The trustees who oversee Social Security and Medicare said the disability trust fund will run out of money in late 2016. That would trigger an automatic 19 percent cut in benefits, unless Congress acts.”
Republicans say they want changes in the disability program to reduce fraud and to encourage disabled workers to re-enter the work force. Yet just a few months ago the new Republican congress found $269 BILLION and gave the ultra rich 1% a huge tax break…because you know those poor billionaires just don’t have enough money
Good news being that it might just spur more homeless camps to accommodate those of us who will lose our homes. Its Ok folks don’t worry. We realize your house burnt down but look on the bright side. We saved the outhouse.
Not related, but news out of WA as well.
Near a decade later we continue to follow the same path in the Middle East, “turn it upside down and make it under our control.” Or at least in the control of the house of Saudi and the house of Saul (Israel.)
That we support groups affiliated with al-Qaeda should not surprise anyone as Iran has always been one of those target states. Shamefully, we have just re-allied ourselves with Turkey and made arrangements that they would have free fly zones in Syria to bomb away at ISIS. They immediately bombed the Kurd’s who we have betrayed time and time again.
The transparent aid packages of the United states to promote ‘democracy.” is frightening enough. Black or hidden funds are of course never revealed.
‘The Middle East Partnership Initiative – launched by the George W Bush administration in 2002 in a bid to influence politics in the Middle East in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks – has spent close to $900m on democracy projects across the region, a federal grants database shows.
USAID manages about $1.4bn annually in the Middle East, with nearly $390m designated for democracy promotion, according to the Washington-based Project on Middle East Democracy’
Most analysts suggest that the real total begins above the 3 Billion dollar range.
The new deal we made with Iran is sure to have Israel and the Saudi’s demanding fro more military hardware and as I see it NO present candidate is ready to oppose or put an end to this. Ron Paul in the last election did.
As for Clark (called Weasely) has had his war moments in the Balkans and recently has urged immediate military assistance, including plenty of “lethal aid” to Ukraine. I do however, believe that his speech about US plans to overthrow the governments of 7 countries in 5 years was a rare glimpse of truth on his part.
(C) Herb Senft 2015 
How (AIPAC) American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which championed the invasion of Iraq, can mount day after day a lobbying campaign against the Iran deal without being asked why, after Iraq we should believe them.
The same ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction’ Benjamin Netanyahu, who in 2002 told Congress that ‘There is no question whatsoever that Saddam is … advancing towards the development of nuclear weapons’ and that ‘If you take out … Saddam’s regime, I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region, ‘now rails against the fantasy threat of Iran’s nuclear program.
This coming from a regime that denies it has nuclear weapons itself yet threatens the regions with a Samson Option: the Real Nuclear Threat. Israel’s massive nuclear arsenal is one of the world’s worst kept secrets. Former Prime Minister Olmert blurted it out in an interview with German television.
More alarming is that President Obama refused to answer when asked directly by Helen Thomas if he “knew of any country in the Middle East with nuclear weapons.” American leaders, along with Germany, France and Britain abet this program even while Israel continues espionage against its allies, nay its sugar daddies.
(Google the Jonathan Pollard case – a spy who sold American secrets to the Soviets, handled by Netanyahu himself, and is now being set free in November. 🙁
Add to this the local Republican War party continues humming the Israeli tune and so do some Democrats. Our political leadership has been converted into a willing appendage of the Israel lobby.”Perfidy, Iranian cheating, secret labs will continue to be hammered down our throats, as the War Machine never sleeps.
From TPP, Disability cuts to foreign aid I get ever more perplexed by the actions of the party I once was a proud member of. The recent sell out by 13 Democrats regarding the Fast Track TPP insanity made me write to them one more time. You see BOTH my WA. senators were party to this. Please forgive the ranting discourse — I am on pain meds for two surgeries I underwent.
‘TPP is a corporate Trojan Horse:’ With legislators who cannot even study this bill and talk it over with their staff they nevertheless gave overwhelming congressional approval for the President to “fast-track “three looming global trade accords, including the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership. GOD help the American worker.’
I don’t know if the Democratic Party is aimed at political suicide but you are heading there. Your only redeeming grace is that the Republicans are self-destructing even faster.
As I see it.
1.One, alienate your core constituencies. That includes reneging on a pledge to help the trade unions; continue hidden wars, drone attacks on civilians and continued nation destroying that Weseley Clark mentioned a few years ago. Just recently, you negotiated a new agreement with Turkey that now allows them to target Kurds. We have backstabbed them enough I would say.
Through in cuts to Social Disability next year and I am totally screwed. I survive with about 30 extra dollars a month as a cushion. Now with secondary medical problems (serious ones) I will be doubly disabled. Go out and get a job say the Republicans. I can barely tie my shoelaces and am 65 years old.
These are the issues I expect you to fight for, including NOT giving out more foreign aid to the Israel lobby or caving in to them. The Ka Ching Iran deal will have them screaming for more arms, same for the Saudi’s. None of these are our allies.
Israel gave us that spy Pollard and sank the Liberty and in that case Democrats on watch let it happen and even put a gag order on those sailors.
Disenchanted? You bet! Hillary curries favors from Wall Street, Big Pharma and corporations such as Monsanto, Bayer as much as any Republican. Yet to most, is not so perceived.
Selling out to these is included in the TPS Fast Track resolution and I am not going to forget those who would enthrone global corporate power over us.
The secrecy of these negotiations is beyond forgiveness and the Obama promises of Change and transparency have flown out the window.
I am terribly saddened that my two Senators have joined the other Democratic sellouts … NO I do not see that increasing Raw log exports, etc. overseas make up for the loss of sovereignty that nations will have to do in order not to be sued by these corporations.
Only by writing your ‘representatives’ or LORDS in Congress can we ever regain or preserve the rights that are quickly being sold off.
Hillary Clinton refuses to take a position on Keystone XL pipeline. What a surprise 🙁 http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/28/hillary-clinton-refuses-position-keystone-xl-pipeline