The Pittsburgh Comet: "Koch gets Kraus on Campaign Ethics Issue"Bruce Kraus is not well suited to be in elected office in this country.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
The Pittsburgh Comet hits against Bruce Kraus too
Let's get ready to rumble! 9 PM 2012 GOP debate on Thursday
Debate day moneybomb: http://www.debateday.com/
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/05/04/gop-hopefuls-ready-rumble-2012-presidential-debate/
Debate Day MoneyBomb
When: Thursday, May 5, 2011 9:00 PM
Debate Day Money Bomb: NEW CAMPAIGN SITE http://www.ronpaul2012.com/
The first nationally televised Republican presidential debate in the 2012 election cycle will be held on May 5, 2011. Because of this, it is imperative to showcase Ron Paul as the leading frontrunner in the race. On May 5, 2011, we will hold an online money bomb in support of Ron Paul for President 2012. A money bomb is a 24-hour fundraising event aimed at dramatically increasing funds for a specific candidate. In November 2007, Ron Paul raised more than $4.2 million in a single day. In December 2007, Ron Paul raised the most money in the history of American politics in a single day, raising more than $6 million; a record that still holds strong to this very day.
Please invite your friends, and tell them that it is essential that we all donate to Ron Paul on May 5, 2011, in preparation for the first nationally televised Republican presidential debate for 2012.
The money bomb will likely be held on Ron Paul's official campaign website, which will be linked here once it is created. For now, please visit http://www.LibertyPAC.com, and consider making a donation before the official money bomb. OR you can visit http://www.debateday.com/ and pledge your donation today as well.
http://www.foxnews.com/
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/05/04/gop-hopefuls-ready-rumble-2012-presidential-debate/
Debate Day MoneyBomb
When: Thursday, May 5, 2011 9:00 PM
Debate Day Money Bomb: NEW CAMPAIGN SITE http://www.ronpaul2012.com/
The first nationally televised Republican presidential debate in the 2012 election cycle will be held on May 5, 2011. Because of this, it is imperative to showcase Ron Paul as the leading frontrunner in the race. On May 5, 2011, we will hold an online money bomb in support of Ron Paul for President 2012. A money bomb is a 24-hour fundraising event aimed at dramatically increasing funds for a specific candidate. In November 2007, Ron Paul raised more than $4.2 million in a single day. In December 2007, Ron Paul raised the most money in the history of American politics in a single day, raising more than $6 million; a record that still holds strong to this very day.
Please invite your friends, and tell them that it is essential that we all donate to Ron Paul on May 5, 2011, in preparation for the first nationally televised Republican presidential debate for 2012.
The money bomb will likely be held on Ron Paul's official campaign website, which will be linked here once it is created. For now, please visit http://www.LibertyPAC.com, and consider making a donation before the official money bomb. OR you can visit http://www.debateday.com/ and pledge your donation today as well.
http://www.foxnews.com/
Republicans Deny They Plan to End Medicare
Recently the U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure that would drastically change the Medicare program. The measure, part of a budget authored by Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, passed with the votes of all but four Republicans and not one Democrat.
Now the Democratic Congressional Committee is running an ad in selected congressional against Republican congress members thought to be vulnerable. The ad, which portrays seniors having to work at odd jobs to pay for their medical care, includes the line, “Congressman [name] voted to end Medicare forcing seniors to pay $12,500 for private health insurance, without guaranteed coverage.”
A spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee calls the ad “shameless scare tactics” on the part of Democrats. In particular, they say they are not ending Medicare, put reforming it to save it.
Who is telling the truth? It’s important for voters to understand this issue, which may dominate next year’s elections. A recent Washington Post/ABC News poll found that 78 percent of Americans are opposed to cutting Medicare. For more than 40 years American seniors have relied on Medicare for their essential, and often expensive, health care needs. For example, the deadly lung cancer mesothelioma is nearly always diagnosed in people in or approaching their Medicare years.
The Republian position was bolstered by the fact-check site PolitiFact.com, which judged the ad to be misleading.
“Yes, the Republican plan would be a huge change to the current program, and seniors would have to pay more for their health plans if it becomes law. Democrats, including President Barack Obama, have said they are strongly opposed to the plan.
“But to say the Republicans voted to end Medicare, as the ad does, is a major exaggeration. All seniors would continue to be offered coverage under the proposal, and the program’s budget would increase every year.”
The primary point of the ad was that seniors would pay more for health care under the Republican plan, and PoliFact admits this is true. But Republicans aren’t ending Medicare, just changing it.
Others argue PoliFact was bamboozled by Republican talking points and didn’t see reality. Steve Benen writes for Washington Monthly,
“Medicare is a single-payer health care system offering guaranteed benefits to seniors. The House Republican budget plan intends to do away with the existing system and replace it with something very different — a privatized voucher plan. It would still be called “Medicare,” but it wouldn’t be Medicare.
“It seems foolish to have to parse the meaning of the word “end,” but if there’s a program, and it’s replaced with a different program, proponents brought an end to the original program. That’s what the verb means.”
What about the $12,500 figure? PoliFact acknowledges that the number comes from an analysis by the Congressional budget Office. PoliFact argues that the number is misleading, however, because it includes the amount of premiums seniors already pay. “The CBO estimates beneficiaries would contribute about $6,150 in premiums in 2022 if the program isn’t changed at all. So the extra money seniors need to pay under the Republican proposal is more like $6,350.” Oh, good; the premium would only be more than doubled.
But that’s only in 2020. The Ryan plan provides for keeping increases in Medicare tied to the Gross National Product figure, which has not been rising nearly as fast as heath care cost. So the “difference” that seniors would have to pay would get bigger every year.
Now the Democratic Congressional Committee is running an ad in selected congressional against Republican congress members thought to be vulnerable. The ad, which portrays seniors having to work at odd jobs to pay for their medical care, includes the line, “Congressman [name] voted to end Medicare forcing seniors to pay $12,500 for private health insurance, without guaranteed coverage.”
A spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee calls the ad “shameless scare tactics” on the part of Democrats. In particular, they say they are not ending Medicare, put reforming it to save it.
Who is telling the truth? It’s important for voters to understand this issue, which may dominate next year’s elections. A recent Washington Post/ABC News poll found that 78 percent of Americans are opposed to cutting Medicare. For more than 40 years American seniors have relied on Medicare for their essential, and often expensive, health care needs. For example, the deadly lung cancer mesothelioma is nearly always diagnosed in people in or approaching their Medicare years.
The Republian position was bolstered by the fact-check site PolitiFact.com, which judged the ad to be misleading.
“Yes, the Republican plan would be a huge change to the current program, and seniors would have to pay more for their health plans if it becomes law. Democrats, including President Barack Obama, have said they are strongly opposed to the plan.
“But to say the Republicans voted to end Medicare, as the ad does, is a major exaggeration. All seniors would continue to be offered coverage under the proposal, and the program’s budget would increase every year.”
The primary point of the ad was that seniors would pay more for health care under the Republican plan, and PoliFact admits this is true. But Republicans aren’t ending Medicare, just changing it.
Others argue PoliFact was bamboozled by Republican talking points and didn’t see reality. Steve Benen writes for Washington Monthly,
“Medicare is a single-payer health care system offering guaranteed benefits to seniors. The House Republican budget plan intends to do away with the existing system and replace it with something very different — a privatized voucher plan. It would still be called “Medicare,” but it wouldn’t be Medicare.
“It seems foolish to have to parse the meaning of the word “end,” but if there’s a program, and it’s replaced with a different program, proponents brought an end to the original program. That’s what the verb means.”
What about the $12,500 figure? PoliFact acknowledges that the number comes from an analysis by the Congressional budget Office. PoliFact argues that the number is misleading, however, because it includes the amount of premiums seniors already pay. “The CBO estimates beneficiaries would contribute about $6,150 in premiums in 2022 if the program isn’t changed at all. So the extra money seniors need to pay under the Republican proposal is more like $6,350.” Oh, good; the premium would only be more than doubled.
But that’s only in 2020. The Ryan plan provides for keeping increases in Medicare tied to the Gross National Product figure, which has not been rising nearly as fast as heath care cost. So the “difference” that seniors would have to pay would get bigger every year.
ATTEND ORGANIZING 2.0 by Charles Lenchner
Edited slightly:
You should attend Organizing 2.0 on May 10, 2011:
1. You work for an organization that does not use online tools except for some email and a low quality website. Join us for hands on training on relevant software, case studies on organizations in your situation, and suggestions for best next steps that even under-resourced groups can realistically take.
2. You work for an organization that pays for and uses online tools – just not very well. How can you make good use of what you are already paying for? Learn how to move from having an online presence, to using it effectively to achieve mission goals.
3. You work for an organization that uses online tools quite well – but only in specific pockets of your work. We’re bringing together experience labor and organizing professionals figuring out (together) what works best to win campaigns, serve members, and drive up individual engagement. Join us to learn – and to share your own knowledge.
Now for another question. Why are we doing this?
Our experience is that in many organizations the introduction of technology is disruptive. At various levels, from the top to the bottom, questions about what works and why are often suppressed out of ignorance, fear and uncertainty. The gap between status power and expertise often leads to situations where anyone who “knows” can’t decide, and anyone with enough power to decide almost certainly doesn’t “know” how to do online organizing. Exactly how many union presidents come with experience as digital strategists? How many new hires who are digital natives get to decide on budgets? We haven’t met ANY. And it shows. (We've got stories!)
Our solution is to organize. Our targets are the decision makers and front line staff of labor unions and community organizing groups fighting around economic justice issues. Victory for us means advancing an organizations’ effectiveness through the appropriate use of online technologies. We win when online organizers are hired with the power to implement real online organizing strategies, when the
right kind of consultants are consulted and heard, when resources are spent wisely, when risk averse institutions embrace experimentation.
It’s hard; many of us have to bite our tongues much of the time. If we were highly paid consultants we’d probably lose clients or put out a lot of creative ideas that are then ignored. We’re taking our available assets – expertise, community and autonomy – and using them as best we can. This is the one time a year where we get together to ‘tell it like it is.’
If you’re reading this and haven’t already embraced our vision, consider these questions:
* Are Organizing 2.0’s trainers coming from labor, community organizing groups and progressive political organizations?
Yes.
* Have they done this before?
Yes.
* Are important organizations endorsing and participating?
Yes.
* Is the labor movement in New York doing so well that we can afford to continue with business as usual?
NO.
http://www.organizing20.org/pgh/
Join Us for a Special Young Professionals Reception
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Today is Day Against DRM
May 4, 2011, is the third annual international Day Against DRM!
The Day Against DRM is an opportunity to unite a wide range of projects, public interest organizations, web sites and individuals in an effort to raise public awareness to the danger of technology that requires users to give-up control of their computers or that restricts access to digital data and media. This year, individuals and groups are working together to create local actions in their communities. Actions range from protesting an unfriendly hardware vendor to handing out informative fliers at local public libraries -- or in my case, making a blog posting.
Thanks to DefectiveByDesign.org for leading this effort.
The Day Against DRM is an opportunity to unite a wide range of projects, public interest organizations, web sites and individuals in an effort to raise public awareness to the danger of technology that requires users to give-up control of their computers or that restricts access to digital data and media. This year, individuals and groups are working together to create local actions in their communities. Actions range from protesting an unfriendly hardware vendor to handing out informative fliers at local public libraries -- or in my case, making a blog posting.
Thanks to DefectiveByDesign.org for leading this effort.
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Save it!
Go here too and pass it on:
http://www.causes.com/causes/609476-reuse-the-igloo/about
http://www.change.org/petitions/reuse-the-igloo-pittsburgh-civic-arena#?opt_new=f&opt_fb=t
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reuse-the-Igloo-Mellon-Arena/222742696638
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=77267039224
$60 million Texas High School football stadium nearing completion
$60 million Texas High School football stadium nearing completionMeanwhile, in Pittsburgh, we have a nice football stadium on the South Side, for many teams. And, it isn't at any high school.
To join the WPIAL, our city league teams would have about two home games as all the others would need to be AWAY contests. Or, we'd have to build-up a few more fields to be able to host Friday night football games.
The field at U-Prep in The Hill, the field at Carrick, and perhaps the field at Brashear are the best available to expand. Carrick's is a Citipark field. There is a hope that the Perry or Oliver team could use PNC Park, in my dreams.
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