podesta_email_15284.txt

podesta-emails 2,042 words email

P21 P22 P17 V15 V11

-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- mQQBBGBjDtIBH6DJa80zDBgR+VqlYGaXu5bEJg9HEgAtJeCLuThdhXfl5Zs32RyB I1QjIlttvngepHQozmglBDmi2FZ4S+wWhZv10bZCoyXPIPwwq6TylwPv8+buxuff B6tYil3VAB9XKGPyPjKrlXn1fz76VMpuTOs7OGYR8xDidw9EHfBvmb+sQyrU1FOW aPHxba5lK6hAo/KYFpTnimsmsz0Cvo1sZAV/EFIkfagiGTL2J/NhINfGPScpj8LB bYelVN/NU4c6Ws1ivWbfcGvqU4lymoJgJo/l9HiV6X2bdVyuB24O3xeyhTnD7laf epykwxODVfAt4qLC3J478MSSmTXS8zMumaQMNR1tUUYtHCJC0xAKbsFukzbfoRDv m2zFCCVxeYHvByxstuzg0SurlPyuiFiy2cENek5+W8Sjt95nEiQ4suBldswpz1Kv n71t7vd7zst49xxExB+tD+vmY7GXIds43Rb05dqksQuo2yCeuCbY5RBiMHX3d4nU 041jHBsv5wY24j0N6bpAsm/s0T0Mt7IO6UaN33I712oPlclTweYTAesW3jDpeQ7A ioi0CMjWZnRpUxorcFmzL/Cc/fPqgAtnAL5GIUuEOqUf8AlKmzsKcnKZ7L2d8mxG QqN16nlAiUuUpchQNMr+tAa1L5S1uK/fu6thVlSSk7KMQyJfVpwLy6068a1WmNj4 yxo9HaSeQNXh3cui+61qb9wlrkwlaiouw9+bpCmR0V8+XpWma/D/TEz9tg5vkfNo eG4t+FUQ7QgrrvIkDNFcRyTUO9cJHB+kcp2NgCcpCwan3wnuzKka9AWFAitpoAwx L6BX0L8kg/LzRPhkQnMOrj/tuu9hZrui4woqURhWLiYi2aZe7WCkuoqR/qMGP6qP EQRcvndTWkQo6K9BdCH4ZjRqcGbY1wFt/qgAxhi+uSo2IWiM1fRI4eRCGifpBtYK Dw44W9uPAu4cgVnAUzESEeW0bft5XXxAqpvyMBIdv3YqfVfOElZdKbteEu4YuOao FLpbk4ajCxO4Fzc9AugJ8iQOAoaekJWA7TjWJ6CbJe8w3thpznP0w6jNG8ZleZ6a jHckyGlx5wzQTRLVT5+wK6edFlxKmSd93jkLWWCbrc0Dsa39OkSTDmZPoZgKGRhp Yc0C4jePYreTGI6p7/H3AFv84o0fjHt5fn4GpT1Xgfg+1X/wmIv7iNQtljCjAqhD 6XN+QiOAYAloAym8lOm9zOoCDv1TSDpmeyeP0rNV95OozsmFAUaKSUcUFBUfq9FL uyr+rJZQw2DPfq2wE75PtOyJiZH7zljCh12fp5yrNx6L7HSqwwuG7vGO4f0ltYOZ dPKzaEhCOO7o108RexdNABEBAAG0Rldpa2lMZWFrcyBFZGl0b3JpYWwgT2ZmaWNl IEhpZ2ggU2VjdXJpdHkgQ29tbXVuaWNhdGlvbiBLZXkgKDIwMjEtMjAyNCmJBDEE EwEKACcFAmBjDtICGwMFCQWjmoAFCwkIBwMFFQoJCAsFFgIDAQACHgECF4AACgkQ nG3NFyg+RUzRbh+eMSKgMYOdoz70u4RKTvev4KyqCAlwji+1RomnW7qsAK+l1s6b ugOhOs8zYv2ZSy6lv5JgWITRZogvB69JP94+Juphol6LIImC9X3P/bcBLw7VCdNA mP0XQ4OlleLZWXUEW9EqR4QyM0RkPMoxXObfRgtGHKIkjZYXyGhUOd7MxRM8DBzN yieFf3CjZNADQnNBk/ZWRdJrpq8J1W0dNKI7IUW2yCyfdgnPAkX/lyIqw4ht5UxF VGrva3PoepPir0TeKP3M0BMxpsxYSVOdwcsnkMzMlQ7TOJlsEdtKQwxjV6a1vH+t k4TpR4aG8fS7ZtGzxcxPylhndiiRVwdYitr5nKeBP69aWH9uLcpIzplXm4DcusUc Bo8KHz+qlIjs03k8hRfqYhUGB96nK6TJ0xS7tN83WUFQXk29fWkXjQSp1Z5dNCcT sWQBTxWxwYyEI8iGErH2xnok3HTyMItdCGEVBBhGOs1uCHX3W3yW2CooWLC/8Pia qgss3V7m4SHSfl4pDeZJcAPiH3Fm00wlGUslVSziatXW3499f2QdSyNDw6Qc+chK hUFflmAaavtpTqXPk+Lzvtw5SSW+iRGmEQICKzD2chpy05mW5v6QUy+G29nchGDD rrfpId2Gy1VoyBx8FAto4+6BOWVijrOj9Boz7098huotDQgNoEnidvVdsqP+P1RR QJekr97idAV28i7iEOLd99d6qI5xRqc3/QsV+y2ZnnyKB10uQNVPLgUkQljqN0wP XmdVer+0X+aeTHUd1d64fcc6M0cpYefNNRCsTsgbnWD+x0rjS9RMo+Uosy41+IxJ 6qIBhNrMK6fEmQoZG3qTRPYYrDoaJdDJERN2E5yLxP2SPI0rWNjMSoPEA/gk5L91 m6bToM/0VkEJNJkpxU5fq5834s3PleW39ZdpI0HpBDGeEypo/t9oGDY3Pd7JrMOF zOTohxTyu4w2Ql7jgs+7KbO9PH0Fx5dTDmDq66jKIkkC7DI0QtMQclnmWWtn14BS KTSZoZekWESVYhORwmPEf32EPiC9t8zDRglXzPGmJAPISSQz+Cc9o1ipoSIkoCCh 2MWoSbn3KFA53vgsYd0vS/+Nw5aUksSleorFns2yFgp/w5Ygv0D007k6u3DqyRLB W5y6tJLvbC1ME7jCBoLW6nFEVxgDo727pqOpMVjGGx5zcEokPIRDMkW/lXjw+fTy c6misESDCAWbgzniG/iyt77Kz711unpOhw5aemI9LpOq17AiIbjzSZYt6b1Aq7Wr aB+C1yws2ivIl9ZYK911A1m69yuUg0DPK+uyL7Z86XC7hI8B0IY1MM/MbmFiDo6H dkfwUckE74sxxeJrFZKkBbkEAQRgYw7SAR+gvktRnaUrj/84Pu0oYVe49nPEcy/7 5Fs6LvAwAj+JcAQPW3uy7D7fuGFEQguasfRrhWY5R87+g5ria6qQT2/Sf19Tpngs d0Dd9DJ1MMTaA1pc5F7PQgoOVKo68fDXfjr76n1NchfCzQbozS1HoM8ys3WnKAw+ Neae9oymp2t9FB3B+To4nsvsOM9KM06ZfBILO9NtzbWhzaAyWwSrMOFFJfpyxZAQ 8VbucNDHkPJjhxuafreC9q2f316RlwdS+XjDggRY6xD77fHtzYea04UWuZidc5zL VpsuZR1nObXOgE+4s8LU5p6fo7jL0CRxvfFnDhSQg2Z617flsdjYAJ2JR4apg3Es G46xWl8xf7t227/0nXaCIMJI7g09FeOOsfCmBaf/ebfiXXnQbK2zCbbDYXbrYgw6 ESkSTt940lHtynnVmQBvZqSXY93MeKjSaQk1VKyobngqaDAIIzHxNCR941McGD7F qHHM2YMTgi6XXaDThNC6u5msI1l/24PPvrxkJxjPSGsNlCbXL2wqaDgrP6LvCP9O uooR9dVRxaZXcKQjeVGxrcRtoTSSyZimfjEercwi9RKHt42O5akPsXaOzeVjmvD9 EB5jrKBe/aAOHgHJEIgJhUNARJ9+dXm7GofpvtN/5RE6qlx11QGvoENHIgawGjGX Jy5oyRBS+e+KHcgVqbmV9bvIXdwiC4BDGxkXtjc75hTaGhnDpu69+Cq016cfsh+0 XaRnHRdh0SZfcYdEqqjn9CTILfNuiEpZm6hYOlrfgYQe1I13rgrnSV+EfVCOLF4L P9ejcf3eCvNhIhEjsBNEUDOFAA6J5+YqZvFYtjk3efpM2jCg6XTLZWaI8kCuADMu yrQxGrM8yIGvBndrlmmljUqlc8/Nq9rcLVFDsVqb9wOZjrCIJ7GEUD6bRuolmRPE SLrpP5mDS+wetdhLn5ME1e9JeVkiSVSFIGsumZTNUaT0a90L4yNj5gBE40dvFplW 7TLeNE/ewDQk5LiIrfWuTUn3CqpjIOXxsZFLjieNgofX1nSeLjy3tnJwuTYQlVJO 3CbqH1k6cOIvE9XShnnuxmiSoav4uZIXnLZFQRT9v8UPIuedp7TO8Vjl0xRTajCL PdTk21e7fYriax62IssYcsbbo5G5auEdPO04H/+v/hxmRsGIr3XYvSi4ZWXKASxy a/jHFu9zEqmy0EBzFzpmSx+FrzpMKPkoU7RbxzMgZwIYEBk66Hh6gxllL0JmWjV0 iqmJMtOERE4NgYgumQT3dTxKuFtywmFxBTe80BhGlfUbjBtiSrULq59np4ztwlRT wDEAVDoZbN57aEXhQ8jjF2RlHtqGXhFMrg9fALHaRQARAQABiQQZBBgBCgAPBQJg Yw7SAhsMBQkFo5qAAAoJEJxtzRcoPkVMdigfoK4oBYoxVoWUBCUekCg/alVGyEHa ekvFmd3LYSKX/WklAY7cAgL/1UlLIFXbq9jpGXJUmLZBkzXkOylF9FIXNNTFAmBM 3TRjfPv91D8EhrHJW0SlECN+riBLtfIQV9Y1BUlQthxFPtB1G1fGrv4XR9Y4TsRj VSo78cNMQY6/89Kc00ip7tdLeFUHtKcJs+5EfDQgagf8pSfF/TWnYZOMN2mAPRRf fh3SkFXeuM7PU/X0B6FJNXefGJbmfJBOXFbaSRnkacTOE9caftRKN1LHBAr8/RPk pc9p6y9RBc/+6rLuLRZpn2W3m3kwzb4scDtHHFXXQBNC1ytrqdwxU7kcaJEPOFfC XIdKfXw9AQll620qPFmVIPH5qfoZzjk4iTH06Yiq7PI4OgDis6bZKHKyyzFisOkh DXiTuuDnzgcu0U4gzL+bkxJ2QRdiyZdKJJMswbm5JDpX6PLsrzPmN314lKIHQx3t NNXkbfHL/PxuoUtWLKg7/I3PNnOgNnDqCgqpHJuhU1AZeIkvewHsYu+urT67tnpJ AK1Z4CgRxpgbYA4YEV1rWVAPHX1u1okcg85rc5FHK8zh46zQY1wzUTWubAcxqp9K 1IqjXDDkMgIX2Z2fOA1plJSwugUCbFjn4sbT0t0YuiEFMPMB42ZCjcCyA1yysfAd DYAmSer1bq47tyTFQwP+2ZnvW/9p3yJ4oYWzwMzadR3T0K4sgXRC2Us9nPL9k2K5 TRwZ07wE2CyMpUv+hZ4ja13A/1ynJZDZGKys+pmBNrO6abxTGohM8LIWjS+YBPIq trxh8jxzgLazKvMGmaA6KaOGwS8vhfPfxZsu2TJaRPrZMa/HpZ2aEHwxXRy4nm9G Kx1eFNJO6Ues5T7KlRtl8gflI5wZCCD/4T5rto3SfG0s0jr3iAVb3NCn9Q73kiph PSwHuRxcm+hWNszjJg3/W+Fr8fdXAh5i0JzMNscuFAQNHgfhLigenq+BpCnZzXya 01kqX24AdoSIbH++vvgE0Bjj6mzuRrH5VJ1Qg9nQ+yMjBWZADljtp3CARUbNkiIg tUJ8IJHCGVwXZBqY4qeJc3h/RiwWM2UIFfBZ+E06QPznmVLSkwvvop3zkr4eYNez cIKUju8vRdW6sxaaxC/GECDlP0Wo6lH0uChpE3NJ1daoXIeymajmYxNt+drz7+pd jMqjDtNA2rgUrjptUgJK8ZLdOQ4WCrPY5pP9ZXAO7+mK7S3u9CTywSJmQpypd8hv 8Bu8jKZdoxOJXxj8CphK951eNOLYxTOxBUNB8J2lgKbmLIyPvBvbS1l1lCM5oHlw WXGlp70pspj3kaX4mOiFaWMKHhOLb+er8yh8jspM184= =5a6T -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- April 14, 2011 U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative: On behalf of the 3.2 million members of the National Education Association (NEA), we urge you to VOTE NO on H. Con. Res 34 - the FY12 Budget Resolution - scheduled for floor consideration this week. By choosing Wall Street over Main Street, this budget will result in more joblessness for the middle class and more tax breaks for the wealthiest in our country. In fact, according to the Economic Policy Institute, the proposed budget would result in roughly 900,000 jobs lost in 2012 and roughly 1.3 million jobs lost in 2013 -- in an economy already 11 million jobs short of reaching pre-recession unemployment rates. The middle class continues to struggle to find work, pay more for health care, and worry about their children's education and future. Seniors continue to worry about their retirement security. Yet, this budget proposal provides rhetoric rather than solutions. Attached for your information are several charts comparing the cost of tax cuts for the wealthiest ($1 trillion over ten years) with that of providing Title I ($476 billion to fully fund Part A), special education ($306 billion to meet the federal governments promised level), and Pell Grants ($544 million to increase the maximum award by $400 a year) to those in need. The proposed budget leaves struggling middle class families to fend for themselves. We urge you to: * Oppose this budget proposal * Support the Democratic alternative budget. Votes associated with this issue may be included in NEA's Legislative Report Card for the 112th Congress. Educators understand that Congress must work to ensure America's long-term economic prosperity. And, we recognize that we must address the nation's serious fiscal challenges. However, we do not believe that cutting education funding and slashing programs that serve children, the elderly, and working families is the answer. The sad truth is that this budget proposal is not for the children, the working families, or the seniors. It is for the wealthy. It is a reflection of dangerous choices that threaten our future by devastating whole segments of the population while catering to those least in need of attention and support. The gap in income growth between the richest and the poorest American families is staggering. According to the Economic Policy Institute, between 1979 and 2005, households at the bottom fifth of the income scale have seen an average, inflation-adjusted income growth of just $200. Importantly, that does not represent an average annual increase in income of $200, but rather, an increase of $200 over the entire 26-year period. By contrast, a small number of households at the top 0.1% of the income scale saw average income growth of almost $6 million over that same period. This budget proposal will only exacerbate this unacceptable imbalance. It is unconscionable to expect children, the elderly, the poor, and the disabled to bear the brunt of the pain while sparing the wealthy corporations and greedy CEOs. The single largest contributing factor to the deficit is the tax cuts enacted under the last administration and renewed in 2010. It cost our nation $700 billion to extend the tax cuts for single filers earning over $200,000 a year and joint filers earning over $250,000. CBO numbers show that by the end of this decade well over half of the deficit will have resulted from these tax cuts, and this share will continue to grow after that. The increasing erosion of the corporate tax base has brought us to the point today where, measured by either corporate taxes as a percentage of GDP or corporate taxes as a percentage of overall tax revenues, the US ranks substantially below other OECD nations. As many as two out of three US corporations paid zero in federal income taxes over much of the previous decade, according to the GAO. The share of federal revenues coming from corporate taxes has shrunk by two-thirds in the last fifty years. This is seriously undermining our ability to make the necessary investments in education that are sorely needed in order to return our nation to prosperity. We should be looking for ways to increase revenue responsibly and to close tax loopholes that do nothing to strengthen our economy. For example: * We could raise an estimated $200 billion in annual additional revenues by ending or reducing the practice of "deferral" that allows corporations to set up mailboxes overseas and to shelter profits. * We could increase revenue by ending the "carried-interest loophole" that allows hedge fund managers to be taxed at the 15 percent capital gains rate rather than their marginal income tax rate. Investing in education should be a top priority for the budget resolution. Yet, the proposed budget all but ignores proven education programs, and focuses instead on slashing critical student financial aid and funneling taxpayer dollars to private schools. This is shortsighted policy that will jeopardize our students' future and the future strength of our nation. Investing in education makes both good fiscal sense and good public policy. In addition to widespread productivity increases, the higher earnings of educated workers generate higher tax payments at the local, state, and federal levels. Consistent productive employment reduces dependence on public income-transfer programs and all workers, regardless of education level, earn more when there are more college graduates in the labor force. (Education Pays, The College Board, 2007). We strongly oppose provisions in the budget proposal that would undermine efforts to improve education, as well as those that would harm those who can least afford cuts to the programs on which they rely. Specifically, we oppose: * Cutting non-security discretionary spending below 08 levels and freezing it at that level for five years. The bulk of the 10-year deficit reduction comes from cutting non-security discretionary spending - a devastating blow to children, working families, and our most vulnerable populations. In fact, function 500 (Education and Training) is cut by $17.7 billion or more than 18 percent in FY12 and by $250 billion over 10 years. Our nation's economic strength and future success depend on our ability to innovate, educate, and compete in the global marketplace. Failing to invest when investment is called for is a plan for permanent austerity, not long-term success. * Dismantling health care for children, the poor, disabled, and elderly by turning Medicaid into a block grant program. The block grant proposal would cost states and the federal government more money due to cut backs and limits on health care services for Medicaid beneficiaries. It is clear that the proposed changes to Medicaid would put additional pressures on stretched state budgets and would, therefore, have a direct, negative impact on the resources available for students and schools. Heritage Foundation analysis forecasts reductions in federal Medicaid grants to state and local governments of $966 trillion over ten years, and additional cuts in aid to state and local governments of twice that amount - another $1.85 trillion over ten years. This combined revenue loss of $2.8 trillion will put in extreme jeopardy state and local governments' ability to provide education, health and all services their citizens demand and depend. We are also deeply concerned about the impact of this proposal on the students in our schools. Of the 68 million people covered by Medicaid in 2010, half are children under the age of 19, whose families depend on Medicaid for health care coverage. One-third of all children in this country are served by Medicaid. Children who lack access to health care services are less likely to come to school healthy and ready to learn and to succeed academically. * Cutting Pell Grants. Maintaining and increasing Pell Grant awards is critical to ensuring access to higher education. Cutting Pell Grants is not the answer to balancing the budget. It simply restricts access to the higher education so essential for success in today's economy. Without the federal commitment to student financial aid, there will not be enough educated, skilled Americans to sustain economic recovery or secure our nation's future for the next generation. * Extending the District of Columbia Voucher Program. It is wrong to funnel millions of taxpayer dollars to private schools while cutting programs that help millions of students in public schools. The DC program has yielded no evidence of positive academic impact on the students the program was designed to assist - those attending schools been designated as needing improvement. The program also has been proven to have no impact on achievement in mathematics, no impact on male students, no impact on students entering the program in the second year of its existence, and no impact on those students who scored in the lower third of baseline reading tests; i.e., those most in need of assistance. (The Evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program: Impacts After Three Years, http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20094050 <http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20094050> ). Vouchers are not real education reform. Pulling 1,200 children out of a system that serves 65,000 doesn't solve problems - it ignores them. Our focus should be on strategies proven to increase student achievement, such as increasing parental involvement, strengthening teacher training, and reducing class size. And, our goal should be to prepare all students for the jobs of the future, not to allow a few students and parents to choose a private school at taxpayer expense. * Converting Medicare into a voucher system. Contrary to the rhetoric surrounding this proposal, beneficiaries would likely find that their voucher would not allow them to purchase a package of benefits comparable to that which Medicare now provides, since traditional Medicare generally pays less to providers and incurs lower administrative expenses than private insurance. In addition, insurers would be allowed to charge older and sicker Medicare beneficiaries higher premiums and would surely attempt to reject enrollees in poor health (who cost much more), as private plans do today in the Medicare Advantage program. The Democratic alternative offers a different vision for our nation. While freezing non-defense discretionary spending for five years, it will allow for growth in funding for education, research, and innovation, reflecting their importance in promoting job growth. The Democratic alternative will also sustain the maximum Pell grant award at $5,550. And, it will protect Medicaid and Medicare. Chairman Ryan's budget places the burden for addressing the nation's financial crisis squarely on the shoulders of the middle class and the poor. It runs completely counter to our values as a nation, by failing to take care of those most in need while sparing those at higher income levels. It asks children, working families, elderly, and disabled populations to make greater sacrifices than others. It is time for Congress to stand up and decide what sort of nation we want to be. Are we a nation that sacrifices our children to pay for the excesses of Wall Street? Or, are we a nation that recognizes that investments in the middle class and those who are vulnerable lift us all up and strengthen us as a country? We urge you to stand up for those whose voices are too often ignored by VOTING NO on this ill-conceived proposal. Sincerely, Kim Anderson Mary Kusler Director of Government Relations Manager of Federal Advocacy ******************************************************************* Only the individual sender is responsible for the content of the message, and the message does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the National Education Association or its affiliates. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "big campaign" group. To post to this group, send to [email protected] To unsubscribe, send email to [email protected] E-mail [email protected] with questions or concerns This is a list of individuals. It is not affiliated with any group or organization.