Scott Walker: Back in the Saddle, Back to His Old ALEC Tricks
"On the heels of Scott Walker abandoning his presidential bid, the Wisconsin governor is returning to the state and flipping through the old American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) playbook for ideas.
Walker comes back to Wisconsin with his approval at an all-time low. Following a sneak attack on the open records law, a plan to spend hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on a stadium for an NBA team co-owned by Walker's campaign finance co-chair, and mounting allegations of lawbreaking and political kickbacks at Walker's job creation agency (the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation), even Walker's longtime GOP supporters began to disapprove of the governor.
With his return to Wisconsin, some called on Walker to build bridges and mend fences.
Yet rather than reach across the aisle or put his weight behind broadly popular measures, Walker is returning to an old divide-and-conquer strategy: rally the far-right base by scapegoating public workers and pushing ALEC policies.
Just three days after ending his presidential run, Walker announced he was backing a plan to gut the state's civil service laws, a Progressive era-reform designed to safeguard against political patronage. Civil service laws provide a merit-based system for hiring (so employment isn't premised on political connections) and due process protections for firing (so public workers aren't fired for political reasons).
Walker's proposal reflects the ALEC "At Will Employment Act," which would eliminate civil service or other worker protections and (as the name suggests) make all employment at-will.
The elimination of civil service protections is particularly troubling in Wisconsin, because Walker justified the anti-union (and ALEC-inspired) Act 10 by claiming that public workers didn't need collective bargaining, since they would still be protected by civil service laws."
Thursday, October 1, 2015
It is time to get very afraid: Extremists, authoritarians now run the GOP — and no one can stop them
It is time to get very afraid: Extremists, authoritarians now run the GOP — and no one can stop them
"In 1968, Nixon made this Movement Conservative argument part of the established Republican Party when he resorted to the Southern Strategy. He expanded the villains’ list, too: he added to it grasping women, all minorities, and anti-war activists in the streets. They were all trying to destroy America.
Nixon’s people were purposely vague in their accusations—the administration’s favorite straw man was the murky “they” of “they say.” That unspecified “they” allowed Nixon’s people to preserve the illusion that they were describing facts. But President Ronald Reagan unhinged the rhetoric of Movement Conservatism even further from reality. He told folksy stories about Welfare Queens who stole tax dollars and hardworking individuals threatened by “a little intellectual elite in a far-distant Capitol.” When journalists fact-checked Reagan, he accused them of bias and rallied supporters against the “Liberal media.” And it played. In 1987, his administration ended the Fairness Doctrine that had required media to present facts and a wide range of opinions. This enabled Movement Conservatives to spew their worldview on talk radio and later television, railing against lazy blacks, women, minorities, workers and “Liberals,” all of whom were destroying America and holding the country back from regaining its former glory. And the more Movement Conservatives attacked, the more they weakened their enemies, and the more they despised them. Just as Hoffer had predicted.
By the time of the George W. Bush administration, Movement Conservatives controlled the Republican Party, and they abandoned reality in favor of their simple story line. A member of the Bush administration famously noted to journalist Ron Suskind that “the reality-based” view of the world was obsolete. “That’s not the way the world really works anymore,” this senior adviser to the president told Suskind. “When we act, we create our own reality.”
That is exactly what today’s Movement Conservatives are doing. After the last Republican debate, astonished observers noted that many of the candidates’ assertions were flat-out lies."
"In 1968, Nixon made this Movement Conservative argument part of the established Republican Party when he resorted to the Southern Strategy. He expanded the villains’ list, too: he added to it grasping women, all minorities, and anti-war activists in the streets. They were all trying to destroy America.
Nixon’s people were purposely vague in their accusations—the administration’s favorite straw man was the murky “they” of “they say.” That unspecified “they” allowed Nixon’s people to preserve the illusion that they were describing facts. But President Ronald Reagan unhinged the rhetoric of Movement Conservatism even further from reality. He told folksy stories about Welfare Queens who stole tax dollars and hardworking individuals threatened by “a little intellectual elite in a far-distant Capitol.” When journalists fact-checked Reagan, he accused them of bias and rallied supporters against the “Liberal media.” And it played. In 1987, his administration ended the Fairness Doctrine that had required media to present facts and a wide range of opinions. This enabled Movement Conservatives to spew their worldview on talk radio and later television, railing against lazy blacks, women, minorities, workers and “Liberals,” all of whom were destroying America and holding the country back from regaining its former glory. And the more Movement Conservatives attacked, the more they weakened their enemies, and the more they despised them. Just as Hoffer had predicted.
By the time of the George W. Bush administration, Movement Conservatives controlled the Republican Party, and they abandoned reality in favor of their simple story line. A member of the Bush administration famously noted to journalist Ron Suskind that “the reality-based” view of the world was obsolete. “That’s not the way the world really works anymore,” this senior adviser to the president told Suskind. “When we act, we create our own reality.”
That is exactly what today’s Movement Conservatives are doing. After the last Republican debate, astonished observers noted that many of the candidates’ assertions were flat-out lies."
The ‘Accomplishments’ Of John Boehner
http://samuel-warde.com/2015/09/the-accomplishments-of-john-boehner/
"A government shutdown in a failed attempt to defund the Affordable Care Act that cost America taxpayers $24 billion."
"A government shutdown in a failed attempt to defund the Affordable Care Act that cost America taxpayers $24 billion."
Republican Rep. Peter King: Boehner’s Exit Signals ‘The Crazies’ Have Taken Over the GOP (Video)
Republican Rep. Peter King: Boehner’s Exit Signals ‘The Crazies’ Have Taken Over the GOP (Video)
"There’s no other way to say it – it’s insanity which is taking over the Republican party. These are not people who care about reality, facts or even rational common sense – they’re crazy people who will destroy this country if we let them."
"There’s no other way to say it – it’s insanity which is taking over the Republican party. These are not people who care about reality, facts or even rational common sense – they’re crazy people who will destroy this country if we let them."
John Boehner Was Really Bad at His Job: Now Things Are About to Get Epically Worse @alternet
John Boehner Was Really Bad at His Job: Now Things Are About to Get Epically Worse @alternet
"the modern GOP has spent the last five decades courting those sentimentally opposed to its anti-slavery origins as “the Party of Lincoln,” and the last 10 years, at least, reviving the anti-immigrant sentiments on which the Know-nothings were founded. As confused as Boehner may be about his role, his responsibilities, his place in the order of things, it is only a small part of the much larger confusion that the GOP as a whole has been wallowing in for years—and, sadly, dragging the rest of America along with it."
"the modern GOP has spent the last five decades courting those sentimentally opposed to its anti-slavery origins as “the Party of Lincoln,” and the last 10 years, at least, reviving the anti-immigrant sentiments on which the Know-nothings were founded. As confused as Boehner may be about his role, his responsibilities, his place in the order of things, it is only a small part of the much larger confusion that the GOP as a whole has been wallowing in for years—and, sadly, dragging the rest of America along with it."
Florida Republican Suggests Misusing Voting Rights Act to Rig Elections
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/09/25/florida-republican-suggests-voting-rights-act-elections.html
"The fact that she tried to deliver the comments without reporters present revealed her awareness that what she was suggesting was unethical."
"The fact that she tried to deliver the comments without reporters present revealed her awareness that what she was suggesting was unethical."
How Big Pharma Is Price-Gouging You @alternet
How Big Pharma Is Price-Gouging You @alternet
"The United States stands out among wealthy countries in that we give drug companies patent monopolies on drugs that are essential for people’s health or lives and then allows them to charge whatever they want. Every other wealthy country has some system of price controls or negotiated prices where the government limits the extent to which drug companies can exploit the monopoly it has given them. The result is that we pay roughly twice as much for our drugs as the average for other wealthy countries. This additional cost is not associated with better care; we are just paying more for the same drugs."
"The United States stands out among wealthy countries in that we give drug companies patent monopolies on drugs that are essential for people’s health or lives and then allows them to charge whatever they want. Every other wealthy country has some system of price controls or negotiated prices where the government limits the extent to which drug companies can exploit the monopoly it has given them. The result is that we pay roughly twice as much for our drugs as the average for other wealthy countries. This additional cost is not associated with better care; we are just paying more for the same drugs."
The 4 Worst Things John Boehner Did As Speaker
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/09/25/3705592/4-things-john-boehner-did-as-speaker-that-make-us-cry/
"4. Boehner ran the least productive Congress in history. According to the Pew Research Center, Boehner ran the least productive Congress of all time. The organization found that the combined productivity of the 112th and 113th Congresses – in which Boehner served as speaker — was the lowest of any back-to-back Congresses on record. The 112th Congress, is considered the least productive in history"
"4. Boehner ran the least productive Congress in history. According to the Pew Research Center, Boehner ran the least productive Congress of all time. The organization found that the combined productivity of the 112th and 113th Congresses – in which Boehner served as speaker — was the lowest of any back-to-back Congresses on record. The 112th Congress, is considered the least productive in history"
'David Duke without the baggage' to run for House majority leader
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/09/25/1424856/--David-Duke-without-the-baggage-to-run-for-House-majority-leader
"If you can't quite place the name Steve Scalise, I'll make it easy for you: He's the member of House Republican leadership who spoke to a David Duke-founded white supremacist group in 2002, and before and after that accumulated quite the record of racially suspect votes in the state legislature"
"If you can't quite place the name Steve Scalise, I'll make it easy for you: He's the member of House Republican leadership who spoke to a David Duke-founded white supremacist group in 2002, and before and after that accumulated quite the record of racially suspect votes in the state legislature"
Carly Fiorina Responds With Outdated Information When Veteran Asks About Medical Marijuana
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/09/25/3705774/carly-fiorina-medical-marijuana/
"The issue was particularly personal to Van Winkle, a veteran and nurse who treats patients with PTSD"
"The issue was particularly personal to Van Winkle, a veteran and nurse who treats patients with PTSD"
The meritocracy is a lie: The wild myths that allow CEOs, hedge funders and the 1 percent to outearn us all
The meritocracy is a lie: The wild myths that allow CEOs, hedge funders and the 1 percent to outearn us all
"This fabricated logic is a substitute for clear thought. As I have shown, large corporations have increased their profits and stock prices through their influence over the basic rules of the “free market”—property, market power, contract, bankruptcy, and enforcement. A growing portion of the compensation of top corporate executives and Wall Street bankers, hedge-fund managers, and private-equity managers—who together constitute the majority of the top one-tenth of 1 percent of earners—turn on these rising profits and stock prices. To this must be added the political influence of corporate executives and Wall Street traders and managers over specific rules pertaining to fraud, conflicts of interest, insider trading, and limited liability, which also affect their compensation. An analysis of their after-tax incomes would reveal their growing influence over the effective tax rates they pay as well, but my focus here is on their more consequential and less understood roles in shaping the basic rules of the game. As I hope I make clear, the current incentives operating on the richest members of society are not at all necessary in order to get them to do the work they do, and those incentives do not in any meaningful way reflect the social value of their work relative to the value of the work that others do."
"This fabricated logic is a substitute for clear thought. As I have shown, large corporations have increased their profits and stock prices through their influence over the basic rules of the “free market”—property, market power, contract, bankruptcy, and enforcement. A growing portion of the compensation of top corporate executives and Wall Street bankers, hedge-fund managers, and private-equity managers—who together constitute the majority of the top one-tenth of 1 percent of earners—turn on these rising profits and stock prices. To this must be added the political influence of corporate executives and Wall Street traders and managers over specific rules pertaining to fraud, conflicts of interest, insider trading, and limited liability, which also affect their compensation. An analysis of their after-tax incomes would reveal their growing influence over the effective tax rates they pay as well, but my focus here is on their more consequential and less understood roles in shaping the basic rules of the game. As I hope I make clear, the current incentives operating on the richest members of society are not at all necessary in order to get them to do the work they do, and those incentives do not in any meaningful way reflect the social value of their work relative to the value of the work that others do."
Why Conservatives Are So Filled With Hate @alternet
Why Conservatives Are So Filled With Hate @alternet
"Racism runs deep in the Republican Party, as we have all learned, seven years into the presidency of Barack Obama."
"Racism runs deep in the Republican Party, as we have all learned, seven years into the presidency of Barack Obama."
Carly Fiorina’s $4 Billion Job Scam at Hewlett-Packard
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/23/carly-fiorina-s-4-billion-job-scam.html
"Instead, almost all of it was put into stock buybacks as a way of funneling cash to stockholders, these prominently including CEOs.
Never mind that the bill prohibited such buybacks."
"Instead, almost all of it was put into stock buybacks as a way of funneling cash to stockholders, these prominently including CEOs.
Never mind that the bill prohibited such buybacks."
Carly Fiorina Makes a Lot of Stuff Up About Everything
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/09/carly-fiorinas-revisionism-problem
"As it turns out, Fiorina's tendency to embellish—or altogether avoid—the facts goes back much farther than last week's debate."
"As it turns out, Fiorina's tendency to embellish—or altogether avoid—the facts goes back much farther than last week's debate."
Carly Fiorina’s despicable Planned Parenthood lies have gotten even worse
Carly Fiorina’s despicable Planned Parenthood lies have gotten even worse
"We know that Carly Fiorina blatantly lied to the whole country about her performance as head of Hewlett Packard in the GOP presidential primary debate a couple of weeks ago. Every fact check has proven her recitation of events to be false. This is part of a pattern."
"We know that Carly Fiorina blatantly lied to the whole country about her performance as head of Hewlett Packard in the GOP presidential primary debate a couple of weeks ago. Every fact check has proven her recitation of events to be false. This is part of a pattern."
Elizabeth Warren demolishes the myth of “trickle-down” economics: “That is going to destroy our country, unless we take our country back”
Elizabeth Warren demolishes the myth of “trickle-down” economics: “That is going to destroy our country, unless we take our country back”
"Warren went on to talk about inequalities caused by trickle-down economics which she says hasn’t trickled down to anyone. “What happened starting in 1980?” Warren asked. “Remember trickle-down economics?” she asked."
"Warren went on to talk about inequalities caused by trickle-down economics which she says hasn’t trickled down to anyone. “What happened starting in 1980?” Warren asked. “Remember trickle-down economics?” she asked."
Inhofe Responds To Pope's Call To Protect 'Our Common Home'
Inhofe Responds To Pope's Call To Protect 'Our Common Home'
"He ignores proven science in favor of the profitability of big oil. Inhofe is another selfish Republican who cares nothing for future generations, his own family included. He really missed the point of what Pope Francis so eloquently stated."
"He ignores proven science in favor of the profitability of big oil. Inhofe is another selfish Republican who cares nothing for future generations, his own family included. He really missed the point of what Pope Francis so eloquently stated."
The GOP Primary Has Turned Into Trolling for Anti-Mexican, Islamophobic and Birther Votes
The GOP Primary Has Turned Into Trolling for Anti-Mexican, Islamophobic and Birther Votes
"It's appalling to watch so many of the GOP presidential candidates try to outdo each other in trolling for racist and xenophobic votes by using the low-hanging fruit of bigotry."
"It's appalling to watch so many of the GOP presidential candidates try to outdo each other in trolling for racist and xenophobic votes by using the low-hanging fruit of bigotry."
The GOP Hates Obama: Why? Because Despite Trying to Destroy Him, Check Out His Accomplishments
http://ringoffireradio.com/2015/09/24/the-gop-hates-obama-why-because-despite-trying-to-destroy-him-check-out-these-facts-of-his-accomplishment/
"Are they looking to return to the George Bush era when our country was on the brink of economic disaster, embroiled in endless conflict in the middle east? Are they longing for higher unemployment rates, higher fuel prices, greater numbers of uninsured Americans, lower GDP?
During the Bush administration, the unemployment rate had climbed as high as 7.8 percent. As of August of this year, it is down to 5.1 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Fuel prices peaked at an all-time high of $4.12 per gallon in July of 2008, under George Bush. As of this month, under President Obama, the price of gasoline is down to an average of $2.28 per gallon.
Under President Bush, the uninsured rate was above 14 percent. With the adoption of the Affordable Care Act and the victory of one of President Obama’s staple programs, that rate is down to 9.2 percent.
Under George W. Bush, the GDP came to a screeching halt, dropping to -0.03 percent. That means the economy was shrinking under President Bush. Under Barack Obama, the GDP had reached 3.7 percent as of July.
So what are Republicans longing for? Nothing really. They just don’t want a black, Democrat being president, and they are willing to have the entire country regress in order to see their white, bigot, racist friends back in power."
"Are they looking to return to the George Bush era when our country was on the brink of economic disaster, embroiled in endless conflict in the middle east? Are they longing for higher unemployment rates, higher fuel prices, greater numbers of uninsured Americans, lower GDP?
During the Bush administration, the unemployment rate had climbed as high as 7.8 percent. As of August of this year, it is down to 5.1 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Fuel prices peaked at an all-time high of $4.12 per gallon in July of 2008, under George Bush. As of this month, under President Obama, the price of gasoline is down to an average of $2.28 per gallon.
Under President Bush, the uninsured rate was above 14 percent. With the adoption of the Affordable Care Act and the victory of one of President Obama’s staple programs, that rate is down to 9.2 percent.
Under George W. Bush, the GDP came to a screeching halt, dropping to -0.03 percent. That means the economy was shrinking under President Bush. Under Barack Obama, the GDP had reached 3.7 percent as of July.
So what are Republicans longing for? Nothing really. They just don’t want a black, Democrat being president, and they are willing to have the entire country regress in order to see their white, bigot, racist friends back in power."
Fiorina Scammed the Govt. out of $4 Billion: Used Money to Buy Back Stock During Massive HP Layoffs
http://ringoffireradio.com/2015/09/24/fiorina-scammed-the-government-out-of-4-billion-and-used-the-money-in-stock-buyback-during-massive-hp-layoffs/
"The tax savings was meant for companies to reinvest in a way that would create jobs. It specifically prohibited stock repurchasing. Fiorina used $4.3 billion to buy back HP stock, while firing 14,500 employees. Many other companies did the same thing."
"The tax savings was meant for companies to reinvest in a way that would create jobs. It specifically prohibited stock repurchasing. Fiorina used $4.3 billion to buy back HP stock, while firing 14,500 employees. Many other companies did the same thing."
Breaking: Carly Fiorina and HP Scammed Taxpayers Out Of $4 Billion
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/breaking-carly-fiorina-and-hp-scammed-taxpayers-out-of-4-billion/
"Under Fiorina, Hewlett-Packard heavily lobbied the U.S. government for a tax holiday – the Homeland Investment Act of 2004. Piteous moaning about the burden of having to pay corporate taxes and how it was restricting them from creating jobs was met with open arms by the George W. Bush Administration, which bent over backwards for the oligarchs and gave them a tax break on money earned overseas. Their tax rate was dropped from 35% to 5.25%, and HP saved $4.3 billion dollars.
Fiorina then decided that her personal finances were more important than the workers of her company or even the health of the company herself, and poured four billion dollars into stock buybacks, where a company artificially inflates its own stock by putting its own money into it, funneling the profits directly to Fiorina and the shareholders- which was specifically prohibited in the tax holiday bill in the first place."
"Under Fiorina, Hewlett-Packard heavily lobbied the U.S. government for a tax holiday – the Homeland Investment Act of 2004. Piteous moaning about the burden of having to pay corporate taxes and how it was restricting them from creating jobs was met with open arms by the George W. Bush Administration, which bent over backwards for the oligarchs and gave them a tax break on money earned overseas. Their tax rate was dropped from 35% to 5.25%, and HP saved $4.3 billion dollars.
Fiorina then decided that her personal finances were more important than the workers of her company or even the health of the company herself, and poured four billion dollars into stock buybacks, where a company artificially inflates its own stock by putting its own money into it, funneling the profits directly to Fiorina and the shareholders- which was specifically prohibited in the tax holiday bill in the first place."
Mathematician Suspicious of Election Fraud Hires Lawyer to Force Kansas to Hand Over Voting Records @alternet
Mathematician Suspicious of Election Fraud Hires Lawyer to Force Kansas to Hand Over Voting Records @alternet
"Confirming a theory initially reported by two other statisticians in 2012 [PDF], Clarkson has found that computer-reported results from larger precincts in the state, with more than 500 voters, show a “consistent” statistical increase in votes for the Republican candidates in general elections (and even a similar increase for establishment GOP candidates versus ‘Tea Party’ challengers during Republican primaries)"
"Confirming a theory initially reported by two other statisticians in 2012 [PDF], Clarkson has found that computer-reported results from larger precincts in the state, with more than 500 voters, show a “consistent” statistical increase in votes for the Republican candidates in general elections (and even a similar increase for establishment GOP candidates versus ‘Tea Party’ challengers during Republican primaries)"
Florida Lawmaker Reveals Plan To Defeat Black Democrat By Packing District With Inmates
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/09/24/3705270/florida-prison-gerrymandering/
"Brown, a longtime member of the Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus, represents a district that courts have found has already been unconstitutionally gerrymandered, by drawing a snake-shaped district that packed in voters of color, making the surrounding districts more white and conservative. Brown has protested the new proposed version of her district, in part because it includes 18 prisons filled with people unable to cast a ballot.
Lawmakers are currently in the process of fix the voting maps, attempting to obey an order from the Florida Supreme Court that they not be drawn to benefit any particular political party. But some are resisting that mandate, arguing that it’s a violation of their First Amendment rights. Two Republican Party chairmen have sued the state, claiming the anti-gerrymandering law infringed on their right to free expression."
"Brown, a longtime member of the Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus, represents a district that courts have found has already been unconstitutionally gerrymandered, by drawing a snake-shaped district that packed in voters of color, making the surrounding districts more white and conservative. Brown has protested the new proposed version of her district, in part because it includes 18 prisons filled with people unable to cast a ballot.
Lawmakers are currently in the process of fix the voting maps, attempting to obey an order from the Florida Supreme Court that they not be drawn to benefit any particular political party. But some are resisting that mandate, arguing that it’s a violation of their First Amendment rights. Two Republican Party chairmen have sued the state, claiming the anti-gerrymandering law infringed on their right to free expression."
GOPer Caught On Tape Explaining How She’ll Redistrict Black Democratic Colleague Out Of Office (AUDIO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/23/goper-caught-on-tape-explaining-how-shell-redistrict-black-democratic-colleague-out-of-office-audio/
"Rep. Janet Adkins was at a private gathering during a meeting of the Republican Party of Florida. Rather than focus on things like plugging the numerous holes in the Republican sinking ship, Adkins was hatching a plan to steal the election instead. According to tapes secretly recorded and leaked to POLITICO, Adkins wanted to kick long-time liberal congresswoman Corrine Brown out of office by carefully redrawing her district to include as many prisons as possible. Prisoners, you may recall, cannot vote. But first, she made everyone swear that there were no reporters in the room that would rat on her."
"Rep. Janet Adkins was at a private gathering during a meeting of the Republican Party of Florida. Rather than focus on things like plugging the numerous holes in the Republican sinking ship, Adkins was hatching a plan to steal the election instead. According to tapes secretly recorded and leaked to POLITICO, Adkins wanted to kick long-time liberal congresswoman Corrine Brown out of office by carefully redrawing her district to include as many prisons as possible. Prisoners, you may recall, cannot vote. But first, she made everyone swear that there were no reporters in the room that would rat on her."
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
California Clamps Down on Secretive Political Donations
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/09/california-tightens-lid-dark-money-groups
"California regulators took another step last week to crack down on secretive money in state elections. And for that, we have the Koch brothers to thank.
Politically active nonprofits have become a preferred way for deep-pocketed donors to influence elections without revealing their identities. As nonprofits, these groups are under no obligation to disclose where their money comes from. But as the amount of dark money entering elections has soared, federal regulators have largely taken a pass on adding new disclosure requirements. California regulators, on the other hand, have gone straight at the issue, and in the wake of a 2012 scandal involving several groups from the network of political organizations run by the Koch brothers, they have aggressively fought to keep dark money groups out of state elections.
On Thursday, state regulators added another layer of security, closing a loophole that might have allowed out-of-state groups and donors to secretly buy influence in California elections. If there was any wiggle room for dark money groups to operate in California, it's likely gone now.
California's dark-money crackdown stems from an investigation sparked in the run-up to the 2012 election, in which regulators uncovered a plot by a Virginia-based dark-money group called Americans for Job Security to funnel more than $24 million from secret donors through a series of intermediary groups to be spent on two state ballot initiatives: one to raise taxes and the other to ban labor unions from making political donations. According to the investigation, AJS routed the money to an Arizona dark-money group called the Center to Protect Patient's Rights, which then passed it on to two more groups, including one called Americans for Responsible Leadership. Those groups, in turn, channeled the money to at least two California-based groups that spent it on campaigns to defeat the tax increase proposal and to support the ban on donations from unions.
The CPPR, which was actually just a post office box in Arizona, became known as the ATM for a sprawling network of politically active groups tied to libertarian brothers Charles and David Koch."
"California regulators took another step last week to crack down on secretive money in state elections. And for that, we have the Koch brothers to thank.
Politically active nonprofits have become a preferred way for deep-pocketed donors to influence elections without revealing their identities. As nonprofits, these groups are under no obligation to disclose where their money comes from. But as the amount of dark money entering elections has soared, federal regulators have largely taken a pass on adding new disclosure requirements. California regulators, on the other hand, have gone straight at the issue, and in the wake of a 2012 scandal involving several groups from the network of political organizations run by the Koch brothers, they have aggressively fought to keep dark money groups out of state elections.
On Thursday, state regulators added another layer of security, closing a loophole that might have allowed out-of-state groups and donors to secretly buy influence in California elections. If there was any wiggle room for dark money groups to operate in California, it's likely gone now.
California's dark-money crackdown stems from an investigation sparked in the run-up to the 2012 election, in which regulators uncovered a plot by a Virginia-based dark-money group called Americans for Job Security to funnel more than $24 million from secret donors through a series of intermediary groups to be spent on two state ballot initiatives: one to raise taxes and the other to ban labor unions from making political donations. According to the investigation, AJS routed the money to an Arizona dark-money group called the Center to Protect Patient's Rights, which then passed it on to two more groups, including one called Americans for Responsible Leadership. Those groups, in turn, channeled the money to at least two California-based groups that spent it on campaigns to defeat the tax increase proposal and to support the ban on donations from unions.
The CPPR, which was actually just a post office box in Arizona, became known as the ATM for a sprawling network of politically active groups tied to libertarian brothers Charles and David Koch."
Mathematician Declares War On Kansas Republicans For Committing Election Fraud (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/23/mathematician-declares-war-on-kansas-republicans-for-committing-election-fraud-video/
"Kansas Republicans should be shaking in their boots right about now. Because mathematician Beth Clarkson is taking them to court to force Secretary of State Kris Kobach to release voting records that would prove that Republicans committed election fraud to help them maintain control over the state."
"Kansas Republicans should be shaking in their boots right about now. Because mathematician Beth Clarkson is taking them to court to force Secretary of State Kris Kobach to release voting records that would prove that Republicans committed election fraud to help them maintain control over the state."
The Republican Insurgency Against the Judicial Branch
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/32895-the-republican-insurgency-against-the-judicial-branch
"What's really going on here is another example of the "Caucus Room Conspiracy," the plot Republicans hatched on the day President Obama took office to prevent him, our nation's first Black President, from building up any legacy what-so-ever.
On January 20, 2009, the night when the Obamas were dancing at inaugural balls and most Americans were out celebrating the end of the Bush years, a group of powerful Republicans was planning the end of Obama presidency before it even got going.
At the Caucus Room restaurant in Washington, DC, GOP leaders drew up a plan to intentionally sabotage President Obama at every point possible.
On the guest list for this "invitation only" meeting were Republican Senators like Jim DeMint, Jon Kyl, Tom Coburn, John Ensign and Bob Corker.
Also in attendance were Congressmen Paul Ryan, Pete Sessions, Jeb Hensarling, Pete Hoekstra, Dan Lungren, Eric Cantor and Kevin McCarthy.
The whole thing was orchestrated by Republican propaganda mastermind Frank Luntz and over the course of four hours, this group of the most powerful conservative lawmakers in the country committed to a plan of action.
They promised each other that they would filibuster and obstruct any and all legislation supported by the new president, Barack Obama."
"What's really going on here is another example of the "Caucus Room Conspiracy," the plot Republicans hatched on the day President Obama took office to prevent him, our nation's first Black President, from building up any legacy what-so-ever.
On January 20, 2009, the night when the Obamas were dancing at inaugural balls and most Americans were out celebrating the end of the Bush years, a group of powerful Republicans was planning the end of Obama presidency before it even got going.
At the Caucus Room restaurant in Washington, DC, GOP leaders drew up a plan to intentionally sabotage President Obama at every point possible.
On the guest list for this "invitation only" meeting were Republican Senators like Jim DeMint, Jon Kyl, Tom Coburn, John Ensign and Bob Corker.
Also in attendance were Congressmen Paul Ryan, Pete Sessions, Jeb Hensarling, Pete Hoekstra, Dan Lungren, Eric Cantor and Kevin McCarthy.
The whole thing was orchestrated by Republican propaganda mastermind Frank Luntz and over the course of four hours, this group of the most powerful conservative lawmakers in the country committed to a plan of action.
They promised each other that they would filibuster and obstruct any and all legislation supported by the new president, Barack Obama."
The GOP’s venomous Pope tirades are the ultimate example of hypocritical right-wing rage
The GOP’s venomous Pope tirades are the ultimate example of hypocritical right-wing rage
"The ultimate incongruity is this: The Pope has consistently, though not always, illustrated exactly how people of faith can serve the common good, while the GOP is more interested in exploiting religion to oppress, restrict and demonize. This really what’s freaking them out. And once again, the rage is growing thick and loaded down with flaming hypocrisy."
"The ultimate incongruity is this: The Pope has consistently, though not always, illustrated exactly how people of faith can serve the common good, while the GOP is more interested in exploiting religion to oppress, restrict and demonize. This really what’s freaking them out. And once again, the rage is growing thick and loaded down with flaming hypocrisy."
Pope Francis Reminds Us that Our Economic Systems Should Reflect our Moral Values
Pope Francis Reminds Us that Our Economic Systems Should Reflect our Moral Values
"While many have lauded Pope Francis for consistently discussing economic inequality and poverty, some on the right have been less enthusiastic. In response to the pope’s encyclical on poverty and the environment, Jeb Bush, for example, remarked, “I don’t get economic policy from my bishops or my cardinal or my pope. I think religion ought to be about making us better as people and less about things that end up getting in the political realm.”
Bush’s dismissal of the pope’s positions on economic issues not only contradicts his earlier claims about the relationship between religion and politics, but also ignores the history of his own church."
"While many have lauded Pope Francis for consistently discussing economic inequality and poverty, some on the right have been less enthusiastic. In response to the pope’s encyclical on poverty and the environment, Jeb Bush, for example, remarked, “I don’t get economic policy from my bishops or my cardinal or my pope. I think religion ought to be about making us better as people and less about things that end up getting in the political realm.”
Bush’s dismissal of the pope’s positions on economic issues not only contradicts his earlier claims about the relationship between religion and politics, but also ignores the history of his own church."
Latinos Are Fighting Back Against Republican Racism (Video)
http://samuel-warde.com/2015/09/latinos-are-fighting-back-against-republican-racism-video/
"Not since the 2004 re-election campaign of President George W Bush has a Republican presidential candidate earned as much as 40% of the Hispanic vote. Mitt Romney got a dismal 27% in the 2012 contest against President Barack Obama."
"Not since the 2004 re-election campaign of President George W Bush has a Republican presidential candidate earned as much as 40% of the Hispanic vote. Mitt Romney got a dismal 27% in the 2012 contest against President Barack Obama."
Latinos are fighting Republican racism by registering voters
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/09/20/1421435/-Latinos-are-fighting-Republican-racism-by-registering-voters
"The 2016 primary campaign continues to expose the ugly behavior of Republicans toward the Latino community"
"The 2016 primary campaign continues to expose the ugly behavior of Republicans toward the Latino community"
'Son of an immigrant family' Pope Francis gets a White House welcome
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/09/23/1424105/--Son-of-an-immigrant-family-Pope-Francis-gets-a-White-House-welcome
"Francis does not address Congress until Thursday, but already he is giving Republicans reason to grind their teeth, introducing himself as "the son of an immigrant family," and noting that America "was largely built by such families." But he focused more on climate issues:
Mr. President, I find it encouraging that you are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution. Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation. When it comes to the care of our “common home”, we are living at a critical moment of history. We still have time to make the changes needed to bring about “a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change” (Laudato Si’, 13). Such change demands on our part a serious and responsible recognition not only of the kind of world we may be leaving to our children, but also to the millions of people living under a system which has overlooked them. Our common home has been part of this group of the excluded which cries out to heaven and which today powerfully strikes our homes, our cities and our societies. To use a telling phrase of the Reverend Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note and now is the time to honor it."
"Francis does not address Congress until Thursday, but already he is giving Republicans reason to grind their teeth, introducing himself as "the son of an immigrant family," and noting that America "was largely built by such families." But he focused more on climate issues:
Mr. President, I find it encouraging that you are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution. Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation. When it comes to the care of our “common home”, we are living at a critical moment of history. We still have time to make the changes needed to bring about “a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change” (Laudato Si’, 13). Such change demands on our part a serious and responsible recognition not only of the kind of world we may be leaving to our children, but also to the millions of people living under a system which has overlooked them. Our common home has been part of this group of the excluded which cries out to heaven and which today powerfully strikes our homes, our cities and our societies. To use a telling phrase of the Reverend Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note and now is the time to honor it."
Pope Francis To Conservatives: If I’m ‘A Liberal’, So Was Jesus!
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/pope-francis-to-conservatives-if-im-a-liberal-so-was-jesus-3/
"it illustrates the GOP’s false religiosity and their true devotion to the altar of hypercapitalism and the free market, their disdain for the poor and the needy, the constant catering to the rich and powerful."
"it illustrates the GOP’s false religiosity and their true devotion to the altar of hypercapitalism and the free market, their disdain for the poor and the needy, the constant catering to the rich and powerful."
Pope Visit Backfires On Republicans As Obama and Francis Team Up On Climate Change
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/09/23/pope-visit-backfires-republicans-obama-francis-team-climate-change.html
"Pope Francis spoke positively about President Obama’s proposed steps to combat climate change:
Mr. President, I find it encouraging that you are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution. Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to our future generation. When it comes to the care of our common home, we are living at a critical moment of history. We still have time to make the change needed to bring about a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change.
Such change demands on our part a serious and responsible recognition not only of the kind of world we may be leaving to our children, but also to the millions of people living under a system which has overlooked them. Our common home has been part of this group of the excluded, which cries out to heaven and which today powerfully strikes our homes, our cities, our societies. To use a telling phrase of the Reverend Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note, and now is the time to honor it.
Republicans are some of the few remaining holdouts in the world who have a stated public policy position that deny the reality of climate change."
"Pope Francis spoke positively about President Obama’s proposed steps to combat climate change:
Mr. President, I find it encouraging that you are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution. Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to our future generation. When it comes to the care of our common home, we are living at a critical moment of history. We still have time to make the change needed to bring about a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change.
Such change demands on our part a serious and responsible recognition not only of the kind of world we may be leaving to our children, but also to the millions of people living under a system which has overlooked them. Our common home has been part of this group of the excluded, which cries out to heaven and which today powerfully strikes our homes, our cities, our societies. To use a telling phrase of the Reverend Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note, and now is the time to honor it.
Republicans are some of the few remaining holdouts in the world who have a stated public policy position that deny the reality of climate change."
Sounds Like Sci-Fi Horror, but It's Frighteningly Real: Giant Viruses May Be Unleashed by Arctic Thaw @alternet
Sounds Like Sci-Fi Horror, but It's Frighteningly Real: Giant Viruses May Be Unleashed by Arctic Thaw @alternet
"This newly discovered pathogen, named Mollivirus sibericum, is 0.6 microns long and has more than 500 genes. By contrast, the contemporary influenza A and B viruses each contain eight genes.
Viruses are classed as “giant” when they are longer than half a micron, or about 0.00002 inch."
"This newly discovered pathogen, named Mollivirus sibericum, is 0.6 microns long and has more than 500 genes. By contrast, the contemporary influenza A and B viruses each contain eight genes.
Viruses are classed as “giant” when they are longer than half a micron, or about 0.00002 inch."
Human Activity Pushing Marine Life to the Brink of Collapse
Human Activity Pushing Marine Life to the Brink of Collapse
"Human activity is pushing marine life to the brink of collapse, warned a leading international conservation group, which found that overfishing, destruction of marine habitats, and climate change has led to the loss of almost half the world's marine mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish within a single generation."
"Human activity is pushing marine life to the brink of collapse, warned a leading international conservation group, which found that overfishing, destruction of marine habitats, and climate change has led to the loss of almost half the world's marine mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish within a single generation."
47 Republican Senators Want To Block The EPA’s Clean Water Rule
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/09/18/3703024/senate-republicans-disapprove-of-waters-rule/
"The rule, developed with the Army Corps of Engineers using what a White House spokesman called “the best science available” to determine how waterways are connected, protects two million miles of streams and 20 million acres of wetlands that the Clean Water Act did not clearly cover before. The EPA estimates that a third of Americans get their drinking water from sources connected to the added waterways." The pro pollution, pro poison party strikes again."
"The rule, developed with the Army Corps of Engineers using what a White House spokesman called “the best science available” to determine how waterways are connected, protects two million miles of streams and 20 million acres of wetlands that the Clean Water Act did not clearly cover before. The EPA estimates that a third of Americans get their drinking water from sources connected to the added waterways." The pro pollution, pro poison party strikes again."
Exxon Doubled Down on Climate Denial and Deceit
Exxon Doubled Down on Climate Denial and Deceit
"ExxonMobil’s own scientists had secretly confirmed the science behind human-caused climate change as early as the late 1970s.
Yes—this is the same ExxonMobil that has funded efforts to attack the science of climate change for more than two decades."
"ExxonMobil’s own scientists had secretly confirmed the science behind human-caused climate change as early as the late 1970s.
Yes—this is the same ExxonMobil that has funded efforts to attack the science of climate change for more than two decades."
The Pope's Visit Is Illustrative Of How Screwed Up The Republican Party Has Become
The Pope's Visit Is Illustrative Of How Screwed Up The Republican Party Has Become
"It's an ironic twist; we finally have a pope who seems to be trying to lead the Catholic Church based on the values and teachings of Jesus Christ – the man on which Christianity is based – and that's really pissing off a lot of Republicans."
"It's an ironic twist; we finally have a pope who seems to be trying to lead the Catholic Church based on the values and teachings of Jesus Christ – the man on which Christianity is based – and that's really pissing off a lot of Republicans."
Scientists Seek Prosecution Of Climate Change Deniers Under RICO Statutes
http://samuel-warde.com/2015/09/scientists-seek-prosecution-of-climate-change-deniers-under-rico-statutes/
"A RICO investigation (1999 to 2006) played an important role in stopping the tobacco industry from continuing to deceive the American people about the dangers of smoking. If corporations in the fossil fuel industry and their supporters are guilty of the misdeeds that have been documented in books and journal articles, it is imperative that these misdeeds be stopped as soon as possible so that America and the world can get on with the critically important business of finding effective ways to restabilize the Earth’s climate, before even more lasting damage is done."
"A RICO investigation (1999 to 2006) played an important role in stopping the tobacco industry from continuing to deceive the American people about the dangers of smoking. If corporations in the fossil fuel industry and their supporters are guilty of the misdeeds that have been documented in books and journal articles, it is imperative that these misdeeds be stopped as soon as possible so that America and the world can get on with the critically important business of finding effective ways to restabilize the Earth’s climate, before even more lasting damage is done."
Pope Francis Attacked By Climate Deniers Over Support For Accurate Science
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/09/21/3703544/climate-deniers-smear-pope-francis/
"From George Will to the Heartland Institute, climate science deniers are a one-trick pony when it comes to responding to effective climate change communicators: smear, smear, smear. They are at it again, shamelessly, on the eve of the U.S. visit by the widely-admired Pope Francis — who issued a ground-breaking Encyclical on the moral urgency of climate action back in June."
"From George Will to the Heartland Institute, climate science deniers are a one-trick pony when it comes to responding to effective climate change communicators: smear, smear, smear. They are at it again, shamelessly, on the eve of the U.S. visit by the widely-admired Pope Francis — who issued a ground-breaking Encyclical on the moral urgency of climate action back in June."
Debunking 5 of the Biggest Republican Lies About President Obama and the Middle East
Debunking 5 of the Biggest Republican Lies About President Obama and the Middle East
"1. President Obama is the reason why American troops left Iraq: This is easily the biggest one I come across. The truth remains that the timetable for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq was setup by George W. Bush in 2008 when he signed a SOFA agreement with the Iraqi government. President Obama simply enforced that agreement. Oh, by the way, Dick Cheney called the SOFA agreement signed by his boss a “sign of success” in Iraq."
"1. President Obama is the reason why American troops left Iraq: This is easily the biggest one I come across. The truth remains that the timetable for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq was setup by George W. Bush in 2008 when he signed a SOFA agreement with the Iraqi government. President Obama simply enforced that agreement. Oh, by the way, Dick Cheney called the SOFA agreement signed by his boss a “sign of success” in Iraq."
Bogus Veterans’ Group Backing Donald Trump Loses Its Non-Profit Status
http://www.liberalamerica.org/2015/09/19/bogus-veterans-group-backing-donald-trump-loses-its-non-profit-status/
"It was proven earlier this week that Veterans for a Strong America is actually one man named Joel Arends who lives in South Dakota. The group has $30 cash in assets and $318 in debts. Yet this is the group Trump sold tickets to support with his speech aboard the USS Iowa. Those tickets ranged in price from $100-1,000. The group’s endorsement of Trump at the event could also raise larger legal issues under campaign finance laws."
"It was proven earlier this week that Veterans for a Strong America is actually one man named Joel Arends who lives in South Dakota. The group has $30 cash in assets and $318 in debts. Yet this is the group Trump sold tickets to support with his speech aboard the USS Iowa. Those tickets ranged in price from $100-1,000. The group’s endorsement of Trump at the event could also raise larger legal issues under campaign finance laws."
Trump Galvanizing the Hispanic Vote to the Death of GOP: Hispanic Grassroots Rising
http://ringoffireradio.com/2015/09/trump-galvanizing-the-hispanic-vote-to-the-death-of-gop-hispanic-grassroots-rising/
"America’s Hispanic community is thanking Donald Trump. Because of his racist, xenophobic, rhetoric, repeated by other GOP candidates, Hispanic voters will be showing up to the polls in droves to make sure the GOP doesn’t gain the White House."
"America’s Hispanic community is thanking Donald Trump. Because of his racist, xenophobic, rhetoric, repeated by other GOP candidates, Hispanic voters will be showing up to the polls in droves to make sure the GOP doesn’t gain the White House."
Trump’s Fake Veteran Group Endorsement Just Lost its Charitable Exemption from the IRS
http://ringoffireradio.com/2015/09/trumps-fake-veteran-group-endorsement-just-lost-its-charitable-exemption-from-the-irs/
"Veterans for a Strong America, the fake vets group that endorsed Trump and has no members, just lost its non-profit status. Joel Arends, the group’s founder and only member, has not filed any tax returns for the group in three years, prompting the IRS to revoke the group’s non-profit status."
"Veterans for a Strong America, the fake vets group that endorsed Trump and has no members, just lost its non-profit status. Joel Arends, the group’s founder and only member, has not filed any tax returns for the group in three years, prompting the IRS to revoke the group’s non-profit status."
President Obama Makes History With Record-Setting Economic Turn-Around (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/18/president-obama-makes-history-with-record-setting-economic-turn-around-video/
"President Obama’s economy had already smashed existing records in the area of private-sector jobs creation, dragging the country back from the job-gushing economy left to us by former Republican President George W. Bush.
A year later, President Obama continues to shatter previous records for economic performance.
The US has now seen 66 straight months of job creation, the longest streak ever recorded. Over that time period, American businesses have added 13.1 million jobs to the economy. As we approach the holiday season, a time of year when jobs are routinely added to the economy, that record streak is certain to continue.
During the first year of the George W. Bush economic crash more than $13 trillion dollars in household wealth evaporated. Nearly 20 percent of the country’s total wealth was swallowed up, a figure which was five times higher than losses during the first year of the Great Depression.
From a historical perspective, the kind of devastating losses that gripped the United States following the Bush presidency had never been seen before, not even in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, when the country was in the darkest days of the Great Depression. From the same perspective, no president had ever before been charged with the task of engineering a financial recovery of the magnitude that was needed to stop our country’s financial bleeding, and return the economy to a place of productivity and economic growth.
Seven years after the economic crash of 1929, household wealth remained at 30 percent below pre-depression levels. Yet in spite of the fact that the first year of the GWB recession hit Americans five times harder than the Great Depression, today total household wealth is 30 percent above what it was in 2008.
Another record set by former republican president George W. Bush, during the first year of the Great Recession housing prices plummeted faster and farther than they had fallen during the first year of the Great Depression. Today property values, a major component to U.S. household wealth, are back to pre-recession levels and the housing market is flourishing again. 65 percent of U.S. housing markets reported an 8-year sales high in July of 2014. Construction-related jobs are also making a strong comeback, as the housing market continues to stabilize.
Again the quick recovery of the U.S. housing market following the 2008 economic disaster is another of President Obama’s historic achievements. Home foreclosures are now at a 15 year low, whereas in 2008, home foreclosures spiked by a record-setting 81 percent over the previous year, and rose by 225 percent between 2006 and 2008, as George W. Bush was leaving office."
"President Obama’s economy had already smashed existing records in the area of private-sector jobs creation, dragging the country back from the job-gushing economy left to us by former Republican President George W. Bush.
A year later, President Obama continues to shatter previous records for economic performance.
The US has now seen 66 straight months of job creation, the longest streak ever recorded. Over that time period, American businesses have added 13.1 million jobs to the economy. As we approach the holiday season, a time of year when jobs are routinely added to the economy, that record streak is certain to continue.
During the first year of the George W. Bush economic crash more than $13 trillion dollars in household wealth evaporated. Nearly 20 percent of the country’s total wealth was swallowed up, a figure which was five times higher than losses during the first year of the Great Depression.
From a historical perspective, the kind of devastating losses that gripped the United States following the Bush presidency had never been seen before, not even in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, when the country was in the darkest days of the Great Depression. From the same perspective, no president had ever before been charged with the task of engineering a financial recovery of the magnitude that was needed to stop our country’s financial bleeding, and return the economy to a place of productivity and economic growth.
Seven years after the economic crash of 1929, household wealth remained at 30 percent below pre-depression levels. Yet in spite of the fact that the first year of the GWB recession hit Americans five times harder than the Great Depression, today total household wealth is 30 percent above what it was in 2008.
Another record set by former republican president George W. Bush, during the first year of the Great Recession housing prices plummeted faster and farther than they had fallen during the first year of the Great Depression. Today property values, a major component to U.S. household wealth, are back to pre-recession levels and the housing market is flourishing again. 65 percent of U.S. housing markets reported an 8-year sales high in July of 2014. Construction-related jobs are also making a strong comeback, as the housing market continues to stabilize.
Again the quick recovery of the U.S. housing market following the 2008 economic disaster is another of President Obama’s historic achievements. Home foreclosures are now at a 15 year low, whereas in 2008, home foreclosures spiked by a record-setting 81 percent over the previous year, and rose by 225 percent between 2006 and 2008, as George W. Bush was leaving office."
'Justice Is Not For Sale': Sanders Leads Charge Against For-Profit Prisons
'Justice Is Not For Sale': Sanders Leads Charge Against For-Profit Prisons
"The bill is designed to counteract the lobbying efforts of corporations that benefit financially from mass incarceration."
"The bill is designed to counteract the lobbying efforts of corporations that benefit financially from mass incarceration."
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