. According to Brian Schaffner, the average small donation (under $200) in 2012 was $85, meaning that to equal the $889 million the Koch Brothers plan to spend, it would take 10.5 million small donors."
"The United States also needs a robust public financing system, which would allow for more small donor democracy. According to Brian Schaffner, the average small donation (under $200) in 2012 was $85, meaning that to equal the $889 million the Koch Brothers plan to spend, it would take 10.5 million small donors."
Ted Cruz Thinks Employers Should Be Allowed To Deny Their Employees Paid Family Leave
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/09/02/3697995/ted-cruz-family-leave/
"These programs don’t end up costing businesses, and in fact in the states that have set them up, employers are supportive. In California, the vast majority report that paid leave has had either a positive impact or none at all on profitability, employee performance, and productivity, and it’s also helped reduce turnover. The majority in New Jersey say it hasn’t hurt their finances and has come with some of the same benefits."
"These programs don’t end up costing businesses, and in fact in the states that have set them up, employers are supportive. In California, the vast majority report that paid leave has had either a positive impact or none at all on profitability, employee performance, and productivity, and it’s also helped reduce turnover. The majority in New Jersey say it hasn’t hurt their finances and has come with some of the same benefits."
New Poll Shows The Right-Wing Base Loves Living In A Completely Deluded Fantasy Land
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/02/new-poll-shows-the-right-wing-base-loves-living-in-a-completely-deluded-fantasy-land/
"In a nutshell, the right-wing extremist embodies all that is ignorant about America. They’ve hijacked the words “patriot” and “freedom,” mobilizing them to support treason and secession. They’ve declared the Constitution to be their personal document, but only understand a single line each from the Second and Tenth Amendments, commonly misinterpreting them."
"In a nutshell, the right-wing extremist embodies all that is ignorant about America. They’ve hijacked the words “patriot” and “freedom,” mobilizing them to support treason and secession. They’ve declared the Constitution to be their personal document, but only understand a single line each from the Second and Tenth Amendments, commonly misinterpreting them."
Governors Have Collected Millions In Presidential Campaign Contributions From State Contractors
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/08/27/3695683/republican-governors-state-contractors/
"The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that campaigns and super PACs supporting Christie, Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) together have raised at least $2.5 million in donations from companies with state contracts or taxpayer subsidies in their states."
"The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that campaigns and super PACs supporting Christie, Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) together have raised at least $2.5 million in donations from companies with state contracts or taxpayer subsidies in their states."
5 Quotes From Teddy Roosevelt That Exemplify What It Means To Be A Progressive
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/08/31/3694934/teddy-roosevelt-progressive-environmentalsim-patriot/
"Yes, the famous Republican President Teddy Roosevelt would be what modern conservatives typically label a socialist tree-hugger."
"Yes, the famous Republican President Teddy Roosevelt would be what modern conservatives typically label a socialist tree-hugger."
Boehner And McConnell Rocked As Republican Disapproval Hits A Record High
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/08/31/boehner-mcconnell-rocked-republican-disapproval-hits-record-high.html
"Republicans have long treated the American people like they are not paying attention, but results like this demonstrate that while the vast majority of American voters don’t follow the day to day details of politics, they have a general sense of what is going on.
If Boehner and McConnell believe that they can survive a government shutdown by blaming President Obama, they are in for a big surprise. A Republican-caused government shutdown could be the tipping point where a fed up electorate takes control of the Senate away from the Republican Party."
"Republicans have long treated the American people like they are not paying attention, but results like this demonstrate that while the vast majority of American voters don’t follow the day to day details of politics, they have a general sense of what is going on.
If Boehner and McConnell believe that they can survive a government shutdown by blaming President Obama, they are in for a big surprise. A Republican-caused government shutdown could be the tipping point where a fed up electorate takes control of the Senate away from the Republican Party."
Conservatives Are Waiting For Their Shot At Dismantling The New Deal
Conservatives Are Waiting For Their Shot At Dismantling The New Deal
"If one of these justices retires under a Republican president, who then appoints a Lochnerian to fill the vacancy, it will change the Court profoundly. If more than one of them steps down, the Court will become unrecognizable."
"If one of these justices retires under a Republican president, who then appoints a Lochnerian to fill the vacancy, it will change the Court profoundly. If more than one of them steps down, the Court will become unrecognizable."
Our Roads and Bridges are Crumbling, Yet GOP Wants to Build Walls Blocking Mexico and Canada
Our Roads and Bridges are Crumbling, Yet GOP Wants to Build Walls Blocking Mexico and Canada
"The American Society of Civil Engineers has estimated that the United States will require approximately $1.7 trillion worth of repairs to infrastructure by the year 2020.
That’s not going to happen if the GOP gets its way and we’re wasting our time and money on a bunch of walls we don’t need."
"The American Society of Civil Engineers has estimated that the United States will require approximately $1.7 trillion worth of repairs to infrastructure by the year 2020.
That’s not going to happen if the GOP gets its way and we’re wasting our time and money on a bunch of walls we don’t need."
Unemployment Rate Under Obama Is Now Lower Than Ronald Reagan Ever Achieved (IMAGE/VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/05/unemployment-rate-under-obama-is-now-lower-than-ronald-reagan-ever-achieved-imagevideo/
"Instead of talking about the unemployment rate, they’re trying to confuse the matter by pointing out that the labor-force participation rate (LFPR) is at its lowest level since 1977, at 62.6%.
This is misleading.
The LFPR has been steadily declining all throughout the Bush years. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in 2012 concluded that at least half of this decrease comes from the retirement of baby boomers. This was expected and is what’s referred to as a structural change – not indicative of a weak economy at all. Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist at Glassdoor, echoes this same sentiment along with the fact that more Americans are now choosing to receive an education."
"Instead of talking about the unemployment rate, they’re trying to confuse the matter by pointing out that the labor-force participation rate (LFPR) is at its lowest level since 1977, at 62.6%.
This is misleading.
The LFPR has been steadily declining all throughout the Bush years. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in 2012 concluded that at least half of this decrease comes from the retirement of baby boomers. This was expected and is what’s referred to as a structural change – not indicative of a weak economy at all. Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist at Glassdoor, echoes this same sentiment along with the fact that more Americans are now choosing to receive an education."
Obama Shatters Republican Fantasies By Posting Lower Unemployment Numbers Than Reagan
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/09/05/obama-shatters-republican-fantasies-posting-unemployment-numbers-reagan.html
"Before Republicans start scrambling for excuses, Yglesias pointed out that labor participation is lower now than when Reagan was in office, but that is due to the fact that the United States is an older country that has more retired people than when Reagan was in office. Labor participation rates have been dropping for decades so blaming Obama for decreasing labor participation rate is both false and disingenuous.
In 2011, President Obama became the biggest tax cutter in history, “Beneath all of the Republican and Tea Party grumbling about taxes, one key fact continues to be ignored. According to the Tax Policy Center, Federal taxes are lower than at any time since 1955. Obama has now reduced taxes by more than any president since Dwight D. Eisenhower.”
President Obama’s 2009 stimulus was the single biggest tax cut in US history:
The Obama tax cut is $282 billion which is larger than the tax cuts of Ronald Reagan, JFK, and George W. Bush. Even worse, Republicans voted against it.
According to the Wall Street Journal, George W. Bush’s first tax cut in 2001 was $174 billion. His second tax cut in 2004 and 2005 was $231 billion. As Steven Waldman of Beliefnet pointed out last week, Obama has kept a campaign promise to cut taxes that few Republicans thought he would keep."
"Before Republicans start scrambling for excuses, Yglesias pointed out that labor participation is lower now than when Reagan was in office, but that is due to the fact that the United States is an older country that has more retired people than when Reagan was in office. Labor participation rates have been dropping for decades so blaming Obama for decreasing labor participation rate is both false and disingenuous.
In 2011, President Obama became the biggest tax cutter in history, “Beneath all of the Republican and Tea Party grumbling about taxes, one key fact continues to be ignored. According to the Tax Policy Center, Federal taxes are lower than at any time since 1955. Obama has now reduced taxes by more than any president since Dwight D. Eisenhower.”
President Obama’s 2009 stimulus was the single biggest tax cut in US history:
The Obama tax cut is $282 billion which is larger than the tax cuts of Ronald Reagan, JFK, and George W. Bush. Even worse, Republicans voted against it.
According to the Wall Street Journal, George W. Bush’s first tax cut in 2001 was $174 billion. His second tax cut in 2004 and 2005 was $231 billion. As Steven Waldman of Beliefnet pointed out last week, Obama has kept a campaign promise to cut taxes that few Republicans thought he would keep."
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Paranoid history of the GOP: How conspiracy theories poisoned the Republican Party
Paranoid history of the GOP: How conspiracy theories poisoned the Republican Party
"conspiracism is virtually all the GOP has left"
"conspiracism is virtually all the GOP has left"
PERRspectives: Economists Warn of GOP Threat to U.S. Economy
PERRspectives: Economists Warn of GOP Threat to U.S. Economy
"it's not the instability of Chinese stock prices, the devaluation of its currency, the Eurozone's Greek tragedy or even a premature Fed interest rate hike that has WSJ's economists so concerned. Instead, the fear is that the GOP-controlled Congress will once again precipitate a fiscal crisis this fall."
"it's not the instability of Chinese stock prices, the devaluation of its currency, the Eurozone's Greek tragedy or even a premature Fed interest rate hike that has WSJ's economists so concerned. Instead, the fear is that the GOP-controlled Congress will once again precipitate a fiscal crisis this fall."
Republicans Actually DO Like Obama’s Ideas…When They Think They’re Trump’s: Poll (IMAGES)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/03/republicans-actually-do-like-obamas-ideas-when-they-think-theyre-trumps-poll-images/
"One thing that we should learn from this is that it is important to pay close attention to the details of an idea rather than the person supporting or opposing it."
"One thing that we should learn from this is that it is important to pay close attention to the details of an idea rather than the person supporting or opposing it."
Consumer Reports calls latest Tesla best vehicle they've ever tested, right wing goes nuts
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/08/31/1417018/-Consumer-Reports-calls-latest-Tesla-best-vehicle-they-ve-ever-tested-right-wing-goes-nuts
"In other words, today's Tesla supercar is tomorrow's mid-range commuter. Tesla is building out technology for well-heeled early adopters that will (in three years, if anyone believes Tesla timetables anymore) soon be available in more affordable mass-market cars. For those of us hoping for a transition to clean transportation, this is pretty exciting stuff, and Tesla is proving that electric cars aren't golf-cart equivalents. Rather, they are better than the gas-powered supercars of today.
Which is all great news! Well, unless you are conservative and have a bug up your ass about clean air and renewable fuels that would eliminate dependence on petroleum from regressive regimes and lessen the need for wars. For those people, Consumer Reports now has a liberal agenda to destroy freedom."
"In other words, today's Tesla supercar is tomorrow's mid-range commuter. Tesla is building out technology for well-heeled early adopters that will (in three years, if anyone believes Tesla timetables anymore) soon be available in more affordable mass-market cars. For those of us hoping for a transition to clean transportation, this is pretty exciting stuff, and Tesla is proving that electric cars aren't golf-cart equivalents. Rather, they are better than the gas-powered supercars of today.
Which is all great news! Well, unless you are conservative and have a bug up your ass about clean air and renewable fuels that would eliminate dependence on petroleum from regressive regimes and lessen the need for wars. For those people, Consumer Reports now has a liberal agenda to destroy freedom."
4 Charts That Prove Just How Successful President Obama Has Been
4 Charts That Prove Just How Successful President Obama Has Been
"With Republicans, it really is more like cult-like propaganda than normal, every day political rhetoric. It’s become so bad that indisputable facts have suddenly become “opinions” simply because they don’t want to believe in them."
"With Republicans, it really is more like cult-like propaganda than normal, every day political rhetoric. It’s become so bad that indisputable facts have suddenly become “opinions” simply because they don’t want to believe in them."
Thanks To President Obama The US Leads The World in Economic Growth
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/08/28/thanks-obama-leads-world-economic-growth.html
"While the president is not solely responsible for a nation’s economic health, Barack Obama has presided over 65 consecutive months of private sector job growth. 13 million new jobs have been added during his tenure in the White House.
If a Republican president were in office under similar conditions, pundits at Fox News and the GOP members of Congress would be shouting from the roof tops daily about how the “Republican savior” in the White House was making the economy hum along. They might even say the president was “making America great again”, to borrow a phrase from the Republican candidate currently leading in the presidential polls.
The bottom line is that while the economies of other developed nations are struggling to grow, the U.S. economy is moving forward at a healthy clip."
"While the president is not solely responsible for a nation’s economic health, Barack Obama has presided over 65 consecutive months of private sector job growth. 13 million new jobs have been added during his tenure in the White House.
If a Republican president were in office under similar conditions, pundits at Fox News and the GOP members of Congress would be shouting from the roof tops daily about how the “Republican savior” in the White House was making the economy hum along. They might even say the president was “making America great again”, to borrow a phrase from the Republican candidate currently leading in the presidential polls.
The bottom line is that while the economies of other developed nations are struggling to grow, the U.S. economy is moving forward at a healthy clip."
More Bad News for Coal Country as Common Byproduct Found to be Radioactive
More Bad News for Coal Country as Common Byproduct Found to be Radioactive
"Coal ash, a common and unregulated byproduct of coal-fired power plants, has been found to contain high levels of radioactive contaminants, placing at great risk the countless number of people who live near such dumps—including the thousands of North Carolina residents affected by the 2014 Dan River spill."
"Coal ash, a common and unregulated byproduct of coal-fired power plants, has been found to contain high levels of radioactive contaminants, placing at great risk the countless number of people who live near such dumps—including the thousands of North Carolina residents affected by the 2014 Dan River spill."
'Big Moment' for California as Assembly Votes to Divest From Dirty Coal
'Big Moment' for California as Assembly Votes to Divest From Dirty Coal
"In a significant victory for the fossil fuel divestment movement, the California Assembly on Wednesday passed a bill requiring the state's two pension systems, CalPERS and CalSTRS, to release their holdings from coal investments."
"In a significant victory for the fossil fuel divestment movement, the California Assembly on Wednesday passed a bill requiring the state's two pension systems, CalPERS and CalSTRS, to release their holdings from coal investments."
General Mills Takes Climate Change Seriously Because You Can’t Make Wheaties Without Wheat
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/08/31/3696953/general-mills-climate-emissions-reduction-plan/
"On Monday, General Mills — the sixth-largest food company in the world — announced plans to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 28 percent by 2025.
The announcement comes at a time when a growing number of major food companies are pledging to take more steps to encourage sustainability throughout their businesses. But General Mills’ plan is slightly unique, because it seeks to reduce carbon emissions throughout the company’s entire supply chain, from farm to landfill — a first for major food companies."
"On Monday, General Mills — the sixth-largest food company in the world — announced plans to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 28 percent by 2025.
The announcement comes at a time when a growing number of major food companies are pledging to take more steps to encourage sustainability throughout their businesses. But General Mills’ plan is slightly unique, because it seeks to reduce carbon emissions throughout the company’s entire supply chain, from farm to landfill — a first for major food companies."
On Taking Climate Action, Even Wall Street Asks: 'Why Would You Not?'
On Taking Climate Action, Even Wall Street Asks: 'Why Would You Not?'
"Fortunately, the report finds that taking action to cut carbon pollution and slow global warming by investing in energy efficiency and renewable power generation would result in a positive return on investment, ultimately saving trillions of dollars."
"Fortunately, the report finds that taking action to cut carbon pollution and slow global warming by investing in energy efficiency and renewable power generation would result in a positive return on investment, ultimately saving trillions of dollars."
Thanks to Industrial Pollution, 90 Percent of Seabirds Have Plastic in Guts
Thanks to Industrial Pollution, 90 Percent of Seabirds Have Plastic in Guts
"Seabirds are particularly vulnerable to plastic ingestion due to their habits of eating floating particles that they mistake for fish eggs"
"Seabirds are particularly vulnerable to plastic ingestion due to their habits of eating floating particles that they mistake for fish eggs"
Big Bank Says It’s Going To Cost A Lot To Do Nothing On Global Warming
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/08/31/3696952/climate-action-costs-less-than-inaction-citibank-says/
"A new report from Citibank found that acting on climate change by investing in low-carbon energy would save the world $1.8 trillion through 2040, as compared to a business-as-usual scenario. In addition, not acting will cost an additional $44 trillion by 2060 from the “negative effects” of climate change."
"A new report from Citibank found that acting on climate change by investing in low-carbon energy would save the world $1.8 trillion through 2040, as compared to a business-as-usual scenario. In addition, not acting will cost an additional $44 trillion by 2060 from the “negative effects” of climate change."
Report: Extravagant CEO Pay Packages Are Fostering Planet's Destruction
Report: Extravagant CEO Pay Packages Are Fostering Planet's Destruction
"the complex cycle in which corporate bosses are given "enormous personal financial incentive" to promote the development of fossil fuels, which in turn allows them to donate ever-increasing funds to lobbyists and lawmakers who promote climate denial policies."
"the complex cycle in which corporate bosses are given "enormous personal financial incentive" to promote the development of fossil fuels, which in turn allows them to donate ever-increasing funds to lobbyists and lawmakers who promote climate denial policies."
How Charles Koch Prevents Clean Energy Businesses From Succeeding
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/32615-how-charles-koch-prevents-clean-energy-businesses-from-succeeding
"the Kochs use their political influence and funding for efforts to repeal laws designed to support the deployment of more renewable electricity. Specifically, their political network's agenda includes weakening renewable energy standards, preventing customers from installing solar panels (by charging fees on people that go solar), and protecting the government monopolized electric utilities.
The facts are indisputable."
"the Kochs use their political influence and funding for efforts to repeal laws designed to support the deployment of more renewable electricity. Specifically, their political network's agenda includes weakening renewable energy standards, preventing customers from installing solar panels (by charging fees on people that go solar), and protecting the government monopolized electric utilities.
The facts are indisputable."
PERRspectives: Cheney: Congress Should Have No Say in President's Iran Policy
PERRspectives: Cheney: Congress Should Have No Say in President's Iran Policy
"For Cheney, of course, not all presidents are created equal. Once upon a time, he furiously condemned Congressional interference with the President's policy towards Iran. Condemned it, that is, provided the President was not Barack Obama but Ronald Reagan and the issue wasn't limiting Iran's arsenal, but enhancing it."
"For Cheney, of course, not all presidents are created equal. Once upon a time, he furiously condemned Congressional interference with the President's policy towards Iran. Condemned it, that is, provided the President was not Barack Obama but Ronald Reagan and the issue wasn't limiting Iran's arsenal, but enhancing it."
Tom Cotton’s endless war: What his ongoing crusade against the Iran deal says about the GOP
Tom Cotton’s endless war: What his ongoing crusade against the Iran deal says about the GOP
"This single-mindedness makes him either a dangerous ideologue or the Senate’s equivalent of Mr. Magoo, blindly but confidently stumbling from his own little world into reality over and over and over again, without ever being affected in his attitudes and opinions.
Take his famous letter to the leaders of Iran. Back in March, just two months into his first term in the Senate, Cotton convinced 46 of his Republican colleagues to sign one of the most ill-considered diplomatic correspondences since the Zimmerman telegram. In the letter, Cotton helpfully explained to the Iranian mullahs that there was no point in their agreeing to a nuclear arms control agreement with President Obama because any such deal will get tossed in the garbage as soon as a Republican is back in the White House. And indeed, multiple contenders for the GOP nomination for 2016 have promised to tear up the deal their first day in office, which would be more of a concern if any of them had a prayer in hell of being elected.
Cotton’s letter led to widespread condemnation from the White House, Democrats in Congress, even a few Republicans. Some of the Senators who signed it immediately distanced themselves by saying they had read and signed it in haste, which does not exactly inspire confidence in the World’s Greatest Deliberative Body but does lead one to wonder what else we could fool these guys into signing. Someone please draft the Free Beer for Life for All Americans Act of 2015 and put it in front of the Senate Republicans, chop-chop.
The letter also led to one of the great moments in, as the kids call it, pwning. When the foreign minister of Iran knows more about how America’s Constitution works than you, an elected representative of America, it’s perhaps incumbent on you to examine your life choices.
Which brings us to this week’s trip to Israel and Cotton’s continued very public attempts to undermine the Obama administration as it works to secure Congressional support for the Iran deal. No one disputes that there is a role for Congress in shaping foreign policy. Although particularly in the decision about whether or not to wage war, it is a role that the legislative branch has ceded to the executive more and more over the last few decades. But there is also an old saw that politics stops at the water’s edge, which legislators have long taken to mean that they will not travel overseas to visibly undercut a president’s policies with the leaders of foreign nations. Like so many of the old political norms, it has long since gone out the window in our highly polarized era. And Tom Cotton is the purest distillation of this conflict, a bathtub of the most blindness-inducing moonshine in the national still."
"This single-mindedness makes him either a dangerous ideologue or the Senate’s equivalent of Mr. Magoo, blindly but confidently stumbling from his own little world into reality over and over and over again, without ever being affected in his attitudes and opinions.
Take his famous letter to the leaders of Iran. Back in March, just two months into his first term in the Senate, Cotton convinced 46 of his Republican colleagues to sign one of the most ill-considered diplomatic correspondences since the Zimmerman telegram. In the letter, Cotton helpfully explained to the Iranian mullahs that there was no point in their agreeing to a nuclear arms control agreement with President Obama because any such deal will get tossed in the garbage as soon as a Republican is back in the White House. And indeed, multiple contenders for the GOP nomination for 2016 have promised to tear up the deal their first day in office, which would be more of a concern if any of them had a prayer in hell of being elected.
Cotton’s letter led to widespread condemnation from the White House, Democrats in Congress, even a few Republicans. Some of the Senators who signed it immediately distanced themselves by saying they had read and signed it in haste, which does not exactly inspire confidence in the World’s Greatest Deliberative Body but does lead one to wonder what else we could fool these guys into signing. Someone please draft the Free Beer for Life for All Americans Act of 2015 and put it in front of the Senate Republicans, chop-chop.
The letter also led to one of the great moments in, as the kids call it, pwning. When the foreign minister of Iran knows more about how America’s Constitution works than you, an elected representative of America, it’s perhaps incumbent on you to examine your life choices.
Which brings us to this week’s trip to Israel and Cotton’s continued very public attempts to undermine the Obama administration as it works to secure Congressional support for the Iran deal. No one disputes that there is a role for Congress in shaping foreign policy. Although particularly in the decision about whether or not to wage war, it is a role that the legislative branch has ceded to the executive more and more over the last few decades. But there is also an old saw that politics stops at the water’s edge, which legislators have long taken to mean that they will not travel overseas to visibly undercut a president’s policies with the leaders of foreign nations. Like so many of the old political norms, it has long since gone out the window in our highly polarized era. And Tom Cotton is the purest distillation of this conflict, a bathtub of the most blindness-inducing moonshine in the national still."
Traitor Cotton To Obama: You’re Not My President, I Take Orders From Netanyahu
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/traitor-cotton-to-obama-youre-not-my-president-i-take-orders-from-netanyahu/
"Cotton, absent of any punishment for his actions, has doubled down, not only conspiring with other lawmakers to sabotage an international peace deal — but now with a foreign power. We have a word for working in collusion with a foreign power to damage the operation of our government — treason."
"Cotton, absent of any punishment for his actions, has doubled down, not only conspiring with other lawmakers to sabotage an international peace deal — but now with a foreign power. We have a word for working in collusion with a foreign power to damage the operation of our government — treason."
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