December 15, 2017
By Leonard N. Fleming
In 2015,(click here) Rosenthal allegedly helped manipulate lead testing results and falsely reported they were below the federal action level of 15 parts per billion....
I don't get it. Rosenthal is a career employee to the Michigan DEQ. By every standard that is enviable. He had his future set. Why? I don't believe he was evil or racist or any other descriptor that puts him in a category of being diabolical. Why would such a man launch into fraud that he knew would harm people.
None of this makes sense.
...The state acknowledged high lead levels in the city’s children in late September 2015 and switched back in mid-October 2015 to the Detroit area water system, now called the Great Lakes Water Authority.
Lead testing this year has found that Flint’s results have consistently been below the federal action level of 15 parts per billion. But the state has maintained advisories against drinking Flint’s water until all of the city’s lead lines have been replaced.
Three others entered pleas in connection with the scandal:
Former Flint utilities administrator Michael Glasgow pl:eaded guilty in May to a reduced charge of willful neglect of duty, a one-year misdemeanor. Sentencing for Glasgow was set aside as long as he cooperates with the ongoing investigation by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette.
Corinne Miller, who retired as director of the state’s bureau of epidemiology earlier this year, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of neglect of duty in office in exchange for providing information to investigators.
Miller originally was charged with failing to respond properly to an early report that city children were affected by lead contamination in Flint and instructing state health employees to delete emails pertaining to the report. She was sentenced to one year of probation in March.
In late November, former Flint utilities director Daugherty Johnson pleaded no contest to failing to give water documents to a Genesee County Health Department employee investigating a possible connection between Flint water and Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks that eventually killed 12 and sickened 79 others in the Flint area in 2014-15. The deal resulted in two felonies being conditionally dropped in exchange for his cooperation....
This makes sense. Not that it is right, but, a member of Snyder's cabinet acting on his behalf, cutting corners and sacrificing standards for an ideology that the people of Michigan voted down, namely "Emergency Manager," is believable. The indictment of career employees just doesn't fit the picture. Snyder's power brokering to put forward an ideology more important than people's lives is something I would expect out of this investigation.
December 15, 2017
By Ron Fonger
Flint, MI -- A member of Gov. Rick Snyder's cabinet (click here) won't return to court on criminal charges related to the Flint water crisis until 2018 after a potential five-week delay.
Genesee District Court Judge David Goggins announced a short-term schedule for Nick Lyon, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, during the tenth day of Lyon's preliminary examination Friday, Dec. 15.
Lyon is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and misconduct in office.
Prosecutors claim his actions or failure to act caused a Legionnaires' victim's death in December 2015 and say he knew about suspicions that Legionnaires' outbreaks here were related to Flint water but failed to warn the public...
Friday, December 15, 2017
Whistlebowers matter.
December 8, 2017
Syracuse, NY – A jury and judge (click here) ordered Albany-based asbestos abatement and demolition company Champagne Demolition, LLC and its owner, Joseph A. Champagne, to pay $173,793.84 to a former employee who was fired in June 2010 after reporting improper asbestos removal practices at a school worksite in Gloversville, New York.
The judgment supports a U.S. Department of Labor lawsuit that found Champagne Demolition, LLC violated the employee’s whistleblower rights. The company must pay $103,000 in back wages, $20,000 in compensatory, and $50,000 in punitive damages.
On June 10, 2010, the employee informed company management of the improper practices. The employee was fired the next day and subjected to verbal threats and legal action. A complaint was filed with the Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which opened a whistleblower investigation and found merit to the allegations.
“We are pleased with the jury verdict and the judge’s ruling to hold this employer accountable for violating the employee’s rights,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Robert Kulick, in New York. “Every worker has the right to report potential safety and health hazards without fear of harassment, termination, or retaliation.”...
The mental health community has been looking for a medication more modern, providing quality of life to patients. Seroquel has been that medication.
The surge in sales of Seroquel by Astra-Zeneca was somewhat anticipated. It is surprising the company would ignore such drug interactions that would ultimately give the drug a bad name.
Seroquel is used widely across most age groups, so the damage to the addicts of heroine seeking help through methadone substitution reaches from young to old. Astra-Zeneca was completely reckless in concealing such information. The majority of patients benefiting from Seroquel are not drug addicts. None of it makes sense.
This is what happens when hapless CEOs run a drug company. They are interested in market forces and bonuses; not the PURPOSE of the company in the first place.
Bonuses should be outlawed.
C21H27NO
December 15, 2017
By Sam Roe
Few prescription drugs (click here) were as popular as the antipsychotic Seroquel. Psychiatrists trusted it, nursing homes used it and addiction specialists prescribed it. Annual sales exceeded $3 billion.
But in the winter of 2009, one of the top pharmaceutical sales representatives selling it, Allison Zayas, began to have her doubts.
According to Zayas, one of her best clients, a doctor at a New York City outpatient clinic, told her that a patient had died while taking the drug and that the combination of Seroquel and methadone might have played a role.
Allison Zayas carried a conscience with her sales pitch. Besides, Seroquel practically sold itself. The CEO should be indicted on criminal charges. The MDs treating these patients wanted QUALITY OF LIFE, not end of life.
Allison Zayas carried a conscience with her sales pitch. Besides, Seroquel practically sold itself. The CEO should be indicted on criminal charges. The MDs treating these patients wanted QUALITY OF LIFE, not end of life.
Soon after, Zayas recalled, two other doctors told her as many as 10 patients at New York methadone clinics had died taking Seroquel and methadone together. Zayas said she reported the deaths to her company, drugmaker AstraZeneca, but that it continued to aggressively market the blockbuster drug, even to methadone clinics.
"Their goal was to get in there and sell Seroquel," she told the Tribune in an interview. "It was not, 'Let's draw back. Let's take a look at the information.' It was, 'Get in there and sell.' Everything is sell, sell, sell."
Alarmed at the inaction, Zayas quit AstraZeneca and filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the firm, alleging it concealed the true cardiac risks of Seroquel when taken with certain other medications....
Our leadership, (click here) which includes our Board of Directors and Senior Executive Team, is accountable to our shareholders for the responsible conduct of the business and our long-term success. It also represents the interests of all our stakeholders in ensuring that we deliver for patients by putting science at the heart of everything we do....
March 21, 2013
By Matthew Goodman
It would have to be his predecessor responsible for mismanaging Seroquel.
Member of the Board and CEO since October 2012.
Astra Zeneca (click here) is mission impossible. It’s a giant, old-fashioned pharmaceuticals company whose best drugs are rapidly coming off patent, and whose scientists are struggling to produce new ones. Who would take a hospital pass and become its chief executive?
Step forward Pascal Soriot, a Frenchman who trained as a vet and now calls Australia home. “A number of people looked at me and thought, ‘Are you crazy?’” he admits.
Soriot, 53, was parachuted in last October to succeed David Brennan and has spent his first few months trying to come up with a cure for Astra’s ills....
Our leadership, (click here) which includes our Board of Directors and Senior Executive Team, is accountable to our shareholders for the responsible conduct of the business and our long-term success. It also represents the interests of all our stakeholders in ensuring that we deliver for patients by putting science at the heart of everything we do....
By Matthew Goodman
It would have to be his predecessor responsible for mismanaging Seroquel.
Member of the Board and CEO since October 2012.
Astra Zeneca (click here) is mission impossible. It’s a giant, old-fashioned pharmaceuticals company whose best drugs are rapidly coming off patent, and whose scientists are struggling to produce new ones. Who would take a hospital pass and become its chief executive?
Step forward Pascal Soriot, a Frenchman who trained as a vet and now calls Australia home. “A number of people looked at me and thought, ‘Are you crazy?’” he admits.
Soriot, 53, was parachuted in last October to succeed David Brennan and has spent his first few months trying to come up with a cure for Astra’s ills....
It is a direct attack on small businesses. It is one of the biggest complaints Wall Street has made about the USA economy. They can't control small businesses.
It is the old worn out Republican Paradigm of "Trickle Down." Once the large companies have control there will blossoms of jobs and new opportunities throughout the land.
Lawsuits filed now will only gain information by the time the court hearings begin.
December 15, 2017
Ally Marotti, Samantha Bomkamp and Corilyn Shropshir
Federal regulators’ (click here) decision to end net neutrality and roll back regulations that some say kept data flowing freely on the internet has left some Chicago business owners concerned for their companies’ futures.
Lawsuits filed now will only gain information by the time the court hearings begin.
December 15, 2017
Ally Marotti, Samantha Bomkamp and Corilyn Shropshir
Federal regulators’ (click here) decision to end net neutrality and roll back regulations that some say kept data flowing freely on the internet has left some Chicago business owners concerned for their companies’ futures.
While it’s still unclear exactly what the repeal of the Obama-era rules will mean, proponents of net neutrality fear internet service providers will set up toll lanes on the internet, charging some sites to deliver content faster. That could inhibit growth at tech companies, some in the industry say.
“The bigger companies, my competitors for instance, will have a pile of cash to say, ‘Yeah, no problem, we’ll pay,’” said Stu Grubbs, co-founder of Chicago-based Lightstream. The 14-employee startup builds production software for live streaming. “By the time I do have the money to get past that block, they’ll have ... beaten me out.
“It stifles innovation. It stifles growth to be able to move to new markets,” he said....
It looks like greed won the argument in an administration that admires it.
November 29, 2017
By Todd Shields
But who? Was it supporters or foes of the open internet rules -- or was it the Russians?
A study has found more than 7.75 million comments were submitted from email domains attributed to FakeMailGenerator.com, and they had nearly identical wording. The FCC says some of the nearly 23 million comments on Chairman Ajit Pai’s proposal to gut Obama-era rules were filed under the same name more than 90 times each.
And then there were the 444,938 from Russian email addresses, which also raised eyebrows, even though it’s unclear if they were from actual Russian citizens or computer bots originating in the U.S. or elsewhere.
The oddities in the FCC’s inbox have attracted scrutiny from New York’s attorney general and from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which has opened a probe.
“In an era where foreign governments have indisputably tried to use the internet and social media to influence our elections, federal and state governments should be working together to ensure that malevolent actors cannot subvert our administrative agencies’ decision-making processes,” New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said in an open letter to the FCC....
The average life span of a dog is 10 - 13 years; Golden Retrievers 10 - 12 years. I look forward to good outcomes from this research.
By Karin Bulliard
Most dogs get poked and prodded (click here) at the veterinarian's office. Piper, a 4-year-old golden retriever in Chicago, gets far more scrutiny than that.
Her annual checkup this month took three hours. Her flaxen hair was trimmed and bagged, her toenails clipped and kept, her bodily fluids collected. Everything was destined for a biorepository in the Washington suburbs that holds similar samples from more than 3,000 other purebred golden retrievers from across the country. The dogs, though they do not know it, are participating in an ambitious, $32 million research project that researchers hope will yield insights into the causes of cancers and other diseases common to goldens, other breeds and maybe even humans....
...At its core, the study is about cancer - what Page calls "the No. 1 concern among dog owners." The disease is the leading cause of death in dogs over age 2 and something diagnosed in half of dogs older than 10. The prevalence is believed to be slightly higher in golden retrievers, which most often succumb to mast cell tumors, bone cancer, lymphomaor hemangiosarcoma (originating in the lining of blood vessels).
But that is not the only reason the bouncy, amiable breed is the study's focus. Goldens are the third-most popular dogs in the United States, which made it easier for researchers to find 3,000 subjects; they also tend to have besotted owners who pay close attention to their health - an important criteria for a project that demands years of owner commitment....
Thursday, December 14, 2017
This is a non issue. The politics of the truth is the problem and not the truth itself. Special Council Robert Mueller already did the right thing, he had Strzok released from the case. There isn't anything unethical or underhanded about any of it.
The Republicans are going to use any aspect of this investigation if they think it will help their politics. That is true of any aspect of reality with Republicans. They only focus on what they can sell in their political messages.
Former Director Mueller is not weakened by this episode, he is strengthened by it. He has removed any question to the idea something was biased or gone awry. I have no doubt he takes into account any and all problems that might be causing distraction from the purpose and integrity of the investigation.
There is nothing wrong here. Strozok is ONE of the people carrying out this investigation. Mueller's team has more integrity than most of the members of Congress. I am not worried. This is nothing and Former Director Mueller knows it is nothing.
Senator Feinstein is simply letting Former Director Mueller know he has good standing and needs to fulfill his obligation to the country.
Sure, the Republican complaints are propaganda. But, what in the Republican political verbiage isn't? I am sure Robert Mueller appreciated Senator Feinstein's insight.
December 14, 2017
By Dan Friedman
...The text exchanges (click here) between the two included blunt opinions about the ongoing presidential campaign. Strzok questioned Trump’s intelligence and ability, calling him “awful,” an “idiot” and “an enormous douche.”
FBI regulations allow agents to express their personal opinions both privately and publicly on politics, but DOJ’s release of the material gave Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee a weapon to wield during an oversight hearing Wednesday with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
Numerous Republicans cited the text exchanges as evidence that Mueller’s team harbors political bias against Trump. “The public trust in this whole thing is gone,” Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) declared as he questioned Rosenstein. “It seems to me there are two things you can do: You can disband the Mueller special prosecutor, and you can do what we’ve all called for and appoint a second special counsel to look into this.”
But Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, sees troubling partisanship at play. The texts “are being used for propaganda purposes,” she told Mother Jones. “I think there’s an ongoing effort to malign both Bob Mueller and the work that that Special Counsel Office is doing. They are grabbing at every single thing to try to demean him.”...
There is no reason for alarm over Fusion GPS. They are grasping at straws. There is no need for a second special council. This is all politics. The Justice Official was demoted for concealing information. There isn't anything else to know. Perhaps the Justice Department has listening devices attached to everyone's bed pillows.
December 12, 2017
By David Jackson and Kevin Johnson
...The demand from attorney Jay Sekulow (click here) came in wake of a Fox News report that the wife of a demoted Justice Department official once worked for Fusion GPS, the political research firm that generated an unverified dossier alleging extensive ties between Trump and the Russian government.
Both Sekulow and White House attorney Ty Cobb, who also supports the appointment of a second special counsel, said they do not want undercut the ongoing inquiry into Russia's interference in the 2016 election run by special counsel Robert Mueller.
Trump's team continues to cooperate with that probe, Sekulow said, but is concerned about reports that Justice Department official Bruce Ohr was demoted for concealing ties to Fusion GPS, where his wife once worked.
"The focus is on the Fusion GPS issues with DOJ," Sekulow said. "It has nothing to do with Bob Mueller."...
Two wrongs don't make a right, but, this is the Trump Administration complaining about family involvement? I don't think so.
The Republicans are going to use any aspect of this investigation if they think it will help their politics. That is true of any aspect of reality with Republicans. They only focus on what they can sell in their political messages.
Former Director Mueller is not weakened by this episode, he is strengthened by it. He has removed any question to the idea something was biased or gone awry. I have no doubt he takes into account any and all problems that might be causing distraction from the purpose and integrity of the investigation.
There is nothing wrong here. Strozok is ONE of the people carrying out this investigation. Mueller's team has more integrity than most of the members of Congress. I am not worried. This is nothing and Former Director Mueller knows it is nothing.
Senator Feinstein is simply letting Former Director Mueller know he has good standing and needs to fulfill his obligation to the country.
Sure, the Republican complaints are propaganda. But, what in the Republican political verbiage isn't? I am sure Robert Mueller appreciated Senator Feinstein's insight.
December 14, 2017
By Dan Friedman
...The text exchanges (click here) between the two included blunt opinions about the ongoing presidential campaign. Strzok questioned Trump’s intelligence and ability, calling him “awful,” an “idiot” and “an enormous douche.”
FBI regulations allow agents to express their personal opinions both privately and publicly on politics, but DOJ’s release of the material gave Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee a weapon to wield during an oversight hearing Wednesday with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
Numerous Republicans cited the text exchanges as evidence that Mueller’s team harbors political bias against Trump. “The public trust in this whole thing is gone,” Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) declared as he questioned Rosenstein. “It seems to me there are two things you can do: You can disband the Mueller special prosecutor, and you can do what we’ve all called for and appoint a second special counsel to look into this.”
But Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, sees troubling partisanship at play. The texts “are being used for propaganda purposes,” she told Mother Jones. “I think there’s an ongoing effort to malign both Bob Mueller and the work that that Special Counsel Office is doing. They are grabbing at every single thing to try to demean him.”...
There is no reason for alarm over Fusion GPS. They are grasping at straws. There is no need for a second special council. This is all politics. The Justice Official was demoted for concealing information. There isn't anything else to know. Perhaps the Justice Department has listening devices attached to everyone's bed pillows.
December 12, 2017
By David Jackson and Kevin Johnson
...The demand from attorney Jay Sekulow (click here) came in wake of a Fox News report that the wife of a demoted Justice Department official once worked for Fusion GPS, the political research firm that generated an unverified dossier alleging extensive ties between Trump and the Russian government.
Both Sekulow and White House attorney Ty Cobb, who also supports the appointment of a second special counsel, said they do not want undercut the ongoing inquiry into Russia's interference in the 2016 election run by special counsel Robert Mueller.
Trump's team continues to cooperate with that probe, Sekulow said, but is concerned about reports that Justice Department official Bruce Ohr was demoted for concealing ties to Fusion GPS, where his wife once worked.
"The focus is on the Fusion GPS issues with DOJ," Sekulow said. "It has nothing to do with Bob Mueller."...
Two wrongs don't make a right, but, this is the Trump Administration complaining about family involvement? I don't think so.
Defections from North Korea have been noted by those that observe the border. Something is going on.
If the people leaving North Korea are some of the most experienced in their military, it is a concern.
December 14, 2017
December 14, 2017
By Sofia Lotto Persio
North Korean director of the military's General Political Bureau, the top military post in North Korea, Hwang Pyong So, right, waves during the closing ceremony of the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea on October 4, 2014. Hwang has not been seen in public in more than two months.
North Korean director of the military's General Political Bureau, the top military post in North Korea, Hwang Pyong So, right, waves during the closing ceremony of the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea on October 4, 2014. Hwang has not been seen in public in more than two months.
Director of the hugely influential General Political Bureau of the North Korean military—the body that is tasked with ensuring ideological commitment within the ranks of the army—Hwang has reportedly been expelled from the Workers’ Party, where he previously served in a senior position in the politburo.
An unidentified South Korean source told South Korea publication Korea JoongAng Daily that Hwang was purged from the party for taking bribes. The source did not specify when the expulsion took place....
Dennis Rodman seems to have forgotten, Un's brother was murdered. I suppose there is speculation about his uncle at this point, but, his brother is dead. No one took good care of Un's brother. That counts. No one in North Korea prevented his death, either.
Dennis Rodman seems to have forgotten, Un's brother was murdered. I suppose there is speculation about his uncle at this point, but, his brother is dead. No one took good care of Un's brother. That counts. No one in North Korea prevented his death, either.
There is no time convenient for a death. But, this is a really difficult time of year for such hardship.
The firefighters have to be funded separately from forest fire prevention. Both are vital to end these dangers. For years now, the forest fire prevention program has suffered because of the need for fire fighters. The two efforts need to be funded separately to help prevent deaths of the men and women fighting wild fires.
My deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the firefighter lost today.
It is the wind. It is unpredictable and strong.
December 14, 2017
By Joseph Serna and Brittny Mejia
Fire officials confirmed Thursday (click here) that a firefighter died while battling the Thomas fire, which ranks as the fourth-largest in the state's modern history.
"I am very saddened to report that a firefighter fatality has occurred on the Thomas Incident," Chief Ken Pimlott, the director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said in a statement. "Please join me in keeping our fallen firefighter and his loved ones in your prayers and all the responders on the front lines in your thoughts as they continue to work under extremely challenging conditions."
Pimlott said the victim was a Cal Fire engineer from the San Diego unit. Details about the firefighter's death were not immediately available.
"IMT 4, CAL FIRE Local 2881 and Southern Region leadership are working to support the Unit and his family, who have been notified," Pimlott said.
There will be a news conference at 6 p.m....
My deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the firefighter lost today.
It is the wind. It is unpredictable and strong.
December 14, 2017
By Joseph Serna and Brittny Mejia
Fire officials confirmed Thursday (click here) that a firefighter died while battling the Thomas fire, which ranks as the fourth-largest in the state's modern history.
"I am very saddened to report that a firefighter fatality has occurred on the Thomas Incident," Chief Ken Pimlott, the director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said in a statement. "Please join me in keeping our fallen firefighter and his loved ones in your prayers and all the responders on the front lines in your thoughts as they continue to work under extremely challenging conditions."
Pimlott said the victim was a Cal Fire engineer from the San Diego unit. Details about the firefighter's death were not immediately available.
"IMT 4, CAL FIRE Local 2881 and Southern Region leadership are working to support the Unit and his family, who have been notified," Pimlott said.
There will be a news conference at 6 p.m....
There is no trusting Republicans at this point. There have been nothing but lies.
The American people have not had a chance to voice their opinion of the tax bill in formal hearings across the USA. Everything Trump has done is based in Plutocartic lies for profit. The exploitation of the USA to create wealth for his family cannot be overlooked. While it may or may not be legal, the ethics on nearly every measure stinks.
December 18 & 25, 2017 issue
By Amy Davidson Sorkin
...Last Monday, (click here) the day that Trump endorsed Moore, Axios reported that one of the President’s lawyers, echoing Richard Nixon, had suggested that what might count as obstruction of justice for others would not in Trump’s case—because if the President does it, it isn’t really a crime. But each day dawns with a possibility that Trump will disgrace the Presidency more than he already has, whether he is insulting Native Americans or mangling relationships with our most trusted allies.
It would be inaccurate, though, to say that the President has acted alone, or without the coöperation of his party. There have been a few eloquent protests from members of Congress who are retiring or seem to think that they have nothing left to lose politically....
Endorsements have to be taken seriously. If Trump endorsed Moore, it sticks. That is the only way women will ever get rid of the predator among them.
Below was the focus of Trump and McConnell when advocating for Moore, as if his sexual predation was not visible through their priorities.
...Trump had framed his own support for Moore in terms that McConnell would appreciate, tweeting, “We need his vote on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges 2nd Amendment and more.” But what does it mean to “need” Roy Moore’s vote?...
"...the more." added at the end of that statement is interesting. Does anyone see the worlds, "...to end sexual assault in the military and against women and girls?"
No. There is no priority by the Republicans to end sexual assault. It won't happen with their leadership. The Republicans have never elevated women and girls in their priorities and never will. They elevate anti-abortion laws to promote them as the moral party. Does anyone actually believe their leadership in the White House is a moral man?
The Republicans have no way forward regarding sexual assault. They opposed it when it was put forward by the previous administration. They will never pass comprehensive laws that protect women and men and children. The deniability has always played out to turn the tables on the victim and until women clear the ranks of the predators, it will never be a priority.
The Republican Party sees an election as a 'night in the sack,' it makes everything equal again. Not anymore.
Women are making a stand throughout this country to end 'the predator.' We need to do that at all levels by elevating victims and standing by them. No backsliding is allowed and the USA will be safe for all former victims that have spoken out. There will be no power backlash against those that stand to draw the line on sexual assault and predation. It is not and will never be acceptable at any level of society.
December 18 & 25, 2017 issue
By Amy Davidson Sorkin
...Last Monday, (click here) the day that Trump endorsed Moore, Axios reported that one of the President’s lawyers, echoing Richard Nixon, had suggested that what might count as obstruction of justice for others would not in Trump’s case—because if the President does it, it isn’t really a crime. But each day dawns with a possibility that Trump will disgrace the Presidency more than he already has, whether he is insulting Native Americans or mangling relationships with our most trusted allies.
It would be inaccurate, though, to say that the President has acted alone, or without the coöperation of his party. There have been a few eloquent protests from members of Congress who are retiring or seem to think that they have nothing left to lose politically....
Endorsements have to be taken seriously. If Trump endorsed Moore, it sticks. That is the only way women will ever get rid of the predator among them.
Below was the focus of Trump and McConnell when advocating for Moore, as if his sexual predation was not visible through their priorities.
...Trump had framed his own support for Moore in terms that McConnell would appreciate, tweeting, “We need his vote on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges 2nd Amendment and more.” But what does it mean to “need” Roy Moore’s vote?...
"...the more." added at the end of that statement is interesting. Does anyone see the worlds, "...to end sexual assault in the military and against women and girls?"
No. There is no priority by the Republicans to end sexual assault. It won't happen with their leadership. The Republicans have never elevated women and girls in their priorities and never will. They elevate anti-abortion laws to promote them as the moral party. Does anyone actually believe their leadership in the White House is a moral man?
The Republicans have no way forward regarding sexual assault. They opposed it when it was put forward by the previous administration. They will never pass comprehensive laws that protect women and men and children. The deniability has always played out to turn the tables on the victim and until women clear the ranks of the predators, it will never be a priority.
The Republican Party sees an election as a 'night in the sack,' it makes everything equal again. Not anymore.
Women are making a stand throughout this country to end 'the predator.' We need to do that at all levels by elevating victims and standing by them. No backsliding is allowed and the USA will be safe for all former victims that have spoken out. There will be no power backlash against those that stand to draw the line on sexual assault and predation. It is not and will never be acceptable at any level of society.
Republicans are scared this is the only chance they will get to empty the USA Treasury of every dollar.
I want a report from the CBO. Candidate Trump promised someone a tax cut for Christmas, but, it wasn't the people.
Lie number one:
...“As a candidate, I promised we would pass a massive tax cut for the everyday working American families who are the backbone and the heartbeat of our country,” Mr. Trump said. “Now we are just days away from keeping that promise. We want to give you, the American people, a giant tax cut for Christmas.”...
Real reason:
...The agreement would cut the corporate tax rate to 21 percent, which is lower than the current 35 percent rate but higher than the 20 percent that Mr. Trump had, until recently, said was nonnegotiable. The corporate rate would take effect in 2018, rather than 2019, as the Senate bill originally called for, according to a senior Republican congressional aide....
Chart to left (click here)
December 13, 2017
By Jim Tankersley, Thomas Kaplan and Alan Rappeport
Washington — The day after suffering a political blow (click here) in the Alabama special Senate election, congressional Republicans sped forward with the most sweeping tax rewrite in decades, announcing an agreement on a final bill that would cut taxes for businesses and individuals and signal the party’s first major legislative achievement since assuming political control this year.
Party leaders in the House and Senate agreed in principle to bridge the yawning gaps between their competing versions of the $1.5 trillion tax bill, keeping Republicans on track for final votes next week with the aim of delivering a bill to President Trump’s desk by Christmas. The House and Senate versions of the tax bill started from the same core principles — sharply cutting taxes on businesses, while reducing rates and eliminating some breaks for individuals — but diverged on several crucial details.
In the end, more of the Senate bill appeared to be included in the final version, though lawmakers continued to make significant changes from the legislation that passed either the House or the Senate...
Lie number one:
...“As a candidate, I promised we would pass a massive tax cut for the everyday working American families who are the backbone and the heartbeat of our country,” Mr. Trump said. “Now we are just days away from keeping that promise. We want to give you, the American people, a giant tax cut for Christmas.”...
Real reason:
...The agreement would cut the corporate tax rate to 21 percent, which is lower than the current 35 percent rate but higher than the 20 percent that Mr. Trump had, until recently, said was nonnegotiable. The corporate rate would take effect in 2018, rather than 2019, as the Senate bill originally called for, according to a senior Republican congressional aide....
December 13, 2017
By Jim Tankersley, Thomas Kaplan and Alan Rappeport
Washington — The day after suffering a political blow (click here) in the Alabama special Senate election, congressional Republicans sped forward with the most sweeping tax rewrite in decades, announcing an agreement on a final bill that would cut taxes for businesses and individuals and signal the party’s first major legislative achievement since assuming political control this year.
Party leaders in the House and Senate agreed in principle to bridge the yawning gaps between their competing versions of the $1.5 trillion tax bill, keeping Republicans on track for final votes next week with the aim of delivering a bill to President Trump’s desk by Christmas. The House and Senate versions of the tax bill started from the same core principles — sharply cutting taxes on businesses, while reducing rates and eliminating some breaks for individuals — but diverged on several crucial details.
In the end, more of the Senate bill appeared to be included in the final version, though lawmakers continued to make significant changes from the legislation that passed either the House or the Senate...
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
The Republicans have never been good at governing.
They are convinced if they throw money at a problem it will go away. Not so.
December 13, 2017
By Cristina Marco
...GOP lawmakers (click here) said after a closed-door meeting on Wednesday that assistance for communities affected by recent hurricanes and wildfires could also be included in the funding package. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) told lawmakers that a final aid measure isn't ready yet, though it is likely to be higher than the Trump administration's $44 billion request, according to Rep. Dennis Ross(R-Fla.)....
The climate problem is never going to be solved by throwing money at it. It has to be solved with regulation of greenhouse gases. Hate might be an interesting motivation for elections, but, it doesn't solve anything.
October 4, 2017
...Male participation (click here) in the workforce was 73.3 percent in 2005, while today’s is 69.2 percent. Opioid use, now seen as a factor keeping men out of work, wasn't yet regarded as a national crisis, and immigration restrictions weren’t as tight. That made it easier for construction firms to find laborers in a hurry when it came time to fix things up.
In contrast, monthly job openings in the United States reached a record high this summer at 6.2 million. Then came the hurricane season's aftermath, adding on to those vacancies as communities began to put themselves back together.
Employers nationwide are complaining about a labor shortage, especially in traditionally male-dominated fields, such as manufacturing and construction. Business owners say a lack of skilled workers who can pass a drug test has stalled their growth....
Congress needs to fund the government period with a continuing resolution, NOW!
The Republican Congress hasn't got a clue about solving problems. All they understand is politics and not much of that. Their spectrum to their politics is narrow and does not allow for bipartisanship that will solve problems.
The natural disasters are not over in the USA. Devastation will continue and continue until greenhouse gases are under control. This is not my rule, it is Earth's rule.
The Republicans need to throw away their idea of a $1.5 trillion addition to the national debt. That money is already spent on disasters that haven't happened yet.
...From late August to mid-September, Hurricanes Harvey and Irma destroyed property across Texas and Florida, causing up to $200 billion in damages, according to an early estimate from Moody’s Analytics....
There is no end to a climate crisis when Congress continues to fund it with crony policies. There needs to be regulation or simply write a blank check to Earth going forward.
Let's see. $200 billion? Hm? I suppose there can be about 50 more tornadoes, hurricanes, landslides and wildfires that can occur before the national debt becomes so bloated, it will be tighter than a tick.
It is time for the USA scientists within the government to perform an assessment of the escalation of costs of natural disasters over the past 100 years and convert it to today's dollar. Be specific. Tornadoes increased in numbers, especially outbreaks, costing plenty of insurance dollars. Hurricanes have reached incredible costs, two of the most disastrous hurricanes occurred this year.
What happens to a First World country when it can no longer recuperate from natural disasters.
And, oh, yeah. Don't forget about sea level rise because the melting of Greenland, Iceland and Siberia has accelerated beyond any estimate out there.
Flooding of major coastal cities is the next nightmare for The West. Don't put it off long, you'll be sorry if you do.
Surviving the climate crisis takes KNOWLEDGE, PLANNING and REGULATION. The USA hasn't even begun to take on the future realizing Earth has control.
December 13, 2017
By Cristina Marco
...GOP lawmakers (click here) said after a closed-door meeting on Wednesday that assistance for communities affected by recent hurricanes and wildfires could also be included in the funding package. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) told lawmakers that a final aid measure isn't ready yet, though it is likely to be higher than the Trump administration's $44 billion request, according to Rep. Dennis Ross(R-Fla.)....
The climate problem is never going to be solved by throwing money at it. It has to be solved with regulation of greenhouse gases. Hate might be an interesting motivation for elections, but, it doesn't solve anything.
October 4, 2017
...Male participation (click here) in the workforce was 73.3 percent in 2005, while today’s is 69.2 percent. Opioid use, now seen as a factor keeping men out of work, wasn't yet regarded as a national crisis, and immigration restrictions weren’t as tight. That made it easier for construction firms to find laborers in a hurry when it came time to fix things up.
In contrast, monthly job openings in the United States reached a record high this summer at 6.2 million. Then came the hurricane season's aftermath, adding on to those vacancies as communities began to put themselves back together.
Employers nationwide are complaining about a labor shortage, especially in traditionally male-dominated fields, such as manufacturing and construction. Business owners say a lack of skilled workers who can pass a drug test has stalled their growth....
Congress needs to fund the government period with a continuing resolution, NOW!
The Republican Congress hasn't got a clue about solving problems. All they understand is politics and not much of that. Their spectrum to their politics is narrow and does not allow for bipartisanship that will solve problems.
The natural disasters are not over in the USA. Devastation will continue and continue until greenhouse gases are under control. This is not my rule, it is Earth's rule.
The Republicans need to throw away their idea of a $1.5 trillion addition to the national debt. That money is already spent on disasters that haven't happened yet.
...From late August to mid-September, Hurricanes Harvey and Irma destroyed property across Texas and Florida, causing up to $200 billion in damages, according to an early estimate from Moody’s Analytics....
There is no end to a climate crisis when Congress continues to fund it with crony policies. There needs to be regulation or simply write a blank check to Earth going forward.
Let's see. $200 billion? Hm? I suppose there can be about 50 more tornadoes, hurricanes, landslides and wildfires that can occur before the national debt becomes so bloated, it will be tighter than a tick.
It is time for the USA scientists within the government to perform an assessment of the escalation of costs of natural disasters over the past 100 years and convert it to today's dollar. Be specific. Tornadoes increased in numbers, especially outbreaks, costing plenty of insurance dollars. Hurricanes have reached incredible costs, two of the most disastrous hurricanes occurred this year.
What happens to a First World country when it can no longer recuperate from natural disasters.
And, oh, yeah. Don't forget about sea level rise because the melting of Greenland, Iceland and Siberia has accelerated beyond any estimate out there.
Flooding of major coastal cities is the next nightmare for The West. Don't put it off long, you'll be sorry if you do.
Surviving the climate crisis takes KNOWLEDGE, PLANNING and REGULATION. The USA hasn't even begun to take on the future realizing Earth has control.
The words and identity below belong to this man.
He has known the middle class and hard times. He has valued family and the love and security it brings. He is a died in the wool Democrat and no one can deny that. He understands the value of UNION.
I congratulate US Senator Elect Doug Jones for running a good and decent campaign after living a life of dignity.
I congratulate the people of Alabama for electing a man that reflects their values and HOPE.
I expect a lot from Doug Jones. He was elected by the majority in Alabama, but, he would not have been elected if the African American vote didn't come out in full strength to turn the corner on abusive policies in Washington, DC.
When Senator Elect Jones gets to Washington, DC, he needs to be prepared for hard work and write bills that return fair voting rights to all Americans. I expect Senator Jones to seek to end poverty and low wages for the African Americans in Alabama.
Election Results (click here). Alabama is blue and not red.
Below are some statistical highlights, if they can be called highlights.
HIGHLIGHTS (click here)
- Alabama ranks in the top 10 in maternal mortality, lifetime intimate partner violence, excessive drinking, homeless family households, infant child care cost, and high childhood immunization coverage.
- The state ranks in the bottom 10 in the behaviors and outcomes categories.
- The prevalence of diabetes in women is the highest in the nation, along with high rates of obesity and physical inactivity in this population.
- Alabama ranks 49th in infant outcomes due to poor scores in infant mortality, low birthweight, neonatal mortality, and preterm birth.
- The state ranks in the bottom 10 in child mortality, protective home environment (ages 0 to 17), and neighborhood amenities.
I expect a great deal from Senator Jones. I expect him to set higher standards for the people serving Alabama and bring about the much needed changes it requires. The people of Alabama need Senator Jones and he needs to make their dreams come true.
Median Household Income in Alabama (click here)
| Median Income Under 25 | $23,534 |
| Median Income 25-44 | $41,342 |
| Median Income 45-64 | $52,014 |
| Median Income Over 65 | $38,847 |
Every one of these people need to have life better. 45-64 year olds never break into Upper Middle Class with an income over $60,000.
The upper middle class (in the USA) grew to 29.4% of the population in 2014, up from 12.9% in 1979, according to a new Urban Institute report. It defines this group as having household income of between $100,000 and$350,000 for a three-person family.
So, adhering to the national standard that defines Upper Middle Class (click here) as beginning at $100,000 annually, Alabama is a far cry from normal. There is absolutely no Upper Middle Class in Alabama. Heck, I expect even the MDs and Lawyers cry about their income.
August 11, 2016
By Leada Gore
...NerdWallet recently looked at the counties (click here) with the greatest number of personal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents. It found the median bankruptcy rate in the U.S. from April 1, 2015 to March 31 was 224 filings per 100,000 people. In the 10 counties with the highest number of bankruptcy filings - including one in Alabama - the rate was nearly four times greater, an average of 856 per 100,000 people.
The two counties with the highest bankruptcy rates are Shelby County, Tennessee (1,285 per 100,000 people) and Clayton, Georgia (1,096 per 100,000 people.) At number three nationally is Houston County, Alabama, with a bankruptcy rate of 940 per 100,000 residents....
...Overall, Alabama had 529 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents, second only to Tennessee.
I guarantee many of those bankruptcies are linked to health care costs in Alabama....Overall, Alabama had 529 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents, second only to Tennessee.
March 31, 2017
By Brian Lyman
And the Alabama Legislature hasn’t changed its mind.
The failure of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) (click here) last week – at heart an attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – breathed new life into the expansion of Medicaid offered under the ACA. Some states that turned away from it, like Kansas and Virginia, are pursuing the expansion. For years, Alabama’s hospitals have pressed officials to expand Medicaid to make up for potentially devastating cuts to uncompensated care funds.
But the state’s General Fund budget chairs said this week they remain opposed to Medicaid expansion. Expansion would extend a limited program that chiefly covers children, elderly and the disabled to all able-bodied adults making up to 138 percent of the poverty line: $16,643 a year for individuals; $33,948 for a household of four....
I am very happy for the people of Alabama. I expect a lot of reform coming to that state, because, the people have spoken. Senator Doug Jones will bring a fresh new voice to Washington, DC on behalf of the people of Alabama. I expect the elected officials in Alabama to continue to change in realizing how much reform is drastically needed. Senator Jones can't do this by himself, he needs people in the Alabama state house to be willing to bring the kind of change Senator Jones can ask for in Washington, DC.
The people of Alabama want a moral voice in their government and one that puts the well being of the people first. The current state house doesn't even listen to the medical doctors that treat Alabamans.
Enough of the poverty and impoverishment. US Senator Elect Jones needs to take care of the people that had faith in him. He needs to put the people first and speak to their needs and well being.
There is one more thing. How does Senator Jones view Alabama football?
December 13, 2017
By Charlie Potter
While Alabama's game plan for top-ranked Clemson (click here) will be near the top of its to-do list in the coming days, so will monitoring the health of a bevy of UA's injured players...
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