Redirecting
Follow me at Twitter.
Follow me at Twitter.
@kfedor79 Ken Fedor
Millions face #poverty without #unemployment benefits. Tell Congress to extend UI benefits now! bit.ly/qf0LnV @usaction #P2
**********
About the rise in U.S. poverty rates, David Hawkings sent a Roll Call newsletter on Nov. 7 with astounding new figures. To quote:
POVERTY DATA: The government today increased by 2.9 million its estimate of the number of Americans living in poverty. The new total is 49.1 million, or 16 percent of the population, the Census Bureau said. In September, the agency pegged the numbers at 46.2 million, or 15.1 percent. Much of the increase came because of a recalculation of everyday costs, especially inflation in non-prescription health care items. As a result, the population 65 and older had the biggest poverty jump — to 15.9 percent from 9 percent. But the poverty rate for Hispanics rose to 28.2 percent, surpassing that of African-Americans for the first time.
**********
Newt Gingrich supports child labor as a solution to poverty explains Michael Stickings at The Reaction.
**********
Latino child poverty has skyrocketed during the recession: Courtesy of Pew Research
**********
Closer to home, in Fort Worth, according to the Star Telegram, the author of a book on poverty is again trying to climb out.
**********
So, as you approach your heavily-laden Thanksgiving table on Thursday, take a moment to reflect. Some, indeed will still be hungry this Thanksgiving.
Every day I receive a number of news feeds. I save them in Gmail and often do a search of these newslteers to see what dominated the news opinion about a certain subject. Today's theme is Governor Rick Perry, Republican of Texas.
Having lived in the state all of my adult life, I watched its evolution from a Democratic to a Republican dominated state. And it has been painful because I am a progressive Democrat. And my Republican governor has decided to run for POTUS. Here are a few items to help you understand why I am embarrassed by his attempt.
The loner from the Lone Star state - I have taken this paragraph from CQ Homeland Security Behind the Lines for Friday, Nov. 11, 2011 — 3 P.M. By David C. Morrison, Special to Congressional Quarterly. To quote:
“If the White House is out,” besieged GOP wannabe prez Herman Cain has “a future in airport security,” National Journal’s Theresa Poulson headlines — while Indybay’s Juan Batista alleges that also-running Rick Perry once “sought the support of the Republic of Texas militia, which has a long history of terrorism,” and Calvin Woodward’s Associated Press issues round-up hears the Texas gov terming it “unprincipled” for Republicans to have voted to create DHS. In Wednesday’s debate, meantime, libertarian long shot Ron Paul invoked DHS, natch, as the epitome of overweening federal incompetence, Time Magazine’s Michael Sherer summarizes.
The speedy spin - This is by David Hawkings at Congressional Quarterly [Nov. 10, 2011]
MAKING THE BEST OF IT: Rick Perry’s campaign quickly found a way to spin his epic “oops” from last night’s debate. This morning the Texas governor’s supporters were greeted by a fundraising e-mail that played up the incident as a “human moment” and announced the creation of an email address — forgetmenot@rickperry.org — where people can send suggestions about which federal agencies should be eliminated.
Perry himself did multiple TV interviews this morning, noting that the third agency he’d eliminate — in addition to the departments of Commerce and Education — indeed would be the Energy Department. (He’s been on the record about the three-department hit list in the past, but couldn’t recall Energy last night.) And what about ending his campaign? “This ain’t a day for quitting nothing,” he told the Associated Press this morning.In the end, Perry’s forgetfulness squares well with his well-noted disdain for Washington, D.C. And Washington doesn’t have much to offer in return. He hasn’t pursued congressional endorsements with much vigor, and the federal workforce is an unlikely base of support for a candidate who makes no bones about his desire to shrink the government drastically.It has gone from bad to worse - This is from David Hawkings at Congressional Quarterly [Nov. 8, 2011] To quote:
. . . polls out today . . . An NBC/Wall Street Journal survey found . . . the Rick Perry candidacy slides toward the abyss. He has only 10 percent support now, a drop of 6 points in a month — to fourth place behind Newt Gingrich, who’s up to 13 percent.
Retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison refused Sunday to soften any of the criticisms she leveled at Texas Gov. Rick Perry when she challenged him in last year’s GOP gubernatorial primary. Full Story
"Read my book" urged the governor at the beginning of his run. Read a review of Rick Perry's "Fed Up.", from Congress.org[Oct. 17, 2011]
In conclusion, we know our governor will return before long, a bit chastened, I fear. But I predict he will glad to be home, glad to be out of the blinding glare of national Republican politics.
Today is Monday, November 7, 2011 - It is a good day to be alive, despite the bad things that are happening. What I have read in the news this morning raises for me a number of important questions in the legal realm.
As the Feds seek unfettered GPS surveillance power as location-tracking flourishes, I feel alarmed at the growth of domestic sureillance in our day to day lives. Tomorrow the Supreme Court of the United States will hear arguments about whether law enforcement can attach a GPS tracking device to a vehicle without a probable cause warrant from a judge. Where is the Constitution's Fourth Amendment protection? As Wired blogger David Kravets wrote,
Technology has advanced since both of these cases, feeding the government’s growing hunger for cost-efficient, easy-to-use spy tools, and making the latest debate before the justices seem Orwellian. Today, one’s exact position on Earth can easily be secretly monitored with devices costing less than $200. Add to this the government’s argument in court briefs that “a person has no reasonable expectation of privacy in his movements from one place to another,” and you have the makings for widespread, unchecked surveillance.
The Implications of DOJ’s FOIA “Lies,” according to blogger emptywheel, have all kinds of possibilities for the abuse of our civil liberties. How is it that the government can lie when it comes to matters involving the lega lights of citizens? To quote and list:
. . . the practice of DOJ for nearly a quarter century to provide misleading information in response to FOIAs asking for certain kinds of information–broadly, ongoing investigations, informants, and foreign intelligence. In this post I want to consider how the practice may be ripe for abuse.
A Pennsylvania man gets jail for paying judges for favors, according to this (11/5/11) Reuters story. This is one of the dangers that come in when we make something the State should do on its own into a profit-making scheme. How is it that anyone should profit for providing juvenile detention? Here are the pertinent details:
A . . . man who owned for-profit juvenile detention centers was sentenced to 18 months in prison . . . for paying judges to send youths to his facilities in a so-called "kids for cash" scheme. Robert Powell, 53, a former trial lawyer . . . also must pay $60,000 for his involvement in the scheme. He was found guilty in 2009 of paying $770,000 in kickbacks to then-judges Mark Ciavarella Jr. and Michael Conahan, who in return sent youths to his detention centers.
Mississippi [is] to decide if [a] fertilized egg is a human being on Tuesday. If the proposition wins it could put women's lives in jeopardy, threaten birth control and would certainly be legally challenged in many different ways. Will it truly put Roe vs. Wade in the biggest danger since it was adopted? Reuters has the story.
Mississippi . . . could be the first state in the nation to define a fertilized egg as a person, a controversial concept aimed at outlawing abortion, some types of birth control and infertility methods that result in the loss of embryos. The so-called "personhood amendment" to the state constitution represents a twist in strategy for anti-abortion efforts, which have notched great success across the country this year with dozens of new restrictions put into law.
From a constitutional, ethical or procedural point of view, these news stories raise important questions. What questions do you have?
There is no easy way to cover our nation's security needs. And its success is always a mixed bag. Here are a few current examples of how easy it is to get off track --
This overcompensation in airport security may pose a health risk to travellers.
The slowdown of donations to WikiLeaks is threatening its very existence. Moreover, Julian Assange can now be extradited. Free speech remains at risk.
Those in Congress who voted for this legislation did not do their homework. Money may have been wasted, that could have provided security elsewhere
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the main investigative arm of the U.S. government, is supposed to do more than merely domestic surveillance. They are also charged with investigating white collar crimes. Bank fraud may go unpunished.
The focus on national security too often gets blurred. Citizens can become more at risk than protected when an agency goes off course. Constitutionally protected rights can be ignored in the name of making us safer. Money gets wasted that could be put to better use. And the law can be subverted when it is not enforced. Be very careful what you wish for.
