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Bills Republicans Have Blocked
by Matthew Desmond (Thank you!)
* Senator Franken’s Anti-Rape Amendment to the Defense Appropriations Bill - Makes it so that women raped overseas while working for foreign contractors have the right to have their case heard in an American court instead of having their case mediated by the company they work for. Only Republican men voted against this, but it passed.
* Benefits for Homeless Veterans- Would have expanded benefits to homeless veterans and homeless veterans with children. Republicans blocked this.
* Health Care- Prevents insurance companies from discriminating against you on the basis of "pre-existing conditions". Requires that insurance companies spend 85 cents of every dollar that you pay on your actual health care. Limits health insurance companies profit margins. Republicans blocked this for months before it finally passed.
* Health Care for the 9/11 First Responders who got sick from being at Ground Zero- Would provide billions of dollars in health care to help the 9/11 First Responders who were at Ground Zero on 9/11 and are now sick because of it. Republicans blocked this.
* The Jobs Bill- Offsets the payroll tax for 1 year for companies that higher new employees, or people receiving unemployment insurance. Also gives other tax incentives to companies hiring new employees. Republicans attempted to block this. Small business lending bill- would give LOCAL, community banks access to billions of dollars to loan to small businesses. Republicans blocked this.
* Financial reform- Puts stricter regulations on the banks, preventing them from becoming "too big to fail". Curbs reckless spending practices that caused the banking crisis. Republicans attempted to block this.
* Stimulus Bill- Pumped billions of dollars into state and local Governments to prevent us from sinking into a second Great Depression. Republicans opposed this but now want to take credit for the parts of it that we know are successful.
* Oil Spill Liability- Raises the liability on what companies can be made to pay to clean up after an oil spill. Republicans blocked this. Political Ad disclosure bill- Would have required all donors to political campaigns to reveal themselves. Republicans blocked this.
* Immigration- Republican suggested comprehensive immigration reform until Obama supported it. Now they're rabidly opposed to it and even voted against their own legislation. Republicans blocked this.
* Unemployment Extension- Would provide additional aid to the millions of Americans still on unemployment who are just trying to support themselves and their familes. Republicans blocked this bill for 8 weeks before it finally passed. Republicans blocked this for 8 weeks before it finally passed.
* Fair Pay Act of 2009- Also called the Lily Ledbetter bill. Requires that women receive equal compensation to men for doing the same work. Republicans attempted to block this.
**** The next time someone tells you that the Republicans care about the American people just give them this list of all the bills Republicans wanted to fail. ****
Your list should be the Democratic response to the GOP "pledge" to America which they unveil today (link from CNN.) There is nothing new in this recycled "Contract with America." They simply want to undo all the accomplishments of President Obama, and give tax cuts to the rich by cutting programs (aka freezing all non-military spending) for the middle class. And that won't even pay for it anyway since the tax cuts will greatly add to the deficit. Will the public buy this gimmick? Even Republican pundits say this is just a bunch of popular promises that will never see the light of day. If the GOP wins the House and/or Senate do you really think they'll immediately try to repeal health care reform? Blah, blah, blah. Nothing to see here. Oh, but I'm so glad they will stand up for traditional marriage (that part was added when social conservatives pushed hard right before the release.) Newt Gingrich must have told them how important traditional marriage has been to his life and how devoted he has been to his wives!
Washington (CNN) -- House Republican leaders will unveil a 21-page "Pledge to America" on Thursday that presents a "governing agenda" for what Republicans would do if they win control of Congress in November.
CNN obtained a copy of the document Wednesday.
The plan focuses primarily on jobs and the economy, with a short reference in the "preamble" to the party's position on social issues.
According to the document, House Republicans want to permanently extend all the tax cuts due to expire at the end of this year, give small businesses a tax deduction equal to 20 percent of their income and require Congress to review any new federal regulations that add to the deficit.
The document lacks, however, a pledge against unrelated pet projects that members of Congress insert in spending bills to bring funding to their home districts -- known as earmarks. Banning earmarks is typically a staple of Republican policy.
Some provisions matched positions of the conservative Tea Party movement that has helped defeat mainstream Republican candidates in several primary elections this year. For example, the document calls for a federal hiring freeze on nonsecurity employees and requiring all legislation to include a clause showing that it is authorized under the Constitution.
You can add another bill blocked: campaign finance reform-blcoked again today, despite Schumer's attempts to get some GOpers on board with even more concessions. "The party of No" is an understatement. This is NOT who we want running Washington!
Not all conservatives happy with the "pledge."
Prominent conservative bloggers were mixed Wednesday night in their reactions to the House GOP's new "Pledge to America" policy agenda, which will be officially unveiled Thursday.
The loudest voice against came from RedState's Erick Erickson, who characterized the program as a "series of compromises and milquetoast rhetorical flourishes."
"It is an illusion that fixates on stuff the GOP already should be doing while not daring to touch on stuff that will have any meaningful longterm effects on the size and scope of the federal government," he wrote, noting that measures like a Balanced Budget Amendment were disregarded in lieu of promises to put "government on the path to a balanced budget."
Small criticisms came from others on the right.
Hot Air was underwhelmed by what it called the initiative's small attention to "cultural issues."
"Here’s the sum total of language in the document about that," it wrote. “'We pledge to honor families, traditional marriage, life, and the private and faith-based organizations that form the core of our American values.'” One line, buried at the end of the preamble on page one, and according to sources, even that was only added at the very last minute."
Doug Powers at Michelle Malkin was skeptical the document could bind the GOP together long enough to pass its reforms.
between the "Pledge" and the "Contract with America," writing that the contract — which carried the signatures of Republican officeholders — "bound the Republican majority in the 104th Congress with a real sense of purpose" that might be difficult to achieve with the new "Pledge."
Considering the situation that still exists in my state, I'm livid about parts of this pledge. GOP Pledge to America is An Oath to Big Oil
Not only that, but the Republican Party's 21-page blueprint, "Pledge to America," was put together with oversight by a House staffer who, up till April 2010, served as a lobbyist for some of the nation's most powerful oil, pharmaceutical, and insurance companies, He happens to be on Boehner's payroll.
Stewart did a great bit on the "Pledge to America" tonight.
Absolutely no different from what they've been pledging for 20 years.
Funny comment on the video page for this:
"Jon - you are missing it entirely. You got confused by listening to what they say, The real message is in how and when they lift their eyebrows. Today they are serious, did you see that little extra head nod Boehner gave this time? To me it said all that needed to be said."
YOU GO, JON!!!!
Thanks for posting, Steve! Great stuff!
More slack from the religious right on this new "pledge." Ouch. Are Republicans starting to question their bittersweet marriage to the Tea Party? Nah-they'll stay married for the "kids" and the divorce won't come until much later when the hatred and regret has spilled over.
The social issues are ridiculous. Especially when a lot of the ones bringing up the "family values" issues in all forms of government, in both parties are not living what they campaign. Stick to the money issues, and think of something new besides "tax cuts".
Wedge issues are key though to driving up emotional support and bringing money in. Especially with the base that are always driven on things like that from Beck, Limbaugh and Hannity.
Nothing new.
Link from CNBC. The headline reads "Democrats and Republicans are equally Disliked" but the poll actually shows that, while both numbers are horrific, Republicans in Congress are less liked than Democrats (68% dislike for Republicans, 60% for Democrats.) Which makes it more baffling that they are possibly marching to some huge victory in November! I agree that the Boehner remark should be played over and over again in ads right up until November. Stewart is amazing but he can only do some much...come on DNC and outside groups, get that message going!
If anyone is as scorned as much as Democrats these days, it's Republicans — the very party that may recapture the House of Representatives and perhaps the Senate in November's midterm congressional elections.
Yet Democrats face a problem, even as they try exploiting Republicans' unpopularity by warning against letting them run Congress.
People who dislike Democrats seem ready to vote in greater numbers than those who dislike Republicans.
In an Associated Press-GfK Poll this month, 60 percent disapprove of the job congressional Democrats are doing — yet 68 percent disapprove of how Republicans are performing.
While 59 percent are unhappy with how Democrats are handling the economy, 64 percent are upset by the Republicans' work on the country's top issue. Just over half have unfavorable views of each party.
Most say President Barack Obama isn't cooperating enough on the economy; yet even more accuse Republicans of the same thing.
Former President George W. Bush and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin — the only two Republicans the AP-GfK Poll tested — are both viewed negatively by more than half in the survey, worse than Obama's marks.
And people overwhelmingly fault Bush more than Obama for the recession. Hoping to burnish their image, House Republicans unfurled a campaign document Thursday proposing tax and spending cuts and other broad ideas for reviving the economy.
Best line from Stewart:
Just to get this straight: Two years ago America broke up with you because you had badly mistreated her. And so you disappear, do some soul searching, get your head together. And you come back rapping on our door, hat in hand, and you say: 'Baby, I know you left me, but if we get back together, I pledge to you, I promise you, I will still try to f--- your sister. Every chance I get. It's who I am.'
I wrote this, but a guy named Bill Hogerty posted it on Facebook without my name on it and accidentally received credit for it. He and several other have since corrected it to include my name, I would appreciate it if you would do the same. If you need to contact me through e-mail my address is addictinginfo@rocketmail.com. Thanks.
-Matthew Desmond
Done Matthew....We're actually friends on FB, although not using this name.
Suzi