http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/05/12/pope-francis-warns-the-rich-and-powerful-to-protect-the-planet-or-suffer-gods-wrath/
"And it’s not the first time Pope Francis has knocked conservatives. Since becoming the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has slammed conservatives for waging a vicious war against the poor and their support of vulture capitalism as the driving force of the economy. He has also referred to ideologically obsessed Christians as an “illness.” As we all know, conservative “Christians” are completely obsessed with religious fundamentalism, but often ignore the parts of the Bible that go against their philosophy of hating poor people and being good planetary stewards."
Sunday, May 17, 2015
This Billionaire Tried To Get University Scientists Fired For Doing Their Job
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/05/16/3659750/oil-billionaire-fracking-earthquakes/
"Despite a growing body of scientific research connecting oil and gas activity to a dramatic spike in earthquakes across several U.S. states, some industry leaders are fighting this characterization. Harold Hamm, billionaire CEO of Oklahoma City-based Continental Resources, told a dean at the University of Oklahoma last year that he was so displeased by the university’s research on the topic that he wanted certain scientists dismissed, Bloomberg News reported."
"Despite a growing body of scientific research connecting oil and gas activity to a dramatic spike in earthquakes across several U.S. states, some industry leaders are fighting this characterization. Harold Hamm, billionaire CEO of Oklahoma City-based Continental Resources, told a dean at the University of Oklahoma last year that he was so displeased by the university’s research on the topic that he wanted certain scientists dismissed, Bloomberg News reported."
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Sanders and Warren Sign Letter Urging Obama to Get Behind 'Fight for $15' Movement
Sanders and Warren Sign Letter Urging Obama to Get Behind 'Fight for $15' Movement
"In a letter sent to the White House on Friday, Sen. Bernie Sanders joined Sen. Elizabeth Warren and other Senate Democrats in urging President Obama to escalate his support for struggling Americans and get behind the 'Fight for $15' movement, which has galvanized low-paid workers across the nation in a collective call for better treatment by employers, the right to unionize, and a living wage.
Asking Obama to go further than his previous endorsement of raising the federal minimum wage from its current $7.25 to $10.10— and praising a previous executive order issued by the president which raised the hourly pay for federal contract workers—the letter said the ongoing plight of workers and their families across the country demands even more bold action."
"In a letter sent to the White House on Friday, Sen. Bernie Sanders joined Sen. Elizabeth Warren and other Senate Democrats in urging President Obama to escalate his support for struggling Americans and get behind the 'Fight for $15' movement, which has galvanized low-paid workers across the nation in a collective call for better treatment by employers, the right to unionize, and a living wage.
Asking Obama to go further than his previous endorsement of raising the federal minimum wage from its current $7.25 to $10.10— and praising a previous executive order issued by the president which raised the hourly pay for federal contract workers—the letter said the ongoing plight of workers and their families across the country demands even more bold action."
Ohio Students Push Back Against Latest Attempts To Keep Them From The Polls
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/05/14/3658561/ohio-college-voting/
"Since the last presidential election, Republicans in Ohio have made repeated efforts to make it harder for students in the state to vote, including eliminating early voting and registration periods and enacting others barriers that keep young people, African Americans and Latinos away from the polls."
"Since the last presidential election, Republicans in Ohio have made repeated efforts to make it harder for students in the state to vote, including eliminating early voting and registration periods and enacting others barriers that keep young people, African Americans and Latinos away from the polls."
UPDATED: Board of Elections data reveal voter registration irregularities under NC Gov. Pat McCrory
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/07/1382846/-BREAKING-Board-of-Elections-data-reveal-voter-registration-irregularities-under-NC-Gov-Pat-McCrory
"Today, North Carolina's voter registration rolls are missing some 40,000 or more poverty-level citizens (and still counting), due to what may prove to be systematic actions by the McCrory administration, in possible violation of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993."
"Today, North Carolina's voter registration rolls are missing some 40,000 or more poverty-level citizens (and still counting), due to what may prove to be systematic actions by the McCrory administration, in possible violation of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993."
Rick Scott Caught Red-Handed Lying About Health Care Again While Poor Floridians Suffer
Rick Scott Caught Red-Handed Lying About Health Care Again While Poor Floridians Suffer
"This is a man who was once so incompetent that he signed a bill that essentially banned all computers in his state."
"This is a man who was once so incompetent that he signed a bill that essentially banned all computers in his state."
A Fraternity of Failure: Paul Krugman On How Neocon Ideology Rewards Being Wrong | Alternet
A Fraternity of Failure: Paul Krugman On How Neocon Ideology Rewards Being Wrong | Alternet
"Take a moment to savor the cowardice and vileness of that last remark. And, no, that’s not hyperbole. Mr. Bush is trying to hide behind the troops, pretending that any criticism of political leaders — especially, of course, his brother, the commander in chief — is an attack on the courage and patriotism of those who paid the price for their superiors’ mistakes. That’s sinking very low, and it tells us a lot more about the candidate’s character than any number of up-close-and-personal interviews."
"Take a moment to savor the cowardice and vileness of that last remark. And, no, that’s not hyperbole. Mr. Bush is trying to hide behind the troops, pretending that any criticism of political leaders — especially, of course, his brother, the commander in chief — is an attack on the courage and patriotism of those who paid the price for their superiors’ mistakes. That’s sinking very low, and it tells us a lot more about the candidate’s character than any number of up-close-and-personal interviews."
The Bush dynasty is crushing Jeb: How the GOP identity crisis is ruining this frontrunner’s chances
The Bush dynasty is crushing Jeb: How the GOP identity crisis is ruining this frontrunner’s chances
"The fact that it was his brother who negotiated the total exit from Iraq, which the Iraqi government insisted on keeping even though the Obama administration desperately tried to get them to renegotiate, is a little detail none of the Republicans want to own up to either."
"The fact that it was his brother who negotiated the total exit from Iraq, which the Iraqi government insisted on keeping even though the Obama administration desperately tried to get them to renegotiate, is a little detail none of the Republicans want to own up to either."
GOP’s alarming Iraq amnesia: Jeb Bush, WMDs & the lies neocons want us to forget
GOP’s alarming Iraq amnesia: Jeb Bush, WMDs & the lies neocons want us to forget
"The Cheney-Wolfowitz-Rumsfeld faction saw an Iraq invasion as a brilliant stage on which to enact all of their geopolitical goals: It was a chance to replace a Middle East adversary with an ally; to ease our reliance on Saudi Arabia for defense and for oil, and to develop a strategic counterweight to Iran. It was also an opportunity to declare the U.S. would wage pre-emptive war, to showcase our military might in the aftermath of 9/11, and to shore up Cheney’s doctrine of vast, presidential power. The WMD argument was either just one of many concerns, or an outright fabrication."
"The Cheney-Wolfowitz-Rumsfeld faction saw an Iraq invasion as a brilliant stage on which to enact all of their geopolitical goals: It was a chance to replace a Middle East adversary with an ally; to ease our reliance on Saudi Arabia for defense and for oil, and to develop a strategic counterweight to Iran. It was also an opportunity to declare the U.S. would wage pre-emptive war, to showcase our military might in the aftermath of 9/11, and to shore up Cheney’s doctrine of vast, presidential power. The WMD argument was either just one of many concerns, or an outright fabrication."
Friday, May 15, 2015
Jon Stewart Rips Jeb Bush’s Stupidity: Stop ‘Playing Deaf and Hiding Behind the Troops’ (Video)
Jon Stewart Rips Jeb Bush’s Stupidity: Stop ‘Playing Deaf and Hiding Behind the Troops’ (Video)
"Aside from the fact that he seems to be surrounding himself with many of the same people his brother did during his catastrophic eight years in the White House, Jeb also seems to possess the inability to avoid making an absolute fool out of himself whenever the national spotlight is on him."
"Aside from the fact that he seems to be surrounding himself with many of the same people his brother did during his catastrophic eight years in the White House, Jeb also seems to possess the inability to avoid making an absolute fool out of himself whenever the national spotlight is on him."
College Student Contradicts Jeb Bush And Ruins His Day
College Student Contradicts Jeb Bush And Ruins His Day
"A 19-year old college student armed with facts undid him, and it will happen again, and again, and again."
"A 19-year old college student armed with facts undid him, and it will happen again, and again, and again."
Fact Bomb Obliterates Republicans: Obamacare Helps 137 Million Americans Save Money
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/14/fact-bomb-obliterates-republicans-obamacare-helps-137-million-americans-save-money.html
"New data released today blew the Republican anti-Obamacare argument to smithereens as 137 million Americans are saving money due to the ACA’s free preventative services.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services:
Nationwide, about 137 million individuals, including 55 million women and 28 million children, have private health insurance that covers recommended preventive services without cost sharing, according to a new ASPE Data Point from the Department of Health and Human Services. Under the Affordable Care Act, most health plans are required to provide coverage for recommended preventive health care services without copays. Increased access to preventive services can reduce and prevent costly chronic diseases and help Americans live healthier lives. These services include but are not limited to:
* Blood pressure screening *Well-baby and well-child visits
* Obesity screening and counseling * Flu vaccination and other immunizations
* Well-woman visits *Tobacco cessation interventions
* Domestic violence screening and counseling * Vision screening for children
* Breastfeeding support and supplies *HIV screening
* FDA-approved contraceptive methods *Depression screening"
"New data released today blew the Republican anti-Obamacare argument to smithereens as 137 million Americans are saving money due to the ACA’s free preventative services.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services:
Nationwide, about 137 million individuals, including 55 million women and 28 million children, have private health insurance that covers recommended preventive services without cost sharing, according to a new ASPE Data Point from the Department of Health and Human Services. Under the Affordable Care Act, most health plans are required to provide coverage for recommended preventive health care services without copays. Increased access to preventive services can reduce and prevent costly chronic diseases and help Americans live healthier lives. These services include but are not limited to:
* Blood pressure screening *Well-baby and well-child visits
* Obesity screening and counseling * Flu vaccination and other immunizations
* Well-woman visits *Tobacco cessation interventions
* Domestic violence screening and counseling * Vision screening for children
* Breastfeeding support and supplies *HIV screening
* FDA-approved contraceptive methods *Depression screening"
CEO-to-Worker Pay Rises to a Ratio of 373-1, AFL-CIO Finds
CEO-to-Worker Pay Rises to a Ratio of 373-1, AFL-CIO Finds
"The pay disparity between the top corporate earners and the workers is shameless. And the US taxpayer is actually subsidizing the profits of large corporations such as Walmart; we're paying for the survival programs that underpaid employees must turn to for support. Without these crucial programs, many employees would not have enough money to put food on the table.
In fact, Walmart depends on government programs in multiple ways."
"The pay disparity between the top corporate earners and the workers is shameless. And the US taxpayer is actually subsidizing the profits of large corporations such as Walmart; we're paying for the survival programs that underpaid employees must turn to for support. Without these crucial programs, many employees would not have enough money to put food on the table.
In fact, Walmart depends on government programs in multiple ways."
Bernie Sanders Schools Foolish Rand Paul For Supporting Elder Abuse And Neglect
http://www.liberalamerica.org/2015/05/13/bernie-sanders-schools-foolish-rand-paul-supporting-elder-abuse-neglect/
"When you listen to Sanders’ arguments for this program and Paul’s “counter points,” it’s almost comedic how cold-hearted and ideological Paul is. It was like watching a movie with a republican caricature rather than a real person."
"When you listen to Sanders’ arguments for this program and Paul’s “counter points,” it’s almost comedic how cold-hearted and ideological Paul is. It was like watching a movie with a republican caricature rather than a real person."
Cuba's Lung Cancer Vaccine On Its Way To U.S. -- Thanks, Obama!
Cuba's Lung Cancer Vaccine On Its Way To U.S. -- Thanks, Obama!
"USA Today
Closer American ties with one of the world's major cigar exporters could actually be good news in the fight against lung cancer. Cuba has developed Cimavax, an effective lung cancer vaccine, and American researchers can now finally get their hands on it, reports Wired.
After New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo visited Cuba for a trade mission last month, the Buffalo-based Roswell Park Cancer Institute struck a deal with Havana's Center of Molecular Immunology to develop a vaccine, allowing clinical trials involving Cimavax to begin in the US, Bloomberg reports."
"USA Today
Closer American ties with one of the world's major cigar exporters could actually be good news in the fight against lung cancer. Cuba has developed Cimavax, an effective lung cancer vaccine, and American researchers can now finally get their hands on it, reports Wired.
After New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo visited Cuba for a trade mission last month, the Buffalo-based Roswell Park Cancer Institute struck a deal with Havana's Center of Molecular Immunology to develop a vaccine, allowing clinical trials involving Cimavax to begin in the US, Bloomberg reports."
House Republicans pass $612 billion defense funding bill that skirts budget caps for war
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/15/1385001/-House-Republicans-pass-612-billion-defense-funding-bill-that-skirts-budget-caps-for-war
"House Republicans found a way to bypass the budget caps of sequestration by adding an extra $89 billion in "emergency war-fighting" to their $612 billion bill to fund the Department of Defense. The legislation passed 269-151 with most Democrats opposing it, and the White House has threatened to veto it over the funding gimmick."
"House Republicans found a way to bypass the budget caps of sequestration by adding an extra $89 billion in "emergency war-fighting" to their $612 billion bill to fund the Department of Defense. The legislation passed 269-151 with most Democrats opposing it, and the White House has threatened to veto it over the funding gimmick."
Paul Ryan Lies About Amtrak Funding With A Straight Face
Paul Ryan Lies About Amtrak Funding With A Straight Face
"Ryan said,
"We need to find out what went wrong with Amtrak."
THAT IS COMPLETELY FALSE! We know exactly what happened: the very same Positive Train Control (PTC) measure that was necessary to prevent such accidents from happening was NOT INSTALLED because Republicans like YOU made sure it died in Congress. Signed into law in October , the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 required PTC technology on all of the nation’s rails by Dec. 15, 2015. Obviously, it was not a priority to get that implemented immediately because the previous accidents didn't have a high enough body count necessary for the GOP to act responsibly."
"Ryan said,
"We need to find out what went wrong with Amtrak."
THAT IS COMPLETELY FALSE! We know exactly what happened: the very same Positive Train Control (PTC) measure that was necessary to prevent such accidents from happening was NOT INSTALLED because Republicans like YOU made sure it died in Congress. Signed into law in October , the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 required PTC technology on all of the nation’s rails by Dec. 15, 2015. Obviously, it was not a priority to get that implemented immediately because the previous accidents didn't have a high enough body count necessary for the GOP to act responsibly."
Eight Amtrak Deaths Reveal How US Transportation Policy Has Derailed
Eight Amtrak Deaths Reveal How US Transportation Policy Has Derailed
"Most media and policy makers continue to overlook that US transportation policy, in general, has been derailed for years. As The Guardian points out, technology exists that might have prevented the Amtrak accident by automatically slowing the train down before the curve. In fact, The Guardian article charges that the US "lags behind rest of developed world on train safety." However, that is really only a small detail within the larger picture of mass transportation neglect in the US.
The implications of a nation whose politicians - backed by the fossil fuel industry and, literally, an auto-driven economy - disdain mass transportation (except for the for-profit airlines industry) are profound."
"Most media and policy makers continue to overlook that US transportation policy, in general, has been derailed for years. As The Guardian points out, technology exists that might have prevented the Amtrak accident by automatically slowing the train down before the curve. In fact, The Guardian article charges that the US "lags behind rest of developed world on train safety." However, that is really only a small detail within the larger picture of mass transportation neglect in the US.
The implications of a nation whose politicians - backed by the fossil fuel industry and, literally, an auto-driven economy - disdain mass transportation (except for the for-profit airlines industry) are profound."
John Boehner is stupid to claim that Amtrak crash had nothing to do with funding
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/15/1384978/-John-Boehner-is-stupid-to-claim-that-Amtrak-crash-had-nothing-to-do-with-funding
"PTC is expensive, and when the Federal Railroad Administration asked Congress for extra funding to install it, guess what happened. That's right, they didn't get it"
"PTC is expensive, and when the Federal Railroad Administration asked Congress for extra funding to install it, guess what happened. That's right, they didn't get it"
John Boehner Melts Down When Asked If Republican Cuts Played A Role In Amtrak Accident
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/14/john-boehner-melts-asked-republicans-cuts-played-role-amtrak-accident.html
"The NTSB disagrees with Speaker Boehner. CNN reported that the train that derailed did not have the latest safety technology, “A system known as positive train control likely would have stopped the train — which had been hurtling around the curve at more than 100 mph — from derailing, National Transportation Safety Board Member Robert Sumwalt told reporters.”
Amtrak doesn’t have the latest safety technology on all trains because they lack the funds to pay for such an expense. Amtrak lacks the funds because Republicans have been trying for years to kill and privatize Amtrak. Boehner only gave half of the answer while leaving out the part about Republican budget making the nation’s railway system less safe.
As usual with Boehner when the Speaker lacks facts, he flips out on the reporter who asked the question. There was nothing stupid about the question. The reality is that Republican budget cuts literally kill people.
No amount of yelling and theatrics from Speaker Boehner can hide the fact that the Republican refusal to properly fund infrastructure has life and death consequences for the nation’s travelers."
"The NTSB disagrees with Speaker Boehner. CNN reported that the train that derailed did not have the latest safety technology, “A system known as positive train control likely would have stopped the train — which had been hurtling around the curve at more than 100 mph — from derailing, National Transportation Safety Board Member Robert Sumwalt told reporters.”
Amtrak doesn’t have the latest safety technology on all trains because they lack the funds to pay for such an expense. Amtrak lacks the funds because Republicans have been trying for years to kill and privatize Amtrak. Boehner only gave half of the answer while leaving out the part about Republican budget making the nation’s railway system less safe.
As usual with Boehner when the Speaker lacks facts, he flips out on the reporter who asked the question. There was nothing stupid about the question. The reality is that Republican budget cuts literally kill people.
No amount of yelling and theatrics from Speaker Boehner can hide the fact that the Republican refusal to properly fund infrastructure has life and death consequences for the nation’s travelers."
Paul Ryan Went On Fox News To Defend Amtrak Safety Funding. It Didn’t Go Well.
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/05/14/3658757/paul-ryan-not-telling-truth-train-safety-funding/
"Paul Ryan (R-WI) incorrectly claimed that Congress had already funded implementing the safety system it mandated in 2008."
"Paul Ryan (R-WI) incorrectly claimed that Congress had already funded implementing the safety system it mandated in 2008."
Congress Has to Get Serious About Railroads and Infrastructure | The Nation
Congress Has to Get Serious About Railroads and Infrastructure | The Nation
"America’s “high-speed” rail lines are slow compared with those of the countries with which the United States chooses to compare itself. The schedules are unsteady. And, as the horrific crash of an Amtrak train in Philadelphia Tuesday night illustrated, safety concerns are on the rise."
"America’s “high-speed” rail lines are slow compared with those of the countries with which the United States chooses to compare itself. The schedules are unsteady. And, as the horrific crash of an Amtrak train in Philadelphia Tuesday night illustrated, safety concerns are on the rise."
GOP Cuts Needed Train Safety Subsidy After Train Derailment
http://samuel-warde.com/2015/05/gop-cuts-needed-train-safety-subsidy-after-train-derailment/
"According to officials, tracks, ties, electric wires, communications networks, major bridges and tunnels have outlived their “design life.” They need to be repaired and rebuilt in order to avoid tragedies precisely like this.
As a result of already insufficient financing, last month railroad experts estimated that it would cost an estimated $21.1 billion just to repair existing equipment and structures. That’s only to fix what they’ve got now. We’re not even talking about bullet trains, new stations, or expanding the rails to service more passengers.
And yet, the day after the crash, on Wednesday morning, the Republican majority on the House Appropriations Committee voted to cut Amtrak’s budget by about $260 million. Got that? The day after a train derailed, leaving seven people dead and 200 injured as a result of issues that may have been avoided, the GOP cut the funding that goes into making rail travel safe and possible."
"According to officials, tracks, ties, electric wires, communications networks, major bridges and tunnels have outlived their “design life.” They need to be repaired and rebuilt in order to avoid tragedies precisely like this.
As a result of already insufficient financing, last month railroad experts estimated that it would cost an estimated $21.1 billion just to repair existing equipment and structures. That’s only to fix what they’ve got now. We’re not even talking about bullet trains, new stations, or expanding the rails to service more passengers.
And yet, the day after the crash, on Wednesday morning, the Republican majority on the House Appropriations Committee voted to cut Amtrak’s budget by about $260 million. Got that? The day after a train derailed, leaving seven people dead and 200 injured as a result of issues that may have been avoided, the GOP cut the funding that goes into making rail travel safe and possible."
U.S. Taxpayers Subsidizing World's Biggest Fossil Fuel Companies | Alternet
U.S. Taxpayers Subsidizing World's Biggest Fossil Fuel Companies | Alternet
"Sanders, with representative Keith Ellison, recently proposed an End Polluter Welfare Act, which they say would cut $135bn of US subsidies for fossil fuel companies over the next decade. “Between 2010 and 2014, the oil, coal, gas, utility, and natural resource extraction industries spent $1.8bn on lobbying, much of it in defense of these giveaways,” according to Sanders and Ellison"
"Sanders, with representative Keith Ellison, recently proposed an End Polluter Welfare Act, which they say would cut $135bn of US subsidies for fossil fuel companies over the next decade. “Between 2010 and 2014, the oil, coal, gas, utility, and natural resource extraction industries spent $1.8bn on lobbying, much of it in defense of these giveaways,” according to Sanders and Ellison"
Massive Antarctic Ice Shelf Will Disappear Completely In A Few Years, According To NASA
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/05/15/3659338/antarctic-larsen-b-nasa-study/
"An Antarctic ice shelf roughly half the size of Rhode Island will disintegrate completely within the next few years, according to a NASA study released Thursday.
In 2002, two-thirds of the Larsen B Ice Shelf — which had been intact for more than 10,000 years — broke up in less than six weeks. The remaining portion of the ice shelf covers about 625 square miles along the Antarctic Peninsula, extending toward the southern tip of South America."
"An Antarctic ice shelf roughly half the size of Rhode Island will disintegrate completely within the next few years, according to a NASA study released Thursday.
In 2002, two-thirds of the Larsen B Ice Shelf — which had been intact for more than 10,000 years — broke up in less than six weeks. The remaining portion of the ice shelf covers about 625 square miles along the Antarctic Peninsula, extending toward the southern tip of South America."
You Just Lived Through The Earth’s Hottest January-April Since We Started Keeping Records
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/05/14/3658741/hottest-4-month-record/
"NASA reported Wednesday that this was the hottest four-month start (January to April) of any year on record. This was also the second-warmest April on record in NASA’s dataset."
"NASA reported Wednesday that this was the hottest four-month start (January to April) of any year on record. This was also the second-warmest April on record in NASA’s dataset."
House Passes Bill To Block EPA Proposal That Would Protect Millions Of Miles Of Streams
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/05/14/3658290/house-bill-blocks-waters-of-us-rule/
"The Republican-led House of Representatives passed a bill this week that would block a proposal by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to clarify what streams, tributaries and wetlands can be protected under the Clean Water Act."
"The Republican-led House of Representatives passed a bill this week that would block a proposal by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to clarify what streams, tributaries and wetlands can be protected under the Clean Water Act."
Enbridge Agrees To Pay $75 Million For Massive Kalamazoo River Tar Sands Spill
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/05/14/3658797/enbridge-kalamazoo-river-settlement/
"Canadian oil company Enbridge has agreed to pay $75 million for its role in a 2010 pipeline rupture that resulted in the largest inland oil spill in U.S. history."
"Canadian oil company Enbridge has agreed to pay $75 million for its role in a 2010 pipeline rupture that resulted in the largest inland oil spill in U.S. history."
Guilty as Charged: Duke Energy to Pay Record Fine for Coal Ash Crimes
Guilty as Charged: Duke Energy to Pay Record Fine for Coal Ash Crimes
"Duke Energy pleaded guilty on Thursday to environmental crimes and has agreed to pay a record $102 million in fines and restitution for years of illegal pollution, ignored warnings, and poorly maintained infrastructure."
"Duke Energy pleaded guilty on Thursday to environmental crimes and has agreed to pay a record $102 million in fines and restitution for years of illegal pollution, ignored warnings, and poorly maintained infrastructure."
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Our Decrepit Rail System Makes Another Amtrak Crash Likely
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/30783-our-decrepit-rail-system-makes-another-amtrak-crash-more-likely
"We need to what we did for hundreds of years before Reaganism infected our national discourse: seriously invest in our rail infrastructure.
Right now, we lag way behind countries like China, Switzerland and Austria.
That needs to change, and we should start by doubling our efforts to boost Amtrak and its Northeast Corridor, which is so important to our economy that if it stopped altogether, the country would lose almost $100 million every single day.
The problem, though, is that Republicans don't give a rat's patooey about improving our rail system - at least so long as it's not owned by some billionaire.
Right now, they're actually trying cut Amtrak funding by around 20 percent, from $1.4 billion to $1.13 billion, and some have actually called for the privatization of the Northeast Corridor.
The way they see it, since Amtrak isn't "making a profit," it's a waste of money.
This is a perfect example of Reaganism run amok. No transportation system "makes a profit"- our highways certainly don't - because that's not the point.
The point of having a national highway system or national rail system isn't to make money - it's to provide a service to the public and to provide a backbone for the economy to grow and prosper.
Infrastructure is just the soil in which business roots itself, and government spending is the best fertilizer.
That's what Republicans don't get about Amtrak.
Sometimes, throwing money at a problem is the way to fix it.
When your tracks are crumbling, your bridges are falling apart and your trains are dinosaurs from the 1970s, no magical privatization scheme is going to solve the problem."
"We need to what we did for hundreds of years before Reaganism infected our national discourse: seriously invest in our rail infrastructure.
Right now, we lag way behind countries like China, Switzerland and Austria.
That needs to change, and we should start by doubling our efforts to boost Amtrak and its Northeast Corridor, which is so important to our economy that if it stopped altogether, the country would lose almost $100 million every single day.
The problem, though, is that Republicans don't give a rat's patooey about improving our rail system - at least so long as it's not owned by some billionaire.
Right now, they're actually trying cut Amtrak funding by around 20 percent, from $1.4 billion to $1.13 billion, and some have actually called for the privatization of the Northeast Corridor.
The way they see it, since Amtrak isn't "making a profit," it's a waste of money.
This is a perfect example of Reaganism run amok. No transportation system "makes a profit"- our highways certainly don't - because that's not the point.
The point of having a national highway system or national rail system isn't to make money - it's to provide a service to the public and to provide a backbone for the economy to grow and prosper.
Infrastructure is just the soil in which business roots itself, and government spending is the best fertilizer.
That's what Republicans don't get about Amtrak.
Sometimes, throwing money at a problem is the way to fix it.
When your tracks are crumbling, your bridges are falling apart and your trains are dinosaurs from the 1970s, no magical privatization scheme is going to solve the problem."
After the Amtrak Crash, It’s Time to Get Serious About Transportation Infrastructure
http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/after-the-amtrak-crash-its-time-to-get-serious-about-transportation-infrastructure
"We do know that, for decades now, the United States has been allowing its public infrastructure to decay. In 2013, the American Society of Civil Engineers issued a report saying that it would take roughly $3.6 trillion worth of repairs and retrofitting merely to return the nation’s roads, railways, and airports to a safe and durable state. For example, about one in nine bridges in the U.S. were structurally deficient, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
And that’s just transportation infrastructure. Many of America’s schools, sewage systems, and parks could do with an upgrade, too. A couple of years ago, a survey by the World Economic Forum ranked the United States twenty-fifth globally in overall quality of infrastructure, behind such nations as Spain, Oman, and South Korea."
"We do know that, for decades now, the United States has been allowing its public infrastructure to decay. In 2013, the American Society of Civil Engineers issued a report saying that it would take roughly $3.6 trillion worth of repairs and retrofitting merely to return the nation’s roads, railways, and airports to a safe and durable state. For example, about one in nine bridges in the U.S. were structurally deficient, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
And that’s just transportation infrastructure. Many of America’s schools, sewage systems, and parks could do with an upgrade, too. A couple of years ago, a survey by the World Economic Forum ranked the United States twenty-fifth globally in overall quality of infrastructure, behind such nations as Spain, Oman, and South Korea."
Koch Republicans Ignore Dead and Injured Americans And Vote To Cut Amtrak’s Budget
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/13/koch-republicans-ignore-dead-injured-americans-vote-cut-amtraks-budget.html
"House Republicans have outdone themselves on tone deafness. The Koch controlled Republican House majority has never been sensitive to the wants and needs of ordinary Americans. Gerrymandering has turned screwing over the bulk of the population into a profitable strategy for House Republicans."
"House Republicans have outdone themselves on tone deafness. The Koch controlled Republican House majority has never been sensitive to the wants and needs of ordinary Americans. Gerrymandering has turned screwing over the bulk of the population into a profitable strategy for House Republicans."
The Jeb Bush Adviser Who Should Scare You
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/05/jeb-bush-adviser-paul-wolfowitz
"Given that Jeb has tried mightily to distance himself from his brother, whose administration used false assertions to launch the still highly unpopular Iraq war, this touting of W.—even at a behind-closed-doors session of Republican donors—seemed odd. But perhaps more noteworthy is that Jeb Bush has embraced much of his brother's White House foreign policy team. In February, the Jeb Bush campaign released a list of 21 foreign policy advisers; 17 of them served in the George W. Bush administration. And one name stood out: Paul Wolfowitz, a top policy architect of the Iraq war—for the prospect of Wolfowitz whispering into Jeb's ear ought to scare the bejeezus out of anyone who yearns for a rational national security policy."
"Given that Jeb has tried mightily to distance himself from his brother, whose administration used false assertions to launch the still highly unpopular Iraq war, this touting of W.—even at a behind-closed-doors session of Republican donors—seemed odd. But perhaps more noteworthy is that Jeb Bush has embraced much of his brother's White House foreign policy team. In February, the Jeb Bush campaign released a list of 21 foreign policy advisers; 17 of them served in the George W. Bush administration. And one name stood out: Paul Wolfowitz, a top policy architect of the Iraq war—for the prospect of Wolfowitz whispering into Jeb's ear ought to scare the bejeezus out of anyone who yearns for a rational national security policy."
Fox News Worries Over Crumbling Infrastructure After Years Of Hyping Roadblocks To More Investment
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/05/13/fox-news-worries-over-crumbling-infrastructure/203637
"The vast system of public infrastructure in the United States -- ranging from roads and park trails to canals and ports -- is currently graded as D+, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) most recent report card for America's infrastructure, and would need an investment of $3.6 trillion by 2020 to improve.
One in ten bridges in the U.S. are structurally deficient, and states have been forced to convert roads to gravel due to a lack of sufficient funding for repairs. Nearly 14,000 dams are considered high-hazard, meaning failure of the dam would likely cause the loss of life.
But public investment in infrastructure has fallen to its lowest level since World War II, according to analysis from the Financial Times, which attributes the record-low public investments to Republicans blocking President Obama's push for more spending on infrastructure."
"The vast system of public infrastructure in the United States -- ranging from roads and park trails to canals and ports -- is currently graded as D+, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) most recent report card for America's infrastructure, and would need an investment of $3.6 trillion by 2020 to improve.
One in ten bridges in the U.S. are structurally deficient, and states have been forced to convert roads to gravel due to a lack of sufficient funding for repairs. Nearly 14,000 dams are considered high-hazard, meaning failure of the dam would likely cause the loss of life.
But public investment in infrastructure has fallen to its lowest level since World War II, according to analysis from the Financial Times, which attributes the record-low public investments to Republicans blocking President Obama's push for more spending on infrastructure."
Jeb Bush Isn't a Moderate, He's a Neocon Extremist | Alternet
Jeb Bush Isn't a Moderate, He's a Neocon Extremist | Alternet
"The mainstream media has apparently forgotten this, but back in the late '90s, Jeb helped found the Project for a New American Century or PNAC, a neocon think tank that called for the overthrow Saddam Hussein and well, pretty much every other government that the US didn't like.
According to PNAC, the end result of this massive regime change campaign, would be a "Pax Americana" in which the US would dominate the world, its natural resources, and its economy.
It sounds like something out of a James Bond movie, but PNAC was very influential.
Many of its founding members like Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz and Zalmay Khalilzad, for example, went on to serve in the George W. Bush administration where they helped plan the Iraq debacle.
If history's any guide, these very same PNAC neocon extremists would also play a big role in a Jeb Bush administration"
"The mainstream media has apparently forgotten this, but back in the late '90s, Jeb helped found the Project for a New American Century or PNAC, a neocon think tank that called for the overthrow Saddam Hussein and well, pretty much every other government that the US didn't like.
According to PNAC, the end result of this massive regime change campaign, would be a "Pax Americana" in which the US would dominate the world, its natural resources, and its economy.
It sounds like something out of a James Bond movie, but PNAC was very influential.
Many of its founding members like Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz and Zalmay Khalilzad, for example, went on to serve in the George W. Bush administration where they helped plan the Iraq debacle.
If history's any guide, these very same PNAC neocon extremists would also play a big role in a Jeb Bush administration"
Why the Rich Don't Care About Jobs for the Rest of Us
Why the Rich Don't Care About Jobs for the Rest of Us
"There is also hard evidence that cutting taxes on the rich fails to stimulate job creation, and that raising taxes on the rich has the opposite, beneficial effect. The facts come from Kansas and Minnesota. Despite early optimism by trickle-down adherents, tax cuts in Kansas have been disastrous, leading to revenue losses, cutbacks in education and health care, and sluggish job growth. In Minnesota, on the other hand, tax increases on the rich have led to higher wages, low unemployment, and rapid business growth."
"There is also hard evidence that cutting taxes on the rich fails to stimulate job creation, and that raising taxes on the rich has the opposite, beneficial effect. The facts come from Kansas and Minnesota. Despite early optimism by trickle-down adherents, tax cuts in Kansas have been disastrous, leading to revenue losses, cutbacks in education and health care, and sluggish job growth. In Minnesota, on the other hand, tax increases on the rich have led to higher wages, low unemployment, and rapid business growth."
The Republican Party and the Politics of Crazy
The Republican Party and the Politics of Crazy
"Republicans have been lying and fear-mongering about President Obama since before he ever moved into the White House, they believe these individuals who have an irrational fear of the government and this president have a right to feel that way – because of the lies they’ve been told by politicians like themselves. The worst part is, the GOP seems to be embracing all of this. Even as this Jade Helm conspiracy nonsense has gone on, I’ve yet to see a big pushback from Republican leaders against Texas Governor Greg Abbott for basically giving legitimacy to one of the most asinine things I’ve ever witnessed in this country. You would think if they were ashamed of this type of lunacy, as they should be, they would have been fairly quick to loudly denounce and condemn such idiocy. But for the most part, the GOP has remained silent, aside from those who seem to be encouraging this insanity speaking out."
"Republicans have been lying and fear-mongering about President Obama since before he ever moved into the White House, they believe these individuals who have an irrational fear of the government and this president have a right to feel that way – because of the lies they’ve been told by politicians like themselves. The worst part is, the GOP seems to be embracing all of this. Even as this Jade Helm conspiracy nonsense has gone on, I’ve yet to see a big pushback from Republican leaders against Texas Governor Greg Abbott for basically giving legitimacy to one of the most asinine things I’ve ever witnessed in this country. You would think if they were ashamed of this type of lunacy, as they should be, they would have been fairly quick to loudly denounce and condemn such idiocy. But for the most part, the GOP has remained silent, aside from those who seem to be encouraging this insanity speaking out."
Huckabee On His Sketchy Diabetes Infomercials: It's Proof 'I'm Going To Be A Heck Of A Good President'
Huckabee On His Sketchy Diabetes Infomercials: It's Proof 'I'm Going To Be A Heck Of A Good President'
"Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said on Sunday that he was proud that his company had helped to sell Bible-based cancer cures and sketchy programs to "reverse" diabetes."
"Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said on Sunday that he was proud that his company had helped to sell Bible-based cancer cures and sketchy programs to "reverse" diabetes."
Sen. Lindsey Graham Shows Why Republicans are Stuck Between a Rock and a Racist Place (Video)
Sen. Lindsey Graham Shows Why Republicans are Stuck Between a Rock and a Racist Place (Video)
"They realize they’re eventually going to have to bring in more of the minority vote (especially when it comes to Latinos) very soon, otherwise they’re never going to win the White House again. But at the same time, by embracing common sense approaches to immigration reform (which is a big issue for many Latino voters), they risk alienating a huge part of the Republican base that’s largely built upon racism and strong anti-immigrant beliefs."
"They realize they’re eventually going to have to bring in more of the minority vote (especially when it comes to Latinos) very soon, otherwise they’re never going to win the White House again. But at the same time, by embracing common sense approaches to immigration reform (which is a big issue for many Latino voters), they risk alienating a huge part of the Republican base that’s largely built upon racism and strong anti-immigrant beliefs."
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
President Obama Brilliantly Goes After Fox News For Always Blaming And Shaming The Poor (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/05/12/president-obama-brilliantly-goes-after-fox-news-for-always-blaming-and-shaming-the-poor-video/
"The poor aren’t the problem. The overall fiscal policies and politics at the top are the problem. Policy is currently, and has been since 1981, written to favor the wealthy. This is why wages have stagnated as the top keeps getting richer and richer, the poor becomes poorer and need more assistance, and the Middle Class is getting squeezed dry."
"The poor aren’t the problem. The overall fiscal policies and politics at the top are the problem. Policy is currently, and has been since 1981, written to favor the wealthy. This is why wages have stagnated as the top keeps getting richer and richer, the poor becomes poorer and need more assistance, and the Middle Class is getting squeezed dry."
Republicans Are Furiously Working to Give Companies the Right to Fire Workers If They're on Birth Control | Alternet
Republicans Are Furiously Working to Give Companies the Right to Fire Workers If They're on Birth Control | Alternet
"Get this: Right now, House Republicans are trying to give employers here in our nation's capital the right to fire their employees if they go on birth control.
Seriously, I'm not kidding."
"Get this: Right now, House Republicans are trying to give employers here in our nation's capital the right to fire their employees if they go on birth control.
Seriously, I'm not kidding."
John Stewart Rips Fox, Scarborough For Whining About President Obama's Truth-Telling On Demonizing The Poor
John Stewart Rips Fox, Scarborough For Whining About President Obama's Truth-Telling On Demonizing The Poor
"Of course the response over at Faux "news" was to throw a fit, and to deny reality and pretend that they don't spend every single week doing exactly that."
"Of course the response over at Faux "news" was to throw a fit, and to deny reality and pretend that they don't spend every single week doing exactly that."
"The Rich Suffered More": The Worst Of Fox News' Poor-Shaming
http://mediamatters.org/research/2015/05/13/the-rich-suffered-more-the-worst-of-fox-news-po/203640
"Fox News is outraged that President Obama called out the network's horrible record on covering poverty"
"Fox News is outraged that President Obama called out the network's horrible record on covering poverty"
Groups Add to Evidence in "Whistleblower" Tax Fraud Claim Against ALEC
Groups Add to Evidence in "Whistleblower" Tax Fraud Claim Against ALEC
"The new trove of documents includes statements by 20 corporations that admit that they joined and maintained membership in ALEC to influence legislation and gain access to lawmakers. The corporate admissions included in the complaint are from Yelp, Pfizer, AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Honeywell, Yahoo, eBay, Eli Lilly, Duke Energy, Altria, American Electric Power, Anheuser-Busch, BP, Chevron, Cox Communications, CSX Corporation, ExxonMobil, Overstock, and Peabody Energy. Several of those companies no longer are part of ALEC.
The new filing also includes the recent finding of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board that "ALEC’s primary purpose is the passage of state legislation in the various states and that all of its wide-ranging activities are in support of this primary purpose"."
"The new trove of documents includes statements by 20 corporations that admit that they joined and maintained membership in ALEC to influence legislation and gain access to lawmakers. The corporate admissions included in the complaint are from Yelp, Pfizer, AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Honeywell, Yahoo, eBay, Eli Lilly, Duke Energy, Altria, American Electric Power, Anheuser-Busch, BP, Chevron, Cox Communications, CSX Corporation, ExxonMobil, Overstock, and Peabody Energy. Several of those companies no longer are part of ALEC.
The new filing also includes the recent finding of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board that "ALEC’s primary purpose is the passage of state legislation in the various states and that all of its wide-ranging activities are in support of this primary purpose"."
President Obama Hits Fox News With a Direct Shot for Constantly Trying to Vilify Poor People
President Obama Hits Fox News With a Direct Shot for Constantly Trying to Vilify Poor People
"But what many Republicans – and conservatives in general – love to do is simply blanket most of the poor as lazy moochers who simply don’t want to work. That’s an absolute lie. In fact, most welfare recipients are children or the elderly and a lot are people who have jobs, but simply don’t make enough to support their families.
It goes back to a desperate need in this country to raise the minimum wage… another issue most Republicans strongly oppose. It’s like I’ve said before, GOP policies are literally making many of the problems they whine and complain about worse."
"But what many Republicans – and conservatives in general – love to do is simply blanket most of the poor as lazy moochers who simply don’t want to work. That’s an absolute lie. In fact, most welfare recipients are children or the elderly and a lot are people who have jobs, but simply don’t make enough to support their families.
It goes back to a desperate need in this country to raise the minimum wage… another issue most Republicans strongly oppose. It’s like I’ve said before, GOP policies are literally making many of the problems they whine and complain about worse."
Scott Walker’s Koch Economics Is Decimating Wisconsin
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/12/scott-walkers-koch-economics-decimating-wisconsin.html
"In fact, Walker’s tax cuts for the rich and corporations cost the state twice as much in revenue losses than he calculated leading him to slash at least $275 million more from education to keep the debt at the $2 billion."
"In fact, Walker’s tax cuts for the rich and corporations cost the state twice as much in revenue losses than he calculated leading him to slash at least $275 million more from education to keep the debt at the $2 billion."
Emails Show Walker Chief of Staff Oversaw Changes to Wisconsin Idea
Emails Show Walker Chief of Staff Oversaw Changes to Wisconsin Idea
"The uproar forced the governor, who did not attend the UW System and failed to graduate from Marquette University, to explain his intentions. When asked by reporters that morning, he initially argued that the changes to the UW mission were made "so that the focus would be honed in ... making sure that we prepare individuals in this state ... for the jobs and opportunities that are available in the state."
But as the story was going national, Walker was forced to backtrack. The changes, he now told his followers on Twitter that afternoon, were the result of a "drafting error." But suspicions lingered. In search of answers, the Journal Sentinel began to page through the massive drafting file and uncovered that Walker's budget team at the Department of Administration (DOA) had specifically asked for the changes.
Walker then issued a lengthy statement on February 5 blaming "miscommunication" between his executive office and his budget staff in the DOA. "Unfortunately, when my office told the budget staff to keep it simple, they took that to mean that we only wanted workforce readiness language in the mission when we really wanted the language added to the existing mission statement," the statement explains.
In other words, Walker's staff had instructed DOA to include a statement on workforce readiness, but instead DOA budget analysts went rogue and struck the Wisconsin Idea—something which caught Walker's office by surprise. On February 6, Michael Heifetz, the State Budget Director at DOA took responsibility.
However, new emails obtained by CMD under an open records request tell a different story.
Walker’s claim that "miscommunication" caused the workforce readiness provision being added to the exclusion of the "search for truth" and other mission language is contradicted by an email from Nathan Schwanz to Walker’s policy advisor Waylon Hurlburt explaining that the instructions came from Walker Chief of Staff Eric Schutt"
"The uproar forced the governor, who did not attend the UW System and failed to graduate from Marquette University, to explain his intentions. When asked by reporters that morning, he initially argued that the changes to the UW mission were made "so that the focus would be honed in ... making sure that we prepare individuals in this state ... for the jobs and opportunities that are available in the state."
But as the story was going national, Walker was forced to backtrack. The changes, he now told his followers on Twitter that afternoon, were the result of a "drafting error." But suspicions lingered. In search of answers, the Journal Sentinel began to page through the massive drafting file and uncovered that Walker's budget team at the Department of Administration (DOA) had specifically asked for the changes.
Walker then issued a lengthy statement on February 5 blaming "miscommunication" between his executive office and his budget staff in the DOA. "Unfortunately, when my office told the budget staff to keep it simple, they took that to mean that we only wanted workforce readiness language in the mission when we really wanted the language added to the existing mission statement," the statement explains.
In other words, Walker's staff had instructed DOA to include a statement on workforce readiness, but instead DOA budget analysts went rogue and struck the Wisconsin Idea—something which caught Walker's office by surprise. On February 6, Michael Heifetz, the State Budget Director at DOA took responsibility.
However, new emails obtained by CMD under an open records request tell a different story.
Walker’s claim that "miscommunication" caused the workforce readiness provision being added to the exclusion of the "search for truth" and other mission language is contradicted by an email from Nathan Schwanz to Walker’s policy advisor Waylon Hurlburt explaining that the instructions came from Walker Chief of Staff Eric Schutt"
Iowa Dem reveals cabal of homeschooling lawmakers are sabotaging public education funding
Iowa Dem reveals cabal of homeschooling lawmakers are sabotaging public education funding
"According to the Democratic state senator, a group of homeschooling Republicans in the House and the Senate shouldered much of the blame for blocking public school funding."
"According to the Democratic state senator, a group of homeschooling Republicans in the House and the Senate shouldered much of the blame for blocking public school funding."
113 congressional Republicans flip immigration activists the bird ... again
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/12/1384280/-113-Congressional-Republicans-flip-immigration-activists-the-bird-again#
"But hey, more power to the GOP. In the best of all worlds, they will lose this legal battle while simultaneously falling on their ideological sword for the 2016 elections—cuz they got no chance of winning the White House without at least some support from Latino voters. Certain GOP presidential candidates are cluing into this reality, but they may want to let Republicans on the Hill in on their little secret."
"But hey, more power to the GOP. In the best of all worlds, they will lose this legal battle while simultaneously falling on their ideological sword for the 2016 elections—cuz they got no chance of winning the White House without at least some support from Latino voters. Certain GOP presidential candidates are cluing into this reality, but they may want to let Republicans on the Hill in on their little secret."
ALEC’s big lie: Scott Walker’s pseudo-science, austerity without end, and the truth about right-wing governors and the economy
ALEC’s big lie: Scott Walker’s pseudo-science, austerity without end, and the truth about right-wing governors and the economy
"The failure of GOP ideology on the state level deserves further scrutiny as well, particularly with so many governors and ex-governors in the race. The 2012 study “Selling Snake Oil To The States,” which demolished the tax-slashing prescription package offered by ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council) and right-wing economist Arthur Laffer, helps to define the parameters of GOP state-level economic policy."
"The failure of GOP ideology on the state level deserves further scrutiny as well, particularly with so many governors and ex-governors in the race. The 2012 study “Selling Snake Oil To The States,” which demolished the tax-slashing prescription package offered by ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council) and right-wing economist Arthur Laffer, helps to define the parameters of GOP state-level economic policy."
Anatomy of a racist revolution: How the GOP was hijacked by small-state bigotry
Anatomy of a racist revolution: How the GOP was hijacked by small-state bigotry
"In a truly opportunistic fashion, the Republican Party decided to exploit the racial fears and prejudices of much of the populace, and the Southern Strategy was born. State’s rights had been trampled on by the federal government, so the thinking went, and in 1964, Barry Goldwater ran an election based on anti-New Deal and states’ rights policies. His coded racism was successful, and it earned the votes from five southern states and his own, though he lost every other state to Johnson. Though not as aggressively conservative as Goldwater, Richard Nixon pursued a similar strategy 1968, and won five former confederate states — on the way to winning the entirety of the South in his 1972 landslide — turning the South into the solid Republican territory that it remains today.
Reagan followed similar dog-whistle strategies when he ran, preaching states’ rights at the Neshoba County Fair, just miles from where three civil rights activists had been murdered in 1964, and declaring a rhetorical war on the safety net, adding “welfare queen” to the American lexicon. Today, many benefactors of social welfare programs protest those same programs, some unaware of the racial dynamic that has influenced the current animosity.
Of course, this racial force is more unconscious today than it was when the Southern Strategy began, just as the language has changed over the years. In a candid and originally anonymous interview, Reagan’s 1984 campaign director Lee Atwater described how racial language became more coded over the years:
“You start out in 1954 by saying, “n***er, n***er, n***er,” Said Atwater, “[But] by 1968 you can’t say ‘n***er’ — that hurts you. Backfires. So you say stuff like forced busing, states’ rights and all that stuff. You’re getting so abstract now, you’re talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you’re talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is, blacks get hurt worse than whites"."
"In a truly opportunistic fashion, the Republican Party decided to exploit the racial fears and prejudices of much of the populace, and the Southern Strategy was born. State’s rights had been trampled on by the federal government, so the thinking went, and in 1964, Barry Goldwater ran an election based on anti-New Deal and states’ rights policies. His coded racism was successful, and it earned the votes from five southern states and his own, though he lost every other state to Johnson. Though not as aggressively conservative as Goldwater, Richard Nixon pursued a similar strategy 1968, and won five former confederate states — on the way to winning the entirety of the South in his 1972 landslide — turning the South into the solid Republican territory that it remains today.
Reagan followed similar dog-whistle strategies when he ran, preaching states’ rights at the Neshoba County Fair, just miles from where three civil rights activists had been murdered in 1964, and declaring a rhetorical war on the safety net, adding “welfare queen” to the American lexicon. Today, many benefactors of social welfare programs protest those same programs, some unaware of the racial dynamic that has influenced the current animosity.
Of course, this racial force is more unconscious today than it was when the Southern Strategy began, just as the language has changed over the years. In a candid and originally anonymous interview, Reagan’s 1984 campaign director Lee Atwater described how racial language became more coded over the years:
“You start out in 1954 by saying, “n***er, n***er, n***er,” Said Atwater, “[But] by 1968 you can’t say ‘n***er’ — that hurts you. Backfires. So you say stuff like forced busing, states’ rights and all that stuff. You’re getting so abstract now, you’re talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you’re talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is, blacks get hurt worse than whites"."
He Said No To Obamacare -- And Now He's Going Blind
He Said No To Obamacare -- And Now He's Going Blind
"So he's a South Carolina conservative and heavy smoker who hasn't done anything to control his diabetes, and now he's pissed off that he can't get the Obamacare he didn't want. Yes, folks, another example from the Party of Personal Responsibility!"
"So he's a South Carolina conservative and heavy smoker who hasn't done anything to control his diabetes, and now he's pissed off that he can't get the Obamacare he didn't want. Yes, folks, another example from the Party of Personal Responsibility!"
Court Case Shows How Health Insurers Rip Off You And Your Employer
Court Case Shows How Health Insurers Rip Off You And Your Employer
"It turns out that one of the reasons workers have been paying more for their coverage is allegedly a common practice among insurers: charging their employer customers unlawful hidden fees."
"It turns out that one of the reasons workers have been paying more for their coverage is allegedly a common practice among insurers: charging their employer customers unlawful hidden fees."
The Destruction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-destruction-of-the-wisconsin-supreme-court?intcid=mod-most-popular
"all of the Wisconsin justices look a lot like politicians, in particular the conservatives, who came to the bench with the support of powerful and aggressive political groups. Those justices’ integrity is compromised, as plainly as if they had personally solicited every dollar that helped elect them—and that helped drag the standing of their court so low."
"all of the Wisconsin justices look a lot like politicians, in particular the conservatives, who came to the bench with the support of powerful and aggressive political groups. Those justices’ integrity is compromised, as plainly as if they had personally solicited every dollar that helped elect them—and that helped drag the standing of their court so low."
ALEC Exposed
http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed
"Through the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council, global corporations and state politicians vote behind closed doors to try to rewrite state laws that govern your rights. These so-called "model bills" reach into almost every area of American life and often directly benefit huge corporations."
"Through the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council, global corporations and state politicians vote behind closed doors to try to rewrite state laws that govern your rights. These so-called "model bills" reach into almost every area of American life and often directly benefit huge corporations."
Monday, May 11, 2015
Looting Louisiana: How the Jindal administration is helping Big Oil rip off a cash-strapped state
http://www.southernstudies.org/2015/05/looting-louisiana-how-the-jindal-administration-is.html
"Louisiana is in the throes of a budget crisis, with the state facing a $1.6 billion deficit for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1.
Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) has proposed cutting more than $200 million from higher education, leading Louisiana State University to begin drafting paperwork for what is essentially a form of academic bankruptcy. State leaders are also considering cutting health care services for the poor, elderly and disabled. Meanwhile, Moody's Investors Service and Standard and Poor's have said they may lower the state's credit rating if it doesn't come up with a solution.
As the state grapples with how to respond to the shortfall, new details have emerged about a scheme that has helped bring it to this desperate point."
"Louisiana is in the throes of a budget crisis, with the state facing a $1.6 billion deficit for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1.
Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) has proposed cutting more than $200 million from higher education, leading Louisiana State University to begin drafting paperwork for what is essentially a form of academic bankruptcy. State leaders are also considering cutting health care services for the poor, elderly and disabled. Meanwhile, Moody's Investors Service and Standard and Poor's have said they may lower the state's credit rating if it doesn't come up with a solution.
As the state grapples with how to respond to the shortfall, new details have emerged about a scheme that has helped bring it to this desperate point."
Presidential Hopeful Scott Walker’s Higher Education Deficit
http://inthesetimes.com/article/17905/scott-walkers-higher-education-deficit
"No doubt because he did not finish college himself— yet has managed to become a presidential hopeful with extravagant support from the government-loathing Koch machine—Walker seems determined to decimate public higher education in his state."
"No doubt because he did not finish college himself— yet has managed to become a presidential hopeful with extravagant support from the government-loathing Koch machine—Walker seems determined to decimate public higher education in his state."
12 Ways the GOP Would Destroy the Country If They Controlled Washington After 2016 | Alternet
12 Ways the GOP Would Destroy the Country If They Controlled Washington After 2016 | Alternet
"6. Cut public school programs and funds. The GOP does not believe education is an investment in America’s future. Spending on education would fall to its lowest level in 15 years, with 46,000 additional children losing access to Head Start, more layoffs of special education teachers and those who work with disadvantaged youths, the House Budget Committee Democrats said. Similarly, adult job training would be cut, as well as funding for medical and scientific research grants."
"6. Cut public school programs and funds. The GOP does not believe education is an investment in America’s future. Spending on education would fall to its lowest level in 15 years, with 46,000 additional children losing access to Head Start, more layoffs of special education teachers and those who work with disadvantaged youths, the House Budget Committee Democrats said. Similarly, adult job training would be cut, as well as funding for medical and scientific research grants."
Scott Walker Gave Corporations Cash To Create Jobs, Forgot To Check If They Created Jobs
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/05/08/3656838/scott-walkers-jobs-agency-violating-state-law-audit-finds/
"The job creation agency founded by Governor Scott Walker has been routinely violating its own rules and state law, according to a damning report released Friday by Wisconsin’s non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau.
Walker set up the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in 2011 in order to give taxpayer dollars to private corporations to help them create jobs for Wisconsin workers. But a new audit of more than 100 grants from the agency found that the WEDC failed to follow up on whether the companies were actually using the funds to create and retain jobs.
The group also gave loans and tax credits to companies that did not meet its requirements, and did not even attempt to fact-check claims by the companies about the number of jobs they created. Additionally, the agency forgave, wrote off or deferred more than $4 million in loan payments that the corporations were supposed to pay back to the state."
"The job creation agency founded by Governor Scott Walker has been routinely violating its own rules and state law, according to a damning report released Friday by Wisconsin’s non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau.
Walker set up the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in 2011 in order to give taxpayer dollars to private corporations to help them create jobs for Wisconsin workers. But a new audit of more than 100 grants from the agency found that the WEDC failed to follow up on whether the companies were actually using the funds to create and retain jobs.
The group also gave loans and tax credits to companies that did not meet its requirements, and did not even attempt to fact-check claims by the companies about the number of jobs they created. Additionally, the agency forgave, wrote off or deferred more than $4 million in loan payments that the corporations were supposed to pay back to the state."
Scott Walker’s Corporate Tax Breaks Come Back To Haunt Him
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/05/07/3655893/scott-walkers-corporate-tax-breaks-come-back-haunt/
"It’s a question lawmakers in many states are asking right now, as deep tax cuts passed by Republican governors have led to ballooning deficits and similar plans to raid public university funding.
In Kansas, Governor Sam Brownback’s tax cutting overhaul left the state coffers so low that public school districts will close down early this year.
In Louisiana, Governor Bobby Jindal — another likely candidate for president in 2016 — has chosen to preserve corporate tax breaks and cut the budget of the Louisiana State University system so deeply that the schools are exploring bankruptcy. Students and their supporters have descended on the Capitol to protest the proposed cuts, which seems to have moved some state lawmakers. On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed a budget that got rid of more than $200 million in corporate tax breaks — but Jindal has vowed to block the move with his veto pen.
And in Illinois, Governor Bruce Rauner’s budget that seeks to cut both income and corporate taxes and funding for the state’s universities is running into trouble this week. The Civic Federation, a budget watchdog, officially came out against the plan this week, calling it “unrealistic” and “unachievable.” In the state House of Representatives, the budget failed to get a single “yes” vote.
Despite these examples, Republican governors’ enthusiasm for slashing taxes, particularly corporate and income taxes, continues apace."
"It’s a question lawmakers in many states are asking right now, as deep tax cuts passed by Republican governors have led to ballooning deficits and similar plans to raid public university funding.
In Kansas, Governor Sam Brownback’s tax cutting overhaul left the state coffers so low that public school districts will close down early this year.
In Louisiana, Governor Bobby Jindal — another likely candidate for president in 2016 — has chosen to preserve corporate tax breaks and cut the budget of the Louisiana State University system so deeply that the schools are exploring bankruptcy. Students and their supporters have descended on the Capitol to protest the proposed cuts, which seems to have moved some state lawmakers. On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed a budget that got rid of more than $200 million in corporate tax breaks — but Jindal has vowed to block the move with his veto pen.
And in Illinois, Governor Bruce Rauner’s budget that seeks to cut both income and corporate taxes and funding for the state’s universities is running into trouble this week. The Civic Federation, a budget watchdog, officially came out against the plan this week, calling it “unrealistic” and “unachievable.” In the state House of Representatives, the budget failed to get a single “yes” vote.
Despite these examples, Republican governors’ enthusiasm for slashing taxes, particularly corporate and income taxes, continues apace."
7 Senate Democrats Team Up On Bill To Expose The Koch Brothers’ Political Ads
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/08/7-senate-democrats-team-bill-expose-koch-brothers-political-ads.html
"Republicans oppose any form of dark money disclosure because even the slightest disclosure could topple their house of cards."
"Republicans oppose any form of dark money disclosure because even the slightest disclosure could topple their house of cards."
Why The FEC Won’t Crack Down On Campaign Finance Violations In 2016
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/05/06/3655397/fec-already-throwing-towel-enforcing-campaign-finance-law-2016/
"Meanwhile, the possible electoral shenanigans are already piling up.
In January, the FEC accused GOP operative Karl Rove’s organization Crossroads GPS of violating its tax-exempt “social welfare” status by spending millions of dollars to support conservative candidates. The agency took no action against Crossroads GPS, meaning the group is still allowed to shield the identity of its donors.
Similar complaints have been made about Americans for Job Security, the American Action Network, and the American Future Fund, but the agency’s Republican members have blocked investigations into their activities."
"Meanwhile, the possible electoral shenanigans are already piling up.
In January, the FEC accused GOP operative Karl Rove’s organization Crossroads GPS of violating its tax-exempt “social welfare” status by spending millions of dollars to support conservative candidates. The agency took no action against Crossroads GPS, meaning the group is still allowed to shield the identity of its donors.
Similar complaints have been made about Americans for Job Security, the American Action Network, and the American Future Fund, but the agency’s Republican members have blocked investigations into their activities."
Scott Walker Wrecks Wisconsin And Proves That Tax Cuts For The Rich Don’t Work
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/06/scott-walkers-crazy-republican-math-home-roost-wi-gop-wrestle-revenue.html
"Any reasonable person can see that tax cuts for the rich do not create jobs and do create deficits, but there are also studies that prove it. In fact, long term studies show that Republican governors are associated with lower growth rates."
"Any reasonable person can see that tax cuts for the rich do not create jobs and do create deficits, but there are also studies that prove it. In fact, long term studies show that Republican governors are associated with lower growth rates."
It’s Official: The Conservative Love Affair with Austerity Economics is Literally Killing the Country
http://aattp.org/its-official-the-conservative-love-affair-with-austerity-economics-is-literally-killing-the-country/
"And that’s part of the rub. Economists from a number of universities like the University of Chicago, MIT, and USC, conducted research to try to find out why children die at a rate exponentially higher than European children.
The answer, in retrospect, is pretty obvious: the obscene rate of income disparity, all of which stems directly from Reagan’s Voodoo Economics in the 1980s."
"And that’s part of the rub. Economists from a number of universities like the University of Chicago, MIT, and USC, conducted research to try to find out why children die at a rate exponentially higher than European children.
The answer, in retrospect, is pretty obvious: the obscene rate of income disparity, all of which stems directly from Reagan’s Voodoo Economics in the 1980s."
Corruption is Legal in America: Study Confirms The Rich Have A Stranglehold On U.S. Government Policy
http://samuel-warde.com/2015/05/corruption-is-legal-in-america-rich-control-government-policy/
"In the last 5 years alone, the 200 most politically active companies in the US spent $5.8 billion influencing our government with lobbying and campaign contributions.
Those same companies got $4.4 trillion in taxpayer support — earning a return of 750 times their investment."
"In the last 5 years alone, the 200 most politically active companies in the US spent $5.8 billion influencing our government with lobbying and campaign contributions.
Those same companies got $4.4 trillion in taxpayer support — earning a return of 750 times their investment."
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Florida Governor Rick Scott Now Bragging He Used His Mother’s Death As Political Ruse
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/05/08/florida-governor-rick-scott-now-bragging-he-used-his-mothers-death-as-political-ruse/
"If Floridians who saw Governor Rick Scott’s emotional change of heart about denying health care to millions of people in his state after the death of his mother are wondering why it’s taking so long for him to follow through, the answer is simple: Scott was lying and he knew the Obama administration would buy it if he dragged his dead mother into it.
In a move that would likely make Machiavelli blush, CBS Miami is reporting that Scott is openly flaunting the fact that his “change of heart” was nothing more than a political ruse to trick Obama into giving him more leeway to implement his privatization of health care coverage under the guise of showing interest in expanding Medicaid (currently standing in the way of covering close to one million Floridians).
Using your mother’s death to trick your political enemies into letting you continue preventing people from getting health insurance? In the often cutthroat world of politics, that might just be the coldest power play ever pulled. Certainly, most politicians not currently starring in House of Cards would never brazenly admit to it. But Scott seems to think it makes him look savvy."
"If Floridians who saw Governor Rick Scott’s emotional change of heart about denying health care to millions of people in his state after the death of his mother are wondering why it’s taking so long for him to follow through, the answer is simple: Scott was lying and he knew the Obama administration would buy it if he dragged his dead mother into it.
In a move that would likely make Machiavelli blush, CBS Miami is reporting that Scott is openly flaunting the fact that his “change of heart” was nothing more than a political ruse to trick Obama into giving him more leeway to implement his privatization of health care coverage under the guise of showing interest in expanding Medicaid (currently standing in the way of covering close to one million Floridians).
Using your mother’s death to trick your political enemies into letting you continue preventing people from getting health insurance? In the often cutthroat world of politics, that might just be the coldest power play ever pulled. Certainly, most politicians not currently starring in House of Cards would never brazenly admit to it. But Scott seems to think it makes him look savvy."
The G.O.P.’s War on Science Gets Worse
http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/gop-war-on-science-gets-worse?intcid=mod-most-popular
"The vote on the NASA bill came just a week after the same House committee approved major funding cuts to the National Science Foundation’s geosciences program, as well as cuts to Department of Energy programs that support research into new energy sources."
"The vote on the NASA bill came just a week after the same House committee approved major funding cuts to the National Science Foundation’s geosciences program, as well as cuts to Department of Energy programs that support research into new energy sources."
Chris Christie’s fresh humiliation: The new scandal that could finally put the kibosh on his presidential hopes
Chris Christie’s fresh humiliation: The new scandal that could finally put the kibosh on his presidential hopes
"In recent years, Christie’s officials have shifted more of the retirement savings of teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public workers into the hands of private financial firms. That has substantially increased the management fees paid by taxpayers to those firms. Indeed, while Christie says the pension system cannot afford to maintain current retirement benefits, pension fees paid to financial firms have quadrupled to $600 million a year — or $1.5 billion in total since he took office in 2010."
"In recent years, Christie’s officials have shifted more of the retirement savings of teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public workers into the hands of private financial firms. That has substantially increased the management fees paid by taxpayers to those firms. Indeed, while Christie says the pension system cannot afford to maintain current retirement benefits, pension fees paid to financial firms have quadrupled to $600 million a year — or $1.5 billion in total since he took office in 2010."
FL Gov. Rick Scott Used His Mother's Death To Manipulate Feds On Medicaid
FL Gov. Rick Scott Is A Lying Sack Of Sh*t
"That's a page right out of the Karl Rove playbook, by the way. Just today, he advised Republicans to stop trying to repeal Obamacare until after the 2016 elections. Why should they telegraph their intentions to take health care away from millions who need it, after all?"
"That's a page right out of the Karl Rove playbook, by the way. Just today, he advised Republicans to stop trying to repeal Obamacare until after the 2016 elections. Why should they telegraph their intentions to take health care away from millions who need it, after all?"
North Carolina To Teachers: No Free Speech For You!
North Carolina To Teachers: No Free Speech For You!
"now, under Senate Bill 480, their support for public education could earn them a Class 1 misdemeanor, because supporting public education is being considered a political view. That’s the equivalent of simple assault, or robbing a vending machine. Just wearing a red shirt in the classroom to say you support education."
"now, under Senate Bill 480, their support for public education could earn them a Class 1 misdemeanor, because supporting public education is being considered a political view. That’s the equivalent of simple assault, or robbing a vending machine. Just wearing a red shirt in the classroom to say you support education."
Independent Study Finds That Every Republican Prediction About Obamacare Was Wrong
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/07/independent-study-finds-republican-prediction-obamacare-wrong.html
"Wrong on every single fearmongering prediction and claim they made."
"Wrong on every single fearmongering prediction and claim they made."
Boehner and pals: 'Obamacare will destroy the economy,' except it didn't
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/06/1382860/-Boehner-and-pals-Obamacare-will-destroy-the-economy-except-it-didn-t
"You don't get to predict dire economic collapse, then say "the only reason employers are hiring is because the economy is doing well." Well, no sh*t that's why they're hiring. Point is, the economy isn't where you claimed it would be. You were wrong. As usual."
"You don't get to predict dire economic collapse, then say "the only reason employers are hiring is because the economy is doing well." Well, no sh*t that's why they're hiring. Point is, the economy isn't where you claimed it would be. You were wrong. As usual."
Senate Republicans Pass Budget That Throws 27 Million Americans Off Health Insurance
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/05/senate-republicans-pass-budget-throws-27-million-americans-health-insurance.html
"The Republican passed budget promises big tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires that are paid for by throwing people off of their health insurance and turning Medicare into a voucher system. Today’s vote was a message to millions of people that the billionaire controlled Republicans in Congress are coming for their health care."
"The Republican passed budget promises big tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires that are paid for by throwing people off of their health insurance and turning Medicare into a voucher system. Today’s vote was a message to millions of people that the billionaire controlled Republicans in Congress are coming for their health care."
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