Warren to Obama: Stop making 'untrue' trade claims

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By Peter Schroeder - 04/25/15 01:16 PM EDT

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told President Obama on Saturday he was making “untrue” claims about his opponents — including herself.

The feud between Obama and the left continued Saturday, when Warren and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) called on the president to immediately declassify the negotiating terms of a pending trade deal with a host of nations known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

In an effort to push through trade legislation that would help finalize the deal, Obama has blasted critics on the left, saying they are “wrong” and “don’t know what they’re talking about.”

Liberal critics of the trade deal have griped that the terms have not been made public, arguing it amounts to a secret deal hammered out by other nations with influence from huge corporations.

Obama equated that argument to the “death panels” floated during the ObamaCare debate, as a claim so far-fetched as not to be taken seriously, adding that members of Congress have been frequently briefed on the talks.

“Someone coming up with a slogan like ‘death panels’ doesn’t mean it’s true,” he said Thursday. “The same thing is true on this. Look at the facts, don’t just throw a bunch of stuff out there.”

In response to those claims, Warren and Brown told Obama to release the text of the negotiations to the public. While members of Congress can review documents, it is illegal to release them to the public or discuss specifics.

And if, as Obama says, the trade deal is his best effort to carve out good terms for the working class, they argued there is no reason not to let the public review it before it is finalized.

“The American people should be allowed to see for themselves whether it’s a good deal for them,” they wrote.

“Characterizing the assessments of labor unions, journalists, members of Congress and others who disagree with your approach to transparency on trade issues as ‘dishonest’ is both untrue and unlikely to serve the best interests of the American people,” they added.

The two went on to argue the administration has handed an outsized amount of influence to corporations in hammering out the deal. They said the 28 trade advisory committees on the TPP have 566 members, and 480 of them are “senior corporate executives or industry lobbyists.”

"Fast-track" legislation that would limit Congress's ability to amend trade deals is currently pending before both chambers of Congress, with healthy backing from congressional Republicans. But Warren and Brown also criticized the legislation for going beyond the current trade deal, handing expanded power to future administrations by limiting congressional input as far forward as 2021.

"No one knows who will be using this authority once you leave office," they said.

TAGS:Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown, Barack Obama

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22+ Heartbreaking Photos Of Pollution That Will Inspire You To Recycle

20 million Americans mobilized on April 22, 1970; 30 years later, that number was up to 200 million citizens of the Earth. What was the cause that brought these people together? The desire to make the Earth a better place.

Earth Day is not a holiday, but an annual event dedicated to demonstrating support for environmental action. Consider the math: in many Western countries, each person generates 4.3lb (1.95kg) of waste every day, up from 2.7 (1.2kg) in 1960. There are now 7.3 billion people in the world; with the current population growth rate of 1.1%, this means that in roughly 64 years, the Earth's population will be almost 15 billion.

That's a lot of garbage. Let's do our part, avoid the mistakes of the past, and keep our planet clean! If you have an image of pollution in our neighborhood, add a photo to this list - and then help clean it up!

READ MORE



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WHAT'S YOUR HOPE FOR THE NEW WILD

These days, our relationship with our planet is often called into question. The oft-told story is that there's not enough room for us and for the nature around us. But there are stories that aren't being told about our relationship with our home. Stories of the New Wild -- the place where humans and nature are thriving together -- prove that nature isn't down for the count. These stories prove that we can thrive with the nature around us; in fact, that we need nature and it actually needs us, too. Like pandas in China's Sichuan province, which are thriving in newly protected habitat that people recognized as necessary to preserve this endangered species. Combined with an innovative breeding program, the protected lands are hope that this iconic species will survive. Watch this video of pandas thriving in a habitat that humans are helping to protect. The New Wild provides optimism that, although our home is virtually untouched by humans, we aren't bad for the Earth. We're doing things -- innovative, optimistic, hopeful things -- for the natural world around us that prove that we're a part of nature, too. Will you join us in the New Wild? Share your own hope in the New Wild and help us #KeepHopeAlive. Yours in the New Wild, Stephanie Wear Lead Scientist for Coral Reef Conservation The Nature Conservancy PHOTO: Giant panda at the Chengdu Panda Base in the suburbs of Chengdu in Sichuan Province, China © Nick Hall/TNC.

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Social Security is not going broke.

Despite what some of my Republican colleagues have said, Social Security is not going broke. It has a $2.8 trillion surplus and can pay every benefit owed to every eligible American for the next 18 years.

Stand with Bernie Sanders!

It's time to scrap the cap and expand Social Security!

At a time of massive wealth inequality, when 99% of all new income generated in this country goes to the top 1%, and when over half of the American people have less than $10,000 in savings, the last thing we should do is cut Social Security.

The best way to extend the lifespan of the Social Security trust fund is to scrap the cap on taxable earnings. Today, a Wall Street CEO who makes $18 million a year pays the same into Social Security as someone earning $118,500. That's absurd. If we simply applied the payroll tax on income above $250,000, not only could we extend Social Security's solvency until 2065, we could also increase benefits to meet the elderly's higher living expenses.

Stand with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Social Security Works in demanding that Congress scrap the cap and expand, not cut Social Security!

To Congress:

With the average Social Security benefit today being just $1,328 a month, and more than one-third of our senior citizens relying on Social Security for virtually all of their income, our job is to expand benefits, not cut them.

We call on you to scrap the payroll tax cap on income above $250,000, extend Social Security's solvency until 2065 and increase benefits to meet the elderly's higher living expenses.

Thank you for standing with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Social Security Works and in calling on Congress to expand Social Security benefits for millions of Americans by asking the very wealthy to pay their fair share. Today there are 43 U.S. Senators on record supporting expansion. Just a year ago that number was in the single digits. You have transformed the discussion around the future of Social Security, but our work is far from over. With Wall Street billionaires and Republicans in Congress focused on cutting the benefits of millions of retirees, children, veterans and disabled workers, we must continue to fight to ensure our elected officials get the message: Expand, don’t cut Social Security!

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Join Elizabeth Warren In Condemning Fast Track And The TPP

We are so thankful to Senator Elizabeth Warren 

for sounding the alarm on Fast Track 

and the so-called Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), 

like a regular Paul Revere.

The fact that Congress is still even considering such a heinous surrender of national sovereignty and law is evidence that not enough of us have spoken out yet, and not often enough. We are fighting for our democratic lives here. We're going all out. No matter how many action pages you have responded to already on this, from us or any other group, we are asking our participants to please just keep clicking.In fact, we think it is about high time to literally start burning members of Congress in effigy, starting with Senator Ron Wyden, who ought to know better, in front of his Portland district office. So if you are a political theater type in Oregon, we'd love to hear from

you and we will make it happen. But first the latest action page:

Stop Fast Track TPP:
http://www.peaceteam.net/stop_fast_track_tpp2.php

And here is the petition text:

Any member of Congress who votes for Fast Track for the TPP must be
removed from office . . . regardless of party . . . period.
You are being pushed to approve Fast Track for a so-called trade

agreement that not even your own staff members are allowed to read.

This is hands down the most outrageous, the most evil, and the most

truly craven thing ever proposed as an act of governance.

To the Democrats who think they have negotiated concessions: Jack, in

the Beanstalk story, got a better deal for his family cow than you

did. Empowering multi-national corporations to supercede national law

is non-negotiable. And that is still in there in the form of World

Bank tribunals to enforce corporate profit rights above all else,

which we only know because leakers have risked prison to expose that.

To the Republicans who have already and so frequently accused the

President of exercising dictatorial power: Do you really want to

write a blank check for a president, any president, to be able to

override anything you have done, entire bodies of law, at his sole

discretion. Is there no hypocrisy too great for you to swallow?

Would any of you sign a contract that your own lawyer was not allowed

to read . . . that you yourself are not even allowed a copy to take

with you to examine on your own time?

No light of day . . . NO Fast Track.

---END PETITION TEXT---

The Pen <theteam@peaceteam.net>


The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Sumuntok na sila. Ikaw, nakapag-‪#‎OneForPacman‬ punch ka na ba?

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Sumuntok na sila. Ikaw, nakapag-‪#‎OneForPacman‬ punch ka na ba?

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ISANG BAYAN PARA KAY PACMAN

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Common Cause and Us

BY DICK AND SHARON

All photos courtesy of Christopher Nelson

Tax Day this year had special meaning for us. Common Cause of California recognized us with their “Local Activists of the Year” award, presented at a glorious ceremony at the Skirball Cultural Center.

Joining us in receiving awards were retired California Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and California Supreme Court Chief Justice (Ret.) Ronald M. George.

We’re deeply grateful to our friends at Common Cause, the event’s Host Committee, and especially Leila Pederson and Brooke Erdmann, who organized the event, and their Executive Director, Kathay Feng. For several years, we collaborated with Common Cause — and former Common Cause staff member Anjuli Kronheim Katz — in organizing the LA Media Reform Conference held at Occidental College. More recently, we’ve pitched in on their efforts to increase voter turnout and find better ways to fund campaigns.

Thank you, too, goes to Marcy Winograd, who gave us such a nice introduction. Sure, shoot us, but we still think Congress would be a better place with Marcy in it.

Marcy Winograd and Kathay Feng joining us

We’re especially thankful for our friends from our neck of the woods who made it all the way over to the Skirball Center from Northeast Los Angeles and Pasadena. Who knew you could get there from here?

Surprising us was contingent from our ACLU Pasadena/Foothills Chapter — Joanna Amador, Justin Chapman, Kris Olkerhauser, and Michelle White. Then there was the ACLU staff contingent — Miguel Cruz, Clarissa Woo, Elvia Meza, and Marco Benigno. And our Justice Not Jails colleague, Rev. Peter Laarman. And Michelle Sutter and Mary Beth Fielder…

…And our daughter Linnea Friberg-Price and her boyfriend Yafiet Isaac, who made it all the way in from UC Riverside.

It was a special night for us.

Common Cause Staff Leaders

Here are Common Cause’s three main priorities:

• Strengthen Campaign Finance Laws
• Increase Voter Turnout
• Defend and Advance Redistricting Reform

Contact them here if you’d like to join us in helping Common Cause reach its goals.  To see the LA Progressive Live! show, click  LA Progressive Live

— Dick & Sharon

POSTED ON APRIL 23, 2015

About Dick and Sharon

As a husband and wife team, Sharon Kyle and Dick Price publish several print and online newsletters on political and social justice issues. Sharon serves as Publisher for Dick & Sharon's LA Progressive and Dick serves as Editor.

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FRIDAY, 24 APRIL 2015 Common Cause and Us Dick & Sharon: Tax Day this year had special meaning for us. Common Cause of California recognized us with their "Local Activists of the Year" award, presented at a glorious ceremony at the Skirball Cultural Center with many of our friends in attendance. READ MORE The Inland Empire Strikes Back Joe Mathews: Don't tell the Coast haters, but Riverside and San Bernardino Counties are driving California's comeback. READ HERE Do Profits Drive Desire for LAUSD Board Seat? Robert D. Skeels: The charter school industry's corporate leadership is able to craft their messaging so as to distract the populace from the real purposes undergirding their projects. But occasionally, someone in their sector goes off script and tells the truth. READ MORE End the War on Deadbeat Dads Tina Dupuy: What Walter Scott’s death has highlighted is a system that is cruel, arbitrary and punitive toward fathers and strangely dismissive of the best interests of their children. READ MORE Legacy of War Robert J. Burrowes: In 1966, the year I turned 14, I decided that I would devote my life to answering two questions: Why are human beings violent? How can this violence be ended? READ MORE

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Kathryn Phillips, Sierra Club California a newsletter April 24, 2015

At least once during an average week, someone asks me where the Club stands on a particular water-related issue. Are we for or against the Delta tunnels? (We're opposed to the tunnels.) Do we think farmers are doing their part to respond to the drought? (Not entirely.) Why is the oil industry allowed to pollute water and then inject it into drinking water aquifers? (Good question, and it's one we keep asking the Governor and regulatory agencies. So far, we haven't heard a smart, logical, transparent answer.) The questions just keep rolling in. The one I like the most, is about the drought: What would Sierra Club California do that the governor isn't doing to help California deal with the drought? You—or someone like you—asked, so here's the answer: First, let's give credit where credit is due: the governor and the State Water Resources Control Board have taken some smart steps recently to address the drought in ways we support. For instance, the administration is forcing urban water agencies to impose new mandatory conservation measures. Given that around half of the water used in urban and suburban areas is devoted to landscaping—which typically means lawns—it is possible to make substantial cutbacks without affecting human health in cities and suburbs. We especially like that as the water board set its most recent conservation targets, the board took into account whether a water agency had already successfully reduced water demand. Whiners beware (and there were quite a few water agencies whining to the press): Arguing that you should be excused from conserving more because your neighborhood has really big lawns isn't a winning argument. But there are more things that policymakers, including the governor, should do in response to the drought that they haven't yet. Here are a few of them: Get the data now. This is more than a wonky request. Water agencies and other water users often hide behind the lack of real, hard numbers about how much water is available, water use or well capacity to stop them from having to change their ways. Water is a shared resource that serves all the public and the environment. We all have a right to know how much there is and how much is being used. There ought to be real-time reporting by all users to help manage the water system better. The legislature has a chance to start fixing the data gap by passing legislation to make well log data public. Set a water allocation level for agriculture that reflects sustainability and includes surface and groundwater. Farmers are operating under substantial surface water allocation cuts this year. But that just means that many have simply transferred their water draw to groundwater, and in some rural areas, the aquifers are draining faster than you can say water buffalo. We don't want to get into fights about crop choice, but we do want farmers to use water sustainably and  more efficiently, and the best way to do that is to be clear about water allocations and include all water in the calculation, not just surface water. Accelerate deadlines for implementing the groundwater reform package passed last year.This would require new legislation or just a good show of civic and social responsibility by groundwater basin agencies, particularly in the troubled basins in the San Joaquin Valley. And in the course of accelerating the deadlines, establish some real consequences for overdrawing aquifers. Stop allowing water use for unconventional oil and gas extraction. That is, stop allowing water to be used for fracking, acid stimulation and other forms of well stimulation. The average fracking job in California uses about 140,000 gallons of water. Some recent well stimulation permits show expectations of using a million gallons. That water is highly polluted with chemicals and acids and essentially unusable ever again. If the state must have oil drilling—and we are not conceding it does—stick with conventional oil drilling methods, from which about 80 percent of the California-produced oil is derived. A drought is no time to frack. Governor Brown could—and should—do this with an executive order today. Protect nature instead of destroying it. If only the water engineers of the mid- and late-20thcentury had been smart about the environment, we probably wouldn't be in as bad a fix as we're in today. For instance, had they focused on recharge areas to allow water to percolate into aquifers, not a single river would have been channelized and slathered with concrete. Additionally, there would be no more waiving of endangered species protection requirements, and the stupidity of allowing more water than healthy to be exported from the San Francisco Bay Delta would be universally appreciated. Every event creates an opportunity for learning and improving. This drought is one of the events that can teach us to use our natural resources more carefully. We see hints that policymakers are starting to learn. Sincerely, Kathryn Phillips Director Sierra Club California is the Sacramento-based legislative and regulatory advocacy arm of the 13 California chapters of the Sierra Club.

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

One way the TSA scans us at airports is about to be tried in court

And now for what you've been waiting for: The Upworthiest! *smoke machine, flashy lights* One way the TSA scans us at airports is about to be tried in court. Nursing home residents are certain this tiny dog is from heaven. After seeing her in action, I agree! Sweet, naive Amy Schumer stumbles upon 3 show biz gals and gets schooled on what she's valued for.

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Admit it! Corporate Cash Changed Snyder's Mind on Union Busting...

The TRUTH will set you FREE.