Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Why The Decline In Pensions Will Mean An Increase In Poverty For America’s Retirees
Why The Decline In Pensions Will Mean An Increase In Poverty For America’s Retirees: Across the country, American corporations are freezing pension benefits or cutting them altogether, using union negotiation processes to change the way workers save for retirement. General Motors and Ford Motor Company have recently downsized their pension plans, and Caterpillar, a company that pays its chief executive more than $17 million a year and raked it [...]/p
Missouri GOP Picks Guy Who Thinks Medicare Is Unconstitutional For U.S. Senate
Missouri GOP Picks Guy Who Thinks Medicare Is Unconstitutional For U.S. Senate: Yesterday, Missouri Republicans selected Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) as their candidate to oppose Sen. Claire McCaskill’s (D-MO) bid for reelection. Akin, who like nearly every Republican in Congress voted for Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) plan to phase out Medicare, is a staunch opponent of Medicare in general. Indeed, he told a Tea Party group last [...]/p
Blood Money: Romney Started Bain Capital With Money From Families Tied To Death Squads | Common Dreams
Blood Money: Romney Started Bain Capital With Money From Families Tied To Death Squads | Common Dreams
"When Romney struggled to raise funds from other traditional sources, he and his partners started thinking outside the box. Bain executive Harry Strachan suggested that Romney meet with a group of Central American oligarchs who were looking for new investment vehicles as turmoil engulfed their region."
"When Romney struggled to raise funds from other traditional sources, he and his partners started thinking outside the box. Bain executive Harry Strachan suggested that Romney meet with a group of Central American oligarchs who were looking for new investment vehicles as turmoil engulfed their region."
Five Things Everyone Should Know About GOP Senate Candidate Todd Akin
Five Things Everyone Should Know About GOP Senate Candidate Todd Akin: On Tuesday night, Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) wrapped up his state’s Republican Senate nomination, defeating two other Tea Party Republicans in a race that split the GOP’s hard right faction. Akin’s highest profile backers were former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), which should be no surprise — Akin has a long [...]/p
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Better Know A Right-Wing Attack Group: American Crossroads
Better Know A Right-Wing Attack Group: American Crossroads: Part two of ThinkProgress’ profiles of right-wing groups that are taking advantage of the Citizens United ruling to flood the airways with independent attack ads. See Part 1 here. American Crossroads is an independent expenditure-only Super PAC. Created in 2010, American Crossroads claims a “deep love for all that America represents – and a deep [...]/p
House Financial Services Chairman Asks Banks To Design ‘Alternatives’ To Wall Street Reform Restrictions
House Financial Services Chairman Asks Banks To Design ‘Alternatives’ To Wall Street Reform Restrictions: House Financial Services Chairman Spencer Bachus (R-AL) — who said that, in his view, Washington’s role is “to serve the banks” — has put out a call to the financial industry to suggest “legislative alternatives” to the Volcker Rule, which is aimed at reining in banks’ risky trading: A top Republican lawmaker on Tuesday asked [...]/p
Federal Reserve Penalizes MetLife $3.2 Million For Foreclosure Abuses
Federal Reserve Penalizes MetLife $3.2 Million For Foreclosure Abuses: The Federal Reserve will impose a $3.2 million penalty on MetLife Inc. for failing to prevent foreclosure abuses by the bank it oversees, the Associated Press reports. MetLife Bank was among the mortgage lenders cited by the Federal Reserve last year for improperly foreclosing on homeowners, and the penalty is similar to those included in [...]/p
Mitt Romney's New Welfare Ad is Breathtakingly Dishonest
Mitt Romney's New Welfare Ad is Breathtakingly Dishonest
"Facts are facts, unless it's political. Then Fox makes sure it creates a new set of facts, ignoring reality. Fox viewers don't care. They just want to hear what they want to hear, regardless of whether it's true. In this case, they are smug about the uppity black guy giving lazy people a reason to suck off the government teat. Never mind that it's a lie, or that their guy actually requested that which the President granted. They just lie, because they know Fox will enable them to get away with it.
"Facts are facts, unless it's political. Then Fox makes sure it creates a new set of facts, ignoring reality. Fox viewers don't care. They just want to hear what they want to hear, regardless of whether it's true. In this case, they are smug about the uppity black guy giving lazy people a reason to suck off the government teat. Never mind that it's a lie, or that their guy actually requested that which the President granted. They just lie, because they know Fox will enable them to get away with it.
Which sitting Republican governor will stand up and tell Fox News they're lying?"
Fewer swing voters puts focus on campaigns' turnout strategies
"Americans have such a short memory about scandalized, sleazeball politicians who remain in politics despite their disgrace."
Following Romney Campaign’s Lead, Anti-Obama Swift Boat Group Repeats False Claims About Ohio Voters
Following Romney Campaign’s Lead, Anti-Obama Swift Boat Group Repeats False Claims About Ohio Voters: Special Operations Speaks, a new right-wing political action committee comprised of three former special operations officers, is doubling down on the Romney campaign’s latest false claim that President Obama is suing to prevent members of the military from voting early in Ohio. Here is an excerpt from an email the group sent to its listserv [...]/p
(Not) breaking: Mitt lies again
(Not) breaking: Mitt lies again
"Romney's lies started with Romney's first campaign ad, when he edited footage of the president campaigning in 2008 to make it sound like something he'd said as president. The lies continued with Romney's flagrant "you didn't build that" lie. And Romney's latest ad is as dishonest as the others, attacking Obama for a policy that Romney himself requested as governor"
"Romney's lies started with Romney's first campaign ad, when he edited footage of the president campaigning in 2008 to make it sound like something he'd said as president. The lies continued with Romney's flagrant "you didn't build that" lie. And Romney's latest ad is as dishonest as the others, attacking Obama for a policy that Romney himself requested as governor"
Former Republican Governor: Romney Is Afraid To Stand Up To His Right-Wing Base
Former Republican Governor: Romney Is Afraid To Stand Up To His Right-Wing Base: Former New Jersey Gov. Christie Todd Whitman (R) said Mitt Romney must do a better job of standing up to the radical elements of the Republican party and criticized her party’s nominee for not speaking out when an audience jeered a gay soldier during a September debate. “Sister Souljah moment, you’re looking for,” Whitman explained [...]/p
Western North America Faces 21st Century 'Mega-drought' | Alternet
Western North America Faces 21st Century 'Mega-drought' | Alternet
"Get ready for more long-term drought in the West that will likely be worse than experienced during 2000 to 2004, which was the most severe drought in 800 years."
"Get ready for more long-term drought in the West that will likely be worse than experienced during 2000 to 2004, which was the most severe drought in 800 years."
Monday, August 6, 2012
Watch Neil Cavuto's Completely Fact-Free Rant Against Food Stamps, Welfare
Watch Neil Cavuto's Completely Fact-Free Rant Against Food Stamps, Welfare
"This segment is telling, however, because no matter how low taxes are, no matter how much wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few, no matter how high corporate profits are, no matter how degraded the safety net is -- for right-wingers, the problem will always be that the "moochers" are dragging down the "producers"."
"This segment is telling, however, because no matter how low taxes are, no matter how much wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few, no matter how high corporate profits are, no matter how degraded the safety net is -- for right-wingers, the problem will always be that the "moochers" are dragging down the "producers"."
What's Campbell Brown Doing Smearing Teachers All Over the Media? | Alternet
What's Campbell Brown Doing Smearing Teachers All Over the Media? | Alternet
"The latest self-proclaimed expert to grace the pages of the national media -- in this case Rupert Murdoch's Wall Street Journal -- is Campbell Brown, former CNN and NBC anchor and reporter. Brown, whose expertise appears to be that she testified in front of Governor Cuomo's Education Reform Commission, doesn't note that she has a personal connection to an organization that spends its time doing just that--demonizing teachers. She painted what appears to be a horrific tale of sexual predators let loose in public schools to prey on our children, and blames the processes that exist to provide teachers with some sort of job security—processes that unions have fought for over the course of decades—for keeping them there. She then hit Morning Joe, MSNBC's morning program, to make the same argument.
"The latest self-proclaimed expert to grace the pages of the national media -- in this case Rupert Murdoch's Wall Street Journal -- is Campbell Brown, former CNN and NBC anchor and reporter. Brown, whose expertise appears to be that she testified in front of Governor Cuomo's Education Reform Commission, doesn't note that she has a personal connection to an organization that spends its time doing just that--demonizing teachers. She painted what appears to be a horrific tale of sexual predators let loose in public schools to prey on our children, and blames the processes that exist to provide teachers with some sort of job security—processes that unions have fought for over the course of decades—for keeping them there. She then hit Morning Joe, MSNBC's morning program, to make the same argument.
There's just one problem with Brown's argument: it doesn't hold up under even the most casual scrutiny."
Private Prisons Cost Arizona $3.5 Million More Per Year Than State-Run Prisons
Private Prisons Cost Arizona $3.5 Million More Per Year Than State-Run Prisons: Private prisons, touted as a cost-efficient alternative to state-run penitentiaries, are not living up to their promises in at least one state. A new study of Arizona’s private prisons finds that the state is actually losing money — $3.5 million a year — by turning their inmates over to for-profit corporations. According to the Tucson [...]/p
Senate Bill Continues Tax Breaks For NASCAR, Rum, And Offshoring Profits
Senate Bill Continues Tax Breaks For NASCAR, Rum, And Offshoring Profits: Last week, in what Reuters called “a rare show of bipartisan unity,” the Senate Finance Committee approved a package of so-called tax extenders by a 19-5 vote. The extenders package contains a variety of expiring tax provisions that are regularly renewed. The senators on the committee were slapping themselves on the back for achieving some [...]/p
Tea Party Group Jokes About Beating Obama To Death
Tea Party Group Jokes About Beating Obama To Death: A local tea party group in Pennsylvania called Northeast Pennsylvania Spirit of 1776 is sending out an email alert in which it imagines the Founding Fathers beating up President Obama in Heaven for being a “radical, socialist leader”: ThinkProgress spoke with a member of the group, who confirmed that the organization sent out the mailing [...]/p
Rick Perry Factors Into State Budget Obamacare Funds He Had Pledged To Reject
Rick Perry Factors Into State Budget Obamacare Funds He Had Pledged To Reject: Eight days after the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate and ruled that the federal government cannot penalize states that refuse to expand Medicaid, Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) announced that he would not open the program to more applicants. But while he was making a public show of [...]/p
Is Michigan Tea Party Candidate Clark Durant's Genesis Foundation Legit?
Is Michigan Tea Party Candidate Clark Durant's Genesis Foundation Legit?
"Durant is bathed in all sorts of hero gel for setting up charter schools in urban Detroit, but closer examination of the records reveals a brilliant illustration of everything that's wrong with charters and why candidates like Durant have a vested interest in being elected to the United States Congress. With people like Durant in office, billionaires don't even have to pay lobbyists. They just elect one of their buddies whose strings they've already been pulling for years, and just like that, their will be done."
"Durant is bathed in all sorts of hero gel for setting up charter schools in urban Detroit, but closer examination of the records reveals a brilliant illustration of everything that's wrong with charters and why candidates like Durant have a vested interest in being elected to the United States Congress. With people like Durant in office, billionaires don't even have to pay lobbyists. They just elect one of their buddies whose strings they've already been pulling for years, and just like that, their will be done."
George Will: Corporations Have A Constitutional Right To Exploit Workers — Unless They Play Football
George Will: Corporations Have A Constitutional Right To Exploit Workers — Unless They Play Football: In a column last week, conservative pundit and global warming denier made an uncharacteristic display of compassion for professional football players, explaining how the changing nature of the sport endangers players’ long term health: Football is bigger than ever, in several senses. Bear Bryant’s 1966 undefeated Alabama team had only 19 players who weighed more [...]/p
Why Does Mitt Romney Want To Restrict Voting Rights For More Than 900,000 Ohio Veterans? | Alternet
Why Does Mitt Romney Want To Restrict Voting Rights For More Than 900,000 Ohio Veterans? | Alternet
"In short, Mitt Romney supports efforts to make voting more difficult for the very people who have put their lives on the line after swearing an oath to uphold our Constitution and democracy."
"In short, Mitt Romney supports efforts to make voting more difficult for the very people who have put their lives on the line after swearing an oath to uphold our Constitution and democracy."
Is Citi Engaging in Criminal Abuses of Active Duty Servicemen on Their Student Loans? | Alternet
Is Citi Engaging in Criminal Abuses of Active Duty Servicemen on Their Student Loans? | Alternet
"Given all the varieties of bank-perpetrated mortgage fraud that have come to light in recent years, one that got comparatively little attention were abuses under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. SCRA shields active duty servicemen, who cannot be the target of civil until their tour of duty has been completed. That means, among other thing, bankruptcies, foreclosures and even divorces are put on hold. Recent amendments include capping the interest rate on most types of debt at 6%.
"Given all the varieties of bank-perpetrated mortgage fraud that have come to light in recent years, one that got comparatively little attention were abuses under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. SCRA shields active duty servicemen, who cannot be the target of civil until their tour of duty has been completed. That means, among other thing, bankruptcies, foreclosures and even divorces are put on hold. Recent amendments include capping the interest rate on most types of debt at 6%.
Despite the clear provisions of the law, mortgage services were found to be violating on a widespread basis, both by failing to reduce interest charges to 6% and on foreclosing on military personnel who were deployed."
Right-Wing Plan for Defeating Obama: Gin Up the Hate | Alternet
Right-Wing Plan for Defeating Obama: Gin Up the Hate | Alternet
"Stuck with a lackluster candidate, Tea Partiers focus their rage on the president."
"Stuck with a lackluster candidate, Tea Partiers focus their rage on the president."
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Obama v. Romney: Two Radically Different Visions Of America's Future | Alternet
Obama v. Romney: Two Radically Different Visions Of America's Future | Alternet
"The future of our nation is at stake. We must openly and regularly talk about the function of the public. And we must repeat the fact that the public constitutes the people working together to better their lives. The public is and has always been, requisite for our freedom, our success and our humanity as a nation. Every candidate for office and every patriotic American should be saying this out loud, over and over. The role of the public is the central issue in this election. It is the issue that will determine our future."
"The future of our nation is at stake. We must openly and regularly talk about the function of the public. And we must repeat the fact that the public constitutes the people working together to better their lives. The public is and has always been, requisite for our freedom, our success and our humanity as a nation. Every candidate for office and every patriotic American should be saying this out loud, over and over. The role of the public is the central issue in this election. It is the issue that will determine our future."
Top GOP Strategist Pushes Romney To Release More Tax Returns: ‘Two Years Is Not Enough, Obviously”
Top GOP Strategist Pushes Romney To Release More Tax Returns: ‘Two Years Is Not Enough, Obviously”: Longtime Republican strategist Ed Rollins today joined 20 other Republicans by saying Mitt Romney should “absolutely” release more years of tax returns. Despite increasing pressure from both Democrats and Republicans, and 61 percent of voters who want to see more taxes, Romney has refused to release more than two years. In an interview with Fox [...]/p
Swing voters want their Social Security, Medicare and good government
Swing voters want their Social Security, Medicare and good government
"A new survey of American suburban and swing voters by Hofstra University's National Center for Suburban Studies demonstrates just how mainstream the progressive vision for the country on the role of government really is. On issues of income inequality, the social contract, government regulation of industry for health and safety of the public, these swing voters demonstrate that, while they don't like these concepts in the abstract, they support the specific programs at issue, and want to keep them strong."
"A new survey of American suburban and swing voters by Hofstra University's National Center for Suburban Studies demonstrates just how mainstream the progressive vision for the country on the role of government really is. On issues of income inequality, the social contract, government regulation of industry for health and safety of the public, these swing voters demonstrate that, while they don't like these concepts in the abstract, they support the specific programs at issue, and want to keep them strong."
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Outcry as Walmart OK's Monsanto GM Corn | Common Dreams
Outcry as Walmart OK's Monsanto GM Corn | Common Dreams
"Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, has confirmed to the Chicago Tribune that despite protests from environment and food-safety advocates, it will not restrict sales of genetically modified corn in its stores."
"Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, has confirmed to the Chicago Tribune that despite protests from environment and food-safety advocates, it will not restrict sales of genetically modified corn in its stores."
Congress Fiddles While the Post Office Burns | Common Dreams
Congress Fiddles While the Post Office Burns | Common Dreams
"Americans have heard a lot in recent days about the “default” by the United States Postal Service. And the way that much of the media covered the story would lead those who have not followed the wrangling over the USPS’s future to imagine there’s a problem with the post office."
"Americans have heard a lot in recent days about the “default” by the United States Postal Service. And the way that much of the media covered the story would lead those who have not followed the wrangling over the USPS’s future to imagine there’s a problem with the post office."
Mathematics Impossible: Economists, Analysts Pile On Romney's Bogus Tax Plan | Common Dreams
Mathematics Impossible: Economists, Analysts Pile On Romney's Bogus Tax Plan | Common Dreams
"The Tax Policy Center, after assessing Mitt Romney's tax reform proposal this week, saidflatly that the plan "would provide large tax cuts to high-income households, and increase the tax burdens on middle- and/or lower-income taxpayers"."
"The Tax Policy Center, after assessing Mitt Romney's tax reform proposal this week, saidflatly that the plan "would provide large tax cuts to high-income households, and increase the tax burdens on middle- and/or lower-income taxpayers"."
You've Got Mail -- Or Not: Why a Job-Killing Congressional Attack May Close Your Local Post Office | Alternet
You've Got Mail -- Or Not: Why a Job-Killing Congressional Attack May Close Your Local Post Office | Alternet
"The U.S. Postal Service is a 200-year-old institution that directly provides jobs for half a million people and many times that number in industries that depend upon it. The Postal Service receives not a penny of taxpayer money, and even made a tidy profit in the first quarter of this year. Yet this trusted federal agency is under siege from a phony "fiscal crisis" created by Congress in an unjustified attack on workers and much-need services. It's no surprise that those seeking to further privatize universal public services and weaken labor unions are leading the charge .
"The U.S. Postal Service is a 200-year-old institution that directly provides jobs for half a million people and many times that number in industries that depend upon it. The Postal Service receives not a penny of taxpayer money, and even made a tidy profit in the first quarter of this year. Yet this trusted federal agency is under siege from a phony "fiscal crisis" created by Congress in an unjustified attack on workers and much-need services. It's no surprise that those seeking to further privatize universal public services and weaken labor unions are leading the charge .
It's time to set the record straight."
Why a Major Food Organization Is Teaming Up With Monsanto and Friends to Block Your Right to Know What's in Your Food | Alternet
Why a Major Food Organization Is Teaming Up With Monsanto and Friends to Block Your Right to Know What's in Your Food | Alternet
"Big Food companies like ConAgra, Smucker, Hormel, Kellogg, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo want to block consumer protection legislation."
"Big Food companies like ConAgra, Smucker, Hormel, Kellogg, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo want to block consumer protection legislation."
How Mitt Romney Got Rich Destroying American Jobs and Promoting Sweatshop Capitalism | Alternet
How Mitt Romney Got Rich Destroying American Jobs and Promoting Sweatshop Capitalism | Alternet
"Republicans claim that Mitt Romney's entrepreneurial activities at Bain Capital have been good for Americans. The truth is that Romney has spent his career offshoring and outsourcing American production processes -- and associated jobs -- to countries like China where human labor is valued in the market at a very low wage rate.
"Republicans claim that Mitt Romney's entrepreneurial activities at Bain Capital have been good for Americans. The truth is that Romney has spent his career offshoring and outsourcing American production processes -- and associated jobs -- to countries like China where human labor is valued in the market at a very low wage rate.
Mitt Romney’s tenure as Bain’s CEO has long linked him to offshoring and outsourcing. Even today, although he is no longer in that position, Romney still makes a nice profit on undertakings done long after he left the day-to-day management of the firm."
Friday, August 3, 2012
Major Banks Help Clients Hide Trillions in Offshore Tax Havens
"US media and politicians mostly ignore massive untaxed wealth that big banks help rich move to tax havens"
The State of America's Children 2012 | Common Dreams
The State of America's Children 2012 | Common Dreams
"when we looked closely at poor children across the nation, ten states plus the District of Columbia had child poverty rates of 25 percent or higher: Mississippi was the highest at 32.5 percent, followed by D.C., New Mexico, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Only New Hampshire had a child poverty rate of 10 percent or lower. When it comes to ensuring equal chances for children everywhere in our country we have a long way to go. And when we realize that nationwide a child is born into poverty every 29 seconds it should sound alarms from coast to coast."
"when we looked closely at poor children across the nation, ten states plus the District of Columbia had child poverty rates of 25 percent or higher: Mississippi was the highest at 32.5 percent, followed by D.C., New Mexico, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Only New Hampshire had a child poverty rate of 10 percent or lower. When it comes to ensuring equal chances for children everywhere in our country we have a long way to go. And when we realize that nationwide a child is born into poverty every 29 seconds it should sound alarms from coast to coast."
Big Business Tries To Stop Florida Paid Sick Days Initiative Before It Even Reaches Ballot
Big Business Tries To Stop Florida Paid Sick Days Initiative Before It Even Reaches Ballot: Residents of Orange County, Florida, are trying to get an initiative on the November ballot that would require all businesses with more than 15 employees to provide paid sick days to their workers. Predictably, big businesses are joining forces and working hard to stop it. More signatures are still needed before the Earned Sick Time [...]/p
Veterans’ Unemployment Falls To Lowest Level In More Than Three Years
Veterans’ Unemployment Falls To Lowest Level In More Than Three Years: Even as the national unemployment rate ticked up ever so slightly in July, the unemployment rate for veterans fell to its lowest level in more than three years, dropping to 6.9 percent. That figure is the lowest monthly unemployment rate for all veterans since before President Obama took office. The Obama administration has championed legislation [...]/p
A Democratic Country Should Put Public Education Before Corporate Profits
A Democratic Country Should Put Public Education Before Corporate Profits
"The headlines this summer are full of gloom and doom about the upcoming 2012-2013 school year.
"The headlines this summer are full of gloom and doom about the upcoming 2012-2013 school year.
Schools are closing. Teachers are being laid off. State and local governments are cutting like crazy and Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin has released a report warning about the looming sequestration of the federal education budget.
It shouldn't be like this."
How the For-Profit Education Business Is a Complete Taxpayer Rip-Off | Alternet
How the For-Profit Education Business Is a Complete Taxpayer Rip-Off | Alternet
"ou’ve got to love congressional understatement. Sen. Tom Harkin released a massive report lacerating the for-profit college sector on Monday — the freshest, most comprehensive look yet at how career schools are abusing both American taxpayers and students. The report includes individual breakdowns of the numbers at 30 of the biggest for-profit schools, including Corinthian, which was the subject of a Salon feature two months ago."
"ou’ve got to love congressional understatement. Sen. Tom Harkin released a massive report lacerating the for-profit college sector on Monday — the freshest, most comprehensive look yet at how career schools are abusing both American taxpayers and students. The report includes individual breakdowns of the numbers at 30 of the biggest for-profit schools, including Corinthian, which was the subject of a Salon feature two months ago."
Romney’s Economic Plan Would Kill 360,000 Jobs In 2013 Alone
Romney’s Economic Plan Would Kill 360,000 Jobs In 2013 Alone: The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced today that 163,000 jobs were created in the U.S. last month, but that the unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 8.3 percent. Mitt Romney, of course, seized on the latter data point, calling it “a hammer blow to middle-class families.” “Yesterday, I launched my Plan for a Stronger Middle-Class [...]/p
Conservative Economists Claim Taxing The Rich Hurts Small Businesses; Small Businesses Disagree
Conservative Economists Claim Taxing The Rich Hurts Small Businesses; Small Businesses Disagree: Yesterday, Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) gleefully unveiled a list of 88 economists, who warn “that raising taxes on small businesses would have a detrimental impact on the economy.” Their argument is that raising the marginal tax [...]/p
US Farmers Markets Surge: USDA | Common Dreams
US Farmers Markets Surge: USDA | Common Dreams
"Urban farmers markets across the US have become increasingly popular over the past few years and are now surging and expanding at unseen levels, according the the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA will announce Friday that the number of direct-sales markets has increased 9.6 per cent over the past year."
"Urban farmers markets across the US have become increasingly popular over the past few years and are now surging and expanding at unseen levels, according the the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA will announce Friday that the number of direct-sales markets has increased 9.6 per cent over the past year."
Food Disaster Worries Mount as US Drought Worsens | Common Dreams
Food Disaster Worries Mount as US Drought Worsens | Common Dreams
"The worst US drought in 56 years has intensified over the past week as scorching temperatures continued and too little rainfall parched corn and soybean crops across the Midwest and central Plains, a report from climate experts said on Thursday."
"The worst US drought in 56 years has intensified over the past week as scorching temperatures continued and too little rainfall parched corn and soybean crops across the Midwest and central Plains, a report from climate experts said on Thursday."
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Romney's tax plan? He pays less. You pay more.
"Mitt Romney is fighting for guys like Donald Trump and himself, and he'll screw you over in a heartbeat—and his tax plan is a perfect example of that."
Five Things Everyone Should Know About GOP Senate Candidate Ted Cruz
Five Things Everyone Should Know About GOP Senate Candidate Ted Cruz: Today, Texas Republican primary voters selected Ted Cruz as their candidate to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX). Cruz, a former Solicitor General of Texas and law clerk to Chief Justice William Rehnquist, is among the nation’s most skilled Supreme Court advocates. Yet his considerable intellect is rivaled by his very poor judgment. [...]/p
Rep. King Goes Birther: Suggests Obama’s Parents Telegrammed Fake Hawaii Birth Announcement From Kenya
Rep. King Goes Birther: Suggests Obama’s Parents Telegrammed Fake Hawaii Birth Announcement From Kenya: "The Iowa Congressman noted that his staff had investigated the matter and found birth announcements in the two Hawaii newspapers the week after Obama’s birth. However, King went on to float the absurd notion that his parents “might’ve announced that by telegram from Kenya"." More Tea Party crazy.
'Dark Money' Groups Exceed Super PAC Spending, Secrecy | Common Dreams
'Dark Money' Groups Exceed Super PAC Spending, Secrecy | Common Dreams
"The top five outside spending groups on presidential election ads have reported less than 1% of their spending to the Federal Election Commission, according to a new report by national research and advocacy organizations DÄ“mos and US PIRG. Multiple types of outside spending groups are playing an even larger and more secretive role in the 2012 election cycle than previously thought or estimated."
"The top five outside spending groups on presidential election ads have reported less than 1% of their spending to the Federal Election Commission, according to a new report by national research and advocacy organizations DÄ“mos and US PIRG. Multiple types of outside spending groups are playing an even larger and more secretive role in the 2012 election cycle than previously thought or estimated."
Romney taps former Fannie Mae lobbyist and BP spokeswoman to lead his Bain rehab effort
Romney taps former Fannie Mae lobbyist and BP spokeswoman to lead his Bain rehab effort
"You can file this under yet another thing that only Mitt Romney could dream of doing"
"You can file this under yet another thing that only Mitt Romney could dream of doing"
GOP Governor Schools Romney On Wind: ‘Get Out Here In The Real World To Find Out What’s Really Going On’
GOP Governor Schools Romney On Wind: ‘Get Out Here In The Real World To Find Out What’s Really Going On’: Days after Mitt Romney’s campaign announced his opposition to extending the wind production tax credit, Romney campaigned in Colorado, a swing state that supported 4,000-5,000 wind jobs in 2011. He included one gratuitous mention of renewable energy in his speech that ranked energy as his top priority, saying “I like renewables.” How he plans to [...]/p
60 Faith Leaders Sign Letter Telling GOP Not To Raise Taxes On 24 Million Americans
60 Faith Leaders Sign Letter Telling GOP Not To Raise Taxes On 24 Million Americans: A coalition of faith leaders released a letter ahead of yesterday’s symbolic House tax vote telling Republicans not to allow the expiration of two tax credits that, together, would raise taxes on more than 15 million Americans. In the letter, the faith leaders called for extensions of the 2009 expansions of the Child Tax Credit [...]/p
Rubio Praises Government For Investing In Infrastructure, Schools At ‘We Built It’ Event
Rubio Praises Government For Investing In Infrastructure, Schools At ‘We Built It’ Event: "The remarks echo President Obama’s claims during a July campaign event, which Republicans have misrepresented to portray him as anti-business."
New Analysis: Voter Purges Disproportionately Remove Minorities, Seniors, Young People
New Analysis: Voter Purges Disproportionately Remove Minorities, Seniors, Young People: Catalist, a company that provides voting list data to progressive organizations, is among the closest observers of changes to voting rolls around the country. In analysis shared with ThinkProgress, the company observes that since November 2008, certain groups of living residents have been far more likely to be purged from the voting roles than others. [...]/p
GOP Rep: Protecting Insurers More Important Than Providing Coverage To The Sick
GOP Rep: Protecting Insurers More Important Than Providing Coverage To The Sick: Rep. Jeff Flake (R), a sixth-term GOP congressman and current Arizona senate candidate, has confirmed he is not among the 82 percent of Americans who think insurance companies should be banned from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. In fact, during a recent debate on an Arizona NBC affiliate, Flake explained that doing so [...]/p
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
It's official: House Republicans just voted to block your tax cut to protect the rich
It's official: House Republicans just voted to block your tax cut to protect the rich
"By a vote of 170-257, Republicans rejected the Democrats' plan to extend tax cuts to the middle class because, of course, the Democrats' bill didn't also extend tax cuts to the top two percent on their income above $250,000."
"By a vote of 170-257, Republicans rejected the Democrats' plan to extend tax cuts to the middle class because, of course, the Democrats' bill didn't also extend tax cuts to the top two percent on their income above $250,000."
Class warfare? Nah. Mitt Romney's plan raises taxes on everybody else so the top 5% can lower theirs
Class warfare? Nah. Mitt Romney's plan raises taxes on everybody else so the top 5% can lower theirs
"Best case result, according to the TPC: Americans making half a million to a million dollars a year would average a $17,000 tax cut. For middle-class families with children making less than $200,000 a year, the average tax would increase by $2041 a year. The rich, natch, would make out like bandits, millionaires getting an $87,000 tax cut, those making more getting even more out of the deal."
"Best case result, according to the TPC: Americans making half a million to a million dollars a year would average a $17,000 tax cut. For middle-class families with children making less than $200,000 a year, the average tax would increase by $2041 a year. The rich, natch, would make out like bandits, millionaires getting an $87,000 tax cut, those making more getting even more out of the deal."
Does Mitt Romney Think the Red States Are Culturally Inferior?
Does Mitt Romney Think the Red States Are Culturally Inferior?
"Of the top 10 states (and including DC) in per capita GDP, only two -- Alaska and Wyoming -- are Republican. And Alaska is heavily subsidized by the federal government."
"Of the top 10 states (and including DC) in per capita GDP, only two -- Alaska and Wyoming -- are Republican. And Alaska is heavily subsidized by the federal government."
Study: Seniors Would Pay More For Medicare Under Republican-Backed Plan
Study: Seniors Would Pay More For Medicare Under Republican-Backed Plan: Lawmakers like Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-WY) support radically restructuring the current the Medicare system into a voucher program that provides seniors with “premium support” credits to purchase coverage from an exchange of private health insurers or remain in traditional fee-for-service Medicare. Mitt Romney, the GOP presidential candidate, has embraced the [...]/p
GOP and the Economy: They Pissed on Our Legs and Told Us It Was Raining | Alternet
GOP and the Economy: They Pissed on Our Legs and Told Us It Was Raining | Alternet
"Remember this, too. Other than six and seven-figure annual tax cuts for rich people, the other thing that killed our fiscal situation was the lack of regulation and oversight of Wall Street. That was another gift to rich people, the smartest of which developed schemes to game the housing market and make a fortune for themselves, while the rest of us were left with properties that were worth less than we borrowed to move into them. They took away our money and then they took away our jobs and then they took away our freedom to move to find a new job."
"Remember this, too. Other than six and seven-figure annual tax cuts for rich people, the other thing that killed our fiscal situation was the lack of regulation and oversight of Wall Street. That was another gift to rich people, the smartest of which developed schemes to game the housing market and make a fortune for themselves, while the rest of us were left with properties that were worth less than we borrowed to move into them. They took away our money and then they took away our jobs and then they took away our freedom to move to find a new job."
New Analysis Shows Romney Tax Plan Would Raise Taxes On Middle Class Families By More Than $2,000
New Analysis Shows Romney Tax Plan Would Raise Taxes On Middle Class Families By More Than $2,000: On the campaign trail, Mitt Romney has been promising that he will cut taxes “across the board,” while also instituting tax reform that will not add to the nation’s deficit. But a new report from the Tax Policy Center at the Brookings Institution shows that this is much easier said than done. In fact, if [...]/p
House Republicans will vote against tax cut for the middle class today
House Republicans will vote against tax cut for the middle class today
"House Republicans are set to vote against 98 percent of their constituents today, again. Democrats are going to offer an extension on the middle class tax cuts, letting the cuts for the wealthiest expire."
"House Republicans are set to vote against 98 percent of their constituents today, again. Democrats are going to offer an extension on the middle class tax cuts, letting the cuts for the wealthiest expire."
6 Things You Should Know About the $21 Trillion the World's Richest People Are Hiding In Tax Shelters | Alternet
6 Things You Should Know About the $21 Trillion the World's Richest People Are Hiding In Tax Shelters | Alternet
"$21 trillion. That's how much the world's richest people are hiding in offshore tax havens worldwide. Or it may be more, as much as $32 trillion—the real amount is, of course, almost impossible to track."
"$21 trillion. That's how much the world's richest people are hiding in offshore tax havens worldwide. Or it may be more, as much as $32 trillion—the real amount is, of course, almost impossible to track."
The Libertarian Con: Favorite 'Rebel' Ideology of the Ruling Class | Alternet
The Libertarian Con: Favorite 'Rebel' Ideology of the Ruling Class | Alternet
"Calling yourself a libertarian today is a lot like wearing a mullet back in the 1980s. It sends a clear signal: business up front, party in the back. You know, those guys who call themselves “socially liberal but fiscally conservative.” Yeah. It’s for them.
"Calling yourself a libertarian today is a lot like wearing a mullet back in the 1980s. It sends a clear signal: business up front, party in the back. You know, those guys who call themselves “socially liberal but fiscally conservative.” Yeah. It’s for them.
Today, the ruling class knows that they’ve lost the culture wars. And unlike with our parents, they can’t count on weeping eagles and the stars ‘n bars to get us to fall in line. So libertarianism is a last-ditch effort to ensure a succession to their throne. Their hope is that the kids will nod along as wealthy elites spread austerity regimes across the world."
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