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Politics : Liberalism: Do You Agree We've Had Enough of It? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (150276)	12/18/2012 1:24:24 PM
From: TideGlider	4 Recommendations Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 224867

Obama doesn't want to avoid the so called "fiscal cliff". He wants everyone's taxes raised anyway and sees this as a way to do it and he hopes the blame will go to the Republicans. He is transparent.

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (150276)	12/18/2012 4:10:00 PM
From: TideGlider	2 Recommendations Respond to of 224867

SWHC Smith and Wesson stock down almost 20 % since it started it's fall mid Friday. However, gun sales are up. It may be time to get some shares. I would watch a little more first.

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (150276)	12/18/2012 5:58:29 PM
From: Ann Corrigan	2 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224867

LOL Demagoguery thy name is Democrats.

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (150276)	12/18/2012 9:13:08 PM
From: longnshort	2 Recommendations Respond to of 224867

Feinstein in 1995 on her concealed carry permit: 'I know the urge to arm yourself because that's what I did' On April 27, 1995, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) spoke at the US Senate hearing on terrorism shortly after the Oklahoma City bombing. During the hearing, she referenced her concealed carry permit and how she carried a gun with her in the 1970's, citing the urge to arm yourself for protection- in her case from threats. She stated: "I know the sense of helplessness that people feel. I know the urge to arm yourself because that's what I did. I was trained in firearms. I walked to the hospital when my husband was sick. I carried a concealed weapon and I made the determination if somebody was going to try and take me out, I was going to take them with me." This CCW permit was obtained in San Francisco, CA which would make it one of the only permits- if not the only such permit- at the time in the early 1970's. Now, after recent shooting tragedies, Feinstein is making another push for tighter gun control. She is widely known as one of the biggest anti-gun and anti-NRA advocates in Washington. mrctv.org

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (150276)	12/18/2012 11:05:51 PM
From: Hope Praytochange	1 Recommendation Respond to of 224867

More Young Adults Are Living on Street By Sean Patrick Farrell Matthew Ryan Williams for The New York Times Young and Homeless: The Times’s Susan Saulny reports from Seattle where she talks with young adults who are struggling with homelessness as a result of the recession. By SUSAN SAULNY Published: December 18, 2012 456 Comments SEATTLE — Duane Taylor was studying the humanities in community college and living in his own place when he lost his job in a round of layoffs. Then he found, and lost, a second job. And a third. Related Homeless Rates in U.S. Held Level Amid Recession, Study Says, but Big Gains Are Elusive(December 10, 2012) Connect With Us on Twitter Follow @NYTNational for breaking news and headlines. Twitter List: Reporters and Editors Enlarge This Image Matthew Ryan Williams for The New York Times Anna Wiley says she has spent the night at Roots, a young adult shelter in Seattle, instead of going home because her parents are also in dire straits. Enlarge This Image Matthew Ryan Williams for The New York Times At Roots, a young adult shelter in Seattle, staff members use a lottery to decide who will get a bed. Enlarge This Image Matthew Ryan Williams for The New York Times Volunteers set up mattresses at the Roots youth shelter in Seattle in November. The shelter is expanding to 45 beds from 35. Enlarge This Image Matthew Ryan Williams for The New York Times Lottery numbers used at Roots. Readers’ Comments Share your thoughts. Post a Comment » Read All Comments (450) » Now, with what he calls “lowered standards” and a tenuous new position at a Jack in the Box restaurant, Mr. Taylor, 24, does not make enough to rent an apartment or share one. He sleeps on a mat in a homeless shelter, except when his sister lets him crash on her couch. “At any time I could lose my job, my security,” said Mr. Taylor, explaining how he was always the last hired and the first fired. “I’d like to be able to support myself. That’s my only goal.” Across the country, tens of thousands of underemployed and jobless young people, many with college credits or work histories, are struggling to house themselves in the wake of the recession, which has left workers between the ages of 18 and 24 with the highest unemployment rate of all adults. Those who can move back home with their parents — the so-called boomerang set — are the lucky ones. But that is not an option for those whose families have been hit hard by the economy, including Mr. Taylor, whose mother is barely scraping by while working in a laundromat. Without a stable home address, they are an elusive group that mostly couch surfs or sleeps hidden away in cars or other private places, hoping to avoid the lasting stigma of public homelessness during what they hope will be a temporary predicament. These young adults are the new face of a national homeless population, one that poverty experts and case workers say is growing. Yet the problem is mostly invisible. Most cities and states, focusing on homeless families, have not made special efforts to identify young adults, who tend to shy away from ordinary shelters out of fear of being victimized by an older, chronically homeless population. The unemployment rate and the number of young adults who cannot afford college “point to the fact there is a dramatic increase in homelessness” in that age group, said Barbara Poppe, the executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. The Obama administration has begun an initiative with nine communities, most of them big cities, to seek out those between 18 and 24 who are without a consistent home address. New York, Houston, Los Angeles, Cleveland and Boston are among the cities included in the effort. “One of our first approaches is getting a more confident estimate,” said Ms. Poppe, whose agency is coordinating the initiative. Those who provide services to the poor in many cities say the economic recovery has not relieved the problem. “Years ago, you didn’t see what looked like people of college age sitting and waiting to talk to a crisis worker because they are homeless on the street,” said Andrae Bailey, the executive director of the Community Food and Outreach Center, one of the largest charitable organizations in Florida. “Now that’s a normal thing.” Los Angeles first attempted a count of young adults living on the street in 2011. It found 3,600, but the city had shelter capacity for only 17 percent of them. “The rest are left to their own devices,” said Michael Arnold, the executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. “And when you start adding in those who are couch surfing and staying with friends, that number increases exponentially.” Boston also attempted counts in 2010 and 2011. The homeless young adult population seeking shelter grew 3 percentage points to 12 percent of the 6,000 homeless people served over that period. “It’s a significant enough jump to know that it’s also just the tip of the iceberg,” said Jim Greene, director of emergency shelters for the Boston Public Health Commission. In Washington, Lance Fuller, a 26-year-old with a degree in journalism, spent the end of last month packing up a one-bedroom apartment he can no longer afford after being laid off. Mr. Fuller said he had been unable to keep a job for more than eight months since graduating from the University of Florida in 2010. “Thankfully, I have a girlfriend who is willing to let me stay with her until I get back on my feet again,” said Mr. Fuller, who writes a blog, Voices of a Lost Generation. “It’s really hard for people in my generation not to feel completely defeated by this economy.” Mr. Taylor, the fast-food worker in Seattle, said he felt lucky when he could find a coveted space at Roots, a shelter for young adults in a church basement. Such shelters are rare. For generations, services for the homeless were directed to two groups: dependent children and older people. There was scant attention focused on what experts now call “transitional age youth” — young adults whose needs are distinct. “I see them coming back day after day, more defeated, more tired out, wondering, ‘When will it be my turn?’ ” said Kristine Cunningham, executive director of Roots. “And it’s heartbreaking. This is the age when you want to show the world you have value.” They need more than just clean clothes and shelter to move into a secure adulthood, experts say. “They want a way out,” said Ms. Poppe, whose agency is also gathering evidence on what kinds of programs and outreach work best. “They want an opportunity to develop skills so they are marketable in the long term.” “A more individualized approach seems to work,” she added. But two obstacles stand in the way: young adults, eager for independence, are reluctant to admit that they need help and housing. And shelters designed with young adults in mind — those with career and trauma counseling, and education and training programs — are usually small. Roots holds only 35 people, and a nightly lottery decides who gets a spot, which includes meals, laundry services and counseling. It is expanding to 45 beds. Anna Wiley, 20, and her boyfriend, Bobby Jollineau, 24, spent several nights at Roots two weeks ago, but were unable to get in one night in November. “We ended up sleeping outside,” Mr. Jollineau said. “I have a sleeping pad and a really warm sleeping bag. There’s a couple of nooks and crannies that are safe around here, but you have to be careful. It can make for a rough night.” Asked whether she could go to her parents’ home, Ms. Wiley said that her father is unemployed and that her mother works in a deli, making about as little as she does. “I don’t like relying on other people too much, anyway,” she said. Across town, Roman Tano, 20, woke up recently at YouthCare’s James W. Ray Orion Center, another shelter for young adults that offers training programs. In October, its capacity grew to 20 beds from 15. Two months ago, Mr. Tano gave up an apartment in his native Dallas after losing his job. He sold his Toyota and sought opportunities in the Pacific Northwest. He rented a room and set out with his résumé (expertise: fund-raising). But when his $2,000 in savings withered to nothing, “I ended up sleeping on the street for the first time in my life,” he said. “I just kind of had to walk around and try to stay warm.” Mr. Tano found the YouthCare shelter online, and has been staying there for a month. He has a new job as a canvasser for an environmental organization. “Coming into it, I was, like, completely out of my element,” he said of YouthCare. “But in the time I’ve been here, it’s a pretty diverse group of people. There are a lot of people just trying to work to get out of this.” “After I get my paycheck,” he said brightly, “I should be on my way.”

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (150276)	12/18/2012 11:19:58 PM
From: longnshort	1 Recommendation Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224867

No Guns for Negroes: The Racist Roots of Gun Control [Video] therightplanet.com

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (150276)	12/19/2012 11:12:03 AM
From: TideGlider	Respond to of 224867

The dollar is taking a beating. It is down about 2.5 cents against the Euro in the last week. At least it causes a rally.

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (150276)	12/19/2012 11:50:49 AM
From: TideGlider	Respond to of 224867

Following School Shooting, 86% Want More Action to Identify and Treat Mental Illness in Politics Email thisShareThis Related Articles Only 16% Think Today’s Children Will Be Better Off Than Their Parents 75% Say It's Better for Children to Grow Up In Two-Parent Home 52% Say Violence in Video Games, Movies Leads to More Violence in Society 67% Say States Should Be Able to Prohibit Sale of Violent Video Games to Children 53% in Colorado Oppose Tougher Gun Control Laws Wednesday, December 19, 2012 Americans want something done following the horrific news from Sandy Hook Elementary School last week, and a plurality believes a greater emphasis on mental health issues will be the most effective way to prevent such tragedies. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of Americans believe more action to treat mental health issues will do the most to prevent incidents like last Friday’s school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty-seven percent (27%) think stricter gun control laws will do the most to prevent such shootings, while 15% put the emphasis on limits on violent movies and video games. Ten percent (10%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.) (Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (150276)

12/19/2012 3:18:17 PM

From: Broken_Clock

Respond to of 224867

news.firedoglake.com

the comments are ...enlightening, to say the least. W/O a viable democratic party, the right wing is having a field day. Wet dreams do come true for wall st.

Though Liberals Carp at Chained CPI, Pelosi Says She Could Live With It
By: David Dayen Tuesday December 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Others will have to live with it, too.

Many of what would be described as the liberal left of Congress have weighed in against using the chained CPI to calculate cost of living increases in Social Security benefits. Here’s a representative sample from Sen. Jeff Merkley:

We had an election, and the voters sent a message to Congress to focus on jobs and fairness — not cutting benefits for people who have worked all their lives and are now making ends meet on fixed incomes. The formula we use to adjust cost-of-living changes for seniors needs to reflects the real costs they face, not the budgetary fantasies of Washington.

I mean that’s precisely it. You will hear virtually nobody claim that chained CPI represents a more accurate way of determining the cost of living for senior citizens on Social Security, because if they were honest about it, they would tailor an inflation index to the real costs of seniors. The only benefit to chained CPI is that it saves the government money at the expense of senior citizens. That’s it. It’s a back-door way of lowering the benefit. Even if you agree with the methodology of the substitution effect, that people will manage the cost of living by purchasing less expensive products, you have to ask yourself if seniors have been getting away with murder all these years under the old rules. And considering they get an average annual benefit of just $13,000, and that almost half of them use that as their only form of income, without savings or anything else to fall back on, the very idea is preposterous. And the public, who has a working knowledge of Social Security benefits and how far they stretch, agrees.

Regardless of the carping of a few of those liberals and the majority of the country, however, Nancy Pelosi basically gave the game away: she will force her charges to stick with the President.

Despite these changes, Pelosi said she could convince her caucus to get behind such a plan, if need be.

“Do you think you could sell it to your caucus?” MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell asked Pelosi in an interview on Tuesday.

“I do,” replied Pelosi, adding, “Yes, the Democrats will stick with the president — and maybe not every single one of them.”

Pelosi tried to emphasize the unformed idea that there would be “protections” for the most vulnerable. For example, the disabled on Supplemental Security Income might not be subject to chained CPI, and there could be a “bump-up” for people aged 80, to compensate for the cumulative effect of the benefit cut. Again, the vulnerable are a massive part of this population. This is almost the entire income source for almost half of seniors, and for 3/4 of widows or unmarried women. And 15.1% of seniors live in poverty. And if you hold all of them harmless, you erode the actual savings you can derive from this. The three-legged stool of retirement has withered away, especially since the dot-com bust and the Great Recession. This argues strongly for increasing Social Security benefits, not cutting them and not even mitigating cuts.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney called this a “technical fix” to better calculate inflation. Bullshit. If this were just a technical fix, you would adjust so that the fix wouldn’t hit beneficiaries in a regressive fashion, with the most pain at the bottom. This plan doesn’t, to any real degree. The goal isn’t to properly measure inflation, it’s to save money for the federal government. It always has been.

The question worth asking, then, is if we want to cut Social Security benefits, why are we talking about chained-CPI, rather than some other approach to cutting benefits that’s perhaps more equitable? The answer is that chained-CPI’s role in correcting inflation measurement error is helpful in distracting people from its role in cutting Social Security benefits. Politicians who are unwilling or unable to offer a persuasive political or policy rationale for cutting Social Security benefits are instead hiding behind a technocratic rationale. We’re not “cutting benefits,” we’re “correcting our inflation measure.”

A similar dynamic is behind the popularity of raising the retirement age, or the Medicare eligibility age: Its advocates can pretend that it’s not a cut, but a technical adjustment made to account for the fact that Americans are living longer. Compared to other approaches to cutting benefits, raising the retirement age is, again, a substantively unwise, regressive approach. But it can be justified as a mere technocratic tweak.

The phrase “banality of evil” comes to mind.

The Administration won’t even stand up and own the fact that chained CPI also is a regressive tax increase that would break their promise to hold harmless anyone making $250,000 or less from additional taxation.

The difference between the two sets of numbers arises because of arbitrary ways the White House and the speaker’s office count spending cuts and revenues. Specifically, the White House isn’t counting the $60 billion in new revenue that the Treasury would collect if Congress indexed tax brackets to chained CPI. Round up a little, and it accounts for the $100 billion difference between the White House’s revenue number and the speaker’s.

On the spending side, the White House accounts for the fact that lowering projected deficits will reduce the amount the government is projected to spend on interest on the debt over the next 10 years. Some $290 billion, by the administration’s calculations. Boehner doesn’t want to count interest savings toward the spending cuts in any final agreement.

The White House refuses to own the tax increase, or they will work with Republicans to leave tax brackets unchanged. Then you would get all the savings from chained CPI out of benefits.

It’s hard to be surprised by any of this; we knew this was the trajectory for several years. But the combination of technocracy and cruelty is depressing to behold.

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (150276)	12/19/2012 3:33:57 PM
From: TideGlider	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224867

Boehner told Obama he would give him a bill with tax raise only on those people making more than a million dollars. If Obama doesn't get the Dem Senate to move on it and then sign it, it will be Obama's fault that everyone's taxes go up! Fitch promises a downgrade in the US credit rating is the so called fiscal cliff isn't resolved by December 31. That will also be Obama's fault.