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Saturday, March 23, 2013

People of America: Follow the Vikings! - No to Austerity!

People of Cyprus: Follow the Vikings! - Waging Nonviolence

The New Scam to Cut Taxes for Corporations: LIFT, the Big LIE | NationofChange

Beware the New Corporate Tax-Cut Scam: LIFT is a Big LIE | NationofChange

Obama's State Dept. Hid Contractor's Ties to TransCanada Pipeline | Mother Jones

EXCLUSIVE: State Dept. Hid Contractor's Ties to Keystone XL Pipeline Company | Mother Jones

Bank Deposit Confiscation Scheme Fails in Cyprus, but May Be Tried in the US. We Need Publicly-Owned Banks! | NationofChange

Obama Administration's Justice Department Enabling Fraud, Criminal Activity at MegaBanks | NationofChange

The Price of Evil at JPMorgan Chase | NationofChange

Call it What it is: A Class War | NationofChange

Call it What it is: A Class War | NationofChange

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Exxon Dodges Taxes, But Calls on US to Spend More on Education

  • Misleading‏





  • Kaytee Riek, SumOfUs.org (us@sumofus.org)
      

    Picture of Kaytee Riek, SumOfUs.org

    From:Kaytee Riek, SumOfUs.org (us@sumofus.org)This sender is in your safe list.
    Sent:Sat 3/16/13 12:09 PM
     

    Exxon is putting out misleading ads saying it cares about education -- all the while, it's skipping out on half its tax bill, putting publicly financed education at risk.
    Tell Exxon to really support education by donating its ducked taxes to the Department of Education.
    Send a Message
    Exxon has some gall. The company is running a slick ad calling on the US to invest more in education, while it’s skipping out on half its tax bill, costing our country billions annually.
    Exxon knows the benefits of government investment in education, but the company doesn’t want to pay for it. Instead, it’s paying millions for ads calling for us to pump more money into education. “The more you invest in teachers, the better our students will perform.”
    Well, we’ve got a solution for Exxon. If the world’s most profitable company paid its full tax bill, the Department of Education could increase its budget a whopping 14%. That's why we're partnering with RootsAction to tell Exxon it’s time to put its money where its mouth is and invest in education.
    Exxon: Put your money where your mouth is and invest in teachers. Donate your ducked taxes to the Department of Education.
    The corporate income tax rate is 35%. Thanks to creative use of loopholes and subsidies, Exxon pays nearly a third of that. This leaves billions on the table at a time when we need every dollar. It's time to put serious pressure on Exxon to pay the six billion dollars in taxes it’s been ducking out on since 2008.
    CEOs are starting to see what their dogged tax avoidance is actually buying them -- a weaker country with not enough money for vital infrastructure and basic education. Exxon knows the importance of investing in education -- and after making over $100,000,000 in profits every single day in in 2012, the behemoth is one of the few institutions to actually be able to put its money where its mouth is, and make the investment in education that our students deserve.
    Click here to join RootsAction and SumOfUs.org on calling out Exxon so that the oil giant doesn’t get away with this two-faced hypocrisy.
    Thank you for being one of us,
    Kaytee, Claiborne and the team at SumOfUs.org

    Thursday, March 14, 2013

     

    The Congressional Progressive Caucus Has Plan to ...

    Put America Back to Work!

    MORE AUSTERITY WON'T BRING MORE PROSPERITY

    Thank you for supporting the Jobs Not War campaign. Your support with thousands of other signers has helped to make it clear to Congress that everyday people across the nation are tired of war. That we want more than waste and fat trimmed from Pentagon spending. We want new budget priorities that create good jobs with living wages and invest in our communities and our people.
    When we initiated the JNW Campaign, its primary focus was the petition. The Campaign succeeded in collecting signatures from more than 36,000 people. Over 1,500 more signed on after we delivered the petition to more than 20 members of the Congress in Washington on February 13th. (See a report and photos at http://www.jobs-not-wars.org/jobs-not-wars-delegation-with-abe-lincoln-on-capitol-hill and http://www.jobs-not-wars.org/jobs-not-wars-on-capitol-hill-feb-13-2013-the-information-packet/ .) However as you know there is more work to do.
    Since our petition was submitted, Congress failed to reach agreement and sequestration was triggered, cutting current spending by $85 billion. Unless sequester is repealed, or an alternative compromise is enacted, the cuts will be made as mandated by sequester, across-the-board divided equally between security and non-security discretionary spending.
    Today the House Budget Committee will convene to consider 2014 budget proposals. Rep. Paul Ryan will submit the GOP budget and the Democratic leadership will submit its budget. The GOP budget is pure austerity, protecting the wealthy and corporate elites by shifting all the burden of cuts onto the backs of working people and the poor. The Democratic Party budget might be considered "austerity lite". It will close some loopholes to compel some of the very rich and biggest corporations to pay a bit more, but for the vast majority, cuts remain the order of the day, including likely cuts to such basic safety net programs as Social Security and Medicare in the name of "entitlement reform".
    But there is a third way much closer to what the Jobs Not Wars Campaign's petition demands. The Congressional Progressive Caucus is proposing a "Back to Work" Anti-Austerity Budget" - a clear alternative to the GOP and Democratic leadership austerity plans.
    • It will create 7 million jobs in the first year, bring in revenue by closing tax loopholes for corporations and the rich, impose a transaction tax on securities speculation, end subsidies to Big Oil and Agribusiness, preserve services people depend on for survival, and balance the budget. If fully implemented, it is expected to reduce unemployment to below 5% within three years, and over 10 years will reduce the deficit by $4.4 trillion.
    • It allows the government to negotiate prescription drug prices and makes no cuts to Medicare or Medicaid. (It does not even mention Social Security because it makes the point that SSA is not a source of the deficit, has its own funding from payroll taxes and is not part of the discretionary budget.)
    • It follows the basic outlines of last year's "Budget for All" in cutting the bloated Pentagon budget by $897 billion over ten years by implementing proposals made by the Project on Defense Alternatives. It will end the Afghanistan war, close unnecessary foreign bases, reduce the stockpile of nuclear weapons, and trim wasteful boondoggles like the F-35 and the V-22 Osprey.
    The Back to Work Budget is a solid, well researched alternative to the austerity House Republican budget and weak compromises being considered by some Democrats. It makes no cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or other vital social programs. It cuts things we don't need to fund the things we do.
    The Back to Work Budget provides a broad progressive agenda to turn away from the disastrous course our country is on. It reflects the budget priorities advocated by most of the organizations involved in the JNW Campaign and the priorities of a large majority of people of all political persuasions.
    We hope that you will join us in organizing support for repeal of sequestration and adoption of the CPC anti-austerity budget alternative. A vote on it will likely be taken next week. That provides a very short window of opportunity in which we propose to join with other progressive organizations and coalitions to do two things:
    • Get as many organizations as possible to formally endorse the Back to Work Budget, and
    • Get as many people as possible to contact their member of Congress to ask that they support and vote for the CPC budget alternative and reject any austerity budget, whether proposed by the GOP, the Democratic Party leadership or the White House.
    Thank you once again for your efforts and support of this campaign. Don't forget to visit our website at www.jobs-not-wars.org, our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter (@JobsNotWars. Let's keep up the pressure for Jobs Not Wars!


    Austerity Won't Bring Prosperity, Work Will!

    The Congressional Progressive Caucus Has Plan to ...

    Put America Back to Work!

    MORE AUSTERITY WON'T BRING MORE PROSPERITY

    Thank you for supporting the Jobs Not War campaign. Your support with thousands of other signers has helped to make it clear to Congress that everyday people across the nation are tired of war. That we want more than waste and fat trimmed from Pentagon spending. We want new budget priorities that create good jobs with living wages and invest in our communities and our people.
    When we initiated the JNW Campaign, its primary focus was the petition. The Campaign succeeded in collecting signatures from more than 36,000 people. Over 1,500 more signed on after we delivered the petition to more than 20 members of the Congress in Washington on February 13th. (See a report and photos at http://www.jobs-not-wars.org/jobs-not-wars-delegation-with-abe-lincoln-on-capitol-hill and http://www.jobs-not-wars.org/jobs-not-wars-on-capitol-hill-feb-13-2013-the-information-packet/ .) However as you know there is more work to do.
    Since our petition was submitted, Congress failed to reach agreement and sequestration was triggered, cutting current spending by $85 billion. Unless sequester is repealed, or an alternative compromise is enacted, the cuts will be made as mandated by sequester, across-the-board divided equally between security and non-security discretionary spending.
    Today the House Budget Committee will convene to consider 2014 budget proposals. Rep. Paul Ryan will submit the GOP budget and the Democratic leadership will submit its budget. The GOP budget is pure austerity, protecting the wealthy and corporate elites by shifting all the burden of cuts onto the backs of working people and the poor. The Democratic Party budget might be considered "austerity lite". It will close some loopholes to compel some of the very rich and biggest corporations to pay a bit more, but for the vast majority, cuts remain the order of the day, including likely cuts to such basic safety net programs as Social Security and Medicare in the name of "entitlement reform".
    But there is a third way much closer to what the Jobs Not Wars Campaign's petition demands. The Congressional Progressive Caucus is proposing a "Back to Work" Anti-Austerity Budget" - a clear alternative to the GOP and Democratic leadership austerity plans.
    • It will create 7 million jobs in the first year, bring in revenue by closing tax loopholes for corporations and the rich, impose a transaction tax on securities speculation, end subsidies to Big Oil and Agribusiness, preserve services people depend on for survival, and balance the budget. If fully implemented, it is expected to reduce unemployment to below 5% within three years, and over 10 years will reduce the deficit by $4.4 trillion.
    • It allows the government to negotiate prescription drug prices and makes no cuts to Medicare or Medicaid. (It does not even mention Social Security because it makes the point that SSA is not a source of the deficit, has its own funding from payroll taxes and is not part of the discretionary budget.)
    • It follows the basic outlines of last year's "Budget for All" in cutting the bloated Pentagon budget by $897 billion over ten years by implementing proposals made by the Project on Defense Alternatives. It will end the Afghanistan war, close unnecessary foreign bases, reduce the stockpile of nuclear weapons, and trim wasteful boondoggles like the F-35 and the V-22 Osprey.
    The Back to Work Budget is a solid, well researched alternative to the austerity House Republican budget and weak compromises being considered by some Democrats. It makes no cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or other vital social programs. It cuts things we don't need to fund the things we do.
    The Back to Work Budget provides a broad progressive agenda to turn away from the disastrous course our country is on. It reflects the budget priorities advocated by most of the organizations involved in the JNW Campaign and the priorities of a large majority of people of all political persuasions.
    We hope that you will join us in organizing support for repeal of sequestration and adoption of the CPC anti-austerity budget alternative. A vote on it will likely be taken next week. That provides a very short window of opportunity in which we propose to join with other progressive organizations and coalitions to do two things:
    • Get as many organizations as possible to formally endorse the Back to Work Budget, and
    • Get as many people as possible to contact their member of Congress to ask that they support and vote for the CPC budget alternative and reject any austerity budget, whether proposed by the GOP, the Democratic Party leadership or the White House.
    Thank you once again for your efforts and support of this campaign. Don't forget to visit our website at www.jobs-not-wars.org, our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter (@JobsNotWars. Let's keep up the pressure for Jobs Not Wars!


    A History Of American Corporate and Personal Income Taxess

    Once Upon a Time, Corporations Paid Taxes

    A Cozy Relationship; Obama Chooses Wall St Defense Lawyer Mary Jo White to Lead Securities Exchange Committee

    Friday, March 8, 2013

    New York Times' One-sided Debate on Hugo Chavez

    How Rand Paul's Attempted Filibuster Hurt Our Right Not to be Labeled As Terrorists.

           James Francis    Blogdog" Political and social commentary, bringing things out ino the open


            In my humble opinion Sen Rand Paul's attempted filibuster of the use of drones to murder American citizens on American soil did nothing more than allow the president to make the claim that he has the power, as long as the FISA courts agree, to make that call. No president should ever have the right to kill an American citizen anywhere in the world, much less on American soil, without due process of the law. That person, no matter what he is accused of, should be able to have his side of the story heard. Once a person has been accused of speaking against the government, that will become a reason to call him a terrorist or an enemy of the state, worthy of death by invisible drone strike.
          The reason those establishment republicans spoke out against Mr. Paul is because they want the president to have this power for whenever their party has control of the government again. That way they can really be rid their enemies (anybody who oppoes them) permanently. You may not want to believe this, but it's true. There have been no other times when the establishment republicans have had any intestinal fortitude to challenge any tea party member until now.  And other than this or cutting defense appropriations they never will again. This should ring some kind of alarm in everybody's head! America, don't allow your president to claim he has the right to order the death of any American citizen without benefit of an attorney and trial. no matter where he is.
        When I witnessed how the Los Angeles Police Department murdered that ex-police officer( Dornin) in the middle of the night when they knew everyone was sleeping it took me aback. They waited until cover of night and then burned the house he was holed up in, down around him. Why didn't they just wait him out.  Whatever he had to say will never be known. And that's how they wanted it. This is the same thing that will happen should the federal government be allowed to label people as terrorists at will. Be careful America! We're treading on dangerous ground!

    Which American Households Regained This Wealth? The 1%? Not Anybody I Know!

    US household wealth regains pre-recession peak

    Thursday, March 7, 2013

    If This is What the Department of Justice Believes, It Needs Someone Else to Lead It!

    Holder Admits That Department of Justice Believes Big Bankers Are Above the Law

    How Wall Street Devoured Corporate America


    - Jordan Weissmann is an associate editor at The Atlantic. He has written for a number of publications, including The Washington Post and The National Law Journal.

    How Wall Street Devoured Corporate America

    By Jordan Weissmann

    Monday, March 4, 2013

    Hugo Chavez Getting Love From the Masses

    Hugo Chavez Keeps Showering the Poor

    All the Doves Have Turned Into War Hawks!

    Why Do Senators Boxer and Wyden Want to Bomb Iran?

    The Bradley Manning Trial is About the Extinguishing of the Free Press in This Security and Surveilance State

    After Revealing Atrocities of Asymmetrical Warfare, Manning Will Face Asymmetrical Trial

    Switzerland Clamps Down Hard on Executive Pay; US Should Follow Suit! | NationofChange

    Switzerland Clamps Down Hard on Executive Pay; Should the US Follow Suit? | NationofChange

    How Can We Send $250 Million in Aid To Egypt for Political and Economic Reform, But Don't Have Anything to Spend on Programs at Home?! | NationofChange

    US to Send $250 Million in Aid Toward Egypt’s Political and Economic Reform | NationofChange

    Is the Tea Party a Domestic Enemy of the Constitution? | NationofChange

    The Sequester and the Tea Party Plot | NationofChange