Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
9 Ways the Right’s Ayn Randian Experiment Screws Over the Young | Alternet
9 Ways the Right’s Ayn Randian Experiment Screws Over the Young | Alternet
"Their decades-long assault on our core social values is on the verge of consuming its first complete generation of Americans. Born at the dawn of the Reagan era, Millennials were the first to be fully subjected to this all-out attack on the idea that we take care of each other in this country, and they’ll pay for it from the cradle to the grave."
"Their decades-long assault on our core social values is on the verge of consuming its first complete generation of Americans. Born at the dawn of the Reagan era, Millennials were the first to be fully subjected to this all-out attack on the idea that we take care of each other in this country, and they’ll pay for it from the cradle to the grave."
Texas Jailers Ran a 'Rape Camp' Behind Bars, Women Claim | Alternet
Texas Jailers Ran a 'Rape Camp' Behind Bars, Women Claim | Alternet
"Texas jailers ran a "rape camp" where they "repeatedly raped and humiliated female inmates," and forced them to masturbate and sodomize male guards, and one another, two women claim in court."
"Texas jailers ran a "rape camp" where they "repeatedly raped and humiliated female inmates," and forced them to masturbate and sodomize male guards, and one another, two women claim in court."
Parents Go On Hunger Strike To Protest School Budget Cuts
Parents Go On Hunger Strike To Protest School Budget Cuts: A group of four parents and school employees kicked off a hunger strike on the steps of the governor’s office on Monday to protest Philadelphia’s recent decision to close dozens of underutilized schools and lay off some 19 percent of the workforce, including “all 127 assistant principals, 646 teachers and more than 1,200 aides.” The [...]/p
GOP plan to appeal to millennials: “Make abortion funny”
GOP plan to appeal to millennials: “Make abortion funny”
"No one suggested changing any positions, only finding better packaging for the ones they already have. “I do not believe we should sacrifice our values to win elections,” Koroson said."
"No one suggested changing any positions, only finding better packaging for the ones they already have. “I do not believe we should sacrifice our values to win elections,” Koroson said."
Banishing the Poor, Unemployed and Working Class from the Mainstream Media Implies That They are Worthless
Banishing the Poor, Unemployed and Working Class from the Mainstream Media Implies That They are Worthless
"How often do you come across an article or a television news story that presents a poor person in a positive light? Or for that matter when do you read about or see a story on an unemployed individual or the challenges of a working class American whose salary is receding as the stock market soars?"
"How often do you come across an article or a television news story that presents a poor person in a positive light? Or for that matter when do you read about or see a story on an unemployed individual or the challenges of a working class American whose salary is receding as the stock market soars?"
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Elizabeth Warren Warns of Corporate Capture of U.S. Courts
Elizabeth Warren Warns of Corporate Capture of U.S. Courts
"Warren, a former Harvard Law professor, also criticized the “increasingly brazen and ideological pro-corporate tilt” of the Supreme Court and the D.C. Circuit. “Follow this pro-business trend to its logical conclusion, and sooner or later you’ll end up with a Supreme Court that functions as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chamber of Commerce"."
"Warren, a former Harvard Law professor, also criticized the “increasingly brazen and ideological pro-corporate tilt” of the Supreme Court and the D.C. Circuit. “Follow this pro-business trend to its logical conclusion, and sooner or later you’ll end up with a Supreme Court that functions as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chamber of Commerce"."
Rick Perry Vetoes Equal Pay Bill
Rick Perry Vetoes Equal Pay Bill: Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) vetoed a bill on Friday that would have allowed women suffering wage discrimination to take legal action, alleging that the measure “duplicates federal law, which already allows employees…to file a claim with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.” On average, women earn 77 cents of every dollar a man makes, [...]/p
Friday, June 14, 2013
Rick Perry Vetoes Texas Equal Pay Bill
www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/14/rick-perry-equal-pay_n_3443591.html
"Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) has vetoed a bill meant to prevent wage discrimination against women."
"Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) has vetoed a bill meant to prevent wage discrimination against women."
Women’s Health Advocates Fight Back Against Virginia’s New Abortion Clinic Restrictions
Women’s Health Advocates Fight Back Against Virginia’s New Abortion Clinic Restrictions: In April, Virginia’s Board of Health approved new regulations intended to force abortion clinics to shut down. It’s already working: later that month, a 40-year-old abortion clinic in the state announced that it would be closing its doors. But now, women’s health advocates are fighting back. The Fall Church Healthcare Center has filed the first [...]/p
Why Elizabeth Warren’s Plan For Student Debt is an Economic Breakthrough | Alternet
Why Elizabeth Warren’s Plan For Student Debt is an Economic Breakthrough | Alternet
"On July 1, interest rates will double for millions of students – from 3.4% to 6.8% – unless Congress acts; and the legislative fixes on the table are largely just compromises. Only one proposal promises real relief – Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s “Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act.” This bill has been dismissed out of hand as “shameless populist demagoguery” and “a cheap political gimmick,” but is it? Or could Warren’s outside-the-box bill represent the sort of game-changing thinking sorely needed to turn the economy around?
"On July 1, interest rates will double for millions of students – from 3.4% to 6.8% – unless Congress acts; and the legislative fixes on the table are largely just compromises. Only one proposal promises real relief – Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s “Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act.” This bill has been dismissed out of hand as “shameless populist demagoguery” and “a cheap political gimmick,” but is it? Or could Warren’s outside-the-box bill represent the sort of game-changing thinking sorely needed to turn the economy around?
Warren and her co-sponsor John Tierney propose that students be allowed to borrow directly from the government at the same rate that banks get from the Federal Reserve — 0.75 percent."
Mandatory Ultrasound Bill Moves from Conception to Passage in Just Ten Days
Mandatory Ultrasound Bill Moves from Conception to Passage in Just Ten Days
"In ten short days, Wisconsin Republicans steamrolled a radical abortion bill through the state legislature to mandate ultrasounds and close abortion clinics, despite passionate opposition from Democratic Assemblywomen. The debate had many dramatic moments and video of the Senate President furiously gavelling down the opposition made national news."
"In ten short days, Wisconsin Republicans steamrolled a radical abortion bill through the state legislature to mandate ultrasounds and close abortion clinics, despite passionate opposition from Democratic Assemblywomen. The debate had many dramatic moments and video of the Senate President furiously gavelling down the opposition made national news."
Thursday, June 13, 2013
2013 Is Shaping Up To Be The Worst Year For Reproductive Freedom In Recent History
2013 Is Shaping Up To Be The Worst Year For Reproductive Freedom In Recent History: According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the 2013 legislative session is on track to be yet another record-breaking year for state-level restrictions on women’s reproductive rights. As states’ current legislative sessions begin to come to a close, lawmakers have so far enacted more than 300 different abortion restrictions this year, as detailed in [...]/p
Ruckus in Wisconsin Senate: Republicans Push Through Ultrasound Bill After Silencing Democrats
Ruckus in Wisconsin Senate: Republicans Push Through Ultrasound Bill After Silencing Democrats
"In the end, the bill passed 17 to 15 along party lines. It was immediately referred to the state Assembly, and Gov. Scott Walker (R) has said that he will sign it into law."
"In the end, the bill passed 17 to 15 along party lines. It was immediately referred to the state Assembly, and Gov. Scott Walker (R) has said that he will sign it into law."
Ohio Republicans Introduce One Of The Nation’s All-Time Worst Abortion Bills
Ohio Republicans Introduce One Of The Nation’s All-Time Worst Abortion Bills: Ohio Republicans are already attempting to hijack the state’s budget process to push for abortion restrictions, advancing a version of Gov. John Kasich’s budget bill that includes amendments to defund Planned Parenthood and shut down abortion clinics. But they’re not stopping there. Now, a group of 35 Republican lawmakers in the House have introduced an [...]/p
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
The Obamacare Experiment That’s Already Improving Seniors’ Care And Saving Hospitals Millions
The Obamacare Experiment That’s Already Improving Seniors’ Care And Saving Hospitals Millions: Hospitals and physicians across the country are teaming up to more effectively coordinate all aspects of Americans’ care, leading to millions of dollars in savings for both providers and the federal government, Bloomberg reports. That’s because of an Obamacare experiment that incentivizes hospitals, providers, and medical professionals to coordinate with each other on patient care [...]/p
Thanks To Student Activists, Pressure To End Rape Culture On College Campuses ‘Is Not Going Away’
Thanks To Student Activists, Pressure To End Rape Culture On College Campuses ‘Is Not Going Away’: Over the past year, a growing number of prestigious colleges have made national headlines over their administrations’ failure to effectively handle issues of sexual assault on campus. That’s not necessarily because rape culture on college campuses has recently gotten much worse than it used to be. More likely, it’s because a coordinated network of students [...]/p
Maine GOP Leader Boasts That His ‘Man’s Brain’ Makes Him Think More Rationally About Costs
Maine GOP Leader Boasts That His ‘Man’s Brain’ Makes Him Think More Rationally About Costs: A top Maine Republican took to the House floor Wednesday to explain how his “man’s brain” can’t get behind Obamacare’s federal funding for Medicaid expansion because he is concerned about costs. House Minority Leader Ken Fredette (R-ME) invoked the classic gender-stereotyping book, Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus to explain how he is [...]/p
Trent Franks Goes Akin: His History of Anti-Choice Extremism | Right Wing Watch
Trent Franks Goes Akin: His History of Anti-Choice Extremism | Right Wing Watch
"Aside from his anti-choice activism, Franks pushes anti-Muslim conspiracy theories, has flirted with birtherism, and has claimed that marriage equality is a “threat to the nation’s survival"."
"Aside from his anti-choice activism, Franks pushes anti-Muslim conspiracy theories, has flirted with birtherism, and has claimed that marriage equality is a “threat to the nation’s survival"."
Scott Walker is just trying to avoid protest ... and he's signing a forced ultrasound bill?
www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/12/1215635/-Scott-Walker-is-just-trying-to-avoid-protest-and-he-s-signing-a-forced-ultrasound-bill
"He also seems inclined to sign a bill letting some employers refuse to include contraception in their health insurance coverage, and a couple more to boot. Because forced ultrasounds and opposition to contraception are soooo popular."
"He also seems inclined to sign a bill letting some employers refuse to include contraception in their health insurance coverage, and a couple more to boot. Because forced ultrasounds and opposition to contraception are soooo popular."
The GOP Talking Point On Obamacare’s Medicare ‘Cuts’ Bites The Dust
The GOP Talking Point On Obamacare’s Medicare ‘Cuts’ Bites The Dust: Conservatives regularly claim that Obamacare “cuts” Medicare, and will cause less seniors to enroll in private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans while forcing insurers to cut benefits. Now, the exact opposite of those dire predictions is occurring, as record numbers of seniors have enrolled in Medicare Advantage, according to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family [...]/p
Scott Walker Endorses Mandating Transvaginal Ultrasounds And Shutting Down Abortion Clinics
Scott Walker Endorses Mandating Transvaginal Ultrasounds And Shutting Down Abortion Clinics: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) has thrown his support behind an anti-abortion measure that’s currently moving through the state legislature, saying he will sign the bill into law if it makes it to his desk. SB 206 would require women to undergo an ultrasound before getting an abortion — which would mandate an invasive transvaginal [...]/p
Last Week in Poverty: Denying a Head Start in Washington State | Alternet
Last Week in Poverty: Denying a Head Start in Washington State | Alternet
"To get a sense of just how foolish and shortsighted the $85 billion across-the-board sequester cuts are, you don’t have to look any further than Washington's Head Start program."
"To get a sense of just how foolish and shortsighted the $85 billion across-the-board sequester cuts are, you don’t have to look any further than Washington's Head Start program."
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Black Woman Gets 20 Years for Firing Shot at Wall; White Man Gets 0 Years for Shooting Man in the Back 3 Times, Killing Him | Alternet
Black Woman Gets 20 Years for Firing Shot at Wall; White Man Gets 0 Years for Shooting Man in the Back 3 Times, Killing Him | Alternet
"A man in Florida shoots a man he finds having sex with his wife, killing him. A woman in Florida shoots the wall to scare off an abusive husband, harming nobody. Guess which one was acquitted? Guess which one was convicted?"
"A man in Florida shoots a man he finds having sex with his wife, killing him. A woman in Florida shoots the wall to scare off an abusive husband, harming nobody. Guess which one was acquitted? Guess which one was convicted?"
Court Officer Sexually Assaults Woman in Court, Arrests Her When Everyone in Court Ignores Her Pleas for Help | Alternet
Court Officer Sexually Assaults Woman in Court, Arrests Her When Everyone in Court Ignores Her Pleas for Help | Alternet
"Employees from Clark County family court in Nevada are under investigation for covering up an alleged sexual assault by a court officer,according to KLAS-TV, a CBS affiliate."
"Employees from Clark County family court in Nevada are under investigation for covering up an alleged sexual assault by a court officer,according to KLAS-TV, a CBS affiliate."
As Equal Pay Act Turns 50, Conservative Media Continue Crusade Against Gender Wage Gap
www.mediamatters.org/research/2013/06/10/as-equal-pay-act-turns-50-conservative-media-co/194405
"The Equal Pay Act was signed into law on June 10, 1963, by President Kennedy to prohibit wage discrimination based on sex. Fifty years later, as the issue of gender income inequality continues to affect America, conservative media figures have consistently tried to downplay and minimize these concerns."
"The Equal Pay Act was signed into law on June 10, 1963, by President Kennedy to prohibit wage discrimination based on sex. Fifty years later, as the issue of gender income inequality continues to affect America, conservative media figures have consistently tried to downplay and minimize these concerns."
House Will Vote On Nationwide Abortion Ban Even Though It’s Doomed In The Senate
House Will Vote On Nationwide Abortion Ban Even Though It’s Doomed In The Senate: Despite the fact that legislation intended to further restrict women’s reproductive access are virtually dead-on-arrival in the Democratic-controlled Senate, abortion opponents in the House are pressing on anyway. According to CQ Roll Call, the House is on track to consider a 20-week abortion ban next week. The legislation, spearheaded by Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) and [...]/p
Red States Get More Extreme -- How America Is Splitting Apart Without Bothering With Civil War | Alternet
Red States Get More Extreme -- How America Is Splitting Apart Without Bothering With Civil War | Alternet
"Conservative Republicans in our nation's capital have managed to accomplish something they only dreamed of when Tea Partiers streamed into Congress at the start of 2011: They've basically shut Congress down. Their refusal to compromise is working just as they hoped: No jobs agenda. No budget. No grand bargain on the deficit. No background checks on guns. Nothing on climate change. No tax reform. No hike in the minimum wage. Nothing so far on immigration reform."
"Conservative Republicans in our nation's capital have managed to accomplish something they only dreamed of when Tea Partiers streamed into Congress at the start of 2011: They've basically shut Congress down. Their refusal to compromise is working just as they hoped: No jobs agenda. No budget. No grand bargain on the deficit. No background checks on guns. Nothing on climate change. No tax reform. No hike in the minimum wage. Nothing so far on immigration reform."
Wisconsin GOP Is Working On Shutting Down One Of The Last Abortion Clinics In The State
Wisconsin GOP Is Working On Shutting Down One Of The Last Abortion Clinics In The State: Under an anti-abortion measure currently advancing in the Wisconsin legislature, one of the state’s last remaining abortion clinics could soon be forced to close its doors. There are only four abortion clinics left in Wisconsin, three of which are operated by Planned Parenthood. The women’s health organization has confirmed that one of its locations will [...]/p
Monday, June 10, 2013
Doctors’ Group Slams Anti-Abortion Laws For ‘Imposing A Political Agenda On Medical Practice’
Doctors’ Group Slams Anti-Abortion Laws For ‘Imposing A Political Agenda On Medical Practice’: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a national organization representing thousands of women’s health experts, has publicly come out against the state-level abortion restrictions that impact the way doctors are allowed to treat their patients. The group’s Executive Board has issued an official statement opposing all laws that “unduly interfere with patient-physician relationships” and [...]/p
Indiana Town Shames Rape Victim, Speculates About Her ‘Promiscuous Behavior’
Indiana Town Shames Rape Victim, Speculates About Her ‘Promiscuous Behavior’: Several high-profile cases of sexual assault have shown the consequences of rape culture: From Rehtaeh Parsons’ suicide to the Steubenville rape trial, these girls were re-victimized by the harassment and public shaming that followed the sexual assault. Now, a 14-year-old in Elwood, Indiana who is eight months pregnant faces ongoing harassment simply because her neighborhood [...]/p
Revealed: Letters From Republicans Seeking Obamacare Money | The Nation
Revealed: Letters From Republicans Seeking Obamacare Money | The Nation
"Now letters produced by a Freedom of Information Act request reveal that many of these same anti-Obamacare Republicans have solicited grants from the very program they claim to despise. This is evidence not merely of shameless hypocrisy but of the fact that the ACA bestows tangible benefits that even Congress’s most extreme right-wing ideologues are hard-pressed to deny to their constituents."
"Now letters produced by a Freedom of Information Act request reveal that many of these same anti-Obamacare Republicans have solicited grants from the very program they claim to despise. This is evidence not merely of shameless hypocrisy but of the fact that the ACA bestows tangible benefits that even Congress’s most extreme right-wing ideologues are hard-pressed to deny to their constituents."
Police Bully Teen into Dropping Rape Charge, Rapist Sexually Assaults Another Woman | Alternet
Police Bully Teen into Dropping Rape Charge, Rapist Sexually Assaults Another Woman | Alternet
"The woman's story was proven true after the rapist was arrested for sexually assaulting another woman."
"The woman's story was proven true after the rapist was arrested for sexually assaulting another woman."
Sixth Wave of 'Moral Mondays' Continue to 'Shine a Light' | Common Dreams
Sixth Wave of 'Moral Mondays' Continue to 'Shine a Light' | Common Dreams
"In the sixth wave of actions against "extreme and immoral" far right policies, North Carolinians Monday are marching on the Governor's office to draw attention to the state's attack on teachers and public education."
"In the sixth wave of actions against "extreme and immoral" far right policies, North Carolinians Monday are marching on the Governor's office to draw attention to the state's attack on teachers and public education."
Stay with a Man Who Beats You or End Up Homeless? How Budget-Cutting Obsession Is Destroying the Lives of Abused Women | Alternet
Stay with a Man Who Beats You or End Up Homeless? How Budget-Cutting Obsession Is Destroying the Lives of Abused Women | Alternet
"Budget cuts have strained domestic violence resources. What does that mean for women who need a safe place to go?"
"Budget cuts have strained domestic violence resources. What does that mean for women who need a safe place to go?"
Saturday, June 8, 2013
"This Is Morally Wrong": Watch Elizabeth Warren on GOP and Student Loans
www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/06/elizabeth-warren-student-loan-debt-senate-reed-harkin
"Student loan interest rates are set to double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent on July 1 unless Congress acts."
"Student loan interest rates are set to double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent on July 1 unless Congress acts."
Friday, June 7, 2013
Massachusetts Senate Candidate Loses Women’s Support As He Flounders On Reproductive Health Issues
Massachusetts Senate Candidate Loses Women’s Support As He Flounders On Reproductive Health Issues: Gabriel Gomez, the Republican nominee for John Kerry’s former Senate seat in Massachusetts, has been struggling to adequately articulate his positions on women’s health issues over the past several weeks. And as recent polling shows, that’s not winning him any favors with the state’s female voters. Gomez has not clarified whether or not he supports [...]/p
Gomez losing support from women
www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/07/1214522/-Gomez-losing-support-from-nbsp-women
"Gomez would be bad for women, in Massachusetts and in the country. The good news is that the women in Massachusetts seem to be well aware of that."
"Gomez would be bad for women, in Massachusetts and in the country. The good news is that the women in Massachusetts seem to be well aware of that."
Insurers Aren’t Just Giving Out Rebate Checks Because Of Obamacare — They’re Lowering Premiums, Too
Insurers Aren’t Just Giving Out Rebate Checks Because Of Obamacare — They’re Lowering Premiums, Too: Americans who bought individual health plans in 2012 saved $2.1 billion thanks to Obamacare consumer protections that limit how much insurers can profit off of Americans’ premiums, according to a new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). The vast majority of those savings stem from individual health plan providers lowering the premiums they charge [...]/p
Extremists in Ohio Senate vote to defund Planned Parenthood, and that's not the worst of it
www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/07/1214422/-Extremists-in-Ohio-senate-vote-to-defund-Planned-Parenthood-and-that-s-not-the-worst-of-it
"Republicans in the Ohio Senate joined the bandwagon of their extremist brethren nationwide on Thursday and voted to cut funding for Planned Parenthood in the next state budget. The vote of 23-10 was along party lines. The bill will be taken up in a Senate-House conference committee on Wednesday. The Senate-passed budget would also redirect state monies to coercive, right-wing-run "pregnancy crisis centers" where staff members, often none of them with medical training, provide deceptive information to women and hammer them with emotional anti-abortion appeals. It would prohibit funding of any rape crisis center that dares to refer women to abortion providers."
"Republicans in the Ohio Senate joined the bandwagon of their extremist brethren nationwide on Thursday and voted to cut funding for Planned Parenthood in the next state budget. The vote of 23-10 was along party lines. The bill will be taken up in a Senate-House conference committee on Wednesday. The Senate-passed budget would also redirect state monies to coercive, right-wing-run "pregnancy crisis centers" where staff members, often none of them with medical training, provide deceptive information to women and hammer them with emotional anti-abortion appeals. It would prohibit funding of any rape crisis center that dares to refer women to abortion providers."
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Jury Acquits Texas Man For Murder Of Escort Who Refused Sex
Jury Acquits Texas Man For Murder Of Escort Who Refused Sex: A Texas jury acquitted a man for the murder of a woman he hired as an escort, after his lawyers claimed he was authorized to use deadly force because she refused sex. Ezekiel Gilbert shot Lenora Ivie Frago in the neck on Christmas Eve, after she denied his requests for sex and wouldn’t return the [...]/p
Fox's War On Women Gains New Momentum With Susan Rice Appointment
www.mediamatters.org/blog/2013/06/06/foxs-war-on-women-gains-new-momentum-with-susan/194374
"So no, the sexist attacks weren't even camouflaged yesterday. And yes, it came in the wake of the recent Fox decision to host a panel discussion about women's earning power and only invite male guests, many of whom launched sexist volleys against working mothers. And yes, it came in the wake of Fox's decision this week todramatically downplay the importance of Congressional hearings on the topic of sexual assault in the military."
"So no, the sexist attacks weren't even camouflaged yesterday. And yes, it came in the wake of the recent Fox decision to host a panel discussion about women's earning power and only invite male guests, many of whom launched sexist volleys against working mothers. And yes, it came in the wake of Fox's decision this week todramatically downplay the importance of Congressional hearings on the topic of sexual assault in the military."
Fox News Host ‘Baffled’ That MSNBC Is Covering Military Sexual Assault Hearings
Fox News Host ‘Baffled’ That MSNBC Is Covering Military Sexual Assault Hearings: pFox News host Andrea Tantaros attacked MSNBC for covering the Senate military sexual assault hearings on Tuesday instead of the concurrent House IRS hearings, saying “what they consider to be priorities” is “unbelievable”. On the June 4 edition of The Andrea Tantaros Show, Tantaros, who is a co-host of Fox News’ The Five, said: “Sex [...]/p
Protesters Shake Up North Carolina Legislature with Moral Monday Demonstrations | Common Dreams
Protesters Shake Up North Carolina Legislature with Moral Monday Demonstrations | Common Dreams
"In 2010, Republicans took control of the state house and senate for the first time since Reconstruction. With their firm majority, the GOP redrew district lines for state senate and house seats, securing an even more solid majority in the 2012 election. Voters also elected a Republican governor, the former mayor of Charlotte, Pat McCrory. Many assumed that his big-city background would make him a moderate, but McCrory quickly appointed Art Pope, the money behind many of the state’s Tea Party candidates, as budget director, and the legislature went to work."
"In 2010, Republicans took control of the state house and senate for the first time since Reconstruction. With their firm majority, the GOP redrew district lines for state senate and house seats, securing an even more solid majority in the 2012 election. Voters also elected a Republican governor, the former mayor of Charlotte, Pat McCrory. Many assumed that his big-city background would make him a moderate, but McCrory quickly appointed Art Pope, the money behind many of the state’s Tea Party candidates, as budget director, and the legislature went to work."
Five Essential Facts About Food Stamps
Five Essential Facts About Food Stamps: The majority of SNAP recipients are children or elderly–and many work. A report released in November 2012 by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service shows that45 percent of SNAP recipients were under 18 years of age and nearly 9 percent were age 60 or older. What’s more, more than 40 percent of SNAP recipients lived in a household with earnings.
The Worst Attacks On Women’s Health Hidden In Ohio’s Budget
The Worst Attacks On Women’s Health Hidden In Ohio’s Budget: On Thursday, the Ohio Senate will vote on a two-year budget plan for the state. The proposed legislation includes provisions to modernize the state’s telephone system, improve infrastructure investments, and cut taxes for small businesses. But, in addition to those initiatives, Ohio’s abortion opponents are hijacking the budget negotiations to push an agenda that has [...]/p
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
McCaskill Slams General Who Overturned Sexual Assault Conviction
McCaskill Slams General Who Overturned Sexual Assault Conviction
"During this Tuesday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on sexual assault in the military, Sen. Claire McCaskill excoriated the Air Force general who overturned a sexual assault conviction as a "poster case of a lack of training and understanding of sexual assault"."
"During this Tuesday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on sexual assault in the military, Sen. Claire McCaskill excoriated the Air Force general who overturned a sexual assault conviction as a "poster case of a lack of training and understanding of sexual assault"."
New York Governor Introduces A ‘Bill Of Rights’ For Women To Combat Discrimination
New York Governor Introduces A ‘Bill Of Rights’ For Women To Combat Discrimination: In January, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) vowed to protect and bolster a host of women’s rights, from abortion to pay equity to domestic violence supports. On Tuesday, Cuomo followed through by introducing the Women’s Equality Act, a wide-ranging bill already facing backlash from anti-abortion advocates. Cuomo blasted “fear-mongering” over the bill’s updated abortion language and [...]/p
How Raising The Minimum Wage Would Help Close The Gender Wage Gap
How Raising The Minimum Wage Would Help Close The Gender Wage Gap: The gender wage gap in the United States still stands at 77 cents paid to women for every dollar a man makes, which barely budged over the past decade and actually widened last year. One way to start closing that gap would be to raise the federal minimum wage, a new report from the National [...]/p
Limbaugh, O'Reilly costing Republicans elections
www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/04/1213757/-Limbaugh-O-Reilly-costing-Republicans-elections
"Republicans decided to figure out why young voters were avoiding their party like MySpace: The most damning conclusions lay in the survey’s examination of how people view the two major parties in terms of broad attributes. For Democrats, young voters chose “tolerant,” “diverse” and “open-minded,” while for Republicans they often chose “rich” and “religious.”
In focus groups in January, the report said, young voters were asked to list leaders of the Democratic Party. “They named prominent former or currently elected officials: Pelosi, the Clintons, Obama, Kennedy, Gore. When those same respondents were asked to name Republican leaders, they focused heavily on media personalities and commentators: Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck.”
So it’s not terribly surprising that when they were asked what words came to mind when they heard "Republican Party," the results "were brutal — closed-minded, racist, rigid, old-fashioned"."
"Republicans decided to figure out why young voters were avoiding their party like MySpace: The most damning conclusions lay in the survey’s examination of how people view the two major parties in terms of broad attributes. For Democrats, young voters chose “tolerant,” “diverse” and “open-minded,” while for Republicans they often chose “rich” and “religious.”
In focus groups in January, the report said, young voters were asked to list leaders of the Democratic Party. “They named prominent former or currently elected officials: Pelosi, the Clintons, Obama, Kennedy, Gore. When those same respondents were asked to name Republican leaders, they focused heavily on media personalities and commentators: Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck.”
So it’s not terribly surprising that when they were asked what words came to mind when they heard "Republican Party," the results "were brutal — closed-minded, racist, rigid, old-fashioned"."
Florida Judge Rejected Stand Your Ground Defense For Black Woman Who Fired Warning Shot During Domestic Violence
Florida Judge Rejected Stand Your Ground Defense For Black Woman Who Fired Warning Shot During Domestic Violence: In the months leading up to the trial of the Florida man who sparked national controversy over state Stand Your Ground laws when he shot dead 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, several defendants have escaped criminal liability for deadly shootings under the law. Just last week, a Florida jury acquitted a man who killed his wife’s lover [...]/p
Fox News Refused to Air Ultraviolet’s Commercial about Their Misogyny
www.politicususa.com/fox-news-refused-air-ultraviolets-commercial-misogyny.html
"The women at Ultraviolet were none too impressed with Lou Dobbs and his panel of misogynists going off the deep end because women are breadwinners. So they made an ad calling on Fox to fire the clown posse of Lou Dobbs, Erick Erickson, and Juan Williams, which they tried to run on — where else – Fox News. Of course, Fox News refused to air Ultraviolet’s commercial."
"The women at Ultraviolet were none too impressed with Lou Dobbs and his panel of misogynists going off the deep end because women are breadwinners. So they made an ad calling on Fox to fire the clown posse of Lou Dobbs, Erick Erickson, and Juan Williams, which they tried to run on — where else – Fox News. Of course, Fox News refused to air Ultraviolet’s commercial."
Gov. Phil Bryant’s Working Moms Comments Are Why GOP Ignorance Must Be Run Out of Office
www.politicususa.com/mississippi-gov-phil-bryant-blames-working-moms-education-woes.html
"The problem with the GOP – one of the many problems with the GOP – is that it is not about solutions. It is about putting a spin on solutions. Losing two presidential elections because your message was bigoted, repressive, and exclusive, means not that you should be more tolerant, accepting, and inclusive, but that when you’re being bigoted, repressive, and exclusive, you should smile more.
"The problem with the GOP – one of the many problems with the GOP – is that it is not about solutions. It is about putting a spin on solutions. Losing two presidential elections because your message was bigoted, repressive, and exclusive, means not that you should be more tolerant, accepting, and inclusive, but that when you’re being bigoted, repressive, and exclusive, you should smile more.
In the end, Bryant’s presence in the Washington Post Live Event was seen by him not as an opportunity to examine a very serious problem and search for relevant answers, but an opportunity to publicly indulge in his bigotries, which he then proceeded to do with great aplomb."
Fox News Spent 4 Hours Covering IRS Hearing, 14 Minutes On Military Sexual Assault Hearing
www.mediamatters.org/research/2013/06/05/fox-news-spent-4-hours-covering-irs-hearing-14/194353
"Fox News devoted 3 hours, 57 minutes to covering the IRS hearing, but spent only 13 minutes, 55 seconds on the military sexual assault hearing. Both MSNBC and CNN were more even-handed in their coverage."
"Fox News devoted 3 hours, 57 minutes to covering the IRS hearing, but spent only 13 minutes, 55 seconds on the military sexual assault hearing. Both MSNBC and CNN were more even-handed in their coverage."
All Male Congressional Panel Advances Nationwide Abortion Ban
www.addictinginfo.org/2013/06/05/all-male-congressional-panel-advances-nationwide-abortion-ban/
"Little tiny women? Are you…wait, hold on…. Okay, I’m back. Had to count to 10 several times – is he serious? I’m afraid so. And yet I’m grateful to have this platform to get out stories like this, so we can remember these misogynists in 2014. Yes, we’ll remember these men, along those who voted against the Violence Against Women Act, and the lawmakers who introduced over 600 anti-choice bills this year."
Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/06/05/all-male-congressional-panel-advances-nationwide-abortion-ban/#ixzz2VMdMGiTE
"Little tiny women? Are you…wait, hold on…. Okay, I’m back. Had to count to 10 several times – is he serious? I’m afraid so. And yet I’m grateful to have this platform to get out stories like this, so we can remember these misogynists in 2014. Yes, we’ll remember these men, along those who voted against the Violence Against Women Act, and the lawmakers who introduced over 600 anti-choice bills this year."
Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/06/05/all-male-congressional-panel-advances-nationwide-abortion-ban/#ixzz2VMdMGiTE
Five Surprising Facts About Early Childhood Education
Five Surprising Facts About Early Childhood Education: Wednesday is a National Day of Action for Early Learning. Parents, policymakers, and concerned citizens around the country are coming together to voice their support for early childhood education and demand that Congress and the president act now. Every year that we wait to act, a new cohort of children lose out on the benefits [...]/p
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Five Institutions Accused Of Discriminating Against Women In Health Plans
Five Institutions Accused Of Discriminating Against Women In Health Plans: On Tuesday, the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) filed federal complaints against five major institutions for violating Obamacare gender discrimination protections. The complaints, which were made to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Civil Rights, claim that the institutions’ health plans offer less comprehensive benefits for dependent women than they do [...]/p
Republican Attacks Measure To Prevent Taxpayer Bailouts
Republican Attacks Measure To Prevent Taxpayer Bailouts: On Monday, a regulatory body created by the Dodd-Frank reforms of 2010 named the first set of non-bank financial companies that will face the most stringent provisions of the Wall Street reform package. Since the so-called “shadow banking” sector was the epicenter of the complex and risky behavior that caused the financial crisis to spill [...]/p
Fox Business Network Refuses To Run Ad Criticizing Contributors Who Said Men Should Be ‘Dominant’
Fox Business Network Refuses To Run Ad Criticizing Contributors Who Said Men Should Be ‘Dominant’: Fox Business Network is refusing to run an advertisement that attacks three of the channel’s contributors for their stated views on working women. Ultraviolet, a group that advocates for equal rights for women, was slated to run an advertisement calling on Fox to fire Lou Dobbs, Juan Williams, and Erick Erickson for expressing dismay over [...]/p
Monday, June 3, 2013
GOP Viewed As ‘Closed Minded, Racist, Rigid’ By College Students In Republican Survey
www.addictinginfo.org/2013/06/03/gop-viewed-as-closed-minded-racist-rigid-by-college-students-in-republican-survey-video/
"Republicans belief in trickle-down economics as the way to induce a robust economy has failed. Reagan started that process while George W. Bush continued it on steroids. Young people can see that hard work does not necessarily make wealth and success anymore. The people sitting on their rear ends moving capital are the ones rewarded. When young people leave college with a large debt load and they hear that a Republican Party wants to leave loan rates that float with the desires of bankers, they understand the party may say they care, but their actions say otherwise.
Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/06/03/gop-viewed-as-closed-minded-racist-rigid-by-college-students-in-republican-survey-video/#ixzz2VBeJPB8U
"Republicans belief in trickle-down economics as the way to induce a robust economy has failed. Reagan started that process while George W. Bush continued it on steroids. Young people can see that hard work does not necessarily make wealth and success anymore. The people sitting on their rear ends moving capital are the ones rewarded. When young people leave college with a large debt load and they hear that a Republican Party wants to leave loan rates that float with the desires of bankers, they understand the party may say they care, but their actions say otherwise.
When young people see austerity measures that, even though publicly debunked, are still the core of the Republican ideology and actions, they understand that the party has no intention in investing in them, even as those who are rewarded today profited by policies youth will be paying for. Young people understand that the income and wealth disparity can be directly attributed to the same policies Republicans continue to push.
When young people see the caricature that characterizes many of the Tea Party rallies and the hate for government these “we the people” groups promote, they become embarrassed for the country that preaches tolerance."
Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/06/03/gop-viewed-as-closed-minded-racist-rigid-by-college-students-in-republican-survey-video/#ixzz2VBeJPB8U
Domestic Violence Shelters Fear The Ultimate Cost From Sequestration
Domestic Violence Shelters Fear The Ultimate Cost From Sequestration: Sequestration, the automatic across-the-board spending cuts that went into effect in March, by design cuts a wide array of government-funded programs. One of the areas is domestic violence funding for programs on the state and local level. At the same time that sequestration is reducing those budgets, however, victims’ need for support has been steadily [...]/p
House Republicans Defend Russians For Jailing Pussy Riot
House Republicans Defend Russians For Jailing Pussy Riot: Russia was right to jail feminist activists for exercising their right to free speech by staging an anti-government protest, according to two House Republicans on a junket to the former Soviet Union. Reps. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and Steve King (R-IA), along with Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), were visiting Moscow on Sunday to discuss Russian intelligence [...]/p
GOP Survey Of Young People Reveals They Support Progressive Policies
GOP Survey Of Young People Reveals They Support Progressive Policies: The College Republican National Committee released a report on Monday outlining the major challenges facing the GOP as it seeks to rebrand and redefine itself in the aftermath of the 2012 election. The survey criticizes the party’s singular focus on “big government” and “tax cuts” and calls on Republicans to become more tolerant and open [...]/p
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Congresswoman Opposes Pay Equity Laws Because Women ‘Don’t Want The Decisions Made In Washington’
Congresswoman Opposes Pay Equity Laws Because Women ‘Don’t Want The Decisions Made In Washington’: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) offered an odd view on women’s paycheck fairness and equity laws on Sunday, suggesting that federal legislation on workplace equity is condescending to women who are well-qualified for the workplace. Blackburn’s comments came during a round table on Meet the Press. The panel was discussing women’s increasing roles as the primary [...]/p
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