Today the leadership of the House Democrats announced that they will proceed with a vote on extending the Bush-era tax cuts for wage earners that make less than 250,000 dollars. This is a major step forward made by the Democrats. Instead allowing the cuts to expire or having the Republicans bully them into extending the cuts for all wage earners, they finally showed some backbone. They are following through with the President's promise to only extend the cuts to people making 250,000 dollars of less.
The problem that arises from this move by the House Democrats is that Republican Minority Mitch McConnell (Ky) stated that that Republicans in the Senate will not take up any legislation unless all of the Bush-era tax cuts are extended for all wage earners. This means that the tax cut extension to the middle class will be delayed or will possibly not get passed. With the Senate bogged down with the possible incoming battle on who will have their tax rate extended, the outlook of other possible legislation passing through the Senate during lame duck session is minimal. The problem with this is that many things that the American people want are stuck in the Senate.
For success in the lame duck session both houses of Congress need to go to work and stop playing political games. Political games will not lead to success in passing any legislation that will help the American people. Overall, Senate Republicans need to learn that they need to compromise instead of playing hard ball.
01 December 2010
24 September 2010
Texas Board of Education Makes another Controversial Move in its State's Social Studies Curriculum
Today by a 7-6 vote, the Texas Board of Education voted to pass a resolution that stated that the Texas Board of Education would not purchase any social studies textbooks that would give more Islam more space in the textbooks than Christianity. Their move to do this came from the idea that most social studies textbooks have a Pro-Islam slant and an Anti- Christian slant. In a Dallas Morning News Op-Ed, Southern Methodist University Professor Mark Chancey wrote,
We as Americans have to realize that, not all history portrays Americans beliefs and ideals in the positive light. Our history is checkered with massacres and bad decisions that have shaped the country that we live in today. For example of this 50 years ago students were taught that what happen at Wounded Knee in 1890 was a battle between the Sioux people and the U.S. Army, and today most students learned that it was a massacre of the Sioux people by the U.S. Army. Yes, it does not paint the U.S. Army in a positive light, but it is the truth and the truth hurts some times. We cannot rewrite history to the way we want it because it makes us feel good, because we lose the teachable lesson that history provides us to become a better society. To put this full circle the Texas Board of Education can rewrite history and depict it on how they feel it should be taught, but that teaching of history will never be the truth and never can be accepted as the truth.
[The Resolution in] Its first line complains that "pro-Islamic/anti-Christian bias has tainted some past Texas Social Studies textbooks." It later objects that "pro-Islamic/anti-Christian half-truths, selective disinformation, and false editorial stereotypes still roil some Social Studies textbooks nationwide." In its rhetoric, the terms "pro-Islamic" and "anti-Christian" go hand in hand; whatever is "pro-Islamic" is by definition "anti-Christian."Pitting religions against each other is not good especially in the political climate that we are in today. The idea that one religion is taking priority over another is bad, but in the way that the Texas Board of Education is doing it is to raise fear and create hate to another religion. This idea that it is right to use education as a religious battleground is unfair to the students of Texas and the students of the United States. By this resolution by the board will change textbooks because Texas is the second largest market for textbooks. U.S. students will already have to suffer to the changes made to the Social Studies Curriculum in March, to see the changes check out Texas Board of Education New Amendments to the Social Science Curriculum Give it a Conservative Spin, now with this change the national Social Studies curriculum will change for all Americans.
We as Americans have to realize that, not all history portrays Americans beliefs and ideals in the positive light. Our history is checkered with massacres and bad decisions that have shaped the country that we live in today. For example of this 50 years ago students were taught that what happen at Wounded Knee in 1890 was a battle between the Sioux people and the U.S. Army, and today most students learned that it was a massacre of the Sioux people by the U.S. Army. Yes, it does not paint the U.S. Army in a positive light, but it is the truth and the truth hurts some times. We cannot rewrite history to the way we want it because it makes us feel good, because we lose the teachable lesson that history provides us to become a better society. To put this full circle the Texas Board of Education can rewrite history and depict it on how they feel it should be taught, but that teaching of history will never be the truth and never can be accepted as the truth.
16 September 2010
According to the New Census Numbers ONE out of SEVEN people live in Poverty
The Census Bureau came out with its 2009 numbers on poverty. In their research, 14.3 percent Americans are in poverty. The number increased from 13.2 percent from 2008. This is the largest amount of Americans below the poverty line since 1959. The biggest increase came in a racial demographic Hispanic population. This is not good for America.
Two reasons this is not good for America. Even though businesses are recovering, American citizens are not feeling the recovery yet. Second the increase of Hispanics into poverty. I will dissect these two groups in the following paragraph.
American businesses are recovering the stock market has rebounded from its low of 7,029 points in January of 2009 and has increased 3500 points now in September of 2010. Most businesses have recovered and most of the TARP money has been paid back to US Government. Our financial sector is slowly recovering, and now the biggest problem for the American economy is that the working class has not recovered. These numbers show that the working class has not recovered like businesses. Granted most small businesses are not in shape to survive another collapse, but its important to realize if businesses are going to survive the standard of living of Americans needs to improve.
The second reason the increase of Hispanics into poverty is also troubling. It is known that the Hispanic population is the largest growing population in the United States. The increase of Hispanics into the US population, but their inability to get into the middle class will affect America. With the largest growing group having the most difficultly becoming middle class, the need to help this group is very important. Now how to help this group is the more complex problem that needs to be solved. I will tackle this in a later post.
It is important overall to realize that to solve our problems we need to work together.
Two reasons this is not good for America. Even though businesses are recovering, American citizens are not feeling the recovery yet. Second the increase of Hispanics into poverty. I will dissect these two groups in the following paragraph.
American businesses are recovering the stock market has rebounded from its low of 7,029 points in January of 2009 and has increased 3500 points now in September of 2010. Most businesses have recovered and most of the TARP money has been paid back to US Government. Our financial sector is slowly recovering, and now the biggest problem for the American economy is that the working class has not recovered. These numbers show that the working class has not recovered like businesses. Granted most small businesses are not in shape to survive another collapse, but its important to realize if businesses are going to survive the standard of living of Americans needs to improve.
The second reason the increase of Hispanics into poverty is also troubling. It is known that the Hispanic population is the largest growing population in the United States. The increase of Hispanics into the US population, but their inability to get into the middle class will affect America. With the largest growing group having the most difficultly becoming middle class, the need to help this group is very important. Now how to help this group is the more complex problem that needs to be solved. I will tackle this in a later post.
It is important overall to realize that to solve our problems we need to work together.
21 July 2010
Republicans Stall Unemployment Vote in the Senate and 2.5 MILLION people wait for 30 Hours
Yesterday the Senate voted 60-40 for cloture to move forward on passing an extension. This finally passed on the fourth time. Two Republicans from Maine Senator Snowe and Collins voted with the Democrat majority. Now it will go up to a vote in the full Senate. The only procedural method that the Republicans have to slow the vote is to use all 30 hours for debate.
Republicans biggest reason for opposition is the cost of 34 billion dollars. They argued that this bill would increase the deficit. Their solution to help employment is to keep the Bush Tax Cuts. They think that this would help spur job growth.
Unfortunately for the Republicans, it is statistically shown for every dollar given out in unemployment benefits the economy gets $1.62 back. For a tax cut, a dollar given out 30 cents is spent. If you look at this, 34 billion dollars turns into 55 billion dollars. That is a 20 billion dollars injected into the economy, which is almost 2/3 the amount Congress has allocated.
These benefits are needed for Americans to hold on until the economy comes back up.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/21/unemployment-extension-re_n_654083.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/20/unemployment-extension-bi_n_652805.html
Republicans biggest reason for opposition is the cost of 34 billion dollars. They argued that this bill would increase the deficit. Their solution to help employment is to keep the Bush Tax Cuts. They think that this would help spur job growth.
Unfortunately for the Republicans, it is statistically shown for every dollar given out in unemployment benefits the economy gets $1.62 back. For a tax cut, a dollar given out 30 cents is spent. If you look at this, 34 billion dollars turns into 55 billion dollars. That is a 20 billion dollars injected into the economy, which is almost 2/3 the amount Congress has allocated.
These benefits are needed for Americans to hold on until the economy comes back up.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/21/unemployment-extension-re_n_654083.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/20/unemployment-extension-bi_n_652805.html
31 May 2010
Happy Memorial Day
Today was Memorial Day. A day of remembrance of fallen soldiers and veterans. These soldiers, sailors, and airmen risked their lives in the defense of our freedom. We should remember these people throughout the year.
25 April 2010
Arizona Treads on American Rights by Giving Police the Right to Detain Americans
On Friday Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed into law Arizona Senate Bill 1070. This bill will allow police to stop anyone that looks like an illegal immigrant and ask for their residency papers. If the stopped individual is unable to show their papers they can be detained. The horrible thing is if they are actually a citizen and did not have their papers they are given a 500 dollar fine and 6 months in jail.There is no way to identify illegal immigrant. As most people know illegal immigrants come from all parts of the world and not just Mexico. This is a bill will discriminate Hispanics and other peoples of color.
Immigrants built this nation into what it is today. Naivest movements come and go, but what is scary about this movement is that a state government is supporting it. The bill allows a great expansion of state power through law enforcement. The ability given to police in Arizona now can be compared with power given to police in the Soviet Union and Nazi German. I know these are radical examples, but this is how bad this law can get if something is not done. What needs to be done to counteract this law is support of its repeal.
This law does not help the common good of the American people. The law is direct discrimination of American citizens. There are better ways to fix the immigration system than discriminating against a group. It important that people express their displeasure, because complacency will allow this to happen in more areas.
Fact Sheet for S.B. 1070
Arizona S.B. 1070
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20100419/us-immigration-enforcement/
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/04/25/us/AP-US-Immigration-Enforcement.html?_r=1
Immigrants built this nation into what it is today. Naivest movements come and go, but what is scary about this movement is that a state government is supporting it. The bill allows a great expansion of state power through law enforcement. The ability given to police in Arizona now can be compared with power given to police in the Soviet Union and Nazi German. I know these are radical examples, but this is how bad this law can get if something is not done. What needs to be done to counteract this law is support of its repeal.
This law does not help the common good of the American people. The law is direct discrimination of American citizens. There are better ways to fix the immigration system than discriminating against a group. It important that people express their displeasure, because complacency will allow this to happen in more areas.
Fact Sheet for S.B. 1070
Arizona S.B. 1070
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20100419/us-immigration-enforcement/
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/04/25/us/AP-US-Immigration-Enforcement.html?_r=1
22 April 2010
Happy Earth Day
Today is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. It is important today that a conversation is started on sustainability and what we as a nation could do to help. Doing things to help out are not difficult. Simple things like recycling, buying reusable products, and using more efficient products also can make a big difference. For example buying four 13 watt CFL bulbs would equal a regular 60 watt light bulb. Technically four rooms could be lit for the price of one. Another item using reusable shopping bags also help dramatically. By using those bags can cut the amount of plastic used in the environment. Along the same lines carry your own water in a reusable water bottle. This will cut the amount of plastic used, save water, and save you money. On average 60oz of water are used to make a 20oz bottled water bottle. This is horrible.
If we all work together we can save the world. The important thing to remember if we work for the common civic good we will all suceed.
If we all work together we can save the world. The important thing to remember if we work for the common civic good we will all suceed.
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