Washington, U.S.A. — The Concord Coalition has said that new projections by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) underscore the need for Washington to commit to long-term fiscal reforms while dealing with this year’s looming budget decisions. Concord said the new numbers should also provide a sobering picture for this year’s candidates for federal office one that should temper election-year impulses to offer voters unrealistic promises.

“Once again, CBO’s projections show that if politicians don’t deviate from current policies, the country will continue down an unsustainable path that threatens to weaken the country, jeopardize our standard of living and leave our children and future generations with unmanageable levels of government debt,” said Robert L. Bixby, Concord’s executive director. “These numbers should frame this year’s political debates, and candidates from both parties would do well to spend some time studying their implications.”

“We need to put the country on a better fiscal path,” he added, “and candidates must clearly explain to voters — with specifics, not empty rhetoric — how they plan to do that. It will require setting priorities and making changes throughout the federal budget, and voters deserve to hear credible plans for doing this.”

CBO’s Update to the Budget and Economic Outlook estimates that the federal deficit for this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, will total $1.1 trillion. While that is down slightly from CBO’s March projection, it will be the fourth consecutive deficit of more than $1 trillion. In addition, federal debt held by the public would reach 73 percent of GDP, which CBO notes is the highest level since 1950 and is “about twice the share that it measured at the end of 2007, before the financial crisis and recession.”

The CBO prepared two sets of projections. The first — the CBO’s “baseline projections” — assumes that current laws will generally remain in effect. An alternative scenario, however, looks at what could happen if Congress changes certain laws to continue many current policies. This alternative scenario presents a far more troubling long-term picture. Using the new CBO numbers, The Concord Coalition today updated its own “Plausible Baseline,” which applies what Concord considers to be realistic assumptions about future policy decisions. These projections are close to the CBO’s alternative scenario.

The budget office notes that the outlook for budget deficits, federal debt and the economy are “especially uncertain now because substantial changes to tax and spending policies are scheduled to take effect in January 2013.” These changes have often been called the “fiscal cliff” because if Congress allows all of them to take effect at once, it could cause substantial short-term economic damage, perhaps triggering a recession.

Under Concord’s Plausible Baseline, deficits between 2013 and 2022 would be much higher, averaging over 5 percent of GDP rather than 1 percent. Debt held by the public would grow to 93 percent of GDP by 2022, the highest level since shortly after World War II. As the budget office points out, that is not a sustainable level of federal debt.

“The differences between the CBO baseline and either CBO’s alternative scenario or Concord’s Plausible Baseline are striking, and they highlight the importance of the policy decisions that elected officials must confront before the end of the year,” Bixby said.

“While it is important to support the economic recovery, Washington should also be laying the groundwork for the big fiscal reforms that are necessary to put the federal budget on a more responsible track over the long term. It is possible to do both, but this will require more thoughtful policy-making and greater bipartisanship than we have seen in Washington recently.”

• Choices over tax policy, account for the bulk of the difference between the CBO baseline and the more plausible scenarios within the 10-year budget window. Extending the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, along with fixes to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) and debt service costs would add $5.2 trillion to deficits over 10 years.
• In CBO’s baseline projections, mandatory spending will increase from 13.3 percent of GDP in 2013 to 14.4 percent in 2022. Nearly all of that increase would be due to the growth of just Social Security and Medicare — representing the effect of the baby boom generation entering retirement. CBO projects that by 2022 over half of the entire federal budget will be spent on just Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.
• For Medicare specifically, baseline growth is not attributable to health care inflation but instead to demographics.
• The mandatory spending category of income security, now higher than normal because of the recession, would drop by over 60 percent over the budget window (from 2.1 percent of GDP to 1.3 percent).
• Interest payments under the Concord Plausible Baseline would more than double, growing from 1.4 percent of GDP this year to 3.6 percent in 2022, and would cost over $5 trillion during the 10-year period.
• If the caps included in the Budget Control Act are adhered to, CBO projects that discretionary spending would decrease from 8.3 percent of GDP in 2012 to 5.6 percent by 2022 — the lowest level in the last 50 years.

For more about our plausible baseline visit:

http://www.concordcoalition.org/concord-coalition-plausible-baseline

Image Courtesy of  Third Way

The article CBO Projections Show Candidates Face Difficult Decisions appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Washington, U.S.A. — In the course of research on Iranian dissidents, the Iran Policy Committee (IPC) reviewed letters sent by a Senator and Members of the House of Representatives to the Secretary of State on the status of Iranian dissidents in Iraq. IPC also participated in a briefing by Members of the House. IPC research is consistent with views expressed in these letters and at the briefing.

In a June 12, 2012 letter, Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to express his dismay over the lack of action by the Department of State to reach a decision on the status of a revocation petition filed by the main Iranian opposition group that rejects clerical rule, the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq.

Senator Levin wrote: “I have requested repeatedly that the Department of State proceed expeditiously to make a determination regarding the designation of the Mujahedeen-e Khalq (MEK) as a foreign terrorist organization…” The Senator is the latest among U.S. lawmakers to criticize the delay by the Department on the status of the MEK. The Senator also questioned the process that the State Department pursues to determine the status of the petition by the MEK.

A letter of August 2, 2012 from Members of the House spearheaded by Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA), ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade stated, “We respectfully request that the Department of State seek the Iraqi government’s agreement to and implementation of a number of humanitarian measures.

Until these measures are implemented, further voluntary relocation of Camp Ashraf residents would only exacerbate the current dreadful living conditions in Camp Liberty.” A bipartisan group of 79 Members of Congress signed the letter.

During a briefing by Members of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington on August 1, 2012, Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), a senior member of Committee on Homeland Security blamed Baghdad for “lack of clean water” at Camp Liberty. Also at the briefing, Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, called for removal of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK), a group to which the Iranian dissidents belong, from the U.S. terrorist list to facilitate their speedy resettlement outside of Iraq, without relocation from Ashraf to Liberty.

Through independent research, the IPC determines that residents of Liberty are only seeking minimum humanitarian improvements in their quality of life.These include ensuring satisfactory access to clean water via measures to connect Liberty to the Baghdad water network and transfer of water purification equipment from Ashraf to Liberty or acquisition elsewhere of such items; improved electrical equipment to operate air conditioners, potentially through transfer of large generators from Ashraf to Liberty; authority to construct adequate ramps and related safety infrastructure for residents of Liberty, including those who are suffering from disabilities; and transfer of forklifts from Ashraf to Liberty to facilitate handling of heavy items.

Three former U.S. military officers of the IPC issued a statement on implications of diplomatic maneuvering about the status of the Iranian dissidents in Iraq. Lt. Gen. Tom McInerney (Ret), former Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force; Maj.

Gen. Paul Vallely, (U.S. Army (Ret), former Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army, Pacific; and Captain Charles “Chuck” Nash, U.S. Navy (Ret) said, “We are concerned that statements implying Iranian dissidents in Iraq are responsible for any delay in relocating play into the hands of those in the Government of Iraq intent on forcible relocation; on the contrary, our research finds that Baghdad is responsible for such delays because of failure to provide minimum humanitarian assistance to the dissidents.

In this respect, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Ambassador Martin Kobler, told the Security Council on July 19, 2012 that, “Time is running out to find a sustainable situation,…[and he urged] the Camp Ashraf residents to cooperate with the Iraqi authorities and to relocate.”

Founder and President, Global Initiative for Democracy and former Freedom House Executive Director, Bruce McColm commented on a statement of August 1, 2012 by Patrick Ventrell, Department of State Acting Deputy Spokesperson. Ventrell called on “…the Ashraf leadership to immediately resume cooperation with the relocation of residents to Camp…[Liberty].

The continued intransigence of the residents’ leadership in placing preconditions and making demands prior to any agreement to relocate…[additional] Ashraf residents is unacceptable…” McColm said “Ventrell’s statement blames the victim rather than the cause of the delay—Baghdad.”

Professor Raymond Tanter, President of the IPC and former member of the National Security Council staff in the Reagan administration, inferred Baghdad’s hidden agenda for denying minimum humanitarian life support: ”

1) Provide a rationale for forcible relocation within Iraq of remaining Ashraf residents by the Iraqi military;

2) Wear down resolve of Liberty residents so they ‘voluntarily’ repatriate to Iran rather than resettle to friendly third countries where they can continue as a political force that threatens survival of the clerical regime in Tehran; and

3) Evacuate Ashraf but keep former residents at Liberty to give space and time for the Iraqi military to place weapons in Ashraf to reinforce the false claim the MEK maintains an intent to commit terrorism and justify its continuation on the U.S. terrorist list. Such a hidden agenda based on fabricated premises is an illegitimate basis for denying minimum humanitarian life support to individuals listed as asylum seekers by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.”

Image Courtesy of  Elvert Barnes

The article Humanitarian Conditions Asked for Iranian Dissidents at U.S. Camps appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Washington, U.S.A. – The Coalition of Americans for Political Equality (CAPE PAC) has released a new episode in their ad series titled “Fact vs. Fiction: Ted Cruz” which aims to get-out-the-vote campaign for former Solicitor General Rafael Edward “Ted” Cruz for the upcoming Republican primary runoff election on Tuesday, July 31, 2012.

Cruz faces Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.

CAPE PAC’s Chairman Jeff Loyd said: “We believe Ted Cruz is the right person to fight for Conservative values and help put America back on the right path. Our hope is that our many efforts will get people to take part and vote for Cruz in this crucial election that is being watched across the country.”

CAPE PAC will release a social media campaign, pushing out the hashtag #VoteCruz on Twitter, a GOTV campaign for Cruz beginning on Monday, July 30, 2012, as well as an online campaign to help Texas voters find polling locations.

Additionally, CAPE PAC has launched a 30-second radio spot airing on Texas’ 103 The Bull in addition to a voice broadcast campaign targeting 150,000 registered Republicans in Texas with a message to GOTV for Cruz.

Mr. Cruz is the first Hispanic Solicitor General in Texas, serving from 2003-08 and representing Texas before the U.S. Supreme Court and all state and federal appellate courts. He was also the youngest Solicitor General in the United States and also longest serving Solicitor General in Texas history. He has authored over 80 U.S. Supreme Court briefs and personally argued 40 oral arguments, including nine before the U.S. Supreme Court.

As Solicitor General, Cruz had numerous victories for Texas including defending the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, the constitutionality of the Texas Ten Commandments monument, the constitutionality of the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance, and others. He is currently a Partner at Morgan, Lewis & Brockius LLP in Houston.

The Coalition of Americans for Political Equality Political Action Committee is a non-profit political organization dedicated to restoring conservative values in the politicians elected to represent all citizens of the United States of America. Through the utilization of tools in the CAPE PAC advocacy center, our goal is to assist an informed and active citizenry in their drive for change in the political landscape this November and beyond.

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

The article New Ad Released by Coalition of Americans for Political Equality appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Stop Online Piracy Act led to the voluntary blackouts of websites like Reddit and Wikipedia, while the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act gained President Obama’s promise of a veto.

The Cybersecurity Act of 2012 was originally introduced into the Senate on Feb. 12, “To enhance the security and resiliency of the cyber and communications infrastructure of the United States.” On July 19, Senators Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) reintroduced a revised version of the legislation for consideration in the Senate, expected to reach the floor sometime this week.

The revised bill has been praised for addressing privacy concerns raised by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Democracy and Technology, such as the bill’s provisions that ensure information is passed onto civilian government agencies instead of military agencies. It also allows individuals to pursue litigation if the use of their information violates the law, a notably absent provision in CISPA.

The legislation also incorporates narrowed language regarding its provisions to create a National Cybersecurity Council from existing members of the Departments of Defense, Justice and Commerce in collaboration with members of the intelligence community and federal agencies. Authors of the bill also included a new section on “incentivizing the adoption of voluntary cybersecurity practices” by providing protection for “owners of critical infrastructure” who meet the standards of cybersecurity practices, as determined by the Council.

Unlike previous pieces of legislation geared towards cybersecurity, CSA has the White House’s approval. In a July 19 op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal, President Obama urged the U.S. Congress to pass the Act, citing a serious need for comprehensive cybersecurity legislation to avoid being compromised.

“It doesn’t take much to imagine the consequences of a successful cyber attack. In a future conflict, an adversary unable to match our military supremacy on the battlefield might seek to exploit our computer vulnerabilities here at home,” Mr. Obama wrote. “This is the future we have to avoid.”

However, organizations like the Heritage Foundation and the Electronic Frontier Foundation still have reservations about the bill’s language regarding monitoring and countermeasures. The EFF raises concerns that, “the bill specifically authorizes companies to use cybersecurity as an excuse for engaging in nearly unlimited monitoring of user data,” which the organization finds especially broad and susceptible to administrative abuse.

Similarly, the Heritage Foundation finds the revised legislation still provides, “far too great an intrusive federal role in defining cybersecurity standards.” Instead, Heritage calls for the legislation to prohibit, “any effort to create a new regulatory system for cybersecurity.”

With the bill reaching the Senate floor this week, the amendments in place may or may not remain in their current form, but will hopefully fulfill Mr. Obama’s words:

“It’s time to strengthen our defenses against growing danger.”

The article Cybersecurity Act of 2012: Revised and Revealed appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Dr. Scott Noren, U.S. Senate candidate, NY has decided to demonstrate against Time Warner Media of NY and it’s political show, Capital Tonight. He will be doing this by means of an aerial banner message on February 06 at 2:30 pm.

Dr. Noren was registered as the sole challenger to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in early Spring of 2011, well before Suffolk County Comptroller George Maragos declared. Time Warner and Gannett Media, influenced by his own Democratic Party, has ‘blacked-out’ his campaign in his opinion.

“If you don’t have millions of dollars to spend, you don’t get as many interviews,” says Dr. Noren. He feels that an outside the box type media campaign is the only way to reach more people at this time. “The public should know who is running and what they stand for,” says Noren.

Dr. Noren, states that “the need for a strong voice from a third party, and real grassroots candidate that is truly not Party or corporately underwritten is what ‘street’ Democrats and Independents are looking for.”

He will represent a political action movement that enables the middle class to have a truly independent voice in business, health care and reducing corporate greed. He is a registered Democrat but will be running as an Independent candidate.

Dr. Noren is focused especially on health care issues emphasizing personal responsibility, insurance premium affordability and provider ethics. “Without affordable health care, jobs in NY and nationwide will not be replaced and grow.” He is for a complete Federal ban on hydrofracking of natural gas and feels that allowing fracking could invite a major drinking water disaster as well as ruining tourism, farming and wineries in the Fingerlakes.

Dr. Noren feels one way to increase job creation is through smaller, interest-free business loans that don’t involve banks directly. He also thinks that passing more Free Trade agreements like both sides of the aisle did recently, kills jobs and takes them overseas. Dr. Noren said that “although it takes money to campaign, millions of dollars are wasted yearly on campaigns that could be used to stimulate job growth here domestically.” Overturn of Citizen’s United and getting rid of “Victory Funds” is a must. His web site is very specific on many campaign issues.

For more information see Dr. Noren’s Senate web site at: http://www.norenforsenate.com

The article Senate Candidate Dr. Scott Noren to “Occupy Time Warner Media” appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.