Congress is poised to act soon on budget reconciliation bills that contain numerous provisions destined to cause harm, not good.
One would allow giant cable and telecommunications corporations to acquire the public airwaves and make it impossible for communities across the country to establish universal wi-fi access as a public utility for pennies on the dollar of the cost when provided by the media giants. A few communities have already provided wireless services for all their citizens, but the cable and telecommunications companies have fought those services tooth and nail, lobbying states to pass legislation to make it illegal for communities to provide wireless for their citizens! Pennsylvania's legislature recently passed such a bill, though luckily Philadelphia was able to be grandfathered in since it had already begun its wireless experiment.
Another atrocity in this budget reconciliation process is the plan to cut back on services for the middle class and lower income people in order to provide tax cuts for the wealthy. On the cutting block are billions of dollars in Medicare/Medicaid and student loans. On the giveaway list are more focused tax breaks for the super-rich who make most of their money in capital gains and dividends. Congress plans another $70 billion of tax cuts--such as making permanent the very low tax rates on capital gains and dividends.
Finally, the budget reconciliation bill will likely contain a provision permitting Big Oil to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, resulting in pipelines and damage over thousands of acres scattered throughout the refuge. This is the last chance to stop this action that will degrade ANWR forever.
The House vote on the budget reconciliation may take place any day. CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND ASK HIM OR HER NOT TO VOTE FOR THIS BILL. If you are in Illinois' 15th Congressional District, call Tim Johnson and tell him his vote on the Pombo bill was wrong and that he should vote against any budget reconciliation bill that includes ANWR, that cuts Medicaid and student loans to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy, or that fails to reserve public air space for communities to provide their own wireless networks. http://alaskawild.org/campaigns_artic.html
Congressman Tim Johnson's phone numbers are: Washington D.C.: 202-225-2371, Champaign, IL: 217-403-4690
A site recommended by PrairieRivers and Sierra Club for background information on ANWR is:
A site that provides a For a summary of the Budget Bill: