Go to rest of story to read Article 1 Section 8 of the US Constitution
Continue reading Cong. Dennis Kucinich: Generals have too much say over US foreign policy
Category Archives: elections
Remembering the Ohio Vote Recount
by Marybeth Kuznik, Executive Director
VotePA
Statewide Alliance for Voting Rights and Election Integrity
http://www.VotePA.us
Five years ago today the Ohio Recount started.
With election anomalies showing up all over the Buckeye State in 2004, and no “major” party candidate willing to question them, presidential
candidates David Cobb of the Green Party and Libertarian Michael Badnarik showed the courage to stand up and call for a recount as an
investigation.
On December 13, 2004 recounting began in Board of Elections offices all over Ohio. The Green Party had over 2000 volunteer observers trained and they were deployed in every one of the 88 Ohio counties. People from all walks of politics pitched in to assist and search for the truth. As one of nine statewide regional coordinators helping the Greens to prepare observers, I was in Jefferson County (Steubenville) that morning and I will never forget the feeling of being part of history. I will also not forget the feeling of being under observation by armed Sheriff’s Deputies as we observed the proceedings.
One Love Sung Around the World
Best Wishes to Our Readers and Contributors for the New Year!
Obama and the Growing Division in the Democratic Party
The Democrats’ Authoritarian Health “Reform” Bill and the Ascendency of Corporatism in the Democratic Party
by Miles Mogulescu
(This is the first of a series of blogs/articles that will try to put the growing disappointment of many progressives at President Obama’s policies into a wider political and theoretical perspective about the divide in the Democratic Party between progressives and corporatists.)
If Barack Obama and today’s Congressional Democrats were passing Social Security for the first time, instead of a creating a public program, they would likely be mandating that every American buy an annuity from a private, profit-driven Wall Street firm like Goldman Sachs (who could keep 15%-20% of their payments for overhead, profits and executive salaries) with the IRS serving as Wall Street’s collection agency. If they were passing Medicare today, they would be mandating that every American buy a health insurance policy from profit-driven companies like Aetna, Humana and Wellpoint that would start paying benefits with 40% co-pays and $10,000 a year deductibles when they turn 65.
Continue reading Obama and the Growing Division in the Democratic Party
Blue Dog Cong. Altmire Defends Senate Insurance Bailout at Beaver-Lawrence Labor Council Meeting – AFL-CIO Calls for Action
by Randy Shannon
Treasurer, PA 4th CD Chapter, Progressive Democrats of America
At the last monthly meeting of the Central Labor Council of Beaver-Lawrence Counties in 2009 a sharp difference was drawn between the corporate and labor views of healthcare reform. On Monday December 21st at 7:35pm, the meeting was called to order by President Dennis Bloom and the regular business was conducted.
Then Labor Council members and guests invited for Holiday festivities after the meeting were addressed by Frank Snyder, the AFL-CIO Representative to Pennsylvania. He brought members up to date on labor’s role and outlook in the battle for healthcare reform. He also passed out a Statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on the Health Care Bill released on Dec. 17, 2009.
The statement says: “The absolute refusal of Republicans in the Senate to support health care reform and the hijacking of the bill by defenders of the insurance industry has brought us a Senate bill that is inadequate.”
The statement pointed to three changes in the Senate bill that were necessary. A public health insurance option is needed to break the insurance companies’ stranglehold over consumers. Employers must pay their fair share. And taxing the insurance benefits of workers is not the way to pay for reform.
AFL-CIO President Trumka’s statement ends with: “The House bill is the model for genuine health care reform.”
As AFL-CIO Representative Frank Snyder finished speaking, Congressman Jason Altmire came into the meeting. Altmire took the floor and said: “The House health care bill is dead.” He said that the Senate bill is much better than the House bill and that he would like to vote for a health care bill that is more like the Senate bill.
Vigil for Peace on Earth at Beaver Courthouse Saturday 12/26 at 1:00pm
Dear Friends,
As the year draws to a close and we enjoy the holidays with family and friends, let us not forget our countrymen overseas, fighting and dying to further the dreams of empire of a wealthy elite. And let us remember the vast deprivation and horrible suffering of so many victims of this ambition.
This Christmas will mark the sixth year that our peace vigil has called upon our country to turn to peaceful coexistence with the other nations of our small planet, to bring our soldiers home, to expend our treasure to lift our people and others out of poverty, fear, and austerity.
Christmas is a special time at the vigil because it is the season of peace.
Please join us this Saturday, the 26th 1:00pm at the Beaver County Courthouse to affirm your commitment to peace on Earth and good will to all. If you can bring your own sign that says “Peace on Earth” please do.
After the vigil there will be a Holiday party with a home made lunch at our home in New Brighton. We look forward to breaking bread with you at this special time.
Physicians: Senate Healthcare Bill ‘would bring more harm than good’
Legislation ‘would bring more harm than good,’ group says
For Immediate Release
Dec. 22, 2009
Contact:
David Himmelstein, M.D.
Steffie Woolhandler, M.D., M.P.H.
Oliver Fein, M.D.
Mark Almberg, PNHP, (312) 782-6006, mark@pnhp.org
A national organization of 17,000 physicians who favor a single-payer health care system called on the U.S. Senate today to defeat the health care legislation presently before it and to immediately consider the adoption of an expanded and improved Medicare-for-All program.
Continue reading Physicians: Senate Healthcare Bill ‘would bring more harm than good’
National Nurses Union: 10 Significant Flaws in the Healthcare Bill
The 150,000 member National Nurses United, the nation’s largest union and professional organization of registered nurses in the U.S., today criticized the healthcare bill now advancing in the U.S. Senate saying it is deeply flawed and grants too much power to the giant insurers.
“It is tragic to see the promise from Washington this year for genuine, comprehensive reform ground down to a seriously flawed bill that could actually exacerbate the healthcare crisis and financial insecurity for American families, and that cedes far too much additional power to the tyranny of a callous insurance industry,” said NNU co-president Karen Higgins, RN.
NNU Co-president Deborah Burger, RN challenged arguments of legislation proponents that the bill should still be passed because of expanded coverage, new regulations on insurers, and the hope that it will be improved in the House-Senate conference committee or future years.
Continue reading National Nurses Union: 10 Significant Flaws in the Healthcare Bill
PDA and Cong. John Conyers: Senate Healthcare Bill must be altered
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| Representative Conyers Reminds the Senate that They Work for the People
The Senate voted to end debate on their healthcare legislation to move the process toward reconciling the Senate’s and House’s healthcare bills. Rep. John Conyers issued a statement in response to the Senate’s vote. Key portions of his statement follow: Last night’s vote in the Senate should be applauded for what it was: an affirmative statement by that body that comprehensive health care reform legislation should not be held captive any longer by a select few. . [However, w]ithout material changes, this legislation will be reform in name only. . I supported the House bill because it included serious provisions aimed at helping individuals who currently cannot afford to purchase health care by providing subsidies and expanding Medicaid to 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. The Senate bill passed last night does not ensure this same level of affordability .. Similarly, I supported the House bill because I believe that it is immoral to continue to allow the private health insurance industry to operate without any real checks on its ability to charge unaffordable premiums and deny needed care. That is why I believe competition, as provided through a national Medicare-like public health insurance option and the repeal of the industry’s antitrust exemption, is a necessary component of true reform. . [T]he excise tax levied on certain “Cadillac” employer-based health care plans in the Senate legislation must be altered. For years, many workers chose to forgo wage increases in exchange for helping their employers offer comprehensive health care plans. . I strongly support the House’s approach to financing health care: an excise tax on the incomes of extremely wealthy Americans. I look forward to working with the Senate and House Leadership to ensure that the final health care bill address[es] these core principles of affordability, competition, and progressive financing. . Representative Conyers has again shown that his priorities lie with the American people. In solidarity, Tim Carpenter, National Director
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Beaver County Blue: Voice of the 17th CD of Progressive Democrats of America 