Posts with the tag Congress

Religion vs. Parties

Gene Madison — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:33:25 EST

Seeking Thoughts… Please, respond if you have the opportunity.

What is the Difference between a Government whose laws do not respect religion, and a Government whose laws respect religion?

It would seem that the laws need to be broken down in order to determine the truth. Between those who do, and those who don’t. Sounds pretty simple, except there are a lot of Governments who do respect religion, and very few that do not. (Including our own)

Religion isn’t just about what God you believe in. If that were the case, then I think it would be obvious to say that everyone believes in God, and some do not believe a God exists. But if you think of God as nature itself, then everyone would believe in God, because I don’t think nature is a deniability. So now, assuming God IS nature, responsible for life itself… Creating the heaven and the Earth, animal and man, etc. etc.

Obama Cuts Radio Ad for Carmouche [LA-4th]

Mike W, Tulsa+ — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:34:37 EST

Obama Cuts Radio Ad for Carmouche
By Chris Cillizza | December 2, 2008; 12:30 PM ET
Washington Post, Politics blog
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/12/obama_cuts_radio_ad_for_carmou.html

President-elect Barack Obama has recorded a radio ad that will hit the airwaves today in support of the Democratic House candidate in a Louisiana runoff, a sign, his advisers argue, that he is using his political power to help expand the party's majority in Congress.

In the ad, a copy of which was obtained by The Fix, Obama urges a vote for Caddo Parish District Attorney Paul Carmouche who is facing off against physician John Fleming in a runoff this Saturday for the Shreveport-area seat vacated by Rep. Jim McCrery (R).

"To change America and to get Louisiana's economy back on track -- I need leaders like Paul Carmouche working with me in Washington," Obama says. "Paul Carmouche is the kind of leader we need in Washington...to make a difference for the people of Northwest Louisiana." (Full script is after the jump.)

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complete copyrighted story at link above

Cliffhanger in a Sea of Blue: Charlie Brown (D) Refuses to Give up in California's 4th Congressional District

Michael Collins — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:11:54 EST

Cliff Hanger in a Sea of Blue

California's 4th Congressional District, Republican since 1992, combines
vast regions, sparsely populated, and growing suburbs and exurbs.

Charlie Brown (D) Refuses to Give up in California's
4th Congressional District

Michael Collins
"Scoop" Independent News

California turned blue with a vengeance in the 2008 presidential election. President-elect Obama's 61% majority plus a 78% turnout rate statewide was enough to strip the Republicans of all but one county with a significant population.

The "blue tsunami" started in San Diego County at the southern tip of the state and flowed up the Pacific coastal counties through Mendocino. The only county with a major population that remained loyal to the Republicans was Orange County, the former center of right wing politics in the Golden State, and that was by a mere 2.6% McCain margin.

Yet, the 4th Congressional District is still counting votes with a too-close-to-call election. John T. Doolittle (R) retired this year after holding the seat since 1992. Democrat Charlie Brown took a second run for the seat, having lost to Doolittle in 2006 by just 3 points. In 2008, Brown received nationwide support from high profile veterans and veteran's groups and was well funded from a variety of sources.

PA-05: McCracken for Congress -- Staying Positive with a Message of Hope and Change

Victor M. Ordonez — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:48:33 EST

There really isn't a lot left to say as we head into the final 24 hours of the campaign. First, and most important, Kelly, Amanda and I want to thank everyone who has helped in any way with the campaign. The one thing I will take away from this experience, regardless of the outcome on Tuesday, is the people I've met, the communities I've visited and the stories we've shared.

It has also been encouraging how many people have stepped up over the last 2 weeks to help with donations to the campaign. Once our opponent got desperate and decided to go negative there were many people and organizations who stepped up and sent in late donations. These late donations allowed us to expand our media advertising and create a second TV ad to combat the distortions coming from our opponent's campaign.

PA-05: McCracken for Congress -- Working the Final Week to Take Back Our Future

Victor M. Ordonez — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:52:23 EDT

The campaign schedule has been pretty intense over the last week and will continue to be so until the BIG day on Tuesday, November 4th. I want to congratulate everyone for putting so much effort into this year's election, not just for an individual campaign, but for the entire Democratic ticket. I've seen people in every community throughout the 5th district working to make sure the message is getting out.

I want to remind everyone it is important that we finish strong. Don't take anything for granted, ignore the polls and work like the polls show our candidates 5 points down. Remember, while all indications show Barack Obama will be our next president, if we believe the polls, Al Gore would be concluding his second term or we would be working to re-elect President John Kerry right now.

PA-05: McCracken for Congress -- Come January 2009, We Must Remember What The American People Expect

Victor M. Ordonez — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:21:38 EDT

Earlier this week I received an email from a 5th district voter with very strong pro-life beliefs who would like to vote for me. She told me via email that she is comfortable that I am Catholic and my stance on pro-life issues is similar to that of Sen. Robert Casey. She feels it is very likely Barack Obama will be elected President and the Democratic Party will gain seats Congress. Where her concern lies is what actions a newly inaugurated President Barack Obama and a United States Congress with a strong Democratic majority will take after January of 2009. She is afraid there will be a far left agenda that will attempt to overturn pro-life initiatives put into effect like the ban on partial birth abortions.

In my response back to her, I explained that my agenda when I arrive in Washington will be exactly what I've been campaigning on. I want to concentrate on fiscal responsibility, a national energy policy that stresses domestically produced alternative fuels, health care and health insurance reform, saving and strengthening Social Security, rescinding No Child Left Behind and bringing our troops home from Iraq. I also mentioned that I will not stand for Congress losing sight of what the agenda must be -- solving the problems important to the middle class.

PA-05: McCracken for Congress -- Who is Responsible for the Financial Crisis?

Victor M. Ordonez — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:06:39 EDT

Not surprisingly, we are seeing on TV and across the nation a strong and sometimes vicious debate erupting about who or what is to blame for the financial meltdown that is impacting not only our domestic markets but world markets as well. This was also a hot subject at the debates and forums held this week for the candidates in the 5th district race.

It is very troubling to see certain people on the national scene attempt to blame this crisis on people who took out mortgages they could not afford. We are also hearing criticism that federal government policies put in place during the 90s to encourage home ownership by low income minorities was a major factor in the crisis.

ACORN VOTER FRAUD: Is Your Vote Safe?

Democrat in Swanton, OH — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:11:07 EDT

ARE YOU PROTECTED FROM VOTER FRAUD?

YES. Did you know State & Federal Election Law works:

1. Registrations are due 30 days before an election.
2. Federal Law requires that all registrations are verified to have the correct name and I.D. # (SSN or State ID) on them.
3. If a voter registration doesn't verify, then no vote can be made.
4. Deceased and multiple voter registrations are cleaned from systems.

THE SYSTEM WORKS

Contrary to some things in the media as of late, a voter registration for a 13 year old would never make it past the system. They wouldn't be able to vote.

Why are all these new stories spinning?

Because of a fake "consumers advocate" organization, called the Consumers Rights League.

Consumers Rights League is the same "consumers advocate" organization that lobbied for deregulation of banks:

- to give loans to the poor for "community reinvestment"
- work against a Bill that would force credit card companies to have a set merchant interest rate (Visa was also against this)
- AND NOW they are lobbying against ACORN even though ACORN's voter registrations don't increase election fraud (false voting).

WHY? Because they are protecting the interests of predatory lending institutions and want Republicans in office. Democrats will cause more regulation. They in no way work for the best interests of the citizens. They work for banks. Just go to their website & look at their past reports that want greater deregulation in the name of "consumers" (listed down right side of their website). www.ConsumersRightsLeague.org

The Consumers Rights League has gotten the news out about ACORN, which Republican media grabbed onto because it's beneficial to them... to block poor, black votes (Democrat votes). They've made the public be afraid that election fraud is going on. They've made it sound like targeting groups for voter registrations is illegal, but it's not. Both parties do it. Both parties have 3rd party voter registration companies too, that submit many incorrect registrations.

CRL just got into the business of "voter protection" when they collaborated with Senate Republicans to testify at a September 24, 2008 Congressional hearing on the 2008 General Election. During that hearing two Republican Senators asked many questions about ACORN. All four Election officials that testified, said that ACORN and 3rd party voter drive groups were more of a blessing then a curse. They said they saw nothing out of the ordinary with ACORN's "fraudulent registrations". They were normal for voter drive groups. The other panel of organizations were there to protect voter rights... which included the DOJ and consumer advocates for the Military, foreclosed homeowners, new citizens, and minorities. Then there was Jim Terry from CRL. He was the odd one out. He was only there against ACORN. After that hearing (where officials said ACORN was an asset to the community) Congress ordered an FBI investigation on them. It's a terrible story of voter suppression. Just listen to the Hearing for yourself, then try to figure out from it why ACORN is being attacked (ACORN topics are discussed at hour 1:00:00 and 1:30:00). http://cha.house.gov/view_hea...

Terry committed perjury several times. So now what?

Consumers Rights League, ACORN, & Congress

Democrat in Swanton, OH — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:05:57 EDT

I've been investigating ACORN for the past 2 days. Nearly all of the voter fraud allegations against ACORN have come from the Consumers Rights League.

The Consumers Rights League just popped up out of nowhere. I called them. There is only one person running this "non-profit, non-partisan, educational organization", Jim Terry.

A week ago, Terry submitted written testimony against ACORN. You can see it on their website here: http://www.consumersrightsleague.org/uploadedfiles/JamesTerryACORN9-24.pdf

Practically the whole document substantiates its findings with news articles, no actual court cases. My research is showing that many of these articles don't exist or refer to cases that were shown to have a low-level employee filling out voter registrations to show paid-time work, but Prosecutors of these cases point out that there was obviously NO INTENT TO CAST A VOTE with these.

One of Terry's citations in his written testimony:
10 Ervin, Keith. â��Felony charges filed against 7 in stateâ��s biggest case of voter-registration fraud.â�� Seattle Times. July 26, 2007.

Statement from the Prosecuting Attorney on the case:
â��â�¦Indeed, a joint federal and state investigation has determined that this scheme was not intended to permit illegal voting." http://www.metrokc.gov/proatty/news/2007/Voter%20Registration%20Statement.htm

Jim Terry is the one credited for "exposing ACORN" and his "findings" are the primary source of quotes against ACORN. He's been quoted throughout the news & even interviewed on FOX News.

This is a Republican posing as a Consumer Advocate organization, setup to smear ACORN (and subsequently Obama).

PA-05: McCracken for Congress -- United States National Debt Surpasses $10 Trillion

Victor M. Ordonez — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:54:40 EDT

While everyone was focusing on the fate of the bailout plan this week, the federal government's debt passed the $10 trillion mark with hardly anyone noticing. Of course, the bailout plan insures that this debt will climb even higher as there is specific language in the bailout plan authorizing the federal government to raise the debt limit and borrow up to $840 billion to fund the bailout.

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U.S. NATIONAL DEBT CLOCK

The Outstanding Public Debt as of 05 Oct 2008 at 12:45:21 PM GMT is:

Congress & Insider Bribe Trade

Gene Madison — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:34:00 EDT

According to a rumor that for obvious reasons cannot be verified easily, JP Morgan staffers provide insider trading tips to congressional representatives in exchange for favorable legislation to their benefit.

I've also noticed a few special treasury 20 yr bonds that are bought and sold the same day, or bought one day, sold the next. It definitely looks like Congress not only helped to increase their own wealth but actually promoted such actions.

In addition, if this is true... and with the known illegal wiretapping, as well as claims by those voting no on the 1st bailout that threats were made if they didn't vote yes in the next vote on the bail out... That if such activity were occuring, the President would have used that information to blackmail congress. Not only to proceed with a bailout, but impeachment. Most democrats believe Bush is guilty of many wrongful and unpatriotic acts which necessarily should be investigated, which due to lack of cooperation of the Executive staff, the only way to force the information is impeachment which an executive privilege assertion would mandate a YES to Impeach for not cooperating when such information is absolutely mandatory to be disclosed.

Sadly, conspiracy theories don't seem to be so improbable anymore. This is the country we have allowed to enslave us. You get paper that is worthless unless the Government says it has value. More paper to live on a day by day basis to survive in order to ensure maximum productivity.

Only difference now from slavery in the earlier years is there was always guaranteed work and housing and food for slaves, and today we can read better and snooty tooty masters in Congress.

Congress created Fanny & Freddie and used tax dollars in order to realize profits and have campaign contribution made in order to increase the likelihood that incumbents who align themselves with the financial interests will be re-elected, and those who don't, their opponents receive the contribution.

Subverting Transparency: How Corporations Hide Contributions to Committee Leaders

Gene Madison — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:23:23 EDT

There are some people who are heads of certain committee's that receive campaign contributions from other political campaigns of people that don't usually get elected. (Making it difficult to find where that persons contributions came from, and how money had been spent.) It almost appears as if the candidates usually will only run in order to specifically pay out to other political campaigns. (Usually there are 30+ contributions to Congressional Representatives. There are also additional contributions made by these candidates which happens to be exempt from limits.

Regardless of how you look at it, any contribution made by corporations or people that represent/work for that company. If media coverage and even commercials were restricted to factual rather than speculative, and all candidates received an invitation to any broadcasted debate, then perhaps we might have a better choice then.. the person most likely to beat the guy I won't support.

Oh, btw... there are many people in Congress that have a large number of shares in the companies that were lucky enough to be bailed out. There were also many that sold those shares in 2006... before information was released about financial instability.

LESSON IN DEMOCRACY to CONGRESS

Liz — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:07:09 EDT

Apparently, you have yourself mixed up with the aristocracy and no wonder considering your incomes: U.S. senators had a median net worth of approximately $1.7 million in 2006, the most recent year for which your financial data is available, and 58 percent of the Senate’s members could be considered millionaires. In the House of Representatives, the median net worth was about $675,000, with 44 percent of members having net worths estimated to be at least $1 million. By contrast, only about 1 percent of all American adults had a net worth greater than $1 million around the same time.

WE WON'T HOLD YOUR WEALTH AGAINST YOU, BUT YOU WERE ELECTED TO BE THE VOICE FOR THE PEOPLE--NOT THE VOICE FOR YOURSELF, AND NOT THE VOICE FOR THE RICH.

In a Democracy it is the MAJORITY RULE. Both Houses should be ashamed of themselves. I have heard it reported all the way from 3 to 1 to 100 to 1 that calls were coming into your offices to vote no on the Wall Street bailout.

Instead of following the CLEAR directives from your constituents, you were deciders and decided to vote as 'you saw best." We did not vote you into office to vote against the majority.

WE THE PEOPLE WERE CLEARLY ASKING YOU TO SAY NO, JUST AS WE THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CLEARLY ASKING IN AN OVER 60% MAJORITY OF US TO GET OUT OF IRAQ FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. . .

WHO DO YOU REPRESENT ANYWAY? It is becoming clear to me that it is not the majority.

AP: Congress OKs historic bailout bill [263-171]

Mike W, Tulsa+ — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:48:36 EDT

Congress OKs historic bailout bill
By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS and DAVID ESPO, Associated Press Writers
5 minutes ago [Oct 3rd, 2008 at 1:43 pm EDT]
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/financial_meltdown

WASHINGTON - With the economy on the brink and elections looming, Congress approved an unprecedented $700 billion government bailout of the battered financial industry on Friday and sent it to President Bush for his certain signature.

The final vote, 263-171 in the House, capped two weeks of tumult in Congress and on Wall Street, punctuated by daily warnings that the country confronted the gravest economic crisis since the Great Depression if lawmakers failed to act.

Is Congress really this dumb?

Gene Madison — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:17:49 EDT

The banks are threatening and have begun withholding credit unless this bill is passed. The arguments for this bill are to protect our free markets. Preventing the onset of Socialism? Are you kidding? You shift taxation on the middle and lower class income. I sell my labor in order to support myself and live, however when the economy gets bad and I become unemployed, you decide to do an extensive audit starting with 2001. All the years returned showing as I did a substantial refund, which would help with expenses. Well, the IRS took the money and gave it to another company to pay for an unpaid student loans that I myself never used. And when I collect enough information to discuss with a 'taxpayer advocate', security is called to escort me out after I asked by what authority?

When I asked the government for help with my case, which is fully documented and researched so that there should be no doubt in the matter. However, the process given to me to resolve the issue is write a letter, and someone will get back with me in 6-8 weeks.

Congress is trying to claim that their responsibility is to vote how they think best. NO SIR. Perhaps if I could trust a congressional representative whose party received over $50 Billion in "Campaign Contribution/Deregulation Bribe" money. The actions of Congress in 1909 is equivalent to what they are doing now. It allowed for long term investors to pull their money out as soon as their obligations were clear, and in 1929 began the Great Depression.

Had the actions before 1909 leading to deregulation of the real estate market in order to fulfill more dreams of Americans, Hoover encouraged a Federal Mortgage lending system to Guarantee Credit availability such as was done recently. The Banking Interests weren't happy with Federal competition... So they froze credit, which shut down competition, allowed banks to buy up smaller banks that became too competitive. (JP Morgan...)

This all happened before. Congress seemed to be the only ones who could afford retirement. That Depression was the purpose for creating the Federal Reserve. It was to ensure that never happened again. Well.... No Sh*t! Then why are we being blackmailed into getting this bill passed? Fraud?

Will Congress force another "sky is falling" lie on us one more time?

Liz — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:06:17 EDT

I wonder if the members of Congress, the Bush Administration, Paulson and Bernanke will remember the words of Abraham Lincoln: You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.

It does seem that several million American chickens are beginning to remember that this is not the first time we have been threatened to “act or else be prepared for dire consequences.”

Considering the dire consequences that we suffered anyway and still continue to suffer in spite of the fact that we elected a Democratic Congress two years ago to repair the mistakes of the Iraq War, this chicken is willing to take her chances and say no to Wall Street and their $850billion dollar bailout. Bail yourself out–try a little of your own economic neo-liberal theories on yourselves. After all, “individual” responsibility as opposed to community is one of your cornerstones. You are the people who make fun of welfare. Stop asking for it. The American people have already given more far more than you deserve.

Call your senators and send emails now

Liz — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 06:58:13 EDT

The Senante is supposed to vote on the Bailout today.

I was able to get an email out to Cornyn this morning, but Hutchison's is broken.

I don't know where you stand on this Bailout of Wall Street and yes it is a bailout regardless what euphemism they come up with to call it next. I am against it. Yes, we will have a recession. Fact is we will a recession regardless whether they bailout or not. You can expect that recession to last throughout 2009--regardless the action taken by Congress. Many ordinary Americans are going to lose their homes.

What the Paulson-Bernake Plan Really Means to Americans
This plan will enable banks to sell off the homes of five million home mortgage debtors faced with default or foreclosure this year. Home-owners will lose their homes but the Fed will pump enough credit into the mortgage-lending agencies to enable new buyers to go deeply enough into debt to take the jumk mortgages off the hands of the gamblers who presently own them. If this sounds like a shell game, that’s because it is a shell game. AND IT IS A SHELL GAME TO BENEFIT WALL STREET. Where is the meat for the American people? It is not there. Increase of FDIC insurance to $250,000? When it the last time an ordinary American had $250,000 in the bank?

We are asked to allow the same group of crooks who warned the country about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq to be the ones to move the shells on the table. How many times do the American people have to be asked to bend over by the Republicans before we say no?

ABOUT THE JUDGMENT OF THIS ADMINISTRATION AND ITS FINANCIAL EXPERTISE–EXTREMELY LACKING
Remember when Bush and Alan Greenspan informed the American people that there was no money left to pay Social Ssecurity (and Medicare) because at some future date the system might run a deficits of a trillion dollars spread over many many ears. Their “sound advice” was that if we can’t figure out how to pay, let’s plow the progam under right now.

Bush and Greenspan actually suggested that the Treasury could turn Social Security and medical insurance money over to Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and other financial corporations to invests at the “magic of compound interest.”

Just think where Social Security would be today if we had listened to their advice. Then ask: Why the H is anyone in their right mind taking any suggestion from George Bush or Paulson or Bernanke with even a gram of consideration? Are you nuts?

I say that we send Wall Street to Gamblers Anonymous–and McCain with them. We need a lot more consideration before acting on this bail-out and yes it is a bail-out. The problem is that it is bailing out the wrong people.

PA-05: McCracken for Congress -- Who Understands the Problems Facing the 5th District and the Nation

Victor M. Ordonez — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:50:11 EDT

Throughout the campaign I've been involved in several candidate forums with my opponents for the open seat in the 5th Congressional District. Additionally, during the final 5 weeks of the campaign there will be several additional opportunities for voters in the 5th district to watch all three candidates debate the important issues facing the district and the nation. The important question voters should consider while watching or listening to these events is which of the three candidates really understands the important problems facing our nation.

There are several issues that clearly define and differentiate where I stand and what I believe in versus my two opponents. I've found that my stances on Health Care Reform, the future of Social Security, understanding the economic problems in the 5th district and, most importantly, fiscal responsibility by the federal government separate me from my two opponents.

Bailout Bill Defies Will of the People

Michael Collins — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 04:59:30 EDT

BAILOUT BIL DEFIES WILL OF PEOPLE

Contact for your member of the House or Representatives. Image cc

White House and Congress Suspend Democracy
To Help Wall Street

Michael Collins

(Wash. DC) The White House and Congressional leaders from both parties announced a tentative bill to bailout failed financial institutions. The bill is a response to the $700 billion initially request by the White House last week. The bill allocates $250 billion to start with a total authorized of $700 billion. The money will cover the losses of distressed Wall Street firms facing bankruptcy due to bad investments, primarily in risky real estate securities known as subprime securities and "derivatives."

There were no provisions announced to bailout citizens facing foreclosure or help with their bad investments.

The entirely country is heating up!

Percy H Florez — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:59:51 EDT

Internet and the media is flooding very quickly of information about huge protest are going to take in place around the country.

I really hope lawmaker listen the people, I hope measure come up!
It’s very important to be clear that your right end where the right of the others begun, in that way if are your going to protest, do it, it’s your right, but does it respectfully of the law and order.

Percy H Florez