A Blog Called Hope

Chairman Lynch just put out this statement calling out the RI GOP for their shameful efforts to turn this week’s town hall meetings with Congressman Langevin and Senator Whitehouse into an angry sideshow.

“I’m disappointed that the Rhode Island Republican Party would choose to turn a serious meeting between members of our Congressional delegation and their constituents into a divisive and angry mob-like atmosphere. And while the GOP may think it’s funny to try to incite a riot,
I would remind them that there are nearly 46 million Americans, including 63,000 Rhode Islanders, without health coverage, and millions more throughout the country who struggle to afford it every day.

In the last eight years, the Republican Party gave the insurance industry exclusive control of our health care system, and now they’re desperate to fight the kind of change that will empower Rhode Islanders and their doctors, not lobbyists, to make decision about their care.

These meeting are supposed to be a thoughtful exchange of ideas, and a place where people can ask questions about efforts to reform our health care system. Over the last few weeks it’s become increasingly clear that the Republican Party, with no reform plan of their own, is not concerned about Americans’ access to quality heath care, but are extreme ideologues, only interested in ‘breaking’ the President and thwarting the change Americans voted for last November.

It’s no wonder why Rhode Island voters don’t trust the Republican Party to lead.

Despite their shameful and threatening tactics, we will continue our work to give a voice to the majority of Rhode Islanders who believe that all Americans should have access to quality, affordable health care.”

Tomorrow, please come to the Town Hall meeting in Warwick with Congressman Langevin. Let your voice be heard, and help us pass health care reform legislation that will insure access and affordability for all Rhode Islanders

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) rips into Bush administration based on what he describes as ‘political favoritism’ in Judicial hiring

Former U.S. Attorney, and current Rhode Island Senator, Sheldon Whitehouse has targeted the Bush White House for what he deems unlawful hiring schemes at the Department of Justice. After an extensive investigation into the matter, Senator Whitehouse has uncovered a systematic effort to hire applicants based on political leanings. Such practices violate the hiring rules for civil service positions.

To view Senator Whitehouse’s entire press release visit his website.

Aiming to address the mortgage and credit crunch, Senator Whitehouse meets with Rhode Islanders

With home foreclosures and rising interest rates on loans continuing to rise, Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse convened with residents of the state to discuss the crisis. In order to garner a better understanding of the personal plight of many Rhode Islanders, Whitehouse and others met at the Urban League of Rhode Island in Providence last night.

Senator Whitehouse ensured the attendees, and the people of Rhode Island, that he understands the dilemma and that his “interest is renewed” in helping to resolve the many problems associated with the current credit crisis.

To do that, Senator Whitehouse is in the process of introducing legislation that would encourage lenders to maintain reasonable interests rates.

For more on this story, visit the Providence Journal.

Press Release from the office of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse:

WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Sentaor Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) took Senate Republicans to task today for blocking legislation that would extend unemployment insurance benefits for millions of out-of-work Americans, inclduing a former law clerk from Rhode Island who has applied for 65 positions since losing his job in January.

The bill would give extra help to several states with the highest unemployment rates, including Rhode Island, whose unemployment rate now hovers around 6 percent.

“These are difficult times for many, many families. But for millions of Americans who are looking for a job today, the challenges seem almost insurmountalbe,” Whitehouse said this morning in a speech on the Senate floor. He also joined Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) at a press conferenece today highlighting the importance of the bill.

Whitehouse told the story of Brian Peny, an East Providence man struggling to make ends meet while he searches for a new job. “Because he couldn’t afford to pay both his mortgage and his montly COBRA payments, Brian has been without any health insurance since the end of January,” Whitehouse said. “He says it’s become more and more difficult to afford groceries, and some nights, he goes to bed hungry. He could go to a food pantry, of course, but he has not-yet-because he think there are too many people who are worse off than he is.”

Unemployment insurance supports workers who are laid off, or whose companies go out of business, as they search for a new job. The system is funded largely by payments from employers. While unemployment benefits almost never replace the full amount a worker would have received in a paycheck, the assistance helps families make mortgage or rent payments, or meet other regular living expenses.

The federal unemployment insurance program generally funds 26 weeks of payments for workers, but in today’s worsening economy, many see their benefits run out before they are able to find another job. Last month, the national unemployment rate saw its biggest one-month increase in over 20 years, reaching a four-year high of 5.5 percent. In Rhode Island alone, there are more than 18,000 workers in need of a job whose benefits have already or will soon run out.

The Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act (HR 5749) woud temporarily extend unemployment benefits 13 weeks beyond the ordinary 26-week eligibility period. In states like Rhode Island, where people have been hardest-hit, eligible job less workers would recieve twice that: up to 26 extra weeks of unemployment insurance. The bill passed the House of Representatives last week by a bipartisan vote of 274-137, but this morning, Senate Republican leaders blocked its consideration in the Senate.

“Millions of Americans go out pounding the pavement each and every day, looking for work to support themselves and their families,” Whitehouse said. “The Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act could help over 3 million Americans pay the mortgage or rent or feed their families as they continue to navigate a periolous job market.”

On Sunday night, over 100 Democrats from Rhode Island came together for the 2008 State Committee Meeting in West Warwick. The members endorsed Barack Obama for President, Senator Reed for U.S. Senate, and Congressmen Langevin and Kennedy as U.S. Representatives.

Below are some highlights from the meeting.

Senator Whitehouse

Senator Reed

Attorney General Lynch

Congressman Langevin

Congressman Kennedy

Administration officials and Republican leaders still claim that following U.S. laws is too inconvenient, and that due process regulations under the FISA laws prevent the government from doing its job effectively. In a letter to Mukasey, Senators Whitehouse and Casey call upon Mukasey to correct his misleading statements.

“I was disappointed to hear our Attorney General convey the erroneous and grossly misleading impression that FISA due process safeguards prevented the U.S. government from intercepting Al Qaeda communications that may have stopped the horrific 9/11 attacks. Not only did the Attorney General not get his facts straight, he was only the latest Administration official to inappropriately use the tragic events of September 11th to advocate for a policy change. It is time for senior Administration officials to stop blaming legal safeguards which only serve to protect the rights of American citizens.”

Most curiously though, and a point which never receives sufficient examination, if the FISA legislation is seen by Republicans to be so crucial in protecting the lives of Americans, then why does Bush keep threatening a veto if it doesn’t included telecom immunity provisions?  Could it be that Republicans are using scare tactic yet again to try and push through horrible policies?  Yup!

This today from Senator Sheldon Whitehouse:

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) praised today’s move by Attorney General Michael Mukasey to restore safeguards against political interference at the Department of Justice. Earlier this year, Whitehouse, a former U.S. Attorney, closely questioned former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales about Bush administration changes to a policy regarding communications between the White House and the Department of Justice that significantly expanded the number of officials who could discuss pending cases and investigations.

“Today’s new policy is a clear, unmistakable and welcome repudiation of the Gonzales era, and this change takes a significant step towards restoring Americans’ confidence in the integrity of our justice system,” Whitehouse said. “I’m encouraged that Attorney General Mukasey has honored his commitment to begin restoring the firewall against White House politicization at the Department.

Check out Whitehouse’s appearance on MSNBC’s Dan Abrams show on “Bush League” Justice.