Republicans Archives - Page 25 of 44

First-Ever Federal Equality Measure Protecting LGBT Rights Signed Into Law

Posted on October 28, 2009 by TL

The following is from Joe Solmonese at the Human Rights Campaign:

Today, something extraordinary happened. Love conquered hate. After more than a decade, the inclusive hate crimes bill we’ve fought so hard for has been signed by the president and sealed in law.

I cannot overstate the importance of this moment. This is the first time ANY federal equality measure protecting LGBT rights has become law. The very first time. And it is the first federal law to explicitly protect transgender people. It is a touchstone in our movement, a triumph of what is right. And I truly feel things will never be the same.

You made this day possible, along with thousands like you who called, wrote to Congress, met with lawmakers, and never gave up. I am inspired and humbled, and I thank you for all you’ve done.

As I left the White House, my thoughts turned to two crucial tasks immediately ahead – the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and the repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell." Tomorrow, we will wake up emboldened to fight those battles. So will our enemies. This victory gives us momentum, and we cannot slow down.

Will you make a donation today to help HRC make sure this isn’t the last time we see this image?

With your help, this moment will be a beginning, not a culmination.

Help us put more pro-equality legislation under that pen!

Hate crimes legislation was the first piece of creating a safe environment for LGBT people – prohibiting workplace and military discrimination are the next. When LGBT people live in fear of violence or discrimination, we cannot be who we are. And when we must hide our true selves, we cannot change hearts and minds.

It took twelve years, over one million emails, faxes and phone calls to Congress, and 14 separate votes on the floors of the House and the Senate to turn the hate crimes bill into law. Right-wing groups opposed us ferociously until the very end; they knew having a pro-LGBT law on the books would be a game-changer, and it is.

We’ve learned invaluable lessons. Now we know the next victory will take at least that much effort. But it must not take that much time. That means we need your help now.

Today, I am more determined than ever to put more pro-equality legislation on the president’s desk – let us galvanize ourselves in the fire of this moment.

Your support right now will give our nationwide network of staff and volunteers the power to fight for equality across the country.

Thank you again for standing with us to make this historic victory possible. Your hard work has made this country a safer place for millions of LGBT people.

Warmly,

Joe Solmonese
President

Love Conquers Hate: President Barack Obama Signs Hate Crimes Legislation Into Law

Posted on October 28, 2009 by TL

“This law honors our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters whose lives were cut short because of hate,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

www.hrc.org/loveconquershate

Washington, D.C.– The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, praised President Barack Obama today for signing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law. The new law gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence where the perpetrator has selected the victim because of the person’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. The legislation was added as a provision to the FY 2010 National Defense Authorization Act earlier this Summer. For a comprehensive retrospective and historical overview of hate crimes advocacy visit: www.hrc.org/loveconquershate.

“This law honors our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters whose lives were cut short because of hate,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “Today’s signing of the first major piece of civil rights legislation to protect LGBT Americans represents a historic milestone in the inevitable march towards equality. Although this is a major step in fighting the scourge of hate violence, it is not the end of the road. As a community, we will continue to dedicate ourselves to changing not only laws but also hearts and minds. We know that hate crimes not only harm individuals, but they terrorize entire communities. After more than a decade of advocacy, local police and sheriffs’ departments now have the full resources of the Justice Department available to them.”

“We applaud President Obama for signing this bill into law and thank the leadership and our allies in the House and Senate. We also will always remember the tireless efforts of Senator Edward Kennedy on this issue. Senator Kennedy once said that this legislation sends ‘a message about freedom and equality that will resonate around the world.’ This marks the first time that we as a nation have explicitly protected the LGBT community in the law. And this law sends a loud message that perpetrators of hate violence against anyone will be brought to justice,” said Solmonese.

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act honors the memory of Matthew Shepard, a Wyoming college student brutally murdered in an act of hate violence in 1998, and James Byrd, an African-American man who was dragged to death in Jasper, Texas, in 1998.

“We are incredibly grateful to Congress and the president for taking this step forward on behalf of hate crime victims and their families, especially given the continuing attacks on people simply for living their lives openly and honestly,” said Judy Shepard, executive director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation. “But each of us can and must do much more to ensure true equality for all Americans.”

“We appreciate everyone who worked so hard on this bill. My son was taken at such an early age and we hope this law will help prevent other families from going through what we experienced,” said Stella Byrd, mother of James Byrd. “Even though we’re different colors and different sexual orientations or gender identities, God made us all and he loves us all.”

The new law also provides the Justice Department with the ability to aid state and local jurisdictions either by lending assistance or, where local authorities are unwilling or unable, by taking the lead in investigations and prosecutions of violent crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury that were motivated by bias. It also makes grants available to state and local communities to combat violent crimes committed by juveniles, train law enforcement officers, or to assist in state and local investigations and prosecutions of bias motivated crimes.

This legislation was first introduced in the 105th Congress. There have been 14 total votes in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate to bring this historic legislation to the president’s desk.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

President Obama Signs Hate Crimes Legislation

President Obama signs the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law. (Photo: HRC.ORG)

Source: HRC.ORG

Isaac Hayes (GOP) Doesn’t Want You to Have Health Insurance (Unless You Can Help Fund His Campaign)

Posted on October 28, 2009 by TL

Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.’s challenger in Illinois’ 2nd District doesn’t want you to have health insurance if you can’t afford it. Rev. Isaac C. Hayes (is he really a CHRISTIAN reverend???) rejects the so-called public option.

From ENEWSPF:

Isaac C. Hayes, the GOP nominee for Congress in Illinois’ Second Congressional District, released a statement Tuesday condemning health care reform that includes a public option. Hayes called the proposed "public option" in health care reform legislation moving through the Congress is a "Nightmare on Elm Street." which will lead to soaring deficits, and declining medical care for Americans. The program will also scare the daylights out of bondholders of the U.S. and that’s deadly for America’s economic future.

"We must not cede to the public option. It will be the worse mistake our country can make. It will forever hand over control of our health care system to Washington, D.C.," says Rev. Hayes. "We’ve seen this B-movie before. Need I say Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. These budgets continue to increase and not decrease. Nancy Pelosi in charge of my health is like the next sequel of A Nightmare on Elm Street. Please wake me up before it is too late."

Unfortunately, we can’t give Hayes high marks for creativity, considering his overkill on the Nightmare on Elm Street metaphor. Notice he said it twice.

Look, Jesse Jackson, Jr.’s 2nd Congressional has historically been overwhelmingly Democratic. Hayes is way off base so strongly rejecting the public option.

Jackson’s district gets it. It’s time for the for-profit health insurance industry to go, for good.

Hayes is out of touch, and in bed with the for-profit health insurance industry.

I wonder how much money the for-profit health insurance industry has given to Hayes? How many dollars of your insurance premiums have you contributed to a campaign that does not want those who cannot effort health insurance to actually get health insurance?

This is America, the only industrialized democracy in the world without health care for all.

And the other industrialized democracies are all living longer.

Vote for Jesse Jackson, Jr., in the second Congressional district in Illinois.

Roger Ailes for President, and Fox will Film the End of the World

Posted on October 23, 2009 by TL

Roger Ailes laughing to the end.

When I first heard the other day that Roger Ailes, head of Fox News, was considering a run for the office of President of the United States, I had a bit of a chuckle. It would be quite amusing to see him run, and watch Fox "news" anchors trip all over itself trying to flaunt or break federal election laws as they trip all over themselves campaigning for him.

MSNBC’s Chris Matthews flirted with a run for the U.S. Senate, but abandoned the run shortly after rumors of his campaign first began circulating last December. The issue? Campaign finance questions relating to Matthews position on MSNBC’s Hardball. Would he be able to keep his coveted job as a news anchor and political commentator while running for the senate? Would MSNBC face legal issues if Matthews remained on the air while campaigning?

No doubt. And no doubt Matthews could have taken a leave of absence from his job, or just quit, if he really wanted to run.

At any rate, Matthews never did run, and I’m glad. We need more Hardball.

A candidacy by Roger Ailes bothers me for different reasons.

Yes, the White House had its fun this week dissing Fox, but they really need to dial it down now. I’m not going waste time analyzing the flaws of Fox. However, knowing that anything at all can happen in a political campaign, I was momentarily concerned about a potential run by Ailes.

Then I remembered this from 2006.

David Friend’s book, Watching the World Change: The Stories Behind the Images of 9/11, received incredible reviews, and Friend’s website has become a focal point for people’s memories and reflections.

What has escaped the attention of many when the book was published was a disturbing quote in the book from Roger Ailes. Friend asked him, "What was the significance of two billion people being able to watch the same thing at the same time on September 11?" Ailes’ response was extremely disturbing:

"The implications from a television standpoint are simply that: When the end of the world comes, we’ll be able to cover it live until the last camera goes out. I believe I mean it literally. If you can witness something like [9/11] by two billion people, live, then there’s nothing that can’t be covered. And if we get into a world war, with nuclear weapons, I assume we’ll be covering it live."

"It’s horrifying to think about. But maybe God set it up that way. You can either figure out how to live in freedom…and hope, or you can watch yourselves burn to death. Nine-eleven is a warning shot that says: Look, this can go either way. It’s your choice, folks."

There you have the heart and soul of Robert Ailes. Does he really believe that the end is near, and Fox News will somehow be blest to cover the final battle? When pressed as to whether he really meant that we would all be watching the Apocalypse live on FOX, Ailes responded, "I believe I mean it literally."

Would an Ailes Administration work to fashion public policy to bring us to the brink, the Final Battle, attempt to lead us to Armageddon?

You betcha. Roger "literally" answered that for us.

NYTimes: U.S. to Order Steep Pay Cuts at Firms That Got Most Aid; GOP: Reward Their Greed

Posted on October 21, 2009 by TL

From the New York Times:

WASHINGTON — Responding to the furor over executive pay at companies bailed out with taxpayer money, the Obama administration will order the firms that received the most aid to slash compensation to their highest-paid employees, an official involved in the decision said on Wednesday.

The plan, for the 25 top earners at seven companies that received exceptional help, will on average cut total compensation by about 50 percent. The companies are Citigroup, Bank of America, American International Group, General Motors, Chrysler and the financing arms of the two automakers.

Some executives, like the top traders at A.I.G., will face tight limits on their pay. In addition, the top-paid employees at all the affected companies will face new limits on their perks.

The plan will also change the form of the pay to align the personal interests of the executives with the longer-term financial health of the companies. For instance, the cash portion of the executives’ salaries will be slashed on average by 90 percent, and the rest will be replaced by stock that cannot be sold for years.

But while the plan would pare compensation substantially from what the highest-paid people at the companies might have received under normal circumstances, it would still permit multimillion-dollar pay packages. And it would have no direct impact on firms that did not receive government bailouts or that have already repaid loans they received from Washington, leaving it unclear how much effect, if any, it will have on the broader issues relating to executive compensation, income inequality and the populist animosity toward Wall Street and corporate America.

The plan, which was written by Kenneth R. Feinberg, the official at the Treasury Department in charge of setting compensation for bailed-out companies, will be made public in a few days. The official who described the plan’s basic components did not disclose the particular impact on specific employees of the firms.

Three cheers!

Glenn Beck: Obama’s Call for Volunteerism = Mao’s China

Posted on October 19, 2009 by TL

Yes, Glenn Beck dredges up a blast from the past. Enter Mao Tse Tung.

From the Huffington Post:

The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a Hollywood charitable organization, has helped to organize a push in the television industry to encourage volunteerism among the citizenry. The support for volunteerism will be spread across 60 shows, and in some cases woven into the plot lines.

Enter Glenn Beck, who reads in this yet another conspiracy theory that President Obama is using Hollywood in an attempt to turn American in a communist nation: "Well, this is fantastic. It’s almost like we’re living in Mao’s China right now."

Yup. And I suppose the Catholic Church is no better than the Emperoro Mao, encouraging volunteerism and all that.

So, if you work at a soup kitchen, you must be a Communist.

Oy.

Jon Stewart Takes on GOP Senators Who Voted for Halliburton Over Rape Victims

Posted on October 19, 2009 by TL

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c

Rape-Nuts

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Ron Paul Interview

Jon Stewart takes on the 30 Republican Senators who voted against rape victims in favor of Halliburton.

Yes, this was a vote against rape victims.

Here are the senators who voted "NO" to this bill:

Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wicker (R-MS)

Yes, you read that list correctly: "McCain (R-AZ)" is that McCain.

So much for America First!

Senator Roland Burris Definitively Favors Government Health Plan

Posted on October 15, 2009 by TL

Washington, D.C.– United States Senator Roland Burris (D-IL) wants health care reform with a government health insurance plan and he’s willing to fight for it, says the Wall Street Journal.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

The Wall Street Journal named him as one of six senators to watch in the coming days as the Senate’s no-public-option bill is merged with the House’s public-option bill.

The other five senators are Republicans and conservative Democrats averse to a public option. Burris, the Journal says, is the one senator out of 100 most insistent that the final bill have a public option:

"The Wild Card: Illinois Democratic Sen. Roland Burris. Mr. Burris has announced his intention to oppose any bill without a public option. . . . Because he isn’t standing for re-election, Mr. Burris has little to lose," the article states.

And from the Wall Street Journal:

The Wild Card: Illinois Democratic Sen. Roland Burris. Mr. Burris has announced his intention to oppose any bill without a public option, and Sens. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) and John Rockefeller (D., W.Va.), among others, have also voiced a strong desire for a public option. The message: Democrats at their peril shift to the right to court centrists and Republicans. Because he isn’t standing for re-election, Mr. Burris has little to lose. Democrats hope liberals will support a health overhaul in the end, but they have scant margin for error.

Will Health Insurance Industry Report Be Enough to Set Congress on Fire?

Posted on October 13, 2009 by TL

The health insurance industry issued a report that has Democrats fuming, finally. Will it be enough to set Congress on fire for reform?

From the Sun-Times:

Insurance companies aren’t playing nice any more.

Their message that health care legislation will drive up premiums for people who already have coverage comes as a warning shot at a key point in the debate and threatens President Obama’s top domestic priority.

Democrats and their allies scrambled on Monday to knock down a new industry-funded study forecasting that Senate legislation, over time, will add thousands of dollars to the cost of a typical policy. “Distorted and flawed,” said White House spokeswoman Linda Douglass. “Fundamentally dishonest,” said AARP’s policy strategist, John Rother. “A hatchet job,” said a spokesman for Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.).

But the health insurance industry’s top lobbyist in Washington stood her ground. In a call with reporters, Karen Ignagni, president of America’s Health Insurance Plans, pointedly refused to rule out attack ads on TV featuring the study, though she said she believed the industry’s concerns could be amicably addressed.

At the heart of the industry’s complaint is a decision by lawmakers to weaken the requirement that millions more Americans get coverage. Since the legislation would ban insurance companies from denying coverage on account of poor health, many people will wait to sign up until they get sick, the industry says. And that will drive up costs.

The first sentence of this article is absurd, “Insurance companies aren’t playing nice any more.”

When have the insurance companies ever played nice? It’s not about playing nice. It’s not about health insurance profits. It’s about people’s lives against an industry’s quest for obscene profits.

The good news today is that GOP Senator Olympia Snowe says she will support the reform bill currently in the Senate Finance Committee. The rest of the GOP and the Conservadems need to jump on board also.

Look, the New Deal was passed because the rich got it. They understood that a 90% tax rate on upper income brackets was good for everyone in the economy, including the rich! Do the rich really want to see the United States return to a Gilded Age with tent cities popping up in ever suburb?

I’ve said it before: the for-profit health insurance industry should be illegal. The purpose of the industry is to make a profit, an obscene profit.

Congress needs to finally feel the fire. Right now it’s burning us alive.

Bob Dole: Health Care Will Pass, ‘We’ve Got to do Something’

Posted on October 7, 2009 by TL

From the Huffington Post:

Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kans.) told reporters on Wednesday that opposition to the president’s health care package was driven, in part, by knee-jerk partisanship and he urged Congressional Republicans to consider backing a version of reform.

The 1996 Republican presidential candidate also predicted, following a speech at a health care reform summit in Kansas, that "there will be a signing ceremony" for a reform bill sometime this year or early in 2010.

But the comments that seem likely to create the most ripples were those that dealt with Congressional opposition to the White House. Dole, according to reports, framed the pushback to Barack Obama’s reform agenda as almost perfunctory in nature.

"Sometimes people fight you just to fight you," he said, according to The Kansas City Star. "They don’t want Reagan to get it, they don’t want Obama to get it, so we’ve got to kill it…"

"Health care is one of those things," he added. "Now we’ve got to do something."

In a statement to the Huffington Post, an aide to the former majority leader clarified that Dole "believed there is an opportunity to do something on health care" but that he wasn’t urging Republicans to simply get on board a final package.

Source: huffingtonpost.com