DLC's American Dream Plan

In July 2006, the Democratic Leadership Council released its radical new initiative report, "Saving the American Dream: Bold Ideas for America's Future," which was chaired and authored by Senator Hillary Clinton, and co-chaired by Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and Senator Tom Carper of Delaware.

The DLC: Centrist Wing of the Democratic Party

Founded in 1985 after President Ronald Reagan's reelection, the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) is a non-profit group that represents centrist and conservative Democratic party leaders.

Liberal critics contend that the DLC is a corporate mouthpiece which doesn't fight for the interests of everyday and downtrodden Americans, the traditional base of the Democratic party.

President Bill Clinton was elected in 1991 largely due to support from the DLC. And the DLC views President Clinton as proof of the viability of "third way politicians" and as a DLC success story.

New DLC Agenda Is Radical Change

The new DLC agenda is a radical change and smart political strategy for this centrist group because it espouses help for middle-class Americans in five specific areas:
1. college education
2. health insurance
3. retirement security
4. job security through training
5. home ownership

While the liberal wing of the Democratic party focuses on the Iraq War and foreign policy as its centerpice issues for 2006 and 2008, the DLC, and Senator Hillary Clinton, believe that focus on the needs of individual Americans will resonate more strongly when voters cast their ballots.

The following is the quick-reading digest of Saving the American Dream, published by the DLC.

SAVING THE AMERICAN DREAM

By Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton,
Sen. Tom Carper, and
Gov. Tom Vilsack
For 230 years, Americans have been united by a simple, common dream that tomorrow will be better than today. The promise of American life, handed on through a dozen generations, rests on this basic bargain: All of us should have the opportunity to live up to our God-given potential, and the responsibility to make the most of it.

In the 20th century, that basic bargain built the greatest middle class the world has ever known. The expansion of opportunity in return for hard work and sacrifice made us the richest, safest, strongest nation on earth, and enabled us to defeat fascism and communism. We ended the last century with America's economic might at its zenith, with Americans at their most optimistic, and with nearly all who endeavored to make the most of their opportunities and talents getting ahead in life.

US Has Failed Middle Class in Last Five Years

Over the last five years we've taken a different direction -- one that offered the greatest help to those with the most wealth, under the mistaken belief that when the wealthy do even better, the middle class will eventually get their share. But this economic philosophy has shortchanged America and failed the middle class, too.

For the first time ever, we've had four straight years of rising productivity and falling incomes. Americans are earning less, while the costs of a middle-class life have soared: In the past five years, college costs are up 50 percent, health care 73 percent, and gasoline more than 100 percent.

U.S. companies and workers face new challenges because they have to compete against companies and workers from other countries that have made education the top national priority, take energy efficiency seriously, and spend half as much on health care as we do.

These trends aren't just a burden for middle-class families. They undermine our way of life, because middle-class strength and growth have been the backbone of America.

Making the American Dream Once Again Strong & Alive

Together we can face that challenge. Throughout our history, America has responded to new challenges with a new faith in our basic bargain. The world has changed over the past 50 years, and the terms of our basic bargain must keep pace.

The chance for every American to get ahead, regardless of background, is the engine of America's economic growth and social progress. A growing economy and a growing middle class go hand in hand.

To remain strong in the world, the American Dream must be strong and alive here at home. And as we continue to navigate through these changing economic times, restoring the promise of the American Dream is the central economic issue of our time.

That's why the three of us have spent the past year developing the American Dream Initiative, an opportunity agenda for the middle class and all who aspire to join it. With the help of leading thinkers from across the Democratic Party, we developed a set of new ideas for the Democratic Leadership Council's National Conversation in Denver in July.

Our vision is straightforward and clear -- to leave our children a richer, safer, smarter, and stronger nation than the one we inherited.

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Canada seeks Buy American exemption

Canada is seeking an exemption from the new Buy American provisions in U.S. President Barack Obama's proposed jobs act, weeks before the exemption for the previous stimulus is set to expire.

Minister of International Trade Ed Fast, citing concerns over a potential "trade barrier initiative," has launched a round of consultations with Washington to negotiate an extension for a Canadian exemption before a Sept. 30 deadline.

Obama's proposed $447-billion US American Jobs Act is intended to give a much-needed jolt to a stalled U.S. economy, but in an interview with Evan Solomon on CBC's Power & Politics Wednesday, Fast characterized the bill as misguided.

"We believe that protectionism is counterproductive, especially during these difficult economic times around the world," the minister said, adding that 75 per cent of Canada's trade is with the U.S.

The measures contained in the bill echo Washington's original stimulus package in 2009 — a fight that Canada thought it had already won.

"I do know the last time this happened, which was back in 2009, we engaged with our American counterparts, and we were able to resolve the issue, at least on a temporary basis. Now we're back at the same place where we're now it's a new stimulus package that the U.S. has introduced," Fast said.

The minister said he was "very surprised and certainly disappointed" to learn of the provisions, adding that Canada is working "very aggressively" to raise the same arguments made two years ago with the Obama administration and to Congress.

The offending passage in the act is contained in Section 4, headed "Buy American — Use of American Iron, Steel and Manufactured Goods."

The section contains a directive that none of the funds made available under the American Jobs Act may be used for "the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public building or public work unless all of the iron, steel and manufactured goods used in the project are produced in the United States."

The "Buy American" section also notes that it "shall be applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international agreements," which offers Canadian businesses some protection under the North American Free Trade Agreement. But NAFTA doesn't apply to municipal contracts, and the bulk of spending in both the previous U.S. stimulus plan and Obama's proposed jobs plan is at the municipal level.

The bill calls for more than US$100 billion towards the renovation of schools, the construction of roads and bridges and improving transit.

Fast said history shows protectionist measures stall growth and kill jobs.

Canada is now asking for an extension for the previous NAFTA deal extending to sub-national governments, which is set to expire at the end of this month.

Ottawa is concerned about a "chill effect" that could take place as a result of the Buy American provision, as it has been noted that just because states and municipalities might be allowed to buy Canadian doesn't necessarily mean they will.

Even if the NAFTA agreement is renewed beyond Sept. 30, Canadian suppliers might worry they will still be frozen out by U.S. contractors, the CBC's Hannah Thibodeau reported from Ottawa.

"They have this box they tick that says, 'Buy American,' they tick that off and if they don't know and look at the fine print of any of these deals, then they won't know that Canada is exempt," she said.

Jayson Myers, the president of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, the country's largest industry and trade association, said the concern is that business owners in the U.S. may find the deal "tremendously confusing" if they don't understand Canadian companies can be included in bidding processes.

"But the bigger impact here is not just the direct opportunity that's lost for Canadian exporters; this has a chill right through the supply chain," Meyers told CBC News on Wednesday, noting that distributors may not be able to distinguish between what would be considered foreign, Canadian or U.S. goods.

With files from The Canadian Press Accessibility Links

View the original article here

Canada seeks Buy American exemption

Canada is seeking an exemption from the new Buy American provisions in U.S. President Barack Obama's proposed jobs act, weeks before the exemption for the previous stimulus is set to expire.

Minister of International Trade Ed Fast, citing concerns over a potential "trade barrier initiative," has launched a round of consultations with Washington to negotiate an extension for a Canadian exemption before a Sept. 30 deadline.

Obama's proposed $447-billion US American Jobs Act is intended to give a much-needed jolt to a stalled U.S. economy, but in an interview with Evan Solomon on CBC's Power & Politics Wednesday, Fast characterized the bill as misguided.

"We believe that protectionism is counterproductive, especially during these difficult economic times around the world," the minister said, adding that 75 per cent of Canada's trade is with the U.S.

The measures contained in the bill echo Washington's original stimulus package in 2009 — a fight that Canada thought it had already won.

"I do know the last time this happened, which was back in 2009, we engaged with our American counterparts, and we were able to resolve the issue, at least on a temporary basis. Now we're back at the same place where we're now it's a new stimulus package that the U.S. has introduced," Fast said.

The minister said he was "very surprised and certainly disappointed" to learn of the provisions, adding that Canada is working "very aggressively" to raise the same arguments made two years ago with the Obama administration and to Congress.

The offending passage in the act is contained in Section 4, headed "Buy American — Use of American Iron, Steel and Manufactured Goods."

The section contains a directive that none of the funds made available under the American Jobs Act may be used for "the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public building or public work unless all of the iron, steel and manufactured goods used in the project are produced in the United States."

The "Buy American" section also notes that it "shall be applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international agreements," which offers Canadian businesses some protection under the North American Free Trade Agreement. But NAFTA doesn't apply to municipal contracts, and the bulk of spending in both the previous U.S. stimulus plan and Obama's proposed jobs plan is at the municipal level.

The bill calls for more than US$100 billion towards the renovation of schools, the construction of roads and bridges and improving transit.

Fast said history shows protectionist measures stall growth and kill jobs.

Canada is now asking for an extension for the previous NAFTA deal extending to sub-national governments, which is set to expire at the end of this month.

Ottawa is concerned about a "chill effect" that could take place as a result of the Buy American provision, as it has been noted that just because states and municipalities might be allowed to buy Canadian doesn't necessarily mean they will.

Even if the NAFTA agreement is renewed beyond Sept. 30, Canadian suppliers might worry they will still be frozen out by U.S. contractors, the CBC's Hannah Thibodeau reported from Ottawa.

"They have this box they tick that says, 'Buy American,' they tick that off and if they don't know and look at the fine print of any of these deals, then they won't know that Canada is exempt," she said.

Jayson Myers, the president of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, the country's largest industry and trade association, said the concern is that business owners in the U.S. may find the deal "tremendously confusing" if they don't understand Canadian companies can be included in bidding processes.

"But the bigger impact here is not just the direct opportunity that's lost for Canadian exporters; this has a chill right through the supply chain," Meyers told CBC News on Wednesday, noting that distributors may not be able to distinguish between what would be considered foreign, Canadian or U.S. goods.

With files from The Canadian Press Accessibility Links

View the original article here

Duck-abusing American hunter pleads guilty

U.S. hunter Jeff Foiles has posted on YouTube a number of videos on Fallin' Skies showing him and others shooting birds. YouTube

An American hunter who abused wounded birds in Western Canada and videotaped his antics is facing a $15,000 fine and a three-year hunting ban in Canada.

Jeffery Burdett Foiles, 54, of Pleasant Hill, Illinois, pleaded guilty in an Edmonton court Wednesday to causing unnecessary pain and suffering to a duck, contrary to the Criminal Code.

He also pleaded guilty to multiple violations of the Migratory Birds Convention Act, including killing more than his daily limit, hunting birds from a powerboat and failing to immediately kill a wounded duck he had retrieved.

The incidents happened near several communities around Alberta between 2004 and 2007.

Michelle Ferguson, the federal Crown prosecutor in the case, described some of the incidents recorded on Foiles's videos — later discovered by U.S. authorities — that resulted in the charges.

'Making the duck face the camera. Whacking the duck on the head. Placing an empty bullet box on the duck's head. Whacking that on his head. Plugging the nostrils of the duck and holding its beak shut.'—Crown prosecutor describes what she saw in the videos

"Making the duck face the camera. Whacking the duck on the head. Placing an empty bullet box on the duck's head. Whacking that on his head. Plugging the nostrils of the duck and holding its beak shut," she said.

According to an agreed statement of facts between Crown and defence, most of the incidents that led to the changes happened in the Bentley area.

In one video recorded Oct. 17, 2007 near Westerose, Foiles held a wounded mallard up to the camera, then moved the head around so it was facing him, the statement said.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you," Foiles said. He wagged the duck's head back and forth, then opened and closed the bird's mouth with his fingers while making quacking sounds, the statement said. He then walked off camera and killed the duck.

Some of the incidents that led to the charges happened near Bentley and Pigeon Lake, Alta.

Foiles is a guide who runs a hunting club in Illinois and posts edited versions of his videos on YouTube in a series called "Fallin' Skies". The videos are shot in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

In Canada, under a joint submission from the Crown and defence, he'll likely receive a $15,000 fine and a three-year hunting ban, but a judge will have the final decision. He'll find out about the sentence next week.

Meanwhile, Foiles is also facing punishment in Illinois for violating hunting laws there.

Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful sale of wildlife and one count of unlawfully taking migratory game birds.

Under a deal between the defence and prosecution, Foiles has agreed to serve 13 months in prison and pay a $100,000 fine, with sentencing set for Sept. 21.

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