Rich Need to Pay Their Fair Share ! Tax`s, You Bet`cha

$BILLIONAIRE`s$ HIDING BEHIND THE HEDGE
June 30, 2011 Posted by Jim Hightower

http://www.jimhightower.com/

If your job paid $50,000 a year and you stayed at it for 47 years, your tally for a lifetime of work would be $2.4 million. Not bad – but hedge fund hustler John Paulson pulled down that much last year.

Most of us would consider an annual income of $2.4 million to be a windfall, but it didn't take Paulson a full 12 months of work to pocket his windfall – or one month, a week, or even a day. That's how much he made an hour. Yes, Paulson could've worked one single hour in 2010 and hauled off a paycheck equal to what a typical household gets for a lifetime of work. Now guess who gets the lower tax rate – the $50,000-a-year family or the $2.4 million-an-hour Wall Street man? Right. Thanks to a loophole big enough to drive an armored truck through, billionaire hedge fund dealers like Paulson escape the usual 35 percent tax rate, instead paying (at most) 15 percent. That's more than wrong – it's immoral. In Washington, Wall Street backed Congress critters are working fervently to kill Medicare and defund everything from education to environmental protection – all on the grounds that the only way to cope with the growing federal deficit is to bulldoze programs that Americans count on. But look behind that lush hedge over there, and what'll you find? The 25 biggest hedge fund dealers who took $22 billion in pay last year. If just these 25 guys were taxed at the 35-percent rate, Congress would have an additional $4 billion this year to use for filling the deficit hole, rather than gleefully throwing sick seniors into it. Since 1995, the total income of the 400 richest Americans has nearly quadrupled, yet the real tax rate they pay has been cut almost in half. America isn't broke – it's simply being gamed by superrich tax dodgers.

"Hedge Fund Gamblers Earn the Same In One Hour As a Middle-Class Household Makes In Over 47 years," http://www.alternet.org/ , Aprill 11, 2011.

"In 12 Years, Income For Richest 400 Americans Quadruples, Tax Rate Nearly Halved," http://www.thinkprogress.org/, April 18, 2011.

Governor Bill Haslam(R)Tennessee~ Tennesseans, You Wanted a Republican Governor~You Got Him ! Satisfied ?

Haslam spoke too little, Knox Employees wrote too much!
By Pam Strickland
Friday, July 1, 2011

Gov. Haslams e-mail addy > bill.haslam@tn.gov <

Ethics and basic manners have gone by the wayside in local politics and government based on news this week about Gov. Bill Haslam's financial dealings while he was mayor and regarding the email activity of two county employees.

Thanks to the reporting of Nate Rau of The Tennessean, we learned this week that Haslam failed to disclose that he guaranteed a $5.5 million loan for developer Budd Cullom, who is most closely associated in the public eye with the Northshore Town Center project. Haslam did report payback of the loan as income in 2010 through the development firm Holrob, which was his co-guarantor of the loan. Funneling the payback through Holrob feels like money laundering. Cullom did disclose the loan in corporate papers filed with the state in Nashville at the time the loan was initiated. He told The Tennessean that he never borrowed the full amount and has paid back most of it. In the meantime, Haslam, as mayor, oversaw City Council meetings where zoning matters on Northshore Town Center were decided. He thinks that was fine because the mayor only votes on zoning matters in case of a tie, and there was not a tie in this case. And he thought that if he excused himself from the meetings, he would have sent a message that he had a stake in the decision. Oh, please. He did excuse himself for meetings involving his personal residence and those involving Pilot Corp., the family business. Haslam, whose first official act as governor was to roll back ethics disclosure requirements for his cabinet, seems to think he can have it both ways. He needs to know that amending the disclosure forms after the fact isn't adequate. At this point, nothing is. Bottom line: The people of Tennessee can't trust him to disclose when he's getting a financial gain from government decisions or even to maintain an appearance of propriety. I won't even get into the issues around stock in Value Financial Services, a chain of pawn shops, an incongruent thought if ever there was one. Haslam may look like a grown-up Opie, but he sure wasn't raised by Andy. And apparently neither were David Cox, an employee of the Knox County Auditor's Office, and Tom Salter, Knox County director of solid waste. Both of these men have been abusing email. Cox, rather infamously, sent three anonymous, harassing emails to County Commissioner Amy Broyles. In two he used a curse word to describe her. In all three he made fun of her religion. The commissioner and her family are active members at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, and were present the day in 2008 when a gunman burst in and killed two worshippers and injured several others. I've personally heard Broyles describe realizing that the victims' blood was on her and her youngest child. She rightly asked for an investigation into the emails, then when Cox was identified sought only for him to be reprimanded. He has been placed on administrative leave and could face termination. In 2008, Salter opened an email account pretending to be Brad Mayes, who runs a private mulching business, and sent a flaming email to David Draper, the attorney for Natural Resources Recovery of Tennessee, the county's mulch operator. Salter, who is suing Mayes for libel, thought it was a joke. The only thing funny about it is, well, nothing about it's funny. Mayes is fancied by some as a whistle blower; others aren't so sure. Either way, the entire county mulch operation soap opera needs to end with a coda that features Salter's firing.

Pam Strickland writes a weekly column that appears each Friday. She can be reached by email at stricklandkns@me.com.

Editorial : Tennesseans, you wanted a Republican Governor. You got him ! Satisfied now ?

Meet The Real Stephen Fincher...6/30/11

Rep. Stephen Fincher(R) ~ District#8-Tennessee ...Useless !

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Records show Rep. Stephen Fincher raked in another $88,000 in crop payments from the federal government in 2010 — at the same time he was campaigning against government spending. During his career as a subsidy farmer, Mr. Fincher siphoned off $3,342,062 in tax dollars from the farm subsidy payouts, according to the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit consumer advocacy group. “Mr. Fincher is just another hypocrite who’s willing to slash spending for Medicare, women and children, but is happy to keep raking in tax dollars for himself,” said Chip Forrester, Chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party. “Mr. Fincher has shown us over and over again that his lips don’t tell the same story as his actions. “Mr. Fincher is feckless, pretending to be caught in a game. He says he’s just playing by the rules that Congress sets for farmers,” said Forrester. “But the fact remains, he had a chance to make meaningful changes to the farm program as a member of the House Agriculture Committee and he abandoned that post.”

BACKGROUND:

Fincher Continues to Criticize Federal Spending While in Congress. “The federal government simply cannot afford to keep spending money that it does not have. Washington must begin living within its means.” [Fincher Press Release, 6/1/11]

Fincher Received $87,738 in Farm Subsidies in 2010. While running for Congress, Fincher received $87,738 in farm subsidies for Stephen and Lynn Fincher Farms. Stephen and Lynn Fincher farms have received $3,342,062 since 1997. According to his 2011 financial disclosure, Fincher earned $103,882 in farm income from Stephen and Lynn Fincher farms. [Environmental Working Group Farm Subsidy Database, accessed 6/23/11; 2011 Financial Disclosure, 6/16/11]

Fincher Had Received $3.2 million in Federal Farm Subsidies. “Other freshmen not on the Agriculture Committee have done even better by the feds. The farm owned by Tennessee Rep. Stephen Fincher and his wife, Lynn, has received $3,254,324 from 1995 through 2009.” [Politico, 6/12/11]

Fincher Received Additional State Subsidies. “Republican Stephen Fincher, who has spoken against government spending and ‘bailouts’ in his congressional campaign, applied for and received a $13,650 grant from the state Department of Agriculture last year, records show. The state grant is in addition to federal farm subsidies of at least $3.2 million he and his wife have received over the last 10 years.” [Commercial Appeal, 10/14/10]

Fincher Recently Gave Up Spot on the Agriculture Committee. “Fincher won a coveted appointment to the House Financial Services Committee — a move that forced him to give up his spot on the Agriculture Committee […] Fincher will no doubt reap the other great benefit of the Financial Services Committee: It’s a lot more lucrative to serve on a panel that interests banking lobbyists than on a panel that handles agriculture policy. Fincher was one of the better-funded first-time candidates in 2010.” [National Journal, 6/10/11]

Editorial : It seems that Rep. Fincher talks out of both sides of his mouth ! Tennesseans , you got what you asked for !

The Rich, Do not Want to Pay Tax`s !

The Growing Desperation of the Don't-Raise-Taxes-on-the-Rich-Crowd
by : Robert Reich, Former Secretary of Labor
Posted: 06/16/11

The much-vaunted Republican pledge not to raise any taxes is crumbling. Today 34 Senate Republicans voted to end the special tax breaks for ethanol.

According to no-tax-increase purists like Grover Norquist, this is tantamount to a tax increase.

The truth is, Republicans are divided between those who want to bring down the budget deficit and those who want to shrink government. Ending a special tax subsidy helps reduce the deficit but doesn't necessarily shrink government. That's why Norquist and his followers have insisted any such tax increase -- including even the closing of tax loopholes -- be directly linked to a corresponding tax cut.
In order to save face on today's vote, Norquist says renegade Republicans will still be considered to have adhered to the pledge if they vote in favor of an amendment offered by Senator Jim DeMint to eliminate the estate tax. Talk about grasping at straws. DeMint's amendment isn't even up for a vote. In short, the no-tax pledge is evaporating in the fresh air of reality. What are anti-tax Republicans to do now? For one, continue to distort the arguments of those who believe corporations and the rich should pay more taxes. For example, in the lead op-ed piece in today's Wall Street Journal, Cato Institute fellow Alan Reynolds claims a higher marginal tax on the super rich will bring in less revenue. Reynolds uses my tax proposal from last February as his red herring. "Memo to Robert Reich," he declares, "The income tax brought in less revenue when the highest rate was 70 percent to 91 percent [between 1950 and 1980] than it did when the highest rate was 28 percent." Reynolds bends the facts to make his case, picking and choosing among years. In truth, the most important variable explaining the rise and fall of tax revenues as percent of GDP has been the business cycle, not the effective tax rate. In periods when the economy is growing briskly, tax revenues have risen as a percent of GDP, regardless of effective rates; in downturns, revenues have fallen. Reynolds also distorts my proposal, implying that the bracket on which I call for a 70 percent tax is the same as in today's tax code. Wrong. My proposed 70 percent rate would apply only to incomes over $15 million. $15 million, Alan ! Under my proposal, incomes between $5 million and $15 million would be subjected to a 60 percent rate, and incomes between $500,000 and $5 million to a 50 percent rate. Importantly, my proposal calls for a substantial rate reduction for families with incomes under $100,000. (Conveniently, Reynolds fails to mention this.) Reynolds entirely ignores my central argument, which is that rather than depress economic growth, higher taxes on the rich correlate with higher growth. During almost three decades spanning 1951 to 1980, when the top rate was between 70 percent and 91 percent, average annual growth in the American economy was 3.7 percent. Between 1983 and the start of the Great Recession, when the top rate dropped to between 35 percent and 39 percent, average growth was 3 percent. How to explain this ? Easy. Since the early 1980s, a larger and larger share of total income has gone to the top (the richest 1 percent of Americans got 10 percent of total income in 1980, and get over 20 percent now). That's left the vast middle class with insufficient purchasing power to boost the economy - without going deep into debt. Lower tax rates on the rich -- including lower capital gains rates -- have exacerbated this regressive trend. Finally, having misread the facts, distorted my proposal, and ignored my argument, Reynolds fails to rebut my conclusion that raising middle class purchasing power by lowering their tax rates while raising the rates at the top will help spur growth, to the benefit of all. Top earners will do better with a smaller share of a more rapidly-growing economy a larger share of a slower-growing one. If I were a cynic, I'd say the Republican right is showing signs of desperation.

Robert Reich is the author of Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future, now in bookstores. This post originally appeared at http://www.robertreich.org/

Editorial : The Rich do not want pay tax`s. Hey, neither do I ! Folks somebody has got to pay and that somebody is US, the middle class.

It`s Trade, Trade, Trade !

National Call-In Days to Stop Free Trade Agreements
Make Calls Next Week on Tuesday and Wednesday...

The House Ways and Means Committee announced that they will start work NEXT WEEK on free trade agreements with Colombia, Korea and Panama.

Now is the time to turn up the heat!

Please call your U.S. Representatives on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, June 21 and 22. View the InfoAlert outlining the problems with these agreements: http://bit.ly/mkLSe8

Check out the AFL-CIO ad that just ran in Politico, an influential D.C. publication, that denounces the Colombia agreement: http://bit.ly/ioeo7c

Call Your Representative on Tuesday or Wednesday !

Dial the Capitol Switchboard toll-free at:
866-311-1889

Ask for your Representative. In Tennessee : Click link below !

http://www.tennesseeanytime.org/topics/Elected+Officials

Tell your Representative you are a constituent and you want him or her to OPPOSE the Colombia, Korea and Panama free trade agreements. Ask for his or her position.

Underdog = Don Jones

Hey Senior`s...Whoops, That`s Me !

Hey Senior`s...whoops, that`s me ! Better listen up !

Hands Off Social Security & Medicare !

Protesters Spread the News: Keep Hands Off Medicare
by James Parks, Jun 13, 2011

U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards addresses protesters opposing the Republican budget and supporting Medicare.

About 100 working men and women told Congressional Republicans to “Keep Your Hands off Medicare” Monday in front of the Newseum in Washington, D.C., where CBS was hosting a town hall meeting with members of Congress. Holding signs with headlines from various newspapers about the Republican budget’s proposal to replace Medicare with underfunded vouchers for private insurance, the protesters lined up and unfurled a banner that read, “No News Here…Republicans Want to Eliminate Medicare to Give Tax Breaks to Millionaires.”
Passers-by honked horns along busy Pennsylvania Avenue at lunchtime, tourists walking by gave the demonstrators the thumbs-up sign and one woman pushing a stroller invited the protesters to move to Canada where she lives “because we have health care there.” Carrie Biggs-Adams, a member of NABET-CWA from Burbank, Calif., said she was protesting the Republican budget plan to privatize Medicare, cut corporate taxes and taxes for the wealthy, cut Medicaid funding repeals health care reform and cost up to 2 million jobs. She said the budget, which was proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) wouldn’t solve any of the country’s real problems. She said it was built on “fairy tales” and “lies.” Instead of giving tax cuts to millionaires, she said we should make sure they pay their fair share and tax their offshore profits as well. Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) told the crowd that Medicare is not charity. Working people have paid into it for years. She added: (House Democrats) are going to stand with the American people who paid into Medicare. We know Americans want and deserve Medicare. She said Republicans had to hold a town hall meeting behind closed doors because they couldn’t hold one in their districts due to mass opposition to their votes for the Ryan budget.

Editorial : Republicans are not running scared. If elected, they will end Medicare and Social Security as we now know it ! They have proved that, by their attacks on Free-Democratic Trade Unions.

Don't End Medicare

GOP’s Social Security Privatization 2.0

Republicans are rolling out another plan to "privatize" and end Social Security as we know it, turning seniors’ guaranteed benefits into a guaranteed gamble. The last time they tried this was 2005. Just think, if they succeeded then, seniors would have lost trillions more in the 2008 financial crash. We protected Social Security then. Let’s stand together to protect it again now. Help us get 100,000 signatures for our petition calling on House Republicans to drop their reckless plan to end Social Security as we know it. Add your name and then spread it far and wide to your friends and family. Ever since Republicans began their radical push to end Medicare for America’s seniors, while giving more tax breaks to America’s billionaires, we’ve been holding them accountable. If you haven’t seen it yet, check out our powerful video of real Americans telling their own personal stories of how they rely on Medicare benefits -- then sign our petition telling Republicans to drop their disgraceful demands to end Medicare. Tea Party Launches “Super PAC” Want to see something really scary ? This week, the Tea Party’s biggest Washington, DC lobbying group ripped a page out of Karl Rove and the Koch Brothers’ playbooks by forming a “Super PAC” that can spend unlimited amounts of secret money attacking Democrats. This has raised the stakes for the upcoming June 30th Federal Election Commission (FEC) fundraising deadline.

Goodyear Moving Operations to South Korea ! .

Associated Press

Goodyear Sells Tire Wire Business to Hyosung
06.10.11

AKRON, Ohio --

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. said on Friday that it has agreed to sell its tire reinforcement wire business to South Korea's Hyosung Corp. for $50 million.
The business makes the wire at facilities in Asheboro, N.C. and Colmar-Berg in Luxembourg, and employs about 600 people. Goodyear said the two companies will also sign a multi-year supply agreement when the deal closes, expected in the third quarter. The deal requires government and regulatory approvals.
Goodyear said the sale is not expected to result in a significant gain or loss. Hyosung is based in Seoul and has made tire reinforcements since 1968. It bought Goodyear's global tire fabric operations in 2006.

Editorial : Can this be interepted as more USA job losss ? Ask those in Asheboro N.C. ? I think it does ! I`m sure the Union caused it. *ROFLMAON*! Is Goodyear to become the Wal-Mart of the Tire business ? Kinda looks like it.

The War on Unions ?

Is The USA Going to Become a Third World Country ? !

By Don Jones = Underdog...

6/09/11

War has been declared on the middle class. How ? Republicans have learned that through unions, the middle class have an input in their work place. They don`t want you and I to have a say, in where we work. Why ? They want you to compete with third world countries in labor cost. It can`t be done. You take Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, they close down a domestic plant in Union City Tennessee(UC) and build those tires in Chili South America or China. Ship those tires back over to the good ole USA, the price never lowers. Free-Democratic Trade Unions negotiate livable wages and at one time medical benefits and retirement. In China, they have state operated unions. Not so good. In Chili, they murder Union leaders at their leisure. I really hate to call it a class war, but that is exactly what is going on. Here are questions for those opposed to free democratic labor unions ? What is wrong with me having a say in my work place ? What is wrong with electing my own union representatives ? What is wrong with negotiating on my own behalf or those who elect me ? I have never met a Union Official who wanted to put their employer out of business. I have always advocated, that with descent and livable wages comes responsibility, of building the best made union/company product possible. In my case Goodyear Tire`s ! In fact, that is being proven now in Union City TN. It seems that my/our plant is building the best tires and is the most productive plant in North America ! They are Union and doing a great job. They are scheduled to shut down this year. I now come back to original question, as to why this Republican assault on Unions/Middle class ? Adolph Hitler made a speech in Berlin Germany in 1933. The crux of the speech was do away with unions, kill all union officials. It was done ! Where did that get us ? All I`m asking is a level playing field for Americas Middle Class/Union Workers. No special privileges. Just an even chance to compete. American Union Workers can and will compete with any workers in the world and win. Oh yes, one more thing, as a union official, I`ve never killed anyone. I have no connection with the mob. Free-Democratic Trade Unions are the most needed self operated organization in the world. Also the purest form of Democracy, I know of ! If you do not understand that fact, Please read about Union Organizing in the 20`s and 30`s ! "God Bless America"!

Fiat Lux

Republicans Continue Attack on Free Democratic Trade Unions

Alexander(R)TN ~ Graham(R)S.C. ~ Demint(R)S.C.

Declare War on Middle Class, Under the Guise of Helping the Middle Class - Right to Work for Less Law ! Zeig Heil !

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) today introduced the Job Protection Act (S. 964), a bill to preserve federal law’s existing protections of state right-to-work laws.
On April 20, the acting general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board moved to stop Boeing from building airplanes at a nonunion plant in South Carolina, suggesting that unionized American company cannot expand its operations into one of the 22 states with right-to-work laws, which protect a worker’s right to join or not join a union. Alexander said: “This is not just about South Carolina and it’s not just about making airplanes – this is about jobs in every state in the country, and whether or not manufacturers are going to be able to make in the United States what they sell in the United States. I can’t think of one single action the federal government would take that would make it harder to create new jobs in Tennessee than this Boeing complaint, if it’s allowed to move forward.” Graham said: “The NLRB is doing the bidding of the unions at a great cost to South Carolina and our nation’s economy. I do not believe unelected bureaucracies should be allowed to go down the road the NLRB is charting. The foundation of the NLRB complaint against Boeing would destroy the American business community’s ability to negotiate and make rational business decisions. Our legislation prohibits the use of statements made during negotiations – involving legitimate business concerns – to be used as a legal basis for a violation of the National Labor Relations Act. It is time for Congress to speak out in a common-sense way against the outrageous and frivolous complaint by unelected bureaucrats at the NLRB.”

DeMint said: “Right to work states are winning the future for America's economy, yet this administration seems intent on stamping out this model of success. Right to work states have more business growth, more new jobs, and faster rising incomes than forced-unionism states. What the NLRB has done in the Boeing case is a threat to workers and businesses in every state. The NLRB is encouraging companies to take their jobs and investment overseas. This is a reprehensible act and an obvious kickback to union bosses the President is depending on helping his reelection. Unless we pass this bill, every worker and business in this nation is under the threat that if they don't do what union bosses want, this administration will come after you. Businesses have the right to invest in any state in America and states shouldn’t be penalized for protecting the rights of their citizens not to be forced to pay union dues. Right to work states should be applauded, not attacked, as they are attracting new investment and creating new jobs precisely because their policies encourage innovation and competition.”

The bill would:

•clarify that the NLRB would not be able to order an employer to relocate jobs from one location to another.

•Guarantee an employer the right to decide where to do business within the United States.

•Protect an employer’s free speech regarding the costs associated with having a unionized workforce without fear of such communication being used as evidence in an anti-union discrimination claim.

Editorial : Remember, these Senators all, voted against the minimum wage law ! Their so called Right to Work, is no more than an assault on the middle class !
You must understand, that none of the above is even close to TRUE ! Evidently, none of them have had to work for a living ? Adolph Hitler proposed something similar in 1933. Where did that get us ? WAKE UP AMERICA !

How Much Money is Enough ?

Our Growing Inequality in America !

Since the 1970s, the CEO class and their political allies have used policy to reshape our economy to their benefit. They’ve gotten excessive tax breaks for corporations and the very richest, trade policies that rob our communities of good jobs, deregulation that left average Americans unprotected from financial fallout and laws that encourage union-busting. Last year they even got a court case – Citizens United – that allows unlimited corporate dollars to influence our elections.

These policies matter a great deal. They are creating a massive wealth and income gap in our country. Take a look at the numbers:

The richest one percent of Americans owns over 35 percent – more than one-third – of our nation's wealth.

The four hundred wealthiest Americans now have more cash, stock and property than the combined total of half of America’s households.

Median CEO pay jumped 27 percent in 2010. Workers’ pay grew just 2.1 percent in 2010.

The average hourly wage in 1972, adjusted for inflation was $20.06. By 2008, the average hourly wage dropped to $18.52. In other words, income for the middle class has stagnated over the last 30 years.

In the early 1960s, the top fifth of wealth holders had 81 percent of all wealth, and the bottom four-fifths held 19 percent. But it has only gotten worse since then – as of 2009, the top fifth wealthiest Americans hold over 87 percent of the nation’s wealth. The bottom four-fifths hold just under 13 percent.

Let’s Fight Back – The next time someone tells you that our country is “broke” remind that person that there is plenty of wealth – it’s just not in the hands of the middle class. This isn’t good for us. It isn’t good for our democracy. And, it will get worse if we lose the state-level fights over collective bargaining rights – our tool to fight for fair wages and benefits. Please stay involved in state and national fights and watch for ways to get involved.

Big Oil & How They Do it !

THREE WRONGS DON'T MAKE BIG OIL RIGHT
Monday, May 30, 2011 Posted by Jim Hightower
Listen to Jim`s Commentary ...click below

http://www.jimhightower.com/sites/jimhightower.civicactions.net/files/18-19_rnc.mp3

http://www.jimhightower.com/

Reaping extravagant profits from $4-a-gallon gasoline, Big Oil has been pumping out the company line in an effort to deflect public anger from itself: "We don't set prices at the pump," the executives lecture to us. "The price of gasoline is determined by the cost of crude oil, and that price is set by the free market."

Wrong, Wrong, and Wrong. ! ! !

First, the market for crude is hardly "free." Production of crude oil is controlled by an oligarchy, plus the price of crude is being manipulated by high-flying, unregulated speculators. Second, the price of gasoline is not only determined by the cost of the oil, but also by add-on costs attached by the handful of corporations that refine oil into gasoline. Third, these few refiners also constitute a price-setting oligarchy (otherwise know as Big Oil) that rips us off at the pump with $4-a-gallon gasoline. Note that crude oil prices have fallen lately and consumer demand has also fallen, yet the price we consumers pay for gasoline has remained high. Curious, huh ? This perversion of the law of supply and demand comes courtesy of BP, ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips – the chief oligarchs of Big Oil. To keep our prices high, they simply squeeze back the amount of gasoline produced in their refineries. They are now operating at only 82 percent of their processing capacity, an artificial manipulation that has cut the supply of gasoline by 900,000 barrels a day. By squeezing supply, they keep pump prices from falling, thus squeezing more money out of our wallets. With this squeeze play, refinery profits doubled in the last year. Big Oil could easily process more gasoline, lower our prices at the pump, and still make a big profit. But that's not enough for these masters of greed – they're out to make a killing.

"Refiners' big profits keep gas prices up , " Austin American Statesman, May 18, 2011.

Seniors Cannot Afford Republican Medicare Plan

Out-of-Pocket Medicare Cost$ Double Under Republican Plan
by James Parks, May 20, 2011

Click link below for state by state breakdown :

http://jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?a=Files.Serve&File_id=0d00ca30-ba73-4f5d-a19d-8ec918f76d30

More details out today on how the Republican move to balance the federal budget by ending Medicare would cost seniors a lot. A new state-by-state analysis by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC) finds that annual out-of-pocket Medicare health care costs will more than double in every state for seniors turning 65 in 2022 under the Republican budget plan. Seniors living in Florida would be the hardest hit with a $7,383 jump in medical costs, the JEC estimates.
The report also shows that current Medicare beneficiaries will be harmed by the Republican budget, immediately losing preventive services such as mammograms and facing higher prescription drug costs. The Republican plan also would reopen the donut hole, the gap in Medicare Part D that had forced beneficiaries to pay 100 percent of their drug costs after they exceeded an initial coverage limit and until they qualified for catastrophic coverage.

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), chairman of the JEC, says:

If Republicans have their way, traditional Medicare will no longer exist in 2022. Instead, our elderly will get a voucher to purchase private insurance, but the voucher won’t keep pace with health care costs. The result would be a staggering increase in out-of-pocket costs beginning in 2022. Our elderly Americans cannot afford to have their health care expenses double, but that’s exactly what the Republican plan delivers.

Click here for state by state breakdown:

http://jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?a=Files.Serve&File_id=0d00ca30-ba73-4f5d-a19d-8ec918f76d30

Tennessee Senators Join Big Oil Team

Tell the Senator$ from Tennessee & All States Big Oil... Does Not Need Our Tax Money

See How All Senators Voted, click link below !
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/oil_subsidy_vote/?r=7861&id=21175-3026155-ZNVoaIx

Stop putting Big Oil profits ahead of the American people.

On Tuesday night, 48 Senators, including three Democrats and all but two Republicans, put Big Oil before the American people and helped defeat a bill that would have ended tax breaks for the five biggest oil companies. How could anyone vote against a bill that would have kept $21 billion of American taxpayers' money out of the pockets of cash-rich oil companies ? One big reason is oil money in our political process. A lot of it. Oil and gas companies spent $39.5 million lobbying congress in just the first quarter of this year, and have donated nearly $18 million to the 48 Senators who voted to protect oil subsidies - five times more than to Senators who supported ending them. But make no mistake. Even though we didn't get the 60 votes required for passage, our pressure to end oil subsidies is already working. More and more legislators are acting defensive about their support of Big Oil over the American people. In February, similar legislation to repeal some oil subsidies got only 44 votes. Yesterday, we got 52 votes. That comes after CREDO Action members sent more than 225,000 petitions to the Senate and made more than 1,000 calls yesterday to 11 key Senators, six of whom flipped their position and voted to end tax breaks to Big Oil. Senate Majority leader Harry Reid said yesterday that despite this defeat, he will continue to push for ending oil subsides as part of negotiations on the budget and to raise the debt ceiling. We need to keep the pressure on. And one key to breaking Big Oil's grasp on our legislators is letting Congress know that we know about the millions of dollars that Big Oil has given them. Let's make sure that our Senators' votes to protect oil company profits don't go unanswered by those of us who actually pay the price.

1. "Senators Opposing End of Oil Subsidies Received Five Times More in Big Oil Campaign Cash," Oil Change International, May 17, 2011

2. "Senate rejects bill to cut oil tax breaks," The Hill, May 17, 2011

Here are the 48 Senators who voted against ending Big Oil subsidies: Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Ayotte (R-NH), Barrasso (R-WY), Begich (D-AK), Blunt (R-MO), Boozman (R-AR), Brown (R-MA), Burr (R-NC), Chambliss (R-GA), Coats (R-IN), Coburn (R-OK), Cochran (R-MS), Bob Corker (R-TN), Cornyn (R-TX), Crapo (R-ID), DeMint (R-SC), Enzi (R-WY), Graham (R-SC), Grassley (R-IA), Hatch (R-UT), Heller (R-NV), Hoeven (R-ND), Hutchison (R-TX), Inhofe (R-OK), Isakson (R-GA), Johanns (R-NE), Johnson (R-WI), Kirk (R-IL), Kyl (R-AZ), Landrieu (D-LA), Lee (R-UT), Lugar (R-IN), McCain (R-AZ), McConnell (R-KY), Moran (R-KS), Murkowski (R-AK), Nelson (D-NE), Paul (R-KY), Portman (R-OH), Risch (R-ID), Roberts (R-KS), Rubio (R-FL), Sessions (R-AL), Shelby (R-AL), Thune (R-SD), Toomey (R-PA), Vitter (R-LA), Wicker (R-MS)

Editorial : In Tennessee, both of our Senators Alexander and Corker voted against Tennesseans once again ! Oil companies are only making 390 million dollars a day profit. That is more than some companies make in a year ! They need our Tax-Money. When pigs fly ! Wake up Tennesseans ! If your Senator voted for BIG OIL, click on below or above or title of this article, to let them know, what you think. The list of Senators and how they voted is there !

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/oil_subsidy_vote/?r=7861&id=21175-3026155-ZNVoaIx

Those Poor Oil Company`s !

KEEPING $CORE ON EXXON
Thursday, May 12, 2011 Posted by Jim Hightower

Now, let's check today's sports scores: 4, 10.7 and 21-and-a-half.

Those tallies are from the oil league, and the winner, of course, is the league's powerhouse, ExxonMobil. Four, as you might have guessed, is the $4 that Exxon is siphoning out of your wallet these days for one gallon of its petrol. Next comes 10.7. That's the $10.7 billion in profits that this oil giant has soaked up in just the first three months of this year – a new record, not achieved by any managerial genius, increased productivity, or improvement in consumer service, but solely by the jack-up in gasoline prices. Finally 21-and-a-half. This is the big score made by Rex Tillerson, Exxon's CEO. The chief pulled down $21.5 million last year in personal compensation, making him the highest paid executive in the oil league and one of the most richly paid CEOs in the entire country. Wait... this late-breaking score is just in: 0. That's from the special tax game that Exxon Mobil consistently wins in Washington. Last year, ExxonMobil powered through loopholes created by its slick lobbying team to pay an income tax of zero on the $19 billion it had racked up in profits the year before, making it one of America's most flagrant tax avoiders. But wait again, here's a surprising update on that score – Exxon's taxes were actually less than zero! How's that possible? Because Big Oil's lobbyists have so skewed the tax system that Exxon got a $156 million rebate from us taxpayers last year. So Exxon is soaking us at the gas pump and sacking our public treasury to gain record profits for itself, while bestowing a royal fortune on its CEO. Oh, one more score: 14 million. That's the average dollar amount that Exxon spends on campaign donations and lobbyists every year.

"Exxon Profit Up 69 Percent as Gas and Oil Prices Boos Top Five Oil Companies," http://www.abcnews.com/, April 28, 2011.

"Sen. Bernie Sanders: The Top Ten Worst Corporate Income Tax Avoiders," http://www.truth-out.org/, April 1, 2011.

"The Drought Is Over (at Least for C.E.O.'s)," http://www.nytimes.com/, April 9, 2011.

Editorial : I know, lets pass the hat for Big Oil, they need it ! When Pigs Fly.

Do You Need to Exercise, with Pulmonary Hypertension

Exercise & Pulmonary Hypertension
http://www.phassociation.org/

It’s well-known that exercise is very beneficial for healthy individuals, increasing cardiovascular and muscular fitness, improving mood, controlling weight and lowering the risk of systemic hypertension and heart disease. Exercise may help lower the risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes. There have also been several published articles showing increased walk distance in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) patients undergoing cardiopulmonary rehabilitation programs. However, relatively little is known about the risks and benefits of exercise for pulmonary hypertension patients. Exercise is important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but the symptoms of PH under exertion make it difficult for many patients to find the right type of activity. Many PH patients become short of breath under mild to moderate exertion, but feel fine at rest. Those who experience shortness of breath at rest or very mild exertion must be very closely monitored, as exercise can induce fainting, excess stress to the right side of the heart, and other problems. Because of the varying severity of PH from patient to patient (and other health-related factors), recommendations on exercise for PH patients are different for each individual, and may change over time depending on symptoms and response to treatment. Your PH specialist can help you create an exercise program that works for you. Always speak with your PH doctor before performing strenuous labor or beginning an exercise regimen.
Healthy exercise programs might include:

•Cardiovascular activities such as walking, biking and swimming. Walking on an incline or exercising both arms and legs simultaneously can produce a greater increase in blood pressure than lighter exercise, and so these exercises should be avoided or attempted conservatively.
•Activities focusing on muscle tone, such as stretching or arm and leg lifts. Light functional resistance exercises may be considered for some individuals, but should be done below shoulder or heart height and with frequent breaks.
If approved to perform an exercise regimen, follow these guidelines to have a safe and enjoyable workout.
•Do not over-exert. Activity should be stopped at the first sign of symptoms such as lightheadedness, fatigue, chest pressure, palpitations or excessive shortness of breath.
•Use a recovery time of five to ten minutes, without exhaustion or worsening of symptoms, to help you measure how much activity is appropriate.
•Avoid activity in outdoor temperature extremes. Generally, cold, heat, humidity, high elevation or a concomitant illness will worsen your exercise tolerance and warrants additional caution.

Editorial : My Physicians at Vanderbilt Pulmonary Clinic, Dr. Anna Hemnes (upper left) and Dr. Ivan Robbins (upper right) have recommended an exercise program. It is not Olympic, but, it is exercise. I walk on the treadmill for 15 minutes, a tad over 1/4 mile.then ride my stationary bike for fifteen minutes, a tad over 1 and 3/4 miles. Perhaps, you do not think that much ? At times it is like Mt. Kilimanjaro !

It`s Good Jobs ~ Stupid !

Richard Trumka : Create Good Jobs to Strengthen
Medicare, Social Security

by James Parks, May 13, 2011

Creating good jobs is the key to rebuilding the economy and improving the long-term financial health of Social Security, Medicare and our entire safety net, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said in a statement today.

The trustees for the two programs separately reported today that the financial condition of the programs worsened last year, a situation Trumka says was caused by slow economic growth and a lack of new job creation. But the Medicare Trust Fund is in better shape now than it was before health reform was passed and the Social Security Trust Fund can still pay full benefits for the next 25 years, he said. Trumka added that “reckless and unpopular” Republican proposals to privatize Medicare and Social Security “will do nothing to create jobs or jump start the economy.” We can all agree that we must do more to make our entire health care system—not just Medicare and Medicaid—more cost-effective, but shifting more health care costs onto working families does not accomplish that goal.

Editorial : All I keep hearing from the Republicans is balance the budget...Ban Unions, privatize Social Security and cut Medicare ! Sounds good to me, if your rich. Funny, they never mention good jobs anymore ! I know... we can give more tax-breaks to billionaires and millionares ! That`ll fix everything ! When pigs fly !

Medicare Must Not Be Cut !

Medicare Must Not Be Cut !
by: Underdog = Don Jones
5/15/11

Recently, our elected representatives, especially Rep. Stephen Fincher(R), District#8-Tennessee, have voted to end Medicare as we know it. All the while preserving Tax-Cut$ for the RICH ! As a Senior, please do not leave my well being to an insurance company. Our Republican elected officials, seem to have lost touch with reality. In our community, jobs are as scarce as hens teeth. The Republican plan is worse than bad policy. It is immoral. Please do not balance the budget on the backs of Seniors, "Hey Thats Me" ! Now, Republicans are talking spending caps. Spending caps, would actually trigger massive cuts in a few years. This should not be a partisan discussion. Senior`s/My life is at stake. Congressman Fincher, find another way ! Let me suggest, that you e-mail, call or write Congressman Stephen Fincher(R)Tennessee and inform him of your total displeasure. Below are his contact information ! The life you save, may be your own !

> http://fincher.house.gov/office/washington-dc <

You must go to his site, if you e-mail him !

Or Click on the title of this article.

Washington DC Office
1118 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4714
Fax: (202) 225-1765

Dyersburg Office
100 South Main
Dyersburg, TN 38024
Phone: (731) 285-0910
Fax: (731) 285-5008

Martin Office
406 Lindell Street
The Reed Center
Martin, TN 38237
Phone: (731) 588-5190

Jackson Office
109 South Highland
Room #B-7
Jackson,TN 38301
Phone: (731) 423-4848
Fax: (731) 427-1537

Millington Office
7965 Veterans Parkway, Suite 101B
Millington, TN 38053

Social Security & Medicare Trust Fund Reports

Social Security, Medicare Trust Fund Reports Released
5/12/11

http://wwwsecondchance.blogspot.com/2011/03/social-security-answers-youve-always.html

The Social Security trust fund report came out today and found that Social Security will remain solvent through 2036, a year earlier than was forecast in 2010.

“Social Security is doing exactly what it is supposed to do – assuring full payment to beneficiaries, without delay. However, we cannot afford to keep the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans,” The Medicare trustees report was also issued today, saying Medicare will be able to completely pay its bills until 2024, five years sooner than last year's projection of 2029. “The Affordable Care Act will save nearly $120 billion for Medicare over the next five years. Imagine where we would be without that,” “We must do more to create high-quality American jobs, which will lead to more people paying into the system.” If you have not read my blog, "Social Security ~ The Answers You`ve Always Wanted", I suggest you do ! Link below. http://wwwsecondchance.blogspot.com/2011/03/social-security-answers-youve-always.html or click on the title of this article.

Fincher Votes Against Healthcare Bill !

Letter from Congressman Stephen Fincher(R), District#8 ~Tennessee

e-mail >; http://www.house.gov/office/washington-dc

Rep. Fincher Voted Against the (PPACA) or as he likes to call it (Obamacare)The problem is, he does`nt have an alternate plan. That is a Vote Against Middle Class Tennesseans. Shame on you Stephen !

Dear Mr. Jones,

Thank you for contacting me regarding your support for Public Law 111-148, the Patient Protection and Affordability (PPACA). Your comments and ideas are always appreciated. The PPACA enacted into law in 2010, was intended to provide health care to those people who currently do not have access to health insurance. While I support the idea of inexpensive and efficient health care delivery for everyone, I do not support the PPACA. I believe this law fails to improve our health care delivery system and simply raises taxes on small businesses and takes health care decisions away from patients and doctors and gives it to Washington bureaucrats. Access, affordability, and quality of care will be the focus of my reforms to health care. To be clear, I support reforms that put the individual, not the government or their insurance company, in control over their healthcare spending and decision making. Although I support the repeal of PPACA, I also support H.Res. 9. This resolution instructs various committees in the House of Representatives to look at alternatives to the PPACA. In this regard, we must consider options that:

Provide people with pre-existing conditions the opportunity to purchase health insurance

Enable market solutions over government mandates.

Allow insurance companies to sell health insurance across state lines, which will increase competition and lower health insurance costs.

Prohibit insurance companies from excluding people who have pre-existing conditions.

Provide tax credits for small businesses and the self-employed to buy insurance.

Making insurance and health care costs fully deductible.

Ensuring a patient's ability to keep his or her doctor and health plan if he or she likes it preserving the sanctity and privacy of the doctor-patient relationship.

Finally, we must keep our promises to our seniors and ensure all Medicare benefits, including the prescription drug plan, continue to be available.
On the campaign trail I pledged not to take the Congressional health insurance. I am keeping my promise and continuing to have insurance with Farm Bureau.
Thank you giving me the opportunity to share with you some of my ideas for improving health care in this country and bringing true market based reforms that increase access, affordability, and quality of care. If you have any further questions or concerns please feel free to contact me at anytime.


Editorial : Your campaign promise not to accept congressional health insurance, does not impress me. With your farm subsidies, you can well afford it. Most Tennesseans do not have those government resources, that you do ! Like most Republicans, I`m sad to say, You love the rich and despise the poor ! You have no plan to implement Healthcare. I would suggest that you read about Tommy Douglas, Baptist Preacher from Canada and what he had to say. I will continue to pray for you !

Sincerely,

Stephen L. Fincher(R)

Member of Congress ~ District#8-Tennessee

Contact Information Below :

Washington DC Office
1118 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4714
Fax: (202) 225-1765

Dyersburg Office
100 South Main
Dyersburg, TN 38024
Phone: (731) 285-0910
Fax: (731) 285-5008

Martin Office
406 Lindell Street
The Reed Center
Martin, TN 38237
Phone: (731) 588-5190

Jackson Office
109 South Highland
Room #B-7
Jackson,TN 38301
Phone: (731) 423-4848
Fax: (731) 427-1537