* Once again, Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15) is supporting a bill that threatens consumers and whistleblowers.
POGO (Project on Government Oversight):
...Last week, Rep. Grimm was joined by Representatives Scott Garrett (R-NJ), John Campbell (R-CA), and Steve Stivers (R-OH) in introducing the “Whistleblower Improvement Act of 2011” (H.R. 2483). Despite its title, the bill could hardly be more hostile to whistleblowers....
.....Rep. Grimm et al. made one change to the original draft bill, removing a section that would have denied contingency fee representation to whistleblowers. But the bill introduced last week still includes a slew of provisions that would eviscerate the whistleblower programs at the SEC and CFTC, just as key reforms are being finalized.....
....Reps. Grimm, Garrett, Campbell, and Stivers received a combined $2.1 million in campaign contributions from the finance, insurance and real estate industries in the 2010 election cycle, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics....
These four members of the House of Representatives seem to be helping their financial supporters. Unfortunately, these elected officials are on the side of corporations instead of the voting public. They are more concerned with guarding the profits of corporations and banks than rewarding individuals who discover illegal/immoral/unhealthy operations within a business.
>>>>> The Republicans in the House of Representatives are trying to distract citizens with a completely worthless move while they continue to delay raising the debt ceiling. Once again, the Republicans want you to take your eyes off of the deadline date of fixing the debt ceiling.
Bloomberg:
Two weeks from a threatened default, U.S. House Republicans today plan to defy President Barack Obama’s promised veto by voting to slash spending and condition a $2.4 trillion debt-ceiling increase on passage of a constitutional amendment to balance the budget.
The measure, demanded by fiscally conservative organizations and Tea Party groups, brings lawmakers no closer to meeting an Aug. 2 deadline for increasing the $14.3 trillion debt limit. The bill stands little chance of being endorsed by the Democratic-controlled Senate and no chance of being signed into law.
The White House, in a statement conveying Obama’s threat to veto the “Cut, Cap and Balance” proposal, called it an “empty political statement” setting out “unrealistic policy goals.” Conservative groups cheered it, pressuring Republicans to back it or risk denting their fiscal credentials with voters....
The Republicans continue to listen to their corporate sponsors and their small base of right wing, Tea Party-elected, self-centered, Ayn Rand believers, who would rather destroy the country than follow the lead of our President. We have to ask ourselves why the Republicans object to the leadership of President Barack Obama? Is their opposition only based on his political party? I doubt it. In my humble opinion, Cantor, McConnell, DeMint, and others, have demonstrated their deep-seated dislike of the President by their words and actions. They don't want to give him any political or legislative victories because they do not respect the President, his family history, or his agenda to help all Americans. The Republicans are digging in their heels to only serve the wealthy.
**** What do people really think about Republican Gov. John Kasich's legislative agenda? The Toledo Blade allowed citizens to offer their views. Both sides are represented in the list of comments, but what follows are the ones that I believe that a majority of Ohioans believe:
ToledoBlade:
"I don't want to live in the Ohio envisioned by Governor Kasich. We are in a class war and for now, the wealthy are winning. The voters brought this on themselves, and only they can undo it. I hope Kasich will be a one-term governor and many right-wing legislators will be gone soon too."
-- George Hartman, Wauseon...
"This is an organized national plan to prop up and feed big business, the wealthy, and the powerful. [Republicans] have no soul and not a single inkling of what it is like to live in Middle America. I cannot wait until Kasich's next election comes up. I will campaign as hard I can to rid the state of his dictator-like actions."
-- Jim Buyakie, Toledo...
"How very sad it was for Ohio's electorate to give the nod to this appalling governor. Mr. Kasich has, it seems, decided that the destruction of needed state programs to further the financial interests of the favored takes precedence. He needs to stop his revolutionary war against the ordinary citizens of this state."
-- Wallace L. Pretzer, Bowling Green...
> Has anyone else noticed that Kasich continues to meet only with "business leaders" around the state?How many times will Kasich continue to visit the same business leaders, at the same locations, and deliver the same talking points? For example, how many more times can he go to Sinclair Community College to preach to his business supporters? Why does he continue to go there?