http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/03052010/watch.html
March 5, 2010
Bill Moyers sits down with former insurance executive turned public health advocate Wendell Potter, who argues that all is not lost in the healthcare bill and details what he likes about the legislation.
As Democrats in Congress and the President move forward on health care reform, giant health insurance companies are back in the news, and they aren't winning many friends.
~An investigation into how campaign cash is corrupting America's courts~
February 19, 2010
(VIDEO)
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/02192010/watch.html
Reaction of political groups was immediate.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/judicial/2010-01-21-campaign-spe...
"This decision allows Wall Street to tap its vast corporate profits to drown out the voice of the public in our democracy," said Bob Edgar, president of Common Cause, a group that favors limits on campaign spending and vowed to push swift passage of legislation in Congress to publicly finance congressional elections.
I am including Marcy's name on the tag because some of these donors show up on her lists.
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A retired Florida couple would appear an unlikely source to have given $83,000 in campaign donations over a five-year period to members of Congress from all over the country.
Both in their 80s, they lived in a $118,000 Daytona Beach house they didn't own; they each voted only twice since 1992; and they seemed to lack the financial means to make the contributions.
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/dec/23/lobbyists-kin-unlikely-campa...
Columbus Dispatch does not like the PMA Scandal in their editorial yesterday. Kaptur is rightfully singled out.
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Earmarks, the amendments that members of Congress attach to bills to fund special projects in their districts, are sometimes money well-spent -- for innovation, capital improvements and job creation.
But many earmarks are wasteful. Slipped quietly into unrelated bills without discussion or debate, they result in millions of taxpayers' dollars spent on projects that are frivolous. And sometimes they're dirty.
I am a bit late on posting this but this is Sherrod Brown's response to my request for him to vote no on the healthcare reform proposal.
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Dear Mr. Myers:
Thank you for sharing your views on health reform.
WASHINGTON- Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) made the following statement after President Obama’s speech at West Point this evening.
Just sickening. When Congress speaks, they are literally using the works of Corporate America.
"In the official record of the historic House debate on overhauling health care, the speeches of many lawmakers echo with similarities. Often, that was no accident.
Statements by more than a dozen lawmakers were ghostwritten, in whole or in part, by Washington lobbyists working for Genentech, one of the world’s largest biotechnology companies." (continued)
Is anyone going to the Tea Party tomorrow, in Congress? Rep. Bachmann, (R. Minn.) is leading a national Tea Party inside Congress, so ordinary citizens can go to individual Congresspersons' offices and deliver messages in person, messages our officials just don't seem to understand. Starting time is noon.
A computer gaffe has revealed some of the secretive workings of the House ethics committee, including preliminary inquiries into complaints against 19 members and some of their staff. The accidental disclosure, made by a staffer who was later fired, sent a bipartisan jolt through Congress, which is already wary about new and long overdue mandates for greater ethical transparency.
Before taking control of the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, "Democrats intend to lead the most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history." However, with dozens of mostly Democratic lawmakers and various staff under investigation by the House's twin ethics bodies, the majority clearly values political power over clean government.
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/nov/02/old-school-corruption/?feat=...
COLUMBUS—Ohio House Republican Leader William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) today was joined by his fellow caucus members in signing and delivering a letter to Governor Strickland, regarding their deep concern of the federal government’s universal health care plan.
UPDATE 2-Dem bill urges new US powers over financial firms
Tue Oct 27, 2009 8:16pm EDT
* Financial Services Oversight Council would be set up
* Treasury would head council to monitor, address risks
* Federal Reserve, FDIC would get new authorities
* Obama says bill urgent, crucial (Updates with Obama letter to Frank)
By Kevin Drawbaugh and Rachelle Younglai
Back in September while giving a speech to Congress concerning Health Care, President Barack Obama was heckled by Senator Joe Wilson. Senator Wilson yelled out to the president, "you lie."
Well, last week after reading Steve Steel's Guest Column in the Sojourner's Truth newspaper, I shouted out to Steve Steel, "you lie." Well, this week I was joined by Jack Ford, Toledo Public School Board member.
COLUMBUS—State Senator Jon Husted (R-Kettering) introduced an important resolution this week that calls on leaders in Washington to reduce barriers in elections law that negatively impact the ability of our nation’s military personnel and other Americans located overseas to register to vote and cast a ballot.
“Current voting procedures, both at the state and federal level, fail to recognize the unique logistical and geographical challenges that the dedicated men and women in our armed forces and other Americans living overseas face in order to exercise their right to vote,” said Husted.
October 2, 2009
Agency Plans for Visa Push by Residents Made Legal
By JULIA PRESTON
Although President Obama has put off an immigration overhaul until next year, the federal agency in charge of approving visas is planning ahead for the possibility of giving legal status to millions of illegal immigrants, the agency’s director said Thursday.
From the site:
This is a breakthrough project that can literally change the way that legislation passes through the US House of Representatives from now on. Similar to the second provision of our Responsible Health Care Reform Pledge, House Resolution 554 would amend the House Rules to require that all non-emergency legislation be posted on the Internet for 72 hours before it could be considered on the House floor.
Budget chief contradicts Obama on Medicare costs
By ERICA WERNER (AP) – 4 hours ago
WASHINGTON — Congress' chief budget officer is contradicting President Barack Obama's oft-stated claim that seniors wouldn't see their Medicare benefits cut under a health care overhaul.
The head of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Douglas Elmendorf, told senators Tuesday that seniors in Medicare's managed care plans would see reduced benefits under a bill in the Finance Committee.
The bill would cut payments to the Medicare Advantage plans by more than $100 billion over 10 years.
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Public Law 107-89
107th Congress
Joint Resolution
Amending title 36, United States Code, to designate September 11 as
Patriot Day. <>
Whereas on September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four civilian
aircraft, crashing two of them into the towers of the World Trade
Center in New York City, and a third into the Pentagon outside
Washington, D.C.;
Whereas the fourth hijacked aircraft crashed in southwestern
“During the August district work period, I attended numerous meetings across the Fifth District and met with hundreds of constituents who made it clear that they are unhappy with the way Congress is conducting the current health care debate. Democrat Congressional leadership continues to rush health care legislation through both chambers, with no real explanation.
