Open Letter to Senator Johnny Isakson

An open letter response to an email from Senator Johnny Isakson (R, GA):

Senator Isakson,

The majority of the "American people" did not elect Donald Trump. Remember, he lost the election nationwide by 3 million votes. If not for the archaic Electoral College system, we would not have this disaster of a president in the White House. Do not speak condescendingly to me. Don't tell me what "they" (the American people) want. You couldn't possibly know what we want. You do the bidding of your wealthy owners without question and without regard for the impact on your constituents. We, the American people, want representatives in Washington who represent our needs and our issues. We DO want to reduce the national debt, but YOU voted for a tax bill that from start to finish is of, by, and for the wealthiest people and corporations in this nation. YOU voted for a tax bill that by the most conservative estimates will increase the national debt by $1 trillion over the next 10 years. My unborn grandchildren will bear the burden of this disastrous decision on your part, despite the polls and grass root efforts by millions of us to stop this atrocity. This tax bill does NOT promote a level playing field, but will further increase the wealth gap between the top 1% and the rest of us. YOU do not represent the people who elected you, you only represent the moneyed interests that contribute to your re-election campaign. Your votes in the Senate fly in the face of your deceitful platitudes. You are disingenuous at best and are a liar in reality. You call it politics, I call it blatant dishonesty. 

The country is divided because politicians like you use racist undertones, or like Trump are overtly racist, bigoted, and divisive. This is all part of your (transparent to clear thinking individuals) attempts to divide and conquer the American people and to keep us from knowing that it is you, the politicians and your wealthy benefactors (the people you really represent), to further enrich yourselves and to prevent having a populace of critically thinking Americans that will throw you and your lot out of power and onto the streets where you un-American, unpatriotic, greedy, selfish, self-serving, immoral, unethical, inhumane people belong! Don't get it twisted. We see you. We know your games, and we are working overtime to expose you and replace you with representatives who care about the lives and well-being of the people who elected them. The greed, racism, bigotry, sexism, and xenophobia that has been engendered and espoused by your generation and generations before yours is coming to a speedy end, and your names will be held in the lowest esteem and will be relegated to the trash bin of history, except to be a lesson to future leaders on how NOT to govern and on which policies to eschew, for the good and betterment of all, and not just a select few elite. I only hope and pray the American people wake up to you and your ilk and vote you out of office sooner rather than later, so that we can try to repair all of the damage you and those of your ideology and policies have done over the last 40 years, so that we can try do dig our nation out of the debt you have created with your recklessness and greed, and so that we can rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and society for the betterment of all Americans.

Joshua LaDeau, RN, BSN

 

Letter from Sen. Isakson:

Thank you for contacting me about President Trump. I appreciate hearing from you and am grateful for the opportunity to respond.  I believe the American people elected President Trump because they want change in Washington. They want us to rein in federal spending and reduce our national debt so we do not mortgage our children's future. Voters also sent the message that they need relief from excessive government regulation. We must promote a level playing field and institute commonsense, pro-job growth solutions.  I also recognize that our country is very divided at this time. I hope that President Trump and leaders in Congress will make it a priority to find areas of common ground where we can work together to help all Americans regardless of their race, sex, religion, or where they live. I am ready to work with the president and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get the best results for Georgia and the country.  Thank you again for contacting me. Please visit my webpage at http://isakson.senate.gov/ for more information on the issues important to you and to sign up for my e-newsletter. Sincerely, Johnny Isakson United States Senator For future correspondence with my office, please visit my web site at http://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-me. You can also click here to sign up for the eNewsletter

Christians Who Voted for Donald Trump are Hypocrites!

Now, first, emphatically YES!!! Christians who voted for Trump are hypocrites. He is, says, does, and behaves in every way you despise, yet voted for him anyway. You blame Hillary for Bill's behavior, yet excuse Trump's infidelity to all 3 of his wives, not to mention he stated that he is a chauvinist, misogynist, and guilty of sexual abuse against non-consenting women, and he has multiple women who have claimed that he abused them, yet you excused this and voted for him anyway. He claims that he goes into the dressing room of Ms. Universe contestants to see them naked, and they have corroborated this, yet you excused him and voted for him anyway. He's called women pigs, Mexicans rapists and murderers, he's made very racist comments to and about African Americans, he's mocked the disabled, he's called for a ban on members of an entire religion, he's made anti-Semitic comments and ads, and yet you excused all his name calling and scapegoating and voted for him anyway. All his hateful, intolerant, ignorant, and vitriolic words and actions you have excused and voted for him anyway. I'm about 100% positive, as I read the Bible, that this man is the epitome of evil and exactly the opposite of what Jesus taught that we should be, yet you excused Jesus and voted for Trump anyway. And the one and only reason you refused to vote for Hillary Clinton? Her stance that a woman should be free to choose for herself, without government intrusion, whether or not to have an abortion. Of course, you will cite the email problems (which were not problems) and the fake Benghazi scandal fully made up and pushed by Fox "News", despite 8 GOP led investigations that found absolutely NO wrongdoing by Clinton or Obama. No, you excused a man who is a hateful, misogynistic, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, vitriolic bigot, who has not one day of experience in government and elected him to be the President of the United States of America, all because you hate the woman who has prepared for her entire life through public service, one of the most qualified candidates this nation has ever seen, because of her stance on abortion. Well guess what, I don't like abortion either, but I realize I cannot push my religious beliefs on ANYONE!!!!! And no one's religious beliefs should EVER be legislated into American law because the Constitution expressly forbids it!!!!! So, when I say that Christians who voted for Trump are hypocrites, I mean it in every sense of the word!!! I grew up in a conservative Christian home and was taught to always vote Republican. I am who I am now because I ventured to educate myself and deeply researched the issues. If you still think that Republicans and conservatism is the way to go, then tell me why the data shows that the economy ALWAYS does remarkably better under Democratic Presidents than Republicans. The last Republican President that had the economy going for him was Eisenhower, and at that time the top tax rate on the very wealthy was near 90%! The economy boomed after Clinton raised taxes on the rich and jobs grew and he was paying down the national debt because he had a surplus. Bush doubled the debt in his 8 years and ballooned the deficit and his policies created the worst recession and nearly a global economic collapse. Obama's policies have caused a continuous 79-month job growth record, he tripled the value of the stock market, he has reduced the deficit by three quarters, and cut unemployment in half. The facts do not bear out the conservative narrative. I'm not claiming that Obama or Clinton are perfect (certainly not Clinton), but I am saying that what is feared about them are completely incompatible with the facts and reality. Oh, and by the way, Obama only has 2 months left and not a single living soul has had his or her guns taken from them, I'm not sure, but I don't think he'll start a gun confiscation program in the next 2 months. So, in short, my real self is based in reality, and this is who I am, love me or hate me. Trump is and will be a disaster economically (oh and did I forget to mention that Trump voters just love that he is a business man and ignore the FACT that EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS VENTURE HAS FAILED and ended in bankruptcy!!!! He also doesn't pay his bills and if he defaults on America's debt, we're all screwed.), his Islamophobia was used months ago by ISIS to recruit new members from around the world, he will diminish our power and prestige and influence in the world, and mark my words, this country will be near the brink of economic collapse by the end of his four years, if it hasn't already. He has already, just since his election, emboldened racists to act out against and harass minorities, and he has placed Steven K. Bannon, a known white supremacist, as his chief White House strategist and senior counselor. I don't think Jesus would be ok with that, but you excused what Jesus would think and voted for him anyway.

A Letter I Wrote To My Senator, Jeff Sessions

Mr. Sessions,

I have written to you about this subject before, and needless to say, I found your response less than satisfactory. You must think that because the majority of Alabamians vote Republican, they blindly agree with your views, regardless of how those views are against their best interests. Let's not even pretend here. The people who vote for you and secure your election to office are not your constituents. The big money special interests in the financial sector and large corporations are your constituents, Mr. Sessions. We both know that. You and the rest of the Republican party work night and day to protect them and their tax breaks. If not, you would not have voted against the bill last week to continue a payroll tax cut for the middle class while charging a 3.2% surtax on millionaires, on income over $1 million. And then the GOP countered with a proposal that would have laid off 200,000 government employees? That is ludicrous! My next point is that Republicans never want to pay for a tax cut, unless it's one for the middle class. The GOP moans and groans about the debt and deficit, but let's be honest, the unpaid-for Bush tax cuts for the wealthy of 2001 and 2003 are one of the primary causes of our national debt. And you, sir, voted for them both times. The wealthy in this country, over the last 30 years, have enjoyed the best wealth increase in this nation's history, thanks in large part to the Republican policies of deregulation and tax cuts. However, the middle class has seen its standard of living stagnate and decline, directly because of Republican policies of deregulation and tax cuts that have mainly benefited the wealthiest among us. You cannot convince me that these guys are "job creators". They've had it better than at any other time in American history and have only shipped jobs overseas or reduced the workforce. And if you truly believe that giving tax breaks to the wealthiest 1% is going to create jobs after the last 30 years proves this is wrong, you are only lying to yourself.

The real reason I am writing to you is because I want you to change your position on confirming Richard Cordray as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. This Bureau is important to protect consumers from the predatory practices that led to the financial meltdown and market crash of 2008. It will help protect consumers, your real constituents, the people who actually vote for you and elect you, from the despicable practices and abuses that have led so many into financial ruin. In your previous response to my communications you mentioned upholding current law and not expanding the size of government and some other standard Republican answers. But I don't buy that. I'm not going to let you get away with that. This is too important to me and to your constituents. Too many of them are being abused and mistreated by financial firms and have nowhere to go or turn to. There should be an agency with teeth that can stand up to the big banks and stand up for the little man, and for all the reasons I have stated in this letter. If you continue to block the confirmation of Rich Cordray as the head of the CFPB, you will continue to show the people of Alabama who your true constituents are: the big banks and financial firms of Wall Street, and not those that have voted for you and have no other voice in their government and no other protection from those large financial firms.

It is your duty as our Senator to represent the best interest of your voters, your electorate, not the special interests, and not Wall Street. Come to your senses and do what is right for the people who voted for you and put you in your office. Vote to protect our interests. Vote to keep our taxes low, we are suffering. Vote to increase taxes on the 1%. They can afford it. It's increasing the debt anyway. Vote to confirm Mr. Cordray to protect consumers. Otherwise you are voting against Alabamians.

Sincerely,
Joshua LaDeau

12/8/2011
Update:

As expected, my Senator, Jeff Sessions, as well as every other Republican Senator except one, voted against the confirmation of Richard Cordray as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Each and every Republican in the Senate has shown that it is more important to protect Wall Street and the large financial firms and to allow them to continue in their corruption than to protect consumers from these institutions and their corruption. Hey Alabama, Hey middle class! Wake up! Pay attention! The Republican party is the party of, by, and for the 1%! If you do not belong to the wealthiest 1%, the Republican party does not care about you. They are legislating against you. They are only working for the benefit of the wealthiest individuals and corporations and Wall Street firms. That is why each and every one of them voted against a payroll tax cut for the middle class last week, only because it would have been paid for with a 3.2% surtax on millionaires and billionaires. That is why each and every Republican voted against 4 jobs bills brought up by President Obama in the month of November. Because they would have been paid for with a small tax increase on millionaires and billionaires. The reason the economy is in the tank right this very moment, is because of the policies of Reagan and George W. Bush. Deregulation and tax cuts for the rich have caused a mass siphoning of wealth from the middle class to the top 1%. Taxes must go up on the wealthy. The middle class have been taxed to death. We cannot be squeezed anymore. But as long as Republicans continue to be elected to office, especially in majorities, these wrongs will never be righted. Open your eyes, do some research, and for the love of all that is good, STOP watching Fox News. It is not news, it is the Republican propaganda machine. There is no truth to be found there, only spin and lies, hate and deceit.

The Single Most Important Robert Reich Clip You Can Share Today

From MoveOn.org, this is an extremely important message. Our rights as citizens are systematically being stripped away from us. And contrary to what conservatives would have you believe, it is the rich and powerful, the large banks and corporations that pay off politicians, and obviously, Supreme Court justices, to legislate and interpret law in a way that benefits only them while stifling the poor and middle class. The progressive movement is doing all in its power to reverse the actions of these corrupt government officials, but it will take real people with real voices and real votes to get out and act to make a difference. Please share this brief but powerful video with everyone and let us stop the radical right wing from stripping our Constitutionally guaranteed rights as Americans.

Obama Campaign Responds to "Up" Exclusive on Lobbyist Plan to Take Down Occupy Wall Street

This was a great interview between Chris Hayes and Anita Dunn, Obama campaign adviser, following up on the memo discovered by former Boehner aides turned lobbyists, who are seeking to vilify Occupy Wall Street and protect the banks. Every American needs to hear this interview and realize the hypocrisy of lobbyists working for the Republican party and realize that the Republican party is working night and day for the 1% at the expense of the 99%, the middle class.

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

Lobbyists Target Occupy Wall Street

Chris Hayes exposes some of Speaker John Boehner's former staffers turned lobbyists for attempting to campaign against Occupy Wall Street and Democrats who support them. They're willing to do whatever it takes to protect the wealth of the richest 1%. Please watch and pass this on. This is too important to ignore.

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

President Obama: Pass This Bill

As many good Americans do before the first game of an NFL season, I too made time to watch President Barack Obama give his speech to the joint session of Congress and the American people, in which he laid out his plan to grow jobs and the economy. Okay, so a Presidential address before a joint session of Congress before a football game is not the norm, but it did get a lot of hype in the last week. The game, by the way, was a very good game between the Packers and the Saints and I hope is a foreshadowing of a competitive and entertaining season in the NFL. If you were unable to watch the speech, you can view the video here, or read the transcript here.

Just a few observations as I watched the President outline The American Jobs Act. There is a lot in the President’s proposals that are fundamentally Republican ideas, including tax cuts for businesses and payroll tax holidays for employees. The President’s plan also includes very sizable tax credits to businesses who hire veterans or the long term unemployed. These seems to me to be very sensible, non-controversial measures, particularly to the GOP. And yet, most of them sat there, stone faced throughout the speech, even for their own ideas and policies, being endorsed by a Democratic President.

President Obama laid out plans to get 2 million construction workers back to work improving roads and bridges, railways and airports. In 2009, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave a score of a “D” for the state of decay of our roads and bridges. Our infrastructure is literally crumbling as we speak. We have a duty to ourselves and future generations of Americans to improve our infrastructure now. Why should China have a better transit system than the United States of America?

Construction workers would also go back to work renovating and modernizing our public schools. How can our children begin to receive the best education to prepare them in a world economy against the best and brightest across the globe in dilapidated buildings with outdated facilities and equipment? Another thing his plan will do is prevent the layoffs of or rehire hundreds of thousands of teachers. Our kids deserve the best and we must invest in their education if we are to remain a dominant player in an ever smaller world. And yet, Republicans in that hall sat on their hands, blank stares on their faces, as if they wanted our kids to grow up uneducated and uncompetitive.

The greatest thing that should make Republicans happy is that the whole plan is paid for and will not add a penny to the deficit. The President will seek addition cuts to the budget by the Super Committee formed by the deficit reduction bill signed into law in July. Yet Republicans sat coldly.

I’m sorry, but if I were an independent trying to decide on who to vote for in the next election, I’d have to say, these Republicans in Congress would be completely turning me off right now. It is clear they have no interest at all for improving the economy or creating a single job if it would seemingly be to the benefit of this President. He might just get credit for it. That just might get him re-elected. And as has been expressly stated by Mitch McConnell and others in the Republican leadership, their number one goal is to make President Obama a one term President. And it is clear that if that means keeping the economy in the tank by whatever obstruction in Congress necessary, they are not only willing, but have been very successful now for three years at doing just that. It’s time that Republicans quit being subservient to their wealthy benefactors and campaign donors and do what is right for ALL the American people. If tax cuts for the rich worked, there would be no shortage of jobs right now. Those horrendous unpaid for Bush tax cuts for the rich that ballooned our deficit have done only that, ballooned our deficit, and in the mean time destroyed American jobs, shipping them overseas, while corporations and CEOs saw the biggest profits and pay increases in history! I am proud to say that Obama’s plan revives closing loopholes in the tax code for these corporations and the wealthiest Americans. I have no problem with the rich or the fact that they have worked hard all their lives (well those who didn’t inherit everything they have anyway) to build up what they have earned. But in the last 30 years, they have seen unprecedented wealth accumulation while the middle class and poor have seen a decline in their standard of living. Wages have stagnated or declined for this group. This is now a time when the largest corporations are not creating jobs, although they are sitting on literally trillions of dollars in cash. It is time for these corporations and wealthy individuals to pay their fair share and to be part of the economic recovery with the rest of the American people.

President Obama will deliver a bill early next week to Congress and has urged our elected representatives to “...pass this bill right away.” I urge all to contact your Senators and Congressmen and Congresswomen and urge them pass this bill now. Tell them to put aside their partisan politics and put our fellow citizens back to work. Even the President admits this bill may not solve all our problems, but it is a large step in the right direction. As people go back to work, they will again be able to pay their mortgages and purchase the goods and services that will directly stimulate and spur further economic growth. Tell Republicans that the well-being of the American people is more important than the next election. And if Republicans will not support this jobs bill, and if they will continue to obstruct the growth of American jobs, the middle class, and the economy for the benefit of the wealthiest Americans or for their political agenda including unseating President Obama, then we will collectively work to unseat these same self-serving Republicans who do not care about their fellow Americans, but their own bottom line and campaign donations from the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations. Call them, write them, email them. Make your voices heard loud and clear. We want jobs and a decent standard of living and a revival of the American dream. This is not beyond our reach, but the government does have a role and a function, and at this time, this bill must be signed into law to get America working and the economy moving forward.