Archive for national budget

Institute of Medicine Report Highlights $750B in Unnecessary Healthcare Spending

After years of corporate abuse, there can be no alternative to a government payer health care system without private sector reforms. According to an Institute of Medicine report, wasteful spending and inefficient uses of technology accounted for $750 billion in unnecessary health expenditures last year.

This system is bankrupting our nation morally, financially, and physically. As discussed in Patriot Acts, until we address core issues—why our costs are so high, why our outcomes are so poor, and why, as a nation, we’re in such bad shape—there can be no meaningful reform.

"America spent $2.6 trillion on health care last year; about one in every six dollars went into the health-care system. A third of that spending — a full $750 billion — did nothing to make anyone healthier." Sarah Kliff, Washington Post

From The Washington Post

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Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg Claims Corporations and Lobbyists Are the ‘Solution’

As lobbyists make record sums and taxpayer dollars continue to flood Wall Street accounts, voters must realize that the fundamental principles of American democracy—capitalism, free-enterprise—are being dismantled by elected officials who claim they support traditional conservative principles.

When officials like Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg, currently running for a Republican seat in the Senate, claim corporations and lobbyists are working for pro-American policies it is an absolute sham. Read about Rehberg’s remarks to the American League of Lobbyists and consider whether these men truly represent the American public interest.

"Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg has been pounding Democratic Sen. Jon Tester over lobbyist fundraising in their tight Senate race, but Rehberg declared last year in a meeting with the influence peddlers that he probably would have chosen their profession over his own if he had been 'smart.'" Michael McAuliff, Huffington Post

From The Huffington Post

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ICYMI: PoliticsNation on MSNBC

Paul Ryan may prove to be a hazardous running mate as the Romney campaign pushes forward on the campaign trail. Working class Republicans – when they really pay attention to the Ryan budget plan – are going to be extremely nervous about the economic possibilities that come with a Romney/Ryan ticket. Conversely, many economic conservatives will find themselves very uncomfortable with some of Ryan’s relatively radical social positions.

On Monday, August 13, I joined Reverend Al Sharpton and Margie Omero on PoliticsNation to discuss the latest feedback on Romney’s choice of running mate. Watch the clip below for a more in-depth analysis of what it is going to take for the Romney campaign to consolidate its base without ostracizing conservatives on the fence.

"As conservative as Rep. Paul Ryan is on budget matters, he is even further to the right on social issues. He co-sponsored a personhood amendment and is against abortion in all situations. Catherine Crier, author of "Patriot Acts: What America Must Do to Save the Republic", and Margie Omero, Democratic Strategist, join PoliticsNation to discuss Ryan's social beliefs." PoliticsNation

From PoliticsNation

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Louisiana’s new voucher school program forces revisionist history on students.

Louisiana’s new voucher school program not only enables corporations to turn our public education system into a for-profit gold mine, it also endorses private schools forcing creationist doctrine and revisionist history on students.

We need to teach our students that the ability to reason – to analyze, research, question, articulate, debate, and extrapolate – is the essence of an educated mind. Read a few of the historical and scientific “facts” taught in these Louisiana voucher schools and share your thoughts on whether they should receive millions in public funding.

"Under Gov. Bobby Jindal's voucher program, considered the most sweeping in the country, Louisiana is poised to spend tens of millions of dollars to help poor and middle-class students from the state's notoriously terrible public schools receive a private education. While the governor's plan sounds great in the glittery parlance of the state's PR machine, the program is rife with accountability problems that actually haven't been solved by the new standards the Louisiana Department of Education adopted two weeks ago." Deanna Pan, Mother Jones

From Mother Jones

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Packing up America’s monolithic, global military presence.

As the U.S. military continues to tone down missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, what will happen to the billions of dollars worth of weapons, vehicles, and machinery created to sustain a never-ending global security presence? 

The New York Times and TomDispatch are reporting on huge supplies of combat equipment that may be ‘strategically relocated’ to so-called ‘satellite bases’ in Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. By equipping these locations and deeming them important military stockpiles, defense contractors will reap huge profits maintaining and upgrading this material despite the absence of any major U.S. conflict in the region.  
Despite the pending troop withdrawals in Iraq and those in Afghanistan between now and 2014, the United States remains a superpower on a scale not seen since the days of the Caesars. With this in mind, the National Post’s Richard Johnson takes a look at the scale of America’s forces.  (Source: National Post)

From The New York Times

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Weapons makers now suggesting that GOP reconsider tax hikes.

Our global military presence requires a mammoth defense industry, one that consumes nearly half of all military expenditures worldwide. In January, 2013, automatic defense cuts are scheduled to occur under the Budget Control Act. This sequestration has members of Congress and major defense contractors scrambling to dodge this bullet.

Desperate to protect their bottom line, weapons makers now suggest that the GOP consider raising revenues (taxes!). Just maybe those top tier Bush tax cuts should expire to facilitate a budget agreement before the New Year’s deadline. How will Republicans respond to this powerful lobby?

From The Huffington Post

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For-profit prison industry, an example of how profit motive leads to perverse business incentives.

While privatizing certain state/local government functions can be beneficial, the for-profit prison industry has become a prime example of how the profit motive leads to perverse business incentives. Administrators are pressured to hire fewer, less-experienced guards, cut food/health care, inflate costs, and ignore physical and sexual abuse among prisoners.

Now, Virginia is contracting out a facility for indefinitely sentenced sex offenders. Guaranteed occupancy for those cells?

From The Huffington Post

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Why corporate loyalty has gone global, suppressing political support for game-changing public investment in our nation and citizens

There’s a reason why government spending on renewable energy, infrastructure, and critical R&D is needed for domestic economic growth now more than ever. The private sector, driven by short-term profits and easily marketable products, will rarely invest in/develop transformative products until the government creates initial demand (US government bought most microchips, sustaining infant industry, until a market was created) or establishes the platform for such innovation (building a new energy grid to transport renewables, buying enough natural gas/electric vehicles to justify a private investment in refueling stations, etc.).

In his latest post for The New York Times’ Campaign Stops blog, Thomas B. Edsall ’blames’ technology for stagnant job growth (increased productivity, robotics, etc.), but that’s just one contributing factor. In Patriot Acts, I discuss why corporate loyalty has gone global, suppressing political support for game-changing public investment in our nation and our citizens.  The actions needed to spur large-scale, long-term job creation in 21st century America will only occur in partnership with the government (read: the People).

From The New York Times Campaign Stops

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War on Drugs discussion reopened in the wake of Fast and Furious.

Despite decades fighting the drug wars, millions of Americans use cannabis just as others use alcohol. When listening to arguments opposing its legalization, substitute ‘alcohol’ for ‘marijuana’ and you’ll hear the same words that were exchanged almost 100 years ago.

Now that the Fast and Furious controversy has once again opened the discussion on Mexican violence, perhaps it’s time we discuss one of the greatest failures in American public policy. What are your thoughts on the War on Drugs?

From The Atlantic

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Georgia misappropriating mortgage settlement funds to attract corporations.

Instead of using national mortgage settlement funds to relieve homeowners still struggling in the wake of the housing crisis, Georgia has decided to use nearly $100 million from this fund to attract businesses in rural areas — far from the Atlanta-metro area experiencing the vast majority of foreclosures.

Georgia joins fifteen states who plan to misappropriate national mortgage settlement money for purposes other than helping alleviate widespread mortgage fraud. Will they get away with this?


From The Huffington Post

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