Everybody Knows with Dr. Bob and Dan-o
In a close, 5-4 decision, the Supreme court voted to uphold the entire Affordable Care Act - including the controversial individual mandate, which was preserved as a tax.
Firedoglake writers and activists have worked tirelessly on health care rights and were instrumental in the fight for the public option and women's' right to choose. We've taken that wealth of knowledge and put together a resource page at Firedoglake with fact sheets, in-depth analysis and more.
Head over to our Affordable Care Act Resource Page for more information on today's Supreme Court ruling
So what happened with this ruling?
Chief Justice Roberts found that even though it is not a constitutional use of Congressional power under the Commerce Clause or the Necessary and Proper clause, the individual mandate is a tax and therefore constitutional because of Congress's taxing powers.
Firedoglake writers and activists have worked tirelessly on health care rights and were instrumental in the fight for the public option and women's' right to choose. We've taken that wealth of knowledge and put together a resource page at Firedoglake with fact sheets, in-depth analysis and more.
Head over to our Affordable Care Act Resource Page for more information on today's Supreme Court ruling
So what happened with this ruling?
Chief Justice Roberts found that even though it is not a constitutional use of Congressional power under the Commerce Clause or the Necessary and Proper clause, the individual mandate is a tax and therefore constitutional because of Congress's taxing powers.
We've become a nation that callously kills. Meticulous researchers have documented that U.S. drones are killing many innocent civilians in Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere. Drones are making the world less stable and creating new enemies. We must end the use of weaponized drones. Add your name now.
Take Action Now
Take Action Now
Join us to support Pride!
The Franklin County Green Party has a walking group permit to join the Columbus Pride Parade Saturday, June 16. We'll meet at the southwest corner of State and Front Streets at 10:45am. Step off is at noon. We'll be wearing Fitrakis for Congress T-shirts.
Contact: Fitrakis for Congress or send a message to Fitrakis for Congress on Facebook.
614-374-2380 (Bob Fitrakis)
The Franklin County Green Party has a walking group permit to join the Columbus Pride Parade Saturday, June 16. We'll meet at the southwest corner of State and Front Streets at 10:45am. Step off is at noon. We'll be wearing Fitrakis for Congress T-shirts.
Contact: Fitrakis for Congress or send a message to Fitrakis for Congress on Facebook.
614-374-2380 (Bob Fitrakis)
A petition was started to support Jason Robb, one of the Lucasville Five on death row for the Lucasville uprising, who started a hunger strike on 6-6 because he was again refused to be placed on the "normal" level of security with other Death Row prisoners (Level 4). Please sign the petition to the warden of OSP, if you have not yet done so (we are now at 28 signatures): Just click on the link and it will bring you to the petition.
Change.org Jason Robb petition
Find out more about the Lucasville Five at:
Lucasville Amnesty
There is also made a "Page" on Facebook that can be "liked":
Facebook Lucasville Amnesty
Please forward the petition for Jason to anyone you think is willing to sign, and read more on his hunger strike here:
Jason Robb Hunger Strike
and here:
Change.org Jason Robb petition
Find out more about the Lucasville Five at:
Lucasville Amnesty
There is also made a "Page" on Facebook that can be "liked":
Facebook Lucasville Amnesty
Please forward the petition for Jason to anyone you think is willing to sign, and read more on his hunger strike here:
Jason Robb Hunger Strike
and here:
Anti-choice Representatives will soon vote on the "Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act" (H.R. 3541). This dangerous bill would deny women of color access to reproductive care and force providers to racially profile patients, or else possibly face five years in prison for providing abortion services to women of certain races. That's right, five years in prison!
Tell your Members of Congress to oppose H.R. 3541, the "Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act," and protect access to abortion care for all women.
Tell your Members of Congress to oppose H.R. 3541, the "Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act," and protect access to abortion care for all women.
Last night Ohio’s State Assembly passed Senate Bill 315, what will one of the worst fracking laws in the nation.
The bill heading to Gov. Kasich’s desk fails to reinvest in Ohio communities, fails to adequately protect them from the toxic impacts of the fracking industry, and fails to help Ohio address the growing climate crisis.
It means that Ohio will allow bigger health and safety loopholes and ask the gas industry to pay less than almost any other state in the country, exposing our communities to the worst excesses of the fracking industry. Doctors will be prevented from talking openly about the sickness they see seeping into our water, and the gas industry will keep all of the profits flowing out of our communities.
The rumblings you hear when this bill is signed is not the sound of another injection well caused earthquake (though another is now likely inevitable) – it is the rumblings of a backlash against the politicians who have been bought out with millions of dollars of the gas industry’s money, and have chosen to sacrifice Ohio in return.
The bill heading to Gov. Kasich’s desk fails to reinvest in Ohio communities, fails to adequately protect them from the toxic impacts of the fracking industry, and fails to help Ohio address the growing climate crisis.
It means that Ohio will allow bigger health and safety loopholes and ask the gas industry to pay less than almost any other state in the country, exposing our communities to the worst excesses of the fracking industry. Doctors will be prevented from talking openly about the sickness they see seeping into our water, and the gas industry will keep all of the profits flowing out of our communities.
The rumblings you hear when this bill is signed is not the sound of another injection well caused earthquake (though another is now likely inevitable) – it is the rumblings of a backlash against the politicians who have been bought out with millions of dollars of the gas industry’s money, and have chosen to sacrifice Ohio in return.
Statement of No Frack Ohio
On May 14, Governor Kasich’s energy bill, which will benefit the oil and gas industry at the expense of consumers and their vital resources, was approved by the Ohio State Senate. Members of No Frack Ohio, a coalition to stop fracking, denounced the development.
“Instead of protecting Ohioans by banning fracking, the governor and legislature are swiftly moving legislation that would do nothing to protect the public from the water contamination or earthquakes we’ve seen associated with fracking. It’s clear that our state leaders are caving to oil and gas industry lobbyists as Kasich’s bill went from bad to worse when the Ohio Oil and Gas Association intervened” said Alison Auciello, organizer for Food & Water Watch.
On May 14, Governor Kasich’s energy bill, which will benefit the oil and gas industry at the expense of consumers and their vital resources, was approved by the Ohio State Senate. Members of No Frack Ohio, a coalition to stop fracking, denounced the development.
“Instead of protecting Ohioans by banning fracking, the governor and legislature are swiftly moving legislation that would do nothing to protect the public from the water contamination or earthquakes we’ve seen associated with fracking. It’s clear that our state leaders are caving to oil and gas industry lobbyists as Kasich’s bill went from bad to worse when the Ohio Oil and Gas Association intervened” said Alison Auciello, organizer for Food & Water Watch.
We can put an end to a shocking assault on our civil liberties: Last year's National Defense Authorization Act included language that could allow the military to detain civilian suspects INDEFINITELY without charge or trial. This year's NDAA could come up for a vote as soon as next week and we have a prime opportunity to reverse this travesty of justice.
Click here to fight back: Email your member of Congress right away
Congressmen Adam Smith and Justin Amash will put forth an amendment to make it clear that the military does not have the power to arrest and indefinitely detain civilians without charging or trying them.
Please urge your lawmakers to support their efforts and help us spread word far and wide.
Email your member of Congress right away -- a few seconds of effort will help us reclaim our cherished civil liberties.
Click here to fight back: Email your member of Congress right away
Congressmen Adam Smith and Justin Amash will put forth an amendment to make it clear that the military does not have the power to arrest and indefinitely detain civilians without charging or trying them.
Please urge your lawmakers to support their efforts and help us spread word far and wide.
Email your member of Congress right away -- a few seconds of effort will help us reclaim our cherished civil liberties.
For millions of middle and working class families, a college education is the key to success and opportunity.
But it can be an expensive key. Many students are forced to take out thousands of dollars in loans to pursue their degree -- and if we don’t do something Congress is about to make that even harder.
Back in 2007, I helped to pass the College Cost Reduction and Access Act -- a bill that lowered the interest rate of Federal Direct Stafford Loans to 3.4% and made it that much easier for millions of students to take advantage of the opportunity America’s colleges and universities offer.
But now that opportunity is in jeopardy. Unless we extend this provision immediately, these rates will double to 6.8% -- and make keys to success for potential students across the country too expensive to afford.
No one should be denied the opportunity to succeed because of financial constraints. That’s why I’m joining with Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar to keep student loan rates right where they are -- and I’m asking you to join us.
But it can be an expensive key. Many students are forced to take out thousands of dollars in loans to pursue their degree -- and if we don’t do something Congress is about to make that even harder.
Back in 2007, I helped to pass the College Cost Reduction and Access Act -- a bill that lowered the interest rate of Federal Direct Stafford Loans to 3.4% and made it that much easier for millions of students to take advantage of the opportunity America’s colleges and universities offer.
But now that opportunity is in jeopardy. Unless we extend this provision immediately, these rates will double to 6.8% -- and make keys to success for potential students across the country too expensive to afford.
No one should be denied the opportunity to succeed because of financial constraints. That’s why I’m joining with Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar to keep student loan rates right where they are -- and I’m asking you to join us.
The first generation of biotech crops has failed. And failed badly. In the last year alone, new studies have shown that Monsanto’s genetically-engineered Bt insecticide corn has not only created a new breed superbugs tolerant of the plant’s genetically engineered insecticide, but that those Bt toxins have also been found in the blood of 93 percent of woman and 80 percent of fetal blood samples in a Canadian study, despite Monsanto's claims that this was not be possible.
At the same time, Monsanto’s Roundup Ready corn and soybeans and their flagship herbicide have been linked to an increase in crop disease and livestock infertility. If that weren't enough, the excessive use of Roundup has led to the rampant rise of superweeds, which have grown tolerant to the herbicide and have infested millions of acres of farmland, threatening the livelihoods of America’s farmers.
Now, Dow Chemical is petitioning the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the approval of a new genetically engineered “Agent Orange” corn that tolerates the extremely toxic chemical herbicide 2,4-D, a major component of the Vietnam War era defoliant Agent Orange.
At the same time, Monsanto’s Roundup Ready corn and soybeans and their flagship herbicide have been linked to an increase in crop disease and livestock infertility. If that weren't enough, the excessive use of Roundup has led to the rampant rise of superweeds, which have grown tolerant to the herbicide and have infested millions of acres of farmland, threatening the livelihoods of America’s farmers.
Now, Dow Chemical is petitioning the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the approval of a new genetically engineered “Agent Orange” corn that tolerates the extremely toxic chemical herbicide 2,4-D, a major component of the Vietnam War era defoliant Agent Orange.