Progressive Democrat Issue 248

The newsletter is getting a bit overwhelming again, so not as many articles this week. May cut back a bit. But it will keep going, one way or another.

President Obama has, in scarcely more than a year, hurt the Taliban far more than Bush and Cheney ever did during their entire 8 years occupying the White House. From the Christian Science Monitor:

Half of Afghanistan Taliban leadership arrested in Pakistan

Pakistan has arrested nearly half of the Afghanistan Taliban’s leadership in recent days, Pakistani officials told the Monitor Wednesday, dealing what could be a crucial blow to the insurgent movement.

In total, seven of the insurgent group’s 15-member leadership council, thought to be based in Quetta, Pakistan, including the head of military operations, have been apprehended in the past week, according to Pakistani intelligence officials

This is WAY beyond anything the Republicans were able to accomplish.

Yes...it really DOES make a difference having a Democrat in the White House. We may not like everything Obama is doing or not doing, but there really has been a difference.

And many of the Democrats we elected to the House have done us proud as well. Congressman Tom Perriello of Virginia was one of my early endorsements in 2008...and though I disagreed with his support of the Pitts-Stupak amendment, I have been impressed with most of what he has accomplished. This week Congressman Perriello introduced a bill into Congress repealing antitrust exemption given to health insurance companies. The House passed this bill...now we have to wait for the Senate to act on it. Here is video of Tom Perriello discussing the bill:



And the bill's co-sponsor, Congresswoman Betsy Markey of Colorado, speaking on the bill:



Two Democrats I am proud to have supported, even if I don't agree with 100% of what they do.

I should note that the ONLY people to vote against this bill were 19 Republicans. Here are the Republican Congressmen who voted for insurance companies over America's working and middle class:

Akin
Boehner
Brady (TX)
Broun (GA)
Buyer
Franks (AZ)
Garrett (NJ)
Jenkins
Jordan (OH)
King (IA)
Lamborn
Linder
Moran (KS)
Paul
Price (GA)
Ryan (WI)
Sensenbrenner
Tiahrt
Westmoreland

Those are the only Representatives who openly support insurance companies screwing you over.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, helped by 13 Republicans that the teabaggers are now angry at, Democrats passed a much needed jobs bill. I'd like to say I am as proud of our Senators as I am of most of our House Reps, but the Senate has been dragging its feet and, other than Senator Al Franken, I have not been much impressed by the Senate Democrats. I guess they remain better than the Republicans, but that is kind of damning with faint praise.

And, as we watch the aftermath of the earthquake in Chile, here's an interesting comparison between Haiti and Chile in light of right wing extremist assertions that government is a bad thing: Chile and Haiti Illustrate the value of government

Here is this week's newsletter:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Discussing Healthcare Reform: Views from Congressman Anthony Weiner and Some Reminders

Brooklyn Focus: Strolling Along the Gowanus Canal

Brooklyn, NY Focus

Manhattan, NY Focus

Queens, NY Focus

Bronx, NY Focus

Suffolk County, NY Focus

Rochester, NY Focus

New York 19th District Focus: Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, and Westchester Counties

NEW YORK STATE FOCUS

Austin/Travis County, TX Focus

Dallas County, TX Focus

Houston/Harris County, TX Focus

Texas 10th District Focus: Turn TX-10 Blue

Texas 21st District Focus: Turn TX-21 Blue

TEXAS FOCUS

Silicon Valley Area, CA Focus

San Diego, CA Focus

Orange County, CA Focus

California 11th District Focus: San Joaquin, Alameda and Santa Clara Counties

CALIFORNIA FOCUS

Sussex County, NJ Focus

Passaic County, NJ Focus

Warren County, NJ Focus

NEW JERSEY FOCUS

Charlottesville/Albemarle County, VA Foucus

Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania County, VA Focus

Hanover County, VA Focus

VIRGINIA FOCUS

ALEX SINK'S PLAN TO STRENGTHEN ETHICS AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR FLORIDA

FLORIDA FOCUS

ILLINOIS FOCUS

Atlanta, GA Focus

Fayette County, GA Focus

Coweta County, GA Focus

GEORGIA FOCUS

Lancaster Co. PA Focus

PENNSYLVANIA FOCUS

WASHINGTON STATE FOCUS

Fighting for a Stronger Wisconsin: Tom Barrett for Governor

WISCONSIN FOCUS

Iowa Focus: Can Populist Roxanne Conlin Beat Corporate Shill Chuck Grassley?

Petitioning in Iowa

IOWA FOCUS

COLORADO FOCUS

ARIZONA FOCUS

MICHIGAN FOCUS

NEVADA FOCUS

NORTH CAROLINA FOCUS

MINNESOTA FOCUS