December 2009 archive

Here are American values in a nutshell.

• Today, the House approved by an overwhelming 395-34 vote a ‘budget’ of $636 billion for 10 months for the Pentagon.

• In November, the House passed by a narrow 220-214 vote legislation that would “cost $1.1 trillion over 10 years and extend insurance coverage to 36 million uninsured Americans.”

The Senate will approve the 2010 Pentagon funding later this month and its price tag will likely increase.

In 10 months, we Americans will allow the Pentagon to spend more than half of what the House is willing to spend on watered down health reform legislation during 10 years. The Senate cannot even be convinced to pass the bill the House barely approved.

This is an example of what we value as a people. I think it is morally and fiscally wrong.

This is what is wrong with Congress. This is what is wrong with America. This is what I think we must change if we are to survive as a nation.

 

^{Cross-posted from Daily Kos.}

 

Within the next few days, Congress will vote on a incredibly bloated $636 billion military spending bill, which includes $128 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

At this time of economic and ecological crisis, the U.S. government wants more money than ever for indefinite war and occupation.

Tell your Members of Congress: vote NO on war funding.

A recent poll showed that a majority of Americans believe the war in Afghanistan is “not worth fighting.”1

However, President Obama is sending at least 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, on top of the 21,000 he already sent earlier in 2009.

Make no mistake: our troops won't come home until we convince our Members of Congress to cut off funding for the occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Let them know where you stand today.

Tell your members of Congress: Vote NO on the fiscal year 2010 defense appropriations bill.

Notes:

1. Jennifer Agiesta and Jon Cohen, “Public Opinion in US Turns Against the War.” 8/20/09, Washington Post.

  You might have heard about how Washington is going to crack down on Wall Street banks. It was something about regulations and Fat Cats.

  Yet if you look at what is going on today, you would come to the exact opposite conclusion.

 The Internal Revenue Service on Friday issued an exception to long-standing tax rules for the benefit of Citigroup and a few other companies partially owned by the government. As a result, Citigroup will be allowed to retain billions of dollars worth of tax breaks that otherwise would decline in value when the government sells its stake to private investors.

 I bet you were starting to worry about the TARP banks, and if they could still afford to give out multi-million dollar bonuses to their executives. I know I was. Thanks to an IRS rules change, they still can.

Afternoon Edition is an Open Thread

1 Forests offer first hope out of climate deadlock

by Richard Ingham, AFP

40 mins ago

From Salon

Why is Obama still protecting Lieberman?

I am beginning to see the inevitable healthcare “compromise” as the product of a political song and dance conducted by Democrats and Republicans solely to appease various constituencies within their parties — and nothing else. Remarkably, The Onion accurately assessed the situation several months ago with the satirical essay “Congress Deadlocked Over How To Not Provide Health Care.” The Onion “quotes” Nancy Pelosi in a very smart passage:

 

Both parties understand that the current system is broken,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters Monday. “But what we can’t seem to agree upon is how to best keep it broken, while still ensuring that no elected official takes any political risk whatsoever. It’s a very complicated issue

John Burton, former state Senator of California and current official in the CA dem party, has drawn up a petition to Harry Reid which is aimed at ending the abusive tactics used by Joe Lieberman to hold the Senate and the country hostage.

It involves a simple rule change, and can be done easily.

This is the text of the petition:

As a member of the Democratic caucus, Joe Lieberman enjoys a key committee chairmanship and other plum assignments and we get next to nothing in return.

Enough is enough. It’s time to end Joe Lieberman’s reign of terror and restore democracy to the Senate by changing Rule 22 and ending the filibuster.

And you can sign it here.

Short and sweet.  Take Action.