(Interesting. I know nothing about this issue, but I do know how i feel about credit card companies… – promoted by odum)

Expanding the field of progressive ideas is never easy.  As a resident of Vermont for 16 years, I learned from watching primary races on both the state and local level that the issues favored by Democrats around the state don’t always converge. We progressives are a mixed bunch with many causes and sometimes it can be tough to figure out which ones are worth going for.  The issue I’m about to talk about is one that Senator Leahy is well aware of, as he has taken a strong position in the past against the business practices of credit card companies.  However, for many of you, this may be your first time learning about this issue.

I am currently working with a group called the Merchants Payments Coalition, a collection of retailers from restaurants, convenience stores, grocery stores. They don’t have a lot in common — their markets are diverse and sometimes competitive, but one thing they agree on happens to be something U.S. PIRG and other progressive groups have been talking about.

The issue is Interchange Fees, a very complex (this is on purpose) fee imposed by the banks that issue credit cards for MasterCard and Visa. The fee is charged directly to merchants — so their interest should come as no surprise — but it is important to remember that ultimately this fee gets passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices on all products.

So what’s the big deal about that? Fees are a part of life, just part of doing business, right? Not in a market that is essentially a duopoly. Visa and MasterCard together control 80% of the U.S. credit card market, and the banks that issue their cards are usually the same banks (JP Morgan Chase) so they wield monopolistic control of the market.

There is also no way to avoid this fee. You can pretty much avoid any credit card fee if you don’t use credit cards — but not this one. One of their tricks is that any merchant who accepts credit cards cannot offer consumers a cash discount. Studies show that only 14% of the money collected from interchange fees is needed to cover the cost of processing credit card transactions. This means that a whopping 86% of the fee is extra profit for the card companies, or even worse, helps fund reward programs for high-income credit card owners.

Every time a low-income consumer purchases something with cash at a store that accepts credit cards, they are subsidizing plush reward programs for wealthy credit card users. It is essentially a reverse Robin Hood wealth transfer, from the poorest members of society to the wealthiest, and it is being encouraged by the card companies, who continue to offer even greater reward programs. A low-income consumer with a poor credit history is not allowed to enjoy the benefits of these reward programs, yet their hard-earned money helps fund them.

Now that we have a Democratic Congress, the use of committees is very important, and one we should put our stamp on is the Banking Committee. Chris Dodd has already started hearings on hidden credit card fees and predatory lending. Warren Reports at TPM Café followed that on the week it happened, and there is another diary on this subject at My Left Nutmeg.

What we need are more hearings to put further pressure on the credit card industry. Dodd is off to a good start, but we need more action. A major problem is that the interchange fee schedules and agreements are kept secret by Visa and MasterCard. First and foremost this is a matter of transparency — and the lack of it is hurting people’s pocketbooks. It doesn’t cost you much with each purchase you make, but it adds up fast. In fact, it’s the single biggest fee the card issuing banks collect, costing consumers $30 Billion dollars last year alone.

If the idea of indirect wealth transfer occurring between the poor and the rich every single day bothers you, then let Senator’s Leahy and Sanders know that you want interchange fees to be looked into.  I encourage members of this community to help us put pressure on the credit card companies in order to convince them the time has come to provide more transparency and lower these inflationary fees. 

Note of disclosure: I am writing this with input from others who are working with me to help raise awareness of this issue, so you may find a similar version of this diary on other progressive blogs. This is an important issue, so we will be around to follow up.

(Yay Rep Fisher! Now don’t forget to go sign that impeachment bill again – promoted by odum)

Vermont and Michael Fisher win Buzz flash’s Wings of Justice Award

Don’t know how to paste in the page, but check it out.  If someone can paste it in, please do so. (All set – o)

George W. Bush has formally declared himself to be above the law. Using signing statements attached to legislation, in a way that they have never been used before, he has flatly stated that he is not bound by laws outlawing torture, that he can open the mail of Americans if he wants, and that being a “commander in chief in time of war”, he can damn well ignore any other law that pleases him as well. This will include any law passed by Congress that tries to limit his capacity to wage more war in Iraq or Iran.
  And Congress doesn’t have the nerve to do a thing about it.
  Apparently, their oath of office, swearing to uphold and defend the Constitution is, like so many other promises from Washington politicians, empty rhetoric.
  The American people know what action should be taken. A majority of us want to see the President impeached. We know what can happen in the next two years: a further downward spiral of the Iraq disaster, a new war with Iran, further erosion of our civil liberties, and tens of thousands of new terrorists created by the Bush wrong move recruitment machine.
  Vermonters are taking the bull by the horns. Citizens have warned impeachment resolutions in 23 Vermont towns, and in four other towns had legally valid petitions denied by their selectboards. An impeachment resolution, with over 20 co-sponsors, has been introduced in the Vermont House.
  Unfortunately, our Democratic leaders in Montpelier take their marching orders from our esteemed Senators Sanders and Leahy, and they have made it clear that they don’t want to deal with impeachment. Their sights are set on the next election and don’t want Constitutional responsibilities to get in their way. The fact that they are relying on old and discredited political wisdom to make their mistaken electoral calculations is beside the point.
  Vermont tradition has been to act when action is needed, and that is what is now happening across the state. Impeachment debates and forums have been organized in several towns, three alone during Presidents’ Day week.
  An eleven town “Town Meeting Democracy Tour” is covering the state on March 2, 3, and 4, when Vermont Iraq veterans, with the help of Cindy Sheehan , John Nichols and others will be speaking out about the need to take impeachment action now.
  The Democratic leadership in the statehouse hopes that this call will die of its own accord, but they are in for a rude awakening. Business as usual means being complicit in the looming deaths of more Americans and Iraqis. It means sharing responsibility for the utter destruction of a nation and, if we’re not lucky, an entire region.
  Vermonters have begun to call upon the legislature to act on impeachment. We know that it is within their rights, as outlined by Thomas Jefferson, and that it is their duty as evidenced by any cursory understanding of morality, justice and the Constitution to do so.
  For too long our political leaders have enjoyed the reputation of being small “d” democrats. They pat themselves on the back for being close to the people. They thank citizens for “doing good work” and then make sure that the fruits of that work never materialize.
  While many Vermonters have begun to call the legislature to task, it will take a deafening roar before it penetrates the barrier that they are nestled behind. The next few weeks will tell us if the people of this state are up to the challenge of making that roar heard.

( – promoted by odum)

George Bush has formally placed himself above the law with his signing statements, declaring himself not bound by laws prohibiting torture or opening the mail of Americans to name a couple. the Congress is not yet willing to act. We have a chance to jumpstart them into motion.
A Vermont House  resolution calling for the impeachment of George Bush is now waiting action in the Judiciary committee. It will take a flurry of calls and letters to get them to move on it. Unfortunately, Sanders and Leahy both have been putting pressure on the statehouse leadership to not take action. the will of the people only goes so far with these two, apparently.
Here is a list of phone numbers of the judiciary members. The numbers came from the legislature’s web site, so don’t be shy about calling. Please tell them to move on this resolution and let it go to the House floor for consideration.
Bill Lippert , chair – 482.3528
Maxine Grad – Moretown 496.7667
Margaret Flory – Pittsford 483.6854
Alison Clarkson – Woodstock 457.4627
Andrew Donaghy – Poultney 287.9693
Avis Gervais – Enosburg 933.4794
Willem Jewett – Ripton 388.0320
Patty Komline – Dorset 442.8613
Kathy Pellet  – Chester  875.1372
Dick Marek – Newfane has already signed on as a
co-sponsor.
Speaker Gaye Symington also requires some persuasion. You can call her at 899.3324.

A good editorial in the NYT today (entitled “Making Martial Law Easier”), highlighting Senator Leahy’s attempt to restore the provisions of law referred to as posse comitatus that restrict the President’s use of the military domestically. Of the many disturbing things this President and his GOP Congress did, this was one of the more chilling. Passed and signed into law in a very hush-hush manner, the law opens up the door for Bush to use the National Guard and other military forces domestically for almost any purpose he might deem appropriate. From the Tmes:

The newly enacted provisions upset this careful balance. They shift the focus from making sure that federal laws are enforced to restoring public order. Beyond cases of actual insurrection, the president may now use military troops as a domestic police force in response to a natural disaster, a disease outbreak, terrorist attack or to any ”other condition.”

Changes of this magnitude should be made only after a thorough public airing. But these new presidential powers were slipped into the law without hearings or public debate. The president made no mention of the changes when he signed the measure, and neither the White House nor Congress consulted in advance with the nation’s governors.

There is a bipartisan bill, introduced by Senators Patrick Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, and Christopher Bond, Republican of Missouri, and backed unanimously by the nation’s governors, that would repeal the stealthy revisions.

Leahy was very concerned about this at the time the changes were enacted and was firing off a lot of warnings to no avail. It’s likely due to a combination of outrage fatigue, and the simple matter of the issue being lost against the cacophanous din of regular, almost routine egregious power-grabs that it didn’t gain traction when it happened.

It’s good to see that he’s wasted no time in acting correctively. The Times editorial fully supports Leahy’s corrective remedy and rightly admonishes lawmakers never to embark on such a draconian change without a full and open debate.

Now you know.
That’s what all that was REALLY about.
But I can’t hide from it anymore. I’ve been in some serious denial.
This could mean the loss of some hard-earned progressive cred.
And to add insult to injury, it could also have a somewhat adverse effect on my marriage.

How do I love Hillary? Let me count the ways.

Sub folda.

Okay, first of all, Bob Johnson can kiss my kestrel ass.

He’s going to go around and talk shit on my babygirl.

What’s up with this kiss and tell thing, Bob?

Look, I’m a lousy lover. Dozens of former girlfriends and my wife will attest to this fact. I’m as lazy as George Bush. It’s all about me. All the time.

No.
YOU?

I never would have figured you for the type, Bob.

That said, we clearly see that Bob Johnson does not possess my mad skillz in such matters.

After I make love to a woman, the neighbors light cigarettes.

Anyway, when I’ve got some serious, pent-up emotion invested in this kind of shit….like now…..

I’m just a love machine. A huggin’ kissin’ thing.

So never mind that…that…THING I put up here about hating Hillary. I could never hate her….I was just LASHING OUT, okay?

This is why I love Hillary…..and want her to have my baby:

Because hippie chicks are hot.

Because she swings both ways, and God, I love that in a woman.

Because she helps me mail my letters.

Because I want to be more than just a chapter in somebody’s book.

Because she would wash my back.

Because she doesn’t pick her nose.

Because Hillary has her priorities straight……

Because the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Because the enemy of my enemy who tries to make nme think my enemies are actually my friends…or is it the enemy of my enemy who tries to make me think my friends are my enemies AND my enemies are my friends is my friend even if she voted with the enemy who said our enemies were a whole nother somebody else who ain’t nobody at all that we was just talkin’ about?

Because we’re not all like that.

Because my current side action is going psycho on me.

Because I shall demonstrate the meaning of “inadequate” to Little Willy.
Most of you know my first name is Eddie.
Occasionally, someone will address me as “Mr. Ed.”
I fully expect that will occur again in the near future.

Because Hillary looks hot in leather.

Because she has a Buddy Jesus. I want a Buddy Jesus.

Because her situational awareness impresses me……..

Because Bob Johnson told me about that thing she does with her tongue.

I’m confident it’ll work out.

Nope (1+ / 0-)

People who are being PAID to like Hillary.  this is actually a pretty good investigation and I thinbk it’s a story that deserves attention.  It’s not just calling out all the Hillary defenders.  It’s calling out the people whose IP addresses come from her office.

Yeah that’s right.

mwOOOOOOOhahahahahahahahhahaha!!!!! And soon, we will crush you all as insects.

Right on  (1+ / 4-)

It is once again another pro-Hillary spin diary. 

Curses, foiled again. And I’d have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn’t been for that meddling kid.

It’s sarcasm, snark, c’mon. Ed’s colorfully entitled diary below was mocking those who go nuts with Hillary-bashing as though she were Satan or something. I thought that was clear, but some have been reading it as though it were literal.

Speaking of “snark,” I guess I can no longer avoid the conclusion that “Snarky Boy” is radical activist Michael Colby. That’s been an opinion out there since he began, but I always poo-poohed it because, frankly, I thought he and I got along fine. I’ve even praised him on this site. The “boy” whose self-promotional narcissism is typically coupled with anything from homophobia to outright lies would seem to be a wholesale fictional character, given that more than one person has presented me with actual evidence of his identity. Ah well. So much for my judgment of character. In response, expect yet another round of fat jokes, invective, oblique threats to my day job (all proudly presented as radical liberational rallying cries), and mocking denials from the “blogger” whose personal obsession with me continually wavers on the pathological (and criminal). Truth to tell, I still hope everyone’s wrong about this.

On the SVR/White Supremacist thing, originally discussed here (90+ comments, brace yourself). Thomas Rowley has an initial examination of founder Thomas Naylor’s background, and in case you missed it, the Vermont Guardian has called for SVR to divorce its ties from the League of the South. If anyone was wondering whether the lull at SVR indicated reasoned contemplation, wonder no more. This, again from Rowley:

In what I can only describe as a bizarre development over this weekend, Kirkpatrick Sale, an Advisory Board member of Second Vermont Republic, contributor to the publication “Vermont Commons” and director of the Middlebury Institute, a self described “umbrella” organization to a variety of groups advocating secession from the United States that include racists, anti-Semites, misogynists, homophobes and white supremacists, has reaffirmed a commitment to partner with the League of the South, a documentably racist and white supremacist organization.

To Sale, the racist attitudes and agenda of some of his secessionist colleagues, and the potential consequences to his fellow citizens, is of no importance.  Not every Vermonter will share this cavalier attitude.

Remarkably, Sale has further revealed that his group intends to co-sponsor a convention later this year with the LoS.

Meanwhile, the narrative continues that those of us who object to neo-confederates given a beachhead in Vermont are part of the desperate crumbling power structure and are all COINTELPRO. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Dennis Kucinich just wrapped on AM1490 in Brattleboro. In the breathless coverage of Hillary and Obama’s trips to New Hampshire last week, you’d never known that Kucinich was there as well. Check Blue Hampshire for a report, if you’re so inclined.

A great analysis of the Vermont GOP’s flailing on the education issue from Vermont Scrapwood. Great blog. Wish they posted more often.

Okay, this is what’s up here. For those who are haters of all things Hillary, this is obviously your day on another, highly trafficked, very high-profile orange and white blog.
….sigh……
Look, I don’t much like her either. I’ll support her if she gets the nomination, but for God’s sake, do we HAVE to go through that?
That said, I’m sensing a need for catharsis, for some damned reason, so let’s get this over with:
(I’m still trying to work up the nerve to post this you-know-where)

Two Minute Hate: A daily ritual. Everyone assembles in front of the telescreen at eleven hundred for a two-minute program that shows Hillary Clinton, the Enemy of the People, and marching enemy soldiers. This is a highly emotional moment and it is impossible even for Winston to avoid joining in: ‘A hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces in with a sledgehammer, seemed to flow through the whole group of people like an electric current, turning one even against one’s will into a grimacing, screaming lunatic.’ (Part 1, Chapter 1, pg. 16) At the end of Two Minute Hate, Big Brother’s face appears, inspiring everyone with relief and is followed by the three Party slogans.

Below the fold, if you must.

HILLARY: Reasons why I fucking HATE that bitch!

Because she has not fully disclosed her ties to the French Government.

Because she got busted.

Because she does not play well with others.

Because she cheated on Bill with Riff Raff.

Because she cheated on Bill with Rover.

Because she cheated on Bill with my wife. (All is forgiven, dear. Please come home before you max out another credit card.)

Because word gets around in baby circles.

Because I have a funny feeling I know what happened to this little guy.

Becasue she is a bad influence on Dick Cheney.

Because of what she does with anything she can’t eat.

Because she killed Vince Foster.

Because she killed Luke’s father.

Because she beats her husband.

Because she beats Barbara Boxer.

Because she supports reckless scientific research that shows a basic disregard for the sanctity of human life.

Because her ass act at the Super Bowl cost a bunch of TV stations millions of dollars in fineage.

And lastly, and most importantly:

I hate Hillary Fucking Clinton……
because God Himself, through his Messenger, told me to.

 Loading ...

Well, I guess this is why Douglas has always tiptoed around the immigration issue, even when it was the red meat issue du jour for the GOP base:

A dairy farm run by relatives of Gov. Jim Douglas employs four undocumented Mexican immigrants, a farm owner said.

Douglas told the Burlington Free Press he had known for some time that the Foster Brothers Farm employed immigrant workers.

“I’m certainly aware they have Mexican workers, but I’ve never run into any of them when I was there,” he said.

“Farm business people feel it’s appropriate to do this to be successful,” Douglas said. “I don’t have any particular advice, other than to write your congressional members and tell them we need immigration reform.”

Interesting. Likely there will be a lot more on this to come.

( – promoted by Jack McCullough)

A post from a local Montpelier business leader at my now-largely-obsolete diary on the status of newly elected Statehouse Sergeant-at-Arms Francis Brooks’ House seat reminds me that I should probably post an update. The game is now afoot, and it’s worth another check-in. Please bear in mind, again, that what I should say on the matter is limited – particularly as regards my actual opinions – as my wife is one of the people who have made their interest known (although, since this is just a weblog, I can post whatever the heck I want, but still…).

First of all, Freyne has a brief tip of the hat to Brooks posted. Although popular in Montpelier, in recent years Francis seems to have rarely been given his due in greater Democratic circles. Hopefully there will be more tributes and acknowledgements forthcoming. Lord knows he’s earned ’em.

And a reminder: the Montpelier city committee will likely follow tradition and send a list of three names to the Governor for consideration, who will likely (but not necessarily) choose from that list. Given that, rumors abound that as many as 8 people may approach the committee for consideration. There are the three previously reported on here – Mayor Mary Hooper (who enjoys widespread support from the business community), Matt Levin and Cary Brown. Also having formally entered the mix is lawyer Jon Anderson. Unofficially, Washington County Assistant Judge Barney Bloom is also said to be interested. I couldn’t find information on the other three names, although one may be former Principal Charlie Phillips who after some initial interest has since backed off from consideration.

Where it would be silly to characterize this as a race, some jockeying behind the scenes has become… interesting… and even a bit tense. More after the fold.

Hooper and Anderson both want the seat badly, and are thusfar the only candidates to actively campaign for it – Hooper by email, and Anderson via snail mail and telephone. Hooper seems to have collected support from local business leaders, including local media, given her significant coverage in the Times Argus. The word has also been actively propogated that Hooper intends to run a primary contest in 2008 against anyone besides her who may be chosen, regardless of how well that person serves in the seat. There is some question as to whether or not this message is actually coming from Hooper herself, or whether it’s simply a narrative being promoted by Montpelier Rep. Warren Kitzmiller, who is supporting her aspirations. As it has just been repeated on this site by a local business leader (who himself had been rumored to be interested at one point)…

If anyone but Mayor Mary is appointed, they’d be a lame duck, as she’d run in two years and win.

…it’s clear that the notion is in full circulation and, at least, is not being refuted.

Given that the audience for such a threat is a tight circle of Democratic Party regulars – 20, to be exact (yes, I’m on the list) – it’s a dangerous idea to be circulating. First of all, the caucus can hardly only send one name to the Governor, as he would almost certainly reject such “marching orders” from Democrats outright. The suggestion that others interested could end up on a de facto enemies list may not go over well with Hooper’s fellow Democrats. Neither will the suggestion that she would foist a primary onto the party regardless of whether or not the designee actually serves the town well in their role as Representative.

But the fact is that Hooper’s threat could well be more targeted in intent, if not in application. Jon Anderson has a reputation in the statehouse as being… well, as not really being a Democrat, despite the fact that he once served as City Chair. To a person, everyone I’ve discussed the race with who only knows him from the Statehouse has greeted me with the same response: “I thought he was a Republican.”

This is because Anderson tends to represent development interests (such as Skip Vallee’s company) and has a reputation for being decidely anti-regulation and not generally receptive to progressive zoning or environmental positions. What this likely means for Hooper (and the others) is that – despite the narrative of inevitability that Hooper’s supporters have attempted to perpetuate regarding her appointment – the truth is, if Anderson is on the list forwarded by the city, the seat is likely his, given his strong ties with those connected to the Governor. Heck, even if he’s not on the list, it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Governor throw out the list and appoint Anderson anyway.

Hooper’s threat may be specifically targetted at Anderson, as she has kicked his butt in citywide elections already and he therefore has to be taking that threat seriously. An Anderson appointment would also be likely to draw a Progressive Party candidate into the mix as well, although Progs generally haven’t fared well when they’ve run under the official Party banner in Montpelier.

In any event, Anderson is undaunted, and has been lobbying to guarantee that the meeting will be scheduled before or after a planned absence from the city.

Anderson may not be the only one threatened with a primary challenge though, as a couple activists from the liberal wing of the party who have not been as pleased with the Mayor’s performance as Kitzmiller, have suggested that a Hooper appointment would almost certainly draw a challenge from the left. That may be a moot point if another rumor (this one I’ve only heard from one source, so take it with some serious grains of salt…) – that the Governor is displeased with Hooper and likely wouldn’t appoint her – is true.

All told, this hubbub hardly rises to the level of intrigue, and it all seems to be happening around the lesser known municipal players Levin, Bloom and Brown who haven’t been out there campaigning for the position beyond casual conversation. But it does suggest that the yet-to-be-scheduled city committee meeting, which many have suggested would be a foregone conclusion, may be wide open – even if the Governor’s choice may be less so.

Bring the popcorn.