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... WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ABOVE 2000 FEET... A WINTER STORM WATCH ABOVE 2000 FEET REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 4 TO 8 INCHES POSSIBLE ABOVE 2000 FEET. * ELEVATION: ABOVE 2000 FEET. * TIMING: SNOW MAY BEGIN TUESDAY NIGHT AND POSSIBLY BE HEAVY AT TIMES AROUND MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON WEDNESDAY. * LOCATIONS INCLUDE: GRASS VALLEY * WINDS: SOUTHERLY WINDS 20 TO 35 MPH WITH STRONGER GUSTS OVER RIDGES. * IMPACTS: HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS POSSIBLE DUE TO GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY SNOW CREATING POOR VISIBILITIES. TRAVEL DELAYS POSSIBLE. DOWNED POWER LINES FROM HEAVY SNOW AND WIND WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS. &&

Curtis L. Walker

Tennessee No Evil | All Things Democrat

“Who controls the past controls the future…” —George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-four

Before dawn on June 26, 2011, a group of white teenagers pulled off the highway into a predominantly black neighborhood in Jackson, Mississippi.  They allegedly began harassing the first black man they found alone in a parking lot, 49-year-old James Craig Anderson.  They allegedly hurled racial epithets at him while beating him.  As Anderson tried to stagger away, one of the teens allegedly got back in his truck and ran him over, killing him.  The alleged killer then called his friends to brag,

“I ran that n***** over.”

The Tennessee Tea Party “demands” that discussions of slavery be removed from history textbooks.  While the above tragedy may be rare nowadays, it does indicate that unreconstructed racism and the horrific legacy of slavery remain with us to this day.  Any attempt to whitewash that history would be a profound disservice to each individual student and to society at large.

The Tennessee activists declared

“We seek to compel the teaching of students in Tennessee the truth regarding the history of our nation and the nature of its government.”

No discussion of the “truth” of American history could possibly be complete without a thorough exploration of slavery.  In generation after generation, slavery and race relations have been the defining issues of the times.  In 1619, the first African slaves were sold in America at Jamestown, VA.  Some early colonies in the Americas failed specifically because of slave revolts.  Over 350 years, roughly 12 million West Africans were abducted and shipped to the New World in chains.

via allthingsdemocrat.com

Full Post at link and H/T to ALLTHINGSD.

For Those With The Spring Gardening Itch: DIY wine bottle garden

Pull them wine bottles from the trash or recycle bin!

Hot Link for Saturday: TEA PARTY SHAKE-UPs and CA SHAKEDOWNs w/ HT to Temple of Mut

http://templeofmut.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/tea-party-shake-ups-and-ca-shakedowns/

Coffee Connect: Rally at the Supreme Court | Renewal campaign nearing end and much more for February

Rally at the Supreme Court: Hear us "Louden Clear!"by Jeanene LoudenWow! Not bad for a "flash rally" announced with four day's notice! As Eric Byler and Annabel Park reported to on my weekly radio show Louden Clear, the Thursday Feb. 23 rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court Building captured the spirit of a new kind of momentum in the fight against money in politics, and launched a cross-organizational, trans-partisan initiative to shift the national conversation to the Supreme Court's upcoming decision on whether to reconsider their "Citizens United" decree. Write to us at [email protected] if are as inspired as I am about this opportunity, and ready to organize a flash rally in your town or city. We are joining forces with Common Cause and Free Speech For People just as we did for the kick-off rally at the US Supreme Court. More on this later.As Dave Lefcourt of OpEdNews.com reported:
It wasn't a huge rally by any stretch of the imagination (less than 300 people), but there was considerable media taking video and recording the remarks of the organizers, Common Cause and the Coffee Party.
 
The protest was centered on the Court's Citizens United ruling in 2010 and the need for it to be overturned.
One of the protest signs was clearly aimed at Justice Anthony Kennedy which read, "Yes Justice Kennedy, we the people see the corruption." That was in direct reference to Kennedy's assertion, as the writer who wrote the majority opinion in Citizens, "the Court now concludes that independent expenditures, including those made by corporations, do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption"and the appearance of influence or access will not cause the electorate to lose faith in this democracy."[MORE, including video]Does the Supreme Court Know Citizens United Was a Mistake? by Eric BylerOn the night before the first "Flip Citizens United" Rally, I was on the The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann. On Coffee Party News, I had shared the notes I prepared an hour before the show. While waiting in the green room, and, based on the incredible segment about Super-PACS that opened the show, I narrowed my focus down to the 5 points below. Video is now available. Watch and see how many of them I covered. (Hint: it's hard to make 5 points in 4 minutes...) [MORE]Uproar over Citizens United and Fighting "Economic Royalists"by Annabel ParkThere is clearly a need to find an effective way to channel the public's anxiety, anger and fear about how big money is destroying our democracy and country. Exactly how to do that is still an ongoing quest for many of us.We have a rare opportunity here. Not only because of the Montana Supreme Court's recent ruling defying Citizens United, but because reporters are obsessively covering the impact of super Pacs on this election. The problem is already in the news everyday. Just do a google search for "super pac." We are just not taking full advantage of this moment. Not yet anyway.
This is what is clear to me: We have to ramp up the protests into an uproar. We need a big public demonstration of our outrage. In addition, we need a long-term plan to win against our fierce and determined opponents. I love FDR's term for them: economic royalists. Without a plan, we keep tripping over ourselves for short-term gain (often measured by media hits) but not really gain any ground on this issue. I say we need to win not because this is a game, but because this is a power struggle over who governs: We the People or a handful of billionaires. [MORE]
 

 

 
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Fresh Grounds:
Mainstream Media Darling-Not!by Debilyn Molineaux, Coffee Party Executive Director

Over the last month, many of you have asked me why Coffee Party is not receiving any coverage by the media. I share your frustration!Two years ago, Coffee Party was a media darling. Annabel Park, Coffee Party Co-Founder, made appearances on many news programs and talked about what Coffee Party stood for and the solutions that were possible through civil dialogue. The media became more and more interested in creating a story about the Coffee Party as the Progressive version of the Tea Party, and booking Annabel as a guest opposite a Tea Party member. Hosts would then ask provocative questions, looking for flare-ups, which would be good for their ratings.This set-up, while typical of our media, is antithetical to the Coffee Party Civility Pledge. The invitations from media stopped and/or we stopped accepting. Bad news and conflict are big sellers in what is considered “News Worthy.” Basically, the Coffee Party doesn’t grow their ratings. (See follow up article We Are Voyeurs of Media)So how can Coffee Party get coverage? We are taking steps to increase our visibility and could use your help. We are forming a public relations committee to assist in writing and sending press releases to the media. Additionally, we need assistance in media follow up calls, especially if you already know someone. Training for our local chapters in connecting with their local media would be great too. We also need to brainstorm other ways to promote Coffee Party besides mainstream media. Are you ready to get involved? If so, please email me.Together, we make a difference.
 

New Website for Meeting Minutesby Jeanene LoudenIn order to facilitate a better dialogue with the Coffee Party Membership whom we serve, and, knowing that good ideas come from all parts of a grassroots organization like ours, the Board of Directors has launched a new website for the publishing of meeting minutes. As Secretary, I will be the one updating the site. Read and comment by clicking here. Your ideas, insights, and comments are always welcome. Coffee Party ON! [READ MORE]
 

Two Membership Drives Come to
Close February 29! by Billy Sears
February is coming to a close and with it two special membership drives: The Class of 2012, for new members, and our Founding Member Renewal drive, celebrating the first anniversary of the shockingly successful membership drive that launched this movement. Lucky for our Founders and for new members, February has an extra day this year. Please don't forget to renew, or, join the Class of 2012 before 11:59 PM on Feb. 29. After Feb. 29, you can still join the Class of 2012, and of course you can still renew your membership, but you won't be able to take advantage of our thank you gift: the documentary film known as the Coffee Party prequel, 9500 Liberty.

Our new Board of Directors will soon be sending a special request to Founding Members to please renew before the end of February so that in March, when the Board deliberates in person for the first time, they will have an idea how much support to expect as they plan and budget actions for the rest of 2012. If you are a Founding Member, please renew by clicking here.
If you are considering becoming a new member as part of the Class of 2012, please click here.If you have any questions about the status of your Coffee Party membership, please write to [email protected]Jessica English New Host of the Bottom Line on Coffee Party Radio

THE BOTTOM LINE with Jessica EnglishSundays at 5 PM ET by Jessica EnglishThanks to everyone who listened and called into The Bottom Line this past Sunday. My biggest fear was that I would be talking to my self for an hour-and-a-half. Also, what would I do if my brain froze? Well, I have come to expect a lot from Coffee Party devotees, and callers you did not disappoint! I was a bit nervous because it was my first time covering all of the technical aspects, but after the first ten minutes, the nerves started to fade as I was drawn in to what folks had to say.I can’t describe the feeling I had the moment the “blogtalk radio lady” opened the show and it was my mouth that was opening to greet everyone, but I can tell you how thrilling it was when the phone lines lit up. The civility of the discussion, the diversity of callers, and the breadth of ideas was at times educational, challenging, engaging and even inspiring. How wonderful to have an opportunity to share and learn the interests, experiences, and recent efforts of involved citizens from New Jersey, to D.C., to Virginia to Washington, and even certain states in between (Iowa and Minnesota). [MORE]
A Voice for Revolutionary Times:
Larry Lessig's New Ebook, "One Way Forward"
by Eric Byler
We are living in revolutionary times. Scary, yes, but it is the truth, and the signs are everywhere. Historians will point to two factors, and Lawrence Lessig is the clearest, most compelling voice speaking to both of them:1. The corrupting influence of money in politics.2. The Internet.
The Wall Street crash, the Wall Street bail out, the media-induced cover-up, Occupy Wall Street, the recent SOPA/PIPA showdown, and the most unpredictable presidential primary race in history — all have these two factors in common. 
Enormous sums of money have deformed our political process and allowed an invading empire to grow inside us and attack us from within. But it is not in our nature, as Americans, to go down without a fight. Thus, a fight has begun.Lessig’s conversation with America has always been a two-way street — whether through The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, through his public speaking engagements, or through his writing. And, in revolutionary times, things happen fast. Thus, right on the heels of his 369 page masterpiece Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts Congress — and a Plan to Stop It, Lessig released today a 73-page e-book called One Way Forward ($1.99, Byliner). Here he explains why:First the good news: For the first time in a hundred years, we have the technology to empower ordinary citizens to be engaged and passionate about their government again.Now the bad news: The business model for this engagement, of the entities that build these movements of passion, whether for profit or not for profit, make it extremely hard to imagine them ever working together on anything.The DNA of America is a house divided. A Civil War without guns. Just at the time technology enables us the most, the business model of hate disables us the most. Unless we can find a way around it.Lessig points out that our country is polarized by design, and decodes how this came to be. “As competition within media has intensified, so the drive to polarize has increased as well. Commercial media needs devoted listeners; devotion is most extreme at the extremes.” His concern is that the dominance of partisan news entertainment, as well as polarizing electioneering strategies, decreases civic participation by alienating the public. This in turn limits the conversation to people who can stomach the vitriol and are “obsessed with the horse race of politics” and “the pathetic drama” of power struggle. In our own circles, it may seem like this is the majority of America, but it is not. Our struggle to restore self-governance requires reinforcements. [MORE]
Sign up for The Coffee Party Book Club.

 

SEC to Require Disclosure of Political Spending by Corporations

by Eric Byler
 
Due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, corporate CEOs are spending unprecedented, unlimited, and undisclosed amounts of money to elect the candidates of their choice in 2012, not just in the White House, but in our Congress. But the immense wealth at their command doesn’t really belong to them; it belongs to the shareholders of their companies.

 
And, no matter how capable, and no matter how powerful this elite group of corporate bosses has come to be, they should not be allowed to include our retirement savings and our investments in their secret political war chests.
 
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a federal agency charged with protecting the public from fraud and abuse, has the authority to require publicly traded companies to disclose how they spend money to influence our elections.
 
Please write to them and let them know that you would like them to require such disclosure. Without taking a position on the controversy over whether corporations are people, or whether money equals speech, taking this action could help to contain the corrupting influence of money in politics by bringing it out into the sunlight. [MORE]        
 

Interested in Organizing in Your Community?
All politics is local, but Coffee Party national can help you get started by introducing you to thousands of people who live near you and share our values for civil, fact-based, and solutions-oriented deliberation — coupled with action on the issues of Wall Street Reform, Campaign Finance Reform, and Tax Code Reform. Write [email protected] if you are interested.

Click here for more information.
 
Click here to make a contribution to keep the movement going.
 
 

If You Are A Student, Parent or Know One, You Are A FOOL To Vote For Republican: Is Congress Going to Double the Interest on Your Student Loan?

Is Congress Going to Double the Interest on Your Student Loan?












Published on California Progress Report (http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site)


Home > Blogs > megan's blog > Is Congress Going to Double the Interest on Your Student Loan?

Is Congress Going to Double the Interest on Your Student Loan?









Posted on 24 February 2012







By Sarah Jaffe
AlterNet
Unless Congress acts soon, millions of college students could see the interest rate on their federal student loans double this summer—adding $5,000 to the cost of an education for students who pay off their loans in 10 years, and around $11,000 over 20 years.
Yet Republicans are claiming that keeping those rates low costs too much and isn't the federal government's job. Rep. Virginia Foxx, chair of the Higher Education Subcommittee, even argued that it's unnecessary for any student to borrow money to go to college in the first place.
Of course, that's entirely divorced from the reality students face today. “We've seen massive state divestment from education,” Rich Williams, higher education advocate at US Public Interest Research Group (US PIRG), an independent research and advocacy group, told AlterNet. “That's on top of a bad economy which has caused families to have fewer resources, and then of course the dialogue around Occupy Wall Street and the reality of student loan debt--it becomes clear to anyone paying attention, that in this economy we cannot double the interest rates on student loans."
Back in 2006, Democrats ran on a promise to cut interest rates on student loans in half during the midterm election—a midterm that swept them back into power in Congress. They kept the promise—sort of. But deficit hawks whining about the cost of the measure kept them from cutting those rates on all federal loans, or making those cuts permanent. What they actually did was enact a plan, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, in 2007 that sliced the interest students pay on the subsidized Stafford loans, from the 6.8 percent it had been fixed at a few years earlier, down to 5.6 percent in 2009-2010, 4.5 percent in 2010-2011, and now to 3.4 percent. But the cut expires this summer, so next year's borrowers would once again face interest rates of 6.8 percent.
Students with families making under $40,000 a year—those who can least afford to see their interest rates jump--are the primary beneficiaries of the subsidized Stafford loan, which is awarded based on need and lent directly from the government. Stafford loans make up almost half of all federal student loans, and help families who are often not eligible for the Pell grants that help the neediest students.
Meanwhile, the government, which now lends money directly to students rather than subsidizing banks and student lenders like Sallie Mae to do so, is able to borrow at a significantly lower rate than 6.8 percent or even 3.4 percent. So, as Libby Nelson at Inside Higher Ed explained -- and contrary to what Republicans on the Congressional Education and the Workforce Committee say--the government is actually making money by lending to students.
[T]he government now keeps the difference, channeling some of the profits into financial aid programs and most of the rest toward deficit reduction (with some even flowing to administration priorities like early childhood education, as in the 2009 healthcare law). Once more direct and bank-based loans are consolidated, and when the student loan interest rate increases to 6.8 percent next year (when a several-year effort to halve the rate ends), federal student loans will become even more lucrative for the government.
The justification for charging higher interest on these loans is that it covers the risk of default by the borrower. But there is almost no way for borrowers to escape paying back their loan – thanks to the bankruptcy bill of 2005, student loans are not dischargeable in bankruptcy cases. The government can garnish wages, and even Social Security payments. There's almost no way for the government not to collect on a student loan, yet even supposedly forward-thinking outlets like the New America Foundation fall victim to the argument that the government needs protection from defaulting borrowers, and that rates should return to higher levels.
Indeed, a recent Wall Street Journal article reported, “After paying the companies that actually collect the loans and other costs, the U.S. Department of Education expects to recover 85 percent of defaulted federal loan dollars based on current value.” That's an extraordinary number, the Journal noted—banks often retrieve less than 10 percent of the value of overdue credit cards, for example.
The government might actually benefit from students who go into default. Mark Kantrowitz of FinAid.org told the Journal that the government would make a full $6,522 more in interest on a $10,000 loan that goes into default if it had been paid back in full in 10 years, and $2,010.44 more than if it had been paid back in 20. There's little need, then, for the government to make a chunk of interest in order to be protected from students who might go into default. Alan Collinge of Student Loan Justice told the Journal that there's a "perverted incentive" for the government to let loans default.
Williams pointed out to AlterNet that the federal government didn't get into the student lending business to make a profit, but rather to promote education as a social good for all. “In the Civil Rights era, America decided that making sure every student had access to a quality education regardless of financial barriers, they decided it was worth federal government investment,” he said. And when the Obama administration decided to stop subsidizing big banks and big lenders like Sallie Mae and NelNet and start lending money directly to students, it was in part to protect them from the predatory practices of those big lenders, as well as to save money, an estimated $61 billion over 10 years that won't be captured by banks.
It's worth noting, as well, that many of the big banks that make a killing on private student loans and still have billions of government-subsidized student debt on their books, are able to borrow money from the government through the Federal Reserve's discount window at nearly no interest at all. Why, then, are young people, who aren't guilty of trashing the economy but remain the victims of a rate of unemployment nearly twice that of the rest of the population, expected to pay more?
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