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Military Veterans Blast Romney for Supporting Voter Suppression
U.S. military veterans severely criticized Mitt Romney today for supporting laws limiting the right of residents to vote in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, where Republican-controlled legislatures recently enacted new voting laws. In a press conference this morning, the veterans also took Romney to task for accusing President Obama of suppressing the vote of military veterans because the Obama campaign filed a lawsuit seeking to block an Ohio law that restricts a successful early voting program. Said former Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.), who served two deployments in Iraq after 9/11:
After the 2000 presidential election voting debacle, Ohio enacted a series of laws to protect the right to vote, including a 2005 measure allowing in-person early voting three days prior to the election. This year, the Ohio Republican legislature eliminated the three-day early voting period, for everyone except members of the military. The Obama lawsuit seeks to restore voting rights for all Ohioans, not just those serving in the armed forces. Also speaking at the press conference today, which marks the 47th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act, Former Rep. John Boccieri (D-Ohio), an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran, says Romney’s attack on Obama is not based on facts but is “purely political.”
In Pennsylvania, Republican state lawmakers this year passed a law that severely limits the type of identification acceptable for voting—making more than 400,000 voters in Philadelphia alone unable to meet the new requirements, and making a military ID unacceptable. That means “we have veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan” who don’t have a driver’s license and so can’t vote, said Murphy.
Gil Parr (above), who served in the U.S. Airforce from 1962-1965, is among veterans in Pennsylvania whose military ID isn’t good enough to let him vote. Also speaking at the press conference, sponsored by the Center for American Progress, Maj. Gen. (ret.) Paul Eaton, a 30-year U.S. Army veteran, had the strongest words against Romney’s potential role as the nation’s commander-in-chief. Saying the military looks for “cool, calm, predictable leaders,” Eaton said,
The AFL-CIO voter outreach campaign is addressing such challenges registered voters face as inadequate election administration, lack of access to required photo ID and intimidation and dirty tricks on Election Day. Find out more at the AFL-CIO website MyVoteMyRight.org, a resource hub for voters that includes state-by-state fact sheets on voting laws and voter registrations rules. |
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AntsI bet you’re already thinking about the holiday weekend. Backyard full of friends, meat on the grill, cooler full of cold ones. We’re fighting back one grassroots contribution at a time. Last month, 99 percent of the DSCC’s contributions came from individuals just like you – and that was enough to match the GOP. |
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House Dems call for action as families struggle with new taxes (From Michigan House Democrats) State Representatives Mark Meadows (D-East Lansing), Barb Byrum (D-Onondaga), Joan Bauer (D-Lansing) and Democratic Floor Leader Kate Segal (D-Battle Creek) today at a press conference in East Lansing called on Republicans to rescind their new taxes on retirees and to restore tax credits to the middle class by supporting Democrat-sponsored bills that will relieve the burden on Michigan families when next year’s tax deadline rolls around. “It’s extremely important that residents realize that this time next year will be drastically different,” said Rep. Meadows. “Many credits and deductions that are integral to working families and seniors have been eliminated or greatly reduced. The returns people are getting this year will, unfortunately, be a thing of the past.”
In the past year, the Republican-led Legislature has made many changes to the Michigan tax code that punish middle-class families, including the introduction of a tax on retirement income, a steep reduction in the homestead tax credit, a drastic cut to the Earned Income Tax Credit and the elimination of the child tax credit and tax credits for charitable donations. These changes were made to fund more than $1 billion in tax breaks for big corporations, effectively making Michigan’s poor and middle-class families pay for a hand-out to big businesses. The new taxes take effect this year, which means many taxpayers won’t feel them until it comes time to file tax returns next year. However, retirees have already seen their monthly checks take a hit as the state starts to collect withholdings on pensions and 401(k) disbursements. “Republicans pushed through these measures that hurt families in order to fund more than $1 billion in tax breaks to corporations,” said Rep. Byrum. “These hand-outs were given to corporations without securing a promise that these companies would create even a single job in return.” To correct this wrong, the Democrats have introduced several measures to undo these punitive changes and make Michigan’s tax system fair to everyone. These measures include House Bill 4818 to eliminate the senior tax and House Bill 5407 which would restore the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit for working families to the level it was at before Republicans cut it by 70 percent. “Passing these bills will bring immediate relief to Michigan families, who are already struggling to enter or stay in the middle class,” said Rep. Segal. “The Republicans’ harsh tax changes are a blatant attack on our hardest working residents and seniors on a fixed income. As Floor Leader, I plan on doing everything in my power, with the help of my Democratic colleagues, to stop any more damage the Republican majority is planning, because Michigan families simply cannot afford the unfair Republican agenda.” In addition to current introduced legislation, the House Democrats pledged to continue fighting against tax increases on the middle class and seniors every time a new, harmful tax is introduced to the Legislature and have kept Michigan taxpayers aware of the changes through a series of town halls held across the state. “We know Michigan families here in Ingham County feel they are under attack from these tax increases, “said Rep. Bauer. “We hear them tell us every day how they struggle to make ends meet so it is our job as their voice in Lansing to never stop fighting on their behalf.”
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Nationwide Rallies Call on Senate to Save Postal Service:
More than 100,000 postal workers and their supporters called on their lawmakers to “Save America’s Postal Service” in demonstrations Thursday in more than 200 cities organized by the Letter Carriers (NALC).
Many actions took place outside the home offices of U.S. senators who are expected to vote next week on a bill (S. 1789) that could push tens of thousands of workers out of their jobs and cripple the mail service America relies on. Cynically called the 21st Century Postal Service Act, the bill would end six-day mail delivery, phase out door-to-door delivery and close hundreds of local post offices, taking away thousands of jobs and crippling one of America's vital institutions. Earlier this year, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) announced it would shut more than half its mail processing plants and some 3,600 post offices, costing as many as 100,000 jobs. The Save America’s Postal Service campaign is a joint effort of the NALC, Postal Workers (APWU), National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU), an affiliate of the Laborers (LIUNA), and the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association (NRLCA). Meanwhile, the APWU is airing an ad that points out that APWU members handle more than 165 billion letters and packages a year that do not cost taxpayers a single penny. Click here. In addition, the union is continuing its series of ads featuring postal workers and customers talking about the importance of the Postal Service to our nation—and the devastating effect closing post offices and consolidating mail processing plants would have on our communities and our economy.
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Equal Pay Day:From: Natinal Committee on Pay Equality:
Wage Gap Statistically Unchanged:
In 2010, the earnings of African American women were $32,290, 67.7 percent of all men's earnings (from 67.5 percent in 2009), and Latinas' earnings were $27,992, 58.7 percent of all men's earnings (up from 57.7 percent in 2009). Asian American women's earnings at $41,309 dropped from 90 percent of all men's earnings in 2009 to 86.6 percent in 2010. The National Committee on Pay Equity's The Wage Gap Over Time shows how little the wage gap has changed in this century. (See also the fact sheet from the Institute for Women's Policy Research: The Gender Wage Gap: 2010.) Additional state Census data: Men’s and Women’s Earnings for States and Metropolitan Statistical Areas shows that women working full-time, year-round continued to earn less than men working full-time, year-round in every single state, although the wage gap among them varies. The District of Columbia continues to have the smallest wage gap, with women earning 91.4 cents for every dollar men earned, up from 88.2 percent last year. This 8.6 cent gap in wages was well ahead of the next best state, Vermont, where women on average made 84.3 percent of what men made. In Wyoming, the state with the worst wage gap, women’s earnings represented only 63.8 percent of men’s earnings, down from 65.5 percent in 2009. |
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From Campus Progress -- Posted 2/25/2012 Five Ways The Affordable Care Act Helps Young Americans March 21, 2012 by Brian Stewart A provision in the Affordable Care Act allows young Americans under 26 to remain on their parents’ health insurance plan. To date, that’s resulted in 2.5 million previously uninsured young Americans gaining health insurance. The benefit is especially important because young Americans have a higher chance of being uninsured than older age groups. Of Americans under 24, one in five was lacking insurance in 2010. The under-26 provision ensures that young Americans don’t lose coverage after graduation or between jobs. By 2014, an estimated 12.1 million young adults will have quality, affordable health care thanks to the legislation. 2. Student health plans are more comprehensive than ever. Under new regulations from the Department of Health and Human Services, the more than 3 million students on college health plans will receive more extensive coverage. By the 2014-2015 academic year, these plans will have completely phased out lifetime or annual benefit caps, ensuring that students can afford any necessary procedures. Additionally, the regulations ensure that colleges and insurance companies aren’t profiting from students’ health issues by increasing the medical loss ratio, or the amount of premiums that must go towards health care costs and quality improvement. By 2014, 80 percent of premiums on student insurance plans must be spent on health care costs. The much-publicized debate over whether student health plans should cover contraception has turned in favor of students, too. All college health plans must provide birth control, at no cost to students. Religiously affiliated colleges, which will not have to foot the cost of the birth control, have the option to wait one year before providing contraception. 3. A focus on preventive care coverage makes life more worry-free. Services that were sometimes not included in health insurance plans are now free under new health plans. These services include smoking cessation programs, counseling on diet and weight loss, and counseling for depression or substance abuse. Focusing on preventive care coverage not only makes life a bit easier, it reduces the overall cost of health care by helping people avoid health problems in the beginning. 4. Insurance providers cannot discriminate against patients with pre-existing conditions. Prior to the ACA, 33 states were legally permitted to charge some people a higher premium because of their gender or health status. And companies faced very few restrictions on when and how they applied such premiums. But the Affordable Care Act works to prevent such discrimination by placing tighter restrictions on companies and preventing them from charging higher premiums to people under 19 with pre-existing conditions and ensuring that older Americans with such conditions also have affordable plans. A major component of this change is barring insurance companies from charging women a higher rate than men. The legislation also prohibits insurers from considering pregnancy a pre-existing condition and requires certain women’s health services—mammograms, domestic violence screenings, birth control, and others—to be covered without co-payments. 5. Medical students can receive help paying back loan debt and will have a better chance of finding a medical job. The legislation provides financial support for the National Health Services Corps Students-to-Service Loan Repayment Program. Through the $12 million program, medical school graduates who agree to work as primary care doctors in under-served communities are eligible to receive up to $120,000 to repay outstanding loans. The National Health Service Corps has more than 10,000 clinicians—including primary care physicians, dentists, and other specialists. The Loan Repayment Program will give 100 awards in 2012, its first year. The ACA also increases federal investments in the Pell Grant program by $40 billion in an effort to ensure students can afford to pursue medical education. In addition to helping ensure Americans can afford to pursue a medical career, the ACA increases funding for programs that train and place graduates in health care fields. Combined with investments from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, federal funding will help create more than 12,000 new positions for doctors, nurses, and physicians assistants by 2016. The ACA also creates a Prevention and Public Health Fund, which will help create new positions for primary care doctors, fund training programs for physicians’ assistants and nurse practitioners, and push states to invest in health care training and job creation. |
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4 of 23 Republicans are on the march, and if we don’t fight back, they will continue to try to run roughshod over women, the middle class, and seniors.
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Rush Limbaugh's latest attack on women:
Friend -- And from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC):
Denounce Rush's Vile MisogynyRush Limbaugh, the GOP’s top megaphone, viciously and disgustingly attacked college student and women’s health advocate Sandra Fluke on air yesterday.
16) From Debbie Stabenow:On Monday, Pete Hoekstra will be campaigning around the state with Rep. Paul Ryan, the architect of the Republican plan to end Medicare and privatize Social Security. Tell them seniors have already sacrificed. Millionaires should too.
More than one million Michigan seniors rely on Medicare to see their doctor. While Senator Debbie Stabenow has led the effort to protect Medicare, her opponent is campaigning across the state with the top guy trying to destroy Medicare.
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From the Daily KOS - POSTED 2/27/2012 Republicans Undiscover Fire
The truth is it was probably never that way. It doesn't take much prompting for people to produce examples of nastiness in campaigns back Jefferson and Adams, or to revisit instances of corruption from decades or centuries gone by. We all know that Mr. Smith is a fictional character. However, just because it's possible to unearth grizzled examples of ugliness doesn't mean that the current season is not unique. Uniquely dangerous. And what makes it dangerous is the pretense that we're still in that fantasyland were ideas arm wrestle for history's approval. In fact, that time is long past. It's not even that what's now coming from the right consists of 100% emotional, fear-based appeals without a factual basis. In 2012, a campaign of suggestive fear-mongering seems almost quaint. It's that the Republicans have staked out a position that requires that they lie, 24/7, 365. Not shade the facts their way. Not put their own spin on the situation. Lie. Big, sloppy, and constantly.
The economy didn't just crash under a Republican president, it crashed under Republican policies. It crashed with low taxes. It crashed with deregulated markets. It crashed with huge restrictions on union activity. It crashed with massive cuts in environmental regulations. It crashed with lowered trade barriers. It crashed with big fat Pentagon spending. They got what they wanted. They got CEOs with no limits on their wealth. They got banks with no limits on their "creativity." They got trade agreements that guaranteed manufacturing could be moved to the dirtiest, cheapest, most desperate source available. They got massive cuts in capital gains taxes and equally large boosts in the wealth they could pass along in estates. They got everything they said would make us all wealthy. They got record oil and gas drilling. They got record giveaways of public land. They got everything they said would create jobs. They got the middle class to shoulder more, more, more of the burden so that those beautiful job creators would be free to work their magic. They can't say the economy crashed because taxes went up, because they didn't. They can't say that the economy crashed because there was a raft of new regulation, because there wasn't. They can't blame it on "union thugs" or Saul Alinsky or the guy who writes Happy Holidays cards at Hallmark. They can't blame it on a president who was elected when the world was already in free fall. Only, of course they do. They say it because they have no choice.
They certainly can't admit the truth about the economy. They can't admit that they did it. Own it. That their policies directly caused the worst economic failure in American history. Strike that. Make it "the greatest failure in American history since the last time that these same policies were tried." But then, they've been lying about that bit of history for years. The truth is that the Republicans have nothing to offer. Not even anything that looks like a governing philosophy. Conservatism has moved out of the ranks of political theories and simply become a cult; one that requires that certain phrases be mouthed, that certain hatreds be nourished, and that purity be maintained regardless of cost. That schism with reality is increasingly large and increasingly obvious. They try to paper over that gap by dismissing little things like science, reason, history. Real science fails to support their contentions, so they have to write it off. Reason doesn't work for them, so any question must be met with red-faced indignity — every question a gotcha question. Real history is full of warts, The real danger isn't that someone might listen to the Republicans—anyone who lies long enough and loud enough can always find an audience, especially when that someone has three quarters of the television media and ninety+ percent of radio. The danger is that we might forget that they're lying. Too often Democrats, including this president, have felt that the best way to handle Republican fantasies is to compromise with them. You can't compromise reality, no no matter how loud the lies. |
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From the DNC - Posted 2/27/2012 The Third Anniversary of the Recovery Act On this day three years ago, with an economy in free fall, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Vice President Biden was at President Obama's side as the new administration steered the bill through Congress and a wave of Republican opposition, enacted it, and watched the difference it made for communities, small businesses, and middle-class families nationwide. Because of this law, the tide turned, and a second Great Depression was averted. We have now seen 23 consecutive months of job growth, and the private-sector has added nearly 3.7 million jobs. Our manufacturing sector is growing for the first time since 1997. And 7 million Americans were kept out of poverty in 2010, thanks to Recovery Act tax cuts for 95 percent of working families. Today, the Vice President has an op-ed in the Tampa Bay Times, with an eloquent reflection of what the Recovery Act has meant for our economy and for our country. It's worth reading in full.
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From the Michigan Senate Democrats - POSTED 2/27/2012 Senate Dems' Effort to Restore Unemployment Assistance for Workers Gets Turned Aside by Republican Majority
“We have an opportunity to aid countless struggling families throughout Michigan, but Republicans would apparently rather put their own political interests ahead of the interests of our citizens,” said Hunter. “It was thoroughly disappointing to see them refuse to do what’s right for Michigan and right for our people.” Last year, Republicans reduced the number of weeks of state benefits that an individual receives from 26 to 20. Since federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation is based on the weeks available to workers at the state level, SB 370 would restore the state assistance to 26 weeks so that Michigan could fully leverage the federal unemployment assistance available to our workers. Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer added that failing to immediately pass SB 370 would mean that Michigan will forego between 11 and 14 weeks of 100% federally-funded benefits for this year, meaning workers would face a total of 17 to 20 fewer weeks of assistance while seeking new employment. “The consequences of the Republicans’ actions are clear: Michigan’s unemployed workers will lose access to more federal unemployment assistance than any state in the nation,” said Whitmer. “I am once again calling on Governor Snyder and my Republican colleagues to restore the assistance available to our unemployed workers in Michigan who deserve far better than the lip service they’ve been given by this administration.” Senator Hunter’s discharge motion was defeated on a 24-12 vote, with only Sen. Tory Rocca crossing over and voting with the Democrats. |
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From the MEA Web Site - Posted 2/27/2012 Commentary: The two Romneys are a study in contrasts MEA submitted the following opinion piece to the Detroit News for President Cook’s monthly column. The News, without MEA’s permission, edited out the paragraphs in bold. MEA believes it is in the public interest to present the full, unedited piece.
For those of us who know our Michigan history, it’s interesting to view this campaign through the lens of another Gov. Romney: Mitt’s father, George. In 1965, Michigan Gov. George Romney signed into law the Public Employee Relations Act. This legislation gave public sector employees (teachers, school support staff, police officers, firefighters and other public workers) the right to form unions and engage in collective bargaining. In 1967, Gov. Romney signed the Michigan Income Tax Act, creating a flat rate income tax that helped drive greater investment in our state and its infrastructure. Prior to becoming governor, George Romney was the CEO of American Motors, helping to build Michigan’s modern auto industry. He was also a prominent advocate for investing in and improving public schools in our state – so much so that the Michigan Education Association awarded Romney our “Distinguished Service Award” in 1960 for contributions to the cause of public education. Contrast George Romney’s history with that of his son, Mitt, and it begs one question – what does Mitt think about his father’s legacy? Apparently not much, based on his positions throughout this presidential campaign. Mitt Romney has expressed disdain for unions and collective bargaining. And he believes that wealthy Americans – like himself – need lower tax rates. Prior to the Florida primary, we learned that Romney paid approximately 14 percent in taxes on the $21 million he made last year in interest, dividends and capital gains on his investments. During the campaign, he has proposed eliminating those taxes altogether. At the same time, he opposed the extension of the middle class tax cut – a position he’s flipped on since Congress and President Obama agreed to that extension. And then there is the auto industry Mitt’s father helped build – the same auto industry that Mitt Romney said should have been allowed to go bankrupt. He has been unswerving in opposition to President Obama’s efforts to help the Big Three return to financial stability and save hundreds of thousands of great American jobs. Michigan should be thankful that Mitt Romney was not President when the auto industry faced collapse, since he’s said on many occasions that he would have let the industry fail. Those whose jobs were saved – and the thousands more who are now being hired – are certainly better off. While Romney “the younger” likes to call the auto bailout “Obama socialism,” I believe our elder Romney would have applauded this government intervention – as well as the dedication both the Big Three and unions have shown to the collective bargaining process that helped the industry get back on its feet. It is no wonder Mitt Romney is in danger of losing his “home” state. His anti-union beliefs, his support for tax cuts for the wealthy, and his opposition to saving the auto industry make winning Michigan a tough task. In the end, it’s clear that Mitt Romney is a far cry from his father when it comes to being a moderate Republican capable of appealing to a variety of voters. As Tuesday’s primary approaches, Michigan voters are quickly realizing that Mitt isn’t their fathers’ Romney. |
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From Occupy New Hampshire - POSTED 2/26/2012 Fascism Anyone? The 14 Defining Characteristics of Fascism by Laurence W. Britt ED NOTE: The Occupy New Hampshire web site posted this article about Fascism. I found it interesting and have re-posted it for informational value only. There is no intention on our part in branding any candidate or political party as fascist. However the term is often used by the uninformed to describe either political party in this country -- whenever someone wants to discredit a political party (or candidate) they often, and incorrectly, slander it by calling it "fascist." People have generally lost the true connotation of the political force that was created by Benito Mussolini and amended by subsequent leaders, such as Adolf Hitler. Fascism is a special type of dictatorship which combines the corporate world and the political world and is sometimes called "the corporate state." Not all dictatorships are fascist. Know this, approximately 400,000 Americans died in World War II to defeat the evil dictatorships and "fascism." In few conflicts has a political belief been so denounced as fascism was denounced here in America during World War II.
FASCISM ANYONE? THE 14 DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF FASCISM BY LAURENCE W. BRITT Laurence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. He found 14 defining characteristics common to each: 1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism – Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays. 2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights – Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of “need.” The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc. 3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause – The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial, ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc. 4. Supremacy of the Military – Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized. 5. Rampant Sexism – The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution. 6. Controlled Mass Media – Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common. 7. Obsession with National Security – Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses. 8. Religion and Government are Intertwined – Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government’s policies or actions. 9. Corporate Power is Protected – The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite. 10. Labor Power is Suppressed – Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed. 11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts – Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked. 12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment – Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations. 13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption – Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders. 14. Fraudulent Elections – Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections. Any questions, America? |
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From the Daily KOS - Posted 2/13/2012 Republicans undiscover fire
The truth is it was probably never that way. It doesn't take much prompting for people to produce examples of nastiness in campaigns back Jefferson and Adams, or to revisit instances of corruption from decades or centuries gone by. We all know that Mr. Smith is a fictional character. However, just because it's possible to unearth grizzled examples of ugliness doesn't mean that the current season is not unique. Uniquely dangerous. And what makes it dangerous is the pretense that we're still in that fantasyland were ideas arm wrestle for history's approval. In fact, that time is long past. It's not even that what's now coming from the right consists of 100% emotional, fear-based appeals without a factual basis. In 2012, a campaign of suggestive fear-mongering seems almost quaint.
The lies go beyond instantly dismissible claims like President Obama being the "food stamp president" (why you have to go back one whole administration to discover that more people joined the food stamp ranks under Bush than Obama, but then the Republicans don't seem to remember Bush in any case). The blatant lies extend through every aspect of the Republican platform, such as it is. The simple reason is that the Republicans have no ideas left, at least no ideas that have not been tested and proven to be failures again, and again, and again. The economy didn't just crash under a Republican president, it crashed under Republican policies. It crashed with low taxes. It crashed with deregulated markets. It crashed with huge restrictions on union activity. It crashed with massive cuts in environmental regulations. It crashed with lowered trade barriers. It crashed with big fat Pentagon spending. They got what they wanted. They got CEOs with no limits on their wealth. They got banks with no limits on their "creativity." They got trade agreements that guaranteed manufacturing could be moved to the dirtiest, cheapest, most desperate source available. They got massive cuts in capital gains taxes and equally large boosts in the wealth they could pass along in estates. They got everything they said would make us all wealthy. They got record oil and gas drilling. They got record giveaways of public land. They got everything they said would create jobs. They got the middle class to shoulder more, more, more of the burden so that those beautiful job creators would be free to work their magic.
For the same reason that they have to maintain that global warming is the creation of a conspiracy of scientists, and that evolution is a conspiracy of other scientists, and that gay marriage is a threat to "traditional" marriage. They have to lie about the threat of illegal immigrants. Lie about the state of the national debt. Lie about the effects of the President's health care plan. They have to lie, because lies are all they have left. They certainly can't admit the truth about the economy. They can't admit that they did it. Own it. That their policies directly caused the worst economic failure in American history. Strike that. Make it "the greatest failure in American history since the last time that these same policies were tried." But then, they've been lying about that bit of history for years.
The real danger isn't that someone might listen to the Republicans—anyone who lies long enough and loud enough can always find an audience, especially when that someone has three quarters of the television media and ninety+ percent of radio. The danger is that we might forget that they're lying. Too often Democrats, including this president, have felt that the best way to handle Republican fantasies is to compromise with them. You can't compromise reality, no no matter how loud the lies. |
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From Think Progress - Posted 2/12/2012 Santorum: Women Are Capable Of 'Flying Small Planes' The Pentagon announcement easing the ban on women serving in combat led Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum to express his concerns that missions could be put in jeopardy “because of other types of emotions that are involved.” But today, Santorum attempted to clarify his seemingly sexist statement in an interview with ABC News: Having put to rest the allegation that he was suggesting women were emotionally unfit to serve in combat — and instead having argued that men are emotionally unfit to serve alongside women — Santorum went on to emphasize that he has no problem putting women’s lives in danger. Blogger Jennifer Rubin describes her interview with Santorum: He says, “It’s not a matter of putting women in dangerous roles.” He tell[s] me, for example, that women are fully capable of “flying small planes.” So it seems that for Santorum, it’s okay for women to fly the puddle jumpers but save the heavy bombers for the men. While Rubin goes on to commend Santorum for his fearlessness in “refusing to censor his views” and possibly “provoking the ire of women,” his views on women in the military may pose a challenge for his campaign which finds itself in the media spotlight after primary victories in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado. In the past 24 hours, Santorum: accused Obama of helping Iran acquire nuclear weapons; suggested that male soldiers are incapable of controlling their emotions around female comrades in combat; and said women are better suited to “flying small planes.” |
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From Think Progress - Posted 2/12/2012 Santorum: Birth Control Is Not Something 'You Need Insurance For' Because It Costs 'Just A Few Dollars' Rick Santorum told an audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) this morning that insurance plans shouldn’t cover contraception services because birth control “costs a few dollars” and is only a “minor expense” for women:
In reality, oral contraceptives or “The Pill” range between $35 and $250 for the initial provider visit and the cost of a monthly supply of pills ranges between $15 and $50 a month, which amounts to between $180 and $600 a year depending on woman’s medical coverage. This means some women without insurance coverage for contraception may pay over $850 the first year of their prescription. Other forms of birth control are far more expensive. For instance, the cost for a monthly supply of birth control patches ranges from $15 to $80 dollars, or between $180 and $960 a year. Combined with the doctors visit, uninsured women could spend over $1,200 dollars in the first year. Santorum has long opposed contraception and has pledged to preach about “the dangers of contraception in this country,” if elected president. “It’s not okay. It’s a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be,” he has said. The former Pennsylvania senator has also claimed that states have the right to outlaw birth control.
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From the AFL-CIO - Posted 2/3/2012 The Privatization of Public Services, State by State Donald Cohen, founder and executive director of In the Public Interest, a national resource center on privatization and responsible contracting, sends us this.
They want to take over our roads, bridges, parking lots, water systems, college dorms, and prisons. And they want to deliver public services like transit systems, school cafeterias, trash and recycling pick up, mental health services and many others. The following is a quick scan of just some of the proposals. Water The Emergency manager of Flint, Mich., is considering selling off its water and sewer systems to the highest bidder. The systems are currently generating revenues for the city. Long Island’s Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano’s proposal is proposing to privatize the county’s sewage treatment system. Mangano also announced the privatization of Long Island Bus company to Veolia Transportation. The Texas Lower Colorado River Authority is selling 18 retail water and wastewater systems in the Hill Country and in its southeast service area to [Canada-based] Corix Infrastructure. Schools School districts across the country are planning to contract out custodial, clerical, cafeteria and bus services. In Michigan, home to the right-wing, privatization think tank, the Mackinac Center, lots of The real estate industry, seeing potential profits from the growth in charter schools, wants in. One company, Entertainment Properties, a real estate investment trust, primarily a movie theater landlord, now owns 34 charter-school properties and sees “a huge capacity to grow.” Prisons The Florida Senate failed to vote on a controversial proposal to private prisons in South Florida. A labor community coalition including AFSCME, Teamsters, the Justice Policy Center, Grassroots Leaders and the Police Benevolent Association mobilized members and press opposition. Perhaps the Gainesville businessmen who were sentenced to federal prison for paying kickbacks to the former secretary of the state department of corrections official after the prison canteens system was privatized had an impact. Liquor The liquor industry is pushing hard to take control of state systems that now generate funds for cash-strapped governments. Ohio Gov. John Kasich is privatizing the state’s liquor distribution system in a $1.4 billion dollar deal. The Idaho Federation of Reagan Republicans submitted a citizen’s initiative to the secretary of state’s office that would privatize liquor sales in Idaho and eliminate the state Liquor Division. Michigan Gov. Snider is proposing to deregulate the state’s alcohol distribution system. The Michigan Liquor Control Commission generates an estimated $330 million for the state’s general fund. Snider’s Liquor Control Rules Advisory Committee is stacked with representatives from sectors that profit from alcohol sales. It’s not all bad news. Record profits at state-owned liquor stores in Virginia “may have sounded the final death knell for Gov. Bob McDonnell’s proposal to privatize” them. |
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From AFL-CIO - Posted 2/3/2012 Indiana Working Families Ready to Take Back the State AFL-CIO Field Communications staffer Cathy Sherwin sends us this from the Indiana statehouse. Far from conceding defeat after the passage of a so-called right to work (RTW) bill, tens of thousands of Construction workers and teachers, grocery clerks and truck drivers cheered on the workers and elected officials with chants of “Remember November,” vowing to take back the state door by door, neighborhood by neighborhood. WISH-TV has some great aerial footage here. The overreach and extreme politics that led to today’s vote—including actions by RTW supporters that included shutting the doors to the statehouse, cutting off debate and an ad campaign bankrolled by secret special interests have given the voting public a window into the Indiana Capitol. In poll after poll, Hoosier voters say they don’t approve of these strong-arm tactics by GOP leaders. By using his final months in office to push this divisive attack, Gov. Mitch Daniels has tarnished his legacy, an outcome that he predicted only a few years ago when he said “right to work” would cause a “civil war.”‘ At today’s rally and march after the vote, that quote was turned on its head by Guyott. She called out the governor but said that today’s vote was the opposite of a civil war, “brother against brother,” because in Indiana,
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From Bloomberg News - Posted 2/3/2012 Indiana joins right-to-work ranks, gov. signs bill
Indiana has become the first Rust Belt state to enact the contentious right-to-work labor law prohibiting labor contracts that require workers to pay union representation fees. Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels signed the bill Wednesday after it passed the Senate following weeks of discord that saw House Democrats boycott the Legislature and thousands of protesters gather at the Statehouse. Indiana is the first state in a decade to enact a right-to-work law. Supporters say the measure helps create a pro-business climate that attracts employers and increases jobs. Opponents say right to work leads to lower wages and poorer quality jobs. Protesters say the fight isn't over and note that Indiana passed right to work once before but repealed it. Some plan to distribute leaflets at Sunday's Super Bowl. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below. Lawmakers voted Wednesday to make Indiana the Rust Belt's first right-to-work state, passing legislation that prohibits labor contracts requiring workers to pay union representation fees. Thousands of union members gathered inside the Statehouse chanted "Shame on you!" and "See you at the Super Bowl!" as the vote was announced. Thousands more amassed outside for a rally that spilled into the Indianapolis streets, already bustling with Super Bowl festivities, hoping to point a national spotlight on the state. Indiana will be the first state in a decade to enact a right-to-work law, although few states with legislation in place boast Indiana's union clout, borne of a long manufacturing legacy. The move is likely to embolden national right-to-work advocates who have unsuccessfully pushed the measure in other states following a Republican sweep of statehouses in 2010. Passage of the law will close one chapter in a contentious debate that sparked a five-week walkout by outnumbered House Democrats last year and saw them stage numerous boycotts this session, delaying action on other bills and threatening to spill over into Sunday's Super Bowl. The Republican-controlled Senate approved the bill in a 28-22 vote Wednesday morning. The bill now heads for the desk of Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, who has said he will sign it upon arrival. THERE'S MORE - GO TO BLOOMBERG From the LA Times - Posted 2/3/2012 Indiana right-to-work law: Gov. Mitch Daniels makes it done deal
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels on Wednesday signed a measure making his state the first in the nation’s Rust Belt to have a right-to-work law, according to state lawmakers. The signing had been expected after the GOP-controlled Indiana Senate gave final passage to the measure, 28-22, earlier Wednesday. Republicans had pushed the bill quickly through both houses so that Daniels could sign it before this weekend’s Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis and the national media spotlight that it offered opponents. Unionists have pledged to hold informational picketing over the next few days, Indiana AFL-CIO spokesman Jeff Harris said in a telephone interview. Daniels has warned the protesters that any disruption of the Super Bowl would be a mistake. Union members and their allies have been protesting the expected passage for days. After the Senate action, several thousand demonstrators took to the streets in a protest march through downtown to the Convention Center. The measure would allow workers to avoid paying dues to a union even if the workplace, private or public, is unionized. Unions dislike such a law because, they say, it creates free riders: people who benefit from union-negotiated contracts without having to pay for the cost of bargaining or maintaining the contract. Conservatives argue that forcing someone to pay dues violates their rights. |
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From the Huffington Post - Posted 1/31/2012 New bridge to Canada: Support grows for public span, but opponents still in majority Despite an onslaught of advertising by opponents, backers of a proposed new bridge between Detroit and Windsor appear to be closing the gap in the court of public opinion but still are losing the argument, a new Free Press/WXYZ-TV poll shows. On two separate questions -- one asking a short, simple question, the second providing the arguments of each side -- opponents had a 9 percentage point advantage. Just a few months ago, opposition was running 2-1, according to Bernie Porn, president of EPIC-MRA in Lansing, which conducted the poll. But on a separate question asking what support would be for Gov. Rick Snyder going forward with the project without legislative approval, opposition was a strong 2-1 and consistent across the state. The poll showed far more support generally for the bridge project in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties (on the simpler question, tri-county residents supported the new bridge 47%-39%) than in the rest of Michigan, where opponents had a double-digit advantage over proponents on the two main questions. The poll of 600 likely voters in the November election was conducted Jan. 21-25 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Porn said the barrage of TV ads sponsored by the owners of the Ambassador Bridge -- who vehemently oppose the construction of a competing, government-owned bridge -- has taken its toll. Among other things, the ads have suggested that Snyder wants the bridge as a tribute to himself and that taxpayers could be left on the hook. |
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From the Huffington Post - Posted 1/30/2012 Emergency Manager Poll Finds White, Republican Men Favor Law A recent Detroit Free Press/WXYZ poll claims Michigan voters are evenly split when it comes to support for Public Act 4, the state's emergency manager law. But a closer look shows support for the law comes largely from those whom it least affects. The poll results, published Sunday, asked 600 likely voters whether they would vote to repeal Public Act 4 if the question were placed on the November ballot. Opponents to the law have been gathering signatures in just such an effort to force a statewide referendum. If successful, the petition drive would also freeze the law until the vote, placing the state's six current emergency managers in uncertain positions. Gov. Rick Snyder and Treasurer Andy Dillon have said they favor stopgap legislation that would allow the emergency managers in Benton Harbor, Ecorse, Flint, Pontiac, Detroit Public Schools and -- as of Friday -- Highland Park Schools, to continue their work. The Free Press/WXYZ poll found 42 percent of respondents would vote to keep Public Act 4, and 45 percent would vote to reject it. Statewide, men were more likely to favor the emergency manager law than women (51 percent to 35 percent), and Republicans favored it much more heavily than Democrats (60 percent to 26 percent). The poll sampled all Michigan voters, not those residents of the municipalities and school districts currently affected by the emergency manager law. Each of those communities are majority African-American, and the poll did show black people would vote to reject the law 65 percent to 23 percent. The survey also asked respondents what they thought should be done to solve Detroit's fiscal crisis. Detroit is currently undergoing a state review of its finances, moving the city one step closer to the appointment of an emergency manager. |
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From TPM - Posted 1/30/2012 Jennifer Granholm's New Current TV Show Will Be 'Fair' But Not 'Balanced' Jennifer Granholm didn’t expect to get her own TV show. The opportunity for Michigan’s former governor to host a primetime program on Current TV came “completely out of the blue,” she said. But here’s her shot. Granholm’s new program, The War Room, premieres Monday evening at 9 p.m. ET Granholm, an actual politician, describes herself as a total political junkie. “I love this stuff, I am obsessed with it.” So she thought, “Why not do something I know a bit about on a subject that will last through November? It’s a win-win.” Granholm, Michigan’s first female governor, has described The War Room as a program that liberals will love, independents will appreciate and conservatives will hate. Obviously, that plays to Current’s audience — former Vice President Al Gore is a co-founder of the network, after all. But with so much commentary and analysis available, how will Granholm’s program expand her already liberal viewers’ perspective? “There is enough bandwidth on Current for a broad swath of viewers,” Granholm said. “We want to give those independent viewers something to think about.” The show will be “fair” but not “balanced,” she added. She won’t have a liberal and a conservative on the air just to start an argument and call it an objective line up. “I don’t think people are looking for moral equivalency,” she said. Granholm’s program will stay true to its name. The set is literally a war room, with political posters and buttons. She wants The War Room to be “election central,” and so she has identified “12 races to watch in 2012.” Among those races are the Massachusetts senate race between Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown, the Virginia Senate race between Tim Kaine and George Allen and, of course, the race for the White House. In fact, The War Room’s first episode goes inside President Obama’s Chicago campaign headquarters. And Elizabeth Warren will be a guest on The War Room Monday night. Other guests appearing during the show’s first week include New York Times polling blogger Nate Silver and DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz. |
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From Think Progress - Posted 1/30/2012 North Carolina GOP Lawmaker Calls For Bringing Back Public Hangings, Starting With Abortion Providers The last legal public hanging in America took place in 1936 in Owensboro, Kentucky. The “event” attracted 20,000 people and turned into such a sickening spectacle that many credit it with ending the practice in the U.S. But one North Carolina Republican believes that as a country we’ve grown soft since banning public hangings and is calling for them to reinstated as a deterrent to crime. If Rep. Larry Pittman had his way, “abortionists, rapists, and kidnappers” would be first in line for the gallows:
As ThinkProgress reported, last year Republicans in South Carolina, Nebraska, and Iowa pushed legislation that would essentially legalize the murder of abortion providers. Such radical sentiments have been echoed by prominent conservatives like Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), who said during his 2004 campaign, “I favor the death penalty for abortionists.” |
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From Think Progress - Posted 1/30/2012 Real Time Panel Embarrasses Dana Rohrabacher After He Claims Obama Wants 'To Gut The Military' On HBO’s Real Time Friday night, host Bill Maher said the Republicans “were such sour pusses” during President Obama’s State of the Union speech last week. “Just in your own self interest, wouldn’t it be good to fake it when he’s talking about American succeses?” Maher wondered. Panelist Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) told Maher why the Republicans were in such a foul mood:
Maher, co-panelists Kennedy from Reason TV, MSNBC’s Martin Bashir and even the audience joined in to collectively chastise the California Republican for his blatantly false claim. “That’s absolutely not true,” Kennedy said, later adding, “I love the military. I like my SEALs groomed and ready to go but you have to tell the truth.” “Can I give you the facts?” Maher asked Rohrabacher. “So far every budget Obama has had has increased military spending,” he said. “This year they’re asking a reduction from $531 billion to $525 billion, 1.6 percent. You mean our freedom is in trouble because of that 1.6 percent?” Maher later added, “How paranoid do you have to be to say that this guy is gutting our military?” Watch the clip:
Of course, Maher, Kennedy, Bashir (and the audience) are right, Obama is not gutting the military, not even close. And while the Obama administration has outlined a plan to reduce military spending by nearly $500 billion over the next 10 years, that figure is taken from levels of projected spending. As the New York Times noted this week, “over the next four years, the Pentagon budget would rise each year, reaching $567 billion by 2017.” The Time adds that “adjusted for inflation, the increases are small enough that they will amount to a slight cut of 1.6 percent of the Pentagon’s base budget over the next five years.” |
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Panel Raps Education Reform Effort
Panelists at Saturday’s Education Town Hall Meeting in Niles took the time to rally against the current set of education reform bills making their way through Lansing. The panelists were particularly critical of a bill signed into law in December by Gov. Rick Snyder that lifts the cap on the amount of charter schools allowed in the state. Gary Miron, a professor at Western Michigan University who has done extensive research on charter schools, said more than 80-percent of the state’s charter schools are operated by private, for-profit companies. “Now we are seeing our schools run from Florida and California,” he said. “One of our schools in Kalamazoo, which has been shut down now, they couldn’t order paper without getting permission from Boston. Talk about bureaucracy.” Miron said not only are charter schools performing worse than public schools on average, they are also leading to segregation by race and class. “Charter schools are accelerating segregation. Many parents said charter schools are going to lead to white flight — it’s happening, but not nearly as much as black flight or Latino flight,” he said. “These aren’t charter schools. They are different than the ones they proposed in the ‘90s,” Miron said. “What we have today are franchise schools or corporate schools. Those are the names we should be using.” State Rep. Sean McCann, D-Kalamazoo, talked a lot about how the Kalamazoo Promise is boosting the economy in his area. The Kalamazoo Promise, which came out in 2005, essentially pays the tuition for any graduate of the Kalamazoo Public School system who attends a state college or university. Jack Arbanas, democratic candidate for the 78thDistrict, gave a presentation on how the state’s school aid fund is being used for purposes other than what it was intended. He said that fund should be supporting K-12 education only. The town hall meeting was held at the Niles Senior Center. It was put on by the South County Blue Tiger Community Action Committee and the Berrien County Paraprofessional Association. State Sen. John Proos, R-St. Joseph; State Rep. Sharon Tyler, R-Niles; and State Rep. Al Pscholka, R-Stevensville; were all invited to speak, but did not attend. |
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From Flint News - Posted 1/22/12 Michigan's upcoming presidential primary election differs slightly from past years
GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan — Attention, voters: Don’t let the upcoming Feb. 28 election throw you for a loop. Michigan has a long history of switching its presidential primary procedures, and this year is no different.
The bottom line this Election Day is that voters will have to declare a political party preference to get a Republican or Democratic presidential primary ballot — and the ballot that you choose will be a matter of public record. That means anyone who requests it can get a list of what party ballot each voter selected. And, to make matters more convoluted, Republicans will select their presidential nominee at the polls in the Feb. 28 election, but Democrats will select President Barack Obama as their candidate in a May 5 caucus. So even though Obama will be on a ballot on Election Day, votes for him in the primary won’t matter. “It’s the party’s choice for how they want to do it,” Genesee County Clerk Michael Carr said of the nominating process. As for the presidential preference primary, also called a closed primary, Carr said it’s rarely been done in Michigan. “It’s relatively new,” he said. “It is unusual.” Voters have until Jan. 30 to register to vote in the presidential primary. Closed presidential primaries date to the early 1900s in Michigan, according to the secretary of state, and many states still require closed presidential primaries. But past attempts to hold them in Michigan haven’t gone over so well, said Paul Rozycki, political science professor at Mott Community College. “It caused a lot of backlash and anger with some people,” he said of the 1992 closed primary. At the time, Rozycki said some showed up at the polls, only to turn away in anger when asked to declare a party preference. “I’m not sure it would discourage a lot of people (from voting) — but some people, definitely,” he said. “It’s a very private decision for some people. People still feel uncomfortable with that.” But Rozycki said the idea behind the closed primary is to discourage crossover voters from interfering in another party’s choice for nominee. “It’s probably the fair way to do it,” he said. Voters have the option to avoid choosing a party preference by skipping the presidential primary and requesting a ballot that has only local elections, said Fred Woodhams, a secretary of state spokesman. Voters who choose to vote only on local issues — such as the special election to replace recalled state Rep. Paul Scott in the 51st District — won’t have to declare a party preference. In other local elections, Clayton Township is putting two public safety millages before voters, and the LakeVille School District will see two bond proposals. “People will have an opportunity to select a Republican ballot, a Democratic ballot or a ballot that does not have the presidential primary portion on it,” Woodhams said. “It would be public information about which ballot a voter selects.” Although Obama will be the only choice on the Democratic ballot, 11 Republicans will be on the GOP one, including Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Rick Perry and Jon Huntsman, who have suspended their campaigns. Others on the ballot are Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, Gary Johnson, Fred Karger and Buddy Roemer. Under current national and state Democratic rules, someone who votes for Obama in the primary election would be barred from voting in the caucus, where it really counts. Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer plans to ask the state party governing board to change the rule at its next meeting so Democrats aren’t inadvertently disenfranchised if they vote in the primary. From the Flint News - Click here to read the original article |
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Measuring the Top 1% by Wealth, Not Income — The wealthiest 1 percent took in about 16 percent of overall income — 8 percent of the money earned from salaries and wages, but 36 percent of the income earned from self-employment. — They controlled nearly a third of the nation’s financial assets (investment holdings) and about 28 percent of nonfinancial assets (the value of property, cars, jewelry, etc.). These measures will be particularly interesting to revisit when the new, post-recession data arrives. — Money may not buy happiness, but the Fed survey suggests it buys good health. About 90 percent of the 1 percenters describe themselves as being in excellent or good health, compared with 75 percent of everybody else. About 85 percent expect to live into their 80s, compared with 68 percent of everybody else. — Nearly half of the 1 percenters own two or more pieces of real estate. That was true for just 5 percent of the rest of the population. — Nearly a third of 1 percenters own a vehicle besides a car, compared with 14 percent of other households. And not just in the driveway. While the rest of us are slightly more likely to own a mobile home, 1 in 5 of the wealthiest Americans say they have a boat, plane or helicopter, compared with 1 in 22 in other households. — About three-quarters of the wealthy said they spent less than they earned in the previous year, compared with about 44 percent of everybody else. This is also a category that will be fascinating to track in the post-recession data. — When asked if they feel “lucky” in their financial affairs, nearly 80 percent of the super-rich strongly agreed. The rest of us? Fewer than one-third feel that financial good fortune is shining upon us. |
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Rick Snyder Protesters: 'We Don't Want Our Elected Officials To Be Unilaterally Dismissed 'As hundreds of marchers demonstrated outside the gates of Gov. Rick Snyder's private residence near Ann Arbor, loudly chanting in protest of Michigan's emergency manager law, the Rev. Charles E. Williams II had a quiet conversation with the governor's chief of staff. Williams, pastor of the historic King Solomon Baptist Church in Detroit, said he hopes the governor is listening and is willing to find a way to help cities in Michigan that are struggling financially — without, as he put it, ruining their democracy. "We elect mayors, we elect city council members, and we would like them to be a part of the process … in terms of rebuilding these urban cities," Williams said. "We don't want our elected officials to be unilaterally dismissed," he said. "And that's the message that we're sending here today. We ask that you would let the governor know." Dennis Muchmore, the governor's chief of staff, thanked Williams for sharing his concerns and called Monday's Occupy for Democracy rally a great example of democracy in action.
"I think everybody has a concern about what happens to cities or school districts or townships when they have a problem financially," he said. "We think that in each of these situations, what we've got to do is try to find some kind of common ground between the community to solve the problems. If we can do that, we will do that." Monday's rally purposely fell on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in an effort to honor King's legacy by showing opposition to Public Act 4, Michigan's emergency manager law. The law, which was approved by the Republican-controlled state Legislature last year and signed by Snyder, allows state-appointed emergency managers to remove local elected officials from office. Critics say the law is a threat to democracy. "It's really wrong," said Ed Kudla, a teacher from Slauson Middle School in Ann Arbor who came to the rally to show his support for recalling Snyder and repealing the law. "First of all, they take away money from cities, towns and villages — then they go after them with an emergency manager when they don't have enough money to pay their bills," he said. "And when they go in, they take public land, they bust unions and cancel contracts. Everything about it is wrong, and there's no end in sight." The rally started at Washtenaw Community College. From there, carrying signs and chanting anti-Snyder slogans, protesters marched up to Parker Mill County Park, just down the street from Snyder's home, where Williams used a megaphone to deliver a message. "Sometimes when you're sick, you have to go to the emergency room," he said, rallying the crowd. "Sometimes when you're spiritually sick, you have to go to the mosque or you have to go to the church. Well, on today, Gov. Snyder got a cold and we're making a house call." Williams estimated there were about 3,000 people in attendance at that point, though police estimated the event attracted only about 800 people.
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Blackout Strike: Lawmakers Drop Support of SOPA and PIPA Wikipedia, Reddit and Boing Boing are among the popular websites that will be dark today to protest a pair of bills making their way through Congress. Hollywood studios say tougher rules are needed to protect their intellectual property from online piracy. But Silicon Valley companies say the bills would encourage censorship and harm innovation. Wikipedia Blackout Page:
Google Blackout Page:
Click for the Google Petition:
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The wage gap remained statistically unchanged in the last year. Women's earnings were 77.4 percent of men's in 2010, compared to 77.0 percent in 2009, according to Census statistics released September 13, 2011 based on the median earnings of all full-time, year-round workers. Both men's and women's earnings showed slight increases from 2009 to 2010 with men's at $47,715 and women's at $36,931, a difference of $10,784. Fifty years ago women earned 61 percent of what men earned, a Census official noted in releasing the data. 
1. Staying on your parents’ plan.
this system, paycheck after paycheck, year after year, and they deserve to get the benefits they earned.
There's a mythology around politics, one that sees the ballot box and the floor of Congress as a battleground of ideas. In this star-spangled arena, progressives and conservatives square off in the competition to prove the worth of their opposing philosophies and the merit of their plans. Of course it's not all high-minded rhetoric and reasoned discourse, there are selfish motives and personal ambitions, angry outbursts and plain old mistakes, but in the end the best ideas win out in the great experiment that is America! Cue the brass section and wave the flag.
LANSING – Senate Democrats today moved to offer immediate help to Michigan’s unemployed workers by reinstating six weeks of state unemployment assistance to Michigan families and restoring our state’s ability to receive crucial federal unemployment dollars. Senate Democratic Floor Leader 
With the upcoming primary on Tuesday, Michigan has become the focus of Republican presidential politics – especially for Gov. Mitt Romney, for whom a win in his home state is at stake.
It seems there’s no public service or piece of property that private companies are not eyeing as potential revenue streams. While funding anti-government think tanks like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), companies like Corrections Corporation of America, Waste Management, Maximus, Intuit, Laidlaw, Northrup Grumman, Koch Companies, Macquarie Capital Advisers, Pinnacle West, and UnitedHealthcare are hoping to use government as their candy store.
Hoosier workers came together in solidarity to march from the statehouse to Super Bowl village in Indianapolis. From the steps of the statehouse, Indiana AFL-CIO President Nancy Guyott said today would mark a new start to taking back the state, starting with “the biggest march Indiana has ever seen!”
and will round out Current’s primetime line-up, following The Young Turks with Cenk Uygur and Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Granholm spoke to TPM by phone about her motivation to do the show and what she hopes it will mean to viewers.
"We certainly recognize the concerns and we share those concerns, and we want to make sure that all of these cities are vibrant and have got a financial status for the future that can be sustained," he said in an interview afterward.
