http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/category_rss/safeproductsandworkplace The dialogue around health care reform has been stifled and distorted by those who profit from the current system, so I wanted to share with you a piece I wrote for the Huffington Post -- Corporate Profit Continues to Define Health Care Reform & the U.S. Race to the Bottom . Please comment on the piece, if you like. I think that employers should certainly contribute to health care based on numbers of employees, but health care should not be tied to employment.  T.R. Reid, PBS journalist who made the documentary, Sick Around the World, is scheduled to show his documentary & comment to a joint session of the Senate-House Health & Human Services Committees this Thursday, Jan. 8 at 1:30pm- 3:30pm at the Legislative Services Building (across from the Capitol at 14th St. on Sherman) in Hearing Room A. The documentary has been shown a number of times on PBS Frontline. Reid lived in other countries, including England, where he found health care to be much more accessible and affordable than in the US. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/micheleswenson/CQfg http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/micheleswenson/CQfg/commentary#comments Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:23:28 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/micheleswenson/CQfg Michele S Michele S 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQfg/ Kopel, in his opinion piece today in the Rocky Mountain News KOPEL: Web, not bias, offing papers seems to put all the blame on CraigsList and all of we who use the world wide web. Who or what do you think has caused the probable demise of the Rocky and perhaps the Denver Post as well? Weigh in with your opinion on Kopel's article . Today. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennedyjohn/CQDD http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennedyjohn/CQDD/commentary#comments Sat, 13 Dec 2008 10:36:28 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennedyjohn/CQDD John H Kennedy http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/profile_picture/5e4c96e6db734362f3_l5hmv2v71.jpg John H Kennedy 1 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQDD/ You are invited to our “Change is Coming” to Aspen community meeting!!! Progressive Future and Environment Colorado host a “Change is Coming” to Aspen community meeting on Sunday, December 14th at the Eagles’ Lodge in Aspen, Colorado from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. To RSVP, visit: http://www.environmentcolorado.org/action/other-issues/change-is-coming-aspen The event is part of a national effort by the Barak Obama Campaign for Change where activists are hosting community meetings across Colorado and the U.S. to talk about how to bring change to both Washington and their own communities. Americans voted overwhelmingly for change and a new direction this past election by electing Barak Obama. It was an historic victory, but the election was just the beginning. Join Environment Colorado and Progressive Future to reflect on the elections and create a “plan for change” for how we can reach out to our leaders and community to make change possible. Now is an historic opportunity to make progress, but only if communities work together. FULL EVENT DETAILS When: Sunday, December 14th, 2008 4 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Where: Eagles’ Lodge 700 E Bleeker St Aspen, CO 81611 Hosts: Pam Kiely, Legislative Program Director, Environment Colorado Adam Lioz, Program Director, Progressive Future To RSVP, visit: http://www.environmentcolorado.org/action/other-issues/change-is-coming-aspen   http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/environmentcolorado/CQD2 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/environmentcolorado/CQD2/commentary#comments Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:31:28 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/environmentcolorado/CQD2 Matthew Garrington Matthew Garrington 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQD2/ Isn't this what the effect on America will be- to lower our standard of living? From AP today : Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky joined other GOP lawmakers in announcing his opposition to a White House-backed bill that was approved by the House on Wednesday. He called for an alternative that would reduce the wages and benefits of the Big Three automakers to bring them in line with those paid by Japanese carmakers Nissan, Toyota and Honda. If Republicans believe in America is Number One then why are they following the lead by foreign automakers?  If we have the "highest" standard of living then why do Republican Senators like McConnell, Corker, and Shelby want to lower wages which lowers our standard of living? Republican Senator DeMint said : Well, I’m not trying to get rid of the unions, but I am saying that they appear to be an antiquated concept in today’s economy... But the political aspect of this is most of this is being done to protect unions, uh, it’s not to protect the workers. And what I want to do is make sure we have jobs for these workers and we have first-class American automobile companies. And we’re not going to do it with the barnacles of unionism wrapped around their necks. The only reason is to break unions for the benefit of companies.  If anyone had seen the nitwit commercial that showed a working dad complaining about his union because it doesn't represent his "values" it is nonsensical.  This is what Republican DeMint is making a case for- to seperate the very meaning of the word union and working individual.  What is a union but the working man and woman united in common cause? If Republican Senators want to kill Industrial America then let them filibuster the old fashioned way.  No more "gentleman's agreement" but have each and every one Republican Senator get up and talk about how much they hate Industrial America.  The America of industrial might that beat the Axis powers.  The America of industrial might that made for our middle class to be what it was from the 1950's to the 1970's.  Let the Republicans tell Americans how much they want to have another Great Depression when 3,000,000 jobs will be lost when the Big Three go from bankruptcy directly into liquidation. Remember, the destruction of 3 million jobs means that there will be vast repercussions in all sectors of the American economy.  For example, U.S. advertising will take a huge hit because the Big Three comprise over 5 percent of all advertising spending.  For example, NASCAR and NHRA will be devastated by the loss of financial support.  For example, steel and plastics industries stand to loss hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts. Republicans want to play with fire but all Americans stand to lose it all because of their petty partisan ideological driven politics of the moment.     http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQD3 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQD3/commentary#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:26:51 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQD3 Ken Ken 5 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQD3/ The head of the Congressional Oversight Panel that is overseeing the TARP program managed by the Treasury is just the latest to point out that the root of the financial problem lies in the residential mortgage market. Companies that service those loans by collecting loan payments from borrowers are not empowered to re-negotiate those loans that are at risk of default because they are not usually the underlying owners of the loan. In fact, a lawsuit has been filed by owners of securitized loans to prevent loan servicing companies from renegotiating those loans because that would require them to write down the value of their loan assets to market value. When the loan owner is a bank or insurance company, a write-down would require them to increase their capital. There are two potential approached to solving this - one is the carrot: provide loan servicing companies legal protection and some financial incentive to renegotiate mortgages with homeowners so that the loans can be refinanced at realistic market values. The other is the stick: Congress could revert to the legal protections afforded by adopting a bankruptcy law that restores the protections that were stripped away under the Bush Administration revisions done at the behest of the credit card industry. Either way, the loan would have to be written down, but TARP would provide access to the needed capital to preserve the investors from defaults on their obligations. But the reduced value of the assets would remain far greater than value that would appear after foreclosure and distressed sales, and homeowners would be able to remain in their homes. And the death spiral of declining home values that result from foreclosures could be slowed or stopped. It was the failure of the Japanese to undertake the required write-downs after the Japanese property bubble burst that dragged the Japanese economy into the gutter for a decade. The US must avoid imitating that error. The two approaches are not mutually exclusive. Both should be undertaken as rapidly as possible. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/bullwinkle/CQDQ http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/bullwinkle/CQDQ/commentary#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:33:13 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/bullwinkle/CQDQ Doc Martin Doc Martin 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQDQ/ Colorado Public Utilities Commission 1560 Broadway, Suite 250 Denver, CO 80202 Ref.: Xcel proposed rate increase December 5, 2008 Dear Sirs, I am writing you to object the rate increase that Xcel is proposing for the electric power service. I hope this letter makes it on time because the Xcel notification of their proposed rate increase just came in the mail a couple of days ago and this is also unacceptable short notice. This company has recently raised the rates already by quite a bit, they still claim is not enough and I find this very hard to believe. Also, last summer they produced unjustified blackouts California style, for tricking the people into believing that there is a reason for their unjustified rate increase. The excuse that the population grows and so does the demand is not a good excuse because although such demand does increase then their income does in proportion and even if there are capital improvements needed that is no different from what it has been all along. If Xcel does not want to look at the future and invest its own money in maintaining and expanding the electric grid, then the State should do it but it should keep ownership and only LEASE the grid to the utilities company(ies) that are willing to use it. The only justification for a rate increase would be if inflation in their unit cost occurs and in the current recession it is rather the other way and their costs are effectively deflated. As it is, they do not have any inflated costs but instead they are the ones PRODUCING the inflated prices while we suffer reduction on our income or at best freeze. I find that the State of Colorado needs indeed to get rid of Xcel altogether and go back to a decentralized and competitive system where smaller and local companies are allowed to produce and distribute electric power locally and statewide through the State grid that should be owned by the State. The cost of grid maintenance has to be shared and administered under very tight control from the State to assure it is fair and we never fall again on the current situation where Xcel monopoly puts us under their boot. The system should be what it was before the monopolies took over, taking advantage of a lenient government that gave in to the lobiest pressures to stop encouraging competition and fairness. Our government should work for us and not against us like it is doing now. If the democrats government does not go for the people than the republicans will get back the power because the people will get cynical and will withdraw participation in governemnt issues. This happened in the past and could happen again if we don't watch it. Of course we are trying to cut back on the unnecessary usage, and use alternative energy, but this is by no means a justification for Xcel to raise the rates to make more profit while delivering less of their product. At least for now, I require from Xcel that they maintain just a reasonable profit and explain where the money goes in full detail. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/juanfontenla/CQDZ http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/juanfontenla/CQDZ/commentary#comments Sat, 06 Dec 2008 10:41:37 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/juanfontenla/CQDZ User from Erie, CO User from Erie, CO 1 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQDZ/ For several years now the evidence of the Alberto Gonzales gang's manipulation of the Federal Civil Service within the Department of Justice has been well publicized. The fact that right-wing political ideologues were being approved for career professional positions based on social issue orthodoxy, rather than competence and qualifications, is yet another blight on the scandalous legacy of the current occupant of the White House. Today's report in the Washington Post reveals that this practice of burrowing right-wing political operatives into the Civil Service is also in-place in the scientific agencies. Perhaps this is the mis-administration's strategy for making permanent the Republican obsession for combating the truth of science with their twisted political and social priorities. The Center for Public Integrity is soon to release their "Broken Government" study. The fund-raising teaser release promises 120 specific cases. This kind of investigative effort to hold the Bushies accountable as the mis-administration fades into oblivion is crucial.  Revealing and acting on the depth and breadth of this conspiracy is vital to the success of any reforms and corrects to the offenses of the past eight years. The Obama-Biden Administration will be stretched and tested to uncover and flush-out these right-wing activists who have burrowed their way into the Civil Service like so many termites. The evidence of these infestations must be met with quick action. Executive appointees selected for positions above these people must be prepared to take every possible action within the laws and regulations of the Civil Service structure to either get them dismissed, or make it too hard for them to stay and accomplish their nefarious goals. Attention to the selection of the Administrator of the Office of Personnel Management will be a key to success in this area. Various Executive agency inspectors general must be supported in investigating these political opportunists. IF they are found to be substantially unqualified for the job description that they were hired to fill, then it should be clear grounds for dismissal as an unlawful appointment. The Obama-Biden appointees who are saddled with these burdens must enforce clear, precise and enforceable performance standards. When confronted with qualitative requirements to enforce and perform based upon laws and regulations that these infiltrators are likely to hold ambitions to undermine and avoid, could more easily force them to resign. Even in its demise the minions of the current mis-administration are appearing to be increasingly unwilling to follow the current occupant of the White House and the vice out of Washington. This certainly adds to the challenge and urgency of establishing the new administration's executive leadership. Too many months and too many acting, caretaker, leaders in the executive departments will make it all the harder to untangle the tentacles of the Bush parasites. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/ralphtrenary/CQDn http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/ralphtrenary/CQDn/commentary#comments Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:53:14 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/ralphtrenary/CQDn Ralph T http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/profile_picture/22970b0cb82ab5861b_e6yymv1de.jpg Ralph T 425 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQDn/ Failed U.S. health care is a major contributor to our systemic economic crisis. Indeed, the excesses of Wall St. and the subprime mortgage catastrophe mirror U.S. health care policy  – both are typified by privatized profit (for investors and insurers), and socialized risk (for taxpayers and consumers). Inflated U.S. health care costs – 16% of GDP and rising – are major contributors to an inflationary economy. Redress of this single aspect of an out-of-control U.S. economy would lift all boats. Comprehensive health care reform would improve the economic status of all, relieving health access concerns of families, individuals and businesses, large and small. So-called "legacy costs" alone, comprised largely of retiree health and pension benefits, have contributed significantly to General Motor’s negative cash flow, prompting yet another request for government bailout. In 2005, costs of health care coverage to GM amounted to $5.6 billion for 1.1 million employees, retirees and their dependents. In 2005 BusinessWeek reported that legacy costs added $1,600 to the cost of each GM vehicle. It’s time to confront the crippling economic effects of employment-linked health coverage that reduces competitiveness of businesses in the world marketplace, reduces effective employee take-home pay, and adds to the costs paid by all for goods and services (note above cost added to each U.S. -made car). State and city budgets, too, are depleted by escalating health costs for employees and retirees. Progressives leaders must do a better job of promoting civic discourse while clearly defining issues, like health care reform. Democrats shoud cease parroting right-wing framing and code words intended to distort the issue, e.g., "government health care" or "socialized medicine," as a couple of recent Colorado candidates have done. We need to refute Republican "free-market" advocacy that treats health care as a commodity to be exploited for maximum profit, with top-skimming of over 25% of health care dollars for private insurance shareholder profits, CEO salaries, excessive administrative costs, marketing, lobbying, etc. "Free-market" health care is as perverse an incentive as free-market police and fire protection would be, leaving everyone vulnerable, at the mercy of the marketplace. Barack Obama showed promise broaching issues during the campaign. He made a start at explaining the high cost of privatizing Medicare (13% higher than traditional Medicare), and the failure of Medicare prescription drug reform that prohibits negotiation of bulk drug rates, as the VA does to save money. The 2003 reform was a giveaway to insurance and pharmaceutical lobbies, with billions of dollars of taxpayer subsidies and inflated costs to benefit their bottom lines. Now is the time to make the case for an improved Medicare for All - a public insurance with true free choice of providers and hospitals. By contrast, for-profit insurance choices are narrowly limited to "in-plan" providers, necessitating change of providers with change of insurance. Comprehensive health care reform shoud be part of a broad economic remedy. U.S. health costs are almost double those of all other industrialized nations, and growing; yet we still experience worse overall health outcomes. Increasing numbers of underinsured pay escalating costs for decreasing coverage. Taxpayers currently pay for over 60% of health care costs, including 70% of legislators’ health coverage. By many accounts, that is enough to provide single-risk-pool coverage for all. In fact, single-payer health care is the only model of reform that has demonstrated in over 20 federal and state studies the capacity to save money and provide comprehensive coverage for all. It is time for reform that benefits the worker as well as the CEO. First posted on Huffington Post 11-13-08 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/micheleswenson/CQDV http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/micheleswenson/CQDV/commentary#comments Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:33:24 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/micheleswenson/CQDV Michele S Michele S 2 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQDV/ Josh Marshall: No, don't fret, we're not reorganizing as a bank holding company to access TARP funds. And relative to a lot of other companies our finances are holding up well. But we are considering funding our own micro-bailout ... well, maybe nano-bailout, of one small sliver of the financial services industry. What am I talking about? We're considering hiring a business and finance reporter-blogger. As you'd probably figure, we're not looking to gin up a TPM version of Squawk Box or have some slicked-back-haired right-winger ranting about zeroing out the capital gains tax or yelling about how undervalued the financial sector stocks are. And business and finance news wasn't something I'd really imagined TPM getting into. But we're already making plans to shift a lot of our TPMmuckraker.com resources to muckraking the financial collapse, the resultant bailout and all the shenanigans and self-dealing and new lobbying gambits. One of the things I most prize about TPM is that we've been able to stay nimble and light enough to be able to focus our resources on where the story is. And there's no getting around the fact that this is now where the story is. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQDM http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQDM/commentary#comments Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:44:05 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQDM Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQDM/ This is beyond the pale- Secretary of Treasury Henry Paulson, testifying on the House side, defended the administration's handling of the massive $700 billion bailout for the financial industry and said it should remain off-limits for Detroit, no matter how badly the automakers need help. This is what U.S. auto executives testimony on the Hill said, from AP: WASHINGTON – Detroit's Big Three automakers pleaded with Congress on Tuesday for a $25 billion lifeline to save the once-proud titans of U.S. industry, warning of a national economic catastrophe should they collapse. From the NYT: Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, the senior Republican on the banking committee, said he would not support legislation to aid the auto companies and seemed prepared to let one or all of them collapse... “Spending billions of additional federal tax dollars with no promises to reform the root causes crippling automakers’ competitiveness around the world is neither fair to taxpayers nor sound fiscal policy,” Mr. Boehner said in a statement. But for the Bush and the Republicans it is all about politics.     http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQDC http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQDC/commentary#comments Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:07:56 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQDC Ken Ken 435 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQDC/ OBAMA CITY, JAPAN :  Banners on parade and dancing in the streets with shouts in English "YES WE CAN" KENYA:  Dancing in the streets - 2 days of national holiday declared amid chants of "YES WE CAN" FRANCE:  People pour into the streets of Paris amid dancing and singing there are shouts "YES WE CAN" LONDON, SOUTH AFRICA....ALL OVER THE WORLD: The REVOLUTION has been legitimized, accepted and praised.               WE actually won the 2nd revolution for the United States of America. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/Jan/CQ88 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/Jan/CQ88/commentary#comments Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:26:59 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/Jan/CQ88 The Mad Woman http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/profile_picture/fcb34917d9fd3e3809_u806mvulr.jpg The Mad Woman 227 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQ88/ The attacks by the McCain campaign, accusing Obama of being a Socialist, sound like a reversion back to something from the 1950s. That is the way the media portrays it, as an amusing and ridiculous jab being made by a desperate campaign that is on the ropes with nothing better to offer. Even Obama's dismissive response about sharing his toys as a child seems to regard it that way. But the attack is much more insidious and subtle than that. The fact that it is being rolled out in the last week of the campaign suggests to me that the Republicans think that this is the most powerful shot left in their arsenal, and could be the game-changer they rely on to win the election at the last minute. As McPalin describe it, the socialist accusation is a claim that Obama will take "your" hard earned money and give it to "them." Given the demographics of the group that is being targeted with this pitch - blue collar and middle class whites - it is not hard to see who "they" are. Just as George H.W Bush's Willie Horton ads were not about crime, and Ronald Reagan's railing on about welfare Cadillacs was not about welfare reform, this socialist line is not about economics or even ideology. Nor is it about painting Obama as outside the main stream. It is all about stoking the residual and ill- concealed racism that remains a powerful factor in America. It is designed to evoke stereotypes of lazy, shiftless, unemployed blacks in the south and Midwest, drunk Indians in the southwest, and illegal immigrants in big sombreros sleeping in the sun, all supported by the welfare funds taken from "your" hard earned dollars. The campaign is brilliantly indirect, but it is the nastiest attack yet on Obama. It is the McCain campaign playing the race card. Maybe it is right for us to treat the attack as a throwback to McCarthyism that merely reflects on the age of McCain. Maybe the attack is too subtle and the American people too dumb to respond as the Republicans intend. Maybe America is not as racist as they think. Maybe the fall of communism makes the whole thing irrelevant. But the Republicans would not be rolling it out as their dying gasp of the campaign if they believed that. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/bullwinkle/CQ8r http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/bullwinkle/CQ8r/commentary#comments Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:29:37 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/bullwinkle/CQ8r Doc Martin Doc Martin 1 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQ8r/ The McCain Campaign is out answering the internet blogosphere again. A continuation of the policy of smoke and mirrors... "SO, Mr. McCain, what about the Economy?"   "uh, uh, HEY! Look over here...Obama stubbed his toe and he didn't bleed - proves he's a vampire!!! Afterall,we knew he had to be... He runs with alien terrorists from MARS!!!!! The Washington Post has films of the landing and met with their leader..... We are demanding right here and now....RELEASE THE FILM!!!!!" YES McCAIN and his Campaign are LIKE BUSH in one major way... They will SAY anything (LIE); They think WE are STUPID; And when all else fails, blame the Democrats! http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/Jan/CQ8Z http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/Jan/CQ8Z/commentary#comments Thu, 30 Oct 2008 05:15:10 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/Jan/CQ8Z The Mad Woman http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/profile_picture/fcb34917d9fd3e3809_u806mvulr.jpg The Mad Woman 476 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQ8Z/ Reports are coming in that Barack Obama's Colorado appearances today were record breaking. One Democratic Party insider says that the Denver Rally pulled in over 100,000 supporters. I was within a softball toss of Barack in Fort Collins. One early estimate claims 45,000 attended; it sure looked like a lot more than that to me.  The Eastern half of the CSU Oval was filled with people, and more were crowded into the Southwest quarter of the Oval. If I were priviledged enough...I would paste in one of my low-res pictures of the crowd.  But, even Barack said that the setting was incredible.  The trees surrounding the Oval were in full color. Barack's message has evolved, even from the acceptance speach at Mile High.  Focused, positive and thoroughly inspiring. I was struck by several uses of "the future" today.  Each time was full of hope and desire for the best for all Americans.  Barack's comments were on-target for a number of topics:  the economy, healthcare, primary education, secondary education, jobs and how John McCain is out of touch. The program started with a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance and an a capella performance of the National Anthem.  Betsy Markey gave one of her best speaches as did Governor Bill Ritter. Other news organizations will have a full transcript of the speach.  The press contingent was impressive.  But, news coverag does not compare to being there...being there to see the future President. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/ralphtrenary/CQ8V http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/ralphtrenary/CQ8V/commentary#comments Sun, 26 Oct 2008 18:40:01 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/ralphtrenary/CQ8V Ralph T http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/profile_picture/22970b0cb82ab5861b_e6yymv1de.jpg Ralph T 1 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQ8V/ I was just listening to former Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder on a radio show. He made a critical and brilliant observation about John McCain. His evaluation of the Sarah Palin selection rests on that decision as an indicator of how McSame would later decide on the people to fill the other leadership positions in a supposed McSame mis-administration. This is a powerful indictment of a candidate for president of the US when the nation so despirately needs a clear change of direction. The specter of Sarah Palin equivalent appointments throughout the US Executive Branch shows no chance of reforming, and certainly not reversing, the criminal excesses of the past seven years. There will be no resolution to the US Attorney firings, and little hope of removing the fraudulently hired radical right-wingers who have been peppered throughout the Department of Justice to undermine, rather than enforce, the law. This demonstrated decision-making pattern by John McCain is a screaming warning to America. No other fact shines so brightly than the selection of Sarah Palin to confirm that McSame is the incarnation of a third, and perhaps more devastating, term for the G.W. Bush policies. Considering everything you find important, think your retired relatives who will be hurt if McCain succeeds and leads America down the path of more for the wealthiest and less for the rest. Victory in the race for the White House is critical, but top to bottom electoral victories on the ballot is equally important for our communities and state. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/ralphtrenary/CZB9 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/ralphtrenary/CZB9/commentary#comments Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:22:03 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/ralphtrenary/CZB9 Ralph T http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/profile_picture/22970b0cb82ab5861b_e6yymv1de.jpg Ralph T 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZB9/ This was not the one-word headline I expected to see in this morning's Foreign Policy magazine Morning Brief email.  Similarly, the Financial Times brought gloomy articles confirming the depth of the current fiscal decline.   "Falling by more than 20 percent over seven straight trading days, the U.S. stock market's recent performance now meets the standard definition of a crash."  - FP Morning Brief, 10 October 2008   this is the first attention grabbing fact from FP.  Realistically a seven point consecutively repeated 20% downward trend line is what I've always called a "death-slide."    It's a very effective way to get the attention of executive decision-makers and mid-level managers.  I've seen motivation and attention to detail factors show a marked increase.   "Investors have lost an estimated $8.4 trillion dollars so far this year, with the Dow Jones industrial average sinking another 678 points or 7.3 percent Thursday."  - FP Morning Brief, 10 October 2008  My proposal is to add this figure to the existing National Debt burden enacted by the current occupant of the White House.  In addition to being a condemning legacy of this presidency, it should be a lesson in who, and how, to elect the next president.   Personally, I'm watching the value of my supposedly solid Federal employee Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account in a similar decline.  Holding a large percentage of my shares in a Standard & Poors 500 fund isn’t such a happy place at the moment. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/ralphtrenary/CZBF http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/ralphtrenary/CZBF/commentary#comments Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:22:20 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/ralphtrenary/CZBF Ralph T http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/profile_picture/22970b0cb82ab5861b_e6yymv1de.jpg Ralph T 1 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZBF/ Gotta hand it to Doug Lamborn to be stand tall with Phil Graham in believing Americans are "whiners".  Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008. Doug Lamborn is one of 28 Republicans to vote against this bill. Final vote tally-  Yay- 368 to Nay- 28 (all Republicans) Hey, even wingnuts Musgrave and outgoing Tancredo voted yay. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZBh http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZBh/commentary#comments Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:16:50 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZBh Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZBh/ The failure is for the Democrats to make a stand for taxpayers especially Speaker Pelosi.  As Kos duly notes : Pelosi thinks we're stupid by kos Mon Sep 29, 2008 at 07:34:43 AM PDT Pelosi : We sent a message to Wall Street - the party is over. Sure, the party is over. But we weren't invited to the party, yet we're the ones left cleaning up the mess and paying for the house they burned down. The message? There are no repercussions to your actions. The plebes will bail you out. And somehow, we're supposed to think this is a big victory? Markos ends with: ... And since half the money will be disbursed before the Obama Administration takes over, that's $350 billion that will be distributed to Bush's friends before the year is over, further stressing our nation's finances and hamstringing the Obama Administration... As for "doing something" in this crisis, there's a perception that Bush's plan is the only one. It's not. It's just that none of the others alternatives have been allowed to see the light of day. But for one, how about taxing any number of Wall Street transactions, as well as temporary increasing the tax rate for those at the highest income levels -- you know, those who have most benefited from this "party"? Make this thing revenue neutral, and my opposition melts away. From an email sent by Micheal Moore, he writes: Friends, Let me cut to the chase. The biggest robbery in the history of this country is taking place as you read this. Though no guns are being used, 300 million hostages are being taken. Make no mistake about it: After stealing a half trillion dollars to line the pockets of their war-profiteering backers for the past five years, after lining the pockets of their fellow oilmen to the tune of over a hundred billion dollars in just the last two years, Bush and his cronies -- who must soon vacate the White House -- are looting the U.S. Treasury of every dollar they can grab. They are swiping as much of the silverware as they can on their way out the door. Micheal Moore links to this report by the New York Times business journalists Jenny Anderson, Vikas Bajaj and Leslie Wayne: Even as policy makers worked on details of a $700 billion bailout of the financial industry, Wall Street began looking for ways to profit from it. Financial firms were lobbying to have all manner of troubled investments covered, not just those related to mortgages. What this means is that all of the crap of derivatives, SIV, CDO, CDL, et.al. that is just paper backed by "trust in the system" meaning each financial institution issues said paper based on internal analysis that is not reviewable by outside firms.  The most worthless of the worthless paper debt held by those corporations that now will want the U.S. taxpayer to pay at premium value- So called Level 3 debt .  Because the "trust" component has been broken between financial institutions. Moore has this to say on Dems: P.P.S. From talking to people I know in DC, they say the reason so many Dems are behind this is because Wall Street this weekend put a gun to their heads and said either turn over the $700 billion or the first thing we'll start blowing up are the pension funds and 401(k)s of your middle class constituents. The Dems are scared they may make good on their threat. That is called extortion.  But will AG Mukasey do anything? The healine on Yahoo.com's front page says it all: Bailout winners, losers The financial industry is a big winner in the proposed bailout, but not troubled homeowners. I point out that the passage from AP writer Tom Raum writes : Homeowners faced with foreclosure or those who have lost their homes get little help from the agreement. Nor will it help people whose houses are worth less than what they owe get refinancing or take out equity loans. It would do little to halt the slide in home values that are one of the root causes of the current economic slowdown. "It doesn't deal with the fundamental problems that gave rise to the problem -- or alleviate the credit crisis," said Peter Morici, an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland A band aid in which the taxpayer gives Wall Street hundreds of billions for nothing in return because it is a case of the fox guarding the hen house.               http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZMd http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZMd/commentary#comments Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:35:13 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZMd Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZMd/ The Fools on the Hill...... I love that those all-knowing Grand Wizards of all things important, sitting on the Hill in D.C., are JUST figuring out what many have known for 10 friggin' years. The so-called housing bubble, that churn and burn growth of a market based on air, was the ONLY thing propping up an economy that has needed to do an adjustment since 1998; Staved off by the Republicans in their bids to keep the sleazy corporatists going without oversight..... UNFETTERED GROWTH without any natural controls is called CANCER.... http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/Jan/CZMZ http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/Jan/CZMZ/commentary#comments Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:46:38 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/Jan/CZMZ The Mad Woman http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/profile_picture/fcb34917d9fd3e3809_u806mvulr.jpg The Mad Woman 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZMZ/ From Talkingpointsmemo.com, Josh Marshall writes : Sen. Obama is saying his spending programs may have to be delayed in light of the massive bailout bill... And remember, if Obama wins, his Treasury Dept. would be administering a lot of this. So are they planning to pay premium prices for the worthless or near worthless paper the banks are trying to dump on the public (in order to recapitalize the banks at public expense)? AP reporters Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Jeannine Aversa write : WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke bluntly warned reluctant lawmakers Tuesday they risk a recession with higher unemployment and increased home foreclosures unless they act on the Bush administration's $700 billion plan to bail out the financial industry.  David Cay Johnston, Poynter Online.com, Pulitzer Prizer winner, asks : The Administration has scared the markets and some key legislative leaders, but it has not laid out a coherent, specific and compelling need for this enormous proposal, which is the equivalent of a one-time 55 percent income tax surcharge. ( Instead the money will be borrowed, so ask from whom and how this much can be raised so quickly if the credit markets are nearly seized up with fear. ) [my empahsis-Ken] Folks this is monumental scam taking place before a complict media...if it is such a crisis then why is Nightline taking a full week on "exotic peoples of the world" of which the Monday installment was on forgotten tribes of Brazillian rainforest. There are no hard questions being asked by the media.  If there are hard questions being asked by the Senate and House respective committees why are they being held "closed door"? This, my friends, is to strait jacket the incoming president for doing anything constructive for the American people...expand SCHIP?  Sorry Mr. Bush and his cronies carted off the money.  Fix Medicaid?  Sorry Sec. Treasury Paulson scammed all those tax dollars for his high finance rollers.  Renewable energy development?  Sorry Fed. chairman Benanke said that your tax dollars are spent on the bad debt of financial institutions at buying their worthless securities at premium prices not fire sale pricing.  This is not a 700 billion USD bailout but at least a 3 trillion dollar bailout. Call your congressional representative and tell them "NO DEAL".  It is purely political that this so-called crisis happened.   Remember, Republicans will vote against whatever proposal that comes out of Congress.  They will run against it and win because this is a "win-win" for them in November. It is time for Democratic groups to start running ads on framing this "crisis" as a "Republican crisis".  But...they won't.   http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZMV http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZMV/commentary#comments Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:30:40 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZMV Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZMV/