According to the ACLU, the Corker-Kaine bill is "broader and more dangerous than the current law." Article 1 of the US Constitution grants Congress the exclusive right to declare war. The new edition of the AUMF undermines this to the maximum.
Philippine President Duterte's State of the Nation Address (Sona) (tags)
DUTERTE’S SONA – MORE SWEARING THAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Argentina Lower House Repeals Laws to Support Hedge Fund Debt Deal (tags)
Argentina's lower house of Congress voted 165-86 to repeal two laws that blocked the country from settling its decade-long debt dispute with a group of "hold-out" investors.
Obama Ups the Stakes in Syria (tags)
Syria
Philippine Congressman Walden Bello visits Filipino communities in US cities (tags)
IN several forums this month, Congressman Walden Bello is visiting Filipino-American communities in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and Portland to talk about the upcoming May 13 mid-term congressional elections in the Philippines, and the role his political party, Akbayan Citizens’ Action Party, has played in the passing of progressive legislation during the just-concluded 15th Congress. Akbayan’s Risa Hontiveros is running for a Senate seat in May, and is in the circle of candidates deemed to have a chance of winning a seat – a first in the Senate for Akbayan. Akbayan is also running as a party-list organization to again have their House seats.
PHILIPPINES - Akbayan Celebrates Compensation Act to victims of Martial Law (tags)
Akbayan Party-list lauded the conclusion of the bicameral conference committee (bicam) on the Compensation Bill for victims of human rights violations during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, calling it a “victory of the Filipino people and of Philippine democracy” after a decades-long struggle of advocates and victims of Martial Law abuses for justice.
Philippine Congress asked to suspend interest for ?corrupted debts? in 2012 budget (tags)
MANILA, Philippines ? On the last few days of the budget committee hearings, a debt watchdog has asked the House Committee on Appropriations to follow President Benigno S. Aquino III?s example by suspending interest payments for ?corrupted debts and deals? in the proposed 2012 national government budget.
Analysis of the RP 2010 Electiion by Prof. Jose Ma. Sison (tags)
The conduct of the 2010 elections shows the rottenness of the US-dominated ruling system of big compradors and landlords. It was a process dominated by the coalitions, parties and candidates of the reactionary ruling classes. Beforehand, it excluded the leaders of the working people who were repressed or who were without campaign funds. It was merely a personality-based contest of the political agents of the same exploiting classes. They did not offer any strong differences in terms of program. They mouthed slogans against poverty and corruption and the need for change. But they said nothing about overcoming the three monsters of foreign monopoly capitalism, domestic feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism which exploit, impoverish and oppress the people. They gave no serious attention to the worsening crisis of the domestic ruling system and the world capitalist system.
International Women's Day in the Philippines (tags)
In the Philippines poor children die at three times the rate of the children of the rich, according to latest UN data.
PHILIPPINES - Deny the "Arroyo 5" (tags)
Akbayan party-list launches campaign to deny the premier political family power in the 2010 elections
Philippine Govt creating a climate of fear to put country under Martial law (tags)
Philippine Democratic Left Parties statements regarding Ampatuan Massacre and the declaration of Martial Law in Maguindanao
Progressive Party Lists solons vow to oppose Palparan’s entry to House (tags)
Militant and Progressive party list bloc lawmakers yesterday continued to express their opposition to the upcoming entry of retired Army Gen. Jovito Palparan as representative of Bantay party-list group and Ma. Lourdes Arroyo, the younger sister of First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, as representative of party-list group Ang Kasangga. According to Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza and Anak Pawis Rep. Rafael Mariano, Palparan has no place in the House of Representatives. “The proclamation of Lulu Arroyo and Palparan as party-list representatives shows the shameless bastardizing of the party-list system by Malacañang. Since when did they represent the marginalized and underrepresented sectors?” Maza said.
PASS THE EQUITY BILL NOW! FIGHT RACISM! (tags)
Last night, at the Philippine Consulate Community Hall, our lobbyist. ACFV's Eric Lachica reported about the state of the equity bill which has been stalled in the lower house of US Congress since May 2008. He reported that the Democratic Party was not able to get a majority-the target 290 votes to pass the equity bill. Many backed out on what they have promised support to the bill. Out of the 236 democrat congresspersons, we have only 180 votes and 39 republican votes. We are short of 40 votes to pass a simple majority. Thus, we need a LAST PUSH TO PASS THE EQUITY BILL IN THE LOWER HOUSE BY SEPTEMBER 25. Or else we will be back to square one!
BAYAN Philippines & BAYAN USA on Labor Leader Ka Bel (tags)
The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan pays its highest tribute to our former chairman, Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran after his untimely passing on May 20, 2008. We give our most heartfelt condolences to the family, comrades, friends and the millions of supporters who are grieving the loss of an outstanding fighter for national and social liberation and a beloved leader of the Filipino working class and people.
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo: Economist or Politician? (tags)
I think I’m a pretty good economist, but a very bad politician.” - by Gloria Macapacagal-Arroyo
L.A. Fil-Am vets rally draws over 500 (tags)
Nearly 600 students and supporters gathered to march for Filipino Veterans’ rights on Nov. 11 in Historical Filipinotown. The event, organized by the coalition group Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV), was the seventh annual march aiming to raise community awareness about H.R. 1315, a bill that would grant Filipino veterans pension for their involvement in World War II. Supporters of the bill, which has yet to be approved by both the Lower House and the Senate before being signed into law by the President, are hoping that the rally will cause enough attention to the issue before Congress adjourns its session for the year on Nov. 16, or at the very least, to get an extension until December. Another bill being pushed for approval along with these benefits is the family reunification bill, which veterans would use to expedite the immigration process for family members still remaining in the Philippines.
Mammoth electoral fraud in Philippines elections: Padding and shaving (tags)
Nearly three weeks after election day, there are still no definitive results for the Philippine elections to the Senate and House of Representatives. Counting is still continuing and in a number of provinces it has not even begun. This has nothing to do with inefficiency and everything to do with ballot-rigging. The Philippines is one of the most corrupt ‘democracies’ in the world. During the 2004 presidential election, the victory of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was widely attributed to large-scale fraud. A tape was massively circulated of a conversation between the President and Virgilio Garcillano, head of Comelec, the national election commission. Arroyo was heard addressing him familiarly, ‘Hello Garci’, and the election chief proudly assured her that he would guarantee her a million-vote majority.
AJLPP-USA Mobilizes for June 24 Full Rights for All Immigrants March and Rally in Los Ange (tags)
The Alliance-Philippines(AJLPP)-USA and the Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) will mobilize upcoming June 24 Immigrant Rights March-Rally in Hollywood and Vine, Los Angeles. The June 24th Hollywood march-rally will also demand a stop to the increase on exorbitant fees on citizenship and other documents for immigrants to be implemented by the DHS this July 30, 2007. As the hopes for the proposed compromise bill on “Border Protection and Immigration Bill” also known as the “grand bargain” flickered, mass actions should be the order of the day.. The racist conservatives in the Lower House has just filed the “Border Protection First “ bill that elucidates their racist- anti immigrant bias
Revolutionary Forces in the Philippine Condemns Arroyo-De Venecia blackmail (tags)
The revolutionary forces in the Philippines today condemned Gloria Arroyo and her cohorts in the House of Representatives for what the revolutionaries calls "an obvious blackmail to desperately push by any means a self-serving Arroyo constitution."
Philippines: Statement on the charge of rebellion (tags)
It is our patriotic duty to defend the area of freedom that people’s power had carved out in the struggle against the Marcos dictatorship. The best way to defend freedom is to exercise it. Responsible citizens cannot watch in silence as the minions of Mrs. Arroyo make a mockery of our democratic rights.
Mexico’s Lower House of Congress has called on Ulises Ruiz to step down from office.