It is with a heavy heart that I am writing this last blog message. My father Donald V. Jones passed away on Feb.19th 2013. He was a man with great passion for family, community, and people. He truly believed that one person could make a difference. It is this writers hope that I can be half the man he was. On behalf of my Mother and Brother may God bless each of you and be with you on your many journeys in life .As my father always would say "Give the gift of life be an Organ and Tissue donor".

SS# & MEDICARE RX. DRUGS

Alliance Endorses Deutch Plan to Make Social Security Solvent in the Long-Term
On Wednesday, the Alliance sent a letter to Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL), endorsing the “Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act” that he introduced along with Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK). The legislation ensures long-term solvency for Social Security by gradually lifting the cap on wages for high income earners. At the same time, the plan enhances benefits by applying a more accurate cost-of-living adjustment, guaranteeing that seniors’ benefits keep up with their daily needs. To see the letter, go to http://tinyurl.com/al9auet.

 

Medicare Prescription Drugs Costs are down due to the Affordable Care Act
Health care reform is paying off for seniors. According to a recent report issued by the Obama administration, the Affordable Care Act has saved 6.1 million people, largely seniors and people with disabilities, more than $5.7 billion in prescription drug costs. The law achieved this feat by starting to close the “doughnut hole” in the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, which had forced many Medicare beneficiaries to pay all the costs of their prescriptions. Health care reform has helped with prescription expenses since 2010, and will close the “doughnut hole” entirely by 2020. To read the Huffington Post article on the report, go to http://tinyurl.com/bhv5a2v. “This is a clear illustration of the benefits that health care reform has provided to seniors,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “Given the rate at which prescription drug costs are rising, many seniors would not be able to pay for them without the Affordable Care Act.”

"Democracy...is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch"!
Liberty...is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.

Fiat Lux

TRUMKA ~ ON CONGRESS !

Bullies in Congress are threatening to tank the U.S. economy unless they get their way—again. They are threatening to let across-the-board budget cuts take effect in March unless Democrats agree to cut Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits and protect the lavish tax breaks enjoyed by Wall Street and the richest 2% of Americans.

We’re not going to let them bully the 98% until they get their way. We’re putting the pressure on them right now to make sure we’re able to protect every working family.

Sign the petition and tell Congress: Protect Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare from benefit cuts; close loopholes for Wall Street and the richest 2% of Americans; and repeal the across-the-board cuts that could tank the economy.

Republicans in Congress could close tax loopholes for Wall Street, drug companies and the richest 2% of Americans. Savings from closing those loopholes would save trillions of dollars—money that could be invested back into our economy.

These extreme legislators are holding the economy hostage because they want to push through a wildly unpopular economic agenda that voters overwhelmingly rejected in the last election—benefit cuts for Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare and tax breaks for Wall Street and the richest 2%.

Once again, they are ignoring the real problems Americans are facing—like unemployment, underemployment and flat wages—so the people getting the short end of the stick are working families. They’re throwing a temper tantrum to get their way, and apparently tanking the U.S. economy and putting us back to work isn’t a concern for them.

Some members of Congress have been a little hard of hearing lately, so we’re going to keep raising our voices.
We’re getting as many signatures from working families as we can—families who want to make clear our priorities are fixing the economy first and restoring economic security. Please sign the petition today:

go.aflcio.org/no-hostage-takers
In Solidarity,
Rich
-----
Richard Trumka
President, AFL-CIO

“We must close union offices, confiscate their money and put their leaders in prison. We must reduce workers salaries and take away their right to strike." !

 

Adolph Hitler - May 2,1933

 

 

"Democracy...is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch"!
Liberty...is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.

NO CUTS IN MEDICARE or SOCIAL SECURITY

Nobody wants to take money out of the hands of senior citizens: except some Republicans of course.

House Republicans are doing what they do best -- fighting to prop up special interests and big corporations while pushing major cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security programs.
We can’t let Republicans cut the benefits our seniors have earned.

John Boehner and his buddies need Democratic votes in order to pass a budget deal. So, we can beat Boehner and take Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid off the chopping block so long as we rally Democrats to stand strong.

Reps. Alan Grayson and Mark Takano are leading the charge to protect Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security benefits. That’s why we’re joining our friends at Credo Action, MoveOn, and the PCCC to get other Democrats to join them.

Can you join Reps. Alan Grayson and Mark Takano as a citizen co-sponsor right now?

In just two days, we've already generated over 63,000 co-signers and 4,400 phone calls to Congress -- and 11 House Democrats signed on in the first day. That’s huge.

Our momentum is building, and with your help, we can convince our Democratic leaders to stand strong and beat Boehner.

Join Alan Grayson and tell Democrats: Take Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid off the chopping block.

Thank you for all that you do.

Underdog = Don Jones

"Democracy...is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch"!
Liberty...is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.

Social Security ~ Off The Table ! You Bet`Cha !

Rich Are Getting Richer and It's Hurting Social Security's Finances

More Sharing Service

Feb 12, 2013 Jackie Tortora | Economy

While media pundits raise faux concern every time the Social Security trustees release their annual report, falsely declaring the program is in dire trouble—even though the future modest funding shortfall can easily be fixed by scrapping the cap—it's important we take a look at a major factor in Social Security's finances: 

READ MORE AND COMMENT »

“We must close union offices, confiscate their money and put their leaders in prison. We must reduce workers salaries and take away their right to strike." ! Adolph Hitler - May 2,1933

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

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

Fiat Lux

DRUGS~DRUGS~DRUGS

RECOVERY ~ NOT JAIL !

Values and Virtues
Values and virtues are things we do not often speak of, but they are of utmost importance to the recovering addict and alcoholic. Values are the things we hold dear. They define what is important and where we invest our time and energy. If I value my recovery I will invest time and energy into it. The same is true with family, a spiritual life, work, self-care and our relationships with others. Virtues on the other hand determine how we go about living our lives. The program teaches us many virtues such as honesty, courage, wisdom and many others. We discover that we do not need to live in a manner of self-deceit, dishonesty, fear and stupidity. We find that we can develop healthy values and virtues. Recovery and the steps and traditions teach us how to live. Am I developing a healthy set of values and virtues?

 Brought to you by OneHealth™ Solutions, Inc. and their OneHealth Meeting Finder. OneHealth products are uniquely built by people dedicated to helping people change behavior and lead healthier lives. OneHealth offers a supportive space for members to connect with people who understand, share stories and support one another as they set and achieve their personal health goals. For more information check our site.

Get a Union, Get a Ticket to the Middle Class !

Get a Union, Get a Ticket to the Middle Class

Feb 1, 2013 Mike Hall | Economy

We’ve said it for years. Because of the “Union Difference”—fair wages and better benefits for workers who belong to a union—unions are the ticket to the middle class. Even if you don’t belong to a union, there is a spillover effect to the whole economy. In other words, when unions are strong, everyone benefits. But don’t take our word for it, here’s what Time magazine contributor Eric Liu says:

The fact is that when unions are stronger the economy as a whole does better.

READ MORE AND COMMENT »

“We must close union offices, confiscate their money and put their leaders in prison. We must reduce workers salaries and take away their right to strike." !    Adolph Hitler - May 2,1933 

TENNESSEE`S NEW STATE DEMOCRAT!C CRAIRMAN

Don -- When I go to bed tonight, I will finish my first week as your new chairman of our Tennessee Democratic Party. I've done real work before - hauling fertilizer and hay, tending cattle, doing construction. What I'm doing now is not real work; it's a real privilege. It's a privilege to work with our great staff of Tennessee Democrats. And they are all in here today working on a Saturday. Why would the staff be working so hard 640 days from the next General Election? Because we must take our state back from the radical and reactionary Republican politicians in the legislature and U.S. Congress. Tennesseans want common sense, not nonsense. We want leaders working for good-paying jobs, better schools and affordable health care, not radical laws that would force a rape victim to bear her attacker's child or a cancer-stricken woman to die, not giving away taxpayer dollars to huge out-of-state for-profit companies that condemn our children to a weak education and poor future, not callous laws that would punish poor families when children struggle at school. I grew up down the street from then-Speaker Ned McWherter. After the people kindly elected me to his House seat, I served 10 years in the House and 16 in the Senate, I have seen the legislature change, and not for the better. Since the service of Governor McWherter, and more recently, Governor Phil Bredesen, we've gone from common sense to nonsense. We've gone from being named the best managed state in the nation to being the most ridiculed state. We've gone from being praised in national publications to being lampooned by late night comedians. It doesn't help Tennesseans when people across the country and around the world -- including business leaders who could bring jobs here -- read about the never-ending nonsense in our legislature. Tennesseans deserve better. We've got real challenges in this state, but also real opportunities. I am filled with optimism and hope for our future. The Democratic Party always has led the way in Tennessee, and we will do it again! Tennessee needs Democrats to lead again. But first we have to win elections. And the three keys to electing Democrats are hard work, hard work and hard work. We have got to be committed to working hard at sharing our values, values that for many of us come straight from Scripture -- caring for the least of these, loving all our brothers and sisters, and being good stewards of our land and our children's future. Those are the values we lift up, those are Tennessee values. As your chairman, I will work with you to make sure the Tennessee Democratic Party serves and makes a difference in people's lives. Thank you so much for the privilege and the opportunity to work with you and for you. Working together, we will see that Democrats lead Tennessee again. Your friend, Roy Roy Herron Chairman Tennessee Democratic Party   ***

Tennessee Democratic Party
1900 Church Street, Suite 203 Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: (615) 327-9779
www.tndp.org

Paid for by the Tennessee Democratic Party, Wade Munday, Treasurer. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. www.tndp.org

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SOCIAL SECURITY & MEDICARE...STRENGTHEN IT !

Americans Willing to Pay More in Taxes if it means Keeping Social Security Benefits

Americans support Social Security and are willing to pay more to preserve and even improve benefits, according to a new survey released on Thursday by the nonpartisan National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI). The study, Strengthening Social Security: What Do Americans Want?, finds a sharp contrast between what Americans say they want and changes being discussed in Washington, such as cutting benefits by using a “chained” Consumer Price Index to determine Social Security’s cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). In fact, large majorities of Americans, both Republicans and Democrats, agree on ways to strengthen Social Security — without cutting benefits. Fully 74% of Republicans and 88% of Democrats agree that “it is critical to preserve Social Security even if it means increasing Social Security taxes paid by working Americans.” To see the full results of the survey, go to http://tinyurl.com/bkrckgy. For a Reuters article about the survey, go to http://tinyurl.com/a4w27b9.

58% of those Surveyed Don’t Want Medicare Cuts, Either
Americans do not want Medicare cuts, either. Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed oppose any spending cuts to Medicare and 46 percent oppose any cuts in Medicaid, according to a poll released by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health. To see Politico's write-up of the poll, go to http://tinyurl.com/bxstvmz.
Despite that, Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), the new Health Subcommittee chairman for the Ways and Means Committee, says he’ll return to some Medicare ideas that Democrats have rejected outright — including the voucher model that Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) has advocated. Politico's story on Rep. Brady is at http://tinyurl.com/acqpzuz.

“We do not need to cut Medicare benefits. Savings can be achieved by allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. We could also require drug companies to provide discounts for low-income Medicare beneficiaries, like they do under Medicaid,”

"Democracy...is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch"!
Liberty...is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.

Fiat Lux

MAKE it in AMERICA...You BetCha !

Murphy Says, ‘Make It in America’

01/31/2013

Mike Hall

Freshman Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) says one of his top priorities in the Senate is advancing a “Make It in America” jobs agenda. Murphy, who founded the House “Buy American” Caucus, outlined that agenda in a conference call Wednesday sponsored by the Campaign for America’s Future (CAF) and the Alliance for American Manufacturing.  

Murphy calls for cracking down on China’s currency manipulation and violations of trade rules, tightening up “Buy America” federal contracting provisions and encouraging federal investments that would boost the manufacturing sector.

You can read more from CAF’s Isaiah J. Poole and from Matt Murray at the New Hampshire Labor News. You also can listen to audio of the call.

"Democracy...is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch"!
Liberty...is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.

Fiat Lux