The fate of U.S. congressional health-care reform efforts are up in the air now that Republican Scott Brown has been elected in the Massachusetts special election to replace former Sen. Ted Kennedy, a Democrat, who passed away in August.
The Republican victory gives that party 41 seats in the U.S. Senate, which takes away the Democrats’ filibuster-proof majority. Democrats now have the options of either scaling back and slowing down health-care reform, or attempting to get the House to pass the Senate-passed version of the legislation, which would negate the need for the bill to return to the Senate.
This second option is unacceptable to at least one area congressman, with U.S. Rep. Zack Space, D-Dover, saying that the Senate version of the bill is “the most egregious example of politics as usual.” Space represents Ohio’s 18th Congressional District, which includes the northern portion of Athens County.
The American Red Cross is sending money, supplies and staff to Haiti to support relief efforts there after last week's earthquake that caused catastrophic damage and loss of life.
According to reports, as many as three million people may have been affected by the quake, which collapsed government buildings and caused major damage to hospitals in the area. Some of the preliminary death tolls are higher than 100,000.
The American National Red Cross has pledged $1 million to assist communities impacted by Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti, and is prepared to take further action as local responders assess the situation.
"There is widespread damage in Port au Prince, with continuing aftershocks," Pamela Martino, director of the Athens Red Cross, said in a news release. "Once the assessment is made, we will see immediate need for food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support. The Red Cross is there and will continue to be there."
National Dems defend Rep. Space on ‘cap and trade’ bill
Written by David DeWitt
Sunday, 06 December 2009 19:16
After the Ohio Coal Association went after U.S. Rep. Zack Space, D-Dover, for his vote in favor of energy legislation that the OCA says will cost Ohioans jobs, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee came back swinging at a former Ohio University conservative activist who now does some legal work for the OCA.
Space represents Ohio’s 18th Congressional District, which includes the northern portion of Athens County. He joined the majority of House Democrats in narrowly passing the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 with a vote of 219 to 212.
Reps. Space and Wilson both vote for sweeping health-care reform bill
Written by Athens NEWS Staff
Sunday, 08 November 2009 11:28
Both congressmen who represent Athens County voted in favor of the historic health-care reform bill approved in the U.S. House Saturday night by a slender 220 to 215 vote.
Neither U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-St. Clairsville, nor Rep. Zack Space, D-Dover, was among the 39 Democrats who voted against the House version of sweeping health-care reform.
Candidates line up in GOP primary to challenge Space
Written by David DeWitt
Monday, 14 September 2009 09:01
The Republican primary to challenge U.S. Rep. Zack Space, D-Dover, for Ohio’s 18th Congressional district is filling out with state Sen. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville, the latest to join the fray.
Gibbs recently filed a statement of candidacy and a statement of organization with the Federal Election Commission to initiate the campaign, according to CQ Politics. In the GOP primary, Gibbs joins former Magistrate Judge Jeanette Moll from Zanesville, Licking County businessman Patrick Carlisle and Newark businessman Beau Bromberg.
Congressman: U.S. shouldn't pull out of Afghanistan at this 'pivotal point'
Written by Jim Phillips
Thursday, 27 August 2009 09:28
Though the war in Afghanistan is brutal, the United States-led coalition needs to maintain, or even increase, its military presence there, and help the Afghan people take control of their own political destiny, according to U.S. Rep. Zack Space.
Calling the present moment “a very, very pivotal point in Afghanistan’s history,” Space, who spoke with reporters Monday on a conference call during a congressional visit to that country, said the Afghan people he has spoken to tell him they dearly want see the constant violence in their country replaced with order and the rule of law.
One of Athens County’s two congressmen was back in his district last week, answering questions on hot topics including the health-care reform bill and so-called “cap-and-trade” legislation to reduce carbon emissions believed to cause global warming.
The U.S. House is currently in recess, and legislators around the country are out taking the pulse of their constituencies on these and other topics, and trying to rouse either support or opposition to big bills now pending.
U.S. Rep. Space touts 'secured' health care commitments as GOP attacks
Written by David DeWitt
Monday, 03 August 2009 08:57
A group of Democrats slowed the process on health care in the U.S. House over the past month, citing a number of concerns about the proposal’s effects on small businesses and rural hospitals. Among local electeds, this included U.S. Rep. Zack Space, D-Dover, and Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-St. Clairsville.
The dirty tricks behind ‘local washing’: Tracking the corporate co-opt of the ‘buy local' movement
Written by Stacy Mitchell
Monday, 20 July 2009 08:25
The Corporate Co-Opt of Local
HSBC, one of the biggest banks on the planet, has taken to calling itself "the world’s local bank." Winn-Dixie, a 500-outlet supermarket chain, recently launched a new ad campaign under the tagline, "Local flavor since 1956." The International Council of Shopping Centers, a global consortium of mall owners and developers, is pouring millions of dollars into television ads urging people to "Shop Local" — at their nearest mall. Even Wal-Mart is getting in on the act, hanging bright green banners over its produce aisles that simply say "Local."
Hoping to capitalize on growing public enthusiasm for all things local, some of the world’s biggest corporations are brashly laying claim to the word "local."
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, touted the virtues of a proposed universal health-insurance plan during a telephonic news conference with reporters from around the state last week.
According to Brown, in his travels around the state he hears urgent indications from taxpayers and small business owners that the federal government needs to do something soon to make health insurance more affordable.
Economic downturn fuels uptick in domestic violence
Written by Viji Sundaram and Carolyn Goossen, New America Media
Thursday, 28 May 2009 07:42
OAKLAND, Calif. — Her eyes fill with tears as she tells her tale, and her hands tremble as she wipes them away.
A pretty woman with almond-shaped eyes and shoulder-length hair, Alejandra Leon, 36, remembers how her boyfriend would erupt at the slightest excuse, even when he was dating her seven years ago.
Her two young children from a previous marriage would watch in fear as he bullied, threatened and taunted her. The abuse intensified after her boyfriend lost his blue-collar job last May, and his drinking binges became more frequent.
So, Leon, an undocumented immigrant, decided she would leave him.
New fed law cracks down on credit-card pitches to college students, excessive fees
Written by Mike Barajas
Tuesday, 26 May 2009 08:49
Last Friday in the White House Rose Garden, President Barack Obama signed a landmark bill meant to change the way credit-card companies treat their customers.
The new law, which proponents tout as a credit-card consumer bill of rights, puts heavy restrictions the companies’ ability to jack up interest rates, charge high fees, and market cards to young college students.
The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act (CARD) is an important new piece of legislation that protects consumers against predatory credit-card company practices, said Ed Mierzwinski, Consumer Program director for the consumer advocacy group the National Association of State Public Interest Research Groups.
“This is a major step forward over the hegemony the banks have had over the Congress in the past 20 years I’ve been [in Washington],” he said, after having just attended the Rose Garden signing ceremony on Friday. The new law, he said, “prevents banks from cheating their customers” and stops a number of other consumer tricks and traps.
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