Enhancing Freedom, Opportunity and Cooperation in
Through informing and networking Liberals and
Liberal Organizations.
Our vision is hundreds of thousands of
well-informed
Our Website Our Editor To Unsubscribe Table of
Contents * Featured Articles Calendars of Events Communication with Our Members Opportunities Petitions Commentaries from Our Members John
Burbank: Democracy: Two Steps Forward* Larry Kalb: Seattle Health Care March and Rally, 5/30* John
de Graaf: Paid Vacation Act Introduced in House* Craig Salins: Contact Congress about Health Care* Liberals and Democrats Links to the Beef State and Local Links
to the Beef Featured Advocacy Group: Health Care for All* Bye Bye Newspapers. What
Investigative Reporting? Nation and World Links to the Beef United States and European Unemployment Rates Quality and Cost of Health Care Varies Among States* Our Liberal Spirit Our Political Priorities ·
Fair Clean
Elections and Open Government ·
Fair Taxes and
Competent Spending ·
Investment for
Productivity ·
Quality
Health, Education, Jobs, Income ·
Environmental
Protection and Energy ·
Security and
Equal Rights ·
Justice and
Peace Everywhere ·
International
Cooperation and Leadership Conservatives
oppose all of these Let’s End Our National Nightmare Let’s Restore Our American Dream More on Conservative opposition to our
American Dream Washington State’s 5 Major Needs ·
Federal
Funding for Health and Education · Substitute
a Progressive Income Tax · Replacing
Conservative Legislators Quote of the Week Success Breeds Worry
Calendar of Events Schedule for Organizing for
|
Ellensburg |
5/26/2009 |
6:00:00 PM |
|
|
|
|
5/31/2009 |
6:00:00 PM |
|
|
|
|
6/1/2009 |
6:00:00 PM |
|
|
|
Sequim |
6/2/2009 |
6:30:00 PM |
Sequim Library |
|
|
|
6/3/2009 |
6:00:00 PM |
|
|
|
|
6/4/2009 |
6:00:00 PM |
|
|
|
|
6/6/2009 |
12:00:00 PM |
Whatcom Educational Credit Union |
|
Friday, May 22 at 9 PM on PBS - Bill Moyers Journal. David Himmelstein of PNHP, Donna Smith of the California Nurses Association and Sidney Wolfe of Public citizen will discuss why single payer is not “on the table.”
Wednesday, May 27 7 PM at
Friday,
May 29 at 6:30 at
Saturday,
May 30 at 12:30 PM at
Monday, June 1 at 7 PM at
Tuesday, June 2 at 5:30 at Café Racer (
Wednesday,
June 3 at 7 PM at
Saturday, June 6 at 6:30 at
Thursday, June 11 at 7:30 at Seattle
Central Library Washington Mutual Foundation Meeting Room (
Saturday, June 13 at 6 PM at
Communication with Our Members
To select the links and write the commentaries which appear in this newsletter, I scan or read each week hundreds of emails, daily, weekly or monthly publications and books, plus a few websites such as Bloomberg.com and Daily Kos. At least five for each one I use here.
I am an information processor. I try to find information concerning important topics, which not widely available. Or detailed information concerning topics that are generally only discussed superficially. I try to avoid just repeating information that is widely available.
Topics which I currently find particularly interesting include our economic collapse and attempts by the Obama administration to reform our economic system. Also the changing political scene, with Democrats becoming more powerful while the Republicans are continuing their decline. And other topics relevant to the priorities that appear on the right column of the first page of every newsletter. My major question is whether we will be able to curb the excessive influence that corporations wield through their campaign contributions and lobbyists.
The emails that I receive from members are particularly passionate concerning:
· Identifying and punishing those who have violated our constitution, particularly by torturing.
·
Eliminating our military presence in
· Single payer public health insurance or at least such an option.
I believe that all three may happen, although not quickly. Dave Thomas
Opportunities
Useful Websites: contacts, maps, community organizing tools, and more.
Access to jillions of political cartoons.
Download Sightline Institute’s climate policy primer ‘Cap and Trade 101’. About Sightline.
Conduct
your own home energy audit.
See all of President Obama’s weekly (Saturday) addresses.
Listen
to Pete Seeger singing and hear about his history of political singing (video). For more. I have a signed Pete Seeger songbook that I
got in 1945 when I listened to him sing in a
I’m a born again American (video).
Petitions
Tell President Obama to ask congress to repeal ‘Don’t Ask. Don’t Tell.’
Another petition: Tell President Obama to end ‘Don’t Ask. Don’t Tell’ policy.
Tell President Obama to remove Bush Administration Justice appointees who are abusing their power.
Tell your Senators to eliminate unwanted military pork from Iraq/Afghanistan funding bill.
Tell your House member to vote against allowing guns in national parks.
Tell your House member to vote for a strong global warming bill.
Tell your House member to vote for a global warming bill that makes polluters pay.
Commentaries From Our Members
John
Burbank: Representative Democracy: Two Steps Forward
Ronna Weltman: My Book
Hi Dave. This certainly isn't a political book, but my book comes out next week. I will have a book signing at Quiltworks Northwest/Beads and Beyond on Friday, May 29 from 10:30 to 2:30. I'll also be teaching some classes there in June (one about making beads, one about making buttons, and one about making wild wire baskets). If you want to put a plug in the newsletter, that's fine, and if you don't have room, no problem. Ronna Weltman
Larry
Kalb: Health Care March and Rally - May 30th -
March with Health Care
for All – Washington starting at 12:30 p.m. from Pratt Park (20th
& E Yesler) to Westlake Center. Why should you march?
Guaranteed Access to Care is a Birthright
Health care has become a privilege attainable by the wealthy, a benefit provided solely at the discretion of an employer, a government-subsidized insurance plan for the poor or a charitable gift based on the goodwill of others.
No Financial Barriers to Care
What good is quality care if there are financial barriers to care? We need to put to rest this ethical conflict of interest: medicine is a calling, not a business. The anxiety over health insurance eligibility, benefits, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses should never shape major life decisions or put your health at further risk. We need to trust that our best interests are at heart and not compromised by financial motives. What is at stake is a secure home, a stable livelihood and the protection of your health.
Everybody is Worthy of Care
Everyone of all walks of life
should have continuous coverage, independent of an employer and the market,
allowing you the freedom to change jobs, start a family, run your own business,
continue education, retire or even change homes, regardless of your age, the
color of your skin, the shape of your eye lids, your education or even your
income, employment or marital status. This is what the “
One Fully-Integrated Health Care Plan
One Financing System dedicated to funding medical care and
services within a fair and regulated budget so that your health will never
again compete against funding for education, public transportation or your
retirement.
Restore Control of Medical Decisions to You and Your
Doctor!
Good health is the most precious gift in life. We should never let our health be put at the mercy of the market because, as we all know, it has no mercy. Wall Street Medicine is bound by law to put the financial interests of its stockholders first…ahead of providing care for your health. This is about you and your doctor working cooperatively, as partners, rather than as adversarial buyers and sellers. Your doctor should enjoy the professional sovereignty and freedom to diagnose and prescribe treatment while you as a patient have the choice of physician, a right as important as voting and free speech.
Register
now and join Health Care for All – Washington, Saturday, May 30th
and be that change in health care reform!
Larry Kalb, President, Health Care For All –
Washington.
John
de Graaf: Paid Vacation Act Introduced in House
Research by economist John Schmitt
of the Center for Economic and Policy Research found that the
Congressman Alan Grayson (D-FL)
introduced the Paid Vacation Act of 2009, which:
·
Requires one week of paid vacation for
employees of companies with at least 100 employees. Three years after passage, the bill extends
this requirement to companies with at least 50 employees, and requires two
weeks for companies with 100 employees.
·
Covers workers after one year on the
job. Part-timers must work 25 or more
hours a week and 1250 hours per year to be covered.
“This is a very modest bill,” says
de Graaf. “But we support it
wholeheartedly and congratulate Congressman Grayson for introducing it and
helping open a dialogue about why vacations matter, how deprived Americans are
when it comes to paid time off, and why we must act now to improve the
situation.” He points out that a poll
conducted last year by TAKE BACK YOUR TIME found that half of all Americans
took less than one week of vacation last year.
A quarter of all workers receive no paid vacation time at all and the
average is less than two weeks. Meanwhile,
the number of
The poll found that 69% of
American voters would support a paid vacation law, including 75% of women, 83%
of voters under 30, and 89% of African-Americans. “Without any question, there is widespread
grassroots support for this,” says Robinson, who has been working on the issue
for a decade.
TAKE BACK YOUR TIME is seeking
endorsements of the Paid Vacation Act of 2009 from private companies, citizen
action organizations, and other groups and institutions. Please email your endorsement to: John de Graaf, Executive Director, Take Back Your Time For
more. For
more.
Craig
Salins: Contact Congress about Health Care
Grassroots
action (citizen lobbying) is needed this week on the health care issue. Health care reform is moving rapidly
through Congress. The Senate Finance Committee (chaired by Sen. Max
Baucus) intends to release a proposed bill this week - by May 22nd. House
committees are not far behind.
And guess what. They are caving in to political pressure from Wall Street
and the insurance industry.
Surprised? More than $550 million was spent on campaign cash and lobbying in 2008, by
health industry corporate players - $200 million by insurance alone. What
are they buying? - self-interest, that's what. We have to respond.
Which headline will we read this fall?
"Wall
Street reaps bonanza in revenues and profits from health care reform. Lobbying and campaign cash pays off,
terrific return on buying Congress."
Or
"Main
Street uprising brings REAL health care reform to
The
time to shape the headline and the outcome is NOW!
Skip to Take
Action (below)
Key
points and questions:
The
Congressional studies show a single-payer plan would be the most
cost-efficient, covering everyone, and cost the least. But it's hated by the
insurance industry, which is spending lavishly to influence Congress. And
for now, Congressional leaders have declared any single payer plan "off
the table" - not to be considered. (Surprised? There's no
insurance industry profit in single payer!)
For more info, read Health
care reform: Necessary features on WPC's website.
Here is what Congress IS debating:
·
Will a public plan be included as an option, in any health
care reform package?
·
Will it be a true public (non-profit) plan? Or, will
it simply pass enrollees over to private insurance? (Think "slice and
dice" of mortgages .. Wall Street has become good at that!)
·
Will a public plan be open to anyone who wants it? -
including employee groups? Or, restricted only to those who can't
qualify for private insurance?
·
Will it contain good benefits? Real choice of
any health care provider? (The health insurance industry wants only
weak competition - or none at all.)
·
Will it be affordable? (The health insurance
industry argues against any public subsidy - even though they are heavily
subsidized by taxpayers through Medicare, Medicaid, veterans benefits, and much
more!)
Also, will
insurance industry political muscle kill any reasonable plan - or shape
it to their benefit - in the back rooms of Congress where campaign cash and
lobbyists rule? They seem to have stopped single payer, and are fighting
against a public plan option, too.
CITIZEN ACTION - What to do:
·
Contact ALL federal lawmakers. Senator Cantwell is a
priority, this week.
(Contact
info is here on the WPC website .. and reprinted at the end of this
email)
Tell them: Support the interests of
·
Forward this email far and wide, to friends who worry about health
care costs and coverage, and are concerned about what Congress is doing.
·
Become a supporting member of WPC, to support our
organizing. Go to www.washclean.org
Click on "Join WPC"
·
Stay informed and involved on this issue. if we sleep, we lose.
·
Download and distribute the "What's it gonna take?" flier,
Here's
a sample message for lawmakers.
"We
need affordable health care for all, in
A suggestion from WPC: Your own call or
email - short and concise, in your own words - is much stronger than a
"Click-and-send" canned letter - although any voter action is better
than none at all. That is why, for now, WPC does not use the
"click-and-send" method. Craig Salins, Executive Director, Washington
Public Campaigns.
Darcy Burner: My
New Job
Alright, I'm finally settling into the new job in DC. I have a place to sleep, some office space for the foundation, and a mission. A key piece of that mission is making it possible for you, Friend, to more directly connect with members of Congress. So tomorrow, we're going to try an experiment: members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus in Congress are going to answer questions I give them about healthcare reform live on TV - and I'm going to get the questions from you.
They're in the thick of negotiations in the U.S. House about what's going to be in the healthcare reform package. (They are, in fact, meeting with the House leadership about it even as I type this message.) This is the perfect moment for you to let them know what you want and what you're worried about.
And now some housekeeping: if you
want to keep receiving emails about the work I'm doing with Congress and the
ways you can participate, I need you to opt-in.
If you don't opt-in you
won't be on the ProgressiveCongress.org
mailing list. By default, you will still be on my mailing list (which you have
previously opted in to), though you can opt
out of that as well. Finally, if
you think getting answers from members of Congress is a good idea, please feel
free to forward
this email! All my best, Darcy Burner
Liberals and Democrats
A Messy Week
President Obama is framing his reforms as building a New Foundation. His favorable poll numbers are staying high at 68%.
Commencement Addresses
Many
of President Obama’s addresses, including the commencement addresses he
delivered at
Torture Photos
President
Obama decided to appeal a court decision requiring the release of torture
photos, saying they would inflame opinion against our
Another Commercial Media Frenzy
While
former Vice President Dick Cheney is arguing for torture, the media has decided
to harass House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for not speaking up against torture, after
being informed about torture policy (and maybe practice) by the CIA. For more. For more. The major
villains are the Bush Administration officials who justified, authorized and
implemented torture, in an attempt to prove links between
President
Obama decided to use a modified form of military commission to try at least
some of our
Virtually
none of the
I believe the 9/11 attacks involving several dozen competent terrorists, fortunate that the Bush Administration paid no attention to threats posed by Al Qaeda, caused a hysteria and over-reaction to the threat of terrorism. Since cockpit doors were secured, hijackers cannot obtain control of a plane. I think our no fly lists are unnecessary and contrary to our freedom. I am disappointed to see the ending of easy transit across our Canadian border.
Our Senate voted 90 to 6 to bar the use of funds to transfer Guantanamo
prisoners to our U.S. There are some inconsistencies between President Obama’s speech about civil
liberties and his proposed treatment of
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Meeting with President Obama, Prime
Minister Netanyahu said that before any two-state agreement, Palestinians must
accept
Health Care Reform
Having secured his stimulus-investment package and in large part, his 2010 budget proposal, President Obama is giving congress much leeway in crafting the detailed budget. Obama comments on health care proposal (video) For more. For more. Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (a major recipient of campaign contributions from health insurers) has largely banned advocates of single-payer health insurance from health care reform deliberations. For more on campaign contributions. But I believe that enough support for single-payer health insurance exists in the house and senate that a public insurance option will be included. The major bargaining will be over the specifics of the public insurance option which affect how competitive it will be with private insurance plans. For more.
Wanting to privatize Social Security to the enormous benefit of Wall Street, Conservatives continue to claim that Social Security is fiscally untenable. In fact, Social Security is in no trouble, unless our economy continues in serious trouble, in which case all of our public and private services are in trouble. The real challenge is increasing health care costs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Health care reform is essential. While various measures can reduce costs, the biggie is elimination of private health insurance. The major question is whether it will be sooner or later that we change to the public health insurance coverage that all other affluent countries have adopted.
Once the Democrats get health care reform right, it will become as popular as Social Security and Medicare. Republicans will find it’s a third rail that they can’t reverse.
Various private health insurers, pharmaceuticals, and health providers met with President Obama to pledge to reduce the rate of increase of health coverage and care prices. But immediately began to back away from any commitments. For more. For more. For more. Some strategies to reduce health care costs.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill
Regional coal and electricity interests are weakening the greenhouse gas emissions bill. For more. For More. For More. 10 lobbying firms represent hundreds of clients.
Changing to non-carbon based energy will help our economic recovery.
Increased Mileage and Reduced Emissions
I
wondered when our administration would approve
Our administration may have various task forces forging other
initiatives. Perhaps concerning
immigration, illicit drugs, gun control, and gay rights. We don’t know of such initiatives because
it’s difficult to forge consensus publicly with divisive factions weighing in.
Two Phase Fiscal Reform
President Obama has apparently decided to not pursue various fiscal reforms that would increase taxes or reduce employment during our economic recession. He is letting the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy continue until they end in 2011. His proposed cuts in military procurement are only a small fraction of our spending upon unneeded military equipment and activity.
President Obama is proposing the closing of business tax loopholes, and the elimination of some subsidies for oil companies. I expect that more tax increases, subsidy and spending decreases will occur once our economy recovers.
Protecting Homeowners and Our Economy From
Fraud
President Obama signed two bills to protect homeowners
from fraud. The Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act
will protect Americans by:
· Increasing resources for federal investigators and prosecutors to go
after cases of financial fraud,
· Modernizing fraud and money laundering statutes to deal with the growing
wave of fraud,
· Strengthening the False Claims Act to better equip the Justice
Department to recover the proceeds of fraud, and
· Establishing a Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission to investigate the
root causes of the economic and financial crisis.
Other Happenings
President Obama chooses Utah’s Republican Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. to be Ambassador to China.
Michelle Obama speaks out for working families.
A compromise bill to ease unionization is likely to pass.
House passes green schools bill.
Let’s hope our Republicans are right. Democrats need more socialism.
What Should We
Be Doing?
It was easy to know that we should support Barack Obama for president. It was easy to support the passage of the stimulus-investment package. It is not easy to know what we should do about various possible compromises in the 2010 budget. We want a public single payer health care coverage system. But what about a compromise that only includes it as an option, with perhaps various limits, to enable private health insurance to better compete? We want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, through a carbon tax, or a cap and trade system. But what about a compromised cap and trade system? We want to regulate financial companies, financial products and financial markets. But what regulations? Many of these decisions are highly technical and have little historical evidence to guide them.
Even if we can decide what
decisions we support, how do we support them?
We should sign petitions to our president and congress members to
indicate our positions. We should focus
upon stimulating congress members who have been influenced by campaign
contributing business interest. Unfortunately,
googling the websites of our congress members reveals little about their
positions on these issues. We should
email them to ask their position and express our own. If they persist in voting for Wall Street
instead of
2010 Elections
Our decennial census will occur in 2010. Population shifts will result in 11 (mostly Democratic states) losing 12 congressional seats and 7 (mostly Republican states) gaining 12 seats. Our 2010 elections will determine whether Democrats or Republicans will be in control of redistricting congressional and state legislative districts. For more.
Here’s the Beef
Will defecting Republicans join Blue Dog Democrats to create new political party?
Life after government employment: lobbying (video).
Nancy Pelosi should have condemned Bush Administration torture proposals and practices. For more.
President Obama to use revised military commissions to try Guantanamo prisoners. For more.
Drug Czar says drug abuse should be a public health issue, not a criminal justice issue. For more.
Newly released American Clean Energy and Security Act is ineffective and unfair.
Bill Clinton’s appointment as United Nations envoy to Haiti is criticized.
Americans think U.S. should get tough on Israel to quit constructing West Bank Jewish settlements.
State and Local
Featured
Advocacy Group --- Health Care for
All – Washington -----------------
Health Care for
All - Washington advocates for secure, affordable, and comprehensive health
care coverage for all
• Affordable health coverage for everyone
• High quality preventive and restorative care
• Your choice of health care professionals
• High quality management of chronic diseases
• Information systems that can communicate throughout
the health care system
• Reduction of medical errors
• Collaboration with your health professional using
latest research evidence
• Guaranteed access to needed treatment
• Sustainability for
the state—cost-savings with individual and public accountability
Frequently
Asked Questions. For more
information: HCFA-WA President Larry Kalb puts together a weekly synopsis of different perspectives
on healthcare issues in the
Join members of 150 organizations on Saturday, May 30
at 12:30 PM at
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Payday Lending Law
ESHB 1709
was signed by Governor Christine Gregoire on Friday, May 15. The provisions in
this bill will help stop the cycle of high-cost, long-term debt by giving
payday loan borrowers more options and time to repay their loans. A national
expert on payday lending estimated that this new law could save
·
Immediate
access to a 90- or 180-day repayment plan (90 days for under $400, 180 for over
$400).
·
Limits
the size of a payday loan to 30% of a person's monthly income, or $700,
whichever is less.
·
Borrowers
may have only one loan out at a time from any lender; a database is set
up to help lenders keep track.
·
A
lender cannot loan more than eight loans to an individual in any twelve-month
period.
This new law, which goes into effect in January 2010, will keep more money in people's pockets during hard economic times, allowing more people to meet their basic needs. It was championed by Poverty Action Network.
Bye Bye Newspapers.
What Investigative Reporting?
I
subscribed to the Seattle PI until it ceased publication. Now I visit Crosscut every morning to find
whether any
We know that many mortgage foreclosures are the result of fraudulent mortgage applications. It would be useful to know who is responsible. Were 10, 30 or 50% of realtors involved? Were they associated with only a few real estate firms or most of them? Were some banks more involved than others?
Looking at publicly available foreclosures, it should be possible to identify fraudulent mortgage applications, and which real estate brokers, real estate firms, appraisers, bank loan officers and banks were involved. Why has no newspaper investigated this? Perhaps partly due to their dependence upon advertising by realtors.
Here’s the
Beef
Another commentary on our 2009 legislative session. For more. Other states also reduce services. Other states raise taxes.
Governor Christine Gregoire signs Payday Lending Law.
On July 18, light rail service will begin between Seattle and Tukwila.
Buses and light rail will share Seattle transit tunnel.
Preferred East Link Light Rail alignment.
Homelessness Prevention
and Rapid Re-Housing (HPRP) funds available to housing service agencies.
Research and technology projects may speed up Hanford clean up.
North Cascades Park improvements are proposed.
Adam Smith votes with Republicans to allow concealed weapons in parks.
Is Ross Hunter’s candidacy for King County Executive aimed at running for another office?
Darcy Burner named executive director of the American Progressive Caucus Policy Foundation.
Nation
and World
United States and
European Unemployment Rates
Quality and Cost of Health Care Varies Among States
One of the major targets for cutting health care costs should be the discrepancy of quality and costs among states. For more. In some states, better health outcomes are obtained at less cost than in other states. For chronically ill patients in their last two years of life, Medicare spends an average of $59,379 in New Jersey but only $32,523 in North Dakota. Much more is spent in Boston than elsewhere. Premature death rates (before age 75) from conditions that might have been prevented with appropriate medical care were 50 percent lower in states such as Minnesota, Utah, Vermont, Wyoming and Alaska than in the District of Columbia and states with the highest premature death rates -- Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Prescription drug use varies among states.
Often we find that the number of
providers affects the number of treatments and costs, instead of the needs for
treatments affecting the number of providers.
Comparative-effectiveness research reveals best
treatments, although Conservatives decry interfering with physician
decisions. There is unwarranted
variation in the practice of medicine and the use
of medical resources in the
Employer Anti-Union Tactics
Intimidation and Harassment. Threats and Surveillance. Interrogation and Retaliation. All
standard tactics in the employer anti-union playbook, and during the past
decade we've seen these tactics used more and more often. In a study released this week, Kate
Bronfenbrenner, director of
The study, "No Holds Barred:
The Intensification of Employer Opposition to Organizing," examines more
than 1,000 union-representation campaigns and finds that "intense and
aggressive" tactics to block workers' freedom to form unions are becoming
more commonplace. Here are a few highlights
(or lowlights) of the study:
·
During union campaigns,
bosses threatened to close plants 57 percent the time and threatened to cut
wages and benefits 47 percent of the time.
·
In more than 60
percent of union campaigns, workers are forced to attend mandatory one-on-one
sessions with supervisors and are given anti-union messages or interrogated
about their support for a union.
·
The number of
employers using 10 or more identified coercive tactics to intimidate and harass
workers has doubled.
·
When employees
actually win an election to form a union, 52 percent still have no contract a
year later, and 37 percent are without a contract two years after they voted to
join a union.
Want to
learn more? Click here to read the full
study.
Another Conflict Ended
After 25
years of vicious civil war, the
Sri Lankan government has defeated the separatist Tamil Tigers. For more. Compared to past years, only a few major
conflicts remain:
To reduce the probability of new conflicts, we must reduce global warming and counter its effects on living space and agriculture. We must reduce our population and produce sustainable water, soil and agricultural systems.
Here’s the Beef
I’m a born again American (video).
Proposed 2010 budget offers benefits to families and children.
Nuclear cleanup projects may waste stimulus-investment funds.
A 12-step program for our addiction to coal, oil and gas.
Green technology should be shared, not protected to increase profits.
Subsidies for Medicare Advantage Plans cost $11.4 billion in 2009, $43 billion since 2004.
Banks should not be allowed to speculate in or own financial assets.
Senator John Kerry says now is the time to close tax evader loopholes.
U.S. unemployment rate is now higher than unemployment rates of most European Countries.
Real ID Act of 2005 should be repealed.
Teachers attempt to protect students from commercials.
People who live in northern European socialist countries are happiest.
Our Liberal Spirit
Success Breeds Worry
We’ve had a long run of successes. Nominating Barack Obama. Electing Barack Obama. Inaugurating Barack Obama. Passing the Stimulus-Investment Package. Passing the 2010 Budget Proposal. Passing other laws. Executive orders. Administrative changes.
Now comes the messy part. Congressional sausage making. Detailed implementation of administrative commitments. Used to winning what we want, we worry about any perceived detour from our ideal. In spite of having already made more progress than we expected six months ago, we anticipate failure.
It’s time to take a deep
breath. Let’s focus upon what is
important. Let’s apply ourselves
confidently to securing the important successes in the manner that we have won
before. Let’s identify the key
persuadable players and persuade them.
Through email, phone and visits, let’s demand that our congress members
put
Let’s also remember that history is on our side. Mounting debt will force us to find affordable ways to provide everyone easy access to health care. Global warming will force us to find effective ways to reduce our consumption of carbon based energy.
Our targets today are passage of an
effective 2010 budget. Once our economic
recovery is well established, our targets will become limiting the ability of
Recommended Books – See our list of books for liberals
Charles Morris, 2008, The Trillion Dollar Meltdown. Easy Money, High Rollers, and the Great
Credit Crunch.
Jared Bernstein, 2008, Crunch. Why Do I Feel So Squeezed? (and
Other Unsolved Economic Mysteries).
Charles Morris notes that not long ago the sum of all financial assets (stocks, bonds, loans, mortgages, credit card debt and more) were about equal to global GDP. Now they are almost 4 times global GDP and financial derivatives are valued at 10 times global GDP. This soaring ratio of credit to real output is a measure of leverage or financial risk in our economic system.
Jared Bernstein claims to have a simple explanation for our economic insecurities, but I found his arguments difficult to follow.
Free Member Advertising
Hire Our Lake Hills Neighbors
· Auto Repair, price varies depending on job (but always fair), Jaime Speicher (AAS Auto Repair Technician) (425-746-2353)
· Babysitting for infants (occasional evenings and weekends) - $5 per hour- Christy Pacheco- johnpacheco01@yahoo.com 425-653-3565
· Data Entry- $10 per 12 font, double spaced page- Christy Pacheco (425-653-3565 johnpacheco01@yahoo.com)
· Debt Elimination Counseling, Seminars and Workshops – price negotiable – Sherry Brandt (206-356-8034, somerev2@comcast.net)
· Home Repair- prices vary, depending on job- John Pacheco 425-653-3565 johnpacheco01@yahoo.com)
· Home Repair and Remodeling, Rick Hegdahl (206-227-6280 vikingnw@comcast.net)
· Housekeeper, price negotiable – Laura Montano (641-5038 ambar_lau@hotmail.com)
· Life Support Therapies, Astara Burlingame RN. (MD) holistic care, acupuncture hypno therapy, biological medicines (206-370-0356)
· Private Piano Lessons (students must have a piano), afternoons - Anna Khosrowian (378-7938), price negotiable
·
Psychotherapist,
accepts insurance - Sandy Mathews
(462-7889, www.sandramathews.com)
