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HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
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MEETING:
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POSTED 7/3/09 TIP-OF-THE-HAT TO BOB CONWAY
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POSTED 7/3/09 TIP-OF-THE-HAT TO BOB CONWAY
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POSTED 7/3/09 Congress's Travel Tab SwellsSpending on Taxpayer-Funded Trips Rises Tenfold; From Italy to the Galápagos(From the Wall Street Journal) Spending by lawmakers on taxpayer-financed trips abroad has risen sharply in recent years, a Wall Street Journal analysis of travel records shows, involving everything from war-zone visits to trips to exotic spots such as the Galápagos Islands.
The cost of so-called congressional delegations, known among lawmakers as "codels," has risen nearly 70% since 2005, when an influence-peddling scandal led to a ban on travel funded by lobbyists, according to the data. Lawmakers say that the trips are a good use of government funds because they allow members of Congress and their staff members to learn more about the world, inspect U.S. assets abroad and forge better working relationships with each other. The travel, for example, includes official visits to American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Journal analysis, based on information published in the Congressional Record, also shows that taxpayer-funded travel is a big and growing perk for lawmakers and their families. Some members of Congress have complained in recent months about chief executives of bailed-out banks, insurance companies and car makers who sponsored corporate trips to resorts or used corporate jets for their own travel. Although complete travel records aren't yet available for 2009, it appears that such costs continue to rise. The Journal analysis shows that the government has picked up the tab for travel to destinations such as Jamaica, the Virgin Islands and Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Lawmakers frequently bring along spouses on congressional trips. If they take commercial flights, they have to buy tickets for spouses. If they fly on government planes -- as they usually do -- their spouses can fly free. THERE'S MORE - GO TO THE WSJ - POSTED 7/3/09 |
POSTED 7/3/09 Unemployment rate rises more than expected467K jobs cut in June; jobless rate at 9.5 percentEmployers cut larger-than-expected 467,000 jobs in June; jobless rate ticks up to 9.5 percent(From Raw Story) Employers cut a larger-than-expected 467,000 jobs in June, driving the unemployment rate up to a 26-year high of 9.5 percent, suggesting that the economy's road to recovery will be bumpy. The Labor Department report, released Thursday, showed that even as the recession flashes signs of easing, companies likely will want to keep a lid on costs and be wary of hiring until they feel certain the economy is on solid ground. June's payroll reductions were deeper than the 363,000 that economists expected and average weekly earnings dropped to the lowest level in nearly a year. However, the rise in the unemployment rate from 9.4 percent in May wasn't as sharp as the expected 9.6 percent. Still, many economists predict the jobless rate will hit 10 percent this year, and keep rising into next year, before falling back. All told, 14.7 million people were unemployed in June. If laid-off workers who have given up looking for new jobs or have settled for part-time work are included, the unemployment rate would have been 16.5 percent in June, the highest on records dating to 1994. There's More - Go to Raw Story Article POSTED 7/3/09 |
POSTED 7/3/09 Key Senate Democrats trim cost of health care bill (From the Detroit Free Press) Determined to advance President Barack Obama’s health care agenda, key Senate Democrats are calling for a government-run insurance option to compete with private plans, as well as a $750-per-worker annual fee on larger companies that do not offer coverage to employees. In a letter outlining the details, Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., said their revised plan would cost dramatically less than an earlier, incomplete proposal, and help show the way toward coverage for 97% of all Americans. The two senators said the Congressional Budget Office put the cost of the proposal at $611.4 billion over 10 years, down from $1 trillion two weeks ago. The revising also “virtually eliminates” an earlier forecast that the proposal would cause many companies to drop coverage for their workers, they said. Kennedy and Dodd wrote members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Wednesday. A copy was obtained by the Associated Press. They disclosed their plans as Congress neared the end of a July 4 vacation, and with lawmakers expected to turn quickly to health care legislation when they return to the Capitol. The Health Committee could meet as soon as next week to complete its version of the bill, and the presence of a government health insurance option virtually assures a party-line vote. Separately, the Senate Finance Committee is at work on a companion measure, although that effort is aimed at achieving a bipartisan compromise. As a result, a government-run option for coverage is unlikely to be included. Negotiations are centered on a proposal for a nonprofit cooperative to sell insurance as a competitor to private companies. Three committees are collaborating in the House on legislation expected to come to a vote by the end of July. That measure is certain to include a government-run insurance option. THERE'S MORE - GO TO THE DETROIT FREE PRESS POSTED 7/3/09 |
POSTED 7/3/09 Granholm signs law to keep auto show (From the Detroit Free Press) Gov. Jennifer Granholm has signed legislation for the expansion of Cobo Convention The three bills allow up to $300 million for Cobo’s renovation, paid for with hotel and liquor taxes in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, and state tobacco tax revenue. The city would lease Cobo Center to a regional authority that would be responsible for renovating and operating the facility. Detroit would receive $20 million in return for giving up revenue from Cobo’s parking facilities. If the expansion plan falls through, the auto show project could shift to Oakland County, most likely the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi, using tax revenue. The Detroit City Council has until Aug. 1 to reject the plan, although Mayor Dave Bing could veto any rejection. THERE'S MORE - GO TO THE DETROIT FREE PRESS POSTED 7/3/09 |
POSTED 7/3/09 Construction of new Soo shipping lock beginning (From the South Bend Tribune) SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. (AP) — A groundbreaking If the Poe were disabled, Midwestern industries such as steelmaking and electric power generation could be crippled, industry representatives say. THERE'S MORE -- GO TO THE SBT STORY POSTED 7/3/09 |
POSTED 7/3/09Senate Investigates Blackwater SubsidiaryFatal Shooting Incident in Afghanistan
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POSTED 7/3/09 The 'Cash for Clunkers' Law Looks Like a LemonNot enough new-car buyers can take advantage of it, and the program may even put more gas guzzlers on the road
The problem with the law is that it is both underfunded and too narrow to generate a spike in showroom traffic. Standard & Poor's (MHP) says the most it will do is boost sales by 3% for the year; a similar German program pushed sales up 30% a month this year. "This is a waste of taxpayers' money," says analyst John Wolkonowicz of Boston research firm IHS Global Insight (IHS). "There won't be enough people who can take advantage of it." First off, the feds have approved only $1 billion for the program. That could help fund the purchase of just 250,000 cars—not much more than a week's worth at current sales levels—between August, when the program likely will start, and Nov. 1, when it ends. Plus, the law makes little sense for most passenger-car owners. The government will cut checks of $3,500 to $4,500 to dealers so they can buy old cars that get 18 miles per gallon or less and then sell the owner a more fuel-efficient replacement. But most cars on the road get more than 18 mpg, so they won't qualify. And many that are thirsty enough to warrant the deal are luxury models worth a lot more than $3,500 to $4,500. If a consumer can sell the old car for more than what the government will pay, there's no reason to take advantage of the bill, says Wolkonowicz. Yes, there are plenty of old cars that do qualify. But many are 10 years old or more, says Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy Anwyl. People driving cars that ancient often buy used, and even with a $4,500 discount, they probably won't want to take on new-car payments during a time of economic hardship. |
POSTED 7/3/09 Jobs may determine climate bill's fateCritics rip economic impact; others tout green opportunitiesGordon Trowbridge / Detroit News Washington Bureau Washington (From the Detroit News) The debate is supposed to be about combating climate Nationwide, and particularly for Michigan, the issue of economic impact is likely to determine support for legislation to limit emissions of carbon and other gases that cause rising global temperatures. After a bruising battle in the House yielded narrow passage of a bill to limit greenhouse gas emissions, attention now turns to a handful of key senators -- including both of Michigan's -- who could determine the fate of a key goal of the Obama administration. Senate committees have begun to work on legislation, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada has said he wants the full Senate to debate the legislation sometime in September. Republican opponents of a "cap and trade" program to address climate change describe the bill that narrowly passed the House last week as a job-killing monster. Democrats -- including all eight Michigan House members, who voted for the bill -- point to the job-creating possibilities of funding for alternative energy production, electric car research and other sections of the bill designed to spark "green jobs." It's no coincidence that in a pointed public statement last week urging passage of the House bill, President Barack Obama pointed to job-creation possibilities -- and specified Michigan, home of the nation's highest unemployment rate, as a potential beneficiary. Michigan's Democratic senators, Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, have opposed climate-change legislation in the past, fearing damage to the state's auto industry and to its electric utilities powered by carbon-rich coal. And earlier this year, both signed a letter to Senate leaders warning against the use of a parliamentary maneuver that would have made it harder to amend climate legislation. Democratic leaders abandoned that idea, which means the legislation will need 60 Senate votes to pass. Levin spokeswoman Tara Andringa said jobs will be key to Levin's vote. "Any legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions needs to contain significant incentives to grow new green jobs and promote Michigan's economic recovery," she said. "Senator Levin will work toward a Senate bill that significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions without unduly or unfairly burdening consumers or Michigan's economy." Earlier this year, Levin told The News that he intends to find a climate bill he can support because the issue of global warming must be addressed. An aide to Stabenow said she viewed the House-passed bill favorably but was eager "to improve its prospects for creating new jobs in Michigan." Supporters say measures designed to reduce the impact on automakers and other manufacturers -- measures that won the support of the United Auto Workers union and all eight Michigan Democrats in the House -- should be enough to win over Levin and Stabenow. "I don't see how this bill has as big an impact" on Michigan as previous proposals, said Joseph Romm, a climate expert at the liberal Center for American Progress. One key issue for Michigan lawmakers is likely to be the trade aspects of the bill. In the House, Rep. Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak, and others succeeded in including language that could impose trade restrictions on foreign trade partners if they also don't agree to limits on greenhouse gases. That's designed to protect U.S. manufacturers who could lose business to foreign competitors who don't face the costs of limiting emissions. But it's one of the few issues Obama singled out in the House bill that he'd like to see the Senate remove. The Michigan lawmakers will also face pressure from the state's utilities. Consumers Energy, the state's second-largest utility, last week praised Rep. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, for easing some energy efficiency requirements in the House bill, and said it would ask Michigan's senators to make additional changes "to balance the goal of reducing greenhouse gases with the cost of that effort." THERE'S MORE - GO TO THE DETROIT NEWS POSTED 7/3/09 |
POSTED 7/3/09 governor to head to Germany, Belgium Monday
It will be the Democrat's eighth overseas trade trip. She plans to talk with leaders of high-tech companies she thinks can help Michigan move toward gaining jobs in green technology and alternative fuels, although her office hasn't provided specifics. The governor has made previous trade trips to Germany, Austria, Japan, Sweden and the Middle East. She'll be accompanied by officials from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and NextEnergy, a Detroit-based nonprofit that nurtures alternative and renewable energy uses. Lt. Gov. John Cherry will be responsible for running the state in Granholm's absence. |
POSTED 7/1/09 Franken declared Senate winner, Coleman concedes
Ending one of the longest Senate races ever, the Minnesota Supreme Court unanimously rejected each of Republican Norm Coleman's five legal arguments that an earlier recount of the November 4 vote had been unfair. Coleman quickly conceded. Franken will become the 58th Senate Democrat, the most the party has had since 1981. Two independents routinely vote with the Democrats, giving the party the 60 votes needed to clear Republican procedural hurdles known as filibusters. However, the party has traditionally had trouble ensuring all its members vote the same way. They will also need to rely on Arlen Specter, a former Republican from Pennsylvania who switched parties in April who has said he will vote his own way and not necessarily along party lines. "A lot is being made of me being the 60th member of the Democratic caucus. That's not how I see it," Franken said. "I'm going to Washington to be the second senator from Minnesota." The Minnesota court, in its 32-page ruling, said Coleman had failed to show there was anything wrong with the standards used to reject absentee ballots that he wanted counted. "I thought we had a better case, but the court has spoken," Coleman said outside his St. Paul, Minnesota, home. "I'll abide by the results. There will be no further litigation." Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty said in a statement he would sign the election certificate immediately, allowing Franken, a former writer and actor for the popular Saturday Night Live television show, to join the Senate, likely next week. After creating such characters as sad-sack self-help guru Stuart Smalley on Saturday Night Live, Franken agitated against conservatives on his nationally syndicated radio show and in a series of books that included "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right." As a campaigner, however, he maintained serious demeanor, and said he will focus on issues such as health care reform, education and energy policy. "I really will be catching up," he acknowledged. "I'll hit the ground, if not running, trotting." THERE'S MORE -- GO TO YAHOO NEWS POSTED 7/1/09 |
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POSTED 7/1/09 Obama gets ally for health care plan: Wal-MartIn a letter, retailer says it embraces employer coverage mandate proposal(From MSNBC) WASHINGTON - Wal-Mart is the latest in a line of traditionally Republican-leaning businesses to embrace key portions of President Barack Obama’s bid to overhaul health care, a trend that could complicate opponents’ efforts to build a united front when Congress ramps up its work on the issue this summer. Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest private employer, on Tuesday endorsed the idea of requiring large companies to offer health insurance to their workers. The proposal is central to Obama’s hopes of covering the nation’s nearly 50 million uninsured and is disliked by some business groups. Wal-Mart was joined by a major labor union that sometimes has criticized the company’s relatively stingy employee benefits. The big retailer is not the only one-time opponent of health care revisions to embrace at least some aspects of Obama’s proposals. The major group representing pharmaceutical makers recently said it would reduce senior citizens’ costs for prescription drugs by $80 billion over 10 years. And major groups representing doctors, hospitals and other providers have pledged to reduce health care costs by large amounts. Nearly all these groups, by varying degrees, opposed efforts to overhaul the nation’s health care system during the Clinton administration in 1993-94. Moreover, Wal-Mart and its officials have given far more in political contributions over the past decade to Republicans than to Democrats. The same is true of the pharmaceutical industry and several other health-related groups. But with better prospects for a health care bill this time — and the public favoring overhaul, many businesses and industries want to be part of the final legislation rather than left out. “We are for an employer mandate which is fair and broad in its coverage,” Wal-Mart said in a letter to congressional and administration officials. “Any alternative to an employer mandate should not create barriers to hiring entry-level employees.” That was a reference to some proposals in Congress to have employers pay the Medicaid costs of new hires. Critics say that would discourage the hiring of low-income people. The letter was also signed by Andrew L. Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, which has more than a million members and counts more U.S. health workers than any other union. Also signing it was John Podesta, who headed Obama’s transition team and is president of the Center for American Progress. As recently as 2006, Wal-Mart fiercely fought Maryland’s efforts to force it to contribute more toward its employees’ health care coverage. The Wal-Mart and SEIU letter could build momentum on two fronts: Wal-Mart’s bid to improve its image regarding worker treatment, and Obama’s health care agenda. THERE'S MORE - GO TO MSNBC POSTED 7/1/09 |
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POSTED 7/1/09 Leadership, for a change
workers for new a research and production center in western Wayne County that will focus on renewable energy, and especially on Gov. Jennifer Granholm's favorite project, wind technology. President Obama actually predicted this would create 2,600 jobs. But even the lower figure should be enough to make the state a national leader in the field, and is due in no small part to the governor's boosting of wind as not only a source of energy, but also as the potential spark for a new industry in which Michigan factories would make turbines and other components for the new technology.
There is evidence that the President, thanks to some lobbying by the governor, may have been involved in the wind turbine decision. Jeffrey Immelt, General Electric's CEO, is on a White House advisory board, and sources said Mr. Obama asked him to consider Michigan and possibly other states hard-hit by manufacturing losses.
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POSTED 7/1/09 Supreme Court decisions made in the 2008-09 term Some of the significant cases the Supreme Court decided in its 2008-2009 term: LAWYER REQUEST The Supreme Court overturned a long-standing ruling that stopped police from initiating questions unless a defendant's lawyer was present, a move that will make it easier for prosecutors to interrogate suspects. The high court, in a 5-4 ruling, overturned the 1986 Michigan v. Jackson ruling, which said police may not initiate questioning of a defendant who has a lawyer or has asked for one unless the attorney is present. The court's opinion said the decision will have "minimal" effects on criminal defendants because of the protections the court has provided in other decisions. Decided on May 26, 2009. |
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POSTED 7/1/09 Essay: Farewell to the Future Michigan Radio’s Jack Lessenberry:(From Jack Lessenberry's web site) Nancy Cassis, a Republican from Novi, tried to get her fellow senators to fund the program at a much-reduced level. Liz Brater, an Ann Arbor Democrat, said to eliminate the promise grant was more than just breaking a sacred promise to Michigan’s college students. It is also a move designed to sabotage our state’s future economy. But Tony Stamas of Midland, the chair of the appropriations committee wasn’t sympathetic. He said “we don’t have the dollars,” which, in a sense is true. The state is running an enormous budget deficit, and painful cuts have to be made. But then, according to the respected Gongwer News Service, Stamas added that the state also has a promise to keep prisoners behind bars. Well, nobody has been suggesting turning our serial killers loose to roam the streets. But I am struck by his choice of priorities. For years, it’s been clear that a big part of our economic problem in Michigan has been an insufficiently educated work force. We have a smaller percentage of young adults with college degrees than our surrounding states, the ones that compete most heavily with us for jobs. There’s no great mystery as to why this is so. For many years, you could come out of high school and get a good-paying job slapping fenders on cars or bending metal on an assembly line. Those jobs have vanished now, and aren’t coming back. Michigan needs to transition from a brawn-based to a brain-based economy, as fast as possible. The Michigan Promise Grant is designed to help do that, by providing scholarships worth up to $4,000 to college-bound kids graduating from Michigan high schools.
The lieutenant governor argued that eliminating the promise grant would be like a farmer eating his seed corn. But he failed by a single vote to sway the Republican-controlled senate. The senators also cut funding for other need-based programs, including competitive scholarships and tuition grants. They slashed money for nursing students at a time when Michigan has a dramatic shortage of nurses and has to import them from Canada. Now, what the senate did isn’t the final word. The Democrats control the House, and some of this money may yet be restored. But the senate’s action is profoundly dismaying. Our elected leaders are supposed to try to give us a better future. And sadly, this bunch just isn’t there yet. |
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POSTED 7/1/09 Supreme Court rules for white firefighters over promotions
New Haven was wrong to scrap a promotion exam because no African-Americans and only two Hispanic firefighters were likely to be made lieutenants or captains based on the results, the court said today in a 5-4 decision. The city said that it had acted to avoid a lawsuit from minorities. The ruling could alter employment practices nationwide, potentially limiting the circumstances in which employers can be held liable for decisions when there is no evidence of intentional discrimination against minorities. “Fear of litigation alone cannot justify an employer’s reliance on race to the detriment of individuals who passed the examinations and qualified for promotions,” Justice Anthony Kennedy said in his opinion for the court. He was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. In dissent, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said the white firefighters “understandably attract this court’s sympathy. But they had no vested right to promotion. Nor have other persons received promotions in preference to them.” Justices Stephen Breyer, David Souter and John Paul Stevens signed onto Ginsburg’s dissent, which she read aloud in court today. Kennedy’s opinion made only passing reference to the work of Sotomayor and the other two judges on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals who upheld a lower court ruling in favor of New Haven. But the appellate judges have been criticized for producing a cursory opinion that failed to deal with “indisputably complex and far from well-settled” questions, in the words of another appeals court judge, Sotomayor mentor Jose Cabranes. “This perfunctory disposition rests uneasily with the weighty issues presented by this appeal,” Cabranes said, in a dissent from the full 2nd Circuit’s decision not to hear the case. THERE'S MORE - GO TO THE DETROIT FREE PRESS POSTED 7/1/09 |
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POSTED 7/1/09 Close McCain friend allegedly called Palin 'Little Shop of Horrors' (From Raw Story) It's well known that there were tensions between Arizona Sen. John McCain and According to the article, former McCain campaign staffers suffer from a collective "survivor's guilt" over the problem-plagued choice of Palin as vice-presidential candidate. The friction between McCain and Palin was so intense that it carried over into election night, when Palin wanted to address the Arizona crowd to whom McCain was to give his concession speech. After much back-and-forth wrangling, Palin didn't speak that night. But trouble had been brewing long before that. Over the course of the campaign, one close friend of McCain's who frequently traveled with him on the trail was purportedly "heard to refer to Palin as 'Little Shop of Horrors.'" McCain campaign members, in a series of conversations, told the magazine that "no serious vetting had been done before the selection (by either the McCain or the Obama team), and there was trouble in nailing down basic facts about Palin’s life" -- an omission that would cause immediate trouble as details of Palin's sordid family life began to emerge. Palin's lack of aptitude in her new starring role as V-P candidate became obvious quickly. At times, it seemed as if she was more concerned with her popularity back home in Alaska than with the national presidential campaign that she was now a central part of. "By all accounts, Palin was either unwilling, or simply unable, to prepare," the piece says. "In the run-up to the Couric interview, Palin had become preoccupied with a far more parochial concern: answering a humdrum written questionnaire from her hometown newspaper, the Frontiersman ... At the same time, she grew concerned that her approval ratings back home in Alaska were sagging as she embraced the role of McCain’s bad cop." There's More - Go to Raw Story Article POSTED 7/1/09 |
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POSTED 6/28/09 Michigan Braces for a Surge in Welfare ApplicationsStrict System Installed in 1990s Has Kept the State's Caseloads Down, but Exhaustion of Jobless Benefits Will Pose a Test Soon(From the Wall Street Journal) Michigan's generous jobless benefits and strict eligibility rules have kept the welfare rolls down despite the state's 14.1% unemployment rate, the highest in the country. But a surge in jobless workers reaching the time limit for unemployment benefits in coming months could change that. A major test for the state's welfare system could come by January, when nearly one in seven unemployed workers will have exhausted their jobless benefits, unless the laws change, said Norm Isotalo, a spokesman for Michigan's unemployment-insurance agency. Many of the more than 680,000 unemployed workers in the state are collecting jobless benefits, which last for as long as 79 weeks. Other states with high unemployment, such as Florida and Oregon, have already seen significant increases in welfare caseloads. "We're expecting a huge influx of applications in the next few months," said Barbara Anders, the director of adult and family services at the Michigan Department of Human Services. About 100,000 people's jobless benefits will expire by January. Officials hope for funding to add staff to handle the influx, and the state Senate appropriations committee has approved hiring 200 more staffers. "We believe that the safety net remains strong in Michigan," said Liz Boyd, a spokeswoman for Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm. She added that the state's food-assistance and Medicaid programs have expanded. In contrast to most other big states, welfare caseloads in Michigan are 4.8% below year-ago levels, though the total number of cases has stopped falling in the past four months. In April, the state reported about 70,000 families were receiving welfare under the federal-state Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, or TANF. But nearly one in seven residents, or 1.4 million in all, are receiving food stamps -- a clear symptom of Michigan's economic distress. THERE'S MORE - GO TO THE WSJ - POSTED 6/28/09 |
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POSTED 6/28/09 Senate urged to pass climate bill (From the Detroit Free Press) Hours after the House passed landmark legislation The sharply debated bill’s fate is unclear in the Senate, and Obama used his weekly radio and Internet address to ratchet up pressure on the 100-seat chamber. “My call to every senator, as well as to every American, is this,” he said. “We cannot be afraid of the future. And we must not be prisoners of the past. Don’t believe the misinformation out there that suggests there is somehow a contradiction between investing in clean energy and economic growth.” Obama said the bill would create jobs, make renewable energy profitable and decrease America’s dependence on foreign oil. “It will spur the development of low-carbon sources of energy — everything from wind, solar and geothermal power to safer nuclear energy and cleaner coal,” he said. House Democratic leaders said the bill helped accomplish one of Obama’s campaign promises and would make the U.S. a leader in international efforts to address climate change when negotiations take place in Copenhagen later this year. “We passed transformational legislation, which will take us into the future,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., after the 219-212 vote. “For some it was a very difficult vote because the entrenched agents of the status quo were out there full force, jamming the lines in their districts and here, and they withstood that,” Pelosi said. The vote marked the first time either house of Congress has passed legislation to curb global warming gases. The legislation, totaling about 1,200 pages, would require the U.S. to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions by 17% from 2005 levels by 2020 and by 83% by mid-century. |
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POSTED 6/28/09 Green Bill's Biggest Test Awaits In The SenateRural opponents have a greater say than they did in the House.(From Forbes.Com) Following intense last-minute wrangling among its members and lobbying from President Obama, the House of Representatives passed potentially landmark legislation Friday that seeks to reduce the release of carbon dioxide by making industry pay for its emissions. The Democrat-sponsored American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 passed by a razor-thin margin, with 219 votes in favor, including eight from Republicans--just one more than the minimum needed. But despite the months of negotiations in the House and the expenditure of considerable political capital over the past week by majority leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., a bigger challenge for energy and climate legislation will likely come in the fall when the Senate takes up the legislation. The regional differences that nearly derailed the Clean Energy Act in the House are magnified in the Senate. Indeed, the biggest opposition to the bill came from farm- and coal-state legislators who feared its bill’s carbon cap-and-trade scheme would damage local economies by disproportionately raising the price of electricity, and would harm ethanol, manufacturing and mining businesses. Representatives from the Southeast were concerned that utilities would have to import expensive wind- and solar-generated electricity from other states because of a lack of resources needed to generate them in their own states. Despite concessions designed to allay these concerns, 44 Democrats, primarily from central and Southern states, voted against the legislation. Dissenting voices will only gain prominence in the Senate, where each state has equal representation. “The Senate magnifies the significance of rural constituencies,” says Scott Segal of Bracewell and Giuliani, a Washington, D.C., law firm specializing in energy issues. <snip> A list of key fence-sitting Democratic senators could include Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Mark Warner of Virginia. Republicans who in the past have voiced support for energy or climate legislation include George Voinovich of Ohio and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, if concessions are made to promote nuclear power. Some observers remain optimistic about the chances for a combined energy and climate bill from the Senate. “The Senate is full of moderates, and the template out of the House is genuinely a very moderate and corporate-friendly piece of legislation,” says Brad Johnson, a climate specialist at the Center for American Progress. “You have so many utilities and corporations supporting this legislation,” he says. “There isn’t a real reason for a moderate senator to vote against this.” One thing is for sure: This fall, climate debates could heat up even faster than the atmosphere. |
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POSTED 6/28/09 Congress Ignores WH Veto Challenge Over Fighter Jets (From CBSNews.Com) Congress is moving forward with plans to fund the construction |
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POSTED 6/28/09 Democrat Smith Joins the Crowd for Michigan's Governor Race
Smith confirmed Friday that, as expected, she is joining the crowded 2010 race for governor of Michigan. She previously staged a short-lived bid for the same office in 2002. Smith, whose state House district includes the eastern Michigan city of Ypsilanti, is the third Democrat to enter the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm. She joins Lt. Gov. John Cherry and George Perles, a former head football coach at Michigan State University and now an elected trustee of that school who has publicly stated he plans to run. Cherry is considered the early favorite for the Democratic nomination, having served alongside Granholm for both her two terms. Smith initially sought the Democratic for governor in the 2002 election. She bowed out, though, and endorsed David Bonior, then a longtime House member from suburban Detroit who had held the position of Democratic whip. Bonior then named Smith as his prospective choice for lieutenant governor prior to the Democratic primary, and they campaigned together as a team. But Bonior lost the primary to Granholm, who then picked Cherry to join her general election ticket.
Other Democrats reportedly considering the 2010 contest include Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, state House Speaker Andy Dillon and former state Rep. John Freeman. On the Republican side, Rep. Peter Hoekstra and state Attorney General Mike Cox are considered the front-runners in what could be a large primary field. But Oakland County Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard -- who was the unsuccessful Republican challenger to Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow in 2006 -- got a big boost Thursday when Terri Lynn Land, Michigan's popular secretary of state, opted out of her own expected bid for governor and endorsed Bouchard instead. Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder, state Sen. Tom George and Dominos Pizza CEO David Brandon are among those also said to be interested in running. CQ Politics rates the 2010 general election contest as Tossup. To follow the 2009 and 2010 governors' races, check out CQ Politics' election map. |
1990 South 11th Street, ![]() |
Office Hours: Monday: 9:00 AM -- 5:00 PM
Tuesday 12:01 PM -- 5:00 PM Wednesday 1:00 PM -- 7:00 PM Thursday - 12:01 PM -- 5:00 PM (EVENINGS: John Klimek) Friday 9:00 AM -- 5:00 PM ("Friday coffee w/Edie," Chair) |
SCDC is located on “old U.S. 31” south of Niles, one of the busiest roadways in Berrien County. This new office is in the “Sonrise” Self-Storage facility just south of Bell Plaza (corner of Bell Road and 11th Street South). It is across the street from Victory Lube and Papa John’s Pizza, near the Prime Table eatery. |
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