US Politics Mega-thread - Page 1079

WASHINGTON (AP) — A House committee has endorsed a Republican plan to allow some schools to opt out ofhealthier meal standards.

The vote comes as first lady Michelle Obama campaigns in support of the standards. On Tuesday, she met withschool nutrition officials who said the guidelines are working in their schools.

The rules set by Congress and the Obama administration over the past several years require more fruits, vegetables and whole grains in the lunch line. Also, there are limits on sodium, sugar and fat.

Some school nutrition directors have lobbied for a break, saying the rules have proved to be costly and restrictive.

The Republican provision in an agriculture spending bill would allow schools to opt out of the standards for the next school year if the schools are losing money on meal programs for a six-month period. The HouseAppropriations Committee rejected, by a 29-22 vote, a Democratic amendment that would have removed the GOP language. A subcommittee approved the spending bill last week.

Republicans have said the standards are overreach.

On May 30 2014 00:37 Nyxisto wrote:


Well I wouldn't exactly call him a hero, just gonna leave this here

WASHINGTON — President Obama will use his executive authority to cut carbon emissions from the nation’s coal-fired power plants by up to 20 percent, according to people familiar with his plans, which will spur the creation of a state cap-and-trade program forcing industry to pay for the carbon pollution it creates.

Mr. Obama will unveil his plans in a new regulation, written by the Environmental Protection Agency, at the White House on Monday. It would be the strongest action ever taken by an American president to tackle climate change and could become one of the defining elements of Mr. Obama’s legacy.

Cutting carbon emissions by 20 percent — a substantial amount — would be the most important step in the administration’s pledged goal to reduce pollution over the next six years and could eventually shut down hundreds of coal-fired power plants across the country. The regulation would have far more impact on the environment than the Keystone pipeline, which many administration officials consider a political sideshow, and is certain to be met with opposition from Republicans who say that Mr. Obama will be using his executive authority as a back door to force through an inflammatory cap-and-trade policy he could not get through Congress.

People familiar with the rule say that it will set a national limit on carbon pollution from coal plants, but that it will allow each state to come up with its own plan to cut emissions based on a menu of options that include adding wind and solar power, energy-efficiency technology and creating or joining state cap-and-trade programs. Cap-and-trade programs are effectively carbon taxes that place a limit on carbon pollution and create markets for buying and selling government-issued pollution permits.

Coal plants are the nation’s largest source of the greenhouse gases that scientists say are the chief cause of global warming.

On May 30 2014 09:16 Mindcrime wrote:
I'm loling at the perceived influence of Ohio's coalminers.

On May 30 2014 07:18 nunez wrote:
+ Show Spoiler +

a smidgen... at least every phone call in 2 countries? plz. besides that reasonable enough post,.

in the last snowden interview i saw (german tv) he seemed agitated about how little had made it into media. omidyar (who owns first look media, that sits on greenwald) has extremely close ties with the whitehouse, to the point where he's cofunding revolution in ukraine alongside usaid (pando has done several articles on it). was a similar guy sitting on new york times when ellsberg blew whistle? do you guys have a new Pike ready to rip into the NSA once again?

On May 30 2014 09:30 Sermokala wrote:

Democracy is a system to give smaller groups strength over the larger groups.

On May 30 2014 09:30 Sermokala wrote:

Democracy is a system to give smaller groups strength over the larger groups.

On May 30 2014 10:31 Danglars wrote:
If we're going to go in this direction, then may I say I'm damn glad we're a republic.

On May 30 2014 10:40 Nyxisto wrote:

He's not wrong. A democracy should not devolve into a "tyranny of the masses". That minorities are adequately represented seems to be a very reasonable goal for every functioning modern society.

On May 30 2014 11:24 Danglars wrote:
Well, maybe his initial statement struck me the wrong way. Indeed any government that gives smaller groups "strength" over larger groups is an oligarchic arrangement. Now if you hold the minority viewpoint in a republic of the people, by the people, and for the people, it won't carry the day. Protections from tyranny for those minorities, by all means, and protections of their rights, in this case using a strict construction of those prescriptive rights long known. Representation of their views should occur so much as they're able to gather support and persuade others to their stances.