It isn't be in the minority party.  It is even more difficult when you can't even figure how the hell the Republicans arrived in in charge of the country when they are clearly only interested in making more money for themselves and their rich friends.  They lied to people and won some elections.

The Democratic Party is on the way back.

I received a generic yet important email from the DSCC.  There is good news to spread.

On February 2nd Democratic Senator Lautenberg introduced a bill to stop taxpayer funded government propoganda.   There are several  co-sponsors including Clinton and Kennedy.   This bill may not pass because of the Republicans being in control.  However,  I would like to call attention to the bill and help support our Democratic leaders.
 

It seems like Republicans take all the credit for wanting to improve the economy.  We need to get that frame changed.  We want the economy to do well, too!!

House Democrats have outlined a plan for improved economic growth in America and I have placed it below.  More info can be found at
http://www.housedemocrats.gov

A decade of strong growth in US research funding came to an abrupt halt on February 2, when President Bush released a budget proposal that attempts to confront the nation's massive financial deficit.  The budget for the 2005 fiscal year, which begins on 1 October, offers little new money for researchers. Funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) would struggle to keep up with inflation, and programmes at most other major agencies are cut.  

Federal investments in science and technology make sense.  Americans have funded groundbreaking research into disease prevention and amazing new medical breakthroughs, cutting-edge business technology, energy efficiency, and educational tools that help our children learn in new ways.

Good health is not a gift to be rationed based on ability to pay. The time is long overdue for America to join the rest of the industrial world in recognizing this fundamental right.

Quality, affordable health insurance for every American is a matter of simple justice. Health care is not just another commodity.

The budget is a reflection of our national values.  Or it should be!  The budget stands for what we, as a country, are committed to.  Democrats are committed to the values of America's middle class families: national security, prosperity, opportunity, fairness, community, and accountability. Unfortunately, the Fiscal Year 2006 Budget submitted to Congress by the President manages to ignore the basic needs and concerns of the nation while plunging our country, our children and our children's children even deeper into debt.

The budget failed to include the most costly initiatives like privatizing Social Security and the war in Iraq.

Education is the foundation of opportunity. A strong education system provides Americans from across the country the knowledge and training they need to be the successful leaders and innovators of tomorrow. But, despite their promises, Republicans have not given schools, students or teachers the resources they need.

This year, the Bush Administration provided $9.4 billion less than promised in the No Child Left Behind Act - demanding schools improve without giving them the funds they need to do so. This shortfall leaves 2.4 million children without needed help in reading and math and cuts teacher quality programs by $234 million. Federal Pell Grants have been frozen and funding slashed for Perkins Loans, lessening two major sources of badly needed financial aid at a time when tuition costs are skyrocketing. That's why Democrats in Congress developed plans to make quality education accessible and affordable to every American.

While the Democrats are the minority party in the Senate and House, I still think it is of critical importance that we support legislation that we agree with.  Much of their legislation is in accordance with my values and I have written emails to my Senators about a few of these bills and will write more eventually!

It is also unbelievably important that we get these bills being talked about and into the mainstream media.  The bills are not getting much attention.  We can give these bills attention.  We have brought other issues into the mainstream media and we can continue to do so.

The Administration and Congress have continued their assault on air quality, but good news is in sight. We need your help to fight off the latest attempt to weaken the Clean Air Act and urge your senators and representative to support a bill, reintroduced February 12 by Senator James Jeffords (I-VT), that will work to protect human health and the health of our parks.

An analysis by the EPA's own consultant, Abt Associates, found that the pollution cuts mandated by this bipartisan plan would prevent 18,700 deaths and 366,000 asthma attacks every year. The Clean Power Act would also limit the amount of toxic mercury emitted by these plants, and is designed to avoid "hotspots" of toxic contamination. Finally, it would curb growing US emissions of carbon dioxide, 40% of which come from power plants.

Minnesota has same day voter registration and it works very well.  If people decide they want to vote at the last minute, they can.  It makes voting accessible to the people and this is of critical importance.

Democratic Congressman Sabo has introduced the Same Day Voter Registration Act of 2005.  The purpose of this bill is to to amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require States to permit individuals to register to vote in an election for Federal office on the date of the election.

Conservation organizations challenged the Bush administration's decision to log Giant Sequoia National Monument in federal court in January of 2005. The groups also encouraged the administration and the court to look to neighboring Sequoia National Park for a better way to manage the rare forest.

The Sierra Club, Sierra Nevada Forest Protection Campaign, Earth Island Institute, Tule River Conservancy, Sequoia Forest Keeper, and Center for Biological Diversity jointly filed the complaint in San Francisco Federal District Court.

Sprawling communities are a major contributor to climate change and air pollution, in part because they require so much automotive transportation, which is heavily dependent on energy consumption from fossil fuels, the biggest source of greenhouse gases. In addition to burning gasoline, sprawling communities have to pump water in and waste out over long distances, deliver natural gas and electricity over long distribution networks, and provide solid waste, recycling pick-up and other services over a much wider area. Each of these services uses more energy and therefore produces more greenhouse gases than providing similar services to denser communities.

Sprawl is the largest driver of greenhouse gas emissions.

Congressman Towns introduced the Civil Rights Amendments Act of 2005.  The purpose of this bill is to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of affectional or sexual orientation, and for other purposes.

Congressman Towns of New York stands alone on this bill.  Where are the other Democratic Congressman?  The Republicans are trying to push their religious views of marriage.  We need to push back.

The Republicans passed a bill in the fall of 2004 call the American Jobs Creation Act.  It sounds good.  Who would be against creating jobs?  Democrats want to work.

But the act is not really about creating jobs.  It is a bill that reduces taxes for corporations significantly.  I heard that Kellogs will save over a billion dollars in 2005 due to this act.

I like the idea of weekend voting.  Weekend voting would call for the polls to be open the same hours across the continental United States, addressing the challenge of keeping results on one side of the country, or even a state, from influencing voting in places where polls are still open.

Moving elections to the weekend, will expand the pool of buildings available for polling stations and people available to work at the polls, addressing the critical shortage of poll workers. Weekend voting also has the potential to increase voter turnout by giving all voters ample opportunity to get to the polls without creating a national holiday.

Our Democratic leaders in Cognress have proposed bills in regard to election reform.  I am shocked that Kossaks are not joining them in their fight.  I thought people were outraged at what has happened in the last two Presidential elections.  

We need to fight for reform.  We cannot only be outraged and upset with what the Republicans do.

Congressman John D. Dingell of Michigan's 15th District proposed a bill for National Healthcare in January.  No sponsors as far as I can find so far.

Most Congressman most likely think that it is a waste of effort because of the Republican controlled House and Senate.  They may very well be right.

However, I am so glad that Congressman Dingell has proposed this bill.  A national healthcare bill needs to get proposed every year until it is passed.

The Democracy Day Act of 2005 is a bill sponsored by Congressman Conyers and several other congressman in a effort to treat election day as a national holiday.

This is an important idea.  People will have a greater opportunity to vote if they have the day off from work and thus greater flexibility in when they vote.  There will be less pressure on voting in the evening when the lines are often long currently during Presidential elections.

I have the entire bill below the fold.