Thursday, October 13, 2011
Only Mining Added Jobs Since Recession Began
Job Comparison Chart from BusinessInsider.com
BusinessInsider.com reports, "Obama's jobs council has come out with its report on how to create more jobs in America. There's plenty of talk in there about more investment in education and subsidies for alternative energy. One interesting chart that we'd never seen before: A look at employment creation and destruction by industry since before the recession, in 2007. EVERY category has lost jobs, including government. Construction has obviously gotten killed.
The one big stand out winner... mining. We're surprised too."
BusinessInsider.com reports, "Obama's jobs council has come out with its report on how to create more jobs in America. There's plenty of talk in there about more investment in education and subsidies for alternative energy. One interesting chart that we'd never seen before: A look at employment creation and destruction by industry since before the recession, in 2007. EVERY category has lost jobs, including government. Construction has obviously gotten killed.
The one big stand out winner... mining. We're surprised too."
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Proclamation – Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer – 1860
| Proclamation – Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer – 1860 |
| James Buchanan – 12/14/1860 |
 By His Excellency
James Buchanan, President of the United States of America.
A Proclamation for a Day of Humiliation, Fasting, & Prayer.
To the People of the United States. A Recommendation.
Numerous appeals have been made to me by pious and patriotic associations and citizens, in view of the present distracted and dangerous condition of our country, to recommend that a day be set apart for Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer throughout the Union.
In compliance with their request and my own sense of duty, I designate Friday, the 4th of January 1861, for this purpose, and recommend that the People assemble on that day, according to their several forms of worship, to keep it as a solemn Fast.The Union of the States is at the present moment threatened with alarming and immediate danger; panic and distress of a fearful character prevails throughout the land; our laboring population are without employment, and consequently deprived of the means of earning their bread. Indeed, hope seems to have deserted the minds of men. All classes are in a state of confusion and dismay, and the wisest counsels of our best and purest men are wholly disregarded. In this the hour of our calamity and peril, to whom shall we resort for relief but to the God of our fathers? His omnipotent arm only can save us from the awful effects of our own crimes and follies — our own ingratitude and guilt towards our Heavenly Father.
Let us, then, with deep contrition and penitent sorrow, unite in humbling ourselves before the Most High, in confessing our individual and national sins, and in acknowledging the injustice of our punishment. Let us implore Him to remove from our hearts that false pride of opinion which would impel us to persevere in wrong for the sake of consistency, rather than yield a just submission to the unforeseen exigencies by which we are now surrounded. Let us with deep reverence beseech him to restore the friendship and good will which prevailed in former days among the people of the several States; and, above all, to save us from the horrors of civil war and “blood-guiltiness.” Let our fervent prayers ascend to His Throne that He would not desert us in this hour of extreme peril, but remember us as he did our fathers in the darkest days of the revolution; and preserve our Constitution and our Union, the work of their hands, for ages yet to come.
An Omnipotent Providence may overrule existing evils for permanent good. He can make the wrath of man to praise Him, and the remainder of wrath he can restrain. — Let me invoke every individual, in whatever sphere of like he may be placed, to feel a personal responsibility to God and his country for keeping this day holy, and for contributing all in his power to remove our actual and impending calamities.
James Buchanan.
Washington, Dec. 14, 1860.
|
Common Cause: As Nonpartisan as Moveon.org
While browsing through the web today, I noticed an advertisement to sign a petition for the "nonpartisan, nonprofit" lobby and advocacy organization called Common Cause. According to their mission statement, Common Cause is a "nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to restoring the core values of American democracy, reinventing an open, honest and accountable government that serves the public interest, and empowering ordinary people to make their voices heard in the political process.”
Although the group was started by conservative, John W. Gardner in 1970, the organization has morphed into anything but conservative in nature.
Common Cause has been hi-jacked by democrats and is far from being nonpartisan. The president and CEO is Robert W. Edgar, a former Pennsylvania Democratic congressman, and the chairman of the outfit is Robert Reich, Bill Clinton's former Labor Secretary. Also, the head of legislative affairs is Sarah Dufendach, who served as chief of staff to former U.S. Congressman David Bonior (Democrat-MI). Many of you will not remember, but Bonior filed over 75 ethics charges against then Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich. A nonpartisan if ever there was one.
Do you recall the Courage Campaign protests around February 2011? The quote below is from Calitics.com.
"The Courage Campaign coordinated a diverse coalition of organizations, bringing together activists - with a broad array of concerns about the Koch brothers - to counter the billionaires cabal. Our partners include Common Cause, CNA, AFSCME, HCAN, Greenpeace, California Student Sustainability Coalition, CREDO, MoveOn, COPEPINK, The Ruckus Society and The Other 98%. My role was to coordinate logistics for the coalition, which is a cohesive panoply of groups committed to hold billionaires accountable for the damage they have done (and stop them before they cause any further harm). This demonstration is the kickoff for national campaigns for corporate accountability and good government this year."
As part of the big shindig, Calitics.com also reported:
"Common Cause hosted a panel, "Uncloaking the Kochs," in a nearby movie theater, and you can view that at Common Cause's youtube page. Over 350 attendees attended the panel on the Koch brothers influence on our political process, including panelists including Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of UC-Irvine's law school, Van Jones, Bob Edgar, and Lee Fang. The panel discussion and the rally was broadcast on ustream so many more participated from around the globe."
Let's see, that's Robert "the Bob" Edgar from Common Cause with Van "the Communist" Jones, who was Obama's Green Jobs Czar until a little less-than-positive reports began to surface.
The East Bay Express did a profile on Van Jones on November 2, 2005. Based on the information from the story, Politifact.com wrote that:
"Jones was arrested in 1992 during the Rodney King protests. The charges were dropped later, but while in jail, Jones said, "I met all these young radical people of color — I mean really radical, communists and anarchists. And it was, like, 'This is what I need to be a part of.' I spent the next 10 years of my life working with a lot of those people I met in jail, trying to be a revolutionary."
"In the months that followed," the Express article said, "he let go of any lingering thoughts that he might fit in with the status quo. 'I was a rowdy nationalist on April 28th, and then the verdicts came down on April 29th,' he said. 'By August, I was a communist.'"
In 1994, the story states, Jones formed a socialist collective called Standing Together to Organize a Revolutionary Movement, or STORM.
According to a history of STORM written in the spring of 2004, the group held "structured political education" training at every meeting "to help members develop an understanding of the basics of Marxist politics." They "trained members on capitalism and wage exploitation, the state and revolution, imperialism and the revolutionary party."
Now, the big question is, why are these folks attacking David and Charles Koch? Well, it's because the two brothers have pumped over 100 million dollars into conservative and libertarian groups over the last three decades. Some of the more notable causes include Americans for Prosperty, the Heritage Foundation, FreedomWorks, the Cato Institute, and the Tea Party movement.
Common Cause also went after Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia. Why? Once again, primarily due to the Koch family. To read more about this you can go to the Common Cause website link.
Finally, the real mission of CommonCause.org is revealed. The organization seeks to eliminate conservative funding of politicians or political groups during elections, while ignoring big unions and other groups bankrolling democrats. And what is the latest event most likely brought to you by the Common Cause cronies and the sponsors of the Courage Campaign? I'm guessing it's "The Occupy Wallstreet Wackos.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Citizens United Decision Profoundly Affects Political Landscape
Effects of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
The
slide show above shows how political spending by outside groups has
morphed over the years and how Citizens United made it easier for big
donors to pay for political advertisements. Click bottom right hand
corner to view presentation full screen.
View more presentations from s_maccoll
Unprecedented political spending. Secret donors. New ways for unions and corporations to spend money on politics.
An analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics reveals that the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court ruling of January 2010 has profoundly affected the nation's political landscape.
Corporations and unions both benefited from the ruling, being able to
use their general treasuries to pay for independent expenditures for the
first time.
Unions spent more than $17.3 million from their general treasuries on independent expenditures opposing Republican candidates such as Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) and James Renacci (R-Ohio). The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees spent more than $7 million out of their general treasury, the most of any other union.
The National Education Association had a different strategy. It set up a so called "super PAC" and financed it with $3.3 million from its general treasury. Pre-Citizens United unions could only spend money on independent expenditures using funds that were voluntarily donated to their political action committee by union members. Now unions can tap into funds that come directly from union member's dues. Unions are still banned from using their treasuries to donate to congressional campaigns and party committees.
Corporations generally did not directly get involved in political spending but rather donated more than $15 million to a new type of political group known as a "super PAC". These groups may raise unlimited amounts of money from any source as long as the donors are disclosed and the groups only spend money on independent expenditures. The top two corporate donors in 2010 were TRT Holdings and Alliance Resource Partners, which each donated about $2.5 million to the 'super PAC' American Crossroads. Corporate donations are likely higher than reported as conservative non-profit groups spent $121 million without disclosing where the money came from.
The ruling allowed corporations and unions to use their general treasuries to pay for political advertisements that expressly call for the election or defeat of a candidate, also known as independent expenditures. This ruling subsequently allowed non-profit corporations under the tax code 501c to spend unlimited amounts of money running these political advertisements while not revealing their donors.
Influencing elections cannot, by law, be the primary purpose of the non-profits.
These nonprofits certainly took advantage of their new power, however, spending $61.3 million on independent expenditures in 2010.
Top findings of the Center's study include:
GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT:
Independent Expenditure - political advertisement that expressly calls for the election of defeat of a candidate -- includes mailings, radio ads, television ads, billboards and other media.
Electioneering Communication - a broadcast, cable or satellite communication that mentions a candidate's name within 30 days of a primary election and 60 days of a general election -- were popular by '527' groups in 2004 but now are mostly used by 501c non-profit groups
Super PAC - A political group that can raise unlimited amounts of money from any source as long as the donors are disclosed and the money is only spent on independent expenditures -- came about in 2010 for the first time in part from the Citizens United ruling. Examples: American Crossroads, America's Families First Action Fund, Club for Growth Action
501c Groups - Non-profit organization registered under the IRS tax code 501c. Certain kinds of these groups -- most notably, 501c(4), 501c(5) and 501c(6) organizations -- may spend unlimited amounts of money on electioneering communications and independent expenditures. They do not have to reveal their donors. Influencing elections cannot, however, be their primary purpose. They cannot donate to political campaign committees or party committees. Examples: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Action Network, Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, League of Conservation Voters, VoteVets.org
527 Groups - Political groups registered under tax code 527. They may raise unlimited amounts of money from individuals and corporations and could spend unlimited amounts of money on what are generally electioneering communications, although during the 2010 cycle, they began spending some money on independent expenditures. The groups can also use the money on get-out-the-vote drives, polling, fund-raising and other political activities. These groups cannot donate to political campaign committees or party committees and have to disclose all donors and expenditures to the IRS. Examples: The Media Fund, Swift Boat Veteran for Truth, Progress for America
QNC (Qualified Non-Profit Corporations) - Qualified non-profit corporations are ideological 501c(4) groups permitted to raise unlimited amounts of money from individuals and to spend that money on independent expenditures and electioneering communications. They cannot accept money from corporations or unions, have significant business income, or have electioneering as their major purpose. They are not required to disclose their donors unless the donor specifically earmarks their contribution for electioneering. Examples: Defenders of Wildlife, Planned Parenthood, Environment America, Humane Society of the US
PAC (Political Action Committee) - Political committees that can donate up to $5,000 per election to a candidate's campaign committee, spend unlimited amounts of money on independent expenditures. They can only accept contributions of $5,000 or less from individuals or other PACs and must disclose all donors and expenditures to the FEC. Companies cannot donate to a PAC but their employees can donate to a PAC. Examples, AT&T (PAC), American Bankers Association, Laborers Union, Boeing (PAC)
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) - A Supreme Court case that ruled in a 5-4 decision to allowed corporations and unions to use their general treasuries to pay for political advertisements that expressly call for the election of defeat of a candidate, also known as an independent expenditure.
Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life (2007) - A Supreme Court case that ruled in a 5-4 'as-applied' decision to allowed corporate and union treasury money to be used in electioneering communications. This law went into effect December 26th, 2007.
McCain-Feingold Act of 2002 - Named after sponsors Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), it required the disclosure of electioneering communications and banned corporate and union treasury money in political advertisements leading up to an election and banned unlimited “soft money” donations to national political party committees.
Unions spent more than $17.3 million from their general treasuries on independent expenditures opposing Republican candidates such as Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) and James Renacci (R-Ohio). The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees spent more than $7 million out of their general treasury, the most of any other union.
The National Education Association had a different strategy. It set up a so called "super PAC" and financed it with $3.3 million from its general treasury. Pre-Citizens United unions could only spend money on independent expenditures using funds that were voluntarily donated to their political action committee by union members. Now unions can tap into funds that come directly from union member's dues. Unions are still banned from using their treasuries to donate to congressional campaigns and party committees.
Corporations generally did not directly get involved in political spending but rather donated more than $15 million to a new type of political group known as a "super PAC". These groups may raise unlimited amounts of money from any source as long as the donors are disclosed and the groups only spend money on independent expenditures. The top two corporate donors in 2010 were TRT Holdings and Alliance Resource Partners, which each donated about $2.5 million to the 'super PAC' American Crossroads. Corporate donations are likely higher than reported as conservative non-profit groups spent $121 million without disclosing where the money came from.
The ruling allowed corporations and unions to use their general treasuries to pay for political advertisements that expressly call for the election or defeat of a candidate, also known as independent expenditures. This ruling subsequently allowed non-profit corporations under the tax code 501c to spend unlimited amounts of money running these political advertisements while not revealing their donors.
Influencing elections cannot, by law, be the primary purpose of the non-profits.
These nonprofits certainly took advantage of their new power, however, spending $61.3 million on independent expenditures in 2010.
Top findings of the Center's study include:
- The percentage of spending coming from groups that do not disclose their donors has risen from 1 percent to 47 percent since the 2006 midterm elections
- 501c non-profit spending increased from zero percent of total spending by outside groups in 2006 to 42 percent in 2010.
- Outside interest groups spent more on election season political advertising than party committees for the first time in at least two decades, besting party committees by about $105 million.
- The amount of independent expenditure and electioneering communication spending by outside groups has quadrupled since 2006.
- Seventy-two percent of political advertising spending by outside groups in 2010 came from sources that were prohibited from spending money in 2006
GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT:
Independent Expenditure - political advertisement that expressly calls for the election of defeat of a candidate -- includes mailings, radio ads, television ads, billboards and other media.
Electioneering Communication - a broadcast, cable or satellite communication that mentions a candidate's name within 30 days of a primary election and 60 days of a general election -- were popular by '527' groups in 2004 but now are mostly used by 501c non-profit groups
Super PAC - A political group that can raise unlimited amounts of money from any source as long as the donors are disclosed and the money is only spent on independent expenditures -- came about in 2010 for the first time in part from the Citizens United ruling. Examples: American Crossroads, America's Families First Action Fund, Club for Growth Action
501c Groups - Non-profit organization registered under the IRS tax code 501c. Certain kinds of these groups -- most notably, 501c(4), 501c(5) and 501c(6) organizations -- may spend unlimited amounts of money on electioneering communications and independent expenditures. They do not have to reveal their donors. Influencing elections cannot, however, be their primary purpose. They cannot donate to political campaign committees or party committees. Examples: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Action Network, Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, League of Conservation Voters, VoteVets.org
527 Groups - Political groups registered under tax code 527. They may raise unlimited amounts of money from individuals and corporations and could spend unlimited amounts of money on what are generally electioneering communications, although during the 2010 cycle, they began spending some money on independent expenditures. The groups can also use the money on get-out-the-vote drives, polling, fund-raising and other political activities. These groups cannot donate to political campaign committees or party committees and have to disclose all donors and expenditures to the IRS. Examples: The Media Fund, Swift Boat Veteran for Truth, Progress for America
QNC (Qualified Non-Profit Corporations) - Qualified non-profit corporations are ideological 501c(4) groups permitted to raise unlimited amounts of money from individuals and to spend that money on independent expenditures and electioneering communications. They cannot accept money from corporations or unions, have significant business income, or have electioneering as their major purpose. They are not required to disclose their donors unless the donor specifically earmarks their contribution for electioneering. Examples: Defenders of Wildlife, Planned Parenthood, Environment America, Humane Society of the US
PAC (Political Action Committee) - Political committees that can donate up to $5,000 per election to a candidate's campaign committee, spend unlimited amounts of money on independent expenditures. They can only accept contributions of $5,000 or less from individuals or other PACs and must disclose all donors and expenditures to the FEC. Companies cannot donate to a PAC but their employees can donate to a PAC. Examples, AT&T (PAC), American Bankers Association, Laborers Union, Boeing (PAC)
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) - A Supreme Court case that ruled in a 5-4 decision to allowed corporations and unions to use their general treasuries to pay for political advertisements that expressly call for the election of defeat of a candidate, also known as an independent expenditure.
Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life (2007) - A Supreme Court case that ruled in a 5-4 'as-applied' decision to allowed corporate and union treasury money to be used in electioneering communications. This law went into effect December 26th, 2007.
McCain-Feingold Act of 2002 - Named after sponsors Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), it required the disclosure of electioneering communications and banned corporate and union treasury money in political advertisements leading up to an election and banned unlimited “soft money” donations to national political party committees.
The Center for Responsive Politics Except for the Revolving Door section, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License by OpenSecrets.org. To request permission for commercial use, please contact us.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
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