How Many Will Go T Jail at J.P. Morgan? VOTE NOW

How is Nashville, TN's "Alternative" to Expanding Medicaid and Implementing the Affordable Care Act Working Out?

How is Nashville, TN's "Alternative" to Expanding Medicaid and Implementing the Affordable Care Act Working Out?

Tennessee Race for Medicaid: Dial Fast and Try, Try Again (an article published by The New York Times on March 24, 2013)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/25/us/tennessee-holds-health-care-lottery-for-the-poor.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 

 A Republican-controlled legislature, mostly made up of Tea Party members in Nashville Tennessee came up with a lottery system in lieu of expanding Medicaid and setting up exchanges for people to sign up come October 1, 2013. It now opens the line for residents to call twice a year. The line shuts down after 2500 calls come in. The Washington Post.com/blogs posted a video by John Stewart, The Daily Show which you should see.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/06/06/the-daily-show-on-a-tennessee-health-care-lottery-program-video/?fb_action_ids=532646360139880&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

To see where they're at today I checked with a Tennessee legislature watch dog group that out this Healtcare Legislation notice http://www.tnwatchdogs.org/health-care.html.

This is an "Alert" the watchdog group put on it's notice:

HEALTH CARE STATE COMPACT--TENNESSEE

ALERT #1--This compact originated via Tea Party Patriots and was carried to Senator Mae Beavers for consideration.

This is the bill summary; it doesn't look good for Tennessee residents: Bill Summary This bill enacts the Health Care Compact which:
(1) Specifies that each member state of the compact would have the authority to enact state laws that supersede any and all federal laws regarding health care within its state;
(2) Specifies that each member state would have the right to mandatory federal funds to support the exercise of member state authority under this compact and that this funding would not be conditional on any action, regulation, policy, law, or rule of any kind of the member state. According to an appendix of the Compact, in 2010, such federal funding in Tennessee was $16.389 billion; and
(3) Creates the interstate advisory health care commission, described below.

Under this bill, the interstate advisory health care commission would consist of members appointed by each member state through a process to be determined by the laws of each member state. No state may appoint more than two members to the commission, and at any time a member state may withdraw its members from the commission.

 

 

 http://www.tnwatchdogs.org/health-care.html

 

POLL: Will You Vote Against Tea Party Members To Get America Moving Again?

How Far Can People Be Pushed Before They Push Back?

 

 

How Far Can People Be Pushed Before
They Push Back? Volume 1 

(The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act)

  When People Stand Together and Actually DO What They Can DO We Are HEARD!

Anytime we can get people to stand together and act together we gain strength, this is why I've created this blog, and a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-the-Obstructionist-Tea-Party/1404191656471075 . I get frustrated when I see Tea Party members, and other Conservatives, saying absurd things that are totally untrue and outright lies. Then people make comments, act out at town hall meetings, and appear elsewhere in the media, because they actually BELIEVE the misinformation and outright lies that these obstructionists spew out. Politicians put this garbage out, not because they believe it, but because they're only worried about their reelection, and people buy it!

I saw a post on Facebook by Robert Reich, author of "Beyond Outrage - What has gone wrong with our Economy and our Democracy, and how to Fix it." It provoked many comments and emotions among people. I thought I would share the link to that post because it inspired me to post another piece to try to motivate people to speak up and get involved, which is the mission of this blog. 


Robert Reich's Facebook page address is: https://www.facebook.com/RBReich?hc_location=stream. This link brings you to his Facebook page, on it is a post he made on August 25, 2013. You can identify the post as it begins with "A few days ago I had breakfast with a man who had been one of my mentors in college,".
I encourage you to read it, comment, and come back to this blog and comment on this article so I can hear what you think.

 People are being pushed further than ever before on many fronts. Inequality of Opportunity, Income inequality, we are being told that getting health insurance for 30 million uninsured people is not what we want, we are having to deal with a minimum wage that full-time workers, working a full 40 hours a week are living below the poverty level, we are told that if a women wants to have an abortion that she must consent to a trans-vaginal ultrasound that has not be deemed medically necessary by a doctor, (isn't that assault?,) we are having to deal with numerous Voter ID laws that clearly discriminate against the poor and the minorities, we are told that no environmental concerns exist with fracking, pipelines, and deregulation of industries, we are told that the deregulation of the financial industry didn't cause the near depression and wipe out people's 401k's and net worth, and much more rhetoric that is simply NOT TRUE!. ENOUGH!

People need to speak up! Many people say "What can I do? Plenty. History shows that when people stand together and speak out by flooding the offices of politicians with enough calls, e-mails and other personal contact, that we can pressure them to do the right thing. But we must flood them with contact. We must let them know, that we know, what they are doing. There are links on this blog page for people to find out who there representatives are, how to contact them, and to see how their Representatives are voting on bills. . If you want to get involved and don't know who your Congressmen, Senators, and other Representatives are, please use the links on this page to find out who they are, and how to contact them. Do it now! It's as simple as putting in your zip code, and for your local politicians, your address. We can make a difference! Speak to your neighbors, coworkers, friends, and encourage them to seek out various sources for news and information. The internet is a useful tool but people need to be aware that anyone can write anything they want on the internet, so they have to look at numerous sources, and respected sources. People should visit fact-checking organizations; here are a couple sites http://www.factcheck.org/ , http://www.politifact.com/ , http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker , http://techcrunch.com/2013/01/29/realtime-political-fact-checking-becomes-a-reality-with-wapos-truth-teller/ ,  and not accept when people in the conservative party say "we will not let fact-checking get in the way of our agenda"

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Volume 1 emphasis) 

Why aren't people telling their Governors, Congressman, and Senators that it is NOT O.K. to do NOTHING! Elected officials get a golden healthcare plan, for life, and turn right around and vote 40 times to repeal Obamacare which will help 30 million uninsured Americans get health insurance. Governors in many states refuse to implement "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act", a LAW, not a bill, (which many conservatives insist on still calling it.) They refuse to set up insurance exchanges so people can sign up on October 1, 2013. In lieu of setting up exchanges they must come up with alternatives. One state decided that a viable alternative was to have a lottery where only 2500 people would "win" an opportunity to get health insurance. The problem? there were numerous, 1) there are 3 million people uninsured in that state, 2) everyone had to call within the same 2-3 hour window and 3) it was announced on the news that the phone lines were closed, before they ever actually opened. One woman that was in the hospital for surgery, she was under anesthesia and couldn't call. She was told that she had the opportunity just as everyone else in the state did and she was out of luck. One person who "won" the lottery actually didn't get health insurance but did get a 19 page application that a lawyer for the news agency reporting on this lottery said "was confusing and it was not probable that citizens could possibly complete accurately."

This is where states stood as of June 13, 2013:

Via: The Advisory Board Company

and this site tracks executive and legislative action taken to achieve—or totally rule out—expansion in each state. http://www.advisory.com/Daily-Briefing/Resources/Primers/MedicaidMap

Please get involved, be heard. Tell the Congress that it is not O.K. for them to make a salary of $29,000 for 9 days work in all of August when they have done nothing to help Americans yet voted 40 times to repeal "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act!"

Florida Insurers Are Now Free to Screw Consumers and Must, By Law, Blame Obamacare

Unfortunately Floridians can't be protected from their own Governor Rick Scott. He refused money to implement the Affordable Care Act because he was sure the Republican US Supreme Court would defeat it. When they didn't he did something even worse.

In an August 24, 2013 Huffington Posts The Blog article by Wendell Potter, Author, consultant; columnist at Center for Public Integrity and healthinsurance.org, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wendell-potter/florida-insurers-are-now_b_3785206.html writes that the Governor signed into law a bill (SB 1842) that will cause Floridians to pay much higher premiums for health insurance. Last month, Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty's office said insurance premiums for individuals in Florida would be significantly higher than they are now. And if that weren't bad enough, insurers will actually be required by law to mislead their Florida customers about why they're hiking their premiums.That's right, insurers will, by law have to mislead their customers. 

As Florida CHAIN, a state advocacy group, pointed out when Scott signed SB 1842, the law not only blocks McCarty's office from protecting consumers, a provision in the law actually requires insurers to send deceptive and misleading notices about rate increases to consumers -- and to blame Obamacare for them.

"The only 'public education' of any sort authorized by the Legislature related to the ACA (Affordable Care Act) is a requirement ... that insurers send extremely biased and incomplete notices this fall about the ACA and its effect on policyholders' rates," Florida CHAIN said in a statement.

This is exactly the kind of information that must be spread. This is why I started this blog http://www.Medic3569.blogspot.com and my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-the-Obstructionist-Tea-Party/1404191656471075 . People must be made aware what is really going on when stuff like this happens. Whether it be a Governor, Congressman, Senator, or even local politician, people MUST get the facts so they can go to the polls and FIRE  the people who are doing them harm. Maybe we should make all politicians state in their oath, when they take office, the part of the Hippocratic oath that doctors take, "DO NO HARM."

 

Government-Funded Institutions Have Been Hiding GMO Facts For Years But Who is Lying To Who?

Government-Funded Institutions Have Been Hiding GMO Facts For Years But Who is Lying To Who?

An article published by Nation of Change News, written by Christina Sarich, on August 23, 2013 points out some very important facts on the topic.

"Until government agencies require true testing on GM crops it will be difficult to tell which studies are altered and which are representing truth says Christina Sarich.. In a recent article the author of this article wrote for another sight, quoting the 800 world scientists who were against GMO, multiple industry shills commented that ‘the authors of this study are not even real scientists.’ So what gives? Who are we to believe when the studies which are conducted are funded with Ag industry money and regulated by the Monsanto monopoly. If any ‘real’ science is to be done, it needs to be truly transparent, including the money trail behind it. Until government agencies require true testing on GM crops it will be difficult to tell which studies are altered and which are representing truth. I have a hunch that non-GMO-funded science is already pointing out some glaring problems with GMO food crops.

If your interested in GMO food crops and the need for labeling of food products and GE you want to check out this article.

http://www.nationofchange.org/government-funded-institutions-have-been-hiding-gmo-facts-years-who-lying-who-1377265465# 

Democratic Push for Reform in All Fifty States...

Democratic Push for Reform in All Fifty States Has GOP Frothing at the Mouth

  by Deborah Montesano of Addicting Info, August 22, 2013

An issue we should all be motivated to get involved in is voter suppression, disenfranchising voters, and the hijacking of the democratic process. Addicting Info's Deborah Montesano wrote "The GOP may have out-foxed itself on the voting rights issue," and we should jump on it!  With the Republican party fractured and able to do nothing but obstruct, they have a problem. Remember the "autopsy" by Chairman Reince  Priebus after the 2012 election that said that the party's main problem was how they were reaching out to, and communicating with, people?  He said they must widen their base and learn how to communicate better with certain demographics. . He said they had an initiative and would spend millions of dollars to go into communities to better communicate with people. How's that working out Reince?What with all the infighting in the party on immigration and a plethora of other issues, they seem to not be doing well with their goals.

So, what to do. It's possible they had this discussion: Ah! we did successfully steal a presidential election, or two, what say we go that route? We could try to fix the vote! Let's enact voting rights legislation that will disenfranchise voters, block others and we could even go absolutely crazy like they are now doing in North Carolina! http://medic3569.blogspot.com/2013/08/republican-voter-suppression-must-be.html

Last week, a 50-state initiative was rolled out by a new nonprofit organization run by Michael Sargeant, the executive director of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. The group takes back language co-opted by conservatives, naming itself American Values First. The intent of the group is to push voting reforms that will make it a whole lot easier for all who are eligible to vote.

Read the full article here http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/08/21/democrats-take-charge-push-in-50-states-for-voting-reforms/ and then let's GET INVOLVED FOR A BETTER AMERICA!

If People Don't Start Making "Informed Decisions" We're Headed for Disaster!

 Hundreds of Millions of Dollars is Spent on Misinformation in the Media and We Will Live With the Results, For Better, or For Worse!

This link: "More Louisiana Republicans Blame President Obama For Hurricane Katrina Response Than Bush" is to an article that ThinkProgress.org published on August 21, 2013. The article was written by Rebecca Leber.

The information in the article, especially the polling information, is exactly the reason why I recently decided that I had to do something to get involved, instead of just complaining, about all the problems that we Americans face today. There are a very large number of people in this country that, for one reason or another, receive VERY LITTLE information about issues that effect them directly, like healthcare, the financial industry that was deregulated and allowed some very greedy people to wipe out people's entire net worth, and much more. Unfortunately, the little bit of information they receive is MISINFORMATION! Hundreds of millions of dollars are now spent on political campaigns across this country and for some reason the candidates are allowed to tell blatant lies, and yes, everyone does it, Republicans AND Democrats. 

This practice causes people to think they know what is true about an issue, when in fact, a candidate/politician in office, may have just told the OPPOSITE of the truth. But, because they saw it on television, read it in a newspaper, or, the best of all, seen it on the internet, it MUST BE TRUE! Even worse is because people hear two completely opposite points of view on a single topic so often, they tune out, and don't listen to anything. 

In the article there was some polling, they asked a question: Who do you think was more responsible for the poor response to hurricane Katrina: George W. Bush or Barack Obama? 

It was the results of this poll, and what I see everyday, that just final was the straw that broke the camels back, and made me decide I had to do something! These were the results:

29 percent of Louisiana Republicans say President Obama is more to blame for the botched executive branch response to Hurricane Katrina while just 28 percent blamed George W. Bush. A plurality of 44 percent said they were unsure who was more responsible, even though Hurricane Katrina occurred over three years before Obama entered the presidency when he was still a freshman Senator!



I created a blog called "Get Involved for a Better America," http://medic3569.blogspot.com/ and a Facebook page called "Stop the Obstructionist Tea Party," https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-the-Obstructionist-Tea-Party/1404191656471075 , to educate the low-information voters, and to motivate informed people to vote. I figure that if I can give even one person the facts about something important to them, that at least they can vote for someone after making  an informed decision.
  
The amount of money being spent to misinform people is out of control and getting worse. What a significant number of people believe in this country, on a wide range of issues is not only sad, but outright DANGEROUS! If people don't start making informed decisions, and demanding that their Congressman, Senators, and even local politicians represent THEM, I don't believe that this country is going to get any better. In fact it will get worse! 

I hope that everyone will take responsibility to get even one person, that is low information to learn the facts, and make an informed decision. It truly is in all of our best interests.

Sign the Petition on the Keystone Pipeline

The Only Thing the Keystone Pipeline Will Help is the Oil Companies Bottom Line

Is the Keystone XL Pipeline Really Needed?

I read many articles that show production and even exports of crude oil is up in the U.S. U.S. oil production reached 7.5 million barrels a day in July, the highest monthly output level since 1991, according to a new government report, the San Antonio's Home Page newspaper reported. According to Census bureau export data reviewed by the Financial Times, the value of petroleum and coal exports more than doubled. There are claims of a high number of jobs that would be created but a State Department report shows that although about 42,000 jobs might be possible over a 1-2 year period that the Keystone would generate only 35 permanent and 15 temporary jobs. “Based on this estimate, routine operation of the proposed pipeline would have negligible socioeconomic impacts.”

Is the Keystone XL Pipeline Really Needed?

Is the Keystone XL Pipeline Really Needed?

I read many articles that show production and even exports of crude oil is up in the U.S. U.S. oil production reached 7.5 million barrels a day in July, the highest monthly output level since 1991, according to a new government report, the San Antonio's Home Page newspaper reported. According to Census bureau export data reviewed by the Financial Times, the value of petroleum and coal exports more than doubled. There are claims of a high number of jobs that would be created but a State Department report shows that although about 42,000 jobs might be possible over a 1-2 year period that the Keystone would generate only 35 permanent and 15 temporary jobs. “Based on this estimate, routine operation of the proposed pipeline would have negligible socioeconomic impacts.”

U.S. Oil Production and Exports are Up

In an expert commentary August 20, 2013 Fadel Gheit Oil & Gas Senior Analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. by Dukascopy Bank Team | Dukascopy Bank SA Fadel was asked:
 
U.S. oil production reached 7.5 million barrels a day in July, the highest monthly output level since 1991. Do you see the lawmakers removing the limits on crude exports in the future?
He responded "It is difficult to predict what Washington will do, but high oil prices should continue to boost domestic production. However, the US is still importing more than 50% of its oil consumption. There is a ban on crude oil export from the US, but light sweet crude production has exceeded domestic demand levels and the industry is calling on Congress to allow swapping light sweet crude for heavy sour crude, which would benefit both oil producers and petroleum refiners in the US."

Also on August 20, 2013 the MySA, San Antonio's Home Page newspaper reported "U.S. refineries such as Valero's in Three Rivers pushed domestic oil production to 7.5 million barrels a day in July, the highest monthly output in 22 years, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration says production could exceed imports by October."

• U.S. oil production reached 7.5 million barrels a day in July, the highest monthly output level since 1991, according to a new government report.
• In its Short-Term Energy Outlook, the U.S. Energy Information Administration also said U.S. production could exceed imports by October for the first time since early 1995.
• The agency projected that production for the full year will average 7.4 million barrels a day, rising to daily output of 8.2 million barrels in 2014.

On August 19, 2013 on this blog in a post titled "US Fuel Exports Emerging as Driving Force in Obama's Goal of Doubling Exports by 2015" A lead story by James Politi in the US and UK editions of the Financial Times says "The value of US fuel exports has grown faster than other goods and commodities during Barack Obama’s presidency, according to a Financial Times analysis," and that it is emerging as a driving force behind his goal to double exports by 2015. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0db6b1ca-081e-11e3-badc-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz2cQ8ZAHOG

But What About All The Jobs the Keystone XL Pipeline Will Create?

We all know that what we need in this country right now is jobs. Proponents of the Keystone XL pipeline say a good number of permanent jobs would be created. The president has recently questioned how many permanent American jobs would be created by the project, accusing supporters of inflating the number. A leading opponent of the Keystone XL pipeline said Thursday's announcement shows that the company is nervous about Keystone XL in reference to the TransCanada plans.

Omaha.com published an article August 1, 2013 by Joseph Morton / World-/Herald Bureau   titled "Lee Terry to President Obama: Let's talk about Keystone." Omaha's Republican Rep. Lee Terry said he's worried that recent comments from the Obama administration indicate the president is poised to kill the politically charged project. In a letter to President Obama, Terry and other top Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee took issue with the president's downplaying the pipeline's job-creation potential.“We are concerned that your most recent statements have signaled an arbitrary and abrupt shift in how our nation approves cross-border energy projects,” they wrote. “Your recent comments have only added to the immense amount of uncertainty that currently surrounds the Keystone XL approval process, unnecessarily jeopardizing $7 billion in private investment.” In their letter, Terry and the other members said the president has politicized what was previously a straightforward, apolitical process for reviewing such cross-border projects.They asked him a series of questions about the standards he will be using to make his decision on the pipeline and his view of the ongoing process. 

But there was no mistaking the thrust of his recent comments. Obama clearly came down on the side of pipeline opponents who have characterized as overblown claims that the pipeline would be a jobs machine.
“Republicans have said that this would be a big jobs generator,” Obama said in an interview with the New York Times. “There is no evidence that that's true. The most realistic estimates are this might create maybe 2,000 jobs during the construction of the pipeline, which might take a year or two, and then after that we're talking about somewhere between 50 and 100 jobs in an economy of 150 million working people.”
 
In their letter, Terry and the others pointed out that the State Department's own reviews of the pipeline have predicted higher job numbers. “Including direct, indirect, and induced effects, the proposed project would potentially support approximately 42,100 average annual jobs across the United States over a 1- to 2- year construction period (of which, approximately 3,900 would be directly employed in construction activities),” a State Department report said. That report also noted that pipelines have their biggest economic impact during construction and that once in place, the Keystone XL pipeline would require minimal labor. “Operation of the proposed project would generate 35 permanent and 15 temporary jobs, primarily for routine inspections, maintenance, and repairs,” the report said. “Based on this estimate, routine operation of the proposed pipeline would have negligible socioeconomic impacts.”

Environmental Concerns

"The Blog" by Huffington Post on August 20, 2013 posted an article by Tom Steyer, a business leader and investor titled "Keystone XL Pipeline Will Raise Gasoline Prices, Not Just Environmental Concerns" which stated The Environmental security has rightfully been a rally cry of clean air advocates opposed to the Keystone XL pipeline, which poses tremendous environmental hazards from leaks of the oil itself to emissions of toxic additives on the line to greater carbon output in refining of tar sands oil. New evidence shows economic security and energy security are equally important reasons for the president to oppose the pipeline. 

What About Gas Prices?

Statements from pipeline developers reveal that the intent of the Keystone XL is not to help Americans, but to use America as an export line to markets in Asia and Europe. As Alberta's energy minister Ken Hughes acknowledged, "[I]t is a strategic imperative, it is in Alberta's interest, in Canada's interest, that we get access to tidewater... to diversify away from the single continental market and be part of the global market."

 The last thing Americans, or the American economy needs, is another jump at the gas pump. A new report by Consumer Watchdog finds that's what America will get if the president approves Keystone XL pipeline: a 25 cent to 40 cent gas price hike in the Midwest, and pain at the pump all the way to California.
 
Huffington Post's Tom Steyer also states that relatively cheap Canadian tar sands crude, which is more than half of the crude oil used in Midwest refineries, and increasingly the source of Western refiners, will get a lot more expensive if the XL pipeline developers have their ways. Their articulated goal for the global market: raising the price per barrel of Canadian tar sand oil by $30, from $70 now charged to the $100 per barrel now commanded by Mexican Maya crude oil in the Gulf. 

As a businessman, I can understand that profit motive. But what it means for U.S. drivers is higher gasoline prices. When crude prices go up, gasoline prices go up. Why build the Keystone XL if it will hurt the consumer and the environment? As reported this morning in the Des Moines Register, in the Midwest, in particular, the 40 cent per gallon increase at the pump that the report identifies is going to do grave damage to the economy. 

If a Pipeline is Needed, Are There Any Better Alternatives?

Omaha.com published an article August 1, 2013

TransCanada plans pipeline across Canada, says Keystone XL still necessary

By Paul Hammel / World-Herald Bureau which stated TransCanada Corp. announced plans Thursday to build a $12 billion oil pipeline across Canada with one-third more daily capacity than the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.If we need a pipeline why not build one that has more capacity since the environmental and other concerns would be no different.

We All Need to Contact Our Congressman and Senators

We cannot allow the oil and gas industry to continue to destroy our air and water for no other reason than to make even bigger profits than the average $30 million every three months. We cannot allow them to make these profits and do this damage while stating that the Keystone XL Pipeline is "good for Americans" when in fact, it's only good for their bottom line. Once the pipeline would become operational, in about 2 years, only 50 permanent jobs would exist. 

I have started a petition through MoveOn.org to stop the Keystone pipeline, please click the link below to make your representatives know how you feel, and that you expect them to represent you.

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/congress-senate-dont?source=c.url&r_by=8543303

 

Voter Suppression in North Carolina

Republican Voter Suppression MUST be STOPPED

Look at this video clip of the Rachel Maddow Show, what is happening across the entire state of North Carolina. 

 

The Governor has signed the most restrictive voter suppression bill in the country into law. But that isn't even the beginning. A student entering his senior year at a STATE university, who has voted the last three years was planning to run for City Council. The now Republican Election Committee has determined he is ineligible because he is now determined NOT to be a resident. Oh yea, he can't vote either. They now are encouraging ALL counties to challenge the residency of students across the state. It just gets worse, take a look.

PLEASE ALLOW THE VIDEO TIME TO APPEAR ON THE BLOG PAGE AND LOAD. YOU WANT TO SEE THIS. IF YOU EXPERIENCE A PROBLEM PLEASE USE THIS LINK:

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/rachel-maddow/52769481#52769481

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Monsanto Hiding Birth Defect Information Through Shoddy Science

Hiding the Birth Defect Lie: Monsanto Minimizes Round-Up Chemicals Nefarious Effect Through Shoddy Science

 The link below was published by the Progressive Journalism for Positive Action's Nation of Change News.  written by Christina Sarich. I believe that information about what Monsanto does must get to the people so they know how greedy and non-caring they are. Please click the link below to read the informative article.

http://www.nationofchange.org/hiding-birth-defect-lie-monsanto-minimizes-roundup-chemical-s-nefarious-effects-through-shoddy-scien

Europe, Nations Around the World Rejecting Monsanto

 

 Europe, Nations Around the World Rejecting Monsanto

 The link below was published by the Progressive Journalism for Positive Action's Nation of Change News.  written by Elizabeth Renter. I believe that information about what Monsanto does must get to the people so they know how greedy and non-caring they are. Please click the link below to read the informative article.

http://www.nationofchange.org/europe-nations-around-world-rejecting-monsanto-1370528207#

Totally Irrelevant Speaker Boehner Tweeting About "Patient-Centered Reform"

 Totally Irrelevant Speaker Boehner Tweeting About "Patient-Centered Reform"

@johnboehner Blah, Blah, Blah. What exactly is your PLAN for "Patient-Centered Reforms? #Obamacare
— John A Smith (@Medic3569) August 19, 2013

US Fuel Exports Emerging as Driving Force in Obama's Goal of Doubling Exports by 2015

US Fuel Exports Emerging as Driving Force in Obama's Goal of Doubling Exports by 2015

A lead story by James Politi in the US and UK editions of the Financial Times says "The value of US fuel exports has grown faster than other goods and commodities during Barack Obama’s presidency, according to a Financial Times analysis," and that it is emerging as a driving force behind his goal to double exports by 2015. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0db6b1ca-081e-11e3-badc-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz2cQ8ZAHOG

The US became a net exporter of fuel in 2011 for the first time in two decades, as rising exports combined with slower imports. According to Census bureau export data reviewed by the FT, the value of petroleum and coal exports more than doubled.

Rayola Dougher, a senior economic adviser at the American Petroleum Institute, a powerful lobby group for the US oil and gas sector, said: “We have been a real engine of growth at a time when other industries have been languishing.”

 In January 2010, Mr Obama called for a doubling of exports within five years in an ambitious effort to reboot the US’s industrial base.
 

“When the president talks about trade, when he talks about creating middle class jobs, when he talks about turning the US economy into an economy that lasts, he usually talks about manufacturing, those are the classic American living wage jobs,” said Alan Tonelson, an economist at the US Business and Industry Council. “There’s no chance that he’s been thinking mainly about petroleum.” 

All news is not bad news when it comes to economics and trade. Let's give credit where credit is due. It was an ambitious goal on President Obama's part in 2010, and there is a way to go. But, he is working hard to turning the US economy around.

Conservatives Bent on Talking Young People (18-34) Out of Signing Up For Health Insurance Through the Exchanges in October.

Conservatives Bent on Talking Young People (18-34) Out of Signing Up For Health Insurance Through the Exchanges in October.

 I received an e-mail from HuffPost Hill on August 16, 2013 which mentioned a publication (#652) http://www.nationalcenter.org/NPA652.html  from National Policy Analysis, which is a publication of The National Center for Public Policy Research. The paragraph in the e-mail I was immediately drawn to had a heading of "A SHINING MOMENT IN THE CAMPAIGN TO RESCUE AMERICA FROM OBAMACARE" which stated that  a conservative think tank said "Young people would save a lot of money by not buying health insurance through Obamacare exchanges this fall," because premiums are more expensive than the new tax penalties for not signing up.

CBS News reports that for the health care law to work, 2.7 million people known as “young invincibles” – young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 – need to enroll. What is so bad about 2.7 million young invincibles signing up for health insurance through the exchanges? The National Policy Analysis publication by David Hogberg, Ph.D. shows this example:

Haley Townsend is a pleasant 22-year-old woman working at a shop in Washington, D.C.'s Union Station. Like many her age, she is uninsured.

While she sees some value in insurance, she claims she doesn't need it right now.

"Overall, I'm pretty healthy," she said. "The only thing I need to see the doctor about are the glasses I wear." 

Haley currently earns about $18,100 annually. She's also going through divorce proceedings that have put her into considerable debt. 

"Right now, a lot of my paycheck goes toward paying that off," she said. Thus, financially she has little room for error and no room to pick up a major new expense like health insurance. Yet due to ObamaCare, in 2014 Haley is expected to purchase health insurance through the Washington D.C. "exchange"—known as the Health Benefit Exchange Authority—or pay a fine of $95.

If Haley buys health insurance through Washington D.C.'s exchange, she'll be eligible for a subsidy of about $1,329 under ObamaCare to help her pay for insurance. If she puts that toward the lowest-cost Bronze plan on the exchange, about $1,541, then she'll only have to pay about $212 out-of-pocket for health insurance. 

That may not seem like much, but for Haley that $212 represents about 14 percent of one of her monthly paychecks before taxes. If she instead pays the $95 fine, then she'll save $117. "I could easily use that money for groceries or transportation," she said.

Let's look this example and how it really works out. The publication says that 18-34 year old people have an average of 2.7 physician visits per year, well, last time I checked, a single office visit to a doctor's office costs $100 for an uninsured person. Does Haley really have a savings of $117? If an 18-34 year old experiences even a minor illness, or injury, how much will it cost them? What with labs, x-rays or whatever they may require for a simple virus or fall, a single incident could cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

David Hogberg says that his study finds that over 3.7 million single individuals aged 18-34 without children will save at least $500 by declining insurance and paying the fine in 2014. Over 3 million individuals will save at least $1,000. I certainly question the data in this study, do you?

The study then goes on to show how their "subsidy calculators" come up with the figures of over 3.7 million single individuals aged 18-34 without children will save at least $500 by declining insurance and paying the fine in 2014. Over 3 million individuals will save at least $1,000. No where does it mention that a single illness or injury (remembering that the study itself does admit the 18-34 year old people average 2.7 doctor visits per year) will cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars for the uninsured.

All the while if the "young invincibles" do sign up with the exchanges we will lower healthcare costs overall. We will have 30 million people who can't afford health insurance with health plans which will significantly lower costs by not having people use emergency rooms as their primary care physician, and receive preventive medicine which everybody, even the insurance companies know is cheaper in the long run.

Let's work at getting our representatives in congress and the senate to start looking out for us. Let's explain to every 18-34 year old why signing up for the exchanges this October is the best thing for them and all of America! Tell your representatives you don't pay them $174,000/yr and more to vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act (a law) 40 times. Are the republicans afraid that a healthcare bill that was enacted by a Republican Governor, upheld by a Republican Supreme Court, is saving Republican lives? 

In California Only About Half of Those People Who Qualify Actually Get Food Stamps

 In California Only About Half of Those People Who Qualify Actually Get Food Stamps

Photo by dpss.co.riverside.ca.us

 An article by the L. A. Times about how people were being discouraged from applying for food stamps even though they were eligible, because they probably wouldn't get them. You heard right. 

L. A. Times article "California discourages needy from signing up for Food Stamps"

 Even though Republican Gov. Rick Perry ultimately got rid of the policy, Texas — always seeking to whittle down "big government" — remains one of the most effective states at keeping its poor out of the giant federal food stamp program.

Liberal California discourages eligible people from signing up for food stamps at rates conservative activists elsewhere envy. Only about half of the Californians who qualify for help get it. The program is called CalFresh.

In California, where onerous paperwork requirements, inhospitable county benefits offices and confusing online applications often prevail. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest study reflects the participation rate in 2010, agency enrollment figures released since then leave California stuck in last place.

In California, sometimes even those who qualify get rejected, as understaffed agencies prove unable to properly process applications. Edlyn Countee had no idea she was eligible for food stamps until a friend who volunteered at a food bank brought it up. The 61-year-old from Oakland applied. She was rejected. "They said I made too much money," she said. "I figured, 'There goes that.'"

The friend insisted that there had been a mistake and that Countee should keep at it. The advice was solid, but it took an attorney from Bay Area Legal Aid calling social services officials, and Countee filling out an affidavit, before she got her $101 per month.

It is unconscionable that we have so many people out of work, disabled, veterans, elderly, and children, that are going hungry in the richest country in the world. There are also people who work full-time, 40 hours, but are paid so little that they live below the poverty line and are eligible for Food Stamps and Medicaid. Employees of Wal-Mart cost the taxpayers $80M a year, and those who work at McDonald's and other fast food establishments fall into the same category. The real "Welfare Queen," a phrase coined by President Reagan is Wal-Mart.

 

The RNC Continues To Shoot Themselves in the Foot

The RNC Continues To Shoot Themselves in the Foot

For a script that isn't even written yet, and that FOX is going to produce. The RNC is pathetic! Also, when the campaigns are in full swing, if NBC or CNN hold a debate and Republican candidates refuse to participate that won't exactly follow their "We need to speak to a larger audience" strategy.

President Barack Obama isn't the problem. He's the solution.
 

BREAKING: RNC resolution to stop CNN & NBC from hosting GOP primary debates in 2016 PASSES!  Thoughts?

Hiding the Birth Defect Lie: Monsanto Minimizes RoundUp Chemical’s Nefarious Effects Through Shoddy Science

This article was published at NationofChange at: http://www.nationofchange.org/hiding-birth-defect-lie-monsanto-minimizes-roundup-chemical-s-nefarious-effects-through-shoddy-scien. All rights are reserved. 

 Hiding the Birth Defect Lie: Monsanto Minimizes RoundUp Chemical’s Nefarious Effects Through Shoddy Science

By Christina Sarich

There are hundreds of scientists who continue to claim that GMO crops are harmless and that we in the ‘organic farming and sustainable food supply’ camp are crazy. We’d have to be to keep believing the lies that Monsanto has so cleverly hidden in their slapdash scientific experiments. Some people say they have only gone anti-GMO due to social pressure, not real science, but is this really the case? While refusing all technology whatsoever is not what anti-GMO activists usually desire, they do want more strenuous testing of GMO seed due to the multiple studies that have already shown that genetically modified organisms are causing disease in humans and eradicating bee and monarch colonies.
In a scientific review by Germany's Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (German acronym of BVL), which was tasked by the European Union's Commission to review research on glyphosate (brand name Roundup) we can see quite clearly that GMO crops are anything but ‘safe’. The review found multiple cases of prominent birth defects linked directly to glyphosate, and accused Monsanto ‘science’ of misleading the public about the true dangers of GMO seed. The study was published by Earth Open Sources, which uses open source collaboration to try to advance sustainable food production practices. You can download a peer-reviewed version of the report here. This version states:

“. . . glyphosate herbicide formulation and glyphosate alone caused malformations in the embryos of Xenopus laevis and chickens through the disruption of the retinoic acid signaling pathway. . .the production and consumption of RoundUp Ready chemicals (primarily soy) which is engineered to tolerate applications of glyphosate herbicide indicates teratogenic (an agent that causes the malformation of an embryo) and reproductive effects form herbicide exposure.”

The German Federal Office for Protection and Food Safety pointed out that the studies saying glyphosate was ‘safe’ were unpublished industry-sponsored studies commissioned by the companies that stood to gain from saying RoundUp was safe, i.e. Monsanto. They even said that glyphosate was not a teratogen not a reproductive toxin, but numerous other studies have found this to be erroneous. The reviewed article also points out that the studies which have shown the teratogenicity of glyphosate were minimized.
Don’t just take my word for it. Heidi Stevenson of GaiaHealth.com has also painstakingly gathered a list of peer-reviewed documents that prove how Monsanto has lied to us about the extensive list of birth defects that RoundUp chemicals cause. Just some of these birth defects include:

·     A dilated heart

·     Major visceral malformations

·     An extra 13^th rib

·     Embryonic death

·     Lung malformation

·     Absent kidneys

·     Distortion of thoracic ribs, and more.

It is clear that Monsanto has not done its due diligence, and may even have knowingly hid the truth about just how deadly Round Up chemicals truly are. More transparent studies that are not industry-sponsored are clearly needed to put this debate to rest.
This article was published at NationofChange at: http://www.nationofchange.org/hiding-birth-defect-lie-monsanto-minimizes-roundup-chemical-s-nefarious-effects-through-shoddy-scien. All rights are reserved.

CHEMTRAILS

CHEMTRAILS

Many things being said but What Do You Believe - Here's an interesting video from One Source

On future posts we will show other sources.

WLOS-TV: Grieving mother asks why Patrick McHenry would repeal Obamacare

 This is only one story that has been shared. There are countless, and there will be millions more, on how the "Affordable Care Act" LAW (not "bill" as Republicans still insist on calling it even after it was passed by both houses and signed into by the President, and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court) will, can, and is, helping Americans all over the country. How do Governors, Congressman, Senators, who only care about getting reelected, convince the people their SUPPOSED to be representing that they are better off with NO health insurance rather than health insurance that is FREE! Oh! That's right, they have figured out that they can't convince the people of that! So now they are refusing to implement the law by setting up exchanges so come October 1, 2013 people can start to register for their health insurance to take effect January 1, 2014. They are also trying to defend the law even if they have to shut down the government! Even people in their own party recognize this as being ABSURD! Funny, if we ignore the laws we can pay a fine or go to jail, but not the politicians that are getting richer by the day!

PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO FROM YOUTUBE FROM THE GRIEVING MOTHER. 

Fox's America's Newsroom Touts a Poll Where 74% of People Think President Obama Has Made it Too Easy to Get Food Stamps

Fox's America's Newsroom Touts a Poll Where 74% of People Think President Obama Has Made it Too Easy to Get Food Stamps 

10,000 to 20,000 people go homeless daily. America's Newsroom today states a poll that 74% of people think the government have made it to easy to get food stamps! REALLY! The Fox News Channel says those people are right, that 1,000,000 more people are getting food stamps than last year, Are they living in the same country as me, seeing what's going on? There was a time when I was hurt lifting a patient onto an ambulance, after awhile I found myself out of work and my health insurance went away with not being able to do the job. My wife's and my total income, with a handicapped child in the house, was $800. We were told, after a very long process, and numerous trips to Social Services to provide documents that we were not eligible for ANY food stamps. Where does  Fox news get these polls, or find people who are polled and believe the crap they spew out!

The Republican Party Seems To Be Doing Everything They Can To Lose The General Election, But What About The House

The Republican Party Seems To Be Doing Everything They Can To Lose The General Election, But What About The House

by John A. Smith (Medic3569)

The Republicans seem to be hell bent on losing the General Election with a party that is fractured and can't even get things done within their own party. Look at immigration, earlier this year they spent millions of dollars "going into the communities to develop better communication" with minorities 
yet have internal wars on what immigration reform should be. I think that the General Election for President is the Democrats to lose, yes even though it is only 2013.

With Republicans going into the 2014 elections with 234 seats to the Democrats 201 seats the Democrats would have to pick up a net 17 seats. This will be tough because history says the President loses seats in midterm elections. But they (the Democrats) must do everything they can to regain control of the House of Representatives if this country is to move forward. We cannot afford to have the fractured Republican party and especially Tea Party obstructionists continue to hold back the economy, jobs, infrastructure and attacking women's rights, not to mention all the voting suppression laws being passed.

Know your Representatives, How to Contact Them, And How their Voting

Know your Representatives, How to Contact Them, And How their Voting

by John A. Smith (Medic3569's blog)

In the House of Representatives our Congressmen are not representing the people. They are representing their own interests. They seem to be working simply to get reelected. Even when the vast majority of constituents are strongly in favor of something, or strongly against something, representatives will vote the opposite of what the people want. One way to make them hear our voices is to contact them, let them know that we are paying attention to what they do. Sadly, many people couldn't even tell you who their representatives are. Ask your friends who their United States Senators are, who their State Senators are, who their Congressmen and Assemblymen are, who their local politicians are. Chances are you will be surprised with the results.Medic3569's blog will give people a way to find out who all of their representatives are, but how to contact them, and how to track their actions and votes. Stay tuned as we build the blog.