GOP Opposition Derails Wall Street Bailout Deal
The federal bailout of Wall Street is in limbo after Republican lawmakers refused to support an emerging deal between the Bush administration and Democratic leaders. The surprise move came hours after it appeared all sides were close to an agreement. The proposed deal would spend some $700 billion to buy up defaulted Wall Street debts, while also imposing some executive pay limits and granting the government equity that could possibly be sold to help recoup the bailout costs. But as talks progressed, congressional Republicans emerged to propose an alternative plan emphasizing insurance for mortgage-based assets and further deregulation of the financial sector. Lawmakers huddled at the Capitol Building until late in the evening. Democratic Congress member and House Banking Committee Chair Barney Frank blamed Republicans for the delay.
Rep. Barney Frank: “House Republicans stayed for a while and then left. And at this point we are told that the House Republicans have no plan to participate in helping draw this up or having any commitment to help pass it.”
Many Democrats pointed the finger at Senator John McCain, saying his involvement in the talks helped derail an emerging deal. Connecticut Senator and Senate Banking chair Christopher Dodd called the meeting “a rescue plan for John McCain.” McCain has been accused of waging a political stunt after announcing he would suspend his campaign to help push through an agreement on the financial crisis.
Retirement Watchdogs Growl as Wall Street Rocks
Wall Street’s havoc is expected to be especially hard on the retirement plans of women, whose savings cushions are smaller and less able to absorb the shock of a major market reversal. Some retired women may be pulled back into the job market.
Vox Boxing Launches & Helps To Bridge The Gap Between Delegates/Protesters
Vox Boxing, the newest website from the feisty girls of Feisty Aphrodite, launched on Sunday, the 24th of August - a day before the launch of the DNC. Vox Boxing, with help from Paula Noonan (a Colorado delegate and co-founder of Colorado Capitol Watch), organized a meeting of delegates and protesters/activists to start an open dialogue amongst the two groups. There was a lot of positive feedback from the participants and there were two articles written up about the impromptu gathering (check out the Denver Post & Rocky Mountain News articles).
Iranian Women Activists Appear Before Revolutionary Court
On July 14, human rights defenders Nasrin Sotoudeh and Mansoureh Shojaee appeared before the Revolutionary Court with their attorney, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi. Nasrin Sotoudeh is an attorney who has represented a number of the activists involved with the One Million Signatures Campaign, which was launched in August 2006 to raise awareness about gender discrimination in Iranian laws.
Three Women Ordained as Catholic Priests by Group
An activist group hoping to pressure the Roman Catholic church into dropping its long-standing prohibition barring women from the priesthood says it ordained three women on Sunday. Church officials did not recognize the ordination, and the Vatican has previously warned that women taking part in ordination ceremonies will be excommunicated.
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Editor's Corner
The Left’s Achilles’ Heel
People with progressive politics and beliefs know there is an overwhelming share of difficulties they face in trying to help make the world better, but often the problem of ideological bigotry as a barrier to change is never recognized as being perhaps one of the most detrimental conflicts of them all.
The Feisty Shout Out: Podcast
Feisty Shout Out Podcast for 3/9/08
This week the Feisty Shout Out Newscast will be postponed due to Feisty Aphrodite hosting a workshop on media activism at the True…
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