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February 28, 2005
What America is Saying About Budget Priorities
From the Center for American Progress
February 24, 2005
On February 7, President Bush rolled out his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2006. In addition to a stratospheric $427 billion deficit, the budget also contains over $200 billion in cuts to domestic discretionary programs. Many of these rollbacks hit low-income families the hardest by cutting programs such as Medicaid, food stamps, and low-income housing. The budget clearly demonstrates the priorities of the Bush administration: while it extends the tax cuts for the wealthy, costing the government $1.4 trillion in revenue over the next ten years (see analysis here), it slashes support for programs that assist students and veterans. From all across the country, Americans are speaking out against Bush's wrong budget priorities, which leave so many Americans behind.
Los Angeles, Calif. - Los Angeles Times
February 9, 2005 – Letter to the Editor
"Bush's budget is out; cuts for everyone. The poor and disabled get cuts in food stamps, in child care for working women, in benefits for children on Medicaid, in subsidized housing and other programs to assist families with kids. The cuts apply to the wealthy too – millionaires get their taxes cut."
Memphis, Tenn. - The Commercial Appeal
February 10, 2005 – Letter to the Editor
"President Bush's new budget could rip a fresh, gaping hole in the nation's already tattered health care safety net. He wants to cut federal funding of Medicaid, a program that provides health care coverage for…more than 22 million children nationwide...
"We need to protect the most vulnerable among us – the youngest, the poorest and the sickest who have no other options. We need to ensure adequate levels of care for children, including those with disabilities…
"The impact of these cuts will also likely go beyond those immediately affected … Several studies have shown that substantial Medicaid cuts can weaken state economies and increase unemployment.
"The escalating war costs and huge deficits are undeniable. But this isn't a choice to make based only on numbers. It is a choice to make based on our values and priorities. We should redouble our efforts to care for those who need help the most - our children. We should say no to harmful Medicaid cuts."
Palm Beach, Fla. – Palm Beach Post
February 18, 2005 – Letter to the Editor
"Veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan will find that the Bush administration is paying for war by cutting their health-care and survivor benefits.
"The president's budget includes a provision that would double the co-payment many veterans pay for prescription drugs and charge a new fee of $250 for enrollment in the government program. Vets who used to have a $7 co-pay for prescriptions will have to pay $15… The increased costs could drive about 200,000 vets out of the system, according to one congressional analysis. This is a grateful nation?"
Posted by Melissa at 08:13 AM | Comments (0)
February 24, 2005
Putting a face on Social Security
This diary from Daily Kos was brought to my attention by Elly Shaw-Belblidia, Rockville Meetup Host. Please click the title to view the entire article with pictures.
Thank you for helping my family.
by k9disc
Mon Feb 21st, 2005 at 09:36:17 PST
(From the diaries -- kos)
I would like to thank you all for helping my family. Your help could not have come at a better time for myself, and your continuing help has enabled my grandmother enjoy her twilight years.
My grandmother is 92 years old. She was born in 1913. Her husband passed away over 20 years ago, and she has lived by herself in comfort mere miles from most all of her family, thanks in no small part to you.
I am 32, fairly well educated; 3 years of college as a scholar athlete at a relatively exclusive private school in Michigan, and also in Hawaii. I owe you one, big time.
My grandmother has lived in this apartment for 20 years. It is a retirement community; beautiful 1 br apartments in a wooded setting with shopping only a mile away, plenty of neighbors and a small yard, and this is provided, in no small part to your contributions to Social Security.
That is what this diary is about. Putting a human face on Social Security. There are many human faces that depend on Social Security, millions. You know lots of people that depend on Social Security, but rarely do we think about them.
Posted by Melissa at 11:17 AM | Comments (0)
February 17, 2005
Social Security Calculator
Posted by Jim at 03:25 PM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2005
Detox: Five Reasons Why I'm Not a Conservative Anymore
"...From my own experience, I know that the best way for us to change minds is not to cave-in. When I was conservative, I had only contempt for progressives who sought to backpedal at every opportunity just to get people to agree with them. I had the most respect for the progressives who were unyielding and uncompromising, who had thoroughly researched the issues and were willing to respectfully debate me.
Progressives need to engage young conservatives in a battle of ideas on college campuses. It is only by fighting this battle with conviction that progressives can beat back the conservative ascendancy."
Posted by Jim at 06:48 PM | Comments (0)
February 13, 2005
Congratulations Chairman Dean!
If the past week has been any indication, the Democratic Party has a bright future. The link to Dean's plan below will take you to the DNC site where you can watch a video of Dean's acceptance speech, send comments, and learn more about the Democratic Party.
Chairman Howard Dean's DNC Plan
1. Show up! Democrats should never concede a single state, a single district, or a single voter to the Republicans. We must be active and compete in all 50 states and work with the state parties to build a true national party.
2. The success of the national party depends directly on the success of the state parties — we must better integrate our operations by:
* Having the DNC pay the salary of each state party executive director to help ensure that the state parties have adequate funds.
* Collectively building and sharing supporter lists between the national and state parties.
* Recruiting, training, and encouraging candidates to run for office at every level — building tomorrow's farm team from the ground up.
* Actively grow local Democratic committees and communities by working with neighborhood activists who can reach out in their communities and enable the grassroots to support state and local candidates.
* Maintaining a permanent campaign in every state. We need to establish an ongoing, active presence, which does not have to be recreated every four years for four months.
3. Set core principles that define the Democratic Party and what we stand for and take a bottom-up approach to the development of the Party's message;
4. Use cutting-edge Internet and other technologies to fundraise, organize, and communicate with our supporters;
5. Strengthen our political institutions and leadership institutes to promote our leaders and our ideas — these organizations must work together in a coordinated and integrated fashion to elect Democrats at every level, so that we can take this country back.
Posted by Melissa at 11:03 AM | Comments (0)
February 12, 2005
Chairman Dean!
This time last year I could not even imagine that I would EVER witness Terry McAuliffe hand the gavel to Howard Dean as the new Chairman of the Democratic Party. It has been an exciting week and now the Democratic Party seems to have new life and a vibrant future.
Thank you Howard!
For a TV news report covering the event at the Capital City Brewery (with me in it) click here.
For DNC meeting coverage with a GREAT picture of Dean click here
Posted by Melissa at 08:44 PM | Comments (0)
February 03, 2005
Reforming the Labor Movement
If you have been paying any attention at all to developments in the Labor Movement, you are aware of Andy Stern's bold moves to transform its structure. I recommend reading My DD first and then linking to Bai's excellent article from there.
The New Emerging Blank
by Chris Bowers
Last Friday I was able to talk to Andy Stern for about twenty-five minutes. Over the past few months, I have talked over the phone with a lot of high-powered people, but I was never nervous until I talked to Stern. In the labor movement, there is quite a bit of mythology surrounding Stern, and this section of Matt Bai's recent piece on him may help shed some light on my feelings for those who are unfamiliar:
In some respects, the S.E.I.U. now feels very much like a Fortune 500 company. In the lobby of its headquarters, a flat-screen TV plays an endless video of smiling members along with inspirational quotes from Stern, as if he were Jack Welch or Bill Gates. The union sold more than $1 million worth of purple merchandise through its gift catalog last year, including watches, sports bras, temporary tattoos and its very own line of jeans. (The catalog itself features poetry from members and their children paying tribute to the union, along with recipes like Andy Stern's Chocolate Cake With Peanut-Butter Frosting.) Click to read in its entirety
Posted by Melissa at 08:48 PM | Comments (0)