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Thom's blog
Yet another austerity budget
House and Senate negotiators have reached a deal that could prevent the next government shutdown, but don't start celebrating just yet. Tuesday night, Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Paul Ryan announced an $85 billion dollar budget agreement. If Congress accepts the plan, it would partially offset the next round of sequester cuts, and save important programs like Medicare and Medicaid, but it does not address the budget-slashing that already took place. And, it does not extend long-term unemployment benefits, or ask the wealthy to contribute more to our nation in taxes.
In order to raise revenue, the budget deal would require federal workers to pay higher premiums for their pensions, lower payments to student loan collectors, and impose new security fees for airline travelers. This budget plan would also eliminate virtually all of the sequester cuts for the Pentagon, it does nothing to address the cuts that have already hit programs like Head Start, Meals on Wheels, and Section 8 housing. Apparently, these are the drastic measures we must go to in order to prevent another government shutdown. Democrats appear to be giving up a lot, yet this deal won't even prevent another budget standoff over the debt limit.
For the past five years, Republicans have pushed more and more austerity on out nation, and this budget does nothing to reverse that trend. Not only is austerity exactly the opposite of what we should be doing to help our economy, it's also the wrong choice for the American people. No nation, in the history of the world, has ever cut its way to prosperity, and we won't be the first. It's time to stop this pattern of taking from those who have the least, while never asking those at the top to pay their fair share. It's time to put an end to austerity, and start investing in our nation once again.
-Thom
(What do you think? Tell us here.) |
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Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 7pm and 9pm... ALEC...is fascism taking over our democracy? (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT, and catch past shows on Youtube)
Watch the video 'Last Hours' narrated by Thom Hartmann about the "time bomb" that is ticking underground, underwater and under ice… frozen methane that is now escaping and could trigger runaway climate change. www.lasthours.org
Have a question or comment for Thom? Grab your phone, hit record and send your video to YourTakeMyTake@gmail.com and we may air it on "The Big Picture."
Need to Know: ALEC...is fascism taking over our democracy?- Calvin Sloan, People For the American Way (PFAW) 
The Best of the Rest...
Budget deal...winners & losers- Ben Cohen, Daily Banter - Marilyn Park, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)
Daily Take: GOP Governors - Give Taxpayers Back Their Money
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Community Square
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Tuesday's Daily Stack 
Hour One: Welcome to third world America...
The Big Picture- Nate Sweet, The Big Picture producer
Hour Two: Is universal healthcare a planetary right?- Steve Malzberg, The Steve Malzberg Show
Article: " Constitution of the United States" Article 1, section 8." The Congress shall have Power ... To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes; ..." Article: " Constitution of the United States" Article 1, section 8." To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures; ..." Article: " 2nd Amendment", " A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.".
Hour Three: Volcker Rule "Result Will be the Worst of all Worlds"- Professor William K. Black, University of Missouri at Kansas City
PLUS, Saving our social safety net- Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR, 4th District)
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Wednesday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 3-6pm ET
Hour One: Is technology dumbing us down?
Hour Two: Are the police out of control?- Marc Harrold, Attorney / former police officer
Hour Three: Just say no to defense...- Tim Carpenter, Progressive Democrats of America
And, the best of the rest of the news and your calls right here on...
The Thom Hartmann Program...your media support group for "we the people"...
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Thursday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 3-6pm ET
Is creationist teaching dumbing down students? And does it belong in any official curriculum...for either public school or home school? I'll ask Creationist Eric Hovind.
And we'll have all the news and information you won't hear from the corporate owned news media
right here on...The Thom Hartmann Program
Don't forget...Democracy is NOT a spectator sport...it begins with you...
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Thom's Poll
Should Democrats vote down the Murray-Ryan budget plan?
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Watch & Listen to Thom
Death with Dignity vs. Death for Profit?
Is Universal Healthcare a Planetary Right?
Crazy Alert! Vaginal Knitting?
Politically Corrected on Third World America...
Big Picture Politics Panel - Can progressives overtake Wall Street?
Big Picture Politics Panel - Is there a deal?
Or watch the Full "Big Picture" Show...
Full Show 12/10/13: Budget Deal Reached
Tonight's "Politics Panel" discusses the bipartisan budget deal reached in Washington, the importance of social safety-net programs and the establishment's war on Elizabeth Warren. Thom talks with "The Nation's" John Nichols about Nelson Mandela's call for universal health care, and in tonight's "Daily Take" Thom makes the case to make physician-assisted suicide legal in the U.S.
Thom Hartmann on the News: December 10, 2013
Should Universal Health Care be a Planetary Right?
Saving our Social Safety Net
Volcker Rule "Result will be the Worst of all Worlds"
There are Bisexual Men
Caller: I am a Bisexual Man
Rebooting the American Dream
Welcome to Third World America
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Thom and Louise Hartmann founded the New England Salem Children's Village (NESCV) in New Hampshire in 1979. With states delaying payment for the children they entrust to the village, they need help with cash flow. Can you help? Now on Facebook. |
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