UnderDogs Blog ~ Re-Published - Feb.01 18, 2012

Occasionally, I see a need to re-publish this particular blog ! One of those occasions is now. I have some readers, who do not agree with me. Hey, Thats fine. However, they seem to get bent all out of shape. Perhaps they need to read again !

Your Friend, I hope ? Underdog = Don Jones ... I wrote this almost three years ago, my view has not changed !

UnderDog`s Blog ! Re-Published... Feb 02, 2012
By Don Jones = Underdog

I publish this blog, called Underdog almost daily. I write about things, I think, I know about ? For instance, I write about Organ/Transplantation. I write about Unions. I write about healthcare. I write a little about Pulmonary Hypertension. At times I am very opinionated. I do not ask that you agree with me, I do ask however that when you disagree with me, that your comments on my blog be without curse words. I do not use them in my blog. I must insist that your comments be curse free. If they are not without curse words, that`s your prerogative. However, that particular comment will be deleted. That's my rule ! I am a Democrat most of the time. Although, I have voted Republican. I am a voter of platforms and programs. Thus, the platform of the Democrats, usually fit my needs. I feel that if you are a Republican voter, you are mostly with and not without, you are white collar not blue collar. I feel if you are opposed to health care reform, you are both with and have great insurance ! I`m a Democrat who opposes gun control. I am a Democrat who opposes abortion. If you want to carry a gun, and I do ! Get licensed. I am ! You don't want or believe in abortion, don`t have one ! As for myself and my family, I view it as our decision, not your`s ! I believe in Free Democratic Trade Unions ! I belong to one. In my state of Tennessee, we have a law called (Right to Work) You are not required by law to join a union. If you do not wish to join, don`t ! You must understand, that I do not agree with that law, but, I am a law abiding citizen, thus I do abide by it ! I believe we should have term limits for our politicians. Congress was never intended to be a life-time occupation. We have them for our President and in Tennessee we have them for our Governor. Why not Congress and the Senate ? I once had a politician tell me, he could`nt be bought, but, he could be rented for a little while. I had a problem with that statement. I am a practicing Christian. I believe in separation of church and state. I have seen my church lose members over the years, because they turned into a political action committee(PAC). Let your conviction be tempered by your love for your fellow man. Let your example be that of Love, Hope and Charity ! I am a Freemason, Do not ever give up on our democracy. Vote ! Demand that your voice be heard and that you stay in touch/contact with your elected Representative`s. When you do disagree with someone, disagree with kindness, not hate or disgust. My e-mail address is on my blog. You can contact me via e-mail. donjones90@gmail.com/ or donjones@charter.net . You can make comments on my blog, I encourage you to do so. Just be agreeable or disagreeable, not ugly ! If you have items of interest you would like to see published, just forward them to this writer. Now, understand, I am the publisher, I will decide what is published and what is not ! If you wish to save my web-address for my blog, just click on the title or the following link.

Democracy...is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.

Liberty...is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.

Save blog > http://wwwsecondchance.blogspot.com/

and put it in your favorites.With warmest regard, I remain
Stick a Fork in Me, I`m Done !
UNDERDOG = Don Jones !

Fiat Lux

P.S. I hope this gives you a better insight as to my thinking and the positions I take on certain subjects !

Governor McWherter - Where Have You Gone ?

Former Governor Ned McWherter, As He sees It !
By: John Brannon, Special to The Press : Posted: Thursday, July 15, 2010

Former Tennessee Gov. Ned Ray McWherter offered a solution to stop the illegal aliens streaming across the U.S. border with Mexico: Use the National Guard. “I’d put some troops down there, and I’d stop this immigration problem we’re having,” he said. McWherter, 79, is a veteran of 30 years in state government, including 14 years as speaker of the Tennessee House and two terms (1987-1995) as governor. The Palmersville native lives in Dresden and is semi-retired. McWherter commented on the illegal alien problem and other issues during a recent interview with The Messenger. “I’d stop this walking across the line,” he said of illegals. “They’re going to keep doing that as long as we don’t close the borders. We’ve got enough National Guard troops that train two weeks each year. We could put National Guard troops from all the states down there for their training for a year or two, and it wouldn’t cost a lot of money. It needs to be stopped, and it can be. “We could close that border down, and if people wanted to come into our country, they could come like our ancestors did — do it the right way and become citizens.” He said the illegal aliens say they come in because they are the only ones that will work. “Well, if people can make a livable wage, they’ll work,” he said. “They always have. When I started out, out of school, I worked at the shoe factory. My mother worked at the shirt factory. Everybody worked.
“Our economy will build back and sustain itself if we give the people the opportunity to have jobs.”
Other issues discussed included:

The Obama administration:

“Obama is borrowing too much money, in my judgment, putting a lot of it out here, and I don’t know how effective it’s going to be. Tennessee has never been very supportive of him. I was for Hillary (Clinton in her presidential campaign). She defeated him pretty well in Tennessee. “It seems like they (Obama administration) are prone to want to give money away. In my judgment, they’re still not popular in Tennessee.” He said Obama administration’s practices had an influence in Democratic Congressman John Tanner’s decision to retire at the end of his current term. “I think John just got worn out with them borrowing money. I think that’s one of the reasons (he’s retiring). When I talked to him, I was kind of shocked that he decided to leave this year, but he just said, ‘The leadership up there pushes some legislation that I don’t agree with.’ “We have a good congressman. He just doesn’t believe in borrowing all this money. Look at how much we owe the Red Chinese. In my judgment, that’s dangerous.” The United States reportedly owes China $91 billion. The total national debt is listed as $12,933,965,635,673 or almost $13 trillion.

The economy:

“I am a person who believes this economy, our country (with its) so-called capitalistic economy, is strong enough, that when you give it time, it will correct itself. What has happened, in my judgment, we don’t have any more middle income jobs. It’s either privileged or low. High income and low income.
“I can remember when Union City had a thriving shoe manufacturing business. I can remember when it had a thriving Salant & Salant. Those people who went to work there, when they got out of high school, have no major skills today. We’ve lost all these jobs, these opportunities for a middle class. We’ve got to rebuild it.
“The jobs have gone overseas to Mexico (and other countries).”

Governor’s race:

McWherter’s son, Mike, 54, is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor. The primary election is Aug. 5, the general election Nov. 2. McWherter said he’s going to actively campaign for his son.
“(When I ran for governor) I did well in East Tennessee, for a Democrat,” he said.
“I’m going to make a little trip up there. There are about five counties up there that I’m going to visit. They’re going to have a reception for me in each county.”
He said he’ll ask them to support Mike for governor.
“Mike’s got a chance to win this. It’s not a big Democratic year, but he’s got a shot at winning the governor’s race. It’s a challenge for him. He’s been in every county in the state. “He’s all about jobs, jobs, jobs, and he’s right. The people out in the rural areas just don’t have any jobs. They are just having to leave. If they’re not farming, they have to leave. That’s why the cities are growing. “Memphis’ population is going up. Nashville is really going up. Jobs come to the urban areas where they’ve got good air facilities and air support. It just makes a difference.”

Former President Bill Clinton:

“I hope we’re going to get Clinton down here after the primary election for a fund-raising event and we see who the Republican candidate is. I have spoken to his scheduling people in his New York office. They are going to try to work out a date.
“He was down here last year for our Jackson dinner. They ended up with 2,500 people and couldn’t feed all of them. So he draws a good crowd. He told me last year he’d come back and help Mike if he ran and needed him. “I was a supporter of Clinton. I don’t support his immoral character sometimes, but he did a good job as president. He got some legislation passed and he got the budget balanced. He made a contribution to this country.”

Al and Tipper Gore :

McWherter said when he heard the news that the former vice president and his wife were divorcing, he was shocked.
“Lord, just look at Albert and Tipper. That shocked me. I thought they were family, totally family-oriented. “What happened to them, I have no idea. I was shocked out of my shoes when I heard it on the news and read about it in the papers the next day. “It is tragic. Good thing is, their kids are all grown. Al’s mother was a lovely lady. She’s gone, and I’m glad she wasn’t here to see it.”

Editor’s note: John Brannon is a staff reporter for the Union City Daily Messenger.

Editorial : Gov. Ned McWherter, one of the best Governors in the last 100 years. Where have you gone and are there any like you on the horizon ? Maybe it is Mike ? I hope so ! > http://www.mikemcwherter.com/ <

Balancing the Budget on Social Security & Medicare ?

Comments from Fiscal Commissioners, New Study Concern Seniors !

On Sunday, the co-chairmen of President Barack Obama's fiscal commission offered an ominous assessment of the nation's economic future, calling current budgetary trends a "cancer" that will destroy the country from within unless checked by tough actions in Washington. The two leaders - Alan Simpson(R) and Erskine Bowles - singled out Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, saying that the three programs fully consume federal revenue. The commission looks to reduce the deficit primarily through spending cuts and additional revenue. Separately, a new study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) finds that if the Social Security benefit cuts and retirement age increases that have been widely suggested were adopted, they would have a substantially negative impact on low- and middle-income families. The report, "The Impact of Social Security Cuts on Retiree Income," is available at http://bit.ly/dplKBb. "Social Security and Medicare have helped generations of seniors stay healthy and out of poverty. "Balancing the budget on the backs of seniors is absolutely not the solution."

Editorial : I have an idea, stop the WAR ! No fiscal problem ! Do not balance the budget on SENIORS BACKS !

Goodyear, VEBA and Goodyear Retiree`s !

Goodyear Retiree VEBA & Drugs, Drugs,Drugs ?

7/15/10

by Don Jones VEBA Retiree

This article/blog is for my fellow retiree`s at/from the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company ! Especially the Union City Plant/my Plant. In case you hav`nt noticed, you`re cost for VEBA Insurance has gone up. You have more deductibles` and your drugs are a bit higher. Now, I`m not complaining, but you need to understand that our VEBA, Goodyear has nothing to do with it any longer. It must be funded continually by good investing and our VEBA Board of Directors have this responsibilities. If you are not aware of who is on that/your VEBA Board please click on the following > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

>http://wwwsecondchance.blogspot.com/2008/01/goodyearuswa-veba-settlement.html < this will tell you who is on that Board.

You will find those that represent you. If this VEBA fund is not replenished/invested continually, we`re all in trouble ! Oh, yes you can now purchase some of if not most of your prescription drugs at Wal-Mart Pharmacy, cheaper than you can purchase them through your VEBA...I`m a Heart-Transplant Patient, I take a lot of expensive drugs. I can now get them at Wal-Mart, 30 day and 90 day supply for $4.00 and $10.00, that`s cheaper than Express Scripts ! Some drugs I take are actually $6.00 for 90 day supply...Check it out ! You can go on-line and Wal-Mart has a list of their drugs and prices for these maintenance drugs. Just click here > > > > > > > >

> http://www.walmart.com/cp/4-dollar-prescriptions/546834 <

Now, I`m not pushing Wal-Mart Pharmacy...just low prices for VEBA Retiree`s ! If I can be of any assistance to you or your dependants in this VEBA/Drug matter...just contact me at > donjones90@gmail.com <

VEBA = Volunteer Employes Benefits Association !

Editorial: I received the following from my good friend Steve, in Michigan. You might want to explore the possibility ?

Hi Don,

If you want to get a real feel for what drugs cost. Go to :
> http://www.canadadrugs.com/ <
All the best,
Steve

The Affordable Care Act !

HealthCare.gov > http://www.healthcare.gov/

Today the Obama Administration launched HealthCare.gov, a new website to help families and employers take control of their health care. The website will allow you to take health care into your own hands, with information about insurance choices and your new rights under the new Affordable Care Act. The new website also has tools to help you explore your coverage options, with additional information if you are a parent, a senior on Medicare, a young adult, a person with a disability, or an employer. By answering a few easy questions, the website will present you with all the coverage options available to you. You can then learn more about each option, including comparing the health insurance plans and benefits available in your community.
To visit the website, go to HealthCare.gov. As always, please continue to keep me informed about issues of concern to you and your family.

Editorial : Thanks to my friend Steve S. for this one !

http://www.healthcare.gov/

Social Security ~ A Lifeline for the Nations Seniors !

Philly Activists Tell Deficit Commission:

‘Hands Off Social Security’ !
by Tula Connell, Jun 28, 2010

Yael Foa, AFL-CIO senior field representative for the Northeast Region, joined activists in Philadelphia for the America Speaks town hall, to forestall possible moves by the deficit commission to cut $ocial $ecurity. More than 30 union and community activists took part in the America Speaks town hall meeting Saturday in Philadelphia, holding signs and distributing fliers to get our message out to town hall participants and pedestrians walking by: Social Security isn’t causing the nation’s budget deficit, cutting entitlement and safety net programs will make matters worse, and the best way to reduce the deficit is to invest in the jobs programs and get America back to work. Signs included “America before Wall Street,” “Social Security belongs to the people,” “Hands off my Social Security,” “Jobs for America now” and some related to health care. Unions that participated include AFT, AFSCME, CWA, UFCW, SEIU and Working America. Community groups included Jobs with Justice, MoveOn.org, Penn Action, Social Security Works, Jewish Labor Committee, Concerned Youth of America, Philadelphia Unemployment Project, Neighborhood Network, Socialist Action, MainLine Peace Action, Montgomery County Democracy for America and others.

Editorial : Don`t fix it, if it isn`t broken !

Republicans Love the Rich !

ASSUAGING THE PAIN OF MULTIMILLIONAIRE$
Friday, June 18, 2010 Posted by Jim Hightower(left)

Jon Kyl(Middle) is a bleeding-heart conservative. Does he bleed for the downtrodden? Or – as Jesus said – for "the least of these"? No, no, Kyl's heart bleeds for those with the most! The right-wing Arizona senator practically weeps for the wealthiest two-tenths of one percent of American families that have estates worth from $1 million to $5 million. What causes Kyl's eyes to brim with tears is that these privileged ones will have to pay an estate tax on wealth above a million bucks, unless Congress exempts them from the oppressive burden of helping to shoulder the cost of America's highways, parks, schools, military, water purity, and other public services we all count on. I'm sure that the other 99.8 percent of us share their pain and appreciate the Republican senate leader's deep empathy for multimillionaires. How deeply is he touched? Earlier this year, Kyl tried to scuttle an extension of benefits for America's rising tide of unemployed workers, demanding that his favored constituency of superrich families first be given hundreds of billions of dollars in estate tax cuts. He failed in this mission of mercy for millionaires, but he recently came right back with an amendment to derail a proposal to help America's hard-hit small businesses get desperately-needed loans. Forget Main Street, wailed the senator from Easy Street, unless and until we exempt estates worth up to $5 million from the tragedy of taxation. How much would Kyl's tax cut for the elites take from America's public treasury? More than $80 billion a year, which is what the 2009 estate tax on these rich ones brought in. But, hey, says the jovial plutocrat, we can make that up by slashing programs that benefit the middle class and the poor. See, it’s just a matter of getting your priorities straight. Guys like Kyl profess their love for small business, but they always stay true to the rich. "Kyl Stymies Small Business Bill By Threatening To Attach Amendment Slashing Taxes For Multimillionaires," http://www.thinkprogress.org/ , May 27, 2010.

Alan Simpson and the 'lesser people' Debt Commission...Lesser People ? Is That You & I ?

Health Care Reform and Seniors ? Better Listen Up !

So how does the new Health reform bill affect Seniors and their Families ?

At Tuesday's White House town-hall meeting, President Obama and his top health care advisor discussed that very issue. If you didn't get a chance to watch it live, you can watch the whole thing here -- or even skip ahead to hear the question you want answered. We've seen nasty rumors flying around about health reform since Congress started debating it last year -- even some claiming falsely that this would cut guaranteed Medicare benefits. This question-and-answer session was about making sure everyone knows the facts. As the President said in his opening remarks, "Medicare isn't just something that you're entitled to when you reach 65 -- it's something that you've earned. It's something that you've worked a lifetime for, having the security of knowing that Medicare will be there when you need it. It's a sacred and inviolable trust between you and your country."
Watch the town-hall meeting here -- and share the link with friends to help get out the truth about health reform:

http://my.barackobama.com/SeniorsTownHallVideo

Republicans Rob from The Poor and Give to The Rich !

The Republicans in Congress are attacking the new health care law and their key strategy is to Lie about it.

(1.) How do we fight back ? By telling the truth about the concrete ways the new law improves people's lives.
Yesterday thousands of seniors gathered with President Obama to participate in a national tele-townhall in Wheaton, Maryland to combat the fraud and misinformation being spread about health reform.
(2 .)Click here to forward this email to 5 people you know so they can learn the facts.

The truth is that the new law strengthens the financial health of Medicare and reduces unwarranted subsidies that have lined the pockets of insurance company CEOs and Wall Street big wigs. The truth is that it gives seniors more control over their health care and they will save thousands of dollars by closing the Medicare "donut hole," including the $250 rebate checks mailed this month.

(3.)Click here to download a great fact sheet about closing the prescription drug coverage gap and to send it to 5 people you know. http://healthcareforamericanow.org/page/invite/fightforseniors

The insurance industry lobbyists and their Republican lackeys are spreading lies about reform to hijack it and interfere with its implementation.
(4.) We can never let that happen.

Editorial : E-mail your Senator and Congressman, let them know, you are watching them ! > If you live in Tennessee Click below or the title of this article !

> http://www.tennesseeanytime.org/government/elected.html <

Is There No End To Republican Hypocrisy ?

GOP Moves to Repeal Healthcare Law
By Molly K. Hooper - 05/27/10

House Republican leaders introduced a bill Thursday to repeal and replace the sweeping healthcare law adopted in late March. According to Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), the measure would repeal the current law and replace it with the alternative the minority party offered to the original healthcare legislation last November. “As unpopular as this healthcare bill is today, it’s at the height of its popularity,” Blunt said. “The more the American people know about it, the more concerns they are going to have, and the more they are going to look at alternatives.” Chances are slim Republicans could get their measure to the floor, given the Democratic majorities in the chamber, but it could make a useful campaign tool for the party. The vote on healthcare reform has become a political issue in a year rife with anti-incumbent sentiment. Tea Party activists opposed the legislation and protested on Capitol Hill during the March vote, shouting, “Kill the bill.” Several Democratic candidates in conservative-leaning districts have said they would not have voted for the bill, while unions are withholding support from some Democratic incumbents who voted against the legislation. A Gallup poll taken earlier this month found that healthcare is still in the Top Five list of voters’ concerns. Another Gallup poll found that voters are “no less concerned about paying the costs of a serious illness or accident, or normal healthcare costs, than they were last year.” In all, 20 GOP lawmakers co-sponsored the repeal-and-replace bill, including House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio), Whip Eric Cantor (Va.), GOP conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.) and Blunt. Rep. Wally Herger (R-Calif.), the ranking member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Healthcare, formally submitted the bill. A Herger aide explained the legislation would repeal the entire law but would provide protections for those with pre-existing conditions. “[It] would prevent an insurance company from denying new coverage to someone with prior coverage on the basis of a pre-existing condition. So if you lose the health insurance because you lose your job, move, get divorced or just want to change plans, you are protected,” Herger spokesman Matt Lavoie said. Democrats laughed off the GOP effort to repeal the law. An aide for Assistant to the Speaker Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said that the “repeal Repubs” would create a boon for the health insurance industry. “Repeal Repubs are out of step with the majority of Americans who want to give the reform bill a chance to work. If the GOP gets their way, they would actually strip individuals and families of important rights and benefits and add to the deficit they created. This is a healthcare bill only insurance companies would love,” Van Hollen spokesman Doug Thornell said. Asked of the chances the measure would move through the House, Herger’s Democratic counterpart, Rep. Pete Stark (Calif.), responded, “Like a prayer in hell.” The chairman of the Ways and Means Health subcommittee admitted he hadn’t seen the GOP measure but added, “It’s probably lousy.” Republicans say their bill would reduce costs, increase access and create transparency and more competition in the system. Blunt claimed that of all the healthcare measures scored by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), this measure is “the only thing that anybody offered that the Congressional Budget Office said would decrease the cost of insurance for everybody.” Asked why leaders didn’t submit a measure solely to repeal the massive entitlement law, Blunt responded, “Then you’d be asking, ‘Why don’t you have any ideas?’ ” At least one Republican has a problem with his leadership offering a repeal-and-replace bill. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said in an interview with The Hill that Republicans “should be for 100 percent repeal. The replacement component of it should be a separate question because it blurs the issue; once you tie a comprehensive replacement to a repeal bill, you’ve guaranteed it’s going to bog down and the American people that are sick of backroom deals are going to ask a whole lot of questions that we are going to have to answer.” King called ObamaCara“ a malignant tumor that has metastasized as we speak.” Rep. Charles Boustany Jr. (R-La.), a co-sponsor of Herger’s measure, disagreed. “We have got to understand that the Senate is not going to be in Republican hands, nor is the White House until hopefully 2012, so the political reality is we have to operate within reality — and we will go as far as we can to repeal the most egregious parts of the bill and replace them with good reforms,” Boustany explained.

Editorial : This piece of legislation is pure crap ! Only From Republicans who are so out of touch with common everyday people and so in touch with millionaires !

Radio WCMT ~ Listen Carefully, Not Unbiased !

Talk Radio Has Responsibity...
by Don Jones

This morning, I was listening to the radio, WCMT 101.3 fm, http://www.wcmt.com/staff.php

A show called "Goodtimes in the Morning" with Chris and Paul ! I listen to get the latest local news and gossip ! It is actually entertaining at times, and on occasion even informative ! There is a local physician who calls in regularly and gives his opinion on almost everything. Most of the time, he is entertaining not informative. This morning he made another of his outrageous statements in regard to our government. Not only was it not accurate, it was not true. He said, and I will try to stay as accurate as I can remember. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, knew in advance of the Japanese attack on Pear Harbor, and did nothing, so we the USA would get into the second world war. Just let me say, That I think this is totally irresponsible. This is his opinion with no hard facts. "I think it was Dwight Eisenhower, he was a mere Major and wanted to rise to a five 5 star General and then President of these United States " ! Now, I said what I did to illustrate how ridiculous, Some people`s statements are. Of course, My statement is not true. Now this radio station is a right wing republican radio station. I know that. How ? They carry Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity hours on hours everyday. They do not carry Jim Hightower, Left wing Democratic commentator. Did you notice, I used the term "Commentator" Not News ! Please do not misunderstand, I know the President and General Manager of this station, he`s a pretty nice guy and a very hard worker. However, he is not unbiased ! Yes, he is entitled to his opinion, but, so am I ! If this radio station wants to be a service to the community, let them broadcast both sides, not just the Republican right wing side ! After all, there are two sides to every issue ! This station chooses to give but one side ! WCMT, put on Jim Hightower > http://www.jimhightower.com/ <, commentator ! As for our local physician who calls regularly, most of us are aware that he should not be taken seriously ! This writer`s opinion !

No More Tax Breaks for Companies Who Move off Shore !

In Pa. 12th District, Critz Backs Keeping Jobs At Home
by James Parks, May 14, 2010

Democrat Mark Critz is the only candidate in the May 18 special election in Pennsylvania’s 12th congressional district who believes it’s time to stop tax breaks for companies that move overseas and give them to companies that create jobs here in America. By contrast, his Republican opponent Tim Burns shipped Pennsylvania jobs offshore and opposes caps on CEO pay. Clearly why working people in Pennsylvania’s 12th congressional district are backing Mark Critz.

Seniors Bill of Rights !

Seniors Bill of Rights

Last week, the House Democratic Caucus launched the Seniors Task Force to engage American seniors on issues relevant to them [ http://www.dems.gov/seniors ]. Co-chaired by Congresswomen Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Doris Matsui (D-CA), the caucus introduced

H. Res. 1342, a Seniors Bill of Rights. The legislation addresses Democratic support for senior priorities including: protection from scams and fraud; affordable health care; safe and livable communities; and economic security [ http://www.dems.gov/seniors/bill-of-rights ]. "With seniors living longer, it is a relief to see our government paying attention to the needs of the growing retiree population," !

Transplant`s~"The Gift of Life" Total Numbers !

Total Number of Transplants Performed in the United States
1988 to April 2010

All donor types 480,547


Deceased donors 376,610


Living donors 103,937

Total number of organ donated in the US 1988 to April 2010 > 235,827

Deceased donors 131,375

Living donors 104,152

I consider my self blessed to be counted in these numbers !

Don Jones, Heart-Transplant - 1994


" Give The Gift of Life, Be an Organ/Tissue Donor, it`s the Masonic Thing to Do"!

Best Commercial Ever - This One is Worth Repeating ! 10/24/11

10/24/11

"God Bless America" "God Bless Our Troops" !

Republicans Love Wall-Street ! Main Street is Not Needed !

GOP Blocks Wall St. Reform Bill
By Alexander Bolton and Silla Brush - 04/26/10

Senate Republicans held ranks on Monday and blocked a Democratic effort to overhaul the financial system and crack down on Wall Street.
In a 57-41 vote, Democrats fell short of the 60 votes necessary to proceed to the Wall Street bill. One Senate Democrat, Ben Nelson (upper left)(Neb.), joined Republicans in voting against the motion. Nelson had reportedly been pushing for a provision backed by Warren Buffett that would have largely exempted existing derivatives contracts from the bill’s new rules. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) immediately moved to intensify the pressure on Republicans by scheduling additional procedural votes on Tuesday and Wednesday that would open debate on the financial reform bill. President Barack Obama issued a statement to express his “deep disappointment” that Republicans had blocked opening debate on the measure as other Democrats in the House and Senate rushed to put out statements charging the GOP with holding up the bill. Reid will have the Senate vote on a motion to reconsider the measure Tuesday and also set up a new vote on a motion to proceed to the bill for Wednesday. Democrats believe the series of votes will give them political ammunition against the GOP even as they continue negotiations on the issue with Republicans. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) said he would meet again with his Republican counterpart after the vote to discuss a possible compromise. Republicans framed their votes as a call for Democrats to work with them on bipartisan legislation and said their opposition would not prevent them from pursing a compromise bill. “My vote is not a vote against financial reform; instead it’s a vote to insist that the parties continue bi-partisan negotiations to come up with a commonsense bill we can all be proud of,” Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) said in a statement. The Monday vote came on the eve of one of the highest-profile congressional hearings into the crisis, in which the most storied Wall Street bank is set for a grilling about practices that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said amounted to fraud. Senators are set to question Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein and firm employee Fabrice Tourre about SEC charges that the firm defrauded investors on investments tied to the housing market. Dodd said last week that he would continue to negotiate with Republicans even if they blocked an effort to bring his bill to the floor. Sen. Richard Shelby (Ala.), the senior Republican on the Banking Committee, said he would like to reach an agreement this week or next. “I don’t want to unduly delay anything,” he said before Monday’s vote. Both members say they are making progress, but the parties remain split on major elements, such as the scope of a new consumer protection office, the power to dissolve a failing financial firm and new regulations on the multitrillion-dollar derivatives market. Republican aides said Dodd and Shelby were in close talks on a proposal, known as the “Volcker rule,” to limit the power of big banks. They were also discussing how much power the federal government should have to pre-empt state rules on consumer protection. Centrist Republicans such as Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) have suggested spending three or four weeks on crafting a bipartisan compromise. But Democrats, who are eager to move forward on other issues, say enough time has been spent negotiating the financial regulatory bill. The failure to begin debate raises questions over what the Senate will do on the floor this week. It could take up the Food Safety Modernization Act, but a senior Democratic aide said Reid wants to focus on Wall Street reform document. Democrats seized on the vote to portray Republicans as standing up for Wall Street banks that helped push the economy into the worst recession since the Great Depression. “A party that stands with Wall Street is a party that stands against families and against fairness,” Reid said Monday. Seeking protection from Democratic attacks, Senate Republicans said Monday that they have worked on an alternate Wall Street reform bill but offered few details other than to say it would address Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Democrats say the government-sponsored mortgage entities, which share blame for fueling the housing bubble, should be reformed in separate legislation. The legislation would respond to the concerns of some centrist Republicans who have argued in private meetings that the party should be able to propose its own solutions if it blocks the Democratic proposal. But few lawmakers were aware of the effort to draft an alternative, giving it the appearance of a last-minute scramble for political cover.
Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (upper right)(Ky.) said Democratic leaders were trying to stampede his fellow Republicans into supporting bad policy.
“Republicans are also acutely aware of the fact that government solutions to big, complex problems like this one are rarely as effective as they’re made out to be, especially when they’re rushed,” McConnell said. He declared that Republican concerns about economic stimulus and healthcare reform legislation have since been vindicated by public opinion and told Democrats to slow down. “Americans have been rushed by this Congress before,” he said. “They’ve seen the results. They’re not going to be rushed again.” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs predicted Monday that Republicans would have trouble holding a unified front against Wall Street reform, which polls show has broad public support. A Washington Post/ABC News poll published Monday showed that almost two-thirds of the public supported stronger regulation of financial institutions. The survey also found that 52 percent trust Obama more than GOP lawmakers to regulate Wall Street. In a preview of the Goldman Sachs hearing, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chairman of the panel, accused the bank of misleading the country and spreading “poison” throughout the national economy. Levin said the bank sold securities it knew were backed by dubious mortgages and then bet heavily against the investments, earning an estimated $3.7 billion off these short bets.

Jay Heflin contributed to this article.

Editorial : Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker (R`s) Tennessee were among those who towed the line for McConnell ! Better wake up Tennessee !

Hey Senior`s ~ Your Fate is Being Decided Behind closed Doors

Social $ecurity and Seniors !

Seniors Need to Follow This ! Hey That`s Me !

This morning a new Federal commission is meeting for the first time, and it could determine the future of Social Security. The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a bi-partisan group charged with recommending ways to lower the federal debt. No retiree likes debt, but we should be worried because some are urging the panel to cut Social Security to reduce the budget deficit. Unfortunately this new Commission is making it hard for us to follow its work. It plans to hold most of its meetings outside of the public eye, behind closed doors in the U.S. Capitol. Click http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/open_gov to tell your elected officials that this Commission's deliberations - and the future of Social Security - are too important to be kept secret. The meetings should be open to the public, and there should be hearings across the country to listen to the American people. Social Security is one of our nation's greatest success stories, and there is no reason to hide it away. Act today to send these meetings out into the sunshine, so everyone can see firsthand just how important Social Security is to Americans of all ages. Click on link above or on the Title of this article !

Big Banks ~ Too Big ? You Bet`cha !

Big Banks Need Regulating !

America's four largest banks - Citibank, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and WellsFargo - have assets of $7.4 trillion, equal to 52% of our entire GDP.The collapse of any one would endanger the American economy, even the world economy. They are truly "too big to fail." They also have too much economic and political power because of their enormous size. Tell Congress: Break Up the Big Banks Now http://www.democrats.com/break-up-the-banks-now
Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Ted Kaufman (D-DE) introduced a bold bill - the SAFE Banking Act (S. 3241) - to break up the big Wall Street banks. This may be the biggest reform of Wall Street and corporate power in 80 years.
According to the New York Times, "The [SAFE Banking Act] would reinforce a 1994 law that bars any single bank from holding more than 10% of the nation’s total deposits, or about $750 billion. In the years since then, large firms have obtained waivers or used loopholes in the law to exceed that ceiling." It would also limit total bank borrowing to 2% of GDP.
Tell Congress: Break Up the Big Banks Now : http://www.democrats.com/break-up-the-banks-now The bill has broad progressive support, including Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, Chris Hayes of The Nation, Prof. Lawrence Lessig, Heather Booth of Americans for Financial Reform, Adam Quinn of Credo, David Arkush of Public Citizen, and Jan Frel of Alternet. In addition, three Federal Reserve bank presidents – James Bullard, president and chief executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’ Kansas City Fed President Thomas M. Hoenig, and Dallas Fed President Richard W. Fisher – all support breaking up too-big-to-fail banks.
Tell Congress: Break Up the Big Banks Now http://www.democrats.com/break-up-the-banks-now

Republican Senators Unite Behind Big Money !

Senator Mitchell McConnell (R) Kentucky...Represents Big Money !

Last week, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell got all 41 GOP senators to promise to oppose Wall Street reform. He thought President Obama would back down in the face of a unified show of force. He was wrong. Instead, the President stood in front of Wall Street bankers Thursday, going to bat for consumers and confronting the toughest of crowds with a strong message: Reform is good for Americans, good for the market, and it's time to get on board. Bipartisan discussions have begun again -- but Wall Street lobbyists are still swarming Capitol Hill, trying to trip up negotiations and maintain the gridlock that has defined Washington for far too long. So now, it's up to us. We need to show Republican senators that the American people are watching closely to see whose side they end up on. Tell Republicans in the Senate to stand up to the special interests and work with the President to pass Wall Street reform.
The President laid out a bold plan to hold Wall Street accountable, to protect American taxpayers by ensuring they'll never again be asked to bail out a big firm "too big to fail," and to put in place the strongest consumer financial protections ever proposed.But this fight isn't just about fixing Wall Street. It's also about fixing Washington. For too long, it's been a place where special interests have set the rules and petty partisanship has stood in the way of progress. As the President said Thursday, "We can and must put this kind of cynical politics aside."Thanks to strong leadership from the President and Democrats in Congress, the gridlock is starting to crack, and Republicans are slowly giving signs that they'll come on board. The Senate has even scheduled a preliminary vote for Monday at 5:15 p.m.But Wall Street lobbyists are flooding in to firm up opposition -- trying to carve out loopholes and exemptions for big banks and lenders who have long exploited consumers.The only sure-fire way to make sure that the special interests don't get their way is to show Senate Republicans that Americans are standing firmly with the President. Tell them to join us to fight for American families who are counting on reform, not the big Wall Street banks. Send a letter today: Click on this link or the title of this article : http://my.barackobama.com/WallStreetReformLetters

Check out our online Wall Street reform resource center.

President Obama ~ Wall-Street & Bank Reform !

Reform for Wall Street & Banks ? You Bet`cha !

by Don Jones...4/22/10

I listened to our President on television, asking for our elected officials to reform Wall-Street and our Banks,that are to big to fail ? He sounded rational and reasonable. I agree with him, these institutions need to be reformed. It seems that our Banks have become little more than loan sharking institutions. Wall-Street a huge casino. I do not believe that this should happen or allowed to happen. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had this same problem as does President Obama ! History does repeat itself. Banks do not respect us and are raising their interest rates, fees, and charges all they can, not all they need, before more stringent regulations kick in early 2010. Perhaps we all should join Credit Unions since they can only raise Credit Card interest to 18% ? Have you ever thought about keeping your money in a coffee can and bury it in the backyard ? These days it seems like a pretty good idea ? I have a passbook savings account at a local bank, so I can put money in or take it out, when I want too. I noticed the other day it was paying a whopping 0.30% interest ! Not too good ! I hope and pray that our politicians will help aid and assist our President to reform our Banks and Wall-Street ? I`m also hoping that our next reform will be our Trade policy`s! "God Bless America"!

Healthcare rReform - Just the Facts !

Facts About Health Care Reform
by Mike Hall, Apr 1, 2010

Yesterday, we found out that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is set to spend $50 million in this fall’s election to (take your pick): 1. attack; 2. bend the truth; or 3. down right lie about the new health care reform law that President Obama put the finishing touches on Tuesday. The Wall Street Journal describes the Chamber’s efforts as “an aggressive strategy to blunt the impact of the new law.”

BTW, Christina Bellantoni on TPM yesterday noted:
The new push for the 2010 midterm elections adds to a more than $144 million ad campaign the Chamber mounted on behalf of its business membership in the last year against passage of the measure. Before you’re innundated with ads claiming health care reform will destroy the economy, the nation and world as we know it, here are a few of health care reform’s many benefits for working families. (Check out the video of Washington State working families celebrating the new law.)
Two important facts,

first: If you have employer-sponsored health care coverage won at the bargaining table, you’ll keep it. Second, the tax on health care benefits in high-cost plans has been reduced by 85 percent and delayed until 2018. In addition, the new law:

•Ends insurance companies’ most abusive practices, including denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, beginning in 2014 for adults, and this September for children. The insurance industry already tried to weasel out of covering sick kids, but that sleazy maneuver came to a quick end.

•Eliminates annual and lifetime limits on benefits and ends discriminatory premiums for women and requires government review of excessive rate increases.

•Lowers health care costs for working families by creating new health insurance exchanges to increase competition and provides tax credits and cost-sharing assistance for middle- and lower-income families to purchase insurance.

•Helps seniors purchase prescription drugs, closes the Medicare prescription drug “donut hole” and ensures seniors get free preventive care under Medicare.
Click here for more information on the new health care reform and check back next week when we take a look at some health care reform facts vs. fiction.

Lets End the War on Drugs !

March 31, 2010 08:38 AM

Let's End the War on Drugs
By: Sting

Whether it's music, activism or daily life, the one ideal to which I have always aspired is constant challenge -- taking risks, stepping out of my comfort zone, exploring new ideas. I am writing because I believe the United States must do precisely that -- and so, therefore, must all of us -- in the case of what has been the most unsuccessful, unjust yet untouchable issue in politics: the War on Drugs.
The War on Drugs has failed -- but it's worse than that. It is actively harming our society. Violent crime is thriving in the shadows to which the drug trade has been consigned. People who genuinely need help can't get it. Neither can people who need medical marijuana to treat terrible diseases. We are spending billions, filling up our prisons with non-violent offenders and sacrificing our liberties.
For too long, the War on Drugs has been a sacrosanct undertaking that was virtually immune from criticism in the public realm. Politicians dared not disagree for fear of being stigmatized as "soft on crime." Any activist who spoke up was dismissed as a fringe element. But recently, I discovered just how much that's changing--and that's how I came to speak out on behalf of an extraordinary organization called the Drug Policy Alliance. I learned of DPA, as they're known, while reading what once might have been the unlikeliest of places for a thoughtful discussion of the Drug War -- the op-ed page of the Wall Street Journal.
It featured an op-ed that dared to say in print -- in a thoughtful, meticulous argument -- what everyone who has seriously looked at the issue has known for years: the War on Drugs is an absolute failure whose cost to society is increasingly unbearable and absolutely unjustifiable.
The author of that piece is a former Princeton professor turned activist named Ethan Nadelmann, who runs DPA. I was so impressed by his argument that I began reading up on the group. Their work spoke directly to my heart as an activist for social justice -- because ending the War on Drugs is about exactly that.
For years, the Drug War has been used as a pretext to lock people in prison for exorbitant lengths of time -- people whose "crimes" never hurt another human being, people who already lived at the margins of society, whose voices were the faintest and whose power was the least. Civil liberties have been trampled. Law enforcement has been militarized. Literally hundreds of billions of dollars -- dollars denied to urgent problems ranging from poverty to pollution -- have been spent. People who do need help with drugs have been treated as criminals instead. Meanwhile, resources to fight genuine crime -- violent crime -- have been significantly diminished. And in exchange for all this, the War on Drugs has not stopped people from using drugs or kept drugs from crossing the borders or being sold on the streets. To me, it all adds up to a clear message of exactly the sort I've always tried to heed in my life: It's time to step out of our comfort zone and try something new. That's where DPA comes in. Their focus is on reducing the harm drugs cause rather than obsessively and pointlessly attempting to ban them. I'm partnering with DPA because they champion treatment, advocate effective curricula for educating young people about drugs -- and from local courtrooms to the Supreme Court, they are utterly relentless defenders of the liberties that have been sacrificed to the Drug War. Now, political conditions in Washington seem finally to be aligning in favor of profound change in drug policy. President Obama has openly said the Drug War is a failure. Legislation to decriminalize marijuana is pending on Capitol Hill. But success is far from guaranteed. Indeed, the echoes of the old politics of intimidation and demagoguery that have long surrounded the War on Drugs can still be heard. We must all work to ensure this issue becomes a priority and is acted upon in a meaningful and sensible way. That's why I hope you'll join me in becoming a member of the Drug Policy Alliance today. We need a movement that will put the team at DPA in a position to take maximum advantage of the political changes in Washington while continuing to fight for sanity in drug policy across the nation.
Everyone knows the War on Drugs has failed. It's time to step out of our comfort zones, acknowledge the truth -- and challenge our leaders ... and ourselves ... to change.

Questions & Answers on HealthCare !

Listed Below are Links to Answer`s on Healthcare Questions ?

I thought You might be interested ? Just click on the link question and it will take you to the answer ! I hope these help ?

How will insurance for Members of Congress change under the new health care law?

Which religious groups are exempt from the new health insurance mandate?

What is considered a 'Cadillac' health plan under the new law?

Will military benefits be affected?

Does everyone in Congress get a pension — even if they leave office early because of a scandal?

Stop The Bleeding of Our Jobs to China !

Save Jobs
Write the President and Congress
How Much More Can We Take

· Our trade imbalance with China has cost America 2.4 MILLION JOBS since 2001!

· A big reason is that the Chinese Government deliberately sets its money value up to 40% lower than the dollar. This manipulation means they can sell their products up to 40% cheaper in the U.S.

· The stunning damage to jobs can be seen on a special map that shows each state and Congressional District losses. Take a look at:

http://www.americanmanufacturing.org/china-job-loss/

We Have a Chance to Act NOW Insist that the President formally label China a “Currency Manipulator”
Urge Congress to Pass Strong Legislation with Penalties

We Have a New Quick and Easy Website Letter Writer :

Go to: http://www.americanmanufacturing.org/
Click on: TAKE ACTION: Write to Congress and the President
Fill in: Your Name and Address Information in the Form
Click: “Send Message” an you’ve sent the message

If You Don’t Have Access to a Computer you can fill out the Letter on the Back of this Flyer and AAM will see that the President and Your Congress people get it.

Health Care and YOU !

Better Than NO Health Care Bill ~ YOU bet`cha !

Yesterday, the House of Representatives made history. Even with the bill's flaws, health care reform is the most important piece of progressive legislation in decades. Below is a list of ten of the most important things health care reform will accomplish for everyday Americans—none of which would've been possible without the dogged efforts of grassroots progressives and the support of Representative Alan Grayson. But Republicans are already unleashing their spin machine to target Democrats who voted for reform, so we've got to show that we've got their backs. We've set a goal of making 3 thank-you calls from Mount Dora to Rep. Grayson's office today—can you join in? Here's where to call:
Representative Alan Grayson Phone: 202-225-2176
And after you call, take a moment to check out the list and share it with all your friends. Big Insurance and right-wing extremists are already ratcheting up their campaign to spread misinformation about the bill, so it's critical that we get the truth out as widely as possible.
_____________________________________________________________

10 THINGS EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HEALTH CARE REFORM

(1.) Once reform is fully implemented, over 95% of Americans will have health insurance coverage, including 32 million who are currently uninsured.

(2.) Health insurance companies will no longer be allowed to deny people coverage because of preexisting conditions—or to drop coverage when people become sick.

(3.) Just like members of Congress, individuals and small businesses who can't afford to purchase insurance on their own will be able to pool together and choose from a variety of competing plans with lower premiums.

(4.) Reform will cut the federal budget deficit by $138 billion over the next ten years, and a whopping $1.2 trillion in the following ten years.

(5.) Health care will be more affordable for families and small businesses thanks to new tax credits, subsidies, and other assistance—paid for largely by taxing insurance companies, drug companies, and the very wealthiest Americans.

(6.) Seniors on Medicare will pay less for their prescription drugs because the legislation closes the "donut hole" gap in existing coverage.

(7.) By reducing health care costs for employers, reform will create or save more than 2.5 million jobs over the next decade.

(8.) Medicaid will be expanded to offer health insurance coverage to an additional 16 million low-income people.

(9.) Instead of losing coverage after they leave home or graduate from college, young adults will be able to remain on their families' insurance plans until age 26

(10.) Community health centers would receive an additional $11 billion, doubling the number of patients who can be treated regardless of their insurance or ability to pay.

Editorial : Thanks to Mike Stanley for this. God Bless America !