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Mike Thompson: It's Not "Perfect," But ...

Congressman issues statement on bipartisan OK of legislation to avoid the "fiscal cliff."

 

North Bay Congressman Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) said he voted in favor of the bipartisan agreement to avert the fiscal cliff because to do otherwise would have triggered another recession.

The legislation was passed in the 11th hour, according to the Huffington Post.

Thompson, a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, released the following statement Tuesday on his vote:

“This legislation is far from perfect but it’s better than the falling off the fiscal cliff," Thompson said. "Doing nothing would have sent our economy into a tailspin and triggered another recession.

"Now that we have done what was needed to avoid the fiscal cliff, it’s time to focus on what should have been our priority all along: getting Americans back to work and getting our fiscal house in order,” Thompson added.

-- has been redistricted to the newly created 5th District, which represents Napa and Sonoma valleys and Rohnert Park-Cotati.

Healdsburg and Petaluma -- and much of the entire North Coast -- will be represented D-San Rafael, in the newly created 2nd congressional district.

According to the Press Democrat, Huffman will have his hands full as he heads off to Congress this month.

To read the Press Democrat article, click here.

To read the Associated Press account -- as published in the Press Democrat -- of the "fiscal cliff" legislation approval, click here.

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Kevin January 2, 2013 at 03:41 pm
Increasing the national debt by ANOTHER $4,000 BILLION?
Raising taxes (during an economic slowdown) by $600 BILLION? Cutting spending by a paltry $15 BILLION? Obviously not a problem for Mike, just more of the same...
MICHAEL P WILSON "Independent Kid" January 2, 2013 at 03:47 pm
You forgot the communist care tax is now in effect.
Paddy January 2, 2013 at 05:18 pm
Mike, your job is to now cut spending. For starters, I'd like to see $1,000 billion in spending cuts. If you can accomplish this let business owners create jobs, that's not the job of the government.
Scott Yeager January 2, 2013 at 05:27 pm
"Historically, the term “tax rate” has meant the average or effective tax rate — that is, taxes as a share of income. The broadest measure of the tax rate is total federal revenues divided by the gross domestic product.
By this measure, federal taxes are at their lowest level in more than 60 years. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that federal taxes would consume just 14.8 percent of G.D.P. this year. The last year in which revenues were lower was 1950, according to the Office of Management and Budget. The postwar annual average is about 18.5 percent of G.D.P. Revenues averaged 18.2 percent of G.D.P. during Ronald Reagan’s administration; the lowest percentage during that administration was 17.3 percent of G.D.P. in 1984. In short, by the broadest measure of the tax rate, the current level is unusually low and has been for some time. Revenues were 14.9 percent of G.D.P. in both 2009 and 2010. Yet if one listens to Republicans, one would think that taxes have never been higher, that an excessive tax burden is the most important constraint holding back economic growth and that a big tax cut is exactly what the economy needs to get growing again." http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/are-taxes-in-the-u-s-high-or-low/
Scott Yeager January 2, 2013 at 05:33 pm
And yet more reality. In easy to read chart form.
http://visualizingeconomics.com/blog/2011/04/14/top-marginal-tax-rates-1916-2010
Penny January 2, 2013 at 08:32 pm
Mr. Thompson, Thank you!
MICHAEL P WILSON "Independent Kid" January 3, 2013 at 12:57 am
Oh yes Thank you for almost doing your job. In other news, The darling of the left Al Gore. Just sold his "TV Netwark" to a terrorist organization. I guess he was looking to be a bigger part of the 1% http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/02/al-jazeera-said-to-be-acquiring-current-tv/
Scott Yeager January 3, 2013 at 11:27 am
Al-Jazeera is not a terrorist organization.
MICHAEL P WILSON "Independent Kid" January 3, 2013 at 03:09 pm
Ha ha Ok. Just the most trusted name in news,For terrorist organizations.

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Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Loui Loui June 17, 2013 at 08:58 am
An actual post with the information and image of the home on this site would've been helpful -Read More instead of just a lazy link.
Beau Behan June 17, 2013 at 09:42 am
Hi Keri, Thanks for letting us know. I tried to correct the &#39, but it appears to be notRead More working.
F Otterbeck June 17, 2013 at 03:17 pm
Is there any way to remove the blogs from the news page? Blogs are not news. They are opinionRead More pieces, and I would like more news. thanks!
Keri Brenner (Editor) June 17, 2013 at 05:41 pm
Hi Beau and F: Yes, the &#39 are still there and not going away. I trust that tech people areRead More working on this...Sorry. And as far as the blogs being on the news stream, I can't change that except to keep the blogs mostly at the bottom and the news on top. The new platform is designed to highlight the blogs more than they were before. Occasionally if there is a timely, useful or highly newsworthy blog post I will move it up, but in general the news will be in the first 5 slots and the blog below. Hope that helps. Keri
Louisa Hufstader (Editor) June 16, 2013 at 02:47 am
Go, Jamie! I voted, all the way out here in lobsterland where I hope you and Kevin will visit someRead More day.
Roberta Goodin June 16, 2013 at 05:49 pm
Jamie, I have clicked on you several times and wish you the best! Salad sounds wonderful! Roberta
Jamie Brown Miller June 18, 2013 at 07:07 am
You're all so very kind! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Kimberly Olson June 14, 2013 at 08:18 am
It is easy to judge people from a distance. All of us have up and down times in life, none of usRead More have the same internal or external supports to deal with it all. Maybe those among us who feel superior could try to take a moment or more to see life from the perspective of someone who (even from a position of pain or vulnerability) has too much pride to accept the stigma of being in need of the social translation of "the lowest of the low" homeless shelter or addiction counseling. It feels good to try lifting others up rather than tearing them down; Maybe your smile or expression of something other than disgust could make a positive difference to move a person in need toward help.
Unfiltered Steve Simoneau June 14, 2013 at 06:17 pm
Lo! And behold! If you check today's (Friday, June 14) Fugitive page on Napa Valley Patch you willRead More see Benjamin Paz, the one and same who was arrested for being naked at the Expo.
Ray Richards June 15, 2013 at 06:16 pm
Thank you Marlene for your story, It is a tragic and difficult life that many homeless people haveRead More to live and I always thank my god that I have been more fortunate. I would like to respectfully suggest though that you break your future comments (and I hope there are many more) into paragraphs to make them easier to read. Thank you and I hope you well.
Keri Brenner (Editor) June 12, 2013 at 10:25 pm
Not the case. It's definitely on the list of stories to cover. Absolutely! Thanks for the reminder!
J. Roland Wagner June 13, 2013 at 08:06 am
Before advocating change, be sure of what you will obtain by such a change. I haven't seen anythingRead More that concerned me with Libersteins decisions.
MICHAEL WILSON June 13, 2013 at 08:27 pm
If He is running unopposed It would be a waste of Ink. Or in the case of media of the day A waste ofRead More electricity. Look at the County Sheriff We are stuck with Who ever the Union wants
Loui Loui June 13, 2013 at 10:25 pm
I'd like to show appreciation to my grandfather on Father's Day. He taught me how to cook a roast,Read More garden, work with tools, use a shotgun and appreciate our surrounding waters. Always a patient man, my grandfather showed me so much. I got scared once when I broke a tool when we were building a skateboard ramp. He just replied with, at least you know not to do that anymore. I always admired how my grandfather loves my grandmother so much. That's old, true love. Fairy tail kinda stuff. Love we all want to grow old with. I love my grandpa with all my heart.
Keri Brenner (Editor) June 17, 2013 at 06:19 pm
Hi Loui Loui: Your grandpa sounds wonderful!
Unfiltered Steve Simoneau June 13, 2013 at 10:41 am
Loui Loui, it's called false pretenses and misleading claims. While I understand it's not theRead More editor's or tech's fault, releasing a product to the public as "New with better features!" shouldn't mean that it comes with glitches, bugs and frustration. And unlike Google+ and FB, Napa Valley Patch didn't "come out", we had a NVP that was working perfectly fine and Corporate Patch decided to upgrade. Can you imagine the ether-riots if FB did an "upgrade" full of glitches and bugs"?
Unfiltered Steve Simoneau June 13, 2013 at 10:54 pm
Actually, Loui, I left FB two years ago and haven't been back since. And while Patch and FB may beRead More "free" services they rely on users to exist. It's a symbiotic relationship, so both sides must be content for it to work efficiently.
MICHAEL WILSON June 15, 2013 at 10:24 am
I am With USS on Facebook I have never Been there. I use the Patch and a few Blogs I also have myRead More own Website. Facebook has gone into the censorship business, from what many are telling me.
Unfiltered Steve Simoneau June 10, 2013 at 06:42 pm
Why the Hispanics need their own Chambers Of Commerce is a mystery to me. Racism is the promotion ofRead More one race above others. If I supported a White/Caucasian Chamber Of Commerce I'd be labeled a bigot and racist. One Chamber Of Commerce should suffice for ALL!
Harold Edwards June 11, 2013 at 01:15 am
All the Chamber of Commerce promotes is slave labor pure & simple.It screws the worker &Read More practices unfair labor for business big and small.They are not a team player there only for the team owner!! Don't fall for there wicked ways.
Renée Bell (Courtesy photo)
Amy Larson June 12, 2013 at 02:22 pm
It says 7 comments for this article when it's on the side. When you go to the post, there are 0.Read More This will show up as the first one.
Amy Larson June 12, 2013 at 02:23 pm
Sorry, "comment". Now it's adding to the count with each real comment.
gaylon June 6, 2013 at 03:39 pm
Loui Loui, Will do! So happy to hear of your interest in this important issue..
Janice Allgower June 11, 2013 at 10:21 am
Gaylon. I will be there and bring my husband along as well. Great speaker , he should really informRead More us all on just what is going on.....
gaylon June 11, 2013 at 11:03 am
Janice, Thank you for your interest...This is a huge concern for most citizens....Bring aRead More neighbor...See you there...