Guardians of Privilege

Remember the Grand Old Party? (GOP) Well, they have morphed into Guardians of Privilege. They no longer represent the people who vote for them. They answer to the money people and do their bidding in Congress. 

Bill Moyers recently wrote about it in, "Dividing the Spoils". http://billmoyers.com/2014/11/21/dividing-spoils/

This is a great read about money and politics. "Today, gifts to politicians that were once called graft or bribes are called contributions. The Supreme Court has granted corporations the rights our founders reserved for people, and told those corporations they can give just about anything they want to elect politicians favorable to their interests. "

They aren't giving this money out of the goodness of their hearts either! Consider this: "From 2007 to 2012, the two hundred most politically active corporations in the United States spent almost $6 billion for lobbying and campaign contributions. And they received more than $4 trillion in US government contracts and other forms of assistance."

As expected, military contractors lead the list of contract recipients with the finance sector not far behind. What can we do about this mess? First watch the video of Lawrence Lessing and Zephyr Teachout:  http://vimeo.com/112467851 Then get mad as hell and start contacting your representatives in Congress.

What Has Happened to the GOP?

I was outraged when I read that the editor of the National Review, Rich Lowery, suggested that Speaker Boehner request the president's State of the Union Address in writing and tell him he isn't welcome in the House Chamber.  http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/11/26/republican-lawmakers-consider-banning-pres-obama-from-delivering-state-of-the-union/

Since the beginning of our history as a country, the sitting president has given a State of the Union (SOTU) address to Congress. Now, some GOP are suggesting not allowing President Obama to deliver the annual address next January. I couldn't believe it when I read it but it seems to be true. They call him King Obama and find any way possible to demean him. http://www.salon.com/2014/11/25/wingnuts_plot_pathetic_new_ways_to_pester_obama_dont_let_him_give_a_state_of_the_union/

Is it too much to ask our elected representatives to stop acting like spoiled brats and work together for the good of the country? As usual, if you ever read this far, I am going to ask that you consider letting your elected representatives know how you feel and what you'd like them to focus their efforts on in the next Congress. You can reach them at senate.gov and house.gov.

Let's be Thankful

Today we celebrate Thanksgiving. I don't know about you, but, I'm glad I woke up in my cozy bed in the United States of America. Our country may not be perfect, but, it's still a pretty good place to live. I have a nice home, good roads, great schools and hospitals nearby. I know that I didn't build that.

Remember when President Obama said, "You didn't build that!" and right wing heads exploded? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKjPI6no5ng Later, Elizabeth Warren said basically the same message:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-P-CoSNYaI

We have so much to be thankful for in America. And we have a lot of work to do. As long as we have homeless veterans and children going to bed hungry while Wall Street traders are raking in billions, we have a problem.

Let's commit ourselves to action to right the wrongs in America and continue to work to make this country a place that works for all. Happy Thanksgiving!

Life Isn't Fair and People Don't Act Right

Have you noticed that life isn't fair and people don't act right? We cry foul and have fits, but, eventually we come to see this truth. Does that mean we should stop trying to achieve fairness? Does that mean WE shouldn't try to act right? Of course not! When we see unfairness in our world, we need to find legitimate ways to address it. The problem often becomes which issue do we want to address. If it affects us directly, then that is usually our cause. Unfairness that doesn't directly affect us just isn't such a big deal.

I saw a definition of privilege:  "Privilege is when you don't think something is a problem because it isn't a problem to you personally."  Let us now confront our privilege. Just because we haven't been raped, that doesn't mean we shouldn't stand up for victims' rights. Just because our unarmed child hasn't been killed by police, that doesn't mean we should look the other way and not speak out. Just because they aren't fracking in our neighborhood, that doesn't mean we should stand by and watch it happen to others.

We have voices. We can speak up when we see evil and injustice. It is #TimeToAct Contact the people you have elected to represent you and let them know how you feel on important issues. It is your right and it is your responsibility.

#RapeCulture

If you are a feminist or care about one, then the recent Rolling Stone Magazine's article about #rapecultue is a must read.  http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/a-rape-on-campus-20141119?page=2

All week, I've read Bill Cosby defenders question why his accusers haven't come forward before now. After you read the Rolling Stone article, you might understand. Here are a couple recent articles about Cosby:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/25/business/media/calling-out-bill-cosbys-media-enablers-including-myself.html?_r=0

http://www.salon.com/2014/11/24/new_bill_cosby_accuser_we_may_be_looking_at_america%E2%80%99s_greatest_serial_rapist/

As long as women are discouraged from reporting instances of sexual assault; as long as society is more concerned about the rights of the "alleged" rapist than it is about the one who is "alleging" the assault, we will have situations like these.

Now, I ask you, given the statements on record made by Republicans, which party do you think will work to protect women's rights? Which party supported the renewal of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) If you remember, 138 House GOP voted against the act and several of them went on to lie to their constituents that they had voted for it. President Obama signed the re-authorization on March 7, 2013.

People on the Left regardless of pet issue are needed to unite with the Democratic party to advance issues that are important to our country. The GOP would have us fighting each other and forming third parties because that would ease their path to the White House. If #RapeCulture is an issue that you care about, I strongly encourage you to get with your local Democratic party chapter and work to elect Democrats.

Can We Get Money Out of Politics?

Everyone says that we must get money out of politics. There are political action committees (PACs) set up to try. The Democrats in the United States Senate tried to get a bill to a vote in September to overturn the Citizens United ruling by the Supreme Court. It failed to get any support from Republicans. Now, they are in control of both houses in Congress. Therefore, it is highly doubtful that they will attempt to change the status quo.

So, what can we do about it? Bill Moyers has a few ideas. In fact, he has eight suggestions. First, is amend the Constitution. If you like that idea, you can go to movetoamend.org/actions and sign up to help.

Next, Moyers suggests Represent.us which is an organization promoting a broad anti-corruption legislation that would place limits on lobbying, political contributions, and PACs.

Another idea is to promote other acts that would promote public financing of political campaigns. One is the Fair Elections Now act: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/269 and the other is the Grassroots Democracy act: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/268 Obviously, both of these will die when the 114th Congress takes over in January 2015, but, they could be re-introduced then.

You can also join Lawrence Lessing at http://www.nhrebellion.org/ to take a walk across New Hampshire to focus attention on money in politics.

In 2014, over one million activists requested that the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) make corporations political campaign contributions more transparent. You can join that movement and continue to pressure on the SEC to act.  http://www.truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/sec-inundated-by-one-million-requests-for-corporate-campaign-contribution-disclosures/18858-sec-inundated-by-one-million-requests-for-corporate-campaign-contribution-disclosures

Three other options are also discussed in this article:  http://billmoyers.com/2014/11/21/8-ways-get-money-politics/#.VHCVrKrfuUE.twitter

So there you have some choices. Will you take action or merely complain endlessly on how corrupt our systems has become? Choice is yours. I hope you chose action.

They Couldn't See The Forest For The Trees

The Republican party missed an opportunity to make history but they "couldn't see the forest for the trees." From the beginning of Barack Obama's history-making inauguration, the leaders of the GOP have chosen a different agenda.

If they hadn't been so blinded by their hate, they might have instead worked with the Obama administration. But, compromise was a dirty word in their lexicon. They met that first evening of Obama's presidency and chose the strategy of obstruction.

They weren't even subtle about it. They announced their goal to make him a one term president. Whenever President Obama took any action by adjusting policy, the GOP jumped before the cameras and told the American people they were going to sue him. They held endless hearings trying in vain to pin something on him to discredit his legacy.

Even when they did attempt bipartisan action on budget or immigration, the money men behind the obstruction plan would not allow them to finalize it.

The question in my mind is this:  How long are the American people going to put up with this? We can and should demand our representatives chart a different course.  Will you be part of the change or part of the problem. Doing nothing will make you part of the problem.

The least you can do is contact your representatives in Congress. senate.gov house.gov

But you can do more. You can attend public meetings and get involved at the grassroots level. You can work to support a candidate who shares your views on the future of America. It isn't too late!

Yes, President Obama has Legal Authority to Act on Immigration Policy

The folks on the right are busy trying to find something, anything, they can use to mar President Obama's record. They forget that he was a Constitutional Law professor at the University of Chicago and the Editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Right now, they are outraged that he finally acted after giving them over a year and a half since the Senate passed a bipartisan bill on immigration reform. Well, they'd better get a clue. He has plenty of legal authorities to consult and they have assured him that he has authority to take the measures that he's told us he will take.  http://immigrationimpact.com/2014/09/03/136-law-professors-say-president-has-legal-authority-to-act-on-immigration/

Now GOP influencers are pushing for another government shutdown to retaliate for President Obama's exercising his legal authority. What another government shutdown!!! Remember how we all said that would hurt the GOP in the midterms? Now, the GOP leaders have said they really don't want a shutdown, but, I'm pretty sure they said that last time. Then, they ran around calling it the President's government shutdown.  http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/gops-influencers-push-for-another-shutdown-361089603636

What do you think? Will Jim Demint and the Heritage Foundation hold sway over the GOP next month and get their way? Or will sanity be restored in Congress? One thing I know, I am going to spend some time contacting my representatives in Congress and letting them know how I feel about another government shutdown. Will you join me? Senate.gov and House.gov are the places to go to find contact information.

Dysfunction in the Senate

If you were delusional enough to believe that the gridlock in Congress would be different if the Republicans were in charge, then I'm afraid you are in for a huge disappointment. Case in point=Daily Kos reports today that the Senate Republicans are set to block their OWN nominees! That's right. Senator Chuck Grassley, the Iowa farmer who will lead the Judiciary committee in January announced last week that he would delay any action on current judicial nominees AND he gave no particular reason.
 http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/19/1345930/-Senate-Republicans-block-their-own-judicial-nbsp-nominees

Dan K. Thomasson of the Fresno Bee recently published a blog post entitled, "Senate Majority Changes; Dysfunction Remains the Same."  In his opinion, even though leaders of both parties have pledged cooperation, there is little likelihood that will be the case. No one wants to be seen as doing the compromising. To the parties' base, compromise is seen as weakness. Thomasson suggests, like I do, that you write to your Senators and President. Maybe something will happen, but, don't hold your breath.

Then there's this:   "Liberal Democrats Form A Hell No Caucus To Block Republicans In The Senate" http://www.politicususa.com/2014/11/19/liberal-democrats-form-hell-caucus-block-republicans-senate.html

The Senate rules that everyone wanted changed when Democrats were in the majority will protect us now that we will be in the minority. Democrats will have some measures at their disposal to affect what the Senate will debate and vote on next year. Again, I encourage you to contact your Senators and let them know your views are on the issues under consideration. Yesterday, Sen. Feinstein mentioned on the Senate floor during the debate on KXL that she'd received over 120,000 messages regarding the pipeline. Believe me, they do pay attention and keep tallies. So let them know. Go to Senate.gov and all the contact information is there.

Fleecing Uncle Sam

When are the American people going to get fed up with the current tax situation? Why should corporations get to spend more on their executive's salaries than they pay in Federal income taxes? The Center for Effective Government reports that the trickle down theory is "alive and well" in America. While the corporate tax rate is 35%, more than most industrialized nations, the effective rate they ended up paying between 2008-2012 was more like 19.9%  http://www.foreffectivegov.org/fleecing-uncle-sam


If reading the report from the Center for Effective Government and the Institute for Policy Studies doesn't incite your ire, then you must be numb. You can read the entire report here:  http://www.foreffectivegov.org/files/fleecing-uncle-sam.pdf

These are just a few of their findings:

"Of America’s 30 largest corporations, seven (23 percent) paid their CEOs more than they paid in federal income taxes last year."

"Of America’s 100 highest-paid CEOs, 29 received more in pay last year than their company paid in federal income taxes – up from 25 out of the top 100 in our 2010 and 2011 surveys."

"The seven CEOs leading these tax-dodging corporations were paid $17.3 million on average in 2013. Boeing and Ford Motors both paid their CEOs more than $23 million last year while receiving large tax refunds."

Congress will be looking at extending or expanding these corporate tax breaks. Will you take action and let your representatives know how you feel about this? Go to Senate.gov and House.gov to find contact information.

More on Criticism Surrounding the Trans Pacific Partnership

In researching the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), I came across an article in VOX that discusses some of the pros and cons regarding this agreement that is STILL being negotiated. I put that in all caps because some pundits make it seem that the TPP is a done deal, which it isn't.

To hear or read some criticism of TPP one would think it is written by the Devil himself. Some of the hyperbole used to describe it borders on the ridiculous. Especially, considering that negotiations are not even complete. That's sort of like hating anyone who dates your sister because there were two or three before who were jerks.

One of the commonest criticisms is that NAFTA or CAFTA (other trade agreements) hurt us; so, this must too. Since we don't know yet the details, that seems to me to be unfair. China and Australia just signed an historic trade deal. Trade deals are not by their very nature bad. American companies produce and consumers in the trans-pacific region want to purchase goods. Will we sit back and let China and Australia get all the sales?

Take a look at the VOX article. There is a ton of information in it with links to direct sources.
http://www.vox.com/2014/11/14/7166849/tpp-trans-pacific-partnership

But please realize that this TPP deal, just like any other deal, has pluses and minuses. If and when negotiations are ever finalized, Congress will debate and decide. EVERYTHING will be made public. At the US Trade Representatives website http://www.ustr.gov/tpp are links to the summary of the United State's objectives, outlines of the TPP, a TPP blog, public comments on TPP, and much, much more.

Be a critical thinker and investigate for yourself. Don't just let the hype close your mind.

What is the Trans Pacific Partnership?

You may have heard about the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) in the media. If you haven't, get ready because that's what they will be talking about endlessly soon. In Monday's blog post, I discussed the Fast Track Authority that Congress often grants to presidents.

  http://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/2014/11/what-is-fast-tracktrade-promotion.html

Because the United States Constitution grants the Executive branch authority to negotiate with foreign nations and it grants Congress the authority to set terms of international commerce, the two branches of government need to cooperate to achieve the highest goals for our country. Within the President's Cabinet are several Cabinet-rank positions. http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/cabinet The United States Trade Representative is one of them. It is currently held by Ambassador Michael Froman. The website for this agency is www.ustr.gov .

I do not know yet whether or not I support the TPP, but I do know that I support our President. I have supported him now for 10 years, first as my Senator and now as my President. During that time I've never seen evidence that he has anything but the best interests of the American people as his primary goal. That said, I want to take a fair look at the climate of criticism surrounding the TPP.

If you Google the topic, you will find that almost all the media articles are against this trade deal. The most frequent criticism by far is that it's all done in secret and no one, not even Congress, knows what's in the deal. First, I'd like to say that negotiations are done in confidentiality. That's how the process has any chance of success. Years ago, I was on my teachers' union negotiation team. The first item agreed upon was that none of the parties at the table would discuss particulars until we'd reached an agreement. Then, once that happened, the agreement was made public and the parties involved had their chance to view the details and vote on the agreement.  This is exactly how the TPP is being done. If you are interested in the agenda and goals of this delicate negotiation, they are available for you to read:   http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/reports-and-publications/2014-0

So, the next time you hear one of the talking heads rant about the "secrecy" surrounding the TPP negotiations, you will know why and hopefully not see it as some nefarious plot to sell our country out to other nations. More to come on other criticisms of the TPP

What is Fast Track/Trade Promotion Authority?

The United States Constitution gives Congress authority over setting the terms of international commerce and it gives the Executive branch authority to negotiate with foreign nations. Obviously, for this to work requires cooperation between the two branches. Under Fast Track authority, the administration is granted by Congress the authority to negotiate trade agreements, draft implementing legislation to change laws, and to sign international trade agreements. http://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/trade-promotion-authority

Congress, under Fast Track, is limited to 20  hours of debate and an up or down vote on the final agreement with no amendments allowed. Fast Track Authority has been around since 1974. The last one granted by Congress expired in 2007. At this time, the Executive Branch does NOT have Fast Track Authority.

Two Congressmen,  Rep. David Camp (R) MI who was House Ways and Means chair and Sen. Max Baucus (D) MT who was Finance chair introduced legislation to revive Fast Track mechanism in January of 2014.  http://www.citizenstrade.org/ctc/trade-policies/fast-tracktrade-promotion-authority-tpa/

Here is a brief history of Fast Track:  http://clinton2.nara.gov/Initiatives/FastTrack/history.html If you keep an open mind, you will see that granting this authority is NOT the END OF DEMOCRACY as some would have you believe. It has been done for decades. Congress has extended it to many presidents. Don't fall for the HYPE! Other presidents have been trusted with this authority, but, now the media hype is going to all extremes to suggest it is the end of the world as we know it to grant it to President Obama.

As you can see, there are many reasons for Congress to grant a President Fast Track Authority. Just remember that Congress ultimately has the decision power and can affirm or reject ANY trade agreement negotiated by the Executive Branch. More to come on Trans Pacific Partnership agreement.

#NoKXL

Okay people it's time to do some grass roots lobbying. For some unknown reason, Harry Reid is going to allow a vote on the Keystone Pipeline next Tuesday. So, we need to get busy for the next few days letting our Senators know how we feel about this issue. You can find contact information for all current Senate members here:  Senate.gov

The House of Representatives just approved it by a vote of 252-161.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/14/politics/house-passes-keystone-pipeline/

In case you don't have an opinion yet on this issue, here are a few links to sites that give you information about the proposed pipeline:  

Regarding the economics of it:  http://www.cnbc.com/id/102181913
 http://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/5-reasons-why-the-keystone-pipeline-is-bad-for-the-economy/

Five myths debunked:  http://mediamatters.org/research/2013/02/14/5-myths-about-keystone-xl-debunked/192668

The dumbest debate:  http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/05/12/keystone-pipeline-is-d-c-s-dumbest-debate.html

The NY Times Index of articles:  http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/k/keystone_pipeline/index.html

Time to act, read up and then let your senators know how you feel about this critical issue.

Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentaryhttp://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/

It's #PromiseDay

November 14 is #PromiseDay at SandyHookPromise.org . The point of the initiative is to encourage people to promise to say something. At https://promiseday.org/ the message is:  sign up and support efforts to educate bystanders to speak up when they might know that another person intends to use a gun to harm others. The website has several points that are useful to educate others about the importance of speaking up.

Here is a PDF file that explains it all:

 https://promiseday.org/sites/default/files/Say%20Something%20print%20version.pdf

In 4 out of 5 school shootings, the shooter told someone of their plans. Imagine is that someone had taken action. Could some of those tragedies been prevented?

Be a better bystander and share this post and the PromiseDay.org website with your friends and followers. That way we can all be part of the solution.   How many lives could be saved? We can stop these senseless acts by being better bystanders -- knowing what to look for and saying something when we see a threat of violence. And more importantly, teaching young people to do the same.

It's a BFD!

Remember when Joe Biden told President Obama that ACA was a BFD? Well, this climate agreement with China is another! Behind the scenes these two countries have been working on an agreement to curb carbon emissions for over nine months. Each country has pledged to work on carbon emission cutting into the near future. The United States will continue its emission reduction 26-28% below 2005 levels through 2025. China is committing to getting 20% of its energy from non-fossil sources by 2030. China is looking to the future by investing in expanding its renewable energy capacity. Already China has 9.8% of its energy coming from renewable and nuclear energy.

The Natural Resources Defense Council is encouraged by this agreement and says that it sends a powerful message to other countries throughout the world. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/11/12/3591284/us-china-climate-deal/

Obviously, this is a major blow to coal producers and their investors. Now, India, the third largest importer of coal has announced plans to halt imports of coal within the next three years. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/11/12/3591511/china-us-climate-deal-big-coal/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

I am glad that I support a President that does not discount climate change and in fact, is actively trying to do something about it. We Democrats need to be shouting this far and wide. This is a BFD!

How to Think for Yourself

Do you practice critical thinking? Do you question the messages you are receiving from television and other forms of media? I have noticed lately that many people seem to blindly accept some "authority" or talking head's viewpoint.  When I ask them if they've read anything on the subject, they don't have an answer.
Case in point:  Twitter friend said that the Trans-Pacific Free Trade Agreement (TPP) was a bad deal. When I asked if the person had studied about it, this was their response, "Just a little bit during past election-terrible for environment + I thought GREEN Energy and LESS corporate greed was Dems agenda?" 
Now, that tells me that this person didn't read up on it at all; but, is merely repeating talking points they heard from some pundit. This is not critical thinking. I am not saying that all pundits are trying to mislead. (Although most are trying to boost their ratings.)

What I am saying is that we need a crash course in how to critically consume what the media is feeding us. The first tip that I use is to consider the agenda of the person trying to influence me. What is their bias? You can hear it if you listen carefully. My second tip is to gather as much information as you can on the subject. Read up on it yourself. Analyze the details. Look at pros and cons. Nothing is 100% pure or perfect. Thirdly, once you have done your own research and analysis, have courage to stand up for what you've deduced.

You can see why more people don't think for themselves now can't you? It is work. Thinking is a bit harder than just accepting someone else's ideas. But, it is worth it in the long run. The benefits include: trust in your own abilities, boosting your brain power, more awareness to the manipulations of the media and others, and you just might help others to expand their brain power and thinking skills.

Democrats Support Veterans

If you have been paying attention, you will know that Democrats support Veterans. The Democratic Platform states:  "As the threats facing our country have evolved over the years, so too has our ability to respond to them. Our national security personnel are the most dynamic and well-trained in the world, and we must never forget the solemn duty that they fulfill for our nation. Democrats are committed to ensuring that our troops have the training, equipment, and support that they need when they are deployed and the care that they and their families need and deserve when they return home."
 http://www.democrats.org/issues/national_security


Meanwhile the GOP do this:   "U.S. Senate Republicans blocked legislation on Thursday that would have expanded federal healthcare and education programs for veterans, saying the $24 billion bill would bust the budget."  http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/27/us-usa-veterans-congress-idUSBREA1Q26O20140227

There are many ways to Honor Veterans and many places to go to find information on how you can participate. But remember this:  Democrats actually do honor Veterans:  "Our commitment to America’s veterans is equal to the full measure of devotion that our veterans committed to us."  http://www.democrats.org/people/veterans_and_military_families 

It's not a bunch of showy Veteran's Day rhetoric. This is what Democrats have DONE:   http://assets.democrats.org/digital/website/CE_Veterans.pdf   Tell that to your GOP uncle.

Unite Now!

For the past few days I've watched people try to figure out why Democrats lost so badly last Tuesday. I've read many interesting theories explaining the results. Everybody knows the answer.

So here's my take on why. People on the left all have issues that concern them, but there's not enough unity. The Democratic Party is the only place for people on the left to go. We support all the major issues from marriage equality to immigration reform. You name an issue that people on the left care about and Democrats care about it, too. See Democratic Platform:  http://www.democrats.org/democratic-national-platform

But, instead of uniting, we've been fighting and the plutocrats have used their media outlets to get both parties to demonize each other so we are distracted and don't notice that they are getting their way. See this article:
http://billmoyers.com/2014/11/04/infuriating-facts-disappearing-middle-class-wealth/

It's time we all realize the real enemy is the 1% and their tools. They've used the Tea Party and ALEC to get control of Congress and state governments all over the country. Now, they are busy turning everything over to corporate control.

We'd better wake up and stop this madness. The only way 1% can control the rest of us is if they keep us busy fighting each other. Stop already! I don't want to hear any more blame game.

Think of the issues that are important to you. The Democratic Party is the place to go to address those concerns. Join a local or state Democrat group and work with us to stop the corporations and the plutocrats. Think long term. You won't get everything you want right away. The corporations have been planning this takeover since end of WWII. They think long term and we must too!

All Politics is local; volunteer! Get involved.

Unite and fight! Vote Blue! Thank you!

Holding Their Feet to the Fire

For the next two years concerned citizens, especially Democrats, need to hold GOP leaders feet to the fire. They have control and they said they'd do something and work with the Administration. How many of you are willing to commit to contacting a GOP congressional leader every day? Here they are listed with their contact information:  

GOP Senate Leaders 113th Congress are:

Minority Leader
 Senator Mitch McConnell - https://www.facebook.com/mitchmcconnell
https://twitter.com/McConnellPress
Washington Office - 317 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington DC, 20510 (202) 224-2541
Minority Whip

Senator John Cornyn - https://www.facebook.com/johncornyn?rf=105156359659320
https://twitter.com/TeamCornyn
Washington Office - 517 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington DC, 20510 (202)- 224-2934

Majority Leaders
GOP House Leaders 113th Congress

Speaker John Boehner - https://www.facebook.com/SpeakerJohnBoehner
https://twitter.com/SpeakerBoehner
Washington Office - H-232 - The Capitol Washington DC 50515 (202)225-0600

Majority Leader
Rep. Kevin McCarthy - https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanKevinMcCarthy
https://twitter.com/GOPLeader
Washington Office - H-107 The Capitol Washington DC, (202) 225-4000
Majority Whip
Rep. Steve Scalisse - https://www.facebook.com/RepSteveScalise?ref=hl
https://twitter.com/SteveScalise
Washington Office - H-329 The Capitol Washington DC, 20004 (202)225-0197

These men are the current GOP leaders in both Houses. Let's hold their feet to the fire and in January, I will post the contact information for the 114th Congress and we can keep them accountable to the electorate as well.

317 Russell Senate Office Building

The Lost Art of Compromise

If it weren't for the fact that our Founding Father's knew how to compromise, we would never have gotten our Constitution. What exactly is compromise? Does that mean nobody gets what they want? No,  it does not! Compromise requires both skill and tact. It means mutual agreement. Both sides need to find areas of common ground. Civil behavior is the first step in the process. We have to disagree without attacking the moral character of our opponent. We will never get anywhere when we demonize the other side. Does anyone seriously think their ideas will be accepted if they call their opponent names? If you go around telling lies about your opponent, how can you expect them to want to work with you?

Our political system has been stalled for quite some time. Both sides have struggled with compromise. Many politicians worry that appearing to compromise will cause their constituents to see them as weak and they will lose their reelection bids. It takes great courage to compromise in today's political climate.

Essential to serious compromise efforts is a sincere respect for the other side. Just like you can't shake hands with someone who presents a closed fist, a leader can't work out a compromise if the other side isn't willing to forget about personal effects and willing to do some give and take.  This hasn't been happening. I'm not sure if it will ever again. President Obama's offer for all congressional leaders to meet with him at the White House is a sincere effort on the administration's part to try to work out compromise solutions to our problems.

We can all do something right now to help this happen. Please contact the congressional leaders and let them know that you want them to work with our president. http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/11/04/report-obama-invites-bipartisan-congressional-leaders-to-meet-at-white-house-on-friday/

Here are the current Senate leaders:   http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/a_three_sections_with_teasers/leadership.htm

Here are the House leaders:  http://house.gov/leadership/

Have We Finished Yet?

Have we finished yet with all the blame game over why Democrats lost the Mid Terms? I know we are all pretty bummed out about losing. No one likes to lose. Now is the time to face the reality of why we lost. It is simple folks. Republicans got higher vote totals! That's how you win. You get more votes than your opponent. Wishing and hoping doesn't win elections. Voting for your candidate wins.

You can blame big money. I have. You can blame candidates from running away from our President and his successes. Many have. You can blame GOP for cheating and voter restriction laws. Some do. You can blame the Supreme Court or the entire world. But, the bottom line is that even though we have more registered Democrats in this country, more people voted for Republican candidates.

Let's be productive and figure out why. Why in my state of Illinois, which has been strongly Democratic for several elections, suddenly vote for a plutocrat GOP for Governor? Now, realize that on the same ballot was an advisory measure asking the legislature to raise the income tax rate on millionaires. Citizens voted strongly in favor of that and then elected a governor who was sure to veto it if it ever made it to his desk. This is insane.

We need to figure out why enough Democrats didn't vote for our candidates or even vote at all. The answers will be unique to each candidate, I believe. But, we need to figure it out before 2016.

Picking Ourselves Up, Dusting Ourselves Off

"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America." Do you recognize those words? Though they were originally sung by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the movie "Swing Time" in 1936, they were quoted more recently in Barack Obama's First Inaugural Speech. 

It is a great speech. In case you missed it, here is the a link to the text of it:  http://www.inaugural.senate.gov/swearing-in/address/address-by-barack-obama-2009

Here is also a link to the song lyrics if you'd like to read them:  http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/p/pickyourselfup.shtml

Today, America moves forward. The Midterm election is behind us. Regardless of the outcome or lack of outcome in some cases, the message remains that we must, "Pick Ourselves Up, Dust Ourselves Off, and start all over again." We CAN do it! Don't let the naysayers get you down. We can address the problems our country faces both here and abroad. 

I also looked at George W. Bush's First Inaugural Speech. You can read it here:  http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=25853 Why would I do that? Well, I was taught that a critical thinker compares and contrasts. They analyze people's words and look for deeper meaning. Here's what President Bush said our country needed to do, " Sometimes in life we're called to do great things. But as a saint of our times has said, "Every day we are called to do small things with great love." The most important tasks of a democracy are done by everyone." 

Now, we can't do great things UNLESS everyone does their part. That's what he said. We need to make sure that EVERYONE has opportunity to do their part. We have our work cut out for us. But as Our President Barack Obama said, "Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends—honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosities, loyalty and patriotism—these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded, then, is a return to these truths; what is required of us now is a new era of responsibility—a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our Nation, and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but, rather, seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task."

Forward, Not Back

It All Comes Down to Voter Turnout

It All Comes Down to Voter Turnout. That's what the pundits are saying. So which party has the best ground game? More importantly, what have YOU done to encourage voter turnout? We all would like to shift the blame to the National party operatives, wouldn't we? It's their fault if our voters don't turn out. They had a lousy ground game. I've seen those posts already on social media. Haven't you?

But, seriously, what have YOU done? Have you manned a phone bank for a candidate? Or walked a district to distribute campaign materials? Or put a candidates campaign sign in your yard or window? Have you written a letter to the editor in support of your candidate? Have you talked to anyone about voting? Or helped someone get registered to vote? These, and many others, are integral parts of the ground game. The bigwigs in the party need you! Remember this in future elections. It's not what the party has done to get out the vote; it's what YOU have done.

One last time this season, I say please vote for Democrats and help move our county FORWARD.

The Final Countdown

One thing is abundantly clear this election cycle. No one knows for sure what will happen when all the votes are counted late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning. The big GOP takeover has not materialized as planned. But, will the Blue wave rise to get our candidates elected? Daily Kos has been ranking the Senate and gubernatorial races since last spring. If you've followed them and other political pundits, you know what a seesaw this election cycle has been.  Sunday, Daily Kos published their last Election Power Rankings.  The article is worth a careful read. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/02/1340499/-Daily-Kos-Elections-Power-Rankings-The-final-countdown

Regardless of what happens Tuesday, many of us know that we've done our best to educate voters and try to turn out the Democratic voters. We also know that in many states the GOP have also done their best to make it hard for folks to vote.

When all is said and done, we'll still be here, only shifting our focus to 2016. We'll still be educating voters and supporting our favorite Democrats. I hope you've voted already if early voting was available. If not, I hope you will get out tomorrow and vote for Democrats.

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Souls to the Polls and Other Early Voting Options

The other day someone on Twitter asked my why we needed early voting. He wondered why folks just couldn't go vote on Election Day. He seemed sincere. Have you ever wondered how "Souls to the Polls" came about? Or why some places have early voting provisions? For many of us, it is a simple thing to get a few hours off work and drive ourselves to our polling place and vote on election day. If this is our situation, we tend to think everyone has same chance that we do. That's what privilege is all about.

Unfortunately, others may not have the same advantages that we do. Many don't have their own car and must rely on public transportation to get to and from work. This really complicates ones ability to get to work and to the polls and home again. 

Souls to the polls started as an effort in the Black Churches to get their people to the polls just before election day. It has been very successful. So successful that GOP legislatures and Secretary's of State have tried to eliminate or restrict it. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/30/upshot/data-from-sunday-points-to-black-churches-role-in-mobilizing-voters.html

Mail in absentee ballots and early voting at designated sites have also helped voters cast their ballots. My son is a teacher and drives 45 minutes to another town to work. This complicates voting. But his town had early voting and he voted at the country clerk's office last Sunday! Why not make it simpler for people to do their civic duty? 

I like to vote early and then volunteer to drive others on election day. In my area, that meant driving 20 miles to the county clerk's office between 8 AM and 4 PM to cast my ballot. This year however, I requested a mail-in ballot. They sent it right out, I filled it in and mailed it back the next day. I feel good that regardless of what might happen next Tuesday, my ballot is already there, waiting till the polls are closed to be counted with all the rest. This to me is the essence of Democracy. Citizens casting their ballots for their chosen candidates and issues is a sacred right and duty. Vote for Democrats who want everyone to vote.

Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentary  http://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/