Displaying 1,651 To 1,680 Of 4,640 Comments Bernie Sanders December 20, 2012: Remember when the White House said Social Security was “off the table” in the deficit talks because it has a $2.7 trillion surplus and hasn’t contributed to deficits? Remember when President Obama pledged not to cut benefits for retirees, widows and orphans? The White House has now agreed to adopt a stingier formula for cost-of-living increases which would cut benefits. In a Senate floor speech, Bernie said the White House had offered repeated assurances that would not happen “and that Social Security should be off the table in terms of deficit reduction. I heard that many, many times. So I wonder how Social Security suddenly has gotten back on the table, including a chained CPI with devastating cuts to seniors and disabled vets,” Sanders said. “Mr. President, I am disappointed.” Senator Sanders say lets deal with and discuss SS separately but not part of a deficit reduction.
http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=14e7ab43-8cb1-4dba-9ec5-5846ab09ceaa » Posted By SallyT On December 20, 2012 @ 11:59 am LIVE: Tea Party Group Flip-Flops, Now Opposes Boehner’s ‘Plan B’ 1:49 PM | Top conservative group FreedomWorks flips and now OPPOSES Boehner’s plan. Keeping score, that means FreedomWorks joins RedState, Heritage Action and Club for Growth in opposing Plan B. » Posted By SallyT On December 20, 2012 @ 11:37 am But, the world ends tomorrow and all those guys with the gold bars in their basement along with their guns have been preparing for it! I would think they would be out making a last ditch effort to get more. Gold Is Falling Out Of Bed [img]http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/50d33fc269beddb67f00000b-631-404-596-381/screen%20shot%202012-12-20%20at%2011.40.08%20am.jpg[/img] http://www.businessinsider.com/december-20-gold-continues-to-fall-2012-12 » Posted By SallyT On December 20, 2012 @ 11:10 am Bito, I am no judge of DeJa Vu as I spent most of my time these days saying: “Unh? Say that again?” But, I think it has been brought up before of Affleck running for office here or there. I just hadn’t seen it in connection with Mass. I thought it funny since so many times I have heard of Scott Brown referred to as “so good looking”. Also, Affleck has said he would not run for office before. People do change their minds. I don’t know if he would but he is very knowledgeable and he has impressed me with his depth in discussing political issues. » Posted By SallyT On December 20, 2012 @ 11:02 am KQ, I have no problem with anyone progressive or otherwise questioning this and bringing attention to the matter. I am very concerned as I am dependent upon my SS. A cut here, an adjustment there, or changes made are chips at it. I wouldn’t like any getting big enough to allow it to crumble. The Republicans have been working for that since it began. I have also read that sometimes things are leaked out to see the responses it will get. Boehner has no problem in saying he has to do this or that because his caucus won’t let this through or pass. The Democrats can use the same tactic that we will not let SS be used and they have the public behind them. Just look at the responses. » Posted By SallyT On December 20, 2012 @ 10:51 am Hey Scott Brown, how would you like to face off against a hunk that isn’t yourself? Is Ben Affleck going to run for Senate? Rumors are spreading around Capitol Hill and elsewhere that actor-director Ben Affleck might be considering a Senate run for Massachusetts. http://www.salon.com/2012/12/19/is_ben_affleck_going_to_run_for_senate/ » Posted By SallyT On December 20, 2012 @ 1:12 am So SWEET! » Posted By SallyT On December 20, 2012 @ 12:32 am STOCKS TUMBLE AFTER BOEHNER’S ANGRY PRESS CONFERENCE: Here’s What You Need To Know . This morning, housing starts came in below expectations, falling 3 percent in November…. Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/closing-bell-19-2012-12#ixzz2FXEcLyKp » Posted By SallyT On December 19, 2012 @ 1:20 pm Bito, I don’t understand all yet myself. I have to admit that I don’t like SS even being considered. But, I will wait before panicking until I know the details. However, I don’t mind that people are giving this attention. The following articles are interesting. You might like to read. One is showing other ways to cut SS and the other is someone concerned and going to fight to protect. Three cuts to Social Security that are way, way more progressive than chained CPI First Loyalties Oh, and the Teamsters: Teamsters Strongly Oppose Cuts To Social Security » Posted By SallyT On December 19, 2012 @ 12:40 pm Any cut to SS is scary. One cut now, another later? But this cut has reaching effects if it is passed. I am sure we will feel this cut before any over $250,000 will feel a tax increase. The inflation measure under consideration is called the Chained Consumer Price Index. On average, the measure shows a lower level of inflation than the more widely used Consumer Price Index because it assumes that as prices rise, consumers turn to lower-cost alternatives, reducing the amount of inflation they experience. If adopted across the government, the change would have far-reaching effects because so many programs are adjusted each year based on year-to-year changes in consumer prices. On average, annual increases in Social Security payments, government pensions and veterans’ benefits would be about 0.3 percentage points smaller each year. Next year’s COLA is 1.7 percent. Under the new measure of inflation, it would be about 1.4 percent. Taxes would slowly increase because annual adjustments to income tax brackets would be smaller, pushing more people into higher tax brackets. Over time, fewer people would be eligible for anti-poverty programs like Medicaid, Head Start, food stamps and school lunches because annual adjustments to the poverty level would be smaller, leaving fewer people under the official poverty line. If enacted for 2014, the change would reduce government borrowing by $223 billion over the next decade _ $158 billion in spending cuts and $65 billion in tax increases, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The biggest savings _ $102 billion _ would come from Social Security. http://www.laramieboomerang.com/articles/2012/12/19/ap/politics/us_fiscal_cliff_social_security.txt » Posted By SallyT On December 19, 2012 @ 12:27 pm I will be hurt if we lose this increase. I’ll wait to see how it is calculated before I panic. We didn’t get any for several years. I did get the increase this year and it was more than $38.00 a month. It doesn’t cover the increase in my property tax but it certainly will help. I know many people that it will hurt also because their benefits aren’t as high as mine. You are very fortunate that it won’t. I will wait to see how Senator Sanders reacts before I do. But, AARP is not too happy. » Posted By SallyT On December 19, 2012 @ 2:37 am KT, Huckabee said that Sandy Hook massacre happened because we’ve ‘systematically removed God’ from our schools. How stupid! Like those children lost their lives because God is so selfish and upset because we don’t pray in school. The pitting us against others because of religion, race, or who we love has made so much anger. There is no real flattery of all the good in the world. That doesn’t make headlines for the 24hr news cycles. Reality shows are popular because they show how low people will go against one another to win money or fame. The most popular video games are the real violent ones. » Posted By SallyT On December 16, 2012 @ 10:04 pm I don’t know, Kes, most of these have been suicidal and end with them taken their own lives as well. Wouldn’t they call a suicide hotline if they were to call someone? They are checking Facebook and such for any indication that this guy was making threats. I don’t think they have found any, yet. These mental health issues need to be caught way before the anger gets so deep. The anger isn’t to kill others as much as they feel they have been ignored and others think they are of no importance. They want to take away more than just themselves. If mental health was treated more seriously and accessibility more readily available (not covered in many health plans) perhaps help could be found. State hospitals weren’t the best for treating all these conditions but they were available to those in need. Of course those were all closed because of funding costs. » Posted By SallyT On December 16, 2012 @ 9:48 pm I just heard a tweet that made me stop and say out loud, “That is so true!” » Posted By SallyT On December 16, 2012 @ 7:32 pm And Kes, he has loving daughters to hold. They are reason for any parent to get up and face the world for them and as president for ours. » Posted By SallyT On December 16, 2012 @ 7:25 pm Kes, I just heard someone on Meet The Press say that someone in that school should have been armed. Get over “more guns make us safer”! We are a country of guns and we aren’t safe! I am in agreement with you that we can’t just look at guns alone. We have to see why this is happening. Is it mental health and our lack of care for these people? Do we encourage it by giving these events so much news coverage, 24 hours of it? Rushing out mis-information and confusion. Each event is getting worse, even though it would be bad enough if it had been just one person injured. The weapons of mass destruction are not necessary for citizens, they are military weapons. Of course they have contributed to these types of events. But, why are people (young people) reacting to life in this way? When did this start? I read that states with tighter gun control have less suicides. Guns are just to convenient and quick. I don’t know if back ground checks can catch these people. What and when makes them react this way? They could have the gun years before anything would trigger them to pull the trigger. There are so many things to consider and look into. BUT, I do feel outlawing semi-automatic weapons and ammunition is a good start. Just my opinion. » Posted By SallyT On December 16, 2012 @ 7:20 pm How sweet. I love the little girl in the purple sweater hiding behind the boy. (That would probably be me if I meant the President at that age. I hid in the cloak closet when I was in Kindergarten when Santa Claus came to the school. Of course I out grew that shyness. I would embrace the President now and certainly Santa Claus!) And, the little girl resting her chin on him and hugging the President’s leg, that is just too precious for words. She looks like she knows this man is a good man and she is safe. (Okay, now that would be me!) » Posted By SallyT On December 16, 2012 @ 7:02 pm KQ, I heard an interview with an Aunt (I don’t know if she was sister to the boys mother or father) and she said that the mother was a “survivorist”(sp?) and was stock piling food and weapons. There are a lot of those scared and scary people out there. How much this influenced this young man’s mind is in question. I feel it had an impact. » Posted By SallyT On December 16, 2012 @ 6:02 pm WONDERFUL NEWS! Here is to more good new tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow…………… 🙂 » Posted By SallyT On December 16, 2012 @ 2:26 pm KT, no Clackamas TownCenter is not near the river. I think you might be thinking of Janzten Beach Mall. It is on Janzten Beach Island and is between Portland and Vancouver. It had a big carousal that use to be in the middle of it. It is pretty much torn down now and redone with more strip mall stores instead of a mall. But, it is still popular with Washington buyers since Oregon doesn’t have sales taxes. I use to have a floating home there. My daughter has it now. Love that island! » Posted By SallyT On December 12, 2012 @ 10:18 pm As far as I know, the ice rink is still there. This shopping center has had financial problems but it has done a lot of remodeling and was before this turning around. They have had bomb threats in the past and most of these employees there have had training in evacuating. Lloyd Center is a very nice mall. No gun shootings that I know of. » Posted By SallyT On December 12, 2012 @ 10:11 pm If I was going to the mall, that would be the one. Thank goodness I wasn’t and none of my family where there. This is so sad and certainly scary! You just never know when or where someone with a sick mind and a gun is going to be where you are. » Posted By SallyT On December 11, 2012 @ 7:09 pm BREAKING NEWS Gunman opens fire at Oregon mall, several people shot: officials PORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters) – A gunman opened fire at an Oregon shopping mall outside of Portland on Tuesday and multiple people were believed to have been shot and wounded, authorities said. The Oregonian newspaper reported on its website that two people had been killed by a man using a semiautomatic rifle who may have also been wearing body armor. The paper said the shooting occurred near the mall’s food court. UPDATE: Sheriff’s Department says that the shooter has been neutralized. » Posted By SallyT On December 11, 2012 @ 4:49 pm Absurd Argument from Scalia?? What else would he have! Go away old man!! Antonin Scalia’s Absurd Argument Against Homosexuality U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia compared homosexuality and murder on Monday as he argued at a Princeton seminar that elected bodies should be allowed to regulate actions they see as immoral. “If we cannot have moral feelings against homosexuality, can we have it against murder? Can we have it against other things?” Scalia said, according to The Associated Press. Scalia said that while he did not believe such hyperbole was “necessary,” he did think it was “effective” in forwarding his argument that legislatures should be allowed to ban acts they believe to be immoral. “It’s a form of argument that I thought you would have known, which is called the ‘reduction to the absurd,’ ” Scalia said. Scalia said he did not equate homosexuality morally with murder, but was making a point about the state’s ability to regulate them. “I’m surprised you aren’t persuaded,” he deadpanned to the audience member who asked him about his views. http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/antonin-scalias-disgusting-reduction-ab » Posted By SallyT On December 11, 2012 @ 3:27 pm Bito, no need to apologize. I am bothered by “Right to Work” state actions going on. The Union fights for wages, working conditions, safety, and benefits which include pensions. Lots of people say they don’t have pensions anymore. Well, that is because there aren’t as many unions. You do have to pay dues but those dues cover many things including benefits and pensions. Why should someone working at the company as those paying the dues get the same as those not? Ask lower management at those companies how unfair things get. Oh, sure they are management and they will blame the union but in the back of their minds they would love to have the benefits the union got for themselves, too. (This is one of the ways the company turns management against union employees. The company says because of the union employees they have to cut management benefits or wage increases. But, no one at the very top will lose anything because they make their money on productivity for the less cost.) Look at lower management and see if they look happy. That is what you will look like without the union. However, I also know companies that let their office employees belong to the Teamster Union Health Benefits because they are better than they can provide for them. These of course are smaller companies that care about their workers. » Posted By SallyT On December 11, 2012 @ 2:55 pm And Bito, what I was attempting to express was that it was Union Ins, one of those Cadillac Plans. There is more than just wages and those union dues do go for other things, too. » Posted By SallyT On December 10, 2012 @ 9:40 pm I had Teamster Union Ins and they even offered to supply a nurse at home for me when I was released. However, Mr. T took care of me and one wasn’t necessary. » Posted By SallyT On December 10, 2012 @ 8:25 pm NEWS FLASH Booker: I’m “absolutely” considering run against Gov. Christie
» Posted By SallyT On December 9, 2012 @ 9:18 pm That was several years ago, Kes. 2 weeks were in ICU. But, we are much, much, much better now. I wish the same for your little friend! And, I haven’t cut my hair since. It now hangs below my waist, not around my waist. That would be really long! 😉 » Posted By SallyT On December 9, 2012 @ 6:54 pm Oh, the sweet little guy! Hope each day is better news and better news! My bedhead was a laughing matter when I was in the hospital for 30 days and then it all fell out! But, it grew back….grayer. 😉 » Posted By SallyT On December 9, 2012 @ 6:29 pmComments Posted By SallyT
Affleck, however, would not confirm or deny the rumor. “That’s not what I’m here to talk about,” he told Politico. “I’m here to talk about what role we can place in making the Eastern Congo a better place.”
But Boston reporter Jon Keller argues that if Kerry’s seat does, in fact, open up, Affleck could have a fair chance. Affleck has been active in the Democratic Party for more than a decade, and campaigned for Sen.-elect Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.),
. After House Speaker John Boehner introduced “Plan B” yesterday as part of the ongoing fiscal cliff negotiations, the White House slammed the plan this morning, saying President Obama would veto a bill if it reached his desk….
. Speaker Boehner responded this afternoon by giving a brusque press conference – clocking in at under a minute in length – before leaving the podium abruptly without taking questions. “Tomorrow, the House will pass legislation to make permanent tax relief for every American,” Boehner said. “Then the president will have a decision to make. He can call on Senate Democrats to pass that bill. Or he can be responsible for the largest tax increase in American history.”
. Around 10:30 AM, when the Department of Energy released its weekly figures on oil stockpiles, WTI crude oil futures surged….
. President Obama delivered a separate press conference on gun violence today, introducing a task force to address the growing problem highlighted by Friday’s tragic shooting. However, stocks of gun manufacturers, which have sold off substantially this week, were unfazed by the news, rebounding from their recent lows.
. CNBC reported this afternoon that hedge funder Bill Ackman is short Herbalife stock, sending shares nearly 9 percent lower. Herbalife stock was plagued earlier this year by speculation that another big hedgie, David Einhorn, may have been short the stock.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/12/18/three-cuts-to-social-security-that-are-way-way-more-progressive-than-chained-cpi/
http://crooksandliars.com/mike-lux/first-loyalties
http://news.yahoo.com/teamsters-strongly-oppose-cuts-social-security-214800942.html
KT, you are so right, “if we showed more love than hardline rules of behavior, we can save a child from turning into the monsters that we’ve witnessed”. If we show more of life with value of being, not the value of what one owns, there would be less disappointment. Just be happy to be alive and the capability to give love as well as receive.
It was and I am paraphrasing: “We have one guy with a shoe bomb on a plane and we all now have to take off our shoes to board a plane. But, after Columbine we have had no changes.”
The gunman remained at large at the Clackamas Town Center near the Portland suburb of Happy Valley, said Steve Campbell, spokesman for the city.
CORY BOOKER ‘SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING’ GOVERNOR AND SENATE BIDS | Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) said Sunday morning that he is weighing runs for both the New Jersey Governorship in 2013 and U.S. Senate seat in 2014. Speaking to Bob Schieffer on CBS’ Face the Nation, Booker said he’d decide “in the next two weeks” if he was running for Governor. Booker is “the biggest player” in New Jersey Democratic politics, as he is “the only Democrat in the state who can match Christie’s star power and fundraising prowess.”
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