Skip to content

Recent comments

User login

Who's online

There are currently 0 users and 1 guest online.
Home

Category: NebraskaSyndicate content

Senate passes jobs bill; Grassley votes no

February 24, 2010 by Bleeding Heartland

Bleeding Heartland's picture
Original Author: 
desmoinesdem
The U.S. Senate passed a scaled-back jobs bill today by a 70-28 vote (roll call here). 57 of the 59 Senate Democrats voted for the bill; Ben Nelson of Nebraska voted no and Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey was absent. 13 Republicans voted for the bill. Five of them helped Democrats break a Republican filibuster on Monday: Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, and the retiring Kit Bond of Missouri and George Voinovich of Ohio. Two Republicans who were absent for Monday's cloture vote also voted yes today: Orrin Hatch of Utah and Richard Burr of North Carolina.

Massive Iowa Legislature linkfest (post-funnel edition)

February 19, 2010 by Bleeding Heartland

Bleeding Heartland's picture
Original Author: 
desmoinesdem
The Iowa Legislature has been moving at an unusually fast pace during the shortened 2010 session. It's time to catch up on what's happened at the statehouse over the past three weeks. From here on out I will try to post a legislative roundup at the end of every week.

February 12 was the first "funnel" deadline. In order to have a chance of moving forward in 2010, all legislation except for tax and appropriations bills must have cleared at least one Iowa House or Senate committee by the end of last Friday.

After the jump I've included links on lots of bills that have passed or are still under consideration, as well as bills I took an interest in that failed to clear the funnel. I have grouped bills by subject area. This post is not an exhaustive list; way too many bills are under consideration for me to discuss them all. I recommend this funnel day roundup by Rod Boshart for the Mason City Globe-Gazette.

Note: the Iowa legislature's second funnel deadline is coming up on March 5. To remain alive after that point, all bills except tax and appropriations bills must have been approved by either the full House or Senate and by a committee in the opposite chamber. Many bills that cleared the first funnel week will die in the second.  

Wind Can Supply 20% Of US Energy Needs, Study Finds

Submitted by The Political E... on Tue, 01/26/2010 - 00:03
Original Author: 
jer45y@gmail.com (James Rowen)
I was on several recent road trips the last year across the Great Plains, and the growth in the number of wind farms and turbines visible just from the interstate highways from the Dakotas and Minnesota south into Iowa and Nebraska is astonishing.

A new study confirms my anecdotal observations: energy production from wind is happening, and can expand to meet perhaps 20% of the nation's energy needs, but with substantial infrastructure required.

To which I say, "great."

Let's keep it going, or get started.

When I see wind turbines, I see jobs, and I see energy security, as the electricity being generated is not produced with petroleum purchases from unstable and unfriendly foreign governments or owners.

And I see much cleaner energy - - fewer cases of asthma, heart disease and other ailments traced to the burning of fossil fuels.

Not to mention hydrocarbons that are not sent skyward to contribute to climate change.

Not every acre of land is suitable for a turbine. I know that. Cities and subdivisions and native plants and grasses in rural areas need protections and mindfulness, obviously.

First Amendment Friday 18 - Roth V US

Submitted by johne on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 09:18
Happy Friday and welcome to the 18th in the Dog's First Amendment Friday series. This series is following the syllabus for the class called The First Amendment and taught at Yale Law School by Professor Jack M. Balkin. As with the Friday Constitutional series this is a layman's look at the Law, specifically the Supreme Court opinions which have shaped the boundaries of our 1st Amendment Protections. If you are interested in the previous installments you can find them at the links below:
First Amendment Friday 1 - Abrams v US
First Amendment Friday 2 - Gitlow v New York
First Amendment Friday 3 - Whitney v California
First Amendment Friday 4 - Brandenbrug V Ohio

Was Health Care One of your Reasons for Coming to Argentina?

Submitted by yanquimike on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 06:39
www.democracyforamerica.com and their supporters have a TV ad showing in DC and in the state of Nebraska that is debunking right-wing agents provocateur at town halls all over the old country.

The above ad appears to have cut some ice with Senator Ben Nelson D-NE who is one of too many Democratic Senators currently delaying current health care legislation in the US congress.

The group is looking for more real-life stories like the Nebraska restaurant owner. How 'bout you?

I've talked to many US expats that have told me that affordable health care was a major reason for them coming to Argentina. Some folks write me to say that it would be the main reason for a decision to come here.
AdaptiveThemes