Pass This Bill
Posted by Michelle Moquin on September 16th, 2011
Good morning!
The other night I saw an ad for the Ed Show and Ed was saying how “he needed two shows”, basically because there is so much to talk about. Sometimes I feel the same way - there are just too many important things to write about and one blogging once a day can’t possibly cover them all. Thankfully you, my savvy readers, cover the topics that I can’t always cover or have not heard about (yet :) My blog is so informative, thanks to many of you, and I am so grateful that all of you are here with me on a daily basis. Oh…I just thought I would throw out some gratitude before I posted my topic for the day.
jobs, Jobs, JOBS, have been on my mind. No doubt “jobs” are on the minds of many of my readers as well. So I decided to peruse the White House website to see just what this American Jobs Bill offers so that I could inform all of you just in case, you like me, don’t know all of the facts. Well…here they are:
The American Jobs Act President Obama’s Plan to Create Jobs Now
1. TAX CUTS TO HELP AMERICA’S SMALL BUSINESSES HIRE AND GROW
Cutting the payroll tax cut in half for 98 percent of businesses: The President’s plan will cut in half the taxes paid by businesses on their first $5 million in payroll, targeting the benefit to the 98 percent of firms that have payroll below this threshold.
A complete payroll tax holiday for added workers or increased wages: The President’s plan will completely eliminate payroll taxes for firms that increase their payroll by adding new workers or increasing the wages of their current worker (the benefit is capped at the first $50 million in payroll increases).
Extending 100% expensing into 2012: This continues an effective incentive for new investment.
Reforms and regulatory reductions to help entrepreneurs and small businesses access capital.
2. PUTTING WORKERS BACK ON THE JOB WHILE REBUILDING AND MODERNIZING AMERICA
• A “Returning Heroes” hiring tax credit for veterans: This provides tax credits from $5,600 to $9,600 to encourage the hiring of unemployed veterans.
• Preventing up to 280,000 teacher layoffs, while keeping cops and firefighters on the job. • Modernizing at least 35,000 public schools across the country, supporting new science labs, Internet-
ready classrooms and renovations at schools across the country, in rural and urban areas.
• Immediate investments in infrastructure and a bipartisan National Infrastructure Bank, modernizing our roads, rail, airports and waterways while putting hundreds of thousands of workers back on the job.
• A New “Project Rebuild”, which will put people to work rehabilitating homes, businesses and communities, leveraging private capital and scaling land banks and other public-private collaborations.
• Expanding access to high-speed wireless as part of a plan for freeing up the nation’s spectrum.
3. PATHWAYS BACK TO WORK FOR AMERICANS LOOKING FOR JOBS
• The most innovative reform to the unemployment insurance program in 40 years: As part of an extension of unemployment insurance to prevent 5 million Americans looking for work from losing their benefits, the President’s plan includes innovative work-based reforms to prevent layoffs and give states greater flexibility to use UI funds to best support job-seekers, including:
› Work-Sharing: UI for workers whose employers choose work-sharing over layoffs.
› A new “Bridge to Work” program: The plan builds on and improves innovative state programs where those displaced take temporary, voluntary work or pursue on-the-job training.
› Innovative entrepreneurship and wage insurance programs: States will also be empowered to implement wage insurance to help reemploy older workers and programs that make it easier for unemployed workers to start their own businesses.
• A $4,000 tax credit to employers for hiring long-term unemployed workers.
• Prohibiting employers from discriminating against unemployed workers when hiring.
• Expanding job opportunities for low-income youth and adults through a fund for successful approaches for subsidized employment, innovative training programs and summer/year-round jobs for youth.
4. TAX RELIEF FOR EVERY AMERICAN WORKER AND FAMILY
• Cutting payroll taxes in half for 160 million workers next year: The President’s plan will expand the payroll tax cut passed last year to cut workers payroll taxes in half in 2012 – providing a $1,500 tax cut to the typical American family, without negatively impacting the Social Security Trust Fund.
• Allowing more Americans to refinance their mortgages at today’s near 4 percent interest rates, which can put more than $2,000 a year in a family’s pocket.
5. FULLY PAID FOR AS PART OF THE PRESIDENT’S LONG-TERM DEFICIT REDUCTION PLAN.
To ensure that the American Jobs Act is fully paid for, the President will call on the Joint Committee to come up with additional deficit reduction necessary to pay for the Act and still meet its deficit target. The President will, in the coming days, release a detailed plan that will show how we can do that while achieving the additional deficit reduction necessary to meet the President’s broader goal of stabilizing our debt as a share of the economy.
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Readers: I only posted the facts because although I realize everyone is busy, we all should know the benefits so that we can support our president, and fight for this bill to be passed. The more informed we are the more we can inform those who are too lazy to get involved…to lazy to do something and support those who really need this bill to be passed. Many of you may have a job but many Americans don’t and they need your support now more than ever.
These are just the facts about the American Jobs Act. There is so much more to read including the Complete Jobs Act, if you really want to know the details. One can even look at the American Jobs Act, state by state, if you want to know what this act will do for the people in your home state. Or if you’re just interested in seeing what this act will do for schools, you can find that out too. To read all that I have mentioned and more, click here.
I just want to end by saying “Get involved”. Our country is in dire need , and our president needs our support. Have you called your representative and Congress, telling them how much you too support Obama to get this bill passed? Obama has repeatedly called on Americans to call, tweet, fax…whatever it takes to get your message to Congress. And to date, he hasn’t gotten enough of a response.
Now I’m asking you to do the same. I’ve made it easy. All you have to do is look over to the lefthand column of my blog where it says:
“Contact Your Representatives and Senators Here!”
Please contact them. Do it. Thank you.
Peace & Love…
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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September 16th, 2011 at 7:29 am
DESK CHAIRS THAT MAKE YOU HEALTHIER
I met with a wellness consultant last month who “walks the walk,” as they say. He had just bought himself a desk chair that incorporates built-in exercise equipment!
He’s an energetic, fit man who’s pretty active already and the kind of guy who enjoys gadgets. The chair was rather odd, but when I tried it, I actually liked it.
It was quite comfortable and kind of fun — and what’s not to love about a desk chair that can make you stronger and healthier?
As it turns out, there are quite a few intriguing seating options. Some chairs are designed to improve your posture… some put exercise equipment at your fingertips… and some are designed to encourage subtle, ongoing movement.
I collected information on a bunch of these health-oriented desk chairs and made a call to Steven Weiniger, DC, a continuing education instructor at the Logan College of Chiropractic in St. Louis and author of Stand Taller-Live Longer
(you may recall our recent story on his book in the January 10, 2011, issue of Daily Health News) to get his expert input on some of these interesting seating choices.
FOLDING CHAIR PLUS EXERCISE CABLES
The VQ ActionCare Chair has a molded vinyl seat and back and is built on a simple metal frame. It looks something like a classic folding chair — and it actually does fold up for storage.
It incorporates exercise cables attached at both the bottom of the frame and shoulder height. It is marketed as a fitness tool, since you can use the resistance cables periodically throughout the day… and as something that is useful for senior citizens who want to add more movement to their day.
Though he acknowledges it to be convenient, Dr. Weiniger was unimpressed, especially given its price —
he suggested that as long as you aren’t chair-bound because of illness or injury, you could get better results by buying a set of resistance bands and an exercise ball for less money and more functionality.
Dr. Weiniger points out that sitting all day and just adding some upper-body exercise is not the solution.
The lack of motion in sitting is the problem… training some muscles to be stronger is not stretching the muscles and joints, which get tight during long durations of sitting.
LIKE SITTING ON AN EXERCISE BALL
The Gaiam Balance Ball Chair combines an exercise ball and the same type of resistance cables mentioned above, and it can be really fun to sit on.
Picture a black plastic frame that looks like a modern sculptor’s vision of a chair… but with an exercise ball firmly planted in the seat area…
exercise cables with handles attached to the bottom (to be used for bicep curls, shoulder presses and other strength-training moves)… and locking casters on its feet. Even though the casters do lock, Dr. Weiniger warns that these chairs can be unstable.
The balance ball itself is removable for separate exercise, and the unit comes with a resistance cord, toning band and 105-minute workout DVD. The ball is also available in a variety of interesting colors, including sage and plum.
Dr. Weiniger had some concerns about whether a person could sit comfortably for long periods in this chair.
“Though the model in the advertisement is sitting straight, there’s no way that she won’t slump after a while,” he said, adding that as core muscles tire, the pelvis will tend to rock back.
He also noted that since the ball is fixed in place in the chair, it’s not able to roll.
“That’s the goal of sitting on an exercise ball in the first place,” he noted, explaining that a rolling ball forces a reflex stabilization of deep muscles — while a stationary ball does not.
You would do better simply sitting on an exercise ball, since it requires small muscle adjustments. (See Daily Health News June 3, 2004, for more on exercise balls as desk chairs.)
KNEELING CHAIRS
Kneeling chairs first became popular in the 1970s. They have no backs, and the seats are angled somewhat down, putting the sitter in a modified kneeling position.
The idea is that this chair encourages better posture by distributing the weight evenly between the knees and pelvis, sliding the hips slightly forward and aligning the neck, shoulders and back.
Proponents observe that a forward-angled seat promotes a more natural curve to the spine. It is also believed that the kneeling position reduces spinal compression and increases blood flow throughout the body.
Dr. Weiniger’s opinion? “The biomechanical idea behind this is very intelligent, but some people — those who are overweight, for example — have knee problems. This posture can create extra pressure, straining the knees.”
And the chair doesn’t allow you to shift positions, so Dr. Weiniger says it may not be a good choice for people who sit at their desks for long hours. Available from various manufacturers and online for $89 to $379, depending on materials used.
SADDLE CHAIRS
Picture a small horse saddle on a post — like a bar stool — and you’ve got an idea of what a saddle chair looks like. Many manufacturers make these chairs.
Their selling point is that you’ll sit in a position that’s halfway between standing and sitting, something akin to horseback riding.
This position allows the legs to drop and spread in a very natural way. I can tell you, though, that you wouldn’t want to try to sit in one if you’re wearing a pencil skirt!
Dr. Weiniger said that putting the sitter in a position that lets the pelvis roll forward reduces stress and facilitates motion in the low back — and added, “This is a very comfortable position that allows for easy control of your body.”
Made by many companies and available in office-supply stores, and online, including Amazon.com and Staples, $149 to $199.
SHOPPING SMARTS
Dr. Weiniger had a few shopping tips for anyone and everyone in the desk chair marketplace — even those looking for more traditional chairs…
Any desk chair you buy should allow you to easily change your sitting position, because locking into one position is often a problem. After our review, however, it is clear that few do.
That is why after sitting for a while you need to stand up and stretch. Your work habits should include changing your position in the chair during the day.
This helps to distribute stress over more muscle fibers and joints and leaves you much less tense.
Choose a chair that allows you to sit with your back straight and shoulders wide — meaning not pressed together across the front of the body, but open.
Dr. Weiniger explained that most people tend to sit in a “folded-in position” which, done for long periods, actually causes your chest muscles to shorten.
Look for a chair that has an adjustment allowing you to tilt the seat forward. “This lets you roll your pelvis forward, and forces you to lean back and engage the spinal extensor muscles as well as strengthening the lumbar curvature,” Dr. Weiniger said.
“Your head will be more on top of your shoulders and your torso will be on top of your pelvis, all of which makes for better body alignment.”
Dr. Weiniger pointed out that “most of us know it’s smart to invest in a good mattress, but the reality is many of us spend more time sitting at our desks than sleeping.”
It makes sense to put some thought — and even invest some money — in the chair where you spend so many of your waking hours.
Source(s):
Steven Weiniger, DC, managing partner, BodyZone.com, Alpharetta, Georgia, and author of Stand Taller-Live Longer (BodyZone.com).
He is a continuing education instructor for the Logan College of Chiropractic, St. Louis, and has served on the White House Conference on Aging.
September 16th, 2011 at 7:36 am
Forget it Michelle. The republicans will do nothing to help Obama get the economy back on track. And they certainly will not cross the super rich who back them financially by increasing their taxes.
Besides the republicans know that white america is through with its dallying with a non white male in the White House.
All the poles show that white america wants a white man in that seat, any white man. So all they have to do is maintain the status quo and come election time whomever they field will defeat the black man.
Mike
September 16th, 2011 at 7:49 am
Obama will win his office. As Geithner is still around exemplifies this fact. The fact that Geithner has gone against the President’s decisions, and is still in office, shows the The FED and the rich, elite, Internationalists they have someone they can work with.
If this were to have happened while an arrogant, rich, white man (anyone of which that is currently running) were in office, due to their ego alone, they would have asked for his resignation.
Obama, understands the need to keep the enemy close. Although, his lame duck session is coming soon.
September 16th, 2011 at 7:49 am
259
No. 259 of 365
On Columbus Day, loudly express your gratitude that America was taken away from backward, cruel, and bloodthirsty Indian tribes and given over to Christian European civilization.
Go further and tell your liberal friends that you’ve always admired how Cortez and his small band of men conquered the Aztec empire, abolishing a culture based on human sacrifice.
As they stand there spluttering, you can rub it in: “You have a problem with that?”
==========REBUTTAL========
Is this race full of SOCIOPATHS or what?
Robert
September 16th, 2011 at 8:50 am
Hafa adai: No Rocket Scientists needed.
======================
Tough times call for tough measures. The U.S. has maintained what the Air Force has dubbed a Continuous Bomber Presence on Guam in the Pacific since 2004 (Hello China! Good morning, North Korea!).
Every time a B-52 bomber unit rotates in for its six-month tour it would bring along its B-52 Stratofortress mobility readiness spares package kit.
What’s an MRSP kit? Eight semi-tractor trailer trucks crammed full of spare parts. Then, when their six months were up, the six or so B-52s would fly back to their home base, and ship their MRSP kit back home with them via sea and air.
Of course, the incoming B-52 squadron would bring its own MRSP kit as well, from their home base in either Louisiana or North Dakota — some 7,000 miles.
You can see where this is going:
The Air Force has just decided that it makes no sense for each B-52 unit to bring its own MRSP kit to Guam, and then take it back home.
Why not just leave a kit there permanently? Bingo! You just saved $1 million a month.
September 16th, 2011 at 8:52 am
Robert George is one seriously hateful guy. Who is he? Founder of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM).
The radical right’s “intellectual leader.” Co-author of the Federal Marriage Amendment, which proposed writing discrimination into the U.S. Constitution.
Author of the “Manhattan Declaration” denouncing any relationship recognition measure. And – my personal favorite – the man who smeared a gay Obama appointee as condoning child molestation. I wish I were kidding, but it’s all true.
Worse, George just moderated an official GOP presidential forum, pretty clear evidence that right-wing hate is alive and kicking at the highest levels.
September 16th, 2011 at 11:56 am
This paragraph is from an article about the Christian Right. Seriously when white people practice religion from the right they give a whole new meaning to religion.
Judges on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sounded skeptical this week as they heard arguments about why a ban on sharia law in Oklahoma courts should become part of the state’s constitution. “We just have sharia law singled out,” said Judge Scott Matheson, while one of his colleagues pressed the state’s solicitor general to confirm that the ban applies to only one religion. Seventy percent of Oklahoma voters supported the ballot initiative–known as the “Save Our State” amendment–last November, not because sharia often comes up in the Oklahoma court system, but as a preemptive measure against a shadowy, frightening future.
Read more: http://swampland.time.com/2011/09/16/articles-of-faith-will-a-slew-of-overturned-state-laws-galvanize-the-christian-right/#ixzz1Y8EZYZAV
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I don’t know if I can go along with your sociopath tag Robert, but I will say “Stupid” is one that could fit most of those whites that get that good ole fashion religious feeling. I mean preface an objective with religion and you can get 70% of the white race to go along with anything.
I really can’t understand their preoccupation with god because whoever the god is they are praying to, I wouldn’t want to meet him in a dark alley. Hey their god can’t be too bright because he can’t see that those hypocrites are only doing it to get into heaven. They don’t believe in “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” They are mostly into do for me and do whatever the fuck I can to anyone who can’t stop me.
Oh an I loved this comment to the article.
They do love to be used, whether they realize it or not.
Come to the polls to stop (choice/Sharia law/gay marriage/boogieman) and deliver tax cuts to the wealthy. Rinse, repeat.
Corbis
September 16th, 2011 at 12:02 pm
What happens when the Protestants turn on the Lutherns or the Baptists start ceating laws against the Church of Christs?
I am not Muslim and I don’t practice Shari law but enacting mob mentality to pass laws that single out one religion or group is wrong.
Even the founding fathers knew mobs (state’s citizens) were not a reliable source on which to base policy/laws.
I am telling you today you may be for this group of laws but one day they may try passing something targeting YOU and then what side of the fence will you stand on?
September 16th, 2011 at 12:46 pm
That law will never get passed Michelle because the GOP need an issue to make Obama look weak.
September 16th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
Good post, Misch…
Belinda, you’ve certainly got yourself surrounded by as Corbis put it, a whole lot of ‘stupid’ – you poor kid : ) hubby is a mormon now, wow, what next? I guess I’m not surprised about your friend, just disappointed, she’s probably religious though, and really it is as Corbis said, preface any idea with ‘in the name of religion’ and ‘stupid’ comes out of the woodwork. The opiate of the masses, asleep at the wheel of life…a practice we truly cannot afford. I’m wondering why it surprised you to be addressed by me…(?)
About the weight/age thing Booty licous (adorable moniker, love.it.) – I’m going to say, and I know I’ll have some contesters over it, I don’t and won’t play the numbers game (weight or age) bc somebody always loses, to peg an age such as :40 and claim that your done for and is in direct opposition of the (hate labels but I’ll use it now) cougar movement, I know women in their 40′s who don’t look it, some look it and guess what, if they’d like a younger admirer, they can get one, period, don’t let male propaganda have you giving up your self confidence quite yet, in fact never let anyone challenge your personal self confidence, ever. A lot of that attraction for older women is attitude (and to me, attitude is everything…!).
Now about weight, your statement didn’t say how many men or women would actually leave a relationship due to weight but the implication seems clear that weight/looks is an issue and I’ll just relate this quick story for you about wieght, not whos leaving who.
2 years ago a friend started reading here when I was doing the ZL eating/exercise/change your thinking and food reward system thingie…well, she told me privately she wanted to lose 30 lbs, I said ‘will you listen and do as I ask for as long as i takes’, yes was her answer…ok, 2 years later, she’s 30 lbs lighter, tight and toned and now she sees she needs another 10-12, and I said yes, you do, I think your ideal weight ‘set point’ for your body type would be 145, she’s 5’5″ and curvy and I hate to steal away curves : ) she asked me why I didn’t tell her she needed 45 lbs off to begin with, I told her bc you were kind of pissed off when I agreed that you needed 30 off, she expected me to say ‘oh no, 20 would be good’ I know I could see it in her eyes.
Anyway – fast forward and she said, yesterday, now that I’m here and feeling this good, this strong and I don’t eat anything processed, fried or sugary anymore, I can’t imagine myself that way anymore, I know everyone who says they’re good with their weight is feeling as I did then, that it a big task, that it would be hard work and that maybe I just wouldn’t be able to do it, so for awhile I always said, ‘I’m good with my extra lbs’. NOW I know I can do the work and when you said ‘two years’ two years ago, I wanted to scream ‘no, two months’ but you were right, it didn’t come on overnight, it won’t come off overnight and then there’s the inner work (not comparing your body, not saying or thinking ‘fat’ thoughts, etc…) and 2 lbs a month is not much but she had medical issues so I wanted to be clear on her health coming along for the ride so I went very slow on the process with food and exercise (partly her resistance to change as well) so….
Anyone up for round #2 of the program, let’s call it BootyliciousZen-ness and then you can be whatever weight your body likes best and get some thought patterns that’ll have you lovin’ yourself at any age bc that’s just a number, don’t buy all the bs you hear. I know some very confident sexy people over 40/50 and several in their 60′s…attitude, attitude, attitude…again, don’t buy what males are selling all the time, it’s just another ploy to keep you insecure and off balance, please don’t go there.
Let me know, you can enjoy yourselves all weekend and Monday, we can fire up BootyliciousZen-ness booty camp ; )
Luv, Zen Lill
September 16th, 2011 at 2:09 pm
Oh and the above goes for you boyz who have an extra 20-30 (40) lbs on, you not exempt, bc women don’t like looking at it : ) you all have to be honest, when you look around, who are you checking out, just in general, men with beer bellies, hmmm….nope, I’m not.
And before you get on any high horse about ‘looks/weight isn’t everything’ – remember, that’s NOT what I said. : ) those things are NOT everything but your health IS, and looking and feeling great are natural by-products of you pursuing great health. – ZL
September 16th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
http://www.thestreet.com/story/11251044/1/carville-to-obama-fire-your-staff-indict-wall-street.html?cm_ven=RSSFeed
September 16th, 2011 at 4:32 pm
My fineness isn’t junk in the trunk, it’s added cushion for the pushing.
Back to the poll and the double standard on gender and age I think it’s embeded in the psyche in childhood. Older men are portrayed as financial providers or the kindly old king or Santa clause image while older women with the exception of the cookie baking grandma (subliminal food messaging) are portrayed as hags and crones n witches. If an older woman is portrayed w money it’s as the “eccentric” spinster auntie or the lonely widow. Americans just don’t value their elders like other societies and
barely value women more than others do.
September 16th, 2011 at 6:05 pm
Totally agree with you there, BootyLish, the embedded in our pysches part and the part about how we could and should revere our elders way more in the US, what the fascination with our youth is about baffles me. I like people with many life experiences, and what’s wrong with a few fine lines and a pushin’ cushion (and there’s a diff betw that and TOO much junk in da trunk)? Maybe if stop airbrushing the crap out of models and making them work too hard to be unrealistically tiny, we’d have a little healthier perspective…not sure…ZL
September 16th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Booty Licious you hit it. Older women are not valued and until women take charge of that image it won’t change.
My mother is going with a boy who was two grades ahead of me in high school. His father is threatening to disown him if he marries her.
My mother is fine and doesn’t look her age, but she is 17 years older than he is. So people look down on their union.
He’s 28. She’s 40 and pregnant with his baby. He asked her to marry him two years ago. When she refused, He told me he was going to make it his mission to knock her up.
I told her she broke up with him for about a year. Now she’s pregnant by him. My father is hoping she marries him so he can stop paying alimony.
Me, I’m in it for the laughs.
Vickie
September 17th, 2011 at 7:40 am
Friend A is sending a package to Friend B. If you want to include something in the package, please contact Friend A.
Midnight
September 17th, 2011 at 9:24 am
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/09/09/nancy-upton-on-her-american-apparel-plus-size-photo-spoof.html
This woman speaks out about junk in the trunk, love it, love her…
October 7th, 2011 at 9:52 am
unarmed secutity guard…
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