Cong. Ron Paul Criticizes US Neocon Warmongering against Iran
The top ten things you didn’t know about Iran
by Dr. Juan Cole, President of the Global Americana Institute
Oct. 1, 2009
Belief: Iran is aggressive and has threatened to attack Israel, its neighbors or the U.S.
Reality: Iran has not launched an aggressive war in modern history, and its leaders have a doctrine of “no first strike.” This is true of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as well as of Revolutionary Guards commanders.
Belief: Iran is a militarized society bristling with dangerous weapons and a growing threat to world peace.
Reality: Iran‘s military budget is a little over $6 billion annually. Sweden, Singapore and Greece all have larger military budgets. Moreover, Iran is a country of 70 million, so that its per capita spending on defense is tiny compared to these others, since they are much smaller countries with regard to population. Iran spends less per capita on its military than any other country in the Persian Gulf region with the exception of the United Arab Emirates.
Continue reading The top ten things you didn’t know about Iran
Send a fax to PA Senate Key Republicans to Vote for Budget
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved a state budget revenue plan late Friday night and sent that bill to the Republican-controlled Senate for concurrence. The Senate is scheduled to vote on Monday.
While this budget is far from perfect, it is the best we can hope for this year. It creates a more stable funding plan for most essential services for our state’s families, seniors and children. It includes a $300 million increase for basic education funding that will provide some relief for local school districts.
Tell the Senate to pass the budget on Monday.
http://www.keystoneprogress.org/page/speakout/pabudget2
The revenue plan also includes the following changes that shift the burden away from non-profit and community organizations, and on to polluters and tobacco products:
- Eliminates the proposed tax on the arts and museums.
- Eliminates the proposed tax on small games of chance run by non-profit groups like the American Legion, churches and other community groups.
- Imposes a severance tax on natural gas drilling. This will bring in over $100 million a year from this highly risky, polluting industry. The money will go to the general fund as well as to the counties and municipalities where the drilling occurs, and to low income heating and energy assistance, and to the Environmental Stewardship and the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund.
- Imposes a tax on cigars and smokeless tobacco that will bring in over $50 million a year. PA is the only state that taxes cigarettes that doesn’t tax these products.
Michael Moore and Nurses Lead AFL-CIO March for Single Payer
On the Ground in Afghanistan – FUBAR
‘We’re pinned down:’ 4 U.S. Marines die in Afghan ambush
Jonathan S. Landay | McClatchy Newspapers
last updated: September 08, 2009 09:17:09 PM
GANJGAL, Afghanistan — We walked into a trap, a killing zone of relentless gunfire and rocket barrages from Afghan insurgents hidden in the mountainsides and in a fortress-like village where women and children were replenishing their ammunition.
“We will do to you what we did to the Russians,” the insurgent’s leader boasted over the radio, referring to the failure of Soviet troops to capture Ganjgal during the 1979-89 Soviet occupation.
Civil Disobedience for National Healthcare at Aetna Death Panel Office in New York City
17 Held in Protest Outside Health Insurer’s Offices
By Colin Moynihan
September 30, 2009
Published by The New York Times.
…in Midtown Manhattan on Tuesday morning, a different sort of health care protest took place, led by left-leaning groups who accused insurers of greed and called for nationwide, single-payer health insurance.
Congressional Progressive Caucus Stands Firm for Robust Public Option
Public option — accept nothing less
By Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.)
09/22/09 05:26 PM ET
Reforming healthcare is more than angry town halls and political rhetoric thrown around cable news shows and in the halls of Congress. It is a serious matter that requires serious solutions. Members of Congress have an obligation to make access to healthcare affordable and accessible and take control of the ballooning costs. These skyrocketing costs are consuming budgets, overwhelming families and crippling our nation’s resources.
For decades, this country has endured a broken system that restricts and denies coverage when individuals need it most. Everyday, my office hears heartbreaking stories of individuals and families losing their insurance due to pre-existing conditions, bankruptcies and the exorbitant cost of care. Even for those with “good quality” healthcare coverage, the premiums alone force many to choose between medication or food on the table.
Continue reading Congressional Progressive Caucus Stands Firm for Robust Public Option
Why the Current Bills Don’t Solve Our Health Care Crisis
by Michael Moore
Sept. 29, 2009
Now we know why they’ve stopped calling this health care reform, and started calling it insurance reform. The current bills advancing in Congress look more like rearranging the deck chairs on the insurance Titanic than actually ending our long health care nightmare.
Some laudable elements are in various versions of the bills, especially expanding Medicaid, cutting the private insurance-padding waste of Medicare Advantage, and limiting the ability of the insurance giants to ban and dump people who have been or who ever will be sick.
But, overall, the leading bills and the President’s proposal are, like the dog that didn’t bark, more notable for what is missing.
Here are 13 problems with the current health care bills (partial list):
Continue reading Why the Current Bills Don’t Solve Our Health Care Crisis
South Heights Borough Council Resolves to Support HR 676 Medicare for All
by Randy Shannon
Sept. 28, 2009
Sept. 28, 2009
The Borough of South Heights, PA recently passed a resolution calling on Congress and PA 4th CD Congressman Jason Altmire to support HR 676 – the National Health Care Act.
The resolution was introduced by Borough Council President Robert Schmetzer. It was signed by Mayor Richard Tranter. Mr. Schmetzer said: “There are numerous residents of South Heights who have cancer and other serious illnesses and cannot afford to pay for medicine.
Other residents have pre-existing conditions that make it difficult to buy a decent insurance policy. Those who are not rejected outright will be rated which will raise the cost of a policy up to $2,100.00 per month.”
“The insurance companies have everything set up in their favor. The people have to win one. We need national healthcare now.”
Continue reading South Heights Borough Council Resolves to Support HR 676 Medicare for All
Beaver County Blue: Voice of the 17th CD of Progressive Democrats of America 