Are you sure you’re the middle class?

Are you sure you’re part of the middle class that our President vows to help? Do you know where you fit as a wage earner against other American wage earners?

According to the US government:

$10,890 is poverty level

$26,364 is middle class

Top 10% earn $50,000+

Top 1% (primarily doctors) earn $343,000+

The average salary of: police officer ($50K salary with an additional $22,000 in benefits)

The average salary of a teacher is ($50K salary with an additional $22,000 in benefits)

The average salary of an E1 Army Recruit is ($16K salary with an additional $12,000 in benefits) Add additional monies to the benefits package if recruit has dependents.

Barack Obama 2006 Debt Ceiling Speech in it’s entirety

In 2006 Barack Obama gave a speech in front of the Senate regarding the debt ceiling being raised during the George W. Bush administration. The entire transcript is posted to avoid any possible misrepresentation of his message. The visual aids are fabulous!

 

 

Obama Video – Hope and Change …the Obama Way

Homeless Vets granted $600,000 whilst US gives $50,000,000,000 to foreign aid

The US Government has announced the release of $600,000 in grants to assist “about” 10,000 homeless veterans with opportunities to reintegrate into society.

By last count (FY 2009) an estimated 136,334 veterans spent at least one night in an emergency shelter or transitional housing program.

By contrast, over $50,000,000,000 ($50B) is spent on foreign aid.

The US government has provided more than $1,140,000,000 (1.14 billion) in assistance to Haiti since the January 12, 2010 earthquake with allocations of another $1 billion towards reconstruction through USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development) from the American people.

USAID has provided nearly $3 billion in aid to Afghanistan and $1.3 billion in aid to Pakistan in a single year

It’s estimated that in 2010 $51.7 billion has gone towards foreign aid – plus another $.6 billion from our Stimulus package.

With the support of Congress, senior officials in the U.S. Government have made a significant commitment to foreign assistance through appropriations that have more than doubled since 2001.

$787 Billion Stimulus Bill passes two years ago — statistics then and now

Two years ago on this day in history the $787 Billion Stimulus Bill was passed in Congress. Senate democrats agreed to trim down the earlier $937 billion proposal in response to accusations of unwarranted spending by Republican critics.

But it wasn’t just Americans who benefited from the Stimulus Bill. Few knew that many other countries would profit from the massive government move including China and Spain. (see details at end of article)

Economic Indicators From the Last Two Years

In an effort to pass the $787 Billion legislation:

House Speaker Pelosi, 68, promised lawmakers will “hit the ground running” to come up with legislation, which the California Democrat vowed will be crafted “in a bipartisan way” and with “great fiscal discipline.”  –declared two years ago

Obama promised to boost jobs with spending on improvements to roads, bridges and power grids.  –declared two years ago

President-elect Barack Obama said his two-year plan to boost the U.S. economy would generate as many as 4 million jobs, higher than his previous estimates, the biggest portion of them in construction, manufacturing and retail.  — declared two years ago

“It is the right size, it is the right scope. Broadly speaking it has the right priorities to create jobs that will jump-start our economy and transform it for the 21st century,” Obama said. –declared two years ago

Before taking office, Preisdent Elect Obama said the economic recovery was more important than the “enormous” federal budget deficit he would inherit “and that means that we can’t worry, short term, about the budget deficit.” –declared two years ago

America wasn’t the only one to benefit
China State Construction Engineering Corp – won a Manhattan, New York subway ventilation project worth around $100 million funded by stimulus funds.

Stimulus money going towards Chinese causes include: International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) U.S.-China Collaboration on Dinosaur Eggs and Education ($141,000 to date); HIV and Related High-risk Behaviors among Commercial Sex Male Clients in China ($90,484); Study of Coseismic Damage and Post-mainshock Healing on the Longmen-Shan Fault Ruptured in the 2008 M8 Wenchuan Earthquake in China ($108,558); Is the Tibetan Plateau Rising? ($327,277); Bioactive Compounds from the Biodiversity of China Vietnam ($400,000); see other entries here and inserting “China” as the keyword.

July 3, 2010–Abengoa Solar Inc., a subsidiary of Abengoa –  a Spanish multinational corporation has secured $1.45 billion in stimulus funds for construction and start-up of Solana, a 250 net megawatt (MW) concentrating solar power (CSP) plant  70 miles southwest of Phoenix.

Two months earlier, a May 18, 2010 press release read: Abengoa Solar awarded contract for developing a state-of-the-art solar power tower together with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The project will involve designing a power tower technology plant with a central receiver and storage system. This new award brings to a total of six the number of R&D agreements between Abengoa Solar Inc. and the DOE.

Global water access and equity act introduced into Congress

Legislation designed to direct the US Government to guarantee developing countries access to safe water and sanitation.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-D)

To improve efforts of the United States Government to ensure that developing countries have affordable and equitable access to safe water and sanitation, and for other purposes.

HR 80 was introduced on January 5, 2011 by Democratic House Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas. The “Global Water Access and Equity Act” was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and brought no co-sponsors.

Included in the bill is authorization of such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

The outlined duty of the United States Government will be to ensure that developing countries have affordable and equitable access to safe water and sanitation.

“Safe water” is defined in the bill to mean water for drinking, household use, and crop irrigation.’

Read H.R. 80

Bio: Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, born in 1950, has been in the US House of Representatives since 1995 and is serving her seventh term in Congress. Prior to her service to the US House of Representatives, she was a member of the Houston City Council.

What is a bill?
A bill is a legislative proposal before Congress. Bills from each house are assigned a number in the order in which they are introduced, starting at the beginning of each Congress (first and second sessions). Public bills pertain to matters that affect the general public or classes of citizens, while private bills pertain to individual matters that affect individuals and organizations, such as claims against the Government.

Congress looks at Corporation for Public Broadcasting

To CUT federal funding to Corporation for Public  Broadcasting

Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-R)

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit Federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting after fiscal year 2013.

HR 68 was introduced on January 5, 2011 into the House of Representatives by Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado (R) which was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Co-sponsors include:
Rep. Rob Bishop (UT-R)
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (TN-R)
Rep. Paul Broun (GA-R)
Rep. Mike Coffman (CO-R)
Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC-R)
Rep. Virginia Foxx (NC-R)
Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-R)
Rep. Bob Gibbs (OH-R)
Rep. Bob Goodlatte (VA-R) 
Rep. Nan Hayworth (NY-R)
Rep. Wally Herger (CA-R)
Rep. Tim Huelskamp (KS-R)
Rep. Tom McClintock (CA-R)
Rep. Pete Olson (TX-R)
Rep. Reid Ribble (WI-R)
Rep. Mike Ross (AR-D) — signed on –then withdrew his co-sponsorship the following day

Read HR 68

Bio: Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado, born in 1954, has been a US Representative since 2007. Prior to his position in the US House of Representatives he served as a member of the Colorado state house of representatives, 1995-1998; member of the Colorado state senate, 1998-2006, president pro tempore, 1999-2000

More foreign assistance to squeeze US taxpayers

A Concurrent Resolution to give at least 1% of US GDP towards foreign assistance

Dem. Rep. Barbara Lee of California

Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should provide, on an annual basis, an amount equal to at least 1 percent of United States gross domestic product (GDP) for nonmilitary foreign assistance programs.

H. Con. Res. 11 was introduced on January 20, 2011 into the House of Representatives by Rep. Barbara Lee of California (D) which was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The 2009 GDP was approximately $14.3 trillion.

Co-sponsors include:
Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA)
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ)
Rep. Michael Honda (D-CA)
Rep. James McGovern (D-MA)
Rep. Fortney Stark (D-CA)
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)

Read H. Con. Res. 11

Bio: Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee of California, born in 1946, has been in a US Representative since 1998. She is the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and former co-chair of the Progressive Caucus. Prior to her service to the US House of Representatives, she held positions with the California State Assembly.

What is an H. Con. Res.?
A Concurrent Resolution originating in the House must be passed in the same form by both houses, but does not require the signature of the president and does not have the force of law. Concurrent resolutions are generally used to make or amend rules that apply to both houses. They are also used to express the sentiments of both of the houses. For example, a concurrent resolution is used to set the time of Congress’ adjournment. It may also be used by Congress to convey congratulations to another country on the anniversary of its independence. Another important use of the concurrent resolution is for the annual congressional budget resolution, which sets Congress’ revenue and spending goals for the upcoming fiscal year.

English only off limits

A resolution to oppose “English only” measures

 

 

 

Jose' Serrano (D-NY)

 

On January 7, 2011 the “English Plus Resolution” was introduced into the House of Representatives by Jose’ E. Serrano of New York (D) which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce.

The Resolution proposes that the United States Government should pursue policies that:
1) encourage all residents of this country to become fully proficient in English by expanding educational opportunities and access to information technologies;

2) conserve and develop the Nation’s linguistic resources by encouraging all residents of this country to learn or maintain skills in languages other than English;

3) assist Native Americans, Native Alaskans, Native Hawaiians, and other peoples indigenous to the United States, in their efforts to prevent the extinction of their languages and cultures;

4) continue to provide services in languages other than English as needed to facilitate access to essential functions of government, promote public health and safety, ensure due process, promote equal educational opportunity, and protect fundamental rights; and

5) recognize the importance of multilingualism to vital American interests and individual rights, and oppose “English-only” measures and other restrictionist language measures.

ABOUT: Democratic Representative Jose’ Serrano of New York, born 1943, is currently serving his 12th term in the House (1990-present). He serves in the House Appropriations Committee and as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. Serving as an active member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus he is the most senior member of Congress of Puerto Rican descent.

Read H. Con. Res. 8

What is a Concurrent Resolution?
A concurrent resolution is a legislative proposal that requires the approval of both houses but does not require the signature of the President and does not have the force of law. Concurrent resolutions generally are used to make or amend rules that apply to both houses. They are also used to express the sentiments of both of the houses.

Congress introduces legislation opposing postal consolidation and closures

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the need to prevent the closure or consolidation of post offices.

House Representative Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri (R)

On January 7, 2011 a concurrent resolution was introduced by House Representative Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri (R) which was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. There were no co-sponsors for this Resolution.

…it is the sense of Congress that the United States Postal Service

(1) should provide a maximum degree of effective and regular postal services to all communities, including rural areas and small towns where post offices may not be self-sustaining; and

(2) should take all necessary steps to ensure that post offices are not closed or consolidated.

Republican Representative Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri, born in 1950, has been in the House of Representatives since 1996. Emerson holds a B.A. in political science and is a member of the Appropriations Committee, Jo Ann is the Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee and also sits on the Agriculture Subcommittee.

Read H. Con. Res. 7*

According to the USPS FY 2010 Annual Report:

Source: USPS 2010 Annual Report (dollars in millions)

Source: USPS 2010 Annual Report

*What is an H. Con. Res.?
A Concurrent resolution originating in the House must be passed in the same form by both houses, but does not require the signature of the president and does not have the force of law. Concurrent resolutions are generally used to make or amend rules that apply to both houses. They are also used to express the sentiments of both of the houses. For example, a concurrent resolution is used to set the time of Congress’ adjournment. It may also be used by Congress to convey congratulations to another country on the anniversary of its independence. Another important use of the concurrent resolution is for the annual congressional budget resolution, which sets Congress’ revenue and spending goals for the upcoming fiscal year.