The 111th time around – Update

So for anyone who cares or was interested in any of the bills I am/was following in the new Congress here’s the update of where they are:

- H.R. 2: To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to extend and improve the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes. Signed by President Obama, yay!

- H.R. 18: Powder-Crack Cocaine Penalty Equalization Act of 2009. Still in committee, probably won’t see the floor, sigh.

- H.R. 11 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 and S. 182: Paycheck Fairness Act. Enveloped into S.181 and signed by President Obama, another yay!

- H.R. 59: Ex-Offenders Voting Rights Act of 2009. Committee.

On the list to watch because of absurdity or awesomeness of name:

- H.R. 390: College Football Playoff Act of 2009. Committee.

- H.R. 386: CLASS Act of 2009. Committee.

- H.R. 227: Sanctity of Human Life Act. Committee.

- H.R. 87: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Act of 2009. Committee.

So yeah, not much movement, but two bills already passed and signed, I’m a fan of that. Well, I’m a fan of that cause I’m a fan of those bills. Some of these I wouldn’t be so thrilled if they were signed into legislation. I wonder if the spending bill will ever make it out of Congress…

- suse

The 111th time around

Cause I have way too much time on my hands I was looking though govtrack.us at the new bills/actions introduced by the 111th Congress already this year. There are about a bajillion, so I didn’t look at all of them. I did look at a few and here are the ones I’ll be watching:

- H.R. 2: To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to extend and improve the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes. (Yay SCHIP! Expand away, but do so wisely, thanks.)

- H.R. 18: Powder-Crack Cocaine Penalty Equalization Act of 2009 (long overdue, and interestingly sponsored by a Republican)

- H.R. 11 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 and S. 182: Paycheck Fairness Act (I’m not up on all the details of both bills, how they will be implemented in ‘real life’ and if they will actually get results, but I’m interested to see how these play out. Hillary Clinton is the main Senatorial sponsor of S.182, so that’s one thing she won’t be doing anymore.)

- H.R. 59: Ex-Offenders Voting Rights Act of 2009 (Allows for felons to vote after a certain period. I’m interested cause I had a previous discussion with someone about how it was interesting that felons can be in office, but they can’t vote.)

On the list to watch because of absurdity or awesomeness of name:

- H.R. 390: College Football Playoff Act of 2009 (That’s right folks, no more BCS rankings determining bowl games, Congress is asking for a full on playoff system, and, unsurprisingly, it is sponsored by a Texan.)

- H.R. 386: CLASS Act of 2009 (Get it, CLASS act, get it? Also could be good, well from my point of view, I think it is giving more tax breaks to those who are currently repaying their student loans. Yeah, I’m a huge supporter of that.)

- H.R. 227: Sanctity of Human Life Act (It is as bad as you think it is. ‘The life of each human being begins with fertilization’. Oy. You can believe that, but don’t put what are basically religious beliefs into law and impose them on the nation. It is also a nice little way to get around the whole debate of Roe v Wade and just make all abortion completely illegal as they would be ‘murders’ under this law. Maybe we should look to actually provide access to low cost family planning programs and contraceptives, but of course, that just encourages sex, silly me.)

- H.R. 87: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Act of 2009 (I’m only in this for the name. Don’t see why this wouldn’t pass, just puts the option of giving $1 or more to the Federal Treasury on tax returns. Most definitely wins for best name.)

Also, Senator Inouye from Hawaii has three (that I saw, maybe more?) interesting health related bills that would expand public health service loans to also cover graduate programs in professional psychology, to expand Medicare coverage to include nursing school clinics, and to provide health care practitioners in rural areas with training in preventive health care, including both physical and mental care.

Also, also, the House has two resolutions that are to stop Congress from automatically getting a pay raise in 2010. Very interesting. Lets see if they actually vote to not give themselves more money.

- suse

CA residents, vote NO on Prop 8!!!!

So I’ve been thinking about writing a post regarding Prop 8 here in CA for awhile and after I heard an ad on the radio supporting the Prop I decided I really had to.

First, I am totally opposed to Prop 8.  This proposition would make an amendment to the CA constitution limiting ‘marriage’ to that between a man and a woman.  Now, anyone who is behind equality and good will and social justice should also be opposed to this proposition.  Essentially Prop 8 and proposed laws like it are simply another form of separate but equal.  Which, if you don’t remember, was decidedly (and rightly) shot down by the U.S. Supreme Court back in 1954 and then the decision was upheld and expanded in subsequent decisions.  I still find it ridiculous that it wasn’t until 1967 that the U.S. Supreme Court made a decision that laws against racially mixed marriages were unconstitutional.  To me the right of any two people to marry falls under this same category.  We can not claim to have a free and just society in the United States and then make laws not allowing our citizens to marry those whom they love.

Back to the ad I heard supporting Proposition 8.  The CA Supreme Court decision earlier this year stating that the state ban on same sex marriages is unconstitutional is a wonderful thing.  I completely agree with the court’s decision that sexual orientation, like race or gender, “does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights.”  So the idea that there is a Proposition out there that seeks to dismantle this decision is horrible.  On top of that, the ads for Prop 8 are completely misleading.  Churches and congregations who make the decision to not perform same sex marriages will not lose their non-profit/tax-free status.  Civil institutions (i.e. city halls) would be required to perform all lawful marriages, but churches are private institutions and can make their own decisions.

In addition, I don’t think the belief that many individuals hold about God creating marriage between a man and a woman should be used in this argument.  One of the founding tenets of the United States is separation of church and state.  This being so, the religious definition of marriage should not necessarily be taken as the same thing in our civil definitions.  Not allowing a group of people the same rights as others is the absolute meaning of discrimination, and this is what Prop 8 supports.  Personally, I would have all instances of ‘marriage’ taken out of the civil code and replaced with ‘civil union’.  This keeps religious ideology out of our laws and allows churches/temples/mosques and their corresponding religions to maintain their own beliefs.

As well, as supporting ads claim, same sex marriage as a concept will not now be taught in schools.  This in itself is just an absurd idea.  Perhaps addressing same sex couples in sex ed classes and talking about all possibilities within dating and relationships in high school settings (with counselors, psychologists, administrators, etc.) will now be easier.  And when living in the real world these are things that need to be addressed if brought up because we want future generations to be able to take care of themselves, both physically and emotionally.

So basically, what I’m trying to say is PLEASE do not support this proposition.  When you go to the polls in November vote NO on Prop 8.  Because everyone deserves to be with the person they love.

- suse

Please visit noonprop8.com

Democracy, Soon…

What is going on in St. Paul?

As you probably know, protest has been highly curtailed in this country in general, but in particular, at both Democratic and Republican National Conventions and pre-election debates. I remember Boston in 2004, the small “demonstration zone” under a viaduct, surrounded by high wires. Democracy, indeed. But, I think that this takes the grand prize for absurdity:

Amy Goodman, award-winning journalist and creator of Democracy Now! who is cooler than you, me, and everyone we know, was arrested. For reporting. As a reporter. Apparently a press pass doesn’t mean so much to the RNC (Minneapolis/St. Paul) police and (Contracted) security. Nor do invocations of the first amendment. You know, assembly, press, etc. Pocket constitutions for everyone! The absolutely ridiculous footage after the jump.

Actually, it’s 5.5%

Apparently my unemployment stat from yesterday was wrong. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics June 2008 saw an unemployment rate of 5.5%.

But the U.S. government just went up a notch in my book for using dinosaur icons.

- suse