Be INFORMED

Friday, April 08, 2011

Fund The Troops?

                                Edited

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[T]he House Democrats tried three times to pass a measure that would ensure the troops received pay. The Republicans overwhelmingly opposed every single “troop-funding” opportunity....

What’s more, the Obama administration announced today that it “would support a short-term, clean Continuing Resolution” like the alternative Democrats offered. Thus, by voting against these measures, House Republicans are flatly refusing to support any “troop funding bill” unless their anti-abortion and anti-environmental riders get passed. Incidentally, Republicans have ensured that, unlike the troops, Members of Congress will still get paid.

Interestingly enough, not all teahadist Republicans are on board. "Sens. Pat Toomey (R-PA), Tom Coburn (R-OK) and — surprisingly — Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) have signaled a willingness drop the policy rider to reach an agreement and avoid a shutdown." Even more shockingly, Rep. Allen West says he is "disgusted at the perception that Leaders in my own Party...are now using the men and women in uniform" to pass a short-term budget bill.           DKos  

    So we may have a government shutdown because the Tea Party/Republicans/Taliban do not want Planned Parenthood to be funded? Even without the funding, this does next to nothing to lessen the deficit.

   Here is even more on just how much government cash goes into those evil Planned Parenthood clinics, and for what they pay for.

From Planned Parenthood's annual report for 208-09 [pdf].

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Ninety percent of the health care provided by Planned Parenthood health centers is designed to:
  • prevent unintended pregnancies through contraception
  • reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections through testing and treatment
  • prevent cervical and other cancers through lifesaving screenings.

For those who are pregnant, Planned Parenthood provides

  • pregnancy testing
  • prenatal care
  • abortion
  • referral for adoption (select affiliates)
  • midlife care helping women manage the effects of menopause (select affiliates)

That's a pretty radical agenda, there, keeping women, including pregnant women and their unborn children, healthy. Too icky for Republicans since it all involves women parts.

By the way, the Republicans aren't just defunding Planned Parenthood, they're taking federal funding away from all reproductive health services—including family planning—for all women's clinics. And none of that funding—none—pays for abortion. Only about a quarter of federal funds for family planning and women's healthcare goes to Planned Parenthood, three-quarters goes to clinics in communities all over the country. And for many American women, those clinics are the only healthcare they have access to.    Source

The Government Shutdown: American Taliban Unknown To The General American Public So Who Will Be Blamed?

MSNBC

 

Shutdown Hinges On Planned Parenthood Cuts?

So the Democrats and the American Taliban Party cannot reach a budget agreement only because Chief Boehner and the hoods want P.P. to no longer exist, basically?

Democratic officials familiar with the negotiations said that proposed restrictions on money for Planned Parenthood remained the chief sticking point, and that attempts to resolve the disagreement through alternatives like allowing a separate floor vote on the issue had not been successful. Democrats said they were told by the Republicans that the votes of anti-abortion social conservatives would be needed to move any budget measure through the House. John Boehner's PR flack told the New York Times that spending was still the primary issue, but no Republicans that are involved in the negotiations have actually backed that up. And Politico's David Rogers, who has some of the best sources inside negotiating rooms, described the negotiations as having "moved beyond spending toward social policy." As Dick Durbin says, "This is no longer about the budget deficit, it’s about bumper stickers." And the question is: will the GOP shut the government down over a bumper sticker? My bet: no. But if they do, there will be hell to pay.
Source:http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/08/964755/-Shutdown-showdown-comes-down-to-Planned-Parenthood-funding

Businesses Speak About Tax Cuts Creating Jobs…

   ….which anyone with an I.Q. over 1 knows does not happen no matter how many drugs the Republicans take in order to see that illusion.

Tax Cuts do not create Jobs. Why Do Republicans push this myth?
by Blue Creekwater, Yahoo! Answers?

I'm a small business owner here in Atlanta Ga. We have a clothing store, and have an online clothing website. Both do very well, I can tell you right now, as a business owner, as a person who comes from a family of small business owners. Tax Cuts do not create jobs. Tax cuts adds profits into business owners pockets. If I get another 10% Tax cut, as the republicans are planning to push, lets say it moves and wins. If my current staff is can handle the volume, there is no incentive for me to hire new employees. That is the way it works.  [...]

Tax cuts for rich don't trickle down
By Lew Prince, politico.com -- 12/3/10

I’ve run a small business for more than 30 years, and the claim that more tax cuts for the rich can generate jobs at small businesses is ridiculous. Expecting high-end tax cuts to trickle down as job creation is about as reasonable as pouring gasoline on your hood and expecting it to run your engine.

My company’s success or failure is tied to the economic health of our 24 employees, our customers, our community, our state and our country.   [...]

Extending the Bush Tax Cuts: Would They Create More Jobs? Or Just Comfort The Comfortable?
John Keefe, The Macro View, moneywatch.com -- Jul 28, 2010

It’s about the top-line success of the business, and whether the Subway sandwich shop owner is selling more sandwiches, or the software consulting firm is adding new customers. Having been a small business owner, I know that taxes are very low on the priority list.

  One more for you to take a look at.

The Bush Tax Cuts and the Economy
Congressional Research Service -- CRS Report for Congress
Thomas L. Hungerford, Specialist in Public Finance -- Dec 10, 2010

[pg 8]

Revenue Loss from the Bush Tax Cut Provisions

Over five years, extending the provisions are estimated to reduce tax revenues by $869 billion. The 10-year revenue loss is estimated to be $2,023 billion. Debt service costs associated with permanently extending the Bush tax cuts are [...] estimated to be $450 billion.    Sources

   The American Taliban continue to push this lie and it has worked pretty damned well over the past 3 or so decades. They have to be taking in a pretty good off-the-books income from these corporations who got them into office in the first place.