It was only two years ago that then-candidate Charles Boustany was telling the people of the Seventh District that one of the chief reasons they should elect him was his close ties to the Bush Administration. There was the now mysteriously absent picture of Boustany with the President in the White House in what amounted to a drive-by photo-op.
As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding. And, today there was yet another piece of evidence that Charles Boustany is little more than a warm seat and a reliable vote for the administration (and the House GOP leaders who help fund his campaign).
Boustany told reporters that FEMA has ignored his appeal of their decision not to include the storm-damaged parishes in his district in the extension of federal support for cleanup work.
Charles Boustany says he wants another term in Congress. And, why not? The pay is good. He's not doing much of any work and his PAC masters are keeping his campaign coffers flush.
The fact that FEMA and the Bush administration have repeatedly failed his constituents in the wake of Hurricane Rita is, apparently, just one of those unfortunate things. But, Boustany is anxiously looking forward to his next opportunity to cuts taxes for the wealthy and impose further burdens on the middle class.
Yep, Charlie's done a heck of a job!
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
LeftBlog: Republicans hold minimum wage hostage for the ‘Paris Hilton estate tax cut’
Greetings, all.
Senator David Vitter and Congressman Charles Boustany are completely out of touch with Louisiana and nothing illustrates this more than their recent votes with regard to the push for repeal of the Paris Hilton “estate tax” via the Estate Tax and Extension of Tax Relief Act of 2006 (H.R.5970).
They would rather help less than 100 multi-millionaires a year than to help the hundred thousand plus of working poor of this state.
In my opinion, this last round of votes on this issue takes their distain for the working poor of this country to new heights. Since Boustany is proudly on the record at a town hall meeting here in Lafayette where he stated “I won’t support an increase in minimum wage…” , it is obvious that he didn’t vote YES for this bill for the minimum wage increase – instead he voted to repeal the tax cuts to the Paris Hiltons of the country.
Let’s make this clear. The Estate Tax has been modified in the past few years which addresses inflation and also exempts in most cases family businesses and farms. Make no mistake this administration and these Republicans would rather protect the assets of Paris Hilton than those of the working poor. The facts are clear; in 2004 only 91 deaths in Louisiana resulted in estates being taxed.
Louisiana is now ranked 50th in the country for PER CAPITA INCOME; that is we are the lowest paid workers of the country. And our republican representation KILLS the minimum wage increase to protect the ultra rich by attaching the poison pill of repeal/reducing the estate tax.
More Hypocrisy – You can look at this one of two ways, in my view... Read the Full Column
Senator David Vitter and Congressman Charles Boustany are completely out of touch with Louisiana and nothing illustrates this more than their recent votes with regard to the push for repeal of the Paris Hilton “estate tax” via the Estate Tax and Extension of Tax Relief Act of 2006 (H.R.5970).
They would rather help less than 100 multi-millionaires a year than to help the hundred thousand plus of working poor of this state.
In my opinion, this last round of votes on this issue takes their distain for the working poor of this country to new heights. Since Boustany is proudly on the record at a town hall meeting here in Lafayette where he stated “I won’t support an increase in minimum wage…” , it is obvious that he didn’t vote YES for this bill for the minimum wage increase – instead he voted to repeal the tax cuts to the Paris Hiltons of the country.
Let’s make this clear. The Estate Tax has been modified in the past few years which addresses inflation and also exempts in most cases family businesses and farms. Make no mistake this administration and these Republicans would rather protect the assets of Paris Hilton than those of the working poor. The facts are clear; in 2004 only 91 deaths in Louisiana resulted in estates being taxed.
Louisiana is now ranked 50th in the country for PER CAPITA INCOME; that is we are the lowest paid workers of the country. And our republican representation KILLS the minimum wage increase to protect the ultra rich by attaching the poison pill of repeal/reducing the estate tax.
More Hypocrisy – You can look at this one of two ways, in my view... Read the Full Column
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Lake Charles Union on Front Line of War Against the Middle Class
Last Saturday, I attended a rally at the Lake Charles Civic Center for members of International Machinists Union Local 470 who had been on strike against PPG for 64 days and made a small personal contribution to their strike fund. The rally represented an opportunity for me to tell those workers how their fight is bigger than they are.
Workers across the country in all sectors of the economy are losing ground to inflation despite the fact that we have an allegedly booming economy. The facts are that job growth during the Bush/Cheney years has been slower than during the Clinton years and wages have failed to keep up with even the so-called core inflation which, by the way, doesn't include food or fuel. I don't know about you, but everyone I know eats and uses fuel either to drive, cook or cool.
The constantly rising cost of healthcare is putting pressure on employers and employees, with those companies that do provide health coverage requiring employees to pay increasingly larger shares of their healthcare coverage costs. Then there is the matter of pensions. Employers have been cutting back on benefits to pensioners as the cost pressure of healthcare and the demands of investors to constantly increase profits combine to force employers to squeeze employees.
Those who argued for globalization and free trade claimed that the benefits resulting from that trade offset the losses in, say, manufacturing jobs that occurred here as a result. But, the loss of manufacturing jobs was only the beginning. Today, increasing numbers of so-called white collar jobs are being shipped overseas.
One of the primary proponents of free trade during the Clinton Administration, former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin has even come around to admitting that the cost of globalization to middle class Americans has been higher than he anticipated. Rubin wrote recently:
This widening inequality gap comes during a time of record corporate profits, in the wake of a series of massive tax cuts for the very wealthy (which will only widen the gap), and unrelenting pressure at the gas pump and in the bills arriving in the mail.
So, I went to Lake Charles to support those union members and to let them know that they are fighting for a lot more people than just their 900 or so fellow union members at their plant. If you want to see whose side Charles Boustany is standing on, check out the list of PAC contributors to his past and current campaigns. Who interests do you think he's looking out for?
No doubt the operators of other plants in the Lake Charles are watching the outcome of this strike at PPG to see if the company can break this union and take away the pay and benefits that workers there have used to build good lives for themselves and their families.
Investor Warren Buffett has been quoted as saying that there is class warfare in the United States "and our side is winning!"
A forthcoming book argues that the "demand side" programs of the New Deal which promoted equality, opportunity, economic security, and upward mobility helped strengthen the nation's bonds to democracy which had been tested during the Great Depression. This widening gap of inequality, then, threatens not just our economic well-being, but ultimately our political order. Look no further than Latin America for lessons about what happens to political stability when the middle class is not growing or stable.
Under the current Republican administration and the current Republican Congress, the economic policy emphasis has been to comfort the comfortable and (at best) ignore the afflicted. We continue to follow that path at great peril to our republic.
So, there is a bigger fight underway in Lake Charles than just that strike, the significance of which extends far beyond that community. I went to the Machinists' rally to stand with them and with the other members of the middle and working class who are running faster every day just trying to keep from falling behind.
The bargaining teams were supposed to return to the negotiating table on Wednesday. PPG has tweaked their offer. The Lake Charles American Press reports that union members they talked with are "cool to the offer."
Again, it's a company with record sales and profits trying to squeeze more concessions out of their employees. Meanwhile, Republicans are still trying to find ways to shovel more tax breaks to the Paris Hiltons of the world.
Workers across the country in all sectors of the economy are losing ground to inflation despite the fact that we have an allegedly booming economy. The facts are that job growth during the Bush/Cheney years has been slower than during the Clinton years and wages have failed to keep up with even the so-called core inflation which, by the way, doesn't include food or fuel. I don't know about you, but everyone I know eats and uses fuel either to drive, cook or cool.
The constantly rising cost of healthcare is putting pressure on employers and employees, with those companies that do provide health coverage requiring employees to pay increasingly larger shares of their healthcare coverage costs. Then there is the matter of pensions. Employers have been cutting back on benefits to pensioners as the cost pressure of healthcare and the demands of investors to constantly increase profits combine to force employers to squeeze employees.
Those who argued for globalization and free trade claimed that the benefits resulting from that trade offset the losses in, say, manufacturing jobs that occurred here as a result. But, the loss of manufacturing jobs was only the beginning. Today, increasing numbers of so-called white collar jobs are being shipped overseas.
One of the primary proponents of free trade during the Clinton Administration, former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin has even come around to admitting that the cost of globalization to middle class Americans has been higher than he anticipated. Rubin wrote recently:
"Prosperity has neither trickled down nor rippled outward. Between 1973 and 2003, real GDP per capita in the United States increased 73 percent, while real median hourly compensation rose only 13 percent."Income inequality in Louisiana ranks 16th in the nation, according to one study.
This widening inequality gap comes during a time of record corporate profits, in the wake of a series of massive tax cuts for the very wealthy (which will only widen the gap), and unrelenting pressure at the gas pump and in the bills arriving in the mail.
So, I went to Lake Charles to support those union members and to let them know that they are fighting for a lot more people than just their 900 or so fellow union members at their plant. If you want to see whose side Charles Boustany is standing on, check out the list of PAC contributors to his past and current campaigns. Who interests do you think he's looking out for?
No doubt the operators of other plants in the Lake Charles are watching the outcome of this strike at PPG to see if the company can break this union and take away the pay and benefits that workers there have used to build good lives for themselves and their families.
Investor Warren Buffett has been quoted as saying that there is class warfare in the United States "and our side is winning!"
A forthcoming book argues that the "demand side" programs of the New Deal which promoted equality, opportunity, economic security, and upward mobility helped strengthen the nation's bonds to democracy which had been tested during the Great Depression. This widening gap of inequality, then, threatens not just our economic well-being, but ultimately our political order. Look no further than Latin America for lessons about what happens to political stability when the middle class is not growing or stable.
Under the current Republican administration and the current Republican Congress, the economic policy emphasis has been to comfort the comfortable and (at best) ignore the afflicted. We continue to follow that path at great peril to our republic.
So, there is a bigger fight underway in Lake Charles than just that strike, the significance of which extends far beyond that community. I went to the Machinists' rally to stand with them and with the other members of the middle and working class who are running faster every day just trying to keep from falling behind.
The bargaining teams were supposed to return to the negotiating table on Wednesday. PPG has tweaked their offer. The Lake Charles American Press reports that union members they talked with are "cool to the offer."
Again, it's a company with record sales and profits trying to squeeze more concessions out of their employees. Meanwhile, Republicans are still trying to find ways to shovel more tax breaks to the Paris Hiltons of the world.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Angry at AllState? You're not alone
(Reposted from the Blogging For Mike in the 7th congressional district blog.)
If you've been following Allstate's threats to leave Louisiana if they're not allowed to drop hurricane coverage for most of south Louisiana you're probably puzzled. You might have thought, since the entire purpose of insurance companies is to, well, insure risk, that the spectacle of an insurance company that refuses to insure risks means that something is seriously wrong with the industry.
If you suspect that the insurance industry and Allstate took huges losses last year you'd be right. If you think that justifies the gigantic rate increases and outright cancellations we've seen in the wake of Katrina and Rita you'd be wrong. What neither the insurance corporations or the local media are saying is that, in fact, last year was a hugely profitable year for the insurance companies and Allstate in particular. It's not that they're not profitable it's that they don't consider our piddling little homeowner's policies profitable enough. The Los Angeles Times has the story: Industry profits rose 18.7% and their surplus rose 7% to nearly $427 billion. They are pleading a hardship to justify their exploitive behavior that simply does not exist. How'd it happen that our year of disaster brought record profits to insurers?
If all that makes you angry then you'll be happy to discover that you are not alone in thinking that the most appropriate response to that corporation's arrogance is exasperated satire.
Greg Peters, inking Snake Oil for the Independent, has a searing take this week on the ugly greed that is revealed by the "good hands people."
(click for a larger image.)
But that's not all--Jon Stewart's Daily Show recently covered Allstate's decision to stop providing hurricane coverage on the coast.
That satirical take on the issue is real gem. It opens with hurricane footage representing the storms which are "endangering what we hold most dear....Insurance profits." One great segment is an interview where an apologist for the insurance companies who encourages us to regard the insurance companies as victims is treated with the respect it deserves. That is to say: None. But the riff hilarious.
They also interview a man who has been denied coverage because his home is in the path of hurricanes. I defy you to guess where he lives. (Hint: it's neither Erath nor Cameron.)
Deregulation of the financial industry by the Republican Congress brought down barriers between retail banks, commercial lending and insurance companies turned businesses like Allstate from staid but safe companies serving to pool risk for its customers into corporations with dreams of sky-high profits. It encouraged insurers to regard the insurance side of their business as the steady cash cow from which to siphon resources for investment in the more "productive" segments of the economy. That, inevitably, leads to the kind of behavior that we saw in Louisiana where Allstate decided not to "reinsure"--buy insurance for itself--in Louisiana before the storms hit. That cost the company about $2 billion dollars in largely uncovered losses.
The irony of an insurance company failing to adequately insure itself would be delicious for consumers struggling to responsibly keep up their own payments if it weren't for the fact that the Louisiana ratepayer will be the one to pay the extra costs associated with Allstate's irresponsible decision to go without insurance. (If a consumer did the same there'd be no one to make good his or her loss.) In other parts of the Gulf Coast Allstate did purchase reinsurance and the citizens of those states won't have as much money to make up. The injustice of this wasn't lost on at least one regional legislator--Don Cravins. He noted:
The saying goes: "Follow the money." The insurance industry has spent $252,966,627 to lobby Congress since 1990. Much of it is PAC money and 2/3 of it has gone to Republican party.
Boustany, according to Open Secrets, has accepted nearly $100,000 dollars and counting in contributions from the financial sector effected by deregulation. About 2/3 of that figure was PAC money. It's easy to do the math.
We need to elect representatives that are not in thrall to huge, greedy corporations that do not have our interests at heart. We need a change in the 7th district.
If you've been following Allstate's threats to leave Louisiana if they're not allowed to drop hurricane coverage for most of south Louisiana you're probably puzzled. You might have thought, since the entire purpose of insurance companies is to, well, insure risk, that the spectacle of an insurance company that refuses to insure risks means that something is seriously wrong with the industry.
If you suspect that the insurance industry and Allstate took huges losses last year you'd be right. If you think that justifies the gigantic rate increases and outright cancellations we've seen in the wake of Katrina and Rita you'd be wrong. What neither the insurance corporations or the local media are saying is that, in fact, last year was a hugely profitable year for the insurance companies and Allstate in particular. It's not that they're not profitable it's that they don't consider our piddling little homeowner's policies profitable enough. The Los Angeles Times has the story: Industry profits rose 18.7% and their surplus rose 7% to nearly $427 billion. They are pleading a hardship to justify their exploitive behavior that simply does not exist. How'd it happen that our year of disaster brought record profits to insurers?
...the industry's remarkable performance also reflects a dozen-year effort by insurers to insulate themselves from the most extreme financial consequences of catastrophe by, among other things, shifting risks previously borne by companies to policyholders and the public...Hey, if Allstate thinks it is disappointed it ought to talk to folks down here in Louisiana's coastal 7th district who are sorely disappointed in a company they've invested their money in for years trying to abandon them a year of hardship for us and a year of record profit for Allstate! That's disappointment!
While premiums for homeowners insurance have increased by more than half since the early 1990s, coverage, especially in disasters, has shrunk. Historically, insurers covered a little more than 60% of total losses in disasters, according to Hartwig, the industry economist. During the 2004 hurricanes in Florida, they covered less than 50%, according to Hartwig's numbers. During Katrina, he said, they covered about 30%, due in part to the high flood damage...
The ratio of claims and expenses to premiums was among the lowest in three decades...
"If last year's hurricane season had occurred 10 years ago, it would have been devastating for the company," said Allstate Vice President Fred F. Cripe in an interview. "Last year, it was merely disappointing."
If all that makes you angry then you'll be happy to discover that you are not alone in thinking that the most appropriate response to that corporation's arrogance is exasperated satire.
Greg Peters, inking Snake Oil for the Independent, has a searing take this week on the ugly greed that is revealed by the "good hands people."
(click for a larger image.)
But that's not all--Jon Stewart's Daily Show recently covered Allstate's decision to stop providing hurricane coverage on the coast.
That satirical take on the issue is real gem. It opens with hurricane footage representing the storms which are "endangering what we hold most dear....Insurance profits." One great segment is an interview where an apologist for the insurance companies who encourages us to regard the insurance companies as victims is treated with the respect it deserves. That is to say: None. But the riff hilarious.
They also interview a man who has been denied coverage because his home is in the path of hurricanes. I defy you to guess where he lives. (Hint: it's neither Erath nor Cameron.)
Deregulation of the financial industry by the Republican Congress brought down barriers between retail banks, commercial lending and insurance companies turned businesses like Allstate from staid but safe companies serving to pool risk for its customers into corporations with dreams of sky-high profits. It encouraged insurers to regard the insurance side of their business as the steady cash cow from which to siphon resources for investment in the more "productive" segments of the economy. That, inevitably, leads to the kind of behavior that we saw in Louisiana where Allstate decided not to "reinsure"--buy insurance for itself--in Louisiana before the storms hit. That cost the company about $2 billion dollars in largely uncovered losses.
The irony of an insurance company failing to adequately insure itself would be delicious for consumers struggling to responsibly keep up their own payments if it weren't for the fact that the Louisiana ratepayer will be the one to pay the extra costs associated with Allstate's irresponsible decision to go without insurance. (If a consumer did the same there'd be no one to make good his or her loss.) In other parts of the Gulf Coast Allstate did purchase reinsurance and the citizens of those states won't have as much money to make up. The injustice of this wasn't lost on at least one regional legislator--Don Cravins. He noted:
"You didn't take care of your business, so the citizens of Louisiana have to pay for your mistake?" said Sen. Don Cravins Sr., D-Opelousas, who questioned whether the company followed sound guidelines and purchased reinsurance. "Now that you've had a loss, you put the burden on the backs of Louisiana citizens to pay for your shortcomings."Cravins is absolutely right about this as far as it goes. What he doesn't mention is that the way the Republican Congress' deregulation of the insurance industry encouraged corporations like Allstate to skimp on protecting its ratepayers' pooled resources in order to invest "more profitably" elsewhere. Is it legal? Yes. Is it right? No. And deregulation makes it easy.
Allstate gambled that a hurricane would not hit Louisiana last year and did not not buy reinsurance, which cost the company $2 billion in claims, said Allstate attorney Edward Collins in testimony before a joint legislative insurance committee Tuesday.
The saying goes: "Follow the money." The insurance industry has spent $252,966,627 to lobby Congress since 1990. Much of it is PAC money and 2/3 of it has gone to Republican party.
Boustany, according to Open Secrets, has accepted nearly $100,000 dollars and counting in contributions from the financial sector effected by deregulation. About 2/3 of that figure was PAC money. It's easy to do the math.
We need to elect representatives that are not in thrall to huge, greedy corporations that do not have our interests at heart. We need a change in the 7th district.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
LeftBlog: Stem Cells-Hypocrisy reaches a new heights
Greetings all:
So this week I have had a real problem getting over hypocrisy. I am sure many of you will say that in order to define modern day politics, hypocrisy has to be at least mentioned, well this time hypocrisy means at the very least the abandonment of hope… at worst, death.
Embryonic Stem Cell research is a very difficult topic, especially here in southwest Louisiana. However, no matter WHERE you stand on this very important issue, I am sure you will be outraged at the POLITICing that is going on with this topic.Charles Boustany on July 17th issued a press release (http://boustany.house.gov/LatestNews.asp?ARTICLE3149=4820) congratulating President Bush for his VETO of the “Stem Cell Bill.” That in and of itself is troubling at best, Senator Bill Frist, also a heart surgeon, came out in support of this research due to the possibilities that it could hold for so many suffering from some very terrible diseases. Congressman Boustany is on the record as stating in effect that embryonic stem cell research has not yielded any substantive therapies, thus it should not be employed in the future. I am sure the thousands of scientists and doctors working on this program would disagree with the good doctor.
So this week I have had a real problem getting over hypocrisy. I am sure many of you will say that in order to define modern day politics, hypocrisy has to be at least mentioned, well this time hypocrisy means at the very least the abandonment of hope… at worst, death.
Embryonic Stem Cell research is a very difficult topic, especially here in southwest Louisiana. However, no matter WHERE you stand on this very important issue, I am sure you will be outraged at the POLITICing that is going on with this topic.Charles Boustany on July 17th issued a press release (http://boustany.house.gov/LatestNews.asp?ARTICLE3149=4820) congratulating President Bush for his VETO of the “Stem Cell Bill.” That in and of itself is troubling at best, Senator Bill Frist, also a heart surgeon, came out in support of this research due to the possibilities that it could hold for so many suffering from some very terrible diseases. Congressman Boustany is on the record as stating in effect that embryonic stem cell research has not yielded any substantive therapies, thus it should not be employed in the future. I am sure the thousands of scientists and doctors working on this program would disagree with the good doctor.
Friday, July 07, 2006
LeftBlog: Happy 4th of July... Oh yah, and another thing
Greetings All,
Sorry I didn't post this earlier... but here is my Blog for this week for the Daily Advertiser. I would appriciate any comments and suggestions...
So this week I have been desperately trying to pick a topic on which to focus, there are so many these days that I can barely keep up! So I decided that I am going to hit on four topics briefly for this week’s LeftBlog, I hope you will indulge me.
Congress Set to give itself another Raise
Yep, I can’t make these kinds of things up. Congress is set to give itself another “COST OF LIVING” increase to the tune of $3,400 per year, if this were an “hourly worker” in this country that would equate to a $1.63/hr raise. Mind you, this will be the 5th year in a row that this has happened. So in the past 5 years they have voted themselves an additional $8.15/hr or $16,952.00 per year increase. Let’s look at this another way – Congress’s “performance review” is in the tank with approval ratings at near all time lows – less than 25% of Americans think they are doing a good job, yet they get a PAY RAISE? What employer does this?
All the while they still refuse to increase minimum wage. It has been over a decade since Minimum wage has been voted on. This time the Republicans are “taking it on the cheek” with this issue, so much so they agreed to schedule a vote on this in the house, however their answer – Get rid of Overtime! Yep, they are for giving a very small increase to minimum wage, but they want to do away with overtime – so much for their values.
The Democrats said “NO WAY!” Democratic Senators, led by Chuck Schumer of New York, have said there is no way this is going to happen and they are going to prevent the Congressional Cost of Living pay raise for members of congress until Minimum Wage is substantially raised.
So here is a suggestion that will solve TWO problems… if not more. Let’s tie Minimum Wage and Social Security to Congressional Raises. Currently the Social Security “CAP” on wages is limited to the first $90 thousand dollars someone earns in a year. For every dollar over $90 thousand someone makes they don’t have to pay social security taxes for that money. Why not tie this cap to Congressional Wages? The Cap for Social Security wages would then be roughly $160k per year. This would solve our issues with Social Security which will take place in two decades and likely solve this for three generations if not more.
I know our business owners will get upset about this, but perhaps then they would get upset about these raises given to Congress every year without regard to their performance. Congress has spent us into an estimated 7 TRILLION dollar deficit; they should definitely not get a raise for that. Even ENRON couldn’t get away with something like this. [Or did they???!!!]
Governor Blanco steps in again to help where FEMA fails us
It was widely reported last week that the President has refused to cover any areas on this side of the state hit by RITA for debris removal. I suppose this is a way to cut costs, refuse to do the work for months and then swoop in and say – Now since it is 10 months later, you missed out.
Governor Blanco has reached in and assured residents of the Rita ravaged southwest of our state that she would help where FEMA is letting us down yet again.
And where is our congressional leadership on this matter? Nowhere to be found. I thought that congressman Boustany campaigned on the premise that his unfettered access to the White House and to House leadership would insure that the 7th Congressional District was well represented. Yet again, the congressman has let us down.
But no worries, he is representing us well in other regards… he wants to abolish Minimum Wage… and has no problem accepting his raise. After all, he is living on a fixed income ($160,000 from the Tax Payers and over $200k in a disability insurance package, plus travel expenses and other perks) – Almost a half a million dollars a year doesn’t go as far as it used to!
Voting Rights act scrubbed for renewal
The Republicans have blocked the renewal of the landmark 1965 civil rights legislation, if not renewed in 2007 many of the provisions of this legislation will expire.
It has been widely reported that Southern Republicans, such as Congressman Charles Boustany, have been working hard to stop this renewal as it is currently written even though Boustany has signed on as a “Co-Sponsor” of the Bill.
Whatever the case is, the bottom line is that we could easily see ourselves going backwards if the Republicans do not stop playing around and renew this critical piece of legislation to assure NO voter is denied their right to vote.
And finally… Border Security/Immigration
The Bush Administration has been unable to muster even half of the 2,500 National Guardsmen it planned to have on the Mexican border by the end of June. State officials have refused to send troops due to the domestic needs stemming from the flooding in the northeast, fires in the west and the impending hurricane season here in the Gulf South.
And still there has been little progress in the House with finding a comprehensive answer to the 12 Million undocumented aliens that are estimated to be in our country.
The house Republicans are dead set against any comprehensive bill that looks at ALL angles of this issue, and now they are fighting with themselves.
As a political partisan, normally that would be funny to just sit back and watch. However lives are at stake. The Bush Administration and the Republican Leadership tout that since 9/11 there have been no other attacks on our soil and that is “no mistake.” I have to disagree.
Our ports and our borders are wide open to anyone who has the desire to get here. Are they telling us that the desire of a jihadist is less than that of a migrant worker?
All this while congress is on yet another vacation. This is definitely the “DO NOTHING CONGRESS”… they will be on vacation more this year than ever before.
But hey, they deserve it… after all things in this country are going SO WELL! So well, that they are on vacation and giving themselves a raise. Way to go Congress!
I think it is time for a change, don’t you?
Sorry I didn't post this earlier... but here is my Blog for this week for the Daily Advertiser. I would appriciate any comments and suggestions...
So this week I have been desperately trying to pick a topic on which to focus, there are so many these days that I can barely keep up! So I decided that I am going to hit on four topics briefly for this week’s LeftBlog, I hope you will indulge me.
Congress Set to give itself another Raise
Yep, I can’t make these kinds of things up. Congress is set to give itself another “COST OF LIVING” increase to the tune of $3,400 per year, if this were an “hourly worker” in this country that would equate to a $1.63/hr raise. Mind you, this will be the 5th year in a row that this has happened. So in the past 5 years they have voted themselves an additional $8.15/hr or $16,952.00 per year increase. Let’s look at this another way – Congress’s “performance review” is in the tank with approval ratings at near all time lows – less than 25% of Americans think they are doing a good job, yet they get a PAY RAISE? What employer does this?
All the while they still refuse to increase minimum wage. It has been over a decade since Minimum wage has been voted on. This time the Republicans are “taking it on the cheek” with this issue, so much so they agreed to schedule a vote on this in the house, however their answer – Get rid of Overtime! Yep, they are for giving a very small increase to minimum wage, but they want to do away with overtime – so much for their values.
The Democrats said “NO WAY!” Democratic Senators, led by Chuck Schumer of New York, have said there is no way this is going to happen and they are going to prevent the Congressional Cost of Living pay raise for members of congress until Minimum Wage is substantially raised.
So here is a suggestion that will solve TWO problems… if not more. Let’s tie Minimum Wage and Social Security to Congressional Raises. Currently the Social Security “CAP” on wages is limited to the first $90 thousand dollars someone earns in a year. For every dollar over $90 thousand someone makes they don’t have to pay social security taxes for that money. Why not tie this cap to Congressional Wages? The Cap for Social Security wages would then be roughly $160k per year. This would solve our issues with Social Security which will take place in two decades and likely solve this for three generations if not more.
I know our business owners will get upset about this, but perhaps then they would get upset about these raises given to Congress every year without regard to their performance. Congress has spent us into an estimated 7 TRILLION dollar deficit; they should definitely not get a raise for that. Even ENRON couldn’t get away with something like this. [Or did they???!!!]
Governor Blanco steps in again to help where FEMA fails us
It was widely reported last week that the President has refused to cover any areas on this side of the state hit by RITA for debris removal. I suppose this is a way to cut costs, refuse to do the work for months and then swoop in and say – Now since it is 10 months later, you missed out.
Governor Blanco has reached in and assured residents of the Rita ravaged southwest of our state that she would help where FEMA is letting us down yet again.
And where is our congressional leadership on this matter? Nowhere to be found. I thought that congressman Boustany campaigned on the premise that his unfettered access to the White House and to House leadership would insure that the 7th Congressional District was well represented. Yet again, the congressman has let us down.
But no worries, he is representing us well in other regards… he wants to abolish Minimum Wage… and has no problem accepting his raise. After all, he is living on a fixed income ($160,000 from the Tax Payers and over $200k in a disability insurance package, plus travel expenses and other perks) – Almost a half a million dollars a year doesn’t go as far as it used to!
Voting Rights act scrubbed for renewal
The Republicans have blocked the renewal of the landmark 1965 civil rights legislation, if not renewed in 2007 many of the provisions of this legislation will expire.
It has been widely reported that Southern Republicans, such as Congressman Charles Boustany, have been working hard to stop this renewal as it is currently written even though Boustany has signed on as a “Co-Sponsor” of the Bill.
Whatever the case is, the bottom line is that we could easily see ourselves going backwards if the Republicans do not stop playing around and renew this critical piece of legislation to assure NO voter is denied their right to vote.
And finally… Border Security/Immigration
The Bush Administration has been unable to muster even half of the 2,500 National Guardsmen it planned to have on the Mexican border by the end of June. State officials have refused to send troops due to the domestic needs stemming from the flooding in the northeast, fires in the west and the impending hurricane season here in the Gulf South.
And still there has been little progress in the House with finding a comprehensive answer to the 12 Million undocumented aliens that are estimated to be in our country.
The house Republicans are dead set against any comprehensive bill that looks at ALL angles of this issue, and now they are fighting with themselves.
As a political partisan, normally that would be funny to just sit back and watch. However lives are at stake. The Bush Administration and the Republican Leadership tout that since 9/11 there have been no other attacks on our soil and that is “no mistake.” I have to disagree.
Our ports and our borders are wide open to anyone who has the desire to get here. Are they telling us that the desire of a jihadist is less than that of a migrant worker?
All this while congress is on yet another vacation. This is definitely the “DO NOTHING CONGRESS”… they will be on vacation more this year than ever before.
But hey, they deserve it… after all things in this country are going SO WELL! So well, that they are on vacation and giving themselves a raise. Way to go Congress!
I think it is time for a change, don’t you?
Thursday, June 15, 2006
LeftBlog Launches on The Daily Advertiser
Greetings All,
As you may have heard, the Daily Advertiser has launched a Political BLOG that will appear weekly on their websites and Teasers will be placed in the Print Paper. I hope you will all let me know what you think of our first round.
I have to say, my "opponent" seems to have some issues... issues that he needs to "work out" and perhaps this column will be therapy for him. But I have to say with the comments I am getting on this BLOG and the comparison between the Left and Right... this seems to be a definate good thing...
One person told me:
Whatever your opinion is, please share it with me... I am open to all critiques and I would love suggestions for topics in the upcoming issues.
THANKS!
Stephen Handwerk
As you may have heard, the Daily Advertiser has launched a Political BLOG that will appear weekly on their websites and Teasers will be placed in the Print Paper. I hope you will all let me know what you think of our first round.
I have to say, my "opponent" seems to have some issues... issues that he needs to "work out" and perhaps this column will be therapy for him. But I have to say with the comments I am getting on this BLOG and the comparison between the Left and Right... this seems to be a definate good thing...
One person told me:
Your Republican Counterpart seems so angry and his column is all about fear mongering ... the American People see through the fear mongering - and they are tired of it. They want bold vision and change for the better.Another person stated:
Tritchler isn't even on the same level. Yours is filled with facts,
examples, concreteness. You apply what you say directly to people's
lives. His is filled with bluster and buzzwords.
Whatever your opinion is, please share it with me... I am open to all critiques and I would love suggestions for topics in the upcoming issues.
THANKS!
Stephen Handwerk
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