Snark: to annoy or irritate

"Snark" has been in English language dictionaries since at least 1906, and Lewis Carroll used the word to describe a mythological animal in his poem, The Hunting of the Snark (1874). Most recently, the word has come to characterize snappish, sarcastic, or mean-spirited comments or actions directed at those who annoy or irritate us.

At first, this blog was just going be a place to gripe, but because it's more satisfying to take action than it is to merely complain, now most of the posts/reposts suggest ways to get involved in solving problems.


Thursday, March 31, 2011

Heads Up, Idaho!


A message from MoveOn.org:
Heads up: Congress is debating a budget plan that would be devastating to Idaho. Will you pass this along?
Senators Mike Crapo and James Risch need to hear from all of us about it right now, before they cut a deal in the next few days.
Please spread the word about all of these proposed cuts to Idaho:
  • $12 million would be cut from federal funds for clean and safe water in Idaho.1
  • 511 Idaho children would be immediately cut from Head Start, which provides comprehensive early childhood development services for at-risk children ages zero to five.2
  • $30 million would be cut from Pell Grants, affecting all 48,000 higher education students with those grants in Idaho.3
  • Job training and employment services would be effectively eliminated for 400 dislocated workers, 82,000 low-income adults, and 1,000 youths age 14 to 21.4
  • $810,000 would be cut from law enforcement assistance, taking cops off the beat.5
It's especially galling when the same budget protects tax breaks for corporations like GE and the very rich.
Just last night the news broke that Congress may be close to striking a deal on the budget. Now is the only time we can influence the outcome. 
Can you call Sens. Crapo and Risch and ask them to oppose these cuts in the budget? You can pick one of the cuts in this list to highlight in your call.
Senator Mike Crapo
Phone: 202-224-6142

Senator James Risch
Phone: 202-224-2752
Click to report your call. Then pass this email along locally!
The cuts that the Republicans are proposing would disproportionately hit those who can least afford it in Idaho, and it's up to us to stop them.
Thanks for all you do.
-Daniel, Amy, Milan, Tate, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. "House Bill Means Fewer Children in Head Start, Less Help for Students to Attend College, Less Job Training, and Less Funding for Clean Water," Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, March, 1, 2010 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3405
2. "Projected Reduction in Children Served in Head Start Based on H.R. 1—Fiscal Year 2011 Continuing Resolution," Center for Law and Social Policy http://www.moveon.org/r?r=207278&id=26722-18623853-KhZW_5x&t=3
3. "House Bill Means Fewer Children in Head Start, Less Help for Students to Attend College, Less Job Training, and Less Funding for Clean Water," Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, March, 1, 2010 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3405
4. Ibid
5. Ibid
Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.