14 reasons why this is the worst Congress ever

This week, the House of Representatives voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. On its own, such a vote would be unremarkable. Republicans control the House, they oppose President Obama’s health reform law, and so they voted to get rid of it.

But here’s the punchline: This was the 33rd time they voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Holding that vote once makes sense. Republicans had promised that much during the 2010 [...]

Supreme Court rejects Montana campaign money limits

(Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday followed up on its 2010 ruling that unleashed corporate spending in federal elections, reversing a decision that upheld a century-old Montana law restricting business political campaign expenditures.

By a 5-4 vote, the high court ruled for three corporations – a political advocacy group called American Tradition Partnership Inc, a nonprofit that promotes shooting sports and a small family-owned painting business – that challenged [...]

When Did Homeownership Become a Nightmare? The Fascinating History of Housing in America

AlterNet / By Sara Robinson

In one short decade, home ownership has gone from being the Holy Grail of middle-class financial achievement to a very risky financial ball-and-chain.

May 21, 2012  |

In one short decade, home ownership has gone from being the Holy Grail of middle-class financial achievement — the biggest and most lucrative investment most of us would ever make, and the one most reliably likely to pay off — to a very risky [...]

Conservative Think-tanks Launch Campaign to Turn Americans Against Wind Energy: Documents show for the first time that local anti-wind groups are co-ordinating and working with national fossil-fuel funded advocacy groups to wreck the wind industry.

Documents show for the first time that local anti-wind groups are co-ordinating and working with national fossil-fuel funded advocacy groups to wreck the wind industry.

May 9, 2012  |

A network of ultra-conservative groups is ramping up an offensive on multiple fronts to turn the American public against wind farms and Barack Obama‘s energy agenda.

A number of rightwing organisations, including Americans for Prosperity, which is funded by the billionaire Koch brothers, are attacking Obama [...]

Virginia will not cooperate with NDAA detention – Several states recently passed resolutions condemning NDAA indefinite detention.

The Tenth Amendment Center 
April 20, 2012

RICHMOND, Va. – On Wednesday, the Virginia legislature overwhelmingly passed a law that forbids state agencies from cooperating with any federal attempt to exercise the indefinite detention without due process provisions written into sections 1021 and 1022 of the National Defense Authorization Act.

HB1160 “Prevents any agency, political subdivision, employee, or member of the military of Virginia from assisting an agency of the armed forces of the United States [...]

DEVELOPING: SANTORUM’S SATAN WARNING: ‘SATAN HAS SET HIS SIGHTS ON THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA’

SANTORUM’S SATAN WARNING
Tue Feb 21 2012 09:27:20 ET

“Satan has his sights on the United States of America!” Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum has declared.

“Satan is attacking the great institutions of America, using those great vices of pride, vanity, and sensuality as the root to attack all of the strong plants that has so deeply rooted in the American tradition.”

MORE

The former senator from Pennsylvania warned in 2008 how politics and government [...]

U.S. Savings Bonds Go Paperless

U.S. Savings Bonds Go Paperless
January 4, 2012 10:30 PM

 

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — U.S. savings bonds enclosed in birthday cards have been an American tradition for more than 70 years.

 

But from now on, purchasers will have to be computer savvy.

 

As of January 1, the U.S. Treasury declared that all bonds must be purchased online through the website www.treasurydirect.gov.

 

The buyer can download a “gift certificate” indicating the amount of the bond, and for [...]

Red Flag: GOP On Track To Block Obama Judicial Nominee For First Time

Republican opposition is steadily growing against controversial University of California-Berkeley law professor Goodwin Liu, President Obama’s nominee for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, potentially imperiling a judicial appointment for the first time in his presidency.

Senior Republicans launched an all-out push to quash the nomination, urging their conference colleagues to support a GOP-led filibuster.

“(Liu’s) record reflects a carefully honed and calculated philosophy that he developed [...]

Main Street Answers Wall Street

Main Street Responds to the Wall Street Manifesto

Main Street America has issued a point for point rebuttal to the Wall Street Manifesto, with a manifesto of its own. Each paragraph of the original Wall Street Manifesto is reprinted below and is immediately followed by Main Street’s rebuttal in italics.

We, the bankers of these United States, want to assure all Americans that we are devoted, heart and soul, to the interests [...]