Thank You Rep. Mike Doyle and the #NoBillNoBreak Sit-in House!

(Photo courtesy of Rep. Mike Doyle's Facebook page, pictured center.)

Who knew the Democrats in the US House of Representatives had this much cojones/huevos? 

When the Democrats in the Senate's filibuster ended in gun control votes that went down in flames, it seemed like the issue was over, maybe at least until the next horrific mass shooting occurs...say, next Tuesday or so. I mean, the House can't filibuster, right? Right! So the beautiful bastards are holding a sit-in instead!

Damn!

THANK YOU!

And thank you Rep. John Lewis for starting it and my own Rep. Mike Doyle for being down there (literally) on the floor.

#NoBillNoBreak 

Pennsylvania Science Deniers In The US House Of Representatives

I can hear you all asking, "Science denier?  That's pretty strong language, isn't it?  How are you defining that term in this context?" I can hear you following up with another question.

So many good questions, my faithful inquisitors, I'll answer them simply:

In this instance, a "Congressional Science denier" is one who voted for this amendment.  

Here's Huffingtonpost for some context on the amendment:

The House passed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization bill on Thursday that would bar the Department of Defense from using funds to assess climate change and its implications for national security.

The amendment, from Rep. David McKinley (R-W.Va.), passed in what was nearly a party-line vote. Four Democrats voted for the amendment, and three Republicans voted against it. The bill aims to block the DOD from taking any significant action related to climate change or its potential consequences.

Or as Representative Henry Waxman said on the House Floor:

Well, I think that is science denial at its worst to say that the Defense Department cannot recognize damage caused by climate change. It looks like it is trying to overturn the laws of nature.

So we would tie the hands of the Defense Department and tell them that even though we might have exacerbated heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods, water- and vector-borne diseases, diseases which will pose greater risk to human health and lives around the world, and wheat and corn yields are already experiencing the negative impact and we have a larger risk of food security globally and regionally, if scientists tell us that, we are not allowed to have our Defense Department pay any heed to it.

Huffingtonpost said it was a near party line vote so who broke with their party?

The four Democrats who voted for the amendment were:

Barrow (of Georgia)
Cuellar (of Texas)
Mcintyre (of North Carolina)
Rahall (of West Virginia)

And the three Republicans who voted against where:

Garrett (of New Jersey)
Gibson (of New York)
LoBiondo (of New Jersey)

Other than that, all House Demorats voted NO and all House Republicans voted YES.  Here's the Pennsylvania delegation and how they voted (the list is arranged by Congressional District) and here's the roll call if'n y'inz wanna check my work, en'at:

1. Bob Brady (D) - Voted NO
2. Chaka Fattah (D) - Voted NO
3. Mike Kelly (R) - Science Denier, Voted YES
4. Scott Perry (R) - Science Denier, Voted YES
5. Glenn Thompson (R) - Science Denier, Voted YES
6. Jim Gerlach (R) - Science Denier, Voted YES
7. Pat Meehan (R) - Science Denier, Voted YES
8. Mike Fitzpatrick (R) - Science Denier, Voted YES
9. Bill Shuster (R) - Science Denier, Voted YES
10. Tom Marino (R) - Science Denier, Voted YES
11. Lou Barletta (R)- Science Denier, Voted YES
12. Keith Rothfus (R)- Science Denier, Voted YES
13. Allyson Schwartz (D) - Voted NO
14. Michael F. Doyle (D) - Voted NO
15. Charles Dent (R)- Science Denier, Voted YES
16. Joseph R. Pitts (R)- Science Denier, Voted YES
17. Matt Cartwright (D) - Voted NO
18. Timothy F. Murphy (R)- Science Denier, Voted YES

And finally, since you're all shivering with anticipation, here's what they were voting on - it's an amendment to HR 4435:

None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to implement the U.S. Global Change Research Program National Climate Assessment, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fifth Assessment Report, the United Nation's Agenda 21 sustainable development plan, or the May 2013 Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis Under Executive Order 12866.

That's what the science deniers don't want.  As Representative Waxman pointed out in his comments:

This is incredible, because the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review called climate change ``an accelerant of instability or conflict'' that ``could have significant geopolitical impacts around the world, contributing to poverty, environmental degradation, and the further weakening of fragile governments.'' But the McKinley amendment tells the DOD to ignore these impacts.

But that was waay back in 2010. What does the 2014 Quadrennial Review have to say about Climate Change?

This:

Climate change poses another significant challenge for the United States and the world at large. As greenhouse gas emissions increase, sea levels are rising, average global temperatures are increasing, and severe weather patterns are accelerating. These changes, coupled with other global dynamics, including growing, urbanizing, more affluent populations, and substantial economic growth in India, China, Brazil, and other nations, will devastate homes, land, and infrastructure. Climate change may exacerbate water scarcity and lead to sharp increases in food costs. The pressures caused by climate change will influence resource competition while placing additional burdens on economies, societies, and governance institutions around the world. These effects are threat multipliers that will aggravate stressors abroad such as poverty, environmental degradation, political instability, and social tensions – conditions that can enable terrorist activity and other forms of violence.

Yea, but...to Representative McKinley (this from his comments on the House Floor):

[T]his amendment would prohibit the Department of Defense from spending money on climate change policies forced upon them by the Obama administration.

We shouldn't be diverting our financial resources away from the primary missions of our military and our national security in pursuit of an ideology. [Emphasis added.]

So face it, if you live in Pennsylvania and if you live in a "red" Congressional District, you're represented by a science denier.  Get used to it.

It's their party and they'll do what they want

Congressman Mike Doyle Knows His Internet Memes!

And puts them to great use -- good on him!

Can I burn down your house? No Just the 2nd floor? No Garage? No Let's talk about what I can burn down. No YOU AREN'T COMPROMISING!
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 2, 2013

UPDATE: And Congress just went into recess because of reports of shots fired near/around the Capitol--so much for a lighthearted post...

An interview with a member of the Tea Party Caucus in the House

Shutdown

Yes, the federal government has been shut down. Here's Jon Stewart's great take on it. The only thing missing from it is the fact that there are enough votes in the House to pass a clean Senate bill. The blame lies with 30 to 60 representatives--call them, oh I don't know, TEA PARTY members--and House Speaker John Boehner who fears them.

  (If you're in Pittsburgh, you can learn more about the Affordable Care Act at this event today.)

"I can smell the booze wafting from members as they walk off the floor"

While voting to shut down the government Saturday night, apparently some of the House members weren't just drunk on power. From a Politico Congressional reporter:

I'm not over exaggerating when I say I can smell the booze wafting from members as they walk off the floor.
— Ginger Gibson (@GingerGibson) September 29, 2013

And from a Buzzfeed reporter on Capitol Hill:

I def saw more than 1 member of congress putting a few back on Penn earlier. Ran into 2 in the liquor store.
— KateNocera (@KateNocera) September 29, 2013

And before they even got drunk, they were already acting like drunken pigs:

[T]hey have added a “conscience clause” to the spending bill which takes away preventative care from women, which includes birth control.  

[snip]  

Friday afternoon, Republican John Culberson from TX got huge applause from his colleagues when he compared the GOP’s effort to destroy Obamacare to the heroes of 9/11. Culberson compared the House Repubs to the passengers on United Flight 93 who overtook the terrorists and got control of the plane on 9/11. Yes, Seriously.

This is your government on drugs Tea.

My Coffee With Congressman Doyle

One bright, sunshine day this past weekend, I had a very nice chat with the district's representatives in Congress, Mike Doyle.  It's been a while since we chatted face to face and he's looking fitter and trimmer than I remember.  He said he's lost a couple dozen pounds and given up ice cream and taken to going on 100 mile bike rides.  If you're keeping score, I've been doing none of those things and I'm looking pretty much the same as I have been for a while (that is to say, greying, plumping and balding).

I started off our chat by asking him how well he thought Congress was doing its job.  And that's all I needed to get a full hour of thoughtful analysis.  After chuckling sadly, he started to describe the House's current legislative gridlock.  The current edition.

Early on, he pushed Paul Krugman's article from the NYTimes and one of its main points:

The sad truth is that the modern G.O.P. is lost in fantasy, unable to participate in actual governing.

It's a complicated bind that we're all in generally and that Speaker Boehner is in particularly, but it can all be simplified into this: Because of the "us versus them/if you're not with us you're against us" mentality of the powerful Tea Party caucus of the House, political compromise in that body is impossible.

And because political compromise is impossible, work on any sort of a necessary post-sequestration budget is impossible.

And because any sort work on a post-sequestration budget is impossible, we're going to continue, after October 1, into another phase of the sequester that was not supposed to happen.

According to Doyle, while the Tea Party caucus likes the effects of the sequester (as it limits any growth of the guv'ment without them having do anything for which they can be blamed), those effects will eventually hurt us all.  And that's the bind we're all in because of them.

The inability "to participate in actual governing" extends to some of the most basic functions of congressional work.  For example, Doyle says, when a bill is passed in both houses a conference committee might need to be formed to settle whatever differences there may be between each version.  At present, that's not happening either.  Not without preconditions that the Democrats in Congress would never accept.  All this for a discussion between the two houses.

All because the GOP as a whole has to placate it's Tea Party base.

Which leads to a deeper issue at hand than the "us vs them" mentality mentioned above.  From Krugman:

The sad truth is that the modern G.O.P. is lost in fantasy...

As an illustration of that point, Doyle said that the Republicans were convinced Romney was going to win in 2012. Now that it's obvious that he didn't, they're convinced Karl Rove lied to them about their chances.

[Unconnected to my chat with Doyle, but I gotta think that that last point has something to do with Groundswell.]

Part of the fantasy Krugman describes is also found in Doyle's rhetorical question regarding the House Republicans' reluctance to compromise with their colleagues from the Democratic Party:

• How do you compromise with a party run by a Kenyan-born secret-Muslim who's intent on imposing socialism on America?

The base that's placated by the Tea Party wing of the GOP (and thus the GOP itself) fervently believes teh crazie.  We've seen this before (this is from 2011):

Last August in a CNN/Opinion Research poll, when asked, "Do you think Barack Obama was definitely born in the United States, probably born in the United States, probably born in another country, or definitely born in another country? 44% of the Republicans got it wrong. 27% said he was "probably born in another country" while 14% said he was "definitely born in another country" and 3% had no opinion.

For example.

This is the base that's being placated by the GOP.  Until that ends things will get worse before they get better.  Until the base rejects the conspiracy theory it's been fed and says, "Enough!" things will get worse before they get better.  The House leadership's in a bind because if they don't appease teh crazies, they'll be replaced with a tea partier who will.  The non-crazies among the House GOP (and Doyle told me of many who don't like the TP members - they just can't admit it publicly) feel the same way.  If they disagree they risk a primary challenge from their right.

And until this changes...well, you get the picture.

As for a grade, Doyle gave the folks running the show in the House a solid F.

Is that a surprise?

Break Out the Champagne: Michele Bachmann Won't Seek Re-election Next Year!

Michele Bachmann pulls a Ravenstahl and announces she will not seek re-election next year. And, just like Lil Mayor Luke, she says it's in no way due to any pending investigations or because she can't win another term. Uh-uh, nope, not at all.

 

You can take a trip down memory lane of 2pj posts about Ms. Bachmann here.

Statement from the President on the Senate Passage of the Violence Against Women Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 12, 2013

Statement from the President on the Senate Passage of the Violence Against Women Act

Today the Senate passed a strong bipartisan bill to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act. This important step shows what we can do when we come together across party lines to take up a just cause. The bill passed by the Senate will help reduce homicides that occur from domestic violence, improve the criminal justice response to rape and sexual assault, address the high rates of dating violence experienced by young women, and provide justice to the most vulnerable among us. I want to thank Senator Leahy and his colleagues from both sides of the aisle for the leadership they have shown on behalf of victims of abuse. It's now time for the House to follow suit and send this bill to my desk so that I can sign it into law.

UPDATE:

Statement by Vice President Biden on the Violence Against Women Act

Today, the Senate passed the Violence Against Women Act with overwhelming bipartisan support. This law has been incredibly effective and I hope the House will vote without delay to renew the law so that we can continue to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and hold offenders accountable for their crimes.

Delay isn’t an option when three women are still killed by their husbands or boyfriends every day. Delay isn’t an option when countless women still live in fear of abuse, and when one in five have been victims of rape. This issue should be beyond debate – the House should follow the Senate’s lead and pass the Violence Against Women Act right away. This is not a Democratic or Republican issue – it’s an issue of justice and compassion. 

Republican Congressman Goes to Holy Land and Tea Bags Sea of Galilee

They sure loves them some Jesus.

Paul Ryan Seeks To Privatize His Congressional Seat

Not satisfied with just trying to privatize Social Security, Rep. Paul Ryan (That'llCostYou$15-WI) wants to privatize his Congressional seat. According to Politico, "It will cost $15 to ask Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) a question in person during the August congressional recess." To prove he means business (no pun intended), his staffers called the cops on seven unemployed constituents staging a sit-in at his Kenosha office to protest his decision not to hold any free public town halls during the August recess.

We say the moochers should be grateful. His minimum asking price is normally $350..

Do you want fries with your sugar-coated Satan sandwich?

You want fries with that?
Via the examiner.com:

While the president seemed to breathe a deep sigh of relief that a deal was struck, members of the Democratic caucus were less than enthusiastic about the plan. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver dismissed the deal as “a sugar-coated Satan sandwich” and “a shady bill.”

Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ.), co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said, “This deal trades people’s livelihoods for the votes of a few unappeasable right-wing radicals,” adding that “the lesson today is that Republicans can hold their breath long enough to get what they want.”

Time

. Not.
I understand that if the government does shutdown, my sister who works at the Library of Congress will still be working, she just might not be getting paid. .

Tell them you can't kill us or our doctors: Rally on Thursday!

(Click to embiggen)

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2011, 4:30pm-5:30pm
The Old Allegheny County Morgue
542 4th Avenue, Downtown
(Corner of 4th Avenue and Ross Street)
We may be mere "physical locations" and less than full citizens -- or even persons -- in their eyes, but it's time to tell them that you can't kill us or our doctors. You can't continue to attack our health care and our Reproductive Justice. You can't turn back the clock because we won't back down.

It's time to go Egyptian on their asses because they're trying to go medieval on ours.

We won't go back.



We won't go back.


More info and RSVP here
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Good Times

In part of what a NYT's editorial called "A theatrical production of unusual pomposity" the Constitution was read aloud in the House chamber today.

And, on cue:

An apparent member of the birther movement seated in the gallery of the House of Representatives on Thursday interrupted a reading of the Constitution. The woman yelled out "Except Obama, except Obama, help us Jesus!" as Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) read the "natural born citizen" clause of the Constitution.

Moreover, despite their claims to be reading the entire Constitution, House members are reading an amended slavery-free version of the US Constitution.

Good times.
.

House Republicans Vote for the Rape of Little Girls

House Republicans help walk this child down the aisle
Via Talking Points Memo:

On Thursday night, hours before passing the tax cut compromise, House Republicans thwarted a bill that aimed to protect girls around the world from being coerced into child marriage. They opposed it because, they claimed, it might fund abortions.

[snip]

The text of the bill does not mention abortion, contraception or family planning. Instead, it directs the president to make preventing child marriage a priority, especially in countries where more than 40 percent of girls under the age of 18 are married. The ways to do that, according to the bill: support educating communities on the dangers and health effects of child marriage, keep young girls in school, support female mentoring programs and make sure girls have access to health care services.

Apparently, they equate "health care services" with abortion which is why the party of "family values" voted for the rape of little girls. It doesn't matter to them that the countries that are pro child marriage are the same countries where legal abortions are nearly impossible to obtain. The anti abortion lobby must be bowed down to at all costs -- even for imaginary threats of abortion.
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A Message

A message to a Congress who could somehow even consider extending tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires while they've already let emergency unemployment benefits insurance compensation lapse for millions during a time of record unemployment (not to mention during the holiday season):

NSFW

That is all.
.

EVENTS!

December 1, 2010

Unemployment Benefits Lapse Protest

WHERE: Your local congressperson's office/senator's office.
WHEN: Now
WHAT: Via Susie Madrak @ Crooks And Liars: "Here's what I suggest for anyone who's losing their unemployment payments this week: Grab a blanket and a pillow, and head on over to your local congressperson's office -- or, if you live in a big city, go to your senator's office. Tell them you can't afford to turn on the heat, and you're going to camp out in their waiting room until the congressman or senator has time to talk to you. And since you don't have money for food, either, I suggest you loudly solicit the staff and incoming visitors for cash.

Because I am so goddamned sick of these bastards and the protected little bubbles in which they live. It's time we did what we could to remind them of the consequences of everything they've done -- or failed to do."

(OK, not an actual event, but it should be.)


December 2, 2010

No Millionaire Bailout

WHERE: Downtown, 425 Sixth Avenue (Map) Pittsburgh, PA 15219
WHEN: Thursday, December 2nd, 12:00 PM
WHAT: Via MoveOn: "All across the country, we're organizing "No Millionaire Bailout" speak-outs on Thursday, December 2. We'll all share our own reasons for opposing the extension of the Bush tax breaks for the rich, and then ask our members of Congress to tell us where they stand.

[snip]

"In fact, two million jobless Americans will lose unemployment between Thanksgiving and Christmas unless Congress renews the program.1 So much for "Happy Holidays."

It's just plain immoral to cut off people in need while handing out tax breaks for the rich. And it's especially heartless this time of year."

R.S.V.P. HERE


Councilman Peduto’s Third Annual Holiday Fête


WHERE: Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Fifth & Shady Avenues (Map)
WHEN: Thursday, December 2, 2010, V.I.P Reception: 7:00PM - 8:00PM, Holiday Party: 8:00PM - 10:30PM
WHAT: V.I.P Reception: Live Music by The Joe Negri Trio, Performance by The Renaissance City Choirs, Complimentary Valet Parking, Full Open Bar, A Taste of Pittsburgh Featuring The East End's Best Restaurants And More! Suggested Contribution: $250 per person.

Holiday Party: Performances by The Deryck Tines Gospel Singers, Live Music by The Old E. Allstars, Dancing with D.J. Doug Marshall, Local Brews, Wine & Snacks. Suggested Contribution: $50 per person.

More details here. Pay at the door (cash or check) or via card here.
(Disclaimer: Yes, I am a member of Peduto's cyber staff.)


UPDATE:

December 5, 2010

Chevy Road to the Playoffs Steelers Tailgate Party/Holiday Drive for CHS

WHEN: Sunday, December 5, 2010 6-10pm, 6pm: Tailgate Party Starts, 8:20: Kick Off Steelers Vs. Ravens
WHERE: Double Wide Grill, East Carson and 24th Streets, South Side, Pittsburgh 15203
WHAT: "Come down to Double Wide Grill to watch the Steelers game, test drive Chevy vehicles, donate gift cards to CHS and win prizes

Please consider bringing an extra gift card to donate to the CHS Holiday Drive (http://www.chscorp.org//Holiday%20Giving.htm ) Scroll down for additional gift card info.
Everyone who attends will receive an entry to the raffle for Steeler’s Gift BAskets and Double Wide Gift Certificates. For each $5 in gift cards donated your will receive another raffle entry."

RSVP @ Facebook here.


December 12, 2010

Rock for Anne Feeney: Benefit Concert & Tribute at Mr. Smalls

WHERE: Mr. Smalls, 400 Lincoln Ave, Millvale,
WHEN: Dec. 12, doors open 6 PM. $20 donation
WHAT: "Anne Feeney, a stalwart of Pittsburgh Folk Music, has been touring relentlessly for close to a decade, spreading her gospel of peace, love and justice. Now Anne has been stricken with small-cell cancer on her lungs and heart. She not only has no stable source of income, but has an avalanche of medical bills her insurance does not cover. Come together for a diverse night of music to help support Anne Feeney in her time of need. Friends and bands are donating all of their services and Mr. Smalls Theatre is donating their music venue so all proceeds will benefit Anne Feeney.

See an All-star cast of Pittsburgh Musicians in a Tribute to Anne Feeney. Featuring Billy Price, Joe Grushecky, Liz Berlin of Rusted Root, Justin Sane of Anti-Flag, Hermie Granati, Mike Stout and the Human Union, Newlanders, Tres Lads, Joe Munroe. Special guest appearance by Anne Feeney, and many who have accompanied her."

Tickets Online: www.ticketweb.com/mrsmalls • Charge by phone: 866.468.3401. Tickets can also be purchased by contacting Senator Jim Ferlo/Mikhail Pappas. For more information: 412.621.3006 or senatorferlo@gmail.com
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House Votes to Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Via Talking Points Memo:

In quick succession Thursday, the Senate Armed Services Committee and the full House approved measures to repeal the 1993 law that allows gay people to serve in the armed services only if they hide their sexual orientation.

Here's the photo showing gay rights being expanded which accompanied the TPM article:


For some reason, it brought to mind the following photo which showed women's reproductive rights being shrunk:


Notice any difference?