The Political Bridge

A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE EDITORS OF THE BRIDGE by DrTed

As my loved ones and good buds know, I am a man of many passions. 

I love the political process.

I love stirring the political pot and making people think about the issues, which is the Russian/Polish Jew in me.

I love cultural activities, including the theatre (my first love), the fine arts, movies, literature, chamber music and the opera (my current hot passion).     

I love following the financial markets. Following the financial markets is very important in this political atmosphere. These markets (for better or worse) will help shape many of the upcoming changes that will/must happen in this country, commonwealth, and community.  Changes to the financial markets must also occur if full economic recovery is going to happen.

I wrote the preceding paragraphs as a prelude to this announcement: The Bridge (now called The Political Bridge) will have two new siblings: The Cultural Bridge (http://thebridge.typepad.com/theculturebridge/) and The Financial Bridge (http://thebridge.typepad.com/the_financial_bridge). A corresponding newsletter for the Political Bridge will be sent to your e-mail box (unless you do not want it) every few days

The Political Bridge will focus on the latest world, national, state and local political news. It will include comments from Mr. Frank, (hopefully) you and me.  My comments will tend to be edgier than Frank’s because I fancy myself as the next coming of I.F. Stone (boy, do I have delusions of something).  Frank is more pragmatic and disciplined, probably a reflection of his German- Hungarian ethnicity.

The Cultural Bridge will serve to help bridge the information gap in the blogosphere on cultural activities.  This blog will contain information (and commentaries) on the latest happenings in the national and local art scene. There will also be links to cultural festivals throughout the United States and to other blogs/websites on the arts.   

The Financial Bridge will (hopefully) provide a bridge for you over the current rough economic waters to the next economic boom (think green). It will contain the latest financial and economic news; plus commentary from me (and hopefully others) on the potential ramifications. This site will contain links to governmental and non-profit agencies that post national and state economic indicators. The Financial Bridge will also include links to a myriad of progressive and conservative economic think tanks, and to leading national and international financial publications.

I anticipate that will you want to visit all three blogs. Please feel free to contribute materials to them because you have something important to say about politics, cultural activities or economic markets/conditions.

We can learn then from each other.    

STATE SENATOR DENISE HARPER ANGEL: KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2009 “SPECIAL SESSION” QUESTIONNAIRE

  Dear Friend,

The General Assembly has been called into Special Session by Governor Steve Beshear to address a nearly $1 billion budget shortage. While we are in Frankfort, we also will look at other important issues connected to economic development and the economic well-being of the Commonwealth.

As you are aware, Kentucky families and businesses are facing extraordinary economic challenges and we need targeted incentives to help insulate our economy from further job losses and to place us in a competitive position to flourish when the economy improves. Bearing that in mind, would you take a few minutes to respond to these questions on the topics we will be addressing in the days ahead?

VIDEO LOTTERY TERMINALS

1.      Kentucky’s horse industry, which employs an estimated 100,000 Kentuckians and has an estimated annual economic impact of $4 billion, is facing competitive pressures from other states that have more beneficial racing and breeding development programs due to revenue from alternative gaming. Knowing that the Commonwealth’s signature horse industry is facing unprecedented challenges and is at risk of losing its economic position and status as the “Horse Racing Capital of the World,” do you support legislation authorizing video lottery terminals at authorized, licensed racetracks in Kentucky

    Yes ______  No ______ Unsure ______

INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITY

2.      In an effort to improve interstate economic development opportunities, create jobs, and maximize federal dollars while protecting and reserving future bonding capacity for other state infrastructure and road projects, do you support legislation to create an Infrastructure Authority to be a funding vehicle, along with private and local fund raising and governmental assistance, for mega projects such as the proposed Louisville and Henderson bridges between Indiana and Kentucky?

     Yes ______ No ______ Unsure ______

TAX INCENTIVES TO ATTRACT MAJOR EVENTS

3.      In an effort to attract major sporting events to the Commonwealth that would create additional economic development opportunities, do you support legislation designed to create tax incentives to attract a NASCAR Sprint Cup race and the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to Kentucky?

    Yes ______ No ______ Unsure ______

To submit your answers:

Fax: (502) 564-0777

Mail:  229 Capitol Annex Building

           702 Capitol Avenue

           Frankfort, KY 40601

 Or by e-mail:  denise.harperangel@lrc.ky.gov

To answer the questionnaire by e-mail, click “reply.”  To select your answers, place an “X” next to your choice.  To submit your answers click “send.”

Thank you for taking the time to share your opinions on these important issues. As always, please feel free to contact me with any concerns. Your input is always welcome.

Sincerely,

Denise

Senator Harper Angel

35th Senate District

Louisville

CONGRESSMAN YARMUTH (D-KY-3)COMMENDS DECISION TO LIMIT MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL DAMAGE, CALLS FOR CONGRESS TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 11, 2009   MEDIA CONTACT

Trey Pollard 202.225.5401      

(Washington, DC) Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) expressed his support of federal policies designed to reduce the environmental impacts of mountaintop removal mining in the Appalachian Region.

“It is encouraging that the Obama Administration is taking a step forward to halt the devastating and irreversible damage of mountaintop removal,” said Congressman Yarmuth. “I call on my Congressional colleagues to build on these efforts to ensure that this irresponsible practice no longer threatens the Appalachian region or the health and security of its residents.”                                                                                                          

A new, coordinated approach announced today by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of the Interior (DOI) includes the following efforts:

• The Corps will modify the usage of Nationwide Permit (NWP) 21 to prevent its use for authorizing mountaintop removal permits in the Appalachian region.

• The EPA and the Corps will strengthen the regulation, enforcement, and permitting of surface mining operations.

• The EPA will improve and strengthen oversight and review of water pollution permits for discharges from valley fills.

• The Corps and EPA will jointly clarify how to evaluate impacts on proposed mitigation projects and streams.

“This is an important step, but much more action is needed to protect the Appalachian Region,” Congressman Yarmuth added.

Congressman Yarmuth then called on his fellow legislators to support the Clean Water Protection Act, which would change environmental standards to end mountaintop removal mining. The Clean Water Protection Act would amend the Water Pollution Control Act to clarify that the "fill material"- which mining companies are presently permitted to dump in valleys in streams and valleys - cannot  be waste material from mountaintop removal sites.

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THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSED THE PAKISTAN ENDURING ASSISTANCE AND COOPERATION ENHANCEMENT (PEACE)ACT OF 2009

The Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2009 or the PEACE Act of 2009 - Authorizes the President to provide assistance for Pakistan to enhance: (1) democratic institutions in order to strengthen civilian rule and long-term stability; (2) the judicial system and law enforcement; (3) economic development; (4) national, provincial, and local governmental and nongovernmental institutions; (5) public education; (6) human rights, including establishment of an independent National Human Rights Commission; (7) health care; and (8) cultural and educational programs.

  (Democrats in roman; Republicans in italic; Independents underlined)

      H R 1886      RECORDED VOTE      11-Jun-2009      3:34 PM
      QUESTION:  On Passage
      BILL TITLE: The PEACE Act

	Ayes	Noes	PRES	NV
Democratic	226	18		11
Republican	8	167		3
Independent
TOTALS	234	185		14

---- AYES    234 ---

Ackerman Adler (NJ) Altmire Andrews Baird Baldwin Barrow Bean Becerra Berkley Berman Berry Bishop (GA) Bishop (NY) Blumenauer Boccieri Boren Boswell Boucher Boyd Brady (PA) Braley (IA) Butterfield Cao Capps Capuano Cardoza Carnahan Carney Carson (IN) Castor (FL) Chandler Childers Clarke Clay Cleaver Clyburn Cohen Connolly (VA) Cooper Costa Courtney Crowley Cuellar Cummings Dahlkemper Davis (AL) Davis (CA) Davis (IL) Davis (TN) DeFazio DeGette DeLauro Dicks Dingell Donnelly (IN) Doyle Driehaus Edwards (MD) Edwards (TX) Ehlers Ellison Ellsworth Engel Eshoo Etheridge Farr Fattah Filner Foster Frank (MA) Fudge Giffords Gonzalez Gordon (TN) Grayson Green, Al Green, Gene

Griffith Grijalva Gutierrez Hall (NY) Halvorson Hare Harman Hastings (FL) Heinrich Herseth Sandlin Higgins Hill Hinchey Hinojosa Hirono Hodes Holden Holt Honda Hoyer Inslee Israel Jackson (IL) Jackson-Lee (TX) Johnson (GA) Johnson, E. B. Kanjorski Kildee Kilpatrick (MI) Kilroy Kind Kirk Kirkpatrick (AZ) Klein (FL) Kosmas Kratovil Langevin Larsen (WA) Larson (CT) Lee (CA) Levin Loebsack Lofgren, Zoe Lowey Luján Lungren, Daniel E. Lynch Maffei Maloney Markey (CO) Markey (MA) Marshall Matheson Matsui McCarthy (NY) McCollum McGovern McHugh McIntyre McMahon McNerney Meek (FL) Meeks (NY) Melancon Miller (NC) Miller, George Mitchell Mollohan Moore (KS) Moore (WI) Moran (VA) Murphy (NY) Murphy, Patrick Murtha Nadler (NY) Neal (MA) Nye Oberstar

Obey Olver Ortiz Pallone Pascrell Pastor (AZ) Payne Perlmutter Peters Peterson Pingree (ME) Polis (CO) Pomeroy Price (NC) Quigley Rahall Rangel Reichert Reyes Rodriguez Ross Rothman (NJ) Roybal-Allard Royce Ruppersberger Rush Ryan (OH) Salazar Sanchez, Loretta Sarbanes Schakowsky Schauer Schiff Schrader Schwartz Scott (GA) Scott (VA) Serrano Sestak Shea-Porter Sherman Sires Skelton Slaughter Smith (WA) Snyder Space Speier Spratt Stupak Sutton Tanner Tauscher Taylor Teague Thompson (CA) Thompson (MS) Tierney Titus Tonko Towns Tsongas Upton Van Hollen Velázquez Visclosky Walz Wasserman Schultz Watson Watt Waxman Weiner Welch Wexler Wilson (OH) Woolsey Wu Yarmuth

---- NOES    185 ---

Abercrombie Aderholt Akin Alexander Arcuri Austria Bachmann Bachus Barrett (SC) Bartlett Barton (TX) Biggert Bilbray Bilirakis Bishop (UT) Blackburn Boehner Bonner Bono Mack Boozman Boustany Brady (TX) Bright Broun (GA) Brown (SC) Brown-Waite, Ginny Buchanan Burgess Burton (IN) Buyer Calvert Camp Campbell Cantor Capito Carter Cassidy Castle Chaffetz Coble Coffman (CO) Cole Conaway Conyers Costello Crenshaw Culberson Davis (KY) Deal (GA) Dent Diaz-Balart, L. Diaz-Balart, M. Doggett Dreier Duncan Emerson Fallin Flake Fleming Forbes Fortenberry Foxx

Franks (AZ) Frelinghuysen Gallegly Garrett (NJ) Gerlach Gingrey (GA) Gohmert Goodlatte Granger Graves Guthrie Hall (TX) Harper Hastings (WA) Heller Hensarling Herger Hoekstra Hunter Inglis Issa Jenkins Johnson, Sam Jones Jordan (OH) Kaptur King (IA) King (NY) Kingston Kissell Kline (MN) Kucinich Lamborn Lance Latham LaTourette Latta Lee (NY) Lewis (CA) Linder Lipinski LoBiondo Lucas Luetkemeyer Lummis Mack Manzullo Marchant Massa McCarthy (CA) McCaul McClintock McCotter McDermott McHenry McKeon McMorris Rodgers Mica Michaud Miller (FL) Miller (MI) Miller, Gary

Minnick Moran (KS) Murphy, Tim Myrick Neugebauer Nunes Olson Paul Paulsen Pence Perriello Petri Pitts Platts Poe (TX) Posey Price (GA) Putnam Radanovich Rehberg Roe (TN) Rogers (AL) Rogers (KY) Rogers (MI) Rohrabacher Rooney Ros-Lehtinen Roskam Ryan (WI) Scalise Schmidt Schock Sensenbrenner Sessions Shadegg Shimkus Shuler Shuster Simpson Smith (NE) Smith (NJ) Smith (TX) Souder Stark Stearns Terry Thompson (PA) Thornberry Tiahrt Tiberi Turner Walden Wamp Waters Westmoreland Whitfield Wilson (SC) Wittman Wolf Young (AK) Young (FL)

---- NOT VOTING    14 ---

Baca Blunt Brown, Corrine Delahunt Himes

Johnson (IL) Kagen Kennedy Lewis (GA) Murphy (CT)

Napolitano Richardson Sánchez, Linda T. Sullivan

U.S. SENATE HAS PASSED TOBACCO CONTROL ACT: HOW DID YOUR SENATORS VOTE?

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111^th Congress - 1^st Session

as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate

Vote Summary

Question: On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 1256 As Amended )
Vote Number:	207	Vote Date:	June 11, 2009, 02:27 PM
Required For Majority:	1/2	Vote Result:	Bill Passed
Measure Number:	H.R. 1256 (Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act )
Measure Title:	To protect the public health by providing the Food and Drug Administration with certain authority to regulate tobacco products, to amend title 5, United States Code, to make certain modifications in the Thrift Savings Plan, the Civil Service Retirement System, and the Federal Employees' Retirement System, and for other purposes.

 

Vote Counts:	YEAs	79
	NAYs	17
	Not Voting	3

 

 Grouped by Home State

Alabama:

Sessions (R-AL), Yea

Shelby (R-AL), Yea

Alaska:

Begich (D-AK), Yea

Murkowski (R-AK), Yea

Arizona:

Kyl (R-AZ), Nay

McCain (R-AZ), Yea

Arkansas:

Lincoln (D-AR), Yea

Pryor (D-AR), Yea

California:

Boxer (D-CA), Yea

Feinstein (D-CA), Yea

Colorado:

Bennet (D-CO), Yea

Udall (D-CO), Yea

Connecticut:

Dodd (D-CT), Yea

Lieberman (ID-CT), Yea

Delaware:

Carper (D-DE), Yea

Kaufman (D-DE), Yea

Florida:

Martinez (R-FL), Yea

Nelson (D-FL), Yea

Georgia:

Chambliss (R-GA), Nay

Isakson (R-GA), Nay

Hawaii:

Akaka (D-HI), Yea

Inouye (D-HI), Yea

Idaho:

Crapo (R-ID), Yea

Risch (R-ID), Yea

Illinois:

Burris (D-IL), Yea

Durbin (D-IL), Yea

Indiana:

Bayh (D-IN), Yea

Lugar (R-IN), Yea

Iowa:

Grassley (R-IA), Yea

Harkin (D-IA), Yea

Kansas:

Brownback (R-KS), Nay

Roberts (R-KS), Nay

Kentucky:

Bunning (R-KY), Nay

McConnell (R-KY), Nay

Louisiana:

Landrieu (D-LA), Yea

Vitter (R-LA), Yea

Maine:

Collins (R-ME), Yea

Snowe (R-ME), Yea

Maryland:

Cardin (D-MD), Yea

Mikulski (D-MD), Yea

Massachusetts:

Kennedy (D-MA), Not Voting

Kerry (D-MA), Yea

Michigan:

Levin (D-MI), Yea

Stabenow (D-MI), Yea

Minnesota:

Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea

 

Mississippi:

Cochran (R-MS), Yea

Wicker (R-MS), Yea

Missouri:

Bond (R-MO), Not Voting

McCaskill (D-MO), Yea

Montana:

Baucus (D-MT), Yea

Tester (D-MT), Yea

Nebraska:

Johanns (R-NE), Yea

Nelson (D-NE), Yea

Nevada:

Ensign (R-NV), Nay

Reid (D-NV), Yea

New Hampshire:

Gregg (R-NH), Yea

Shaheen (D-NH), Yea

New Jersey:

Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea

Menendez (D-NJ), Yea

New Mexico:

Bingaman (D-NM), Yea

Udall (D-NM), Yea

New York:

Gillibrand (D-NY), Yea

Schumer (D-NY), Yea

North Carolina:

Burr (R-NC), Nay

Hagan (D-NC), Nay

North Dakota:

Conrad (D-ND), Yea

Dorgan (D-ND), Yea

Ohio:

Brown (D-OH), Yea

Voinovich (R-OH), Yea

Oklahoma:

Coburn (R-OK), Nay

Inhofe (R-OK), Nay

Oregon:

Merkley (D-OR), Yea

Wyden (D-OR), Yea

Pennsylvania:

Casey (D-PA), Yea

Specter (D-PA), Yea

Rhode Island:

Reed (D-RI), Yea

Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea

South Carolina:

DeMint (R-SC), Nay

Graham (R-SC), Nay

South Dakota:

Johnson (D-SD), Yea

Thune (R-SD), Yea

Tennessee:

Alexander (R-TN), Nay

Corker (R-TN), Yea

Texas:

Cornyn (R-TX), Yea

Hutchison (R-TX), Yea

Utah:

Bennett (R-UT), Nay

Hatch (R-UT), Nay

Vermont:

Leahy (D-VT), Yea

Sanders (I-VT), Yea

Virginia:

Warner (D-VA), Yea

Webb (D-VA), Yea

Washington:

Cantwell (D-WA), Yea

Murray (D-WA), Yea

West Virginia:

Byrd (D-WV), Not Voting

Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea

Wisconsin:

Feingold (D-WI), Yea

Kohl (D-WI), Yea

Wyoming:

Barrasso (R-WY), Yea

Enzi (R-WY), Ye

 

KY GOVERNOR BESHEAR PROPOSES LEGISLATION THAT WILL ENSURE FUNDING FOR BRIDGES, OTHER TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS

 

Press Release Date:  Thursday, June 11, 2009  

Contact Information:        

Jay Blanton
Jill Midkiff
502-564-2611  

 

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gov. Steve Beshear today unveiled legislation that will create a state authority to help ensure funding of mega-transportation projects such as the proposed bridges in Louisville and Western Kentucky.

The authority, Gov. Beshear said, is critical to not only ensuring movement on mega-transportation projects but also freeing up critical dollars for other transportation initiatives across the Commonwealth.

It is the last piece of legislation the Governor is adding to the call for the special legislative session, which is set to begin June 15. In all, Gov. Beshear said today his agenda for the special session represents a set of “urgent, but focused, measures designed to meet the obligations we have as a state, but move forward with critical investments that will retain and create jobs. I believe now is the time to act, if we are to fund the needs of our people and invest in jobs and infrastructure that will help move our economy forward.”

In addition to today’s legislation, Gov. Beshear has proposed a budget plan to address a looming $1 billion shortfall in the 2010 budget without raising taxes; expansion of gaming at racetracks to save the 100,000 jobs and $4 billion of investment associated with the horse industry; and new incentives to modernize the state’s economic development offerings and to attract a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race to the Kentucky Speedway.

Gov. Beshear said all of the legislation on the agenda is important and now will be considered by the General Assembly. He said he remains open to further discussions and changes as each proposal moves through the process.

“The bridges legislation will ensure long-term funding prospects for mega-transportation projects, which will create jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in investment for Kentucky,” Gov. Beshear said. “At the same time, moving forward now on this initiative will enable us to free up state dollars and commitments for important transportation projects across Kentucky.

“The time to act is now – if we want to create jobs, to stimulate investment and to move forward with creating the kind of infrastructure we want and need across Kentucky.”

Specifically, the legislation includes the following highlights:

       Establishes the Kentucky Public Transportation Authority (KPTA) to review and approve transportation projects eligible for construction and financing that connect Kentucky and Indiana. The authority will be composed of 11 members;
 

       Authorizes the KPTA to facilitate construction and financing of transportation projects between Kentucky and Indiana. The authority may issue project revenue bonds; and
 

       Authorizes the establishment of bi-state authorities between Indiana and Kentucky to finance, construct and operate projects, subject to approval by the state authority.

“This legislation has passed both the House and the Senate in similar forms by large numbers,” Gov. Beshear said. “It is time to move forward. Infrastructure means jobs and investment in our state. At a time when our economy nationally is so challenged, we should not delay anything that will create jobs and investment in our state. It should be our priority.”

###

                                                                                                                                                          

 

KY SOCIAL FORUM: JUNE ORGANIZING SESSION

 

WE'VE BEEN TO LOUISVILLE, LEXINGTON, ELIZABETHTOWN, FRANKFORT & BOWLING GREEN...NOW TO COVINGTON!

HOST:	KENTUCKY SOCIAL FORUM
TYPE:	MEETINGS - INFORMATIONAL MEETING
NETWORK:	GLOBAL

 

DATE:	SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2009
TIME:	11:00AM - 1:00PM
LOCATION:	COVINGTON CITY HALL - 1ST FLOOR CHAMBERS
STREET:	638 MADISON AVENUE
CITY/TOWN:	COVINGTON, KY

 

PHONE:	5026497833
EMAIL:	ANGELYN42@YAHOO.COM

DESCRIPTION

LET'S GET TOGETHER ON SATURDAY, JUNE 20 IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY TO CONTINUE PLANNING FOR THE INAUGURAL KENTUCKY SOCIAL FORUM. MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND THEN SPREAD THE WORD TO ANY AND ALL WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS HISTORIC CONFERENCE. WE NEED YOU TO MAKE THIS FORUM HAPPEN. PLEASE JOIN US!

THE CHAMBERS ARE VISIBLE THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR OF CITY HALL. PLEASE ENTER FROM THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING (20 EAST SEVENTH STREET) IF YOU ARRIVE BEFORE 11:30 A.M.; COME TO THE FRONT DOOR IF YOU ARRIVE AFTER 11:30 A.M.

THE KYSF WILL BE HELD JULY 31 THROUGH AUGUST 2 AT BEREA COLLEGE! FOR MORE INFO, VISIT OUR GROUP PAGE AT HTTP://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GROUP.PHP?GID=27435455119. QUESTIONS? CONTACT KYSF ORGANIZER ANGELYN RUDD AT THE NUMBER OR E-MAIL ADDRESS ABOVE.

 

 

THE LOUISVILLE PUBLIC RADIO PARTNERSHIP WILL AIR A PROGRAM ON LGBT ISSUES IN LOUISVILLE, IN KENTUCKY AND NATIONWIDE

From David Williams, editor of The Letter(the LGBT) paper in Louisville, KY

This Friday, June 12, 2009, from 1-2 PM on "State of Affairs" on WFPL-FM, 89.3 on the dial, four Louisvillians will come together to talk about the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, LGBT life in Louisville in the 1970s, and various contemporary LGBT issues in Louisville, in Kentucky, and nationwide.

 The four panelists are Dr. Cate Fosl, author of a new book on the civil rights movement in Louisville from 1945-1980; Mickey Nelson, an early 1970s Louisville pioneer; Louisville psychotherapist Rich Coomer, who was just entering adulthood at the time of Stonewall; and local LGBT historian David Williams, founder of the Williams-Nichols Archive & Library for LGBT Studies at the University of Louisville and former editor of The Letter.

 Please give yourself a reminder to tune into WFPL-FM, 89.3 on the dial on Friday from 1-2 PM, or stream it on the web.  Go to www.wfpl.org and look for the Listen section on the left hand side of the main page.

INFO ON SUBMITTING GRANTS (IN KENTUCKY) FOR GREEN JOB TRAINING

Materials from Larry Clark, Pro-Tem of Kentucky House of Representatives

Click Download Greenjobs to receive instructions about submitting a Green Job Training Grant.

SURVEY SHOWS THAT A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE AND HEALTH CARE REFORM

From the Dieago The Hotline

 

When thinking about the economic stimulus package passed by Congress

and signed into law by the President, how confident are you that it will be successful in

turning around the economy?

                       Feb 28   April   June

                       Mar 3     23-26,  4-7

Confident    53%      57%     52%

Not                44%       42%    47%

Confident                         

Do you support or oppose Congress and the President enacting a major overhaul of

the U.S. health care system?

Health Care Overhaul June

4-7, ‘09

Strongly support          38%

Somewhat support      24%

TOTAL SUPPORT    62%

Somewhat oppose      10%

Strongly oppose          19%

TOTAL OPPOSE      28%

Don’t Know / Refused   9%