Dems unveil revised stripped-down jobs bill

Jobs bill picks up bipartisan support in Senate

Majority Leader proposes pared-down version, hopes for quick passage

The Associated Press

Senate Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid unveiled a pared-back jobs plan after having difficulty uniting his Democratic colleagues behind a broader bill.

updated 12:08 p.m. ET, Thurs., Feb. 11, 2010

WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats on Thursday proposed a new, stripped-down version of their jobs bill in hopes of getting it through Congress quickly.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's latest bill is focused on several popular provisions aimed at boosting job creation, including tax breaks for companies that hire unemployed workers and for small businesses purchasing equipment. It also would renew highway programs and help states and local governments finance large infrastructure projects.

Reid, D-Nev., unveiled the pared-back plan after having difficulty uniting his Democratic colleagues behind a broader bill stuffed with unrelated provisions sought by lobbyists for business groups and doctors.

The move blows apart an agreement with key Republicans like Charles Grassley of Iowa, who worked with Democrats for weeks to produce a bill containing the extra provisions. They included a $31 billion package of tax breaks for individuals and businesses, an extension of several provisions of the USA Patriot Act and higher payments for doctors facing Medicare payment cuts.

The surprise move appears to insulate Democrats from criticism that greeted the earlier, lobbyist-backed legislation first leaked on Tuesday and officially unveiled only hours before Reid's announcement.

"The message is so watered down, with people wanting other things in this big package," Reid told reporters.

With his strong-arm tactics, Reid appears to be practically daring Republicans to try to block the pared-back bill.

"Well, Republicans are going to have to make a choice," Reid said. "I don't know in logic what they could say to oppose this."

Still, a number of the provisions dropped on Thursday — including help for the unemployed, the business tax breaks and a renewal of soon-to-expire provisions of the Patriot Act — are sure to return soon since they expire at the end of the month.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35349752/ns/politics-capitol_hill/

Bill Clinton hospitalized in New York City

Bill Clinton hospitalized for chest pains

Spokesman says former president is 'in good spirits' after receiving stents

updated 5:11 p.m. ET, Thurs., Feb. 11, 2010

Former President Bill Clinton was hospitalized Thursday in New York City after experiencing chest pains, according to a spokesman.

"Today President Bill Clinton was admitted to the Columbia Campus of New York Presbyterian Hospital after feeling discomfort in his chest," spokesman Doug Band said in a statement. "Following a visit to his cardiologist, he underwent a procedure to place two stents in one of his coronary arteries."

"President Clinton is in good spirits, and will continue to focus on the work of his Foundation and Haiti's relief and long-term recovery efforts," said the spokesman.

A stent is small mesh tube that is used to treat narrowed or weakened arteries.

A hospital source said that Clinton called the head of cardiology at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital two days ago, saying that he was not feeling well. Clinton was originally scheduled to come in to the hospital Wdnesday but postponed the appointment until Thursday.

Clinton's wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, planned to New York City Thursday from Washington D.C., NBC confirmed.

In 2004, Clinton underwent a successful quadruple bypass operation to free four blocked arteries.

NBC's Robert Windrem and Andrea Mitchell contributed to this report.

© 2010 msnbc.com

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35355089/ns/politics/

  MSNBC.com

fact file How does a stent work?

AP What is a stent? A stent is a wire metal mesh tube used to prop open an artery during angioplasty. The stent is collapsed to a small diameter and put over a balloon catheter. It's then moved into the area of the blockage. When the balloon is inflated, the stent expands, locks in place and forms a scaffold. This holds the artery open. The stent stays in the artery permanently, holds it open, improves blood flow to the heart muscle and relieves symptoms (usually chest pain). Within a few weeks of the time the stent was placed, the inside lining of the artery grows over the metal surface of the stent. How common are stents? Stenting is a fairly common procedure; in fact, over 70 percent of coronary angioplasty procedures also include stents. What are the advantages? In certain patients, stents reduce the renarrowing that occurs after balloon angioplasty or other procedures that use catheters. Stents also help restore normal blood flow and keep an artery open if it's been torn or injured by the balloon catheter. Can stented arteries reclose? Yes. Reclosure (restenosis) is also a problem with the stent procedure. In recent years doctors have used new types of stents called drug-eluting stents. These are coated with drugs that are slowly released and help keep the blood vessel from reclosing. Stents that are not coated with drugs are called bare metal stents. It is very important that patients with either type of stent take their anti-clotting medicines as directed. What happens next? Patients who've had a stent procedure must take one or more blood-thinning agents. Examples are aspirin and clopidogrel. These medications help reduce the risk of a blood clot developing in the stent and blocking the artery. Some recent studies have suggested that blood clots may develop later on (more than a year after stent placement) in the drug-eluting stents.

Source: American Heart Association

A refreshing dose of honesty

Lexington

Maria Cantwell and the politics of global warming

Feb 4th 2010 | From The Economist print edition

Illustration by KAL

NOT long after the flood, when Noah was safely back on dry land, God promised: “Never again will I curse the ground because of man...And never again will I destroy all living creatures.” The implication is clear. “Man will not destroy this earth,” says John Shimkus, a Bible-reading Republican congressman from Illinois. So there is no need to worry about global warming.
On January 28th, America formally pledged to the UN that it would reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions by 17% (from what they were in 2005) by 2020. But there was a planet-sized catch. Meeting the target will depend on getting a climate bill through Congress, and that will be horribly hard. A bill to erect a cap-and-trade system to curb carbon-dioxide emissions squeaked through the House of Representatives last summer. But similar bills have stalled in the Senate, where nearly anything big needs a supermajority to pass.
Various obstacles block the way. First, Barack Obama has not yet decided what to do about health care, and he cannot wage two domestic wars at once. Second, cap-and-trade is a tough sell. An increasing number of Americans, like Mr Shimkus, doubt the science. The proportion who believe there is “solid evidence” that the earth is warming fell from 71% in 2008 to 57% last year. Among Republicans, disbelief is the norm: only 35% think there is solid evidence of warming, according to a Pew poll. The news that some climate scientists tried to muzzle dissenting voices has spread like the common cold on conservative blogs, fuelling widespread suspicion that global warming is an elaborate hoax. Many climate sceptics are furious. “My Carbon Footprint Will Fit Nicely in Your Liberal Ass,” reads a typical T-shirt. Even among Americans who believe in global warming, there is little appetite for tackling it. A hefty 85% told Gallup that the government should place a higher priority on fixing the economy, with only 12% saying the opposite.
Enter Maria Cantwell, the junior senator from Washington state. She is pushing a simpler, more voter-friendly version of cap-and-trade, called “cap-and-dividend”. Under her bill, the government would impose a ceiling on carbon emissions each year. Producers and importers of fossil fuels will have to buy permits. The permits would be auctioned, raising vast sums of money. Most of that money would be divided evenly among all Americans. The bill would raise energy prices, of course, and therefore the price of everything that requires energy to make or distribute. But a family of four would receive perhaps $1000 a year, which would more than make up for it, reckons Ms Cantwell. Cap-and-dividend would set a price on carbon, thus giving Americans a powerful incentive to burn less dirty fuel. It would also raise the rewards for investing in clean energy. And it would leave all but the richest 20% of Americans—who use the most energy—materially better off, she says.
Ms Cantwell’s bill is refreshingly simple. At a mere 40 pages, it is one-thirty-sixth as long as the monstrous House bill (known as “Waxman-Markey”, after its sponsors), which would regulate everything from televisions to “bottle-type water dispensers” and is completely incomprehensible to a layman. Instead of auctioning permits to emit, Waxman-Markey gives 85% of them away, at least at first. This is staggeringly inefficient: permits would go to those with political clout rather than those who value them most. No one is proud of this—Mr Obama wanted a 100% auction—but House Democrats decided that the only way to pass the bill was to hand out billions of dollars of goodies to groups that might otherwise oppose it. (There was plenty of pork left over for its supporters, too.)
The Senate will not pass a comprehensive climate bill any time soon. So Mr Obama is attacking the problem piece by piece, bypassing Congress. On February 3rd, he unveiled a plan to promote biofuels and a task force to study the improbable dream of “clean” coal. Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission ordered private companies to publish estimates of the climate-related risks they face. The Environmental Protection Agency, meanwhile, is trying to regulate greenhouse gases under existing laws. But regulation is no substitute for putting a price on carbon, which would harness the power of the market to cut emissions more cheaply.

Tell it like it is

Of all the bills that would put a price on carbon, cap-and-dividend seems the most promising. (A carbon tax would be best of all, but has no chance of passing.) Ms Cantwell has a Republican co-sponsor, Susan Collins of Maine, and says she is hearing positive noises from a few other Republicans, such as Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. The most attractive thing about the bill is that it is honest. To discourage the use of dirty energy, it says, it has to be more expensive. To make up for that, here’s a thousand bucks.
This challenges the conventional wisdom in Washington, DC, that the only way to pass a global-warming bill is to disguise what’s in it. Leading Democrats try to sell cap-and-trade as a way to create jobs and wean America from its addiction to foreign oil. (It’s about “jobs, jobs, jobs and jobs,” said Nancy Pelosi, the speaker, last year.) Focus groups say this message ought to resonate. Frank Luntz, a pollster, released a study last month showing that voters are unswayed by melting ice caps but will support an energy bill that sticks it to the Saudis and creates American jobs. In real life, though, voters hear counter-arguments. Sure, cap-and-trade will create jobs, but it will destroy them, too. If the goal is to reduce dependence on foreign energy, why not mine more American coal? The only sound reason for acting to curb global warming is to curb global warming. Ms Cantwell does not put it so bluntly, but her bill speaks for itself.

Ahmadinejad: Iran is now a ‘nuclear state’

Ahmadinejad: Iran is now a ‘nuclear state’

Amount of enriched material unclear just 2 days after process was started

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, flanked by bodyguards, waves to supporters before addressing tens of thousands of Iranians gathered in Azadi Square in southwestern Tehran to mark the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution, on Thursday. 

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The Associated Press

updated 2:15 p.m. ET, Thurs., Feb. 11, 2010

TEHRAN, Iran - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed Thursday that Iran has produced its first batch of uranium enriched to a higher level, saying his country will not be bullied by the West into curtailing its nuclear program a day after the U.S. imposed new sanctions.

Ahmadinejad reiterated to hundreds of thousands of cheering Iranians on the anniversary of the 1979 foundation of the Islamic republic that the country was now a "nuclear state," an announcement he's made before. He insisted that Iran had no intention of building nuclear weapons.

It was not clear how much enriched material had actually been produced just two days after the process was announced to have started.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs dismissed Iran's claims, saying that country's leadership has made a series of statement based on politics, not physics.

The claim of new progress in Iran's nuclear program came a day after the U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions, freezing the assets in U.S. jurisdiction of a Revolutionary Guard general and four subsidiaries of a construction firm he runs.

David Albright of the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security said that any 20-percent enriched uranium produced just a few days after the start of the process would be "a tiny amount."

The United States and some of its allies accuse Tehran of using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to build nuclear weapons but Tehran denies the charge, saying the program is just geared toward generating electricity.

"I want to announce with a loud voice here that the first package of 20 percent fuel was produced and provided to the scientists," he said.

Enriching uranium produces fuel for nuclear power plants but can also be used to create material for atomic weapons if enriched further to 90 percent or more.

"We have the capability to enrich uranium more than 20 percent or 80 percent but we don't enrich (to this level) because we don't need it," he said in a speech broadcast live on state television.

Iran announced Tuesday it was beginning the process of enriching its uranium stockpile to a higher level. The international community reacted by discussing the imposition of new U.N. sanctions.

Revolutionary Guard assets frozen
The U.S. Treasury Department went ahead on Wednesday and froze the assets in U.S. jurisdictions of a Revolutionary Guard general and four subsidiaries of a construction firm he runs for their alleged involvement in producing and spreading weapons of mass destruction.

Tehran has said it wants to further enrich the uranium — which is still substantially below the 90 percent plus level used in the fissile core of nuclear warheads — as a part of a plan to fuel its research reactor that provides medical isotopes to hundreds of thousands of Iranians undergoing cancer treatment.

But the West says Tehran is not capable of turning the material into the fuel rods needed by the reactor. Instead it fears that Iran wants to enrich the uranium to make nuclear weapons.

Ahmadinejad restated Iran's position that it was not seeking to build nuclear weapons.

"When we say we do not manufacture the bomb, we mean it, and we do not believe in manufacturing a bomb," he told the crowd. "If we wanted to manufacture a bomb, we would announce it."

"We told them the Iranian nation will never give in to bullying and illogical remarks," Ahmadinejad added.

Western powers blame Tehran for rejecting an internationally endorsed plan to defuse the situation by having Iran export its low enriched uranium for enrichment abroad and returned as fuel rods for the Tehran reactor.

Iran, in turn, asserts it had no choice but to start enriching to higher levels because its suggested changes to the international plan were rejected.

The president said Iran will triple the production of its low-enriched uranium in the future but didn't elaborate.

"God willing, daily production (of low enriched uranium) will be tripled," he said.

A confidential document from the U.N. nuclear agency shared Wednesday with The Associated Press said Iran's initial effort at higher enrichment is modest, using only a small amount of feedstock and a fraction of its capacities.

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35343465/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

UPDATE: Wilderness Battlefield verses Walmart

Kaine, Howell urge Orange to move Wal-Mart

July 15, 2009 12:00 am

BY ROBIN KNEPPER
Gov. Tim Kaine and House Speaker Bill Howell are asking Orange County supervisors to find a new site for a Wal-Mart Supercenter proposed in the Wilderness Battlefield area.
In a letter dated Monday to Board of Supervisors Chairman Lee Frame, the two note the importance of Virginia's Civil War battlefields and say they are concerned about the proposed retail center "at the gateway to Wilderness Battlefield in Orange County."
While the two state leaders write that they respect the board's authority to decide on a special-use permit for the proposed retail development at the intersections of State Routes 3 and 20, they add that the project "presents a unique opportunity to bring the interests of battlefield preservation and smart development effectively into balance."
"We strongly encourage your Board to work closely with Wal-Mart to find an appropriate alternate site for the proposed retail center in the vicinity of the proposed site yet situated outside the boundaries of Wilderness Battlefield and out of view from Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park," Kaine and Howell write.
"If you and your Board are amendable to this, we stand ready to offer the technical services of any and all state agencies that could be of help to the county and Wal-Mart."
Frame said today that supervisors have not yet decided how to respond to the letter. The county's Planning Commission has recommended approval of the special-use permit. Superviors have scheduled a public hearing on the issue July 27.
For more on this story, read Thursday's Free Lance-Star.

Support Financial Reform

 

We already saw what happens when we don't hold corporations, big banks and credit card companies accountable for reckless behavior: millions in lost jobs, billions in taxpayer-funded bailouts and trillions in lost retirement savings.

Now's the time Congress must finally stand up and put a check on the reckless behavior on Wall Street, close the loopholes that helped cause the financial crisis and pass strong financial reform that protects consumers.

 

Message

Dear [Decision Maker],
The reckless behavior of big banks on Wall Street, credit card companies, mortgage lenders and irresponsible consumers caused a financial crisis that cost Americans millions in lost jobs, billions in tax-payer funded bailouts and trillions in lost retirement savings.

I'm writing you today to ask you to support financial reform that will rein in this behavior and finally hold these corporations, big banks and individuals accountable by:

- Setting limits on pay for CEOs and executives whose companies receive government assistance;

- Cracking down on the abuses and deceptive practices of credit card companies;

- Increasing stability for small businesses; and

- Preventing predatory lenders and irresponsible borrowers from entering into loans they know cannot be paid back.

Financial reform will close the loopholes that big banks on Wall Street have taken advantage of over the past two decades, and which economists say helped cause the financial crisis.

A full 70% of voters believe America's financial system is in need of major reform. It's time to protect Americans who play by the rules, help small businesses, prevent future bailouts and job losses, and lay the foundation for a financial system that promotes stability and long-term economic growth, rather than greed and short term-profits.



Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]financial reform come send the letter

Mrs. M Obama and her national Campaign against Childhood Obesity

Politico Contributor
First lady Michelle Obama today is announcing a national campaign to combat the epidemic of childhood obesity through what her office calls “a comprehensive approach that builds on effective strategies, engages families and communities, and mobilizes both public and private sector resources.”
“The ‘Let’s Move’ campaign will focus on reaching a national goal of solving the childhood obesity challenge within a generation so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight,” the first lady’s office said. 
The issue will be her legacy as first lady, friends said.
At 9:15 a.m. in the Oval Office, “the President will sign a memorandum on childhood obesity as part of the First Lady’s nationwide campaign to combat childhood obesity. The First Lady will attend the signing. There will be a pool spray of the signing.”
"Let's Move," a campaign against childhood obesity led by first lady Michelle Obama, is scheduled to debut today.

• The program includes a pledge from 40 executives of major food producers and agribusinesses, some from the Chicago area, to help promote healthy eating.
• Among the signers: Irene Rosenfeld, the CEO of Kraft Foods, based in Northfield, and Brenda C. Barnes, the CEO of the Sara Lee Corp., based in Downers Grove.

"Too many of our children are seriously overweight, and our companies stand ready to work with you to address this health crisis," they wrote in an open letter to the first lady.
In recent years, the executives noted, they "have changed the way we develop and market more than 10,000 products, reducing fat, trans fat, sugar, salt and calories without sacrificing the convenience and taste consumers demand."
The first lady is to launch her signature initiative at mid-day with six Cabinet secretaries, providing they aren't kept away as the capital digs out of a blizzard and prepares for more  snow.t noon in the State Dining Room, the First Lady by members of the president's Cabinet, as well as media, sports, entertainment, and business leaders, alongside mayors, the medical community.

• Participants include Tiki Barber, NBC correspondent and former New York Giants running back; Dr. Judith Palfrey, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics; Will Allen of Milwaukee, who is a leader in the effort to bring fresh produce to inner cities and urban areas; Mayors Chip Johnson of Hernando, Mississippi, and Joseph Curtatone of Somerville, Massachusetts, who are leading efforts in their communities to reduce childhood obesity; and local students, including a student from D.C.’s Bancroft elementary school, and members of the 2009 national championship Pee Wee football team -- the Watkins Hornets, from Watkins Elementary in Southeast D.C. 

The administration provided these two examples of the program:

1) Parents across the nation understand the impacts of unhealthy food choices and inactivity on their child’s health, but they are often overwhelmed and confused by conflicting information or just need some tips and tools to make some simple changes that can have a big effect without creating more guilt or aggravation. The Administration, in partnership with public health professionals and the private sector, will address these issues in several ways: 

--Front of Package Labeling: By the end of the year FDA will begin working with retailers and manufacturers to adopt new nutritionally sound and consumer friendly front of package labeling providing 65 million parents in America and other caregivers with easy access to the information they need to make healthy choices for their children. 

--The ABA: The American Beverage Association has voluntarily committed to put a clear, uniform front of pack calorie label on all of its cans, bottles, vending and fountain machines within two years. The label will reflect total calories per container up to 20oz. and 12oz serving size in multi-serve containers. This marks an important first step in ensuring parents have the information they need to make healthier choices, but there remains much work to be done across industry.

The Charleston Gazette is a member of the Politico Network.

National League of Cities Commends First Lady's Work to Reduce Childhood Obesity

Below are the Speakers at the press conference for Michelle Obama National Campaign on Childhood Obesity

Tiki Barber speaks at First Lady's launch of childhood obesity campaign in Washington.

 NBC correspondent and former NFL football player Tiki Barber speaks at an event to launch First Lady Michelle Obama's initiative "Let's Move," a campaign to combat the childhood obesity epidemic, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington on February 9, 2010.

Judith Palfrey speaks at First Lady's launch of childhood obesity campaign in Washington.

Dr. Judith Palfrey, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics, speaks at an event to launch First Lady Michelle Obama's initiative "Let's Move," a campaign to combat the childhood obesity epidemic, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington on February 9, 2010.

Michelle Obama Discusses Surgeon General's Report On Obesity
Event on Obesity with First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama

Will Allen

Chief Executive Officer

 Food Justice in the City :: Will Allen takes on an Urban Food Desert

                        Growing Power        Will Allen , CEO

 

 

Mayor Hernando speaks at First Lady's launch of childhood obesity campaign in Washington.

Mayor Chip Johnson of Hernando, Mississippi, speaks at an event to launch First Lady Michelle Obama's initiative "Let's Move," a campaign to combat the childhood obesity epidemic, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington on February 9, 2010.

Chip Johnson Mayor of Hernando Miss.
                         Mayhor to share stage with First Lady

 

Mayor Curtatone speaks at First Lady's launch of childhood obesity campaign in Washington.

Mayor Joseph Curtatone, of Somerville, Massachusetts, speaks at an event to launch First Lady Michelle Obama's initiative "Let's Move," a campaign to combat the childhood obesity epidemic, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington on February 9, 2010. .

Sept. 1, 2009 Local Government Actions to Prevent Childhood Obesity

Joseph Curtatone, Eduardo Sanchez, Mary Story, Adewale Troutman

Mayor Curtatone and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Celebrate Shape Up Somerville

The last speaker was Michelle Obama and she really hit home with what she said.

These are extra articles concernings childhood obesity

Childhood Obesity

Smarter School Lunches :: "Renegade Lunch Lady" Ann Cooper Changes the Way Kids Eat
How to fight childhood obesity in 3 steps
"A few extra pounds may harm kids hearts."

Tackling Childhood Obesity

President Barack Obama signs a memorandum on childhood obesity in the Oval Office. From left are, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar February 9, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)




First Lady Michelle Obama introduces a new nationwide campaign to combat childhood obesity, "Let's Move." Learn more at http://www.LetsMove.gov.





"It’s done, honey," President Obama said to The First Lady earlier today as he signed a Presidential Memorandum establishing a task force on childhood obesity to address the growing health epidemic. "Now we work," she responded.
 
The new task force is charged with developing an interagency action plan to solve the problem of obesity among our Nation's children as part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move campaign. The campaign will take a comprehensive approach to engage both public and private sectors to help children become more active and eat healthier within a generation, so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight.

Within 90 days, the task force will develop and submit to the President a comprehensive interagency plan that details a coordinated strategy, identifies key benchmarks, and outlines an action plan.  The President applauded all those involved:

I am so proud of the work that the First Lady, along with the Cabinet Secretaries behind me, has done in trying to tackle one of the most urgent health issues that we face in this country, and that is the increase of childhood obesity. And because of the outstanding planning that they've done, they are going to be rolling out a terrific plan of action that involves the private sector as well as government agencies coordinating much more effectively a lot of public information out there to help parents make good decisions about allowing their children to be active and eating healthier.

Members of the task force include: the Secretary of the Interior; the Secretary of Agriculture; Secretary of Health and Human Services; Secretary of Education; Director of the Office of Management and Budget; Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady; Assistant to the President for Economic Policy; and heads of other executive departments, agencies, or offices as the Chair may designate.
Speaking at an event later, the First Lady explained what motivated her to take this on: "These words – 'overweight' and 'obese' – they don’t tell the full story.  This isn’t just about inches and pounds or how our kids look.  It’s about how our kids feel, and how they feel about themselves.  It’s about the impact we’re seeing on every aspect of their lives."

Help Save Virginia's Wilderness Battlefield from Wal-Mart

The Civil War's Wilderness Battlefield is under siege...again! But, this time it does not involve soldiers and artillery. Wal-Mart and JDC Ventures LLC have proposed to commercially develop 240,000 square feet on critically important land at the historic Wilderness Battlefield and just across the road from the National Park Service's center of interpreting the Battle of the Wilderness.

NPCA and its partners have determined that Wal-Mart's project would irrevocably harm the battlefield, undermine the visitor's experience of the National Military Park, and open the door for more incompatible, large-scale development at the gateway to the national park.


Save the Battlefield from Wal-Mart

Subject:

Relocation of Orange County, VA, Wal-Mart Supercenter


Dear [ Decision Maker ],

I am writing you to ask that you please protect our nation's Civil War heritage for the benefit of future generations. 

Like Virginia's Governor Tim Kaine and many thousands of Americans, I am seriously concerned that the proposed Wal-Mart development in Orange County, Virginia, would permanently harm historic Wilderness Battlefield and the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park. 

I am writing to ask you to relocate Wal-Mart's proposed Supercenter to another site in Orange County, but away from the battlefield and the national park.  Ultimately, this is your decision. 

Wal-mart is getting to big for it over sized britches. It is like they have senators in their pockets feeding them when they need something approved. Now they want to build near an Historical Battlefield, nuts plain nuts.  DO NOT DO IT, I could not vote in any re-election of any congress person who did not support the Virginia Wilderness Battlefield against Wal-mart.... There has to be another location away from the Battlefield, where the truck traffic will not matter but the battlefield...GEEZ
 And that you can take to the bank, and thats all I have to say on the subject

Thank you for considering my comments and helping to preserve our nation's unique and irreplaceable heritage.

Keep BLM lands near Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks closed to mining

One million acres of prime wolf, bear, and salmon habitat adjacent to Lake Clark and Katmai National Parks could be opened to new mining claims with the stroke of a pen. Closed to mining since 1971, these wild Alaska lands are integral to Bristol Bay's salmon-supporting ecosystem that is anchored by these two grand national parks.

A recommendation from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to lift this mineral closure and expand a modern day gold rush was issued in the last days of the Bush Administration and we need your help to send this bad idea back to the drawing board.
Send a letter to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar 

Keep BLM lands near Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks closed to mining

Subject:
 Keep BLM Lands near Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks Closed to Mining


Dear [ Decision Maker ],

Last November, just after the election, the Bureau of Land Management recommended that you lift a mineral closure that has kept 1 million acres of land adjacent to Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks closed to mining since 1971. These parks are located in southwest Alaska's Bristol Bay, home of the largest wild salmon fishery left on earth and an area already under siege from a future mining district that is anchored by the proposed Pebble Mine.

Please don't sign anything that would open these lands to mining. The modern day gold rush occurring in this region is threatening not only the fish and wildlife, but also the livelihood of many local residents that depend on undeveloped lands. Adding another million acres to the stampede for gold will only add to the problems.

Instead, I would ask that you send the recommendation back to BLM to have them do a better job of scientifically reviewing the impacts of 1 million acres of new mines upon the area's fish and wildlife and our national parks. Please ask the BLM to evaluate permanent protections for these lands for the sake of Bristol Bay's clean waters and cultural traditions so we can protect Katmai's and Lake Clark's wolves, bears, and wild salmon forever.

NO STRIP MINING, are you crazy, destroy a natural habitat, that supports wolf, bear and salmon. Salmon that for hundreds of years have swam the rivers to get to their spawning grounds.  If there are future salmon where do they go if their rivers are destroyed, GEEZ....miniong destroys lands, look at other strip mining in other parts of the country large naked holes with roads that go down and down and down, you can't fill them back up  DO NOT DO IT....... You need to seriously take measures to protect it for my greatgrandchildren, and yours. Do you not want them to see the natural beauty of a n ecosystem that thrives. Mining would destroy it and it would never recover,that is a crime against nature, and I could not vote in any re-election of any congress person who did not support the Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks against the Bureau of Land Management. And that you can take to the bank, and thats all I have to say on the subject

Save Everglades National Park from Mining

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to issue mining permits for the destruction of up to 15,000 acres of wetlands near Everglades National Park. Together with existing mines, this would convert 30 square miles of historic Everglades and wildlife habitat into deep mining pits. Alternative plans exist and include buffers to protect the park, but these plans still allow at least eight years of mining.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the authority to stop the proposed mining project. Tell EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson that the current proposals will cause unacceptable damage to the Everglades.

Save Everglades National Park

 Subject:
Miami-Dade Lake Belt Mining Permits Re-issue

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

I am writing to urge the EPA to intervene to stop current plans to expand limestone mining activities in the Everglades, our country's largest subtropical wilderness.

The Army Corps of Engineers' proposals both to re-issue mining permits set aside last January by a federal court because of violations of federal environmental laws and to approve expansion of the mining would irreversibly destroy critical wetlands and endangered species habitat, harm Everglades restoration, contaminate local drinking water supplies and cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. Everglades National Park has already been devastated by a century of draining the Everglades and poor growth management, and must be protected from further harmful practices.

The EPA has the legal authority and the responsibility to prevent the permanent harm that the proposed mining would cause to the Everglades and drinking water. The EPA should only approve a five-year mining plan that includes buffers to protect the Everglades and the public wellfield. This would still allow years of mining while necessary studies are completed to see if any more mining can be done safely and without unacceptable environmental impacts.


I grew up going to the everglades, riding air boats, camping, stepping on alligators, heheheh, seriously, NO STRIP MINING, are you crazy,  GEEZ....mining destroys lands, look at other strip mining in other parts of the country large naked holes with roads that go down and down and down, you can't fill them back up  DO NOT DO IT....... You need to seriously take measures to protect it for my greatgrandchildren, and yours. Do you not want them to see the natural beauty of a n ecosystem that thrives. Mining would destroy it and it would never recover,that is a crime against nature, and I could not vote in any re-election of any congress person who did not support the Everglades National Park against the EPA. And that you can take to the bank, and thats all I have to say on the subject

Clear the Air in America's National Parks

 My comment:
 Why is it that our National Parks are under seige from big business and that the groups that are suppose to protect these parks from interests who want to destroy them.   We American's have to save them for our next several generations, otherwise our legacy of beautiful clean natural parks given to us by some Presidents and people who wanted us to protect these lands will disappear to companies who want to mine, build communities to close or build big commercial properties, and we have to support the President with his clean air proposals.  Natural clean air is essential to plants, animals, aand for people who visit the parks. Get out and show your support, carry signs, send these letters and promise not to re-elect any senator who does not support the President, whether they are Democrat or Republican this has to bipartisan......There are four letters here regarding four different parks in the United States

Be a wise American know what all the issues are, and where you can help........Now that is all I have to say about that.

 
Our national parks--and their visitors--are threatened by dirty air. Ground-level ozone, formed mostly in the summer months from automobile, industrial, and coal-fired power plant pollution, is one of the most deadly forms of air pollution and has a history of catastrophic consequences for people and parks. Across the United States park ecosystems show damage from ozone pollution.

However, new, stronger ground-level ozone rules from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could protect both parks and people, but protection is not guaranteed. The EPA has proposed a range of standards, from more to most protective. Big polluters and others will pressure EPA to adopt the weakest possible standards, and we can help counter that pressure by explicitly stating our support for the strongest standards. That's why we're suggesting you specify the precise standard you support in the letter you send to EPA. For more information on the range of standards proposed by EPA, please see EPA's Ozone Fact Sheet by clicking on the "Tell me more" link. Please contact EPA and let them know you care!

 Clear the Air for America's National Parks

Subject: Ozone stndards



Dear [ Decision Maker ],

I 'm writing to comment on the Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to revise the air quality standards for ground-level ozone. America's national parks are at risk: every summer visitors and the parks alike are harmed by ozone pollution. Our national parks should be a place of refuge during the summer months, but today many Americans, especially children, the elderly, and people with asthma, heart, and lung issues, are unable to safely hike or bike in many of our national parks due to ozone levels. I hope you will choose the standard that is most protective of park visitor health. Make every day in America's national parks a safe day to visit for every American.


I hope you will also consider the value of protecting national park ecosystems. Ozone pollution from coal-fired power plants and automobiles has long damaged multiple species of plants and trees and the wildlife that depend on them. From the Great Smoky Mountains to Yosemite, ground-level ozone pollution threatens the long-term sustainability of America's parks.

Our parks and the public deserve the most protective and science-based standards.  I therefore urge you to set the "primary" ground-level ozone standard at .060 parts per million to protect public health, and the "secondary" ground-level ozone standard at 7 ppm-hours to protect healthy parks and ecosystems.


This is a national crime,some Presidents have set aside these beautiful parks for the people of America to have and behold their beauty, and now with the pollution of the air some Americans can nor even enjoy them. I believe we should step up and embrace what President Obama wants to do in clean air and energy, aand we should not be Democrat or Republican, we should united Americans saving our national parks for our future generations.
That is all I have to say on the subject.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this important proposal.