Kansas Republicans Just Admitted That Cutting Taxes to “Boost the Economy” is a Scam
"Since the dawn of trickle-down economics during the Reagan administration, the only thing these tax cuts have done is made the rich more wealthy than they’ve ever been while leaving 98 percent of Americans further and further behind."
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Robert Reich: Corporate Welfare Is Destroying Our Economy (VIDEO) | Alternet
Robert Reich: Corporate Welfare Is Destroying Our Economy (VIDEO) | Alternet
"Corporations aren’t people, despite what the Supreme Court says, and they don’t need or deserve handouts."
"Corporations aren’t people, despite what the Supreme Court says, and they don’t need or deserve handouts."
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Beau Biden, Son Of Vice President, Dies Of Brain Cancer At 46
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/05/30/3664472/beau-biden-son-vice-president-dies-brain-cancer-46/
"Beau Biden served as attorney general of Delaware and joined the Delaware National Guard in 2003. He was deployed to Iraq in 2008, the same year his father ran for vice president. It was at the 2008 Democratic Convention he delivered an impassioned speech to introduce his father." Very sad news. Our thoughts are with his family tonight.
"Beau Biden served as attorney general of Delaware and joined the Delaware National Guard in 2003. He was deployed to Iraq in 2008, the same year his father ran for vice president. It was at the 2008 Democratic Convention he delivered an impassioned speech to introduce his father." Very sad news. Our thoughts are with his family tonight.
Vice President Joe Biden’s son Beau dies after battle with brain cancer
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/vice-president-joe-bidens-son-beau-dies-after-battle-brain-cancer
"Beau Biden, 46, was hospitalized this week at Walter Reed Medical Center. He died Saturday evening surrounded by his family, the vice president’s office said." Very sad news. Our thoughts are with his family tonight.
"Beau Biden, 46, was hospitalized this week at Walter Reed Medical Center. He died Saturday evening surrounded by his family, the vice president’s office said." Very sad news. Our thoughts are with his family tonight.
ALEC: Paying For Corporate Lobbying With Our Tax Dollars
ALEC: Paying For Corporate Lobbying With Our Tax Dollars
"corporate special interest money will always find plenty of ways to influence legislators. Here's the deal, though: you and I should not have to subsidize that special interest lobbying and influence peddling. The IRS needs to investigate ALEC and stop this sleazy charade now."
"corporate special interest money will always find plenty of ways to influence legislators. Here's the deal, though: you and I should not have to subsidize that special interest lobbying and influence peddling. The IRS needs to investigate ALEC and stop this sleazy charade now."
Kansas Republicans Finally Admit That Their Tax Cuts For The Wealthy Have Failed
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/30/kansas-republicans-finally-admit-tax-cuts-wealthy-failed.html
"Republican Governor Sam Brownback and his Tea Party sycophants in the Kansas legislature have insisted for the past several years that tax cuts for the rich would usher in an economic utopia. They envisioned businesses flocking to the state to take advantage of low taxes spurring an economic boom. Instead, the state has fallen on hard times, with massive budget shortfalls triggering savage cuts to education and social services. Even many Republicans are now acknowledging that their policy has been an economic disaster." Trickle Down fails again.
"Republican Governor Sam Brownback and his Tea Party sycophants in the Kansas legislature have insisted for the past several years that tax cuts for the rich would usher in an economic utopia. They envisioned businesses flocking to the state to take advantage of low taxes spurring an economic boom. Instead, the state has fallen on hard times, with massive budget shortfalls triggering savage cuts to education and social services. Even many Republicans are now acknowledging that their policy has been an economic disaster." Trickle Down fails again.
Bobby Jindal And Grover Norquist Wreck Louisiana
Bobby Jindal And Grover Norquist Wreck Louisiana
"One reason everything’s hitting the fan is there’s not much left. Gone are $800 million from the Medicaid Trust Fund for the Elderly and $450 million for providing development incentives, and the rainy day fund has dropped from $730 million to $460 million on his watch.
Republicans like state Rep. Jay Morris, who, after hearing Jindal’s vow to veto any measure that didn’t have Grover Norquist’s blessing, declared the approach “insane"."
"One reason everything’s hitting the fan is there’s not much left. Gone are $800 million from the Medicaid Trust Fund for the Elderly and $450 million for providing development incentives, and the rainy day fund has dropped from $730 million to $460 million on his watch.
Republicans like state Rep. Jay Morris, who, after hearing Jindal’s vow to veto any measure that didn’t have Grover Norquist’s blessing, declared the approach “insane"."
Devastating Walker Budget to Be Finalized
Devastating Walker Budget to Be Finalized
"Walker has also proposed another $127 million in direct cuts to the state’s K-12 public schools in next year’s education budget, after $1 billion in cuts in his first budget. The legislature will likely shrink the K-12 cut in response to public outrage.
In the continuing effort to weaken the state's public schools, the budget would also allow Wisconsin schools to hire people without bachelor's degrees to teach subjects like math, science, technology, and engineering."
"Walker has also proposed another $127 million in direct cuts to the state’s K-12 public schools in next year’s education budget, after $1 billion in cuts in his first budget. The legislature will likely shrink the K-12 cut in response to public outrage.
In the continuing effort to weaken the state's public schools, the budget would also allow Wisconsin schools to hire people without bachelor's degrees to teach subjects like math, science, technology, and engineering."
Obama Rescues Arrogant and Ungrateful Texas Republicans With Federal Disaster Declaration
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/30/obama-rescues-arrogant-ungrateful-texas-republicans-federal-disaster-declaration.html
"Arrogant Republicans like Greg Abbott and Ted Cruz won’t thank the President for literally rescuing their state with prompt action in a time of disaster. Cruz and Abbott are ignoring basic civility because they think it is good politics to ignore Obama while begging for a federal handout.
If Texas were capable of going it alone, they could handle their own natural disaster, but they can’t. What’s even worse is that many Texas Republicans lack the basic decency to thank the President for quicking being there for them in their time of dire need."
"Arrogant Republicans like Greg Abbott and Ted Cruz won’t thank the President for literally rescuing their state with prompt action in a time of disaster. Cruz and Abbott are ignoring basic civility because they think it is good politics to ignore Obama while begging for a federal handout.
If Texas were capable of going it alone, they could handle their own natural disaster, but they can’t. What’s even worse is that many Texas Republicans lack the basic decency to thank the President for quicking being there for them in their time of dire need."
Huckster And Hypocrite: Ted Cruz Voted Against Sandy Relief, Now Demands It For Texas
http://www.liberalamerica.org/2015/05/29/huckster-and-hypocrite-ted-cruz-voted-against-sandy-relief-now-demands-it-for-texas/
"I do not in any way, shape, or form begrudge the victims of the Texas floods all the federal relief money they may need to put their lives back together. Not for a moment. But I object to people like Ted Cruz preaching their version of economic theory and then reversing themselves when it serves their purposes or helps get them reelected.
Mark my words: When Cruz runs for reelection to the Senate 2018, he will have images of the flooding and taglines saying that he personally led the fight to secure relief funds for his constituents."
"I do not in any way, shape, or form begrudge the victims of the Texas floods all the federal relief money they may need to put their lives back together. Not for a moment. But I object to people like Ted Cruz preaching their version of economic theory and then reversing themselves when it serves their purposes or helps get them reelected.
Mark my words: When Cruz runs for reelection to the Senate 2018, he will have images of the flooding and taglines saying that he personally led the fight to secure relief funds for his constituents."
Watch: Hypocrite Ted Cruz BEGS For Federal Relief Money For Houston Flooding After Voting Against Sandy Aid
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/watch-hypocrite-ted-cruz-begs-for-federal-relief-money-for-houston-flooding/
"It turns out that Texas is the biggest recipient of federal disaster relief money in the country, as 46 counties are in a state of emergency. For all the railing that Ted Cruz does against “big government” and “wasteful spending”, he sure is quick to change his tune. The disaster in Texas is an absolute tragedy, but it’s equally appalling to see Cruz flip-flop after attempting to deny critical disaster relief to other Americans for partisan brownie points. This is a re-occurring theme with Republicans, who lack the empathy and compassion to spend federal money on disaster relief for other Americans but clamor for it when bad times hit their own states."
"It turns out that Texas is the biggest recipient of federal disaster relief money in the country, as 46 counties are in a state of emergency. For all the railing that Ted Cruz does against “big government” and “wasteful spending”, he sure is quick to change his tune. The disaster in Texas is an absolute tragedy, but it’s equally appalling to see Cruz flip-flop after attempting to deny critical disaster relief to other Americans for partisan brownie points. This is a re-occurring theme with Republicans, who lack the empathy and compassion to spend federal money on disaster relief for other Americans but clamor for it when bad times hit their own states."
Ted Cruz Backs Big Government For Texans – The Hell With The Everyone Else!
http://samuel-warde.com/2015/05/ted-cruz-backs-big-government-for-texans/
"In fact, Cruz’s state, Texas as well as Oklahoma were the top two states on the FEMA handout list having accounted for more than a quarter of the Agency’s declared disasters since 2009.
So Cruz is the Senator of a state that single-handedly receives more disaster relief money than nearly any state in the Union, with the possible exception of Oklahoma, and he voted against relief to victims of a storm that nearly wiped out the coast of New Jersey and New York because he’s against big government and thinks that it should just stay out of the way."
"In fact, Cruz’s state, Texas as well as Oklahoma were the top two states on the FEMA handout list having accounted for more than a quarter of the Agency’s declared disasters since 2009.
So Cruz is the Senator of a state that single-handedly receives more disaster relief money than nearly any state in the Union, with the possible exception of Oklahoma, and he voted against relief to victims of a storm that nearly wiped out the coast of New Jersey and New York because he’s against big government and thinks that it should just stay out of the way."
Ted Cruz’s Mind Blowing Hypocrisy on Texas Floods Shows Idiocy of Republican Philosophy
http://thedailybanter.com/2015/05/ted-cruzs-mind-blowing-hypocrisy-on-texas-floods-shows-idiocy-of-republican-philosophy/
"Cruz’s mind blowing hypocrisy was made all the more obscene when you take into account that this was the same Tea Party Senator who voted against federal aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy because he deemed much of the spending to be ‘wasteful’. The lesson is clear – screw the rest of the country when they need help, but rescue Texas. And to be sure, Texas needs rescuing a lot, being the number one recipient of federal disaster relief aid.
Don’t expect any of these inconvenient ‘facts’ to trouble Cruz and the radical anti government loons in Texas – hypocrisy is now an inbuilt facet of Republican ideology, so much so that no one pays it much attention any more. Just as Mitt Romney was able to campaign on an anti Obamacare platform in 2012 despite rolling out the exact same program in Massachusetts, Republicans couldn’t give a damn what the public thinks. As long as they are hurling enough mud at Democrats for being socialists, no one seems to notice their constant raids on public money."
"Cruz’s mind blowing hypocrisy was made all the more obscene when you take into account that this was the same Tea Party Senator who voted against federal aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy because he deemed much of the spending to be ‘wasteful’. The lesson is clear – screw the rest of the country when they need help, but rescue Texas. And to be sure, Texas needs rescuing a lot, being the number one recipient of federal disaster relief aid.
Don’t expect any of these inconvenient ‘facts’ to trouble Cruz and the radical anti government loons in Texas – hypocrisy is now an inbuilt facet of Republican ideology, so much so that no one pays it much attention any more. Just as Mitt Romney was able to campaign on an anti Obamacare platform in 2012 despite rolling out the exact same program in Massachusetts, Republicans couldn’t give a damn what the public thinks. As long as they are hurling enough mud at Democrats for being socialists, no one seems to notice their constant raids on public money."
Ted Cruz’s rainy day socialism: How a right-wing fanatic learned to stop worrying and love redistribution
Ted Cruz’s rainy day socialism: How a right-wing fanatic learned to stop worrying and love redistribution
"Overall, and disaster relief funds aside, more than 33 percent of Texas’ revenue comes from the federal government. One third of all the money Texas spends on its people during a typical year is, in fact, redistributed from taxpayers in Chicago, Manhattan, Hollywood, San Francisco (home of the terrifying “San Francisco Values”) and, of course, Honolulu, the not-real-America birthplace of our “profoundly dangerous” socialist president. Rewinding to the Great Recession, Texas received $6.4 billion in funding, as requested by former Gov. Rick Perry, from the Recovery Act; which, by the way, has been referred to as the “failed stimulus” by Cruz and others. The redistributed stimulus money balanced the Texas budget and preserved its rainy day fund. In total, Texas was the third-highest recipient of stimulus funds, totaling more the $33 billion.
If Cruz, Abbott and other conservative Texans plan to comport themselves as members of the party of personal responsibility, the least they could do is to man-up and own their socialism."
"Overall, and disaster relief funds aside, more than 33 percent of Texas’ revenue comes from the federal government. One third of all the money Texas spends on its people during a typical year is, in fact, redistributed from taxpayers in Chicago, Manhattan, Hollywood, San Francisco (home of the terrifying “San Francisco Values”) and, of course, Honolulu, the not-real-America birthplace of our “profoundly dangerous” socialist president. Rewinding to the Great Recession, Texas received $6.4 billion in funding, as requested by former Gov. Rick Perry, from the Recovery Act; which, by the way, has been referred to as the “failed stimulus” by Cruz and others. The redistributed stimulus money balanced the Texas budget and preserved its rainy day fund. In total, Texas was the third-highest recipient of stimulus funds, totaling more the $33 billion.
If Cruz, Abbott and other conservative Texans plan to comport themselves as members of the party of personal responsibility, the least they could do is to man-up and own their socialism."
Friday, May 29, 2015
Koch Brothers Credibility Shot After $15 Minimum Wage Slashes Unemployment
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/05/29/15-hr-unemployment/
"The result of these moves has been that King County, where Seatac and Seattle are, now has hit an unemployment rate of only 3.3%, a rate not seen since early 2008. While a pizza chain did close shop under the threat of having to pay a living wage, otherwise, business is booming. Rather than being able to claim victory by Seattle losing jobs, instead we find an increase in demand for everything from plumbers to car rental, and an increase of employment as a result.
Indeed, instead of closed businesses, we are witnessing business opportunity expanding across the region."
"The result of these moves has been that King County, where Seatac and Seattle are, now has hit an unemployment rate of only 3.3%, a rate not seen since early 2008. While a pizza chain did close shop under the threat of having to pay a living wage, otherwise, business is booming. Rather than being able to claim victory by Seattle losing jobs, instead we find an increase in demand for everything from plumbers to car rental, and an increase of employment as a result.
Indeed, instead of closed businesses, we are witnessing business opportunity expanding across the region."
PERRspectives: Jeb Bush's 4 Percent Fraud
PERRspectives: Jeb Bush's 4 Percent Fraud
"As the historical record shows, the economy almost always does better with a Democrat in the Oval Office. (As the Washington Post noted in 2012, it does better still when Democrats control Congress, too.) In general, the economy has grown faster, job creation increased more quickly, incomes expanded more rapidly, and stock market returns accelerated when the country voted blue. In their 2014 paper, economists Alan Blinder and Mark Watson chalked up the Democrats' success to "mostly 'good luck,' with perhaps a touch of 'good policy.'"
But for would-be President Jeb Bush to ring the bell at 4 percent growth annually, he'll have to be better lucky than good. It's possible that he could inherit a booming economy from President Obama, who despite unending Republican obstructionism, rescued the American economy from the brink where George W. Bush left it. But history is working against Jeb in more ways than one. His economic team includes such right-wing luminaries as Glenn Hubbard, Arthur Laffer, Stephen Moore and Larry Kudlow, the men who helped Dubya deliver the worst 8-year economic performance since VJ Day. And James Glassman, the man credited as the inspiration for Jeb's "Four Percent Solution" was the author of a 2000 book that sounds like the punch line of another Monty Python joke."
"As the historical record shows, the economy almost always does better with a Democrat in the Oval Office. (As the Washington Post noted in 2012, it does better still when Democrats control Congress, too.) In general, the economy has grown faster, job creation increased more quickly, incomes expanded more rapidly, and stock market returns accelerated when the country voted blue. In their 2014 paper, economists Alan Blinder and Mark Watson chalked up the Democrats' success to "mostly 'good luck,' with perhaps a touch of 'good policy.'"
But for would-be President Jeb Bush to ring the bell at 4 percent growth annually, he'll have to be better lucky than good. It's possible that he could inherit a booming economy from President Obama, who despite unending Republican obstructionism, rescued the American economy from the brink where George W. Bush left it. But history is working against Jeb in more ways than one. His economic team includes such right-wing luminaries as Glenn Hubbard, Arthur Laffer, Stephen Moore and Larry Kudlow, the men who helped Dubya deliver the worst 8-year economic performance since VJ Day. And James Glassman, the man credited as the inspiration for Jeb's "Four Percent Solution" was the author of a 2000 book that sounds like the punch line of another Monty Python joke."
How the hell can Ted Cruz support Texas flood relief after telling Hurricane Sandy victims to rot?
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/28/1388510/-How-the-hell-can-Ted-Cruz-support-Texas-flood-relief-after-telling-Hurricane-Sandy-victims-to-rot
"Cruz voted against Sandy aid, of course, but now that it's his own backyard that's under water—and not some wretched blue states half a country away—he's all for federal disaster assistance. There's absolutely no way to reconcile these two stances, even if you were to violate the laws of physics.
It just means that Cruz, in addition to being a dystopian extremist, is also that worst sort of political creature: a brazen, two-faced hypocrite who has no compunction about spouting off blatant contradictions whenever they suit his political purposes. And as he tours the nation running for president, it's on us to expose this pernicious brand of deceit."
"Cruz voted against Sandy aid, of course, but now that it's his own backyard that's under water—and not some wretched blue states half a country away—he's all for federal disaster assistance. There's absolutely no way to reconcile these two stances, even if you were to violate the laws of physics.
It just means that Cruz, in addition to being a dystopian extremist, is also that worst sort of political creature: a brazen, two-faced hypocrite who has no compunction about spouting off blatant contradictions whenever they suit his political purposes. And as he tours the nation running for president, it's on us to expose this pernicious brand of deceit."
Scott Walker is a giant fraud: Reagan worship, bizarre religious beliefs, and the real story of his long crusade for 2016
Scott Walker is a giant fraud: Reagan worship, bizarre religious beliefs, and the real story of his long crusade for 2016
"Union busting, corruption charges, unfettered ambition -- Walker won in blue-state Wisconsin but he's no moderate"
"Union busting, corruption charges, unfettered ambition -- Walker won in blue-state Wisconsin but he's no moderate"
Dems Back Debt-Free College as Issue Moves Into Election Spotlight
Dems Back Debt-Free College as Issue Moves Into Election Spotlight
"Nine additional Democratic senators on Wednesday came out in support of a resolution calling for debt-free public college, bringing to 20 the total number of Senate Dems who support the measure, introduced only a month ago by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
The resolution (pdf) calls on federal and state governments, along with higher education institutions, to work in concert to lower tuition costs, increase financial aid, and reduce the burden of existing student debt."
"Nine additional Democratic senators on Wednesday came out in support of a resolution calling for debt-free public college, bringing to 20 the total number of Senate Dems who support the measure, introduced only a month ago by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
The resolution (pdf) calls on federal and state governments, along with higher education institutions, to work in concert to lower tuition costs, increase financial aid, and reduce the burden of existing student debt."
Bernie Sanders to Billionaires: ‘You Can’t Have It All!’ | The Nation
Bernie Sanders to Billionaires: ‘You Can’t Have It All!’ | The Nation
"The senator attracted more than 100,000 contributions in the average amount of $42, along with hundreds of thousands of volunteer commitments, in his first days as a contender."
"The senator attracted more than 100,000 contributions in the average amount of $42, along with hundreds of thousands of volunteer commitments, in his first days as a contender."
20 Big Ideas From Bernie Sanders to Reverse Inequality, Expand Safety Nets and Stop America's Plutocrats | Alternet
20 Big Ideas From Bernie Sanders to Reverse Inequality, Expand Safety Nets and Stop America's Plutocrats | Alternet
"On Tuesday, Vermont Independent Sen. Bernard Sanders gave a major speech in Burlington, Vemont, where his political career began three decades ago when he was elected mayor of his state’s largest city. Sanders, who is seeking the 2016 Democratic nomination for president, described 20 ideas that will be the hallmarks of his campaign."
"On Tuesday, Vermont Independent Sen. Bernard Sanders gave a major speech in Burlington, Vemont, where his political career began three decades ago when he was elected mayor of his state’s largest city. Sanders, who is seeking the 2016 Democratic nomination for president, described 20 ideas that will be the hallmarks of his campaign."
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Ted Cruz Demands Federal Money For Texas Floods After Blocking Hurricane Sandy Relief
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/27/ted-cruz-demands-federal-money-texas-floods-blocking-hurricane-sandy-relief.html
"Hypocrisy and Ted Cruz are longtime companions, but the larger hypocrisy is bound to come from Republicans who will likely speed a disaster relief bill for Texas and Oklahoma through Congress.
Ted Cruz’s position is clear. Disaster relief is only vital when it is for his state. Red state need is the only real need that counts. Sen. Cruz is demanding disaster relief for Texas. If there were any justice, he would be forced to wait just like he made the people impacted by Hurricane Sandy suffer, but since Democrats have compassion for all Americans in need, Texas will be given a luxury that wasn’t offered to the victims of Sandy."
"Hypocrisy and Ted Cruz are longtime companions, but the larger hypocrisy is bound to come from Republicans who will likely speed a disaster relief bill for Texas and Oklahoma through Congress.
Ted Cruz’s position is clear. Disaster relief is only vital when it is for his state. Red state need is the only real need that counts. Sen. Cruz is demanding disaster relief for Texas. If there were any justice, he would be forced to wait just like he made the people impacted by Hurricane Sandy suffer, but since Democrats have compassion for all Americans in need, Texas will be given a luxury that wasn’t offered to the victims of Sandy."
America will die old and broke: The systematic right-wing plot to ransack the middle-class nest egg
America will die old and broke: The systematic right-wing plot to ransack the middle-class nest egg
"Libertarians and conservatives will not rest until they have unmade the last century of progress and the entire New Deal. They will destroy and dismantle, vilify and divide, because it’s easier to make people resent one another than to make society better. They want to not only halt progress, but to turn back the hands of time. It’s not just pensions, but overtime pay, weekends and the forty-hour workweek that are all in danger."
"Libertarians and conservatives will not rest until they have unmade the last century of progress and the entire New Deal. They will destroy and dismantle, vilify and divide, because it’s easier to make people resent one another than to make society better. They want to not only halt progress, but to turn back the hands of time. It’s not just pensions, but overtime pay, weekends and the forty-hour workweek that are all in danger."
ALEC Exposed
http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed
"ALEC is not a lobby; it is not a front group. It is much more powerful than that. Through the secretive meetings of the American Legislative Exchange Council, corporate lobbyists and state legislators vote as equals on ‘model bills’ to change our rights that often benefit the corporations’ bottom line at public expense. ALEC is a pay-to-play operation where corporations buy a seat and a vote on ‘task forces’ to advance their legislative wish lists and can get a tax break for donations, effectively passing these lobbying costs on to taxpayers.
Along with legislators, corporations have membership in ALEC. Corporations sit on ALEC task forces and vote with legislators to approve “model” bills. They have their own corporate governing board which meets jointly with the legislative board. (ALEC says that corporations do not vote on the board.) Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations.
Participating legislators, overwhelmingly conservative Republicans, then bring those proposals home and introduce them in statehouses across the land as their own brilliant ideas and important public policy innovations—without disclosing that corporations crafted and voted on the bills."
"ALEC is not a lobby; it is not a front group. It is much more powerful than that. Through the secretive meetings of the American Legislative Exchange Council, corporate lobbyists and state legislators vote as equals on ‘model bills’ to change our rights that often benefit the corporations’ bottom line at public expense. ALEC is a pay-to-play operation where corporations buy a seat and a vote on ‘task forces’ to advance their legislative wish lists and can get a tax break for donations, effectively passing these lobbying costs on to taxpayers.
Along with legislators, corporations have membership in ALEC. Corporations sit on ALEC task forces and vote with legislators to approve “model” bills. They have their own corporate governing board which meets jointly with the legislative board. (ALEC says that corporations do not vote on the board.) Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations.
Participating legislators, overwhelmingly conservative Republicans, then bring those proposals home and introduce them in statehouses across the land as their own brilliant ideas and important public policy innovations—without disclosing that corporations crafted and voted on the bills."
Watch: Lawmakers and Koch Lobbyists Caught Red-Handed Writing Bills In Secret Backrooms
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/watch-lawmakers-and-koch-lobbyists-caught-red-handed-writing-bills-in-secret-backrooms/
"The curtain is pulled back on the shadow government that really decides which laws are passed in this country. In this clip, Georgia news station investigates the closed-door meetings between corporate members of the Koch-funded American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and state legislators, where laws are written in backroom events at fancy hotels by corporate lobbyists themselves.
Armed guards stand in front of a conference room at a resort hotel in Savannah, Georgia as the reporter is turned away from what a former ALEC member describes as a “Bill Mill”, where lobbyists write bills, leaving only blanks for the legislators to fill in their state’s name. A great example is the Georgia Asbestos Bill, which prevents victims of asbestos exposure from suing the corporations responsible- the ALEC bill and the version passed in the state house are word for word identical.
It’s an eye-opening look into how our laws are really made and how much of a disconnect there is between the opinions of the public and the way our country is actually governed. We have a choice in choosing who to elect, but after that, politicians in Republican states serve a darker power- the almighty dollar and the interests of big corporations, the billionaire class, and the Koch Brothers."
"The curtain is pulled back on the shadow government that really decides which laws are passed in this country. In this clip, Georgia news station investigates the closed-door meetings between corporate members of the Koch-funded American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and state legislators, where laws are written in backroom events at fancy hotels by corporate lobbyists themselves.
Armed guards stand in front of a conference room at a resort hotel in Savannah, Georgia as the reporter is turned away from what a former ALEC member describes as a “Bill Mill”, where lobbyists write bills, leaving only blanks for the legislators to fill in their state’s name. A great example is the Georgia Asbestos Bill, which prevents victims of asbestos exposure from suing the corporations responsible- the ALEC bill and the version passed in the state house are word for word identical.
It’s an eye-opening look into how our laws are really made and how much of a disconnect there is between the opinions of the public and the way our country is actually governed. We have a choice in choosing who to elect, but after that, politicians in Republican states serve a darker power- the almighty dollar and the interests of big corporations, the billionaire class, and the Koch Brothers."
This report blows the cover of secretive conservative shop pushing right-wing legislation
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/26/1387897/-Atlanta-Georgia-station-exposes-ALEC-sausage-making#
"None of this is news to people who have been following ALEC closely over the years, but it is monumentally instructive for a local news organization to walk its viewers through the process and to show them how much of the governing in their state is done with voters left completely in the dark. It demonstrates starkly just how much control ALEC's corporate bosses have over what happens in state houses across the country."
"None of this is news to people who have been following ALEC closely over the years, but it is monumentally instructive for a local news organization to walk its viewers through the process and to show them how much of the governing in their state is done with voters left completely in the dark. It demonstrates starkly just how much control ALEC's corporate bosses have over what happens in state houses across the country."
Police ILLEGALLY ‘Escort’ Reporter From Secretive Right-Wing Lobbyist-Lawmaker Schmoozefest (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/05/26/alec-gets-reporter-thrown-out/
"That’s right. those deputies escorted a reporter away from an event involving lawmakers, which he was legally allowed to attend, and threw him out of a hotel room he had paid for. They did this illegally to protect ALEC, an organization that not only lobbies for corporations but actually writes the laws, and they did it on the taxpayers’ dime. And this isn’t just happening in Savannah, Georgia, it’s happening all over the country at all levels of government."
"That’s right. those deputies escorted a reporter away from an event involving lawmakers, which he was legally allowed to attend, and threw him out of a hotel room he had paid for. They did this illegally to protect ALEC, an organization that not only lobbies for corporations but actually writes the laws, and they did it on the taxpayers’ dime. And this isn’t just happening in Savannah, Georgia, it’s happening all over the country at all levels of government."
WATCH: Elizabeth Warren Gives Amazing Two-Minute Explanation of How Government Has Been Taken Over by the Rich | Alternet
WATCH: Elizabeth Warren Gives Amazing Two-Minute Explanation of How Government Has Been Taken Over by the Rich | Alternet
"During a question and answer session, a voter asked why politicians aren't building infrastructure or implementing other policy that respects the will of the people."
"During a question and answer session, a voter asked why politicians aren't building infrastructure or implementing other policy that respects the will of the people."
Bernie Sanders kicks off 2016 campaign by opening can of whoopass on Wall Street — and it’s awesome
Bernie Sanders kicks off 2016 campaign by opening can of whoopass on Wall Street — and it’s awesome
"Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders officially announced his presidential campaign on Tuesday, vowing to fight not only political cynicism, but efforts by billionaires like Sheldon Adelson and the Koch brothers to influence elections."
"Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders officially announced his presidential campaign on Tuesday, vowing to fight not only political cynicism, but efforts by billionaires like Sheldon Adelson and the Koch brothers to influence elections."
Watch: Ex-Reagan Advisor Accuses FOXNews of ‘Brainwashing’ Republicans and Making them Dumber
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/watch-ex-reagan-advisor-accuses-foxnews-of-brainwashing-republicans-and-making-them-dumber/
"This Sunday, economist Bruce Bartlett, a former adviser to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, accused the conservative propaganda machine known as Fox “News” of “brainwashing” Republicans “bubble” of misinformation that is making conservatives more misinformed"
"This Sunday, economist Bruce Bartlett, a former adviser to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, accused the conservative propaganda machine known as Fox “News” of “brainwashing” Republicans “bubble” of misinformation that is making conservatives more misinformed"
U.S. is paying the price for not investing in trains, and it's stupid
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/25/1386228/-U-S-is-paying-the-price-for-not-investing-in-trains-and-it-s-stupid
"We're looking at a consequence of Republican refusal to invest in American infrastructure. It's played out not just in less safe trains but in slower trains and fewer trains. If Republicans hadn't stood in the way all these years, we could have had a speedy, energy-efficient, safe rail network and thousands of jobs creating and maintaining it. Instead, we have a desperately underfunded, inadequate rail system and John Boehner saying it's stupid to see the facts for what they are."
"We're looking at a consequence of Republican refusal to invest in American infrastructure. It's played out not just in less safe trains but in slower trains and fewer trains. If Republicans hadn't stood in the way all these years, we could have had a speedy, energy-efficient, safe rail network and thousands of jobs creating and maintaining it. Instead, we have a desperately underfunded, inadequate rail system and John Boehner saying it's stupid to see the facts for what they are."
The Uncomfortable Truth About The Political Nature Of Fox News
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/05/27/the-uncomfortable-truth-about-the-political-nat/203768
"It's built to be the marketing arm for the Republican Party, as it hurdles further and further towards the radical right."
"It's built to be the marketing arm for the Republican Party, as it hurdles further and further towards the radical right."
Ex-Reagan adviser: Fox News is ‘self-brainwashing’ Republicans into a radical fringe party
Ex-Reagan adviser: Fox News is ‘self-brainwashing’ Republicans into a radical fringe party
"Economist Bruce Bartlett, a former adviser to both Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, warned over the weekend that Fox News had damaged the Republican Party by creating a bubble for conservatives to brainwash themselves."
"Economist Bruce Bartlett, a former adviser to both Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, warned over the weekend that Fox News had damaged the Republican Party by creating a bubble for conservatives to brainwash themselves."
CNN Highlights How Fox News Is Brainwashing The Republican Party
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/24/cnn-highlights-fox-news-brainwashing-republican-party.html
"Republicans are living in a media bubble that allows them to create a false reality. In the conservative media bubble, facts are bent to fit their ideology. Anything that isn’t sunshine and rainbows for the Republican Party is immediately discredited as “liberal bias.”
The conservative media bubble plays a role in the hyper-partisan nature of Congress."
"Republicans are living in a media bubble that allows them to create a false reality. In the conservative media bubble, facts are bent to fit their ideology. Anything that isn’t sunshine and rainbows for the Republican Party is immediately discredited as “liberal bias.”
The conservative media bubble plays a role in the hyper-partisan nature of Congress."
Top Reagan Staffer: Fox Is A ‘Self-Brainwashing Bubble’ That’s Destroying The GOP (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/05/25/bruce-bartlett-fox-brainwashing-cnn/
"Bartlett explains how his research led him to believe Fox “makes people less educated"."
"Bartlett explains how his research led him to believe Fox “makes people less educated"."
Monday, May 25, 2015
Koch-Republicans Remember Soldiers’ Sacrifice With A Veterans Healthcare Coupon Scam
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/25/koch-republicans-remember-soldiers-sacrifice-veterans-healthcare-coupon-scam.html
"While Republicans envision punishing over 8 million veterans enrolled to receive a wide range of services through the VA with a coupon and higher out-of-pocket expenses, the Kochs see potential profits from privateers."
"While Republicans envision punishing over 8 million veterans enrolled to receive a wide range of services through the VA with a coupon and higher out-of-pocket expenses, the Kochs see potential profits from privateers."
Fox's Pete Hegseth Uses Memorial Day To Push For Privatizing The VA
Fox's Pete Hegseth Uses Memorial Day To Push For Privatizing The VA
"If there's one thing you can say for these people, it's that they're persistent. The Koch brothers and their allies are never going to give up until they see the Veterans Administration done away with and turned over to the private sector."
"If there's one thing you can say for these people, it's that they're persistent. The Koch brothers and their allies are never going to give up until they see the Veterans Administration done away with and turned over to the private sector."
Sunday, May 24, 2015
How Scott Walker and His Allies Hijacked the Wisconsin Supreme Court
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/05/scott-walker-wisconsin-supreme-court
"Prosecutors allege that Walker and his aides illegally coordinated with conservative groups that were raising money and running ads to support Walker and his Republican allies. At least one group at the center of the probe, the Wisconsin Club for Growth, has gone to court to stop the investigation. Its fate now rests with the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which will rule any day now on whether the inquiry can proceed.
But there's a rub. Two key targets of the investigation—the Wisconsin Club for Growth and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), the state's leading business group—have spent over $10 million since 2007 to elect a conservative majority to Wisconsin's top court."
"Prosecutors allege that Walker and his aides illegally coordinated with conservative groups that were raising money and running ads to support Walker and his Republican allies. At least one group at the center of the probe, the Wisconsin Club for Growth, has gone to court to stop the investigation. Its fate now rests with the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which will rule any day now on whether the inquiry can proceed.
But there's a rub. Two key targets of the investigation—the Wisconsin Club for Growth and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), the state's leading business group—have spent over $10 million since 2007 to elect a conservative majority to Wisconsin's top court."
Kansas keeps on bleeding: Sam Brownback’s tax-cut miracle still hasn’t arrived, and won’t any time soon
Kansas keeps on bleeding: Sam Brownback’s tax-cut miracle still hasn’t arrived, and won’t any time soon
"This is what Sam Brownback, Art Laffer and the state Republican Party have turned Kansas into: an economic policy trash fire that channels all the benefits to the top, produces no shared prosperity, is bankrupting the state, and deliberately makes the lives of the less fortunate even more difficult."
"This is what Sam Brownback, Art Laffer and the state Republican Party have turned Kansas into: an economic policy trash fire that channels all the benefits to the top, produces no shared prosperity, is bankrupting the state, and deliberately makes the lives of the less fortunate even more difficult."
BOMBSHELL: FEC Can’t Enforce Federal Election Law, Thanks To Republicans
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/05/23/bombshell-fec-cant-enforce-federal-election-law-thanks-to-republicans/
"It’s sad, but not surprising, that Republicans would want the FEC gridlocked; it’s how they get their Koch-backed bankrolls."
"It’s sad, but not surprising, that Republicans would want the FEC gridlocked; it’s how they get their Koch-backed bankrolls."
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Jeb’s voodoo math: 2016 hopeful promises to wreck the budget — just like his brother did
Jeb’s voodoo math: 2016 hopeful promises to wreck the budget — just like his brother did
"Republicans like Paul Ryan and Jeb Bush are such huge fans of dynamic scoring because it enables them to reconcile two otherwise irreconcilable tenets of Republican economic policy: tax cuts are great, and deficits are bad. Cutting taxes reduces revenues and runs up the deficit – it happened when Reagan cut taxes, it happened when George W. Bush cut taxes, and it’s happening right now with Sam Brownback’s tax cut experiment in Kansas."
"Republicans like Paul Ryan and Jeb Bush are such huge fans of dynamic scoring because it enables them to reconcile two otherwise irreconcilable tenets of Republican economic policy: tax cuts are great, and deficits are bad. Cutting taxes reduces revenues and runs up the deficit – it happened when Reagan cut taxes, it happened when George W. Bush cut taxes, and it’s happening right now with Sam Brownback’s tax cut experiment in Kansas."
Robert Reich: Bernie Sanders Is Right—We Need Free College for All | Alternet
Robert Reich: Bernie Sanders Is Right—We Need Free College for All | Alternet
"Higher education isn’t just a personal investment. It’s a public good that pays off in a more competitive workforce and better-informed and engaged citizens."
"Higher education isn’t just a personal investment. It’s a public good that pays off in a more competitive workforce and better-informed and engaged citizens."
Friday, May 22, 2015
Elizabeth Warren Issues Her Best Speech Yet, Blasts GOP Frontrunners For Attacking Middle Class America
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/05/20/elizabeth-warren-issues-her-best-speech-yet-blasts-gop-frontrunners-for-attacking-middle-class-america/
"Stop the people who want to continue 30 more years of the failed trickle-down economic philosophy."
"Stop the people who want to continue 30 more years of the failed trickle-down economic philosophy."
So PA Sen. Pat Toomey Was Trying To Delay The Amtrak Safety System
So PA Sen. Pat Toomey Was Trying To Delay The Amtrak Safety System
"For years, Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey has campaigned to delay a multibillion-dollar railroad safety technology, calling it an “exorbitantly expensive unfunded mandate.”
But safety officials say the technology would have prevented last week’s deadly train crash in Philadelphia. And Democrats argue that the railroads were starved of the money necessary to finish it."
"For years, Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey has campaigned to delay a multibillion-dollar railroad safety technology, calling it an “exorbitantly expensive unfunded mandate.”
But safety officials say the technology would have prevented last week’s deadly train crash in Philadelphia. And Democrats argue that the railroads were starved of the money necessary to finish it."
Study: Lawmakers Assume Voters Are Way More Conservative Than They Are
Study: Lawmakers Assume Voters Are Way More Conservative Than They Are
"On three issues — universal healthcare, same-sex marriage, and welfare — lawmakers' assumptions about what their constituents believed were "15-20 percent more conservative, on average," than the actual base of public support for such issues."
"On three issues — universal healthcare, same-sex marriage, and welfare — lawmakers' assumptions about what their constituents believed were "15-20 percent more conservative, on average," than the actual base of public support for such issues."
The Republican Party Is Literally Dying Off Before Our Eyes
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/05/18/the-republican-party-is-literally-dying-off-before-our-eyes/
"And it isn’t just age.
Republicans aren’t just really old, they’re also really white. America is diversifying, but you wouldn’t know it by attending the 2016 Republican National Convention. The Grand Old Party has become the textbook definition of putting all your eggs in one basket. If they lose the only real demographic they appeal to – older white conservatives – they have nobody else that wants anything to do with them."
"And it isn’t just age.
Republicans aren’t just really old, they’re also really white. America is diversifying, but you wouldn’t know it by attending the 2016 Republican National Convention. The Grand Old Party has become the textbook definition of putting all your eggs in one basket. If they lose the only real demographic they appeal to – older white conservatives – they have nobody else that wants anything to do with them."
Everyone, Even Republican Voters, Think GOP Leaders In Congress Are Doing A Lousy Job
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/21/everyone-republican-voters-gop-leaders-congress-lousy-job.html
"A Pew Research Poll released on May 21, 2015, finds that Americans are unhappy with the Republican leadership in Congress. 72 percent of Americans disapprove of the job the current GOP leadership in Congress is doing, to just 22 percent who approve of their job performance."
"A Pew Research Poll released on May 21, 2015, finds that Americans are unhappy with the Republican leadership in Congress. 72 percent of Americans disapprove of the job the current GOP leadership in Congress is doing, to just 22 percent who approve of their job performance."
New Study Finds That Fox News Is Brainwashing Viewers And Hurting The Republican Party
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/19/study-finds-fox-news-brainwashing-viewers-hurting-republican-party.html
"Bartlett described what the founding of Fox News first meant to conservatives, and how it shifted into an act of self-brain washing, “Like someone dying of thirst in the desert, conservatives drank heavily from the Fox waters. Soon, it became the dominant -and in many cases, virtually the only – major news source for millions of Americans. This has had profound political implications that are only starting to be appreciated. Indeed, it can almost be called self-brainwashing – many conservatives now refuse to even listen to any news or opinion not vetted through Fox, and to believe whatever appears on it as the gospel truth.”
Mr. Bartlett documented Fox News’ extreme rightward shift after 9/11 and how the network went from tilting conservative to flat out misinformation and propaganda."
"Bartlett described what the founding of Fox News first meant to conservatives, and how it shifted into an act of self-brain washing, “Like someone dying of thirst in the desert, conservatives drank heavily from the Fox waters. Soon, it became the dominant -and in many cases, virtually the only – major news source for millions of Americans. This has had profound political implications that are only starting to be appreciated. Indeed, it can almost be called self-brainwashing – many conservatives now refuse to even listen to any news or opinion not vetted through Fox, and to believe whatever appears on it as the gospel truth.”
Mr. Bartlett documented Fox News’ extreme rightward shift after 9/11 and how the network went from tilting conservative to flat out misinformation and propaganda."
Just Like Fox News, The Republican Party Is Literally Dying Off
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/18/fox-news-republican-party-literally-dying.html
"McGraw found that Millennials are becoming a solidly Democratic voting bloc, and younger voters outnumber Baby Boomers. The net result is that if Republicans don’t attract a larger percentage younger voters, they could be looking at a deficit of 2.5 million votes on Election Day 2016. The Republican base is older white rural voters, and these voters pass on; they aren’t being replaced in the party with young voters.
If this trend were to continue over the long-term, the Republican Party would shrink.
For years, Fox News’ ratings with younger viewers have been plummeting. Fox News is the top cable news network in a declining genre because they have cornered the market on white, mostly male, Republican viewers at or over 65 years old. Fox News has lost 30% of their younger viewers. Fox News’ median audience has shrunk to 1.1 million. As their older viewers have died off, Fox News has been unable to replace them with younger viewers. Fox’s big move to combat this was to move Sean Hannity’s angry Republican senior center hour to 10 PM and give Megyn Kelly the timeslot after Bill O’Reilly. It hasn’t worked.
Fox News has already found out what the Republican Party is going to learn. Throwing a younger face on the same old ideas of opposing gay marriage, immigration reform, climate change, and making college less affordable while promoting income inequality is not going to fool younger voters.
The ideas matter. If Fox News and the Republican Party don’t get a clue, both will go extinct."
"McGraw found that Millennials are becoming a solidly Democratic voting bloc, and younger voters outnumber Baby Boomers. The net result is that if Republicans don’t attract a larger percentage younger voters, they could be looking at a deficit of 2.5 million votes on Election Day 2016. The Republican base is older white rural voters, and these voters pass on; they aren’t being replaced in the party with young voters.
If this trend were to continue over the long-term, the Republican Party would shrink.
For years, Fox News’ ratings with younger viewers have been plummeting. Fox News is the top cable news network in a declining genre because they have cornered the market on white, mostly male, Republican viewers at or over 65 years old. Fox News has lost 30% of their younger viewers. Fox News’ median audience has shrunk to 1.1 million. As their older viewers have died off, Fox News has been unable to replace them with younger viewers. Fox’s big move to combat this was to move Sean Hannity’s angry Republican senior center hour to 10 PM and give Megyn Kelly the timeslot after Bill O’Reilly. It hasn’t worked.
Fox News has already found out what the Republican Party is going to learn. Throwing a younger face on the same old ideas of opposing gay marriage, immigration reform, climate change, and making college less affordable while promoting income inequality is not going to fool younger voters.
The ideas matter. If Fox News and the Republican Party don’t get a clue, both will go extinct."
Report: Fossil Fuels Receive $5.3 Trillion A Year In Subsidies Worldwide
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/05/22/3662148/we-pay-what-for-fossil-fuels/
"The world pays $5.3 trillion a year in hidden costs to keep burning fossil fuels, according to a new report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This is in addition to the $492 billion in direct subsidies offered by governments around the world — write-offs and write-downs and land-use loopholes."
"The world pays $5.3 trillion a year in hidden costs to keep burning fossil fuels, according to a new report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This is in addition to the $492 billion in direct subsidies offered by governments around the world — write-offs and write-downs and land-use loopholes."
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Broad-Based Wage Growth Is a Key Tool in the Fight Against Poverty | Economic Policy Institute
Broad-Based Wage Growth Is a Key Tool in the Fight Against Poverty | Economic Policy Institute
"That the poverty rate has remained stubbornly elevated over the last three-and-a-half decades is simply a symptom of an increasingly unequal economy, marked by nearly stagnant hourly wages for the vast majority of the American workforce. The elevated poverty rates we have seen since the 1980s are not the sad outcome of inevitable and irreversible changes in the economy, but of policy choices that have weakened the position of low- and moderate-wage workers while putting more leverage in the hands of those with the most economic power."
"That the poverty rate has remained stubbornly elevated over the last three-and-a-half decades is simply a symptom of an increasingly unequal economy, marked by nearly stagnant hourly wages for the vast majority of the American workforce. The elevated poverty rates we have seen since the 1980s are not the sad outcome of inevitable and irreversible changes in the economy, but of policy choices that have weakened the position of low- and moderate-wage workers while putting more leverage in the hands of those with the most economic power."
So a Lobbyist and an ALEC Legislator Walk into a Bar . . . Caught on Tape by NBC
So a Lobbyist and an ALEC Legislator Walk into a Bar . . . Caught on Tape by NBC
"A lobbyist and a legislator got caught on tape explaining how corporations subsidize lawmakers' resort trips through the American Legislative Exchange Counsel (ALEC), the controversial corporate bill mill."
"A lobbyist and a legislator got caught on tape explaining how corporations subsidize lawmakers' resort trips through the American Legislative Exchange Counsel (ALEC), the controversial corporate bill mill."
Bernie Sanders: “Too Big To Fail Banks Are Too Big To Exist”
Bernie Sanders: “Too Big To Fail Banks Are Too Big To Exist”
"after six big banks just admitted to manipulating lending and foreign exchange rates, he wants the largest of the financial institutions to be broken up."
"after six big banks just admitted to manipulating lending and foreign exchange rates, he wants the largest of the financial institutions to be broken up."
Governments Giving Fossil Fuel Companies $10 Million a Minute: IMF
Governments Giving Fossil Fuel Companies $10 Million a Minute: IMF
"Energy companies receive $5.3 trillion a year in funding from governments worldwide"
"Energy companies receive $5.3 trillion a year in funding from governments worldwide"
Robert Reich: 10 Ideas to Save the Economy #4: Bust Up Wall Street | Alternet
Robert Reich: 10 Ideas to Save the Economy #4: Bust Up Wall Street | Alternet
"When the Wall Street bubble burst in 2008 because of excessive risk-taking, millions of working Americans lost their jobs, health insurance, savings, and homes.
But The Street is back to many of its old tricks. And its lobbyists are busily rolling back the Dodd-Frank Act, intended to prevent another crash.
The biggest Wall Street banks are also much larger. In 1990, the five biggest banks had 10 percent of all of the nation's banking assets. Now, they have 44 percent - more than they had at the time of the 2008 crash."
"When the Wall Street bubble burst in 2008 because of excessive risk-taking, millions of working Americans lost their jobs, health insurance, savings, and homes.
But The Street is back to many of its old tricks. And its lobbyists are busily rolling back the Dodd-Frank Act, intended to prevent another crash.
The biggest Wall Street banks are also much larger. In 1990, the five biggest banks had 10 percent of all of the nation's banking assets. Now, they have 44 percent - more than they had at the time of the 2008 crash."
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
How the System Favors Corporations Who Break the Rules Over the Working-Class | Alternet
How the System Favors Corporations Who Break the Rules Over the Working-Class | Alternet
"They’ll laugh all the way to the, well, to the bank. Just like oil companies snicker as they grab government subsidies [welfare] even though they’re among the most profitable corporations in the world. Just like hedge fund operators chuckle while luxuriating in their special, super-low tax rate.
Over the past 35 years, the rules have been written to facilitate trickle-up economics. The theory was that in a financial structure that guaranteed the rich received all income gains in the economy, millionaires and billionaires might let a couple of nickels slip out of their bulging pockets for workers to try to catch.
Unfortunately for workers, Brooks Brothers suits have really deep pockets. Almost nothing fell out of those pouches for workers. Their wages stagnated for decades while the rules facilitated the pinstriped boys getting richer and richer.
Last year, the pay gap between CEOs and typical workers widened to 373-to-1. That means for every $1 a worker earned, the CEO took $373. In just 7 minutes of slurping coffee or gazing out his penthouse office window, the typical CEO was handed more money than the average worker earned for 40 hours of labor.
Those numbers were very different before the dawn of trickle up. In 1965, the CEO-to-worker compensation ratio was 20-to-1. For every $1 a worker earned, the CEO got $20. And still, corporations made profits! And lots of people wanted to be CEOs! It was a time when the economic rules enabled workers to receive a larger share of the wealth that their labor helped create.
After trickle up, CEO compensation skyrocketed while worker pay languished. From 1978 to 2013, CEO compensation increased 937 percent, while the typical worker’s pay rose 10.2 percent. That trend continued last year, when CEO pay jumped up 16 percent while worker wages inched up 2.9 percent, which is hardly at all considering the 2.1 percent inflation rate."
"They’ll laugh all the way to the, well, to the bank. Just like oil companies snicker as they grab government subsidies [welfare] even though they’re among the most profitable corporations in the world. Just like hedge fund operators chuckle while luxuriating in their special, super-low tax rate.
Over the past 35 years, the rules have been written to facilitate trickle-up economics. The theory was that in a financial structure that guaranteed the rich received all income gains in the economy, millionaires and billionaires might let a couple of nickels slip out of their bulging pockets for workers to try to catch.
Unfortunately for workers, Brooks Brothers suits have really deep pockets. Almost nothing fell out of those pouches for workers. Their wages stagnated for decades while the rules facilitated the pinstriped boys getting richer and richer.
Last year, the pay gap between CEOs and typical workers widened to 373-to-1. That means for every $1 a worker earned, the CEO took $373. In just 7 minutes of slurping coffee or gazing out his penthouse office window, the typical CEO was handed more money than the average worker earned for 40 hours of labor.
Those numbers were very different before the dawn of trickle up. In 1965, the CEO-to-worker compensation ratio was 20-to-1. For every $1 a worker earned, the CEO got $20. And still, corporations made profits! And lots of people wanted to be CEOs! It was a time when the economic rules enabled workers to receive a larger share of the wealth that their labor helped create.
After trickle up, CEO compensation skyrocketed while worker pay languished. From 1978 to 2013, CEO compensation increased 937 percent, while the typical worker’s pay rose 10.2 percent. That trend continued last year, when CEO pay jumped up 16 percent while worker wages inched up 2.9 percent, which is hardly at all considering the 2.1 percent inflation rate."
The Value of Effective Government
https://consortiumnews.com/2015/05/18/the-value-of-effective-government/
"In the United States these trends are exacerbated by two other factors. One is growing economic inequality, with an expanding divide between the large numbers who must rely on the commons, including public schools and mass transportation, and a smaller number who have other options.
The increased concentration of wealth at the very top makes the private jet option a reality and not just a theoretical discussion point. And in a post-Citizens United world, the opportunities for the very wealthy to manipulate political perceptions in a way that blurs the meaning of the divide is greater than ever.
The other exacerbating factor is the prevalence in the United States of the ideologically driven belief that anything government does is ipso facto bad and that what the private sector does is by contrast good. This attitude ignores how, although markets do many things very well, there are many other important things that by their very nature markets cannot do well.
It also ignores the fact that the private sector does not equate with free markets and that sometimes more, not less, governmental involvement is necessary to have a truly competitive free market (antitrust enforcement being an obvious but by no means the only example)."
"In the United States these trends are exacerbated by two other factors. One is growing economic inequality, with an expanding divide between the large numbers who must rely on the commons, including public schools and mass transportation, and a smaller number who have other options.
The increased concentration of wealth at the very top makes the private jet option a reality and not just a theoretical discussion point. And in a post-Citizens United world, the opportunities for the very wealthy to manipulate political perceptions in a way that blurs the meaning of the divide is greater than ever.
The other exacerbating factor is the prevalence in the United States of the ideologically driven belief that anything government does is ipso facto bad and that what the private sector does is by contrast good. This attitude ignores how, although markets do many things very well, there are many other important things that by their very nature markets cannot do well.
It also ignores the fact that the private sector does not equate with free markets and that sometimes more, not less, governmental involvement is necessary to have a truly competitive free market (antitrust enforcement being an obvious but by no means the only example)."
America First — The United States Of Koch Brothers, And Why It’s Wrong For America
http://www.liberalamerica.org/2015/05/19/america-first-koch-brothers/
"The Supreme Court decision in 2010 to allow unfettered amounts of dark money into our political process has enabled the Koch Brothers to be like a “kid in a candy store.” It has allowed the Kochs and other billionaires like them to set up they’re own political mechanism separate from the political parties. They [Koch Brothers] started providing massive sums of money directly to a candidate of their choice and creating their media campaigns to sway public opinion toward their views.
In the 2014 election cycle, “Americans For Prosperity,” a Koch Brothers political front group, aired more than 17,000 broadcast TV ads, compared with only 2,100 aired by Republican Party groups. What this reveals to us is the overall influence these brothers had in the 2014 Mid-Term Election. Under Citizens United, the Koch Brothers, Super-Pacs, and Corporations can lie because they are not held to any standard. They can bold-faced lie on a television ad without any recompense."
"The Supreme Court decision in 2010 to allow unfettered amounts of dark money into our political process has enabled the Koch Brothers to be like a “kid in a candy store.” It has allowed the Kochs and other billionaires like them to set up they’re own political mechanism separate from the political parties. They [Koch Brothers] started providing massive sums of money directly to a candidate of their choice and creating their media campaigns to sway public opinion toward their views.
In the 2014 election cycle, “Americans For Prosperity,” a Koch Brothers political front group, aired more than 17,000 broadcast TV ads, compared with only 2,100 aired by Republican Party groups. What this reveals to us is the overall influence these brothers had in the 2014 Mid-Term Election. Under Citizens United, the Koch Brothers, Super-Pacs, and Corporations can lie because they are not held to any standard. They can bold-faced lie on a television ad without any recompense."
Democrat Busts Republican Scheme to Screw With Medicare To Benefit Corporations
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/19/democrat-calls-republican-plan-put-halt-existing-medicare-plan.html
"During a Health Subcommittee Hearing on Competition in Medicare, Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) busted Republicans for trying to elimate competition in a Medicare program to raise prices on consumers to benefit corporations."
"During a Health Subcommittee Hearing on Competition in Medicare, Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) busted Republicans for trying to elimate competition in a Medicare program to raise prices on consumers to benefit corporations."
Myth Busting: Medicaid and Low-Income Pool Facts
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/healthcare/report/2015/05/14/113047/myth-busting-medicaid-and-low-income-pool-facts/
"Lawmakers in Florida, Texas, Tennessee, and Kansas continue to play politics with their citizens’ health care by demanding federal funding for the low-income pool while refusing to expand Medicaid."
"Lawmakers in Florida, Texas, Tennessee, and Kansas continue to play politics with their citizens’ health care by demanding federal funding for the low-income pool while refusing to expand Medicaid."
Scott Walker Lets Billionaire Donors Know the Outrageous Sum It'll Take to Buy Him Off | Alternet
Scott Walker Lets Billionaire Donors Know the Outrageous Sum It'll Take to Buy Him Off | Alternet
"Big money's take over of our democracy has never been more blatant.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has put a pricetag on how much it will cost to join his inner circle, where you can meet with the 2016 GOP presidential candidate and have “dedicated staff contact” to ensure that your agenda will heard and noted.
On Monday, while Walker was making the rounds on Capitol Hill in Washington, his super PAC—the latest campaign finance loophole-contorting tactic—was handing out formal printed invitations to join at the $1 million, $500,000 and $250,000 level that described just what political investors would get for their money.
The million-dollar ticket, making one “an executive board member,” would gain entrance to “Bi-Annual Retreats (Summer 2015 & Date TBA), MEMBERS ONLY briefings, Weekly Email Updates, Bi-Monthly MEMBERS ONLY Conference Calls, Dedicated Staff Time, 2 Private Dinners with VIP Special Guest(s), Inclusion in all public/regional fundraising events,” and an “Exclusive Executive Board Pin.”
The bottom of the invitation said it was “Paid for by Unintimidated PAC, Inc.,” which was followed by “Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee” and had the PAC’s website, UnintimidatedPAC.com. The $500,000 donors get one private dinner with the candidate and the $250,000 donors get none."
"Big money's take over of our democracy has never been more blatant.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has put a pricetag on how much it will cost to join his inner circle, where you can meet with the 2016 GOP presidential candidate and have “dedicated staff contact” to ensure that your agenda will heard and noted.
On Monday, while Walker was making the rounds on Capitol Hill in Washington, his super PAC—the latest campaign finance loophole-contorting tactic—was handing out formal printed invitations to join at the $1 million, $500,000 and $250,000 level that described just what political investors would get for their money.
The million-dollar ticket, making one “an executive board member,” would gain entrance to “Bi-Annual Retreats (Summer 2015 & Date TBA), MEMBERS ONLY briefings, Weekly Email Updates, Bi-Monthly MEMBERS ONLY Conference Calls, Dedicated Staff Time, 2 Private Dinners with VIP Special Guest(s), Inclusion in all public/regional fundraising events,” and an “Exclusive Executive Board Pin.”
The bottom of the invitation said it was “Paid for by Unintimidated PAC, Inc.,” which was followed by “Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee” and had the PAC’s website, UnintimidatedPAC.com. The $500,000 donors get one private dinner with the candidate and the $250,000 donors get none."
Kansas’ Governor Destroyed The State Budget With Massive Tax Cuts And Now Kansans Are Paying The Price
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/05/19/3660279/kansas-extra-session-tax-cuts-repeal/
"The same tax cuts that provide too little return to free up a full year’s salary and benefits for a business owner also help deprive the state of resources it needs to make the idea of living and working in Kansas seem appealing to anyone. “You can make the environment worse for the gazelles if your tax cuts end up hurting the local schools, or the universities that help supply the workforce these companies need, or your local quality of life in general,” Leachman said.
Kansas’ public schools are almost criminally underfunded. Judges have ruled repeatedly in recent years that the state was providing such low levels of funding that school budgets were unconstitutional, and Brownback has responded by shuffling money around the system in ways that still produce overall cuts in per-pupil funding."
"The same tax cuts that provide too little return to free up a full year’s salary and benefits for a business owner also help deprive the state of resources it needs to make the idea of living and working in Kansas seem appealing to anyone. “You can make the environment worse for the gazelles if your tax cuts end up hurting the local schools, or the universities that help supply the workforce these companies need, or your local quality of life in general,” Leachman said.
Kansas’ public schools are almost criminally underfunded. Judges have ruled repeatedly in recent years that the state was providing such low levels of funding that school budgets were unconstitutional, and Brownback has responded by shuffling money around the system in ways that still produce overall cuts in per-pupil funding."
Kansas Legislature Threatens To Defund State Judiciary
Kansas Legislature Threatens To Defund State Judiciary
"Now that the Kochs have bought themselves the Kansas statehouse and governor's office, they're out for the state courts."
"Now that the Kochs have bought themselves the Kansas statehouse and governor's office, they're out for the state courts."
Bernie Sanders Wants Wall Street To Pay For Higher Education
Bernie Sanders Wants Wall Street To Pay For Higher Education
"when you consider the fact that Ted Cruz’s wife’s employer Goldman Sachs makes billions in profits annually and we bailed out the financial sector for $230 billion to avoid a complete economic collapse, it’s not unreasonable for them to invest in the future of America’s higher education."
"when you consider the fact that Ted Cruz’s wife’s employer Goldman Sachs makes billions in profits annually and we bailed out the financial sector for $230 billion to avoid a complete economic collapse, it’s not unreasonable for them to invest in the future of America’s higher education."
The Koch Brothers’ guide to 2016: How to win $1 billion for your Republican candidacy
The Koch Brothers’ guide to 2016: How to win $1 billion for your Republican candidacy
"This is exactly how Fred Koch and the John Birch Society operated in the sixties, calling everyone who they disagreed with a Communist operative. It seems character assassination is a Kochian tradition."
"This is exactly how Fred Koch and the John Birch Society operated in the sixties, calling everyone who they disagreed with a Communist operative. It seems character assassination is a Kochian tradition."
How Ridiculous is Fox News? Take a Look at This Mind-Boggling List of Absurdity
How Ridiculous is Fox News? Take a Look at This Mind-Boggling List of Absurdity
"Like a few weeks ago when Andrea Tantaros said that healthy school lunches were “causing mental problems.” To say something like that isn’t wrong, ignorant or misguided – it’s just stupid. Here’s a good one: Back in March, Bill O’Reilly tried to claim that Fox News isn’t conservative. To be able to say that with a straight face proves he’s perfected the art of lying to millions of people. Or what about that time the idea was pushed that schools making up “snow days” were really part of a much larger plot against Christianity and religion. No, seriously, that happened. We can’t ignore the time when Outnumbered co-host Kennedy Montgomery proclaimed that we should do away with public education because it just teaches “meaningless liberal crap.” Who remembers when Tucker Carlson proclaimed that Christianity ended slavery, or the time when John Stossel said that we don’t need FEMA because Walmart will come and save us whenever catastrophic disasters strike? Sadly, it gets worse. Not too long ago, Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy said that the massively popular children’s movie Frozen was actually a secret plot to emasculate men. Sadly, that’s not a joke."
"Like a few weeks ago when Andrea Tantaros said that healthy school lunches were “causing mental problems.” To say something like that isn’t wrong, ignorant or misguided – it’s just stupid. Here’s a good one: Back in March, Bill O’Reilly tried to claim that Fox News isn’t conservative. To be able to say that with a straight face proves he’s perfected the art of lying to millions of people. Or what about that time the idea was pushed that schools making up “snow days” were really part of a much larger plot against Christianity and religion. No, seriously, that happened. We can’t ignore the time when Outnumbered co-host Kennedy Montgomery proclaimed that we should do away with public education because it just teaches “meaningless liberal crap.” Who remembers when Tucker Carlson proclaimed that Christianity ended slavery, or the time when John Stossel said that we don’t need FEMA because Walmart will come and save us whenever catastrophic disasters strike? Sadly, it gets worse. Not too long ago, Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy said that the massively popular children’s movie Frozen was actually a secret plot to emasculate men. Sadly, that’s not a joke."
Bernie Sanders Turns The Tables On The Republican Plan To Cut Financial Aid For Students
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/17/bernie-sanders-turns-tables-republican-plan-cut-financial-aid-students.html
"Republicans are trying to make higher education less affordable. Their goal is to give people one less avenue for economic advancement. Sanders was correct. If the United States hopes to regain its status as the land of opportunity, a key piece to the puzzle is affordable higher education."
"Republicans are trying to make higher education less affordable. Their goal is to give people one less avenue for economic advancement. Sanders was correct. If the United States hopes to regain its status as the land of opportunity, a key piece to the puzzle is affordable higher education."
New Jersey Newspaper Pops Chris Christie’s Bubble Of Delusion That People Love Him (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/05/20/new-jersey-newspaper-pops-chris-christies-bubble-of-delusion-that-people-love-him-video/
"On Monday, Christie appeared on Fox News for an interview with Megyn Kelly, who asked him why he thinks he can win the presidency when 65 percent of his own constituents think he would be a terrible commander-in-chief.
Christie, a Republican, answered the question by claiming that New Jersey voters just love him too much to see him leave the state for the White House."
"On Monday, Christie appeared on Fox News for an interview with Megyn Kelly, who asked him why he thinks he can win the presidency when 65 percent of his own constituents think he would be a terrible commander-in-chief.
Christie, a Republican, answered the question by claiming that New Jersey voters just love him too much to see him leave the state for the White House."
Chris Christie Embarrasses Himself on Fox News Trying to Defend His Presidential Chances (Video)
Chris Christie Embarrasses Himself on Fox News Trying to Defend His Presidential Chances (Video)
"Christie embarrassed himself while trying to defend his presidential chances against a poll that showed 65 percent of New Jersey residents don’t think he’d make a good president."
"Christie embarrassed himself while trying to defend his presidential chances against a poll that showed 65 percent of New Jersey residents don’t think he’d make a good president."
The Truth: These Republican Candidates Are Just Too Stupid To Be President
The Truth: These Republican Candidates Are Just Too Stupid To Be President
"Sure, there are the far-right clowns like Sen. Ted Cruz or Mike Huckabee who seem to remind people of their absurdity practically every time they open their mouth, but there’s also candidates like Sen. Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush who have recently proven that they can’t even handle interviews on Fox News without making themselves look completely foolish. As a Republican, if you can’t handle Fox News interviews, you’re absolutely screwed."
"Sure, there are the far-right clowns like Sen. Ted Cruz or Mike Huckabee who seem to remind people of their absurdity practically every time they open their mouth, but there’s also candidates like Sen. Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush who have recently proven that they can’t even handle interviews on Fox News without making themselves look completely foolish. As a Republican, if you can’t handle Fox News interviews, you’re absolutely screwed."
Wall Street Is Corrupting Everything – Even University Commencements
http://wallstreetonparade.com/2015/05/wall-street-is-corrupting-everything-even-university-commencements/
"On April 28, Martin Lipton, Chairman of NYU, and its President, John Sexton, announced that hedge fund billionaire John Paulson would receive the “Albert Gallatin Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Society” at NYU’s 183rd Commencement ceremony, slated for next Wednesday. Albert Gallatin was one of the founders of NYU and a former Treasury Secretary under Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Gallatin is buried in Trinity churchyard at the corner of Wall Street and Broadway – and he’s likely rolling over in his grave at the idea of having his name appended to John Paulson.
John Paulson is the founder and head of Paulson & Co., infamously known on Wall Street as the firm that conspired with Goldman Sachs to create Abacus 2007-AC1 – an investment Paulson & Co. assisted in designing to collapse in value. On April 16, 2010, the SEC brought charges against Goldman Sachs and one of its young vice presidents, Fabrice Tourre, for “defrauding investors” in the sale and marketing of Abacus. Paulson & Co. slipped through the net because it didn’t sell or market the product – it simply shorted it based on its inside information that it was designed to fail.
According to the SEC’s lawsuit, Paulson paid Goldman Sachs approximately $15 million for structuring Abacus. The deal closed on April 26, 2007. Nine months later says the SEC, “99 percent of the portfolio had been downgraded.” The SEC adds: “As a result, investors in the ABACUS 2007-AC1 CDO lost over $1 billion. Paulson’s opposite CDS positions yielded a profit of approximately $1 billion for Paulson"."
"On April 28, Martin Lipton, Chairman of NYU, and its President, John Sexton, announced that hedge fund billionaire John Paulson would receive the “Albert Gallatin Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Society” at NYU’s 183rd Commencement ceremony, slated for next Wednesday. Albert Gallatin was one of the founders of NYU and a former Treasury Secretary under Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Gallatin is buried in Trinity churchyard at the corner of Wall Street and Broadway – and he’s likely rolling over in his grave at the idea of having his name appended to John Paulson.
John Paulson is the founder and head of Paulson & Co., infamously known on Wall Street as the firm that conspired with Goldman Sachs to create Abacus 2007-AC1 – an investment Paulson & Co. assisted in designing to collapse in value. On April 16, 2010, the SEC brought charges against Goldman Sachs and one of its young vice presidents, Fabrice Tourre, for “defrauding investors” in the sale and marketing of Abacus. Paulson & Co. slipped through the net because it didn’t sell or market the product – it simply shorted it based on its inside information that it was designed to fail.
According to the SEC’s lawsuit, Paulson paid Goldman Sachs approximately $15 million for structuring Abacus. The deal closed on April 26, 2007. Nine months later says the SEC, “99 percent of the portfolio had been downgraded.” The SEC adds: “As a result, investors in the ABACUS 2007-AC1 CDO lost over $1 billion. Paulson’s opposite CDS positions yielded a profit of approximately $1 billion for Paulson"."
Watch: Elizabeth Warren Lists the Six Changes Needed to Bring Back the Middle Class
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/watch-elizabeth-warren-lists-the-six-changes-needed-to-bring-back-the-middle-class/
"Warren denounces Republican trickle-down economics for “cutting the heart out of the middle class”, and then delves into famed economist Joseph Stiglitz’s list of the six changes that our country needs to make in order to uplift the middle class and achieve shared prosperity for our nation, not just for those living at the top."
"Warren denounces Republican trickle-down economics for “cutting the heart out of the middle class”, and then delves into famed economist Joseph Stiglitz’s list of the six changes that our country needs to make in order to uplift the middle class and achieve shared prosperity for our nation, not just for those living at the top."
Russ Feingold Announces He's Running For The Senate In 2016
Russ Feingold Announces He's Running For The Senate In 2016
"there are several factors working in Feingold's favor this time around: Democratic turnout tends to spike in presidential election years, and recent polls have underscored that Johnson is one of the most vulnerable sitting GOP senators."
"there are several factors working in Feingold's favor this time around: Democratic turnout tends to spike in presidential election years, and recent polls have underscored that Johnson is one of the most vulnerable sitting GOP senators."
Sunday, May 17, 2015
37 ways to un-rig the U.S. economy so it no longer favors the rich
37 ways to un-rig the U.S. economy so it no longer favors the rich
"Skyrocketing incomes for the 1 percent and stagnating wages for everyone else are not independent phenomena, but rather two symptoms of an impaired economy that rewards gaming the system more than it does hard work and investment"
"Skyrocketing incomes for the 1 percent and stagnating wages for everyone else are not independent phenomena, but rather two symptoms of an impaired economy that rewards gaming the system more than it does hard work and investment"
How gerrymandering cost Democrats the House in 2012: Part 1: An interactive look at alternative maps
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/13/1382504/-How-gerrymandering-cost-Democrats-the-House-in-2012-Part-1-An-interactive-look-at-alternative-maps
"In November 2012, the American electorate voted to give Democrats unified control of government. President Obama won re-election with a majority of the vote, Senate Democrats increased their seat count, and Democratic candidates for the House won the popular vote. However, because of the way in which districts are drawn, Republicans easily maintained control of the House."
"In November 2012, the American electorate voted to give Democrats unified control of government. President Obama won re-election with a majority of the vote, Senate Democrats increased their seat count, and Democratic candidates for the House won the popular vote. However, because of the way in which districts are drawn, Republicans easily maintained control of the House."
Hillary Clinton Says She’ll Only Appoint SCOTUS Justices Who Will Overturn Citizens United
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/15/hillary-clinton-appoint-scotus-justices-overturn-citizens-united.html
"With Clinton and Sanders both insisting that they would only appoint Supreme Court nominees who oppose the Citizens United ruling, the Democratic Party has signaled its intent to fight to reduce the influence of big money in American politics."
"With Clinton and Sanders both insisting that they would only appoint Supreme Court nominees who oppose the Citizens United ruling, the Democratic Party has signaled its intent to fight to reduce the influence of big money in American politics."
Watch: Elizabeth Warren Lists the Six Changes Needed to Bring Back the Middle Class
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/watch-elizabeth-warren-lists-the-six-changes-needed-to-bring-back-the-middle-class/
"Warren denounces Republican trickle-down economics for “cutting the heart out of the middle class”, and then delves into famed economist Joseph Stiglitz’s list of the six changes that our country needs to make in order to uplift the middle class and achieve shared prosperity for our nation, not just for those living at the top."
"Warren denounces Republican trickle-down economics for “cutting the heart out of the middle class”, and then delves into famed economist Joseph Stiglitz’s list of the six changes that our country needs to make in order to uplift the middle class and achieve shared prosperity for our nation, not just for those living at the top."
Extreme Bill Would Override All Local Employment Laws, Including LGBT Protections
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/05/13/3658201/michigan-death-star-employment-bill/
"Not only does it have implications for any local ordinance that controls minimum wage, benefits, sick leave, union organizing and strikes, wage disputes, apprenticeship programs, and “ban the box” policies (blocking employers from asking about felony convictions), but it would also override the LGBT protections that exist in 38 Michigan municipalities."
"Not only does it have implications for any local ordinance that controls minimum wage, benefits, sick leave, union organizing and strikes, wage disputes, apprenticeship programs, and “ban the box” policies (blocking employers from asking about felony convictions), but it would also override the LGBT protections that exist in 38 Michigan municipalities."
How The Koch Brothers Aim To Create A Fascist Dystopia Through The Republican Party
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/how-the-koch-brothers-aim-to-create-a-fascist-dystopia-through-the-republican-party/
"In essence, the Kochs want to privatize every aspect of our nation so that the rich can sell each slice to the consumer piecemeal, leaving the American people entirely at the mercy of the oligarchs who control the corporations that would end up owning our entire nation. The environment is nothing but a commodity to sold and traded, extracted of all possible value and abandoned when it is no longer profitable, no matter the damage done or the damaging effects on public health.
If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because these are the policies of the modern Republican Party. Slash taxes, deregulate all industries, reduce the power of the federal government, disempower women and minorities, privatize public schools and institutions, is all a collective harbinger of what Koch America would look like in its early stages."
"In essence, the Kochs want to privatize every aspect of our nation so that the rich can sell each slice to the consumer piecemeal, leaving the American people entirely at the mercy of the oligarchs who control the corporations that would end up owning our entire nation. The environment is nothing but a commodity to sold and traded, extracted of all possible value and abandoned when it is no longer profitable, no matter the damage done or the damaging effects on public health.
If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because these are the policies of the modern Republican Party. Slash taxes, deregulate all industries, reduce the power of the federal government, disempower women and minorities, privatize public schools and institutions, is all a collective harbinger of what Koch America would look like in its early stages."
Taxpayer Subsidies for Fossil Fuels on a Warming Planet in One Word: 'Absurd'
Taxpayer Subsidies for Fossil Fuels on a Warming Planet in One Word: 'Absurd'
"Last month, along with Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Sanders introduced a bicameral bill in Congress that would effectively put an end to large-scale subsidies for the fossil fuel industry. Called the End Polluter Welfare Act, the measure would end tax breaks for fossil-fuel industries, recoup taxpayer-owed royalties for fossil-fuel related practices on public lands and waters, and prioritize federally-supported research for clean energy projects. Further, the measures would also prevent companies from escaping liability for spills or deducting clean-up costs from their taxes."
"Last month, along with Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Sanders introduced a bicameral bill in Congress that would effectively put an end to large-scale subsidies for the fossil fuel industry. Called the End Polluter Welfare Act, the measure would end tax breaks for fossil-fuel industries, recoup taxpayer-owed royalties for fossil-fuel related practices on public lands and waters, and prioritize federally-supported research for clean energy projects. Further, the measures would also prevent companies from escaping liability for spills or deducting clean-up costs from their taxes."
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Sanders and Warren Sign Letter Urging Obama to Get Behind 'Fight for $15' Movement
Sanders and Warren Sign Letter Urging Obama to Get Behind 'Fight for $15' Movement
"In a letter sent to the White House on Friday, Sen. Bernie Sanders joined Sen. Elizabeth Warren and other Senate Democrats in urging President Obama to escalate his support for struggling Americans and get behind the 'Fight for $15' movement, which has galvanized low-paid workers across the nation in a collective call for better treatment by employers, the right to unionize, and a living wage.
Asking Obama to go further than his previous endorsement of raising the federal minimum wage from its current $7.25 to $10.10— and praising a previous executive order issued by the president which raised the hourly pay for federal contract workers—the letter said the ongoing plight of workers and their families across the country demands even more bold action."
"In a letter sent to the White House on Friday, Sen. Bernie Sanders joined Sen. Elizabeth Warren and other Senate Democrats in urging President Obama to escalate his support for struggling Americans and get behind the 'Fight for $15' movement, which has galvanized low-paid workers across the nation in a collective call for better treatment by employers, the right to unionize, and a living wage.
Asking Obama to go further than his previous endorsement of raising the federal minimum wage from its current $7.25 to $10.10— and praising a previous executive order issued by the president which raised the hourly pay for federal contract workers—the letter said the ongoing plight of workers and their families across the country demands even more bold action."
Friday, May 15, 2015
CEO-to-Worker Pay Rises to a Ratio of 373-1, AFL-CIO Finds
CEO-to-Worker Pay Rises to a Ratio of 373-1, AFL-CIO Finds
"The pay disparity between the top corporate earners and the workers is shameless. And the US taxpayer is actually subsidizing the profits of large corporations such as Walmart; we're paying for the survival programs that underpaid employees must turn to for support. Without these crucial programs, many employees would not have enough money to put food on the table.
In fact, Walmart depends on government programs in multiple ways."
"The pay disparity between the top corporate earners and the workers is shameless. And the US taxpayer is actually subsidizing the profits of large corporations such as Walmart; we're paying for the survival programs that underpaid employees must turn to for support. Without these crucial programs, many employees would not have enough money to put food on the table.
In fact, Walmart depends on government programs in multiple ways."
House Republicans pass $612 billion defense funding bill that skirts budget caps for war
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/15/1385001/-House-Republicans-pass-612-billion-defense-funding-bill-that-skirts-budget-caps-for-war
"House Republicans found a way to bypass the budget caps of sequestration by adding an extra $89 billion in "emergency war-fighting" to their $612 billion bill to fund the Department of Defense. The legislation passed 269-151 with most Democrats opposing it, and the White House has threatened to veto it over the funding gimmick."
"House Republicans found a way to bypass the budget caps of sequestration by adding an extra $89 billion in "emergency war-fighting" to their $612 billion bill to fund the Department of Defense. The legislation passed 269-151 with most Democrats opposing it, and the White House has threatened to veto it over the funding gimmick."
Paul Ryan Lies About Amtrak Funding With A Straight Face
Paul Ryan Lies About Amtrak Funding With A Straight Face
"Ryan said,
"We need to find out what went wrong with Amtrak."
THAT IS COMPLETELY FALSE! We know exactly what happened: the very same Positive Train Control (PTC) measure that was necessary to prevent such accidents from happening was NOT INSTALLED because Republicans like YOU made sure it died in Congress. Signed into law in October , the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 required PTC technology on all of the nation’s rails by Dec. 15, 2015. Obviously, it was not a priority to get that implemented immediately because the previous accidents didn't have a high enough body count necessary for the GOP to act responsibly."
"Ryan said,
"We need to find out what went wrong with Amtrak."
THAT IS COMPLETELY FALSE! We know exactly what happened: the very same Positive Train Control (PTC) measure that was necessary to prevent such accidents from happening was NOT INSTALLED because Republicans like YOU made sure it died in Congress. Signed into law in October , the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 required PTC technology on all of the nation’s rails by Dec. 15, 2015. Obviously, it was not a priority to get that implemented immediately because the previous accidents didn't have a high enough body count necessary for the GOP to act responsibly."
Eight Amtrak Deaths Reveal How US Transportation Policy Has Derailed
Eight Amtrak Deaths Reveal How US Transportation Policy Has Derailed
"Most media and policy makers continue to overlook that US transportation policy, in general, has been derailed for years. As The Guardian points out, technology exists that might have prevented the Amtrak accident by automatically slowing the train down before the curve. In fact, The Guardian article charges that the US "lags behind rest of developed world on train safety." However, that is really only a small detail within the larger picture of mass transportation neglect in the US.
The implications of a nation whose politicians - backed by the fossil fuel industry and, literally, an auto-driven economy - disdain mass transportation (except for the for-profit airlines industry) are profound."
"Most media and policy makers continue to overlook that US transportation policy, in general, has been derailed for years. As The Guardian points out, technology exists that might have prevented the Amtrak accident by automatically slowing the train down before the curve. In fact, The Guardian article charges that the US "lags behind rest of developed world on train safety." However, that is really only a small detail within the larger picture of mass transportation neglect in the US.
The implications of a nation whose politicians - backed by the fossil fuel industry and, literally, an auto-driven economy - disdain mass transportation (except for the for-profit airlines industry) are profound."
John Boehner is stupid to claim that Amtrak crash had nothing to do with funding
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/15/1384978/-John-Boehner-is-stupid-to-claim-that-Amtrak-crash-had-nothing-to-do-with-funding
"PTC is expensive, and when the Federal Railroad Administration asked Congress for extra funding to install it, guess what happened. That's right, they didn't get it"
"PTC is expensive, and when the Federal Railroad Administration asked Congress for extra funding to install it, guess what happened. That's right, they didn't get it"
John Boehner Melts Down When Asked If Republican Cuts Played A Role In Amtrak Accident
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/14/john-boehner-melts-asked-republicans-cuts-played-role-amtrak-accident.html
"The NTSB disagrees with Speaker Boehner. CNN reported that the train that derailed did not have the latest safety technology, “A system known as positive train control likely would have stopped the train — which had been hurtling around the curve at more than 100 mph — from derailing, National Transportation Safety Board Member Robert Sumwalt told reporters.”
Amtrak doesn’t have the latest safety technology on all trains because they lack the funds to pay for such an expense. Amtrak lacks the funds because Republicans have been trying for years to kill and privatize Amtrak. Boehner only gave half of the answer while leaving out the part about Republican budget making the nation’s railway system less safe.
As usual with Boehner when the Speaker lacks facts, he flips out on the reporter who asked the question. There was nothing stupid about the question. The reality is that Republican budget cuts literally kill people.
No amount of yelling and theatrics from Speaker Boehner can hide the fact that the Republican refusal to properly fund infrastructure has life and death consequences for the nation’s travelers."
"The NTSB disagrees with Speaker Boehner. CNN reported that the train that derailed did not have the latest safety technology, “A system known as positive train control likely would have stopped the train — which had been hurtling around the curve at more than 100 mph — from derailing, National Transportation Safety Board Member Robert Sumwalt told reporters.”
Amtrak doesn’t have the latest safety technology on all trains because they lack the funds to pay for such an expense. Amtrak lacks the funds because Republicans have been trying for years to kill and privatize Amtrak. Boehner only gave half of the answer while leaving out the part about Republican budget making the nation’s railway system less safe.
As usual with Boehner when the Speaker lacks facts, he flips out on the reporter who asked the question. There was nothing stupid about the question. The reality is that Republican budget cuts literally kill people.
No amount of yelling and theatrics from Speaker Boehner can hide the fact that the Republican refusal to properly fund infrastructure has life and death consequences for the nation’s travelers."
Paul Ryan Went On Fox News To Defend Amtrak Safety Funding. It Didn’t Go Well.
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/05/14/3658757/paul-ryan-not-telling-truth-train-safety-funding/
"Paul Ryan (R-WI) incorrectly claimed that Congress had already funded implementing the safety system it mandated in 2008."
"Paul Ryan (R-WI) incorrectly claimed that Congress had already funded implementing the safety system it mandated in 2008."
Congress Has to Get Serious About Railroads and Infrastructure | The Nation
Congress Has to Get Serious About Railroads and Infrastructure | The Nation
"America’s “high-speed” rail lines are slow compared with those of the countries with which the United States chooses to compare itself. The schedules are unsteady. And, as the horrific crash of an Amtrak train in Philadelphia Tuesday night illustrated, safety concerns are on the rise."
"America’s “high-speed” rail lines are slow compared with those of the countries with which the United States chooses to compare itself. The schedules are unsteady. And, as the horrific crash of an Amtrak train in Philadelphia Tuesday night illustrated, safety concerns are on the rise."
GOP Cuts Needed Train Safety Subsidy After Train Derailment
http://samuel-warde.com/2015/05/gop-cuts-needed-train-safety-subsidy-after-train-derailment/
"According to officials, tracks, ties, electric wires, communications networks, major bridges and tunnels have outlived their “design life.” They need to be repaired and rebuilt in order to avoid tragedies precisely like this.
As a result of already insufficient financing, last month railroad experts estimated that it would cost an estimated $21.1 billion just to repair existing equipment and structures. That’s only to fix what they’ve got now. We’re not even talking about bullet trains, new stations, or expanding the rails to service more passengers.
And yet, the day after the crash, on Wednesday morning, the Republican majority on the House Appropriations Committee voted to cut Amtrak’s budget by about $260 million. Got that? The day after a train derailed, leaving seven people dead and 200 injured as a result of issues that may have been avoided, the GOP cut the funding that goes into making rail travel safe and possible."
"According to officials, tracks, ties, electric wires, communications networks, major bridges and tunnels have outlived their “design life.” They need to be repaired and rebuilt in order to avoid tragedies precisely like this.
As a result of already insufficient financing, last month railroad experts estimated that it would cost an estimated $21.1 billion just to repair existing equipment and structures. That’s only to fix what they’ve got now. We’re not even talking about bullet trains, new stations, or expanding the rails to service more passengers.
And yet, the day after the crash, on Wednesday morning, the Republican majority on the House Appropriations Committee voted to cut Amtrak’s budget by about $260 million. Got that? The day after a train derailed, leaving seven people dead and 200 injured as a result of issues that may have been avoided, the GOP cut the funding that goes into making rail travel safe and possible."
U.S. Taxpayers Subsidizing World's Biggest Fossil Fuel Companies | Alternet
U.S. Taxpayers Subsidizing World's Biggest Fossil Fuel Companies | Alternet
"Sanders, with representative Keith Ellison, recently proposed an End Polluter Welfare Act, which they say would cut $135bn of US subsidies for fossil fuel companies over the next decade. “Between 2010 and 2014, the oil, coal, gas, utility, and natural resource extraction industries spent $1.8bn on lobbying, much of it in defense of these giveaways,” according to Sanders and Ellison"
"Sanders, with representative Keith Ellison, recently proposed an End Polluter Welfare Act, which they say would cut $135bn of US subsidies for fossil fuel companies over the next decade. “Between 2010 and 2014, the oil, coal, gas, utility, and natural resource extraction industries spent $1.8bn on lobbying, much of it in defense of these giveaways,” according to Sanders and Ellison"
Largest Public University Yet Dumps Coal
Largest Public University Yet Dumps Coal
"The University of Washington (UW) will divest roughly $2 million of its endowment from coal companies, citing "the seriousness of the climate change problem," after a vote by the school's board of regents Thursday night."
"The University of Washington (UW) will divest roughly $2 million of its endowment from coal companies, citing "the seriousness of the climate change problem," after a vote by the school's board of regents Thursday night."
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Our Decrepit Rail System Makes Another Amtrak Crash Likely
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/30783-our-decrepit-rail-system-makes-another-amtrak-crash-more-likely
"We need to what we did for hundreds of years before Reaganism infected our national discourse: seriously invest in our rail infrastructure.
Right now, we lag way behind countries like China, Switzerland and Austria.
That needs to change, and we should start by doubling our efforts to boost Amtrak and its Northeast Corridor, which is so important to our economy that if it stopped altogether, the country would lose almost $100 million every single day.
The problem, though, is that Republicans don't give a rat's patooey about improving our rail system - at least so long as it's not owned by some billionaire.
Right now, they're actually trying cut Amtrak funding by around 20 percent, from $1.4 billion to $1.13 billion, and some have actually called for the privatization of the Northeast Corridor.
The way they see it, since Amtrak isn't "making a profit," it's a waste of money.
This is a perfect example of Reaganism run amok. No transportation system "makes a profit"- our highways certainly don't - because that's not the point.
The point of having a national highway system or national rail system isn't to make money - it's to provide a service to the public and to provide a backbone for the economy to grow and prosper.
Infrastructure is just the soil in which business roots itself, and government spending is the best fertilizer.
That's what Republicans don't get about Amtrak.
Sometimes, throwing money at a problem is the way to fix it.
When your tracks are crumbling, your bridges are falling apart and your trains are dinosaurs from the 1970s, no magical privatization scheme is going to solve the problem."
"We need to what we did for hundreds of years before Reaganism infected our national discourse: seriously invest in our rail infrastructure.
Right now, we lag way behind countries like China, Switzerland and Austria.
That needs to change, and we should start by doubling our efforts to boost Amtrak and its Northeast Corridor, which is so important to our economy that if it stopped altogether, the country would lose almost $100 million every single day.
The problem, though, is that Republicans don't give a rat's patooey about improving our rail system - at least so long as it's not owned by some billionaire.
Right now, they're actually trying cut Amtrak funding by around 20 percent, from $1.4 billion to $1.13 billion, and some have actually called for the privatization of the Northeast Corridor.
The way they see it, since Amtrak isn't "making a profit," it's a waste of money.
This is a perfect example of Reaganism run amok. No transportation system "makes a profit"- our highways certainly don't - because that's not the point.
The point of having a national highway system or national rail system isn't to make money - it's to provide a service to the public and to provide a backbone for the economy to grow and prosper.
Infrastructure is just the soil in which business roots itself, and government spending is the best fertilizer.
That's what Republicans don't get about Amtrak.
Sometimes, throwing money at a problem is the way to fix it.
When your tracks are crumbling, your bridges are falling apart and your trains are dinosaurs from the 1970s, no magical privatization scheme is going to solve the problem."
After the Amtrak Crash, It’s Time to Get Serious About Transportation Infrastructure
http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/after-the-amtrak-crash-its-time-to-get-serious-about-transportation-infrastructure
"We do know that, for decades now, the United States has been allowing its public infrastructure to decay. In 2013, the American Society of Civil Engineers issued a report saying that it would take roughly $3.6 trillion worth of repairs and retrofitting merely to return the nation’s roads, railways, and airports to a safe and durable state. For example, about one in nine bridges in the U.S. were structurally deficient, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
And that’s just transportation infrastructure. Many of America’s schools, sewage systems, and parks could do with an upgrade, too. A couple of years ago, a survey by the World Economic Forum ranked the United States twenty-fifth globally in overall quality of infrastructure, behind such nations as Spain, Oman, and South Korea."
"We do know that, for decades now, the United States has been allowing its public infrastructure to decay. In 2013, the American Society of Civil Engineers issued a report saying that it would take roughly $3.6 trillion worth of repairs and retrofitting merely to return the nation’s roads, railways, and airports to a safe and durable state. For example, about one in nine bridges in the U.S. were structurally deficient, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
And that’s just transportation infrastructure. Many of America’s schools, sewage systems, and parks could do with an upgrade, too. A couple of years ago, a survey by the World Economic Forum ranked the United States twenty-fifth globally in overall quality of infrastructure, behind such nations as Spain, Oman, and South Korea."
Koch Republicans Ignore Dead and Injured Americans And Vote To Cut Amtrak’s Budget
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/13/koch-republicans-ignore-dead-injured-americans-vote-cut-amtraks-budget.html
"House Republicans have outdone themselves on tone deafness. The Koch controlled Republican House majority has never been sensitive to the wants and needs of ordinary Americans. Gerrymandering has turned screwing over the bulk of the population into a profitable strategy for House Republicans."
"House Republicans have outdone themselves on tone deafness. The Koch controlled Republican House majority has never been sensitive to the wants and needs of ordinary Americans. Gerrymandering has turned screwing over the bulk of the population into a profitable strategy for House Republicans."
Fox News Worries Over Crumbling Infrastructure After Years Of Hyping Roadblocks To More Investment
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/05/13/fox-news-worries-over-crumbling-infrastructure/203637
"The vast system of public infrastructure in the United States -- ranging from roads and park trails to canals and ports -- is currently graded as D+, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) most recent report card for America's infrastructure, and would need an investment of $3.6 trillion by 2020 to improve.
One in ten bridges in the U.S. are structurally deficient, and states have been forced to convert roads to gravel due to a lack of sufficient funding for repairs. Nearly 14,000 dams are considered high-hazard, meaning failure of the dam would likely cause the loss of life.
But public investment in infrastructure has fallen to its lowest level since World War II, according to analysis from the Financial Times, which attributes the record-low public investments to Republicans blocking President Obama's push for more spending on infrastructure."
"The vast system of public infrastructure in the United States -- ranging from roads and park trails to canals and ports -- is currently graded as D+, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) most recent report card for America's infrastructure, and would need an investment of $3.6 trillion by 2020 to improve.
One in ten bridges in the U.S. are structurally deficient, and states have been forced to convert roads to gravel due to a lack of sufficient funding for repairs. Nearly 14,000 dams are considered high-hazard, meaning failure of the dam would likely cause the loss of life.
But public investment in infrastructure has fallen to its lowest level since World War II, according to analysis from the Financial Times, which attributes the record-low public investments to Republicans blocking President Obama's push for more spending on infrastructure."
Why the Rich Don't Care About Jobs for the Rest of Us
Why the Rich Don't Care About Jobs for the Rest of Us
"There is also hard evidence that cutting taxes on the rich fails to stimulate job creation, and that raising taxes on the rich has the opposite, beneficial effect. The facts come from Kansas and Minnesota. Despite early optimism by trickle-down adherents, tax cuts in Kansas have been disastrous, leading to revenue losses, cutbacks in education and health care, and sluggish job growth. In Minnesota, on the other hand, tax increases on the rich have led to higher wages, low unemployment, and rapid business growth."
"There is also hard evidence that cutting taxes on the rich fails to stimulate job creation, and that raising taxes on the rich has the opposite, beneficial effect. The facts come from Kansas and Minnesota. Despite early optimism by trickle-down adherents, tax cuts in Kansas have been disastrous, leading to revenue losses, cutbacks in education and health care, and sluggish job growth. In Minnesota, on the other hand, tax increases on the rich have led to higher wages, low unemployment, and rapid business growth."
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
President Obama Brilliantly Goes After Fox News For Always Blaming And Shaming The Poor (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/05/12/president-obama-brilliantly-goes-after-fox-news-for-always-blaming-and-shaming-the-poor-video/
"The poor aren’t the problem. The overall fiscal policies and politics at the top are the problem. Policy is currently, and has been since 1981, written to favor the wealthy. This is why wages have stagnated as the top keeps getting richer and richer, the poor becomes poorer and need more assistance, and the Middle Class is getting squeezed dry."
"The poor aren’t the problem. The overall fiscal policies and politics at the top are the problem. Policy is currently, and has been since 1981, written to favor the wealthy. This is why wages have stagnated as the top keeps getting richer and richer, the poor becomes poorer and need more assistance, and the Middle Class is getting squeezed dry."
John Stewart Rips Fox, Scarborough For Whining About President Obama's Truth-Telling On Demonizing The Poor
John Stewart Rips Fox, Scarborough For Whining About President Obama's Truth-Telling On Demonizing The Poor
"Of course the response over at Faux "news" was to throw a fit, and to deny reality and pretend that they don't spend every single week doing exactly that."
"Of course the response over at Faux "news" was to throw a fit, and to deny reality and pretend that they don't spend every single week doing exactly that."
"The Rich Suffered More": The Worst Of Fox News' Poor-Shaming
http://mediamatters.org/research/2015/05/13/the-rich-suffered-more-the-worst-of-fox-news-po/203640
"Fox News is outraged that President Obama called out the network's horrible record on covering poverty"
"Fox News is outraged that President Obama called out the network's horrible record on covering poverty"
Groups Add to Evidence in "Whistleblower" Tax Fraud Claim Against ALEC
Groups Add to Evidence in "Whistleblower" Tax Fraud Claim Against ALEC
"The new trove of documents includes statements by 20 corporations that admit that they joined and maintained membership in ALEC to influence legislation and gain access to lawmakers. The corporate admissions included in the complaint are from Yelp, Pfizer, AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Honeywell, Yahoo, eBay, Eli Lilly, Duke Energy, Altria, American Electric Power, Anheuser-Busch, BP, Chevron, Cox Communications, CSX Corporation, ExxonMobil, Overstock, and Peabody Energy. Several of those companies no longer are part of ALEC.
The new filing also includes the recent finding of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board that "ALEC’s primary purpose is the passage of state legislation in the various states and that all of its wide-ranging activities are in support of this primary purpose"."
"The new trove of documents includes statements by 20 corporations that admit that they joined and maintained membership in ALEC to influence legislation and gain access to lawmakers. The corporate admissions included in the complaint are from Yelp, Pfizer, AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Honeywell, Yahoo, eBay, Eli Lilly, Duke Energy, Altria, American Electric Power, Anheuser-Busch, BP, Chevron, Cox Communications, CSX Corporation, ExxonMobil, Overstock, and Peabody Energy. Several of those companies no longer are part of ALEC.
The new filing also includes the recent finding of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board that "ALEC’s primary purpose is the passage of state legislation in the various states and that all of its wide-ranging activities are in support of this primary purpose"."
President Obama Hits Fox News With a Direct Shot for Constantly Trying to Vilify Poor People
President Obama Hits Fox News With a Direct Shot for Constantly Trying to Vilify Poor People
"But what many Republicans – and conservatives in general – love to do is simply blanket most of the poor as lazy moochers who simply don’t want to work. That’s an absolute lie. In fact, most welfare recipients are children or the elderly and a lot are people who have jobs, but simply don’t make enough to support their families.
It goes back to a desperate need in this country to raise the minimum wage… another issue most Republicans strongly oppose. It’s like I’ve said before, GOP policies are literally making many of the problems they whine and complain about worse."
"But what many Republicans – and conservatives in general – love to do is simply blanket most of the poor as lazy moochers who simply don’t want to work. That’s an absolute lie. In fact, most welfare recipients are children or the elderly and a lot are people who have jobs, but simply don’t make enough to support their families.
It goes back to a desperate need in this country to raise the minimum wage… another issue most Republicans strongly oppose. It’s like I’ve said before, GOP policies are literally making many of the problems they whine and complain about worse."
ALEC’s big lie: Scott Walker’s pseudo-science, austerity without end, and the truth about right-wing governors and the economy
ALEC’s big lie: Scott Walker’s pseudo-science, austerity without end, and the truth about right-wing governors and the economy
"The failure of GOP ideology on the state level deserves further scrutiny as well, particularly with so many governors and ex-governors in the race. The 2012 study “Selling Snake Oil To The States,” which demolished the tax-slashing prescription package offered by ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council) and right-wing economist Arthur Laffer, helps to define the parameters of GOP state-level economic policy."
"The failure of GOP ideology on the state level deserves further scrutiny as well, particularly with so many governors and ex-governors in the race. The 2012 study “Selling Snake Oil To The States,” which demolished the tax-slashing prescription package offered by ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council) and right-wing economist Arthur Laffer, helps to define the parameters of GOP state-level economic policy."
The Destruction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-destruction-of-the-wisconsin-supreme-court?intcid=mod-most-popular
"all of the Wisconsin justices look a lot like politicians, in particular the conservatives, who came to the bench with the support of powerful and aggressive political groups. Those justices’ integrity is compromised, as plainly as if they had personally solicited every dollar that helped elect them—and that helped drag the standing of their court so low."
"all of the Wisconsin justices look a lot like politicians, in particular the conservatives, who came to the bench with the support of powerful and aggressive political groups. Those justices’ integrity is compromised, as plainly as if they had personally solicited every dollar that helped elect them—and that helped drag the standing of their court so low."
ALEC Exposed
http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed
"Through the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council, global corporations and state politicians vote behind closed doors to try to rewrite state laws that govern your rights. These so-called "model bills" reach into almost every area of American life and often directly benefit huge corporations."
"Through the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council, global corporations and state politicians vote behind closed doors to try to rewrite state laws that govern your rights. These so-called "model bills" reach into almost every area of American life and often directly benefit huge corporations."
Monday, May 11, 2015
Looting Louisiana: How the Jindal administration is helping Big Oil rip off a cash-strapped state
http://www.southernstudies.org/2015/05/looting-louisiana-how-the-jindal-administration-is.html
"Louisiana is in the throes of a budget crisis, with the state facing a $1.6 billion deficit for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1.
Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) has proposed cutting more than $200 million from higher education, leading Louisiana State University to begin drafting paperwork for what is essentially a form of academic bankruptcy. State leaders are also considering cutting health care services for the poor, elderly and disabled. Meanwhile, Moody's Investors Service and Standard and Poor's have said they may lower the state's credit rating if it doesn't come up with a solution.
As the state grapples with how to respond to the shortfall, new details have emerged about a scheme that has helped bring it to this desperate point."
"Louisiana is in the throes of a budget crisis, with the state facing a $1.6 billion deficit for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1.
Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) has proposed cutting more than $200 million from higher education, leading Louisiana State University to begin drafting paperwork for what is essentially a form of academic bankruptcy. State leaders are also considering cutting health care services for the poor, elderly and disabled. Meanwhile, Moody's Investors Service and Standard and Poor's have said they may lower the state's credit rating if it doesn't come up with a solution.
As the state grapples with how to respond to the shortfall, new details have emerged about a scheme that has helped bring it to this desperate point."
Presidential Hopeful Scott Walker’s Higher Education Deficit
http://inthesetimes.com/article/17905/scott-walkers-higher-education-deficit
"No doubt because he did not finish college himself— yet has managed to become a presidential hopeful with extravagant support from the government-loathing Koch machine—Walker seems determined to decimate public higher education in his state."
"No doubt because he did not finish college himself— yet has managed to become a presidential hopeful with extravagant support from the government-loathing Koch machine—Walker seems determined to decimate public higher education in his state."
12 Ways the GOP Would Destroy the Country If They Controlled Washington After 2016 | Alternet
12 Ways the GOP Would Destroy the Country If They Controlled Washington After 2016 | Alternet
"6. Cut public school programs and funds. The GOP does not believe education is an investment in America’s future. Spending on education would fall to its lowest level in 15 years, with 46,000 additional children losing access to Head Start, more layoffs of special education teachers and those who work with disadvantaged youths, the House Budget Committee Democrats said. Similarly, adult job training would be cut, as well as funding for medical and scientific research grants."
"6. Cut public school programs and funds. The GOP does not believe education is an investment in America’s future. Spending on education would fall to its lowest level in 15 years, with 46,000 additional children losing access to Head Start, more layoffs of special education teachers and those who work with disadvantaged youths, the House Budget Committee Democrats said. Similarly, adult job training would be cut, as well as funding for medical and scientific research grants."
Scott Walker Gave Corporations Cash To Create Jobs, Forgot To Check If They Created Jobs
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/05/08/3656838/scott-walkers-jobs-agency-violating-state-law-audit-finds/
"The job creation agency founded by Governor Scott Walker has been routinely violating its own rules and state law, according to a damning report released Friday by Wisconsin’s non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau.
Walker set up the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in 2011 in order to give taxpayer dollars to private corporations to help them create jobs for Wisconsin workers. But a new audit of more than 100 grants from the agency found that the WEDC failed to follow up on whether the companies were actually using the funds to create and retain jobs.
The group also gave loans and tax credits to companies that did not meet its requirements, and did not even attempt to fact-check claims by the companies about the number of jobs they created. Additionally, the agency forgave, wrote off or deferred more than $4 million in loan payments that the corporations were supposed to pay back to the state."
"The job creation agency founded by Governor Scott Walker has been routinely violating its own rules and state law, according to a damning report released Friday by Wisconsin’s non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau.
Walker set up the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in 2011 in order to give taxpayer dollars to private corporations to help them create jobs for Wisconsin workers. But a new audit of more than 100 grants from the agency found that the WEDC failed to follow up on whether the companies were actually using the funds to create and retain jobs.
The group also gave loans and tax credits to companies that did not meet its requirements, and did not even attempt to fact-check claims by the companies about the number of jobs they created. Additionally, the agency forgave, wrote off or deferred more than $4 million in loan payments that the corporations were supposed to pay back to the state."
Scott Walker’s Corporate Tax Breaks Come Back To Haunt Him
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/05/07/3655893/scott-walkers-corporate-tax-breaks-come-back-haunt/
"It’s a question lawmakers in many states are asking right now, as deep tax cuts passed by Republican governors have led to ballooning deficits and similar plans to raid public university funding.
In Kansas, Governor Sam Brownback’s tax cutting overhaul left the state coffers so low that public school districts will close down early this year.
In Louisiana, Governor Bobby Jindal — another likely candidate for president in 2016 — has chosen to preserve corporate tax breaks and cut the budget of the Louisiana State University system so deeply that the schools are exploring bankruptcy. Students and their supporters have descended on the Capitol to protest the proposed cuts, which seems to have moved some state lawmakers. On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed a budget that got rid of more than $200 million in corporate tax breaks — but Jindal has vowed to block the move with his veto pen.
And in Illinois, Governor Bruce Rauner’s budget that seeks to cut both income and corporate taxes and funding for the state’s universities is running into trouble this week. The Civic Federation, a budget watchdog, officially came out against the plan this week, calling it “unrealistic” and “unachievable.” In the state House of Representatives, the budget failed to get a single “yes” vote.
Despite these examples, Republican governors’ enthusiasm for slashing taxes, particularly corporate and income taxes, continues apace."
"It’s a question lawmakers in many states are asking right now, as deep tax cuts passed by Republican governors have led to ballooning deficits and similar plans to raid public university funding.
In Kansas, Governor Sam Brownback’s tax cutting overhaul left the state coffers so low that public school districts will close down early this year.
In Louisiana, Governor Bobby Jindal — another likely candidate for president in 2016 — has chosen to preserve corporate tax breaks and cut the budget of the Louisiana State University system so deeply that the schools are exploring bankruptcy. Students and their supporters have descended on the Capitol to protest the proposed cuts, which seems to have moved some state lawmakers. On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed a budget that got rid of more than $200 million in corporate tax breaks — but Jindal has vowed to block the move with his veto pen.
And in Illinois, Governor Bruce Rauner’s budget that seeks to cut both income and corporate taxes and funding for the state’s universities is running into trouble this week. The Civic Federation, a budget watchdog, officially came out against the plan this week, calling it “unrealistic” and “unachievable.” In the state House of Representatives, the budget failed to get a single “yes” vote.
Despite these examples, Republican governors’ enthusiasm for slashing taxes, particularly corporate and income taxes, continues apace."
7 Senate Democrats Team Up On Bill To Expose The Koch Brothers’ Political Ads
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/08/7-senate-democrats-team-bill-expose-koch-brothers-political-ads.html
"Republicans oppose any form of dark money disclosure because even the slightest disclosure could topple their house of cards."
"Republicans oppose any form of dark money disclosure because even the slightest disclosure could topple their house of cards."
Why The FEC Won’t Crack Down On Campaign Finance Violations In 2016
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/05/06/3655397/fec-already-throwing-towel-enforcing-campaign-finance-law-2016/
"Meanwhile, the possible electoral shenanigans are already piling up.
In January, the FEC accused GOP operative Karl Rove’s organization Crossroads GPS of violating its tax-exempt “social welfare” status by spending millions of dollars to support conservative candidates. The agency took no action against Crossroads GPS, meaning the group is still allowed to shield the identity of its donors.
Similar complaints have been made about Americans for Job Security, the American Action Network, and the American Future Fund, but the agency’s Republican members have blocked investigations into their activities."
"Meanwhile, the possible electoral shenanigans are already piling up.
In January, the FEC accused GOP operative Karl Rove’s organization Crossroads GPS of violating its tax-exempt “social welfare” status by spending millions of dollars to support conservative candidates. The agency took no action against Crossroads GPS, meaning the group is still allowed to shield the identity of its donors.
Similar complaints have been made about Americans for Job Security, the American Action Network, and the American Future Fund, but the agency’s Republican members have blocked investigations into their activities."
Scott Walker Wrecks Wisconsin And Proves That Tax Cuts For The Rich Don’t Work
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/06/scott-walkers-crazy-republican-math-home-roost-wi-gop-wrestle-revenue.html
"Any reasonable person can see that tax cuts for the rich do not create jobs and do create deficits, but there are also studies that prove it. In fact, long term studies show that Republican governors are associated with lower growth rates."
"Any reasonable person can see that tax cuts for the rich do not create jobs and do create deficits, but there are also studies that prove it. In fact, long term studies show that Republican governors are associated with lower growth rates."
It’s Official: The Conservative Love Affair with Austerity Economics is Literally Killing the Country
http://aattp.org/its-official-the-conservative-love-affair-with-austerity-economics-is-literally-killing-the-country/
"And that’s part of the rub. Economists from a number of universities like the University of Chicago, MIT, and USC, conducted research to try to find out why children die at a rate exponentially higher than European children.
The answer, in retrospect, is pretty obvious: the obscene rate of income disparity, all of which stems directly from Reagan’s Voodoo Economics in the 1980s."
"And that’s part of the rub. Economists from a number of universities like the University of Chicago, MIT, and USC, conducted research to try to find out why children die at a rate exponentially higher than European children.
The answer, in retrospect, is pretty obvious: the obscene rate of income disparity, all of which stems directly from Reagan’s Voodoo Economics in the 1980s."
Corruption is Legal in America: Study Confirms The Rich Have A Stranglehold On U.S. Government Policy
http://samuel-warde.com/2015/05/corruption-is-legal-in-america-rich-control-government-policy/
"In the last 5 years alone, the 200 most politically active companies in the US spent $5.8 billion influencing our government with lobbying and campaign contributions.
Those same companies got $4.4 trillion in taxpayer support — earning a return of 750 times their investment."
"In the last 5 years alone, the 200 most politically active companies in the US spent $5.8 billion influencing our government with lobbying and campaign contributions.
Those same companies got $4.4 trillion in taxpayer support — earning a return of 750 times their investment."
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Chris Christie’s fresh humiliation: The new scandal that could finally put the kibosh on his presidential hopes
Chris Christie’s fresh humiliation: The new scandal that could finally put the kibosh on his presidential hopes
"In recent years, Christie’s officials have shifted more of the retirement savings of teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public workers into the hands of private financial firms. That has substantially increased the management fees paid by taxpayers to those firms. Indeed, while Christie says the pension system cannot afford to maintain current retirement benefits, pension fees paid to financial firms have quadrupled to $600 million a year — or $1.5 billion in total since he took office in 2010."
"In recent years, Christie’s officials have shifted more of the retirement savings of teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public workers into the hands of private financial firms. That has substantially increased the management fees paid by taxpayers to those firms. Indeed, while Christie says the pension system cannot afford to maintain current retirement benefits, pension fees paid to financial firms have quadrupled to $600 million a year — or $1.5 billion in total since he took office in 2010."
FL Gov. Rick Scott Used His Mother's Death To Manipulate Feds On Medicaid
FL Gov. Rick Scott Is A Lying Sack Of Sh*t
"That's a page right out of the Karl Rove playbook, by the way. Just today, he advised Republicans to stop trying to repeal Obamacare until after the 2016 elections. Why should they telegraph their intentions to take health care away from millions who need it, after all?"
"That's a page right out of the Karl Rove playbook, by the way. Just today, he advised Republicans to stop trying to repeal Obamacare until after the 2016 elections. Why should they telegraph their intentions to take health care away from millions who need it, after all?"
North Carolina To Teachers: No Free Speech For You!
North Carolina To Teachers: No Free Speech For You!
"now, under Senate Bill 480, their support for public education could earn them a Class 1 misdemeanor, because supporting public education is being considered a political view. That’s the equivalent of simple assault, or robbing a vending machine. Just wearing a red shirt in the classroom to say you support education."
"now, under Senate Bill 480, their support for public education could earn them a Class 1 misdemeanor, because supporting public education is being considered a political view. That’s the equivalent of simple assault, or robbing a vending machine. Just wearing a red shirt in the classroom to say you support education."
Carly Fiorina Blames The Pay Gap On The Things That Actually Help Close It
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/05/05/3655280/fiorina-wage-gap/
"Unlike many of the other potential Republican contenders, Fiorina believes “women don’t always get compensated fairly and that we can do more.” But what she suggests is getting rid of seniority systems “that reward employees for time in grade, not for merit, performance or hard work.” She sees the main culprits of these systems as “[u]nions, government bureaucracies.”
Yet women who belong to a union and/or work for a government bureaucracy are the best off when it comes to equal pay. The wage gap for unionized women is 40 percent smaller for non-unionized women — they make nearly 90 percent of what their male peers do, not parity but much closer. Perhaps more importantly, the wage gap has been shrinking among unionized workers, while the overall gap hasn’t budged in a decade."
"Unlike many of the other potential Republican contenders, Fiorina believes “women don’t always get compensated fairly and that we can do more.” But what she suggests is getting rid of seniority systems “that reward employees for time in grade, not for merit, performance or hard work.” She sees the main culprits of these systems as “[u]nions, government bureaucracies.”
Yet women who belong to a union and/or work for a government bureaucracy are the best off when it comes to equal pay. The wage gap for unionized women is 40 percent smaller for non-unionized women — they make nearly 90 percent of what their male peers do, not parity but much closer. Perhaps more importantly, the wage gap has been shrinking among unionized workers, while the overall gap hasn’t budged in a decade."
Jon Stewart decimates newly minted GOP candidates one by one
Jon Stewart decimates newly minted GOP candidates one by one
"Much like the beginning of "Big Brother," the GOP race looks a lot like a bunch of crazy people who won't win"
"Much like the beginning of "Big Brother," the GOP race looks a lot like a bunch of crazy people who won't win"
When Scammy For-Profit Colleges Need A Hand, They Turn To The Republican Party
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/05/05/3655138/corinthian-bankruptcy-crossroads-gps/
"At the same time Corinthian Colleges, Inc. was luring ambitious people into overpriced classes for underpowered degrees, the now-bankrupt company was also funding one of the most prominent secret-donor organizations on the Republican side of the election-influencing industry.
The company still owes money to Crossroads GPS, according to a bankruptcy filing that lists every person and organization to which Corinthian is indebted. The list also includes a variety of D.C.-area heavy hitters like the American Enterprise Institute and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce"
"At the same time Corinthian Colleges, Inc. was luring ambitious people into overpriced classes for underpowered degrees, the now-bankrupt company was also funding one of the most prominent secret-donor organizations on the Republican side of the election-influencing industry.
The company still owes money to Crossroads GPS, according to a bankruptcy filing that lists every person and organization to which Corinthian is indebted. The list also includes a variety of D.C.-area heavy hitters like the American Enterprise Institute and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce"
Stingy Franchisees Pretend The Government Will Ruin Their Business
Stingy Franchisees Pretend The Government Will Ruin Their Business
"Always on the wrong side of every issue, the Washington Free Beacon is taking the side of franchise owners who wish to skim money from the paychecks of their minimum wage-earning employees."
"Always on the wrong side of every issue, the Washington Free Beacon is taking the side of franchise owners who wish to skim money from the paychecks of their minimum wage-earning employees."
Christie Vetoes Anti-Corruption Law
Christie Vetoes Anti-Corruption Law
"The bipartisan legislation on Chris Christie's desk on Monday was designed to stop New Jersey public officials from delivering lucrative pension deals to their campaign contributors. Gov. Christie vetoed the bill -- at the same time his administration faces a new investigation into New Jersey pension fees paid to financial firms, some of whose executives made contributions to Republican groups backing Christie. The legislation also would have required the pension system to fully disclose all Wall Street fees, a provision Christie said would be "disadvantageous"."
"The bipartisan legislation on Chris Christie's desk on Monday was designed to stop New Jersey public officials from delivering lucrative pension deals to their campaign contributors. Gov. Christie vetoed the bill -- at the same time his administration faces a new investigation into New Jersey pension fees paid to financial firms, some of whose executives made contributions to Republican groups backing Christie. The legislation also would have required the pension system to fully disclose all Wall Street fees, a provision Christie said would be "disadvantageous"."
The Bridgegate outrage that nobody is talking about
The Bridgegate outrage that nobody is talking about
"Whether it was unwitting, in concert, or a mix of both, the fact that political appointees could manipulate the PAPD for four days in a row needs to be looked at by somebody in law enforcement. From its original creation in 1921, the Port Authority was supposed to transcend partisan and provincial politics; now it is entirely captive to it."
"Whether it was unwitting, in concert, or a mix of both, the fact that political appointees could manipulate the PAPD for four days in a row needs to be looked at by somebody in law enforcement. From its original creation in 1921, the Port Authority was supposed to transcend partisan and provincial politics; now it is entirely captive to it."
Taxpayers Subsidize Restaurant Pay
http://inequality.org/taxpayers-subsidize-restaurant-industry/
"Because they have the largest workforce, DineEquity puts the heaviest burden on taxpayers, with employees relying on $450 million in public assistance per year, according to ROC estimates."
"Because they have the largest workforce, DineEquity puts the heaviest burden on taxpayers, with employees relying on $450 million in public assistance per year, according to ROC estimates."
Thursday, May 7, 2015
The ludicrous myth of Republican fiscal responsibility: A history lesson for the modern GOP
The ludicrous myth of Republican fiscal responsibility: A history lesson for the modern GOP
"Over the past three decades, the Republican party has followed a familiar strategy — get elected to executive office by preaching fiscal responsibility, make a complete mess of things fiscally, and then, when a Democrat comes in to clean up the mess, blame them endlessly for not fixing it fast enough. We see this currently, with the insipid Republican candidates blaming President Obama for our current debt level, despite the fact that Republican policies, like cutting taxes for the wealthy and putting two wars on the credit card made it all possible."
"Over the past three decades, the Republican party has followed a familiar strategy — get elected to executive office by preaching fiscal responsibility, make a complete mess of things fiscally, and then, when a Democrat comes in to clean up the mess, blame them endlessly for not fixing it fast enough. We see this currently, with the insipid Republican candidates blaming President Obama for our current debt level, despite the fact that Republican policies, like cutting taxes for the wealthy and putting two wars on the credit card made it all possible."
Republican presidents flunk the economy: 11 reasons why America does worse under the GOP
Republican presidents flunk the economy: 11 reasons why America does worse under the GOP
"The difference between conservative and progressive governance is simple: one benefits a small elite while the other promotes widespread prosperity."
"The difference between conservative and progressive governance is simple: one benefits a small elite while the other promotes widespread prosperity."
Our Ayn Randian Dystopia: The Five-Step Process to Privatize Everything | Alternet
Our Ayn Randian Dystopia: The Five-Step Process to Privatize Everything | Alternet
"Education: A private system that pays a charter CEO 350 times more per student than the corresponding public school chancellor.
Health Care: The most expensive system in the developed world, with the price of common surgeries anywhere from three to ten times higher than in much of Europe, and with 43 percent of sick Americans skipping doctor's visits and/or medication purchases in 2011 because of excessive costs. Medicare, on the other hand, which is largely without the profit motive and the competing sources of billing, is efficiently run, for all eligible Americans.
Banking: Thanks to private banks, interest claims one out of every three dollars that we spend, and by the time we retire with a 401(k), nearly half of our money is lost to the banks. But the public bank of North Dakota (BND) had an equity return of 23.4% before the state's oil boom. The normally privatization-mindedWall Street Journal admits that the BND "is more profitable than Goldman Sachs Group Inc., has a better credit rating than J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and hasn’t seen profit growth drop since 2003"."
"Education: A private system that pays a charter CEO 350 times more per student than the corresponding public school chancellor.
Health Care: The most expensive system in the developed world, with the price of common surgeries anywhere from three to ten times higher than in much of Europe, and with 43 percent of sick Americans skipping doctor's visits and/or medication purchases in 2011 because of excessive costs. Medicare, on the other hand, which is largely without the profit motive and the competing sources of billing, is efficiently run, for all eligible Americans.
Banking: Thanks to private banks, interest claims one out of every three dollars that we spend, and by the time we retire with a 401(k), nearly half of our money is lost to the banks. But the public bank of North Dakota (BND) had an equity return of 23.4% before the state's oil boom. The normally privatization-mindedWall Street Journal admits that the BND "is more profitable than Goldman Sachs Group Inc., has a better credit rating than J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and hasn’t seen profit growth drop since 2003"."
Watch: Bernie Sanders Blows Lid Off the Corporate Media’s Biggest Secret
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/watch-bernie-sanders-blows-lid-off-the-corporate-medias-biggest-secret/
"In this clip, Bernie Sanders is interviewed by Bill Moyers and exposes the corporate media’s dirty secret: that they waste the American people’s time with gossip and distractions while doing the corporations bidding and avoiding the most important conversations facing America: shrinking wages, jobs being shipped overseas, rising socioeconomic inequality, etc."
"In this clip, Bernie Sanders is interviewed by Bill Moyers and exposes the corporate media’s dirty secret: that they waste the American people’s time with gossip and distractions while doing the corporations bidding and avoiding the most important conversations facing America: shrinking wages, jobs being shipped overseas, rising socioeconomic inequality, etc."
This Is Who Gives Money To Bernie Sanders – And How Much
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/05/03/this-is-who-gives-money-to-bernie-sanders-and-how-much/
"And there you have. One candidate, the progressive, gets his money from small town American organizations and associations of workers while the others get their money from Goldman Sachs, Koch Industries, Bank of America, and so forth. So next time you hear someone say all politicians are the same, show them this."
"And there you have. One candidate, the progressive, gets his money from small town American organizations and associations of workers while the others get their money from Goldman Sachs, Koch Industries, Bank of America, and so forth. So next time you hear someone say all politicians are the same, show them this."
75 Ways Socialism Has Improved America
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/29/1078852/-75-Ways-Socialism-Has-Improved-America
"1. The Military/Defense - The United States military is the largest and most funded socialist program in the world. It operates thanks to our taxpayer dollars and protects the country as a whole. From the richest citizens to the homeless who sleep under the bridge. We are all protected by our military whether we pay taxes or not. This is complete socialism."
"1. The Military/Defense - The United States military is the largest and most funded socialist program in the world. It operates thanks to our taxpayer dollars and protects the country as a whole. From the richest citizens to the homeless who sleep under the bridge. We are all protected by our military whether we pay taxes or not. This is complete socialism."
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