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The House Rules - Dem's first 100 hours

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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
After taking the house and the senate, this country is finally livening up. For those of you that dont know, House democrats have pledged to pass sweeping legislation in their first 100 hours of session to 'drain the republican swamp' of policies and problems. We're halfway through so far, and honestly, I'm astounded. Dem's are actually DOING something, and a surprising amount of Reps have voted with them on these policies. Finally! If you'd like to discuss and want a quick summary, heres what they've been doing:

- Enforcing Paygo Laws, which will stop the deficit (Jan 5)
- Lobbying, making it illegal for lobbyists to give money to lawmakers (Jan 4)
- Security, enacting policies suggested in the 9/11 Report (Jan 9)
- Minimum Wage, set to increase to $7.25 in 2009 (Jan 10)
- Stem Cell research, increasing federal funding for (Today, Jan 11)
-Healthcare, fixing medicare by lowering prices for drugs for seniors (Set for Jan 12)
- Lower College Costs buy cutting intrest rates for Student Loans (Set for Jan 17)
- Rolling back the benefits given to oil corporations, renewable energy plan (Set for Jan 18)

Even if Bush veto's the Stem Cell bill, we finally have a legislative body that is making positive change. Go Dems!


Jan 11 2007 6:15PM
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spere
Posts: 6105 - Karma: 248
its nice to finally see some positive change in washington, more to come hopefully
Jan 11 2007 6:33PM
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duhamelski
Posts: 3842 - Karma: 192
honestly this country is fucked in the hands of either party
Jan 11 2007 7:30PM
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BurkeSter
Posts: 963 - Karma: 10
I love Canada. Health care is awomse.
Jan 11 2007 7:39PM
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Capt.Flannel
Posts: 10928 - Karma: 36
I agree that universal healthcare is a good idea, but I will be pissed when I have to wait 6 months to get a knee surgery because I have to wait in line. (Yes, I've been spoiled by having great insurance and a doctor willing to operate within days or weeks).
Jan 11 2007 7:45PM
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twintipteles
Posts: 2954 - Karma: 13
true, six weeks felt like way too long already.
Jan 11 2007 9:02PM
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Drunkenstein
Posts: 547 - Karma: 14
Universal Health Care is a bad idea for every country to have. Case in point, the USA. It coast roughly 1 billion dollars to create any drug. By giving 300 million Americans Universal Health Care you would see most funds for medical R&D go down the toilet. Say good bye to any big medical advances when research finds they have shit all for money to create advancements. Not to get all high and mighty, but medical breakthroughs in the United States happen on a 6 to 1 ratio of any other country in the world. And thanks to our work, Canada can "ripoff" and market their drugs, without participating in the more costlier development of those drugs.
Jan 11 2007 9:39PM
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JazzyJ
Posts: 3233 - Karma: 18
rekker, what was your source for this info, im not doubting you, just interested to see where this was organized from. though i thought the lower college costs legislation (via Pell grants) affect the poorest 1/3rd of american students. not that its not really good, just the bullet point you mention is a little bit general
Jan 11 2007 9:45PM
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pales
Posts: 1125 - Karma: 25
i like how the energy bit was in there i hope they step it up part of the problem is that theres so much money in oil nobody wants to stop but we really do need to cut back or we'll all be fucked.
Jan 11 2007 11:16PM
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skidemon22
Posts: 4423 - Karma: 1,946

i dont think that bush will veto stem-cell research, unless he is really pressured into it.

Jan 11 2007 11:22PM
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Capt.Flannel
Posts: 10928 - Karma: 36
pressured INTO vetoing stem cell? I think that the pressure would be to NOT veto it. He's pretty strongly convicted to the continued ban on stem cell research.
Jan 11 2007 11:23PM
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hendrik.
Posts: 6715 - Karma: 267
yeah, well medicine in the US is still over fucking priced by far too much, and if you don't agree, you're just blind.
Jan 11 2007 11:26PM
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saucybiscuits
Posts: 2554 - Karma: 173
im with you. it feels soooooooooooooooooo good to know that something is actually happening.
Jan 11 2007 11:26PM
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Capt.Flannel
Posts: 10928 - Karma: 36
and if you're blind, you'll be paying a hell of a lot less for your blind stick after this congress is through!




sorry, didn't mean to ruin a serious moment.
Jan 11 2007 11:27PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Oh, I just wrote what I've been hearing from a lot of my friends and the news. If you want a list, check CNN or Fox news, they've been reporting about it infrequently. Heres an article or two:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/11/stem.cell.ap/index.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,240497,00.html?sPage=fnc.politics/house
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/06/AR2006100600056.html


And as far as the info goes, yeah, I did summarize, but overall, the main point of each is true. College will be attainable for more people, which, in my belief, is a generally good thing.
Jan 11 2007 11:31PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Agreed. Our heathcare in this country is a disgrace. Having worked in a hospital for 3 years now, I'm fully convinced that the only thing keeping our hospitals together right now are devoted and selfless doctors and nurses that do their jobs regaurdless of what the government does to them. Veteran Administration hospitals are even worse. I know a few doctors there that VOLUNTEER there, giving up the breaks they get in their crazy schedules because they know how much the hospitals there need them. And just as Vietnam veterans are reaching the ages where they really need the system, the GOP goes and further cuts funding to VA's nationwide. I dont get it. If you put your people on the front lines to defend our freedom, at least be able to care for your heroes when they get old.

And as far as research goes, if we get a federal funded and supported system, GREAT! All the research money mostly comes from non-federal sources anyways. Drug R&D is a private business now. People have realized that research was underfunded and that the market was huge, and now private corporations are making bank off of their investments (eg, Viagra! Hey hey!). Halting government funded medical research will pretty much not effect anything in the long run, and it looks like private companies will take over the research sector anyways at this rate.
Jan 11 2007 11:46PM
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Von
Posts: 4869 - Karma: 21
The minimum wage hike wont get signed unless it includes a tax break for small business's, I think raising the national minimum wage to 7.25 is a terrible idea its going to badly hurt the job market in towns where jobs are already scarce. As for steam cell reserch it shouldnt get more federal funding, it already recivies funding from states, and companies. Although i do support cuts of federal funds going to oil and gas companies i dont think that the general public will be very happy with it becuase it will raise the price of gas significantly. The dems are going to ruin the strong economy that america has right now.

and dont get me started on universal health care.
Jan 11 2007 11:58PM
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Literature
Posts: 13673 - Karma: 3,085
You can't feed a family on 7.25
Jan 12 2007 12:04AM
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Von
Posts: 4869 - Karma: 21
I know you cant feed a family on 7.25 or 5.15 for that matter, but you cant feed anyone when you dont have a job becuase your employer fired you becuase they didnt have enough money to pay everyone 7.25.
Jan 12 2007 12:06AM
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hoodratz47
Posts: 12020 - Karma: 9,475
sick people == cashoooola
Jan 12 2007 12:12AM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Statement:

Exxon Mobile was bailed out by the government for the last two years on account of rising gas prices. Last year, it recorded the highest profit of the company EVER, $9.98 BILLION. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/27/AR2005102700449.html)

Now, that happened in October, 2005, and the tax breaks were enacted a year before that. So, you should see a drop in the price of gas to the consumer, right?

Click for larger image

Wait for it, wait for it.... anyone help me with this? Someone point out the drop in gas prices for me, please. I mean, Exxon got tax breaks, right? Should lower the price of gas, right? The company instead profits almost 10 billion... Gee willickers, I wonder where the money went?


Jan 12 2007 12:13AM
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pales
Posts: 1125 - Karma: 25
^yet another reason that gasoline is a shitty fuel/energy source to rely on and why we need to support congress supporting scientists to find an alternate that works
Jan 12 2007 12:23AM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Fuck that, private research is more efficient and works better than Beurocrazy. But yes, an alternative is needed, oil is finite.
Jan 12 2007 12:28AM
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Von
Posts: 4869 - Karma: 21

Im not sure what the numbers were for Exxon Mobile last year, but im almosty positve that they didn't make a record profit, even thought they made a larger profit in dollers last year percentage wise they made a smaller profit. They made a larger profit money wise becuase on a whole they made more money becuase but a large amount of the money isnt profit.

check this out, in 2004 Exxon in total made 298 billion dollars but made a a profit of 25.3 billion so 8.4% of the money that went into the company was profit. In 2003 however they made 250 billion dollars and had 21billion of it as profit, which is 9% of all the money they made in 03, so even though they made more money in 2004 in reality their profit wasnt larger.

And of the profit that exxon mobile made in both those years almost half of it went right back into exploring for more oil, which is an extremely expensive and risky endevor

Jan 12 2007 12:33AM
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Von
Posts: 4869 - Karma: 21

But im agaisnt the Federal government handing out money to anyone, especialy big business

Jan 12 2007 12:34AM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
The point remains - Bush gave the oil companies a tax cut to lower the price at the pump. And it really worked!
Jan 12 2007 12:34AM
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pales
Posts: 1125 - Karma: 25
he was probably hoping they would eventually get sick of having all the money and get generous...his plan obviously backfired.
Jan 12 2007 12:44AM
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Von
Posts: 4869 - Karma: 21

Well the price of gas where i live went from 3.00 a gallon this summer to a little above 2.00 in October, but theres no way of knowing if thats becuase of a bush tax cut or not. Whats interesting is that the price of oil has droped from 75$ a gallon to 50$ a gallon in the last month and a half, but the price of gas has stayed about the same......hmmmm.

Jan 12 2007 12:45AM
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flippintricker
Posts: 2408 - Karma: 9
thats a bit of an exaggeration. the wait is a month at most for something like that.
Jan 12 2007 12:48AM
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flippintricker
Posts: 2408 - Karma: 9
you have to stop thinking about profit, and start thinking about helping people.
Jan 12 2007 12:49AM
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Von
Posts: 4869 - Karma: 21

I dont want to wait a month to have to see a doctor, for anything even if it isnt lifethreatening.

Jan 12 2007 12:51AM
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Capt.Flannel
Posts: 10928 - Karma: 36
not really. I have friends who waited 4-6 months for ACL surgeries in ontario.
Jan 12 2007 12:59AM
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Von
Posts: 4869 - Karma: 21

Exactly if i need a surgery, even a minor one like and ACL surgery i dont want to have to wait months for it.

Jan 12 2007 1:02AM
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mark.p
Posts: 1422 - Karma: 10
Then don't start a family until you can get a better job.
Jan 12 2007 1:44AM
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eheath
Posts: 61603 - Karma: 123,082
Yay for pulling iraq funding! Hopefully..
Jan 12 2007 1:49AM
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Von
Posts: 4869 - Karma: 21
Do you know whats going to happen when we pull out of Iraq....
Jan 12 2007 2:55AM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Dude, I thought you were xtakewarninx for a minute, you really threw me off.


But no, doesnt work like that, sorry. If you're working 2 jobs that pay $5.35 an hour for 60 hours a week, that stacks up to just about enough to live off of. Let alone get into college or take a class. If we raise the minimum wage, people will be able to support themselves better, be able to attend colleges and learn more and the workforce in this country will finally be somewhat educated and ready for jobs other than wage-slaved factory workers. Yes, you wont be able to get cheap ass labor anymore, but come on, that doesnt benefit anyone in the end. Or, hell, if you're really that against workers getting payed more, hire illegal immigrants.
Jan 12 2007 3:19AM
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Von
Posts: 4869 - Karma: 21
But another consequence of raising the minumum wage is that some busnessis, wont have enough money to keep employing as many people as they do right now, so more people will be laid off and the unemployment rate will rise.
Jan 12 2007 3:32AM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
True, but the wage increase is going to happen slowly, over a two year period. Thats ample time for businesses and state economies to adapt to that. Besides, in some areas *CoughCoughGreatFalls,MontataCoughCough* raising the minimum wage wouldn't be the worst thing to happen...

I do have to agree, as with any issue, that there are pro's and cons, but overall, I see an increase in minimum wage a good thing that will help stabilize out nations economy and decrease the growing gap between the rich and poor.
Jan 12 2007 3:42AM
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AtomicTweaker
Posts: 2341 - Karma: 16
socialist
Jan 12 2007 7:26AM
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Von
Posts: 4869 - Karma: 21
Do you know who is spending the most money in the fight against AIDS, Cancer, Malaria and a ton of other disieses that are killing millions all over the world. It big drug companies, not the US Government or the fucking UN.
Jan 12 2007 12:40PM
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Von
Posts: 4869 - Karma: 21
I'll agree that in some area's it will strengthen the economy, but unless the bill includes a tax cut for small businesses its going to take away a lot of jobs. Another thing is that in places where there are a ton of jobs avalible, like where i live in Grand Junction, Colorado, none of the jobs are minimum wage jobs becuase there arent enough people to fill all of the jobs in town and there is a lot of competion for workers, so raising the minimum wage will probably be a good thing becuase it will just raise workers wages as a whole. But in other place like Ft. Collins where its nearly impossible to find a job its going to make it even hard to find a job, even for minimum wage.
Jan 12 2007 12:45PM
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JFerg
Posts: 2440 - Karma: 62
Ask why though, it's obviously to derive profit. Is that really what anyone (besides certain CEO's...) wants?
Jan 12 2007 12:50PM
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Von
Posts: 4869 - Karma: 21
Of course its to gain a profit for themselves, but thats whats important about it, pharasutical (sp) companies arnt only in their business to help people but also to make money so they are twice as motivated to find a drug that would cure cancer becuase not only would it help millions of people, it would make them billions of dollars.
Jan 12 2007 1:12PM
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Itsbackfliptime
Posts: 18901 - Karma: 75
She won't get pregnant?
Jan 12 2007 1:34PM
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skiierman
Posts: 28699 - Karma: -5,563
Damn, I want to know how to get gas for that cheap!
Jan 12 2007 1:50PM
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Von
Posts: 4869 - Karma: 21
exactly
Jan 12 2007 1:50PM
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monopatinrider
Posts: 2170 - Karma: 10
hahahahahahahahahaha
Jan 12 2007 1:56PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Ahahahaha, great quote!
Jan 12 2007 4:00PM
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plankster
Posts: 87 - Karma: 10
Keep in mind that the Dems also pledged to always keep Congress in session when it was supposed to be and not take days off. In their first week in session though, they took off Monday for the Ohio State football game. Not that I really care, but I got a kick out of that.
Jan 12 2007 4:03PM
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bermbuster49
Posts: 7445 - Karma: 90
seems like good changes. hopefully they dont dick us over...
Jan 12 2007 4:11PM
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