Emanuel Cleaver Warns Ocasio-Cortez to Be Silent, Stop 'Humiliating' Herself in Stunning On-air Display of Patriarchy and Condescension

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Kansas, MO) appearing
on the Weekends with Alex Witt show, attacked and
condescended the progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
in open display of patriarchy that is at once pathetic and
destructive, (YouTube, 21:40-minute mark).

Why Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez can't be silent and just listen to old congressional hands
--- Where is this woman's husband?

National Democratic Party mucks appear primed to listen to their betters — progressives.

But dead-enders remain.

Witness Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Kansas, MO) appearing on the Weekends with Alex Witt show, (MSNBC).

Asked about intentions of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to help with progressive primary challenges against some Democratic incumbents, Cleaver's response is not merely patriarchal and condescending towards Ocasio-Cortez, the 75-year-old Cleaver is pathetic.

Cleaver said Ocasio-Cortez is alone in speaking against corruption and is going to "humiliate" herself, if the youngest member of Congress keeps speaking out against money in politics.

Urging acquiescence to corrupt congressional members, (one of whom Ocasio-Cortez defeated), Cleaver said, "If you've been around Congress for awhile—give advice. If you're just coming to Congress—consider it."

Cleaver is an old man in Congress accruing $six figures annually and building his pension in an attempt to achieve personal financial security while betraying a mobilized base of progressive activists working for change.

Ocasio-Cortez is right on the politics, right on proposed policy of the Justice Democrats, and personally embodies the brilliance, dedication and charisma of a progressive movement during a period of maximum peril.

Cleaver of-course, fawning and long obsequious to corporate power, is a supporter of Hillary Clinton.

Misogynist on @AlexWitt: @repcleaver (D) says @Ocasio2018' is "humiliat(ing)" herself speaking against corruption: "If you've been around Congress for awhile—give advice. If you're just coming to Congress—consider it." @realDonaldTrump-worthy. @DavidCornDC , @MaddowBlog

— Michael Leon (@mal644) November 18, 2018

This morning, in a profile in The Atlantic, Ocasio-Cortez is paraphrased in the headline: ‘If We Pass Medicare for All, I’m Going to Be Silent as a Lamb.’

Below is a video of Weekends with Alex Witt show.

Cleaver's segment on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez begins at the 21:40-second mark. Watch this:

House Hits EPA Science Advisors in Bill

House Republicans are still working to block the EPA from functioning against polluters and stop environmental experts from serving on the EPA's Science Advisory Boards. Wisconsin Republicans are joining the fight.

Yesterday, the House passed its new version of a bill, HR 1029, that would limit and delineate which scientists serve on the EPA's scientific advisory board.

The Wisconsin House Republican delegation all voted for the anti-science measure, except for Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Somewhere in Wisconsin's Gerrymandered Seventh District) who did not vote evidently out of his ongoing concern "to take our common sense values to Washington" and abstain.

House Democrats all opposed the GOP's anti-science measure.

As noted in Bleeding Heartland:

Cristina Marcos reported for The Hill:

The bill would prohibit the board, which advises the EPA on its regulations, from appointing members who are registered lobbyists. It would also require that at least 10 percent of board members be from state, local or tribal governments.

Republicans argued that the bill would increase transparency at the EPA. [...] But Democrats said the legislation would create unnecessary burdens and limit the number of environmental experts serving on the board by establishing a quota for people representing regional governments.

"Instead of improving the Science Advisory Board's (SAB) structure or operation, the bill will limit the quality of scientific advice that the EPA receives and allow seemingly endless delays in EPA's regulatory process," said Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.).

Emily Atkin reported earlier this month at Think Progress that the Science Advisory Board Reform Act

would change the rules surrounding which scientists are allowed to serve on the Science Advisory Board (SAB), a group that gives scientific advice to the EPA. The SAB reviews the quality of science used to justify EPA regulations, like rules that limit air pollution from power plants. Among other things, the bill sponsored by Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) would make it easier for scientists with financial ties to corporations to advise the agency, and would make it more difficult for scientists who have applied for grants from the EPA to join the board.

Scott Walker is working on similar state measure against using science against polluters as the health of Wisconsin families decreases in importance for the Republican Party.

President Obama's office has said he would veto any bill like HR 1029 that reaches his desk.

Sean Duffy Is Joined by GOP Rep Grumbling over $174,000 Salary

U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wisconsin)
" I struggle to meet my bills right now."

The $174,000 Lament

 U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (R-Wisconsin) has company in complaining about his $174,000 tax-payer salary.

Sean Duffy may be out of touch with the American people, but not with his Republican colleagues.

In 2011 Duffy responded to a question at a town hall meeting in Polk County, Wisconsin asking if he would take a wage cut if the GOP passed its draconian budget bill.

An exasperated Duffy complained and said, "If you think I'm living high on the hog, I've got one paycheck. So I struggle to meet my bills right now."

Right.

Complaining about the salary and cushy A-1 benefits members of Congress get is almost unheard of from a sitting member.

And there's a good reason: Complaining about a $174,000 tax-payer salary means you are hopelessly out-of-touch. 

U.S. Rep Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Georgia)
"I’m stuck here making $172,000 a year,”

Now Duffy has company from his Republican colleagues. ".... I’m stuck here making $172,000 a year,” said Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Georgia) this week, National Review reports.

Members of Congress also get to keep their campaign war chests after they retire, and typically take six-figure or seven-figure lobbying or consultant gigs after they leave Congress.

Duffy owns two homes in his district, has a life-time congressional pension and a health care plan that most Americans can only dream of obtaining.

Aaron Blake in the Washington Post notes besides Sean Duffy and Gingrey less than a half a dozen members of Congress have dared to complain in recent history. 

Effort isn't over, says President Obama; GOP maneuver on anti-gun violence bill condemned

President Obama tells the American people that we can still bring about meaningful changes that reduce gun violence. Speak out, says White House, as shocked Newtown families express disbelief at Republican filibuster.

GOP Blocks Background-Check Bill from Vote; Bill Has Majority Support

Update: Obama’s Fury over Failure of the Background Check Bill in Seven Lines

Anti-massacre bill scuttled in its entirety, as President Obama rails against a shameful day

"A woman in the Senate gallery shouted "shame on you" at the members below, but she, like the Newtown families, Gabrielle Giffords, and 90% of the country were ignored, " writes Steve Bennen.

The weakened and modest background check bill was defeated with the minority of 46 senators defeating a majority of 54 senators on a vote in the U.S. Senate on the Manchin-Toomey compromise amendment.

A typical day in the world's greatest deliberative body in the world's greatest democracy. "The good news? Our political system is still way better than North Korea’s," writes Jonathan Chait.

The American people and American families enjoy the status of  irrelevance when it comes to the machinations of the Republican Party.

"I’m going to speak plainly and honest about what’s happened here. Because the American people are trying to figure out how can something have 90% support and yet not happen, " said President Obama in an angry address.

"They (the GOP) need to be ashamed of themselves," Ms. Patricia Maisch (survivor of the mass shooting in Tucson) said as she was being escorted from the Capitol. "They have no souls. They have no compassion."

In Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin voted for letting the popular initiative come to a vote; Sen. Ron Johnson voted to block it.

Senate: $11.8 million for Gulf War related health research in Omnibus

By Anthony Hardie, 91outcomes

(91outcomes.com) - According to a key staff member in the office of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a longtime, leading champion of Gulf War Illness treatment research and other Gulf War related efforts in the U.S. Senate:

Here is what I found in the most recent FY 2011 Omnibus DOD Appropriations currently under consideration.

Provides $8 million for the Peer Reviewed Gulf War Illness Research Program and $3.8 million for the ALS Therapy Development Institute Gulf War Research Project.

This will ensure continued funding at this year’s level, a wonderful outcome that is even more exceptional given the current challenges facing a lame duck Congress trying to get a lot done in a matter of days left before the end of the year.

And, General “Mic” would probably have been pleased to see this continued, designated funding for Gulf War related ALS funding.

So, in total, it appears highly likely that the FY11 funding for Gulf War related research in the CDMRP will be at $13.8 million, as described above. Excellent news!

And, according to another key Hill insider from one of the leading veterans service organizations on this issue:

We have no influence on the current funding levels (they have been set by CBO and will not be impacted).

Putting all of our energy into planning a concerted effort to influence the next Authorization funding cycle will be a much more worthy endeavor.

In everyone’s opinion [on the Hill, this year’s GWI funding level] is set in stone at this point.

As noted in the 91outcomes’ earlier article, the House version already had a provision ensuring that DoD funding continues, for the most part, at FY10 levels. As such, this includes $8 million for the peer reviewed $8 million Gulf War Illness research program.

And, if the Senate should also change course from the proposed “omnibus” appropriations act and move to a “clean” Continuing Resolution like the House has already passed, this will also result in the same funding outcomes for CDMRP Gulf War related health research.

So, good news all around!

NEXT YEAR:

Now is the time to begin thinking about preparing for a concerted effort in the next Congress to seek increased funding for DoD-Army-CDMRP GWI research.

Given the possibility of new inter-agency, inter-institution research consortiums being funded, having a coordinated message by all organizations and individuals contacting Congress will be of critical importance.

WHAT NOT TO DO TODAY:

Fragmented messages and random calls by individuals not really clear on what it is for which they’re asking has the strong potential of derailing efforts.

Anything perceived by members and staff in Congress as having a lack of clear unity on a particular issue -- like CDMRP GWI funding -- can lead to lots of calls and confusion and result in that particular issue – like CDMRP GWI funding -- to be left in the “too hard to do” category and left off from funding entirely.

And, the current “CR” and omnibus appropriations bills do not contain “line items” for these research programs – they’re mostly “clean” bills that simply say to continue funding across the board at last year’s levels.

This also means that there is little if any possibility of changing funding from last year’s levels.

WHAT TO DO TODAY:

So for now, individuals interested in contacting their members of Congress should simply say, “thank you” for the continued funding at this year’s level for all programs, including the DoD-Army-CDMRP peer reviewed Gulf War Illness research program.

WHAT TO DO AFTER JANUARY 3RD:

Stay tuned here on 91outcomes for updates on concerted efforts in the next Congress, which begins in January.

It will be important that Gulf War veterans speak with one voice on these critically important issues, particularly with the possibility of a need to fund consortiums with FY12 funding.

Two Wars Down: An Ungrateful Nation Now Turns on Its Veterans

- We can afford wars, but not the people who fight and serve, say Alan Simpson, James Webb, ... -

By Gordon Duff in Veterans Today

A week ago, we marched out of Iraq, leaving 50,000 'administrative' troops and tens of thousands of contractors behind. They perform no useful purpose of any kind, no more than the original attack which Secretary of Defense Robert Gates now openly refers to as unnecessary and wrong.

The war that never should have started cost America 3 trillion dollars, much of it unaccounted for. Along with the thousands of American dead and the untold devastation in Iraq, the war also cost America the health and welfare of up to 400,000 of her veterans, America's children. A generation of young adults, another generation of our best and bravest stand betrayed.

We have money for fraud of every kind, projects paid for but never finished, weapons stolen, defective or never delivered, buying poisoned water for our troops at five times the cost of French Wine, I could go on for hours, the list is endless.



This week, when Senator's Alan Simpson, the wild-talking Wyoming Republican and now formerly a stalwart veterans' advocate Daniel Akaka talk about saving money, it is to come from payments to veterans for "presumptive" illness.

Don't believe it's just these two, its the whole gang of them, with few exceptions, and its not the first time. When Bush gutted funding for Veterans and up to nine-million disability claims related to war wounds and the endless environmental crimes against our troops shredded or shelved, even our mainstream veterans organizations stood behind him.

I spent two hours on the phone with a Vietnam veteran I have known for 35 years. He has both a son and son-in-law seriously wounded from Iraq. His 30 years in government and 28 years in the military, many years working with veterans, gave him the skills to help his own family negotiate the minefield of bureaucratic insanity servicemen and women are faced with when returning from war, used up, smashed, maimed or poisoned, discarded and left to die.

How many veterans died with claims in processing? How many died of undiagnosed poisonings or waiting for that medical appointment that never comes? It isn’t thousands or tens of thousands. Is the number as high as a million? It may be, we aren’t allowed to know.