yallerdawg

yallerdawg's Journal

June 30, 2016

Paul Ryan Shows That He Is Completely Terrified Of House Democratic Gun Protests

PoliticusUSA, Jason Easley

*****
Republicans need to stop playing games because the American people aren’t stupid. Democrats aren’t going to stop their protests because he allowed a vote on a bill that was written by the gun lobby.

Speaker Ryan saw how effective the Democratic sit-in was, and he is absolutely terrified that Democrats are going to come back next week and shut down the House with another protest. Republicans know that they are defying the majority of public opinion on guns, so Ryan is setting up a show vote in an attempt to win the PR war.

The bad news for Ryan is that Democrats have already won, and they are not going to be satisfied with a vote on a bill that addresses none of the concerns of the American people.

It looks Speaker Ryan is shaking in shoes because Democrats are set to rock the House with more civil disobedience.

Read it all at: http://www.politicususa.com/2016/06/30/paul-ryan-shows-completely-terrified-house-democratic-gun-protests.html

Let your Reps and Senators know we stand with the Democrats in the House and the Senate!

Let Speaker Ryan know!

We got to make them fix this! "No fly, no buy"!

June 29, 2016

Elizabeth Warren Just Showed Why She’d Be An Amazing Veep

Politicus USA, Judith Bell

*****
Warren rightly called out Donald Trump’s selfishness in cheering for Brexit, “What kind of a man does that? What kind of a man roots for people to lose their jobs, to lose their homes, to lose their life savings? I’ll tell you what kind of a man: a small, insecure, money grubber who fights for no one but himself. What kind of a man? A nasty man who will never become president of the United States.” Wow, one can hear the whistle of a missile being aimed and launched right at the heart of the Trump enterprise, and exploding right on target. That was an utterly devastating takedown, and Trump knows it.

If Hillary Clinton goes with Elizabeth Warren, she has everything to gain: excitement, new voter enthusiasm among the liberal base, and a Vice-President who can back her up where it matters most on policy issues. It would be a total landslide in the electoral college if Warren is chosen, and show that it’s not an aberration for two women to run together on a presidential ticket. If two men can run together on the ticket, why not two women? It’s time to dream big here and go for it with Clinton-Warren ‘16!

I think it’s about time this country has women at the very top of the ticket, more women in the Senate and the House, and make our country a more kinder, gentler, and a better place to be that supports all Americans from every background and lift them up to a better future.

And that is precisely why I’m hoping we’ll see a Clinton-Warren ‘16 ticket very soon!

http://www.politicususa.com/2016/06/27/warren-showed-shed-amazing-veep.html

June 28, 2016

Elizabeth Warren Is Gathering A Democratic Army To Defeat Donald Trump

PoliticusUSA, Jason Easley

During an interview on The View, Sen. Warren (D-MA) said, “You know, the way I see it is the Republicans waited way too late to go on the attack after Donald Trump, and they waited until he had basically seized the nomination and then a bunch of them are saying: Oh my God, that man is not ready to be president of the United States. That man is dangerous. That man holds a bunch of views that are really horrible views, but it was too late for the Republicans. Well, my view on that is, I’m not waiting. I waded in on Donald Trump. Now’s the time to go after him. You bet.”

Warren is correct. Democrats have learned from the mistakes of the Republican Party. They aren’t falling for Trump’s tabloid style tactics. They aren’t kidding themselves that Trump is a fad, or that he will go away. Democrats are taking Donald Trump seriously, which is why they are coming after him early and often.

The worst mistake that Democrats could make would be to be complacent with Trump. Most Republicans thought Trump could never win, and now he is their presidential nominee. Democrats need to hit Trump early and often. Most importantly, they can’t let up until the job is done.

Donald Trump isn’t a joke. He is the Republican nominee for president. Sen. Warren has it figured out. Trump is dangerous, which is exactly why Democrats should be relentless on him though Election Day.

June 25, 2016

TransCanada Files $15B Nafta Claim on Keystone XL Rejection

Bloomberg, Jennifer A Dlouhy

Let's see how it works, shall we?

TransCanada Corp. is seeking to recoup $15 billion for the Obama administration’s rejection of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, in a legal claim that highlights how foreign companies can use trade deals to challenge U.S. policy.

The Calgary-based pipeline operator filed papers late Friday seeking arbitration under the North American Free Trade Agreement, arguing that TransCanada had every reason to believe it would win approval to build Keystone XL. Instead, President Barack Obama last November determined that the pipeline, which would have carried Canadian oil sands crude to the U.S. Gulf, was not in the national interest. In response, TransCanada in January vowed to use arbitration provisions in Chapter 11 of Nafta to recover costs and damages.

The company said the U.S. spent seven years delaying a final decision on the project with multiple rounds of “arbitrary and contrived” analyses and justifications.

“None of that technical analysis or legal wrangling was material to the administration’s final decision,” TransCanada said in Friday’s filing. “Instead, the rejection was symbolic and based merely on the desire to make the U.S. appear strong on climate change, even though the State Department had itself concluded that denial would have no significant impact on the environment.”

More at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-25/transcanada-files-15b-nafta-claim-on-keystone-xl-rejection

June 25, 2016

Why progressives should rescue the TPP trade deal

Not your 20th Century trade deal.

Source: The Conversation, Emily J. Blanchard, Associate Professor, Dartmouth College

Emily J. Blanchard does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above.

Many doubted that the negotiations would protect workers’ rights and the environment, without letting multinationals write the rules of the game. Perhaps surprisingly, the final agreement largely delivers on its progressive promises, with solid labor and environmental protections that are unprecedented in a major trade deal.

The TPP’s new rules would achieve a high-water mark in global efforts to abolish child labor and gender discrimination, protect collective bargaining worldwide, curb trade in endangered species and conserve critical marine resources. Even the much lambasted “investor-state” provisions would modestly walk back existing rules, in favor of national governments over foreign firms.

The TPP’s promise of a new progressive rule book – one that includes enforceable agreements against child labor and workplace discrimination, measures to punish illegal logging and trade in protected species, and protections against consumer fraud – would mark a substantial step forward in the progressive policy agenda on the global stage.

But continuing mechanization and inevitable changes in what America is best at making will cause far more job displacement than proposed tariff cuts ever could, especially from the U.S.’ already very low tariff rates. Refusing to sign the TPP won’t stop these ongoing and seismic shifts in the global workforce. Serious pro-worker policy proposals needs to begin by acknowledging this truth.

Much more at: http://theconversation.com/why-progressives-should-rescue-the-tpp-trade-deal-60304

June 25, 2016

Alabama Medicaid shortfall.

The state Medicaid Agency has concluded the legislative hearing presentations. The $85,000,000 shortfall remains in place. The most significant cost-cutting measure proposed has been to stop providing adult prescription medicine.

The budget presentations did offer one set of repetitive facts the Republicans made no mention of that bears repeating: Administrative cost - 4% of budget. Profit (or "reserves" for so-called non-profits) - 0%.

I wonder how that compares to BCBS?

Oh - and still no Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion. Thank you, Supreme Court.

http://medicaid.alabama.gov/CONTENT/2.0_newsroom/2.5_Presentations.aspx

Medicaid program cuts became more likely after the Alabama Legislature adjourned its annual session May 4 without providing the additional funds needed by the Alabama Medicaid Agency to maintain its current operations and reform its existing fee-for-service system.

Alabama Medicaid Commissioner Stephanie Azar emphasized that without additional funding, the Alabama Medicaid program will have to make significant changes.

“I think it’s important for Medicaid providers and recipients to prepare for the impact of these cuts, because this is the budget for Medicaid at this point in time,” she added.

Governor Robert Bentley had asked for $785 million from the General Fund to continue the existing Medicaid program without payment reductions to primary care physicians and other cuts and to move forward with the Agency’s transformation initiative. The Legislature appropriated $700 million to the Agency from the General Fund and later overrode the governor’s veto of the $1.8 billion budget.

http://medicaid.alabama.gov/news_detail.aspx?ID=10509

June 25, 2016

After Orlando, slight cracks in gun-rights' grip on Congress

Baby steps.

Enough? Republicans tell us none of this will work or make us safer.

Democrats disagree!

WHAT'S DIFFERENT

On Thursday, eight Senate Republicans — an unusually high number — backed an NRA-opposed compromise barring guns to some suspected terrorists.

It cleared a procedural vote 52-46 but fell short of the 60 votes it would need to survive a filibuster. Most Republicans opposed it, saying it lacked adequate protections for people erroneously on federal lists of terror suspects.

The eight Republicans included the proposal's chief author, moderate GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who's taken on the NRA before but this time found pragmatists from both parties as co-sponsors. Several are gun owners and one was Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., who often backs the NRA and faces re-election in 2018.

Three Republicans who supported Collins have tight re-election fights this year. One, New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, also voted this week for a more sweeping measure resembling one she'd opposed just seven months ago.

Keep the heat on our Congresspersons! Email, call, write letters, face book, tweet!

Enough! We can fix this!

June 24, 2016

Key facts about partisanship and political animosity in America

Pew Research Center, by Carroll Doherty and Jocelyn Kiley

The 2016 presidential campaign has highlighted the deep partisan divisions in the United States. A new Pew Research Center report finds that Republicans and Democrats now have more negative views of the opposing party than at any point in nearly a quarter century. These sentiments are not just limited to views of the parties and their policy proposals; they have a personal element as well.

Many Democrats and Republicans associate negative characteristics with members of the other party – and positive traits with their own. Fully 70% of Democrats say Republicans are more “closed-minded” than other Americans. Nearly as many Democrats (67%) say their fellow Democrats are more “open-minded.”

In choosing a party, disliking the policies of opponents is almost as powerful a reason as liking the policies of one’s own party. Majorities of both Democrats (68%) and Republicans (64%) say a major reason they identify with their parties is that their policies are good for the country. But about as many – 62% of Democrats and 68% of Republicans – say a major reason is that the other party’s policies are bad for the country.

Much more at: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/06/22/key-facts-partisanship/

June 22, 2016

Lone Alabama Democrat at House Sit-In!

"In good company"! Our Terri Sewell with John Lewis and Elizabeth Warren! That's a keeper!!!

More at: https://twitter.com/RepTerriSewell

June 21, 2016

THE NEW Senate Bipartisan Gun Control Proposal

From C-SPAN

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and a bipartisan group of senators unveiled the Terrorist Firearms Prevention Act of 2016, which would prevent people on the No Fly List or the Selectee List from purchasing firearms.

Mitch McConnell has said he will give this a vote!

Terrorist Firearms Prevention Act of 2016

The bipartisan “Terrorist Firearms Prevention Act of 2016” would prevent people who are on the No Fly List or the Selectee List from purchasing firearms. If our government has determined that an individual is too dangerous to fly on an airplane, that person should not have the opportunity make a legal firearm purchase. Due process principles require that Americans denied their right to purchase a firearm under this provision have the opportunity to appeal this denial to a federal court.

What the Amendment Does:

1. Gives the AG the authority to deny firearms sales to individuals who appear on the No Fly List or the Selectee List.

2. Provides a process for Americans and green card holders to appeal a denial in U.S. Court of Appeals and to recover their reasonable attorneys fees if they prevail.

3. Sets forth a procedure for protecting classified information during the appeal.

4. Protects ongoing FBI counter-terrorism investigations by giving the AG the discretion to allow gun sales to go forward to individuals covered by this Act.

5. Includes a “look-back” provision that ensures prompt notification to the FBI if a person who has been on the broader Terrorism Screening Database (TSDB) within the past five years purchases a firearm.

Another chance to email and call your senators to support this legislation - Senator Collins "No Fly, No Buy" amendment!

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