pics of the day

sweet sleepy kitty

hubby's lunch - check out that radish - top right .. heh heh

How about a Citizen's Protection Act..

Robert Reich Says:

Push Congress to enact the “Shareholder Protection Act.”

For many years, anti-union lobbyists have pushed what they call “pay-check protection” laws, supposedly designed to protect union members from being forced, through their dues, to support union political activities they oppose. Under such laws — already in effect in several states — no union dues can be spent for any political purpose unless union members agree.

The same principle should protect shareholders from being forced to spend their share of corporate earnings in favor of or against a particular candidate. Surely a First Amendment that protects corporate free speech protects individuals no less.

Under a shareholder protection law, shareholders would not have to spend their share of corporate earnings on candidates who they personally oppose. If a company dedicates, say, $100,000 to a particular campaign in a given year — directly, or indirectly through a front organization — shareholders who don’t want their money used this way would get a special dividend or additional shares representing their pro rata share of that campaign expenditure.

For so many years the anti choice crowd has gotten away with saying : "no abortions with MY money!!" to the extent that the sentiment is now engraved in our very laws.

How about "NO MORE WARS with MY money!!"

Why can't I say that?

How about CUT DEFENSE SPENDING INSTEAD OF MEDICARE




An idea I once read about: Make the last page of your tax return a questionnaire on how you want your tax dollars spent. Make it binding rather than a suggestion. Make it the base of the next budget.

It would bring the power of the "free market" to the decisions that Congress is trying to weasel out of.

Open Letter to Rep Joe Courtney(D)

Dear Rep Courtney,

In the last fourty years I have watched our country move relentlessly to the far right, now so far right that I would begin to classify the US as a rightwing government even when the Democratic Party is in the majority.

For the last year, I have watched the health care bill start out weak, and be compromised to the point where now the only substance left in the Senate bill is the features that will enrich the Insurance Companies, at the expense of the health and wellbeing of the taxpayers.

We all know that the least expensive route to universal care is Medicare For All. Not only could that not get a fair hearing, it got no hearing at all. If the Senate version of health care reform passes into law, it will only prove that the DemocRATS can sell themselves into prostitution to the Corporations faster than the Republicans did.
(I will say here that I have never voted for a republican, and never will)

After watching DADT remain in force despite promises to the contrary, GITMO remain open despite promises to the contrary, Mercenaries remain as a growing sector of our military... After waiting for the criminals of the previous administration to be investigated and brought to justice - in vain... After watching the politicians that we progressives worked so hard to elect turn around and sell their vote to the highest(corporate) bidder... After watching a couple of Senate Democrats hold legislation hostage for the ransom of millions of dollars for their states... After watching the same people who brought us the financial disaster sweep in to loot our treasury and enrich their cronies(Geithner, Summers, and Bernanke)... After watching the president demand billions in supplemental funds for the wars he promised to at least put on the books...

The Democratic Party seems to have lost the page that they wrote down the party platform and ideals on. If I wanted to elect a politician who would forget what prompted my vote,and then smear scat all over Justice, Liberty and the American Worker, I could have just stayed home and let the republicans win.

~

Why, I ask you, should I bother to go to the polls in November?

I would like a real answer to this question, in your own words, not a form letter.

Thank You
SB Gypsy

DID YOU SEE...

...Last night's CBS News report on jobs in America, and how to get the economy jump-started.

Yesterday's Sunset

* click to embiggen