‘Voices & Thoughts’ Archives
Reply from U.S. Senator Mark Udall
Dear Gary, Thank you for contacting me regarding controversial detainee provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act (FY12 NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2012 (H.R.1540). I appreciate hearing your thoughts on this important topic. As you may know, I am firmly opposed to several provisions in the FY12 NDAA that regulate the detention of terrorism suspects. These provisions could be interpreted to authorize the indefinite military detention of American citizens who are suspected of ... Full Story
Bill of Rights Day: Are Our Freedoms in Jeopardy?
“Those responsible for the demise of the Bill of Rights are none other than the schools, the courts, the politicians, and ‘we the people,’” stated Whitehead. “Unless we act now to secure our constitutional rights, America will continue down the path toward tyranny.” The passage of the Patriot Act in 2001 ushered in an era in American history in which basic rights that guided political leaders since the founding of the nation have become second place to concerns over ... Full Story
Ask Gardner to support the PUPS Act
Our dogs are family members. We include our dogs in family outings, in deciding where to live, what’s for dinner, who sleeps where on what part of the bed. Dogs have been an integral part of our existence for thousands of years. The human canine bond is the longest interspecies relationship that has ever existed. Yet, this reality collides with the existence of dog producers who breed and sell dogs by the thousands every year solely for profit. These dogs consistently show up at pet stores, ... Full Story
The Daily Show: A must watch
December 13 The Florida Family Association opposes TLC's portrayal of Muslims, Newt Gingrich concocts a poverty-fighting plan and Lawrence Lessig wants to end Congressional corruption. View Here: "The Daily Show"
Big business tax holidays are bad for small business,
By Margot Dorfman If small business owners decided to stop paying our fair share of taxes, we'd be sent to jail. Big business tax dodgers want Congress to reward them with a tax holiday. The U. S. Women's Chamber of Commerce strongly opposes legislation in Congress that would reward U. S. multinational corporations with massive, unwarranted tax discounts to bring back hundreds of billions in U. S. profits they shifted offshore to avoid paying taxes in the first place. So ... Full Story
Udall Should Re-Think his Amendment
By Isabella Woods There is no doubt that US Senator Mark Udall has a strong political pedigree, and he always seems like quite a likeable fellow. He’s strong on the environment, civil liberties and support for veterans, and keen on adopting a bi-partisan approach to most issues. Now he wants Congress to agree to change the constitution by accepting his balanced budget amendment. Amendments, and more Amendments The Senator is of course not the first to make such a proposal, although ... Full Story
White House Role In Blocking Climate Progress
Press Release Stein Says White House Role In Blocking Climate Progress "is Deadly And Unforgivable" (BOSTON) Regarding the recently ended Durban climate change talks, Dr. Jill Stein, Green Party presidential candidate, issued the following statement this morning: "Unlike my Republican opponents, President Obama professes to believe in science. He knows that America and the world is rapidly rushing to the catastrophic financial and environmental impacts of ... Full Story
Who are the 1%, Vote Now
Know the Facts In just the last generation, the richest 1% almost quadrupled their incomes. The average wealth of the 1% is 225 times bigger than the wealth of the typical household – the highest it’s ever been. Three decades ago, CEOs made about 40 times as much as an average worker – now CEOs make almost 200 times as much as regular employees. Last year, half of Americans earned less than $26,000 while CEOs at top 500 companies raked in an average of $11 million. Over the ... Full Story
Merck—Too Big to Prosecute?
Merck—Too Big to Prosecute? December 6, 2011 There is a surprising reason why the government won’t go after drug companies for serious crimes. It is because government programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Veterans Administration would then be barred from doing business with them! In 1999 the FDA approved Vioxx, a drug created by Merck and Co. to treat arthritis. Vioxx was pulled off the market in 2004 because evidence showed it ... Full Story
After Signaling Support, John Boehner Calls Tax Break
After Signaling Support, John Boehner Calls Tax Break For Middle Class ‘Chicken-Shit’ Alex Seitz-Wald on Dec 2, 2011 at 4:10 pm Despite their stated opposition to tax increases, Republican lawmakers have been largely cool or even hostile to a proposed extension of the temporary payroll tax cut, pushed by President Obama and Democrats. Finally, this week, Republicans seemed to relent as GOP congressional leaders publicly urged their caucuses to vote for an extension of the plan. ... Full Story
