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On the Budget: A Tale of Two Visions

02/20/2011 Nativegrl77

A Tale of Two Visions

This week we saw two radically different visions for America‘s national priorities. President Obama’s budget for Fiscal Year 2012 generally protects key programs for women and girls, although it makes some painful cuts. The House Republican plan for funding — and de-funding — the federal government for the remainder of 2011 would, by contrast, irresponsibly slash funding for a wide range of programs vital to the well-being of women and their families, with consequences that I can only describe as devastating. Read NWLC’s program-by-program analysis of the competing plans >>

Joan Entmacher

Vice President, Family Economic Security

National Women’s Law Center

Issue by Issue

Explore each of the issues below to learn how they would be affected:

Health & Reproductive Rights — Read More>>

Early Childhood Care and Development — Read More>>

Education — Read More>>

Employment and Training — Read More>>

Assistance to Unemployed Workers — Read More>>

Civil Rights and Worker Protections — Read More>>

Tax Benefits for Working Families — Read More>>

Safety Net Programs — Read More>>

Violence Against Women — Read More>>

Social Security and Retirement — Read More>>

Tax Reforms — Read More>>

Additional Fact Sheets and Resources

House Republican Spending Cuts Devastating to Women, Families and the Economy >>

Gingrey H.R. 1 Amendment Will Make It Harder for Low-Income Women to Obtain Access to Contraceptives >>

Fleming H.R. 1 Amendment Will Jeopardize Patient Access to Health Care Services and Information >>

Oppose the Pence H.R. 1 Amendment that Will Jeopardize Women’s Access to Basic Health Care >>

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Wisconsin

02/18/2011 Nativegrl77

For the last three days, tens of thousands of nurses, teachers, workers, students, and citizens have protested in front of the Wisconsin Capitol in Madison.

Governor Scott Walker is trying to cut benefits for state workers and take away their collective bargaining rights – and he threatened to call out the National Guard if they protest, a threat that’s still on the table.

Just hours ago, Democratic State Senators boldly refused to show up for a vote — delaying the vote!

We must stand in solidarity with these Wisconsin citizens who are fighting back against the Governor. Can you sign our open letter? (Already, dozens of local and national leaders have joined us.)

Click tell the Wisconsin State Legislature to oppose Walker’s budget and say no to his threat to use the National Guard against state workers!

Thousands have camped out in the capitol building overnight, a scene Wisconsin Republican Paul Ryan had to admit was “like Cairo has moved to Madison.”

So far, dozens of local Wisconsin leaders like Patrick Landgraf, President AFL-CIO Local 18 have signed on, and they’re joined by the PCCC, VoteVets, CREDO Action, and Daily Kos, as well as thousands of people from Wisconsin and across the country.

We’ll alert the media to the progress of this letter, as more and more people stand in solidarity against Gov. Walker’s cuts and threats. So please pass this email to others.

Click here to sign the open letter in solidarity.

Thanks for being a bold progressive,

Stephanie Taylor, Jason Rosenbaum, Adam Green, and the PCCC team

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RE: Support for the Reporting of Multiple Sales of Long Guns

02/18/2011 Nativegrl77

Thank you for your comment regarding the 60-day emergency notice of information collection relating to ATF Form 3310.12 (Report of Multiple Sale or Other Disposition of Certain Rifles), published in the Federal Register on December 17, 2010. The Federal Register and supplement form may be found at: http://www.atf.gov/regulations-rulings/rulemakings/general-notices.html

The primary purpose of this program is to improve law enforcement’s ability to identify firearms traffickers, to disrupt the criminal activity and to stop deadly violence plaguing the southwest border States and Mexico. The multiple sales reports will apply only to rifles that are semi-automatic, greater than .22 caliber, and have the ability to accept a detachable magazine. Federal firearms licensees in the States of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas will complete the forms for those transactions when an individual purchases two or more of these rifles within five business days. We intend to evaluate the results at the end of a 1 year pilot period.

As mentioned in the notice, if granted by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the emergency approval of the form is valid for 180 days. All comments received in response to the notice will be carefully considered and, if warranted, revisions to the form will be made.

www.usdoj.gov

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Unions = Jobs

02/18/2011 Nativegrl77 3 Comments

Right now, over 30,000 people are rallying at the state capital in Wisconsin for the second day in a row in solidarity with union workers and the good-paying middle class jobs they protect.

JOIN A VIRTUAL MARCH IN SOLIDARITY RIGHT NOW AND WE’LL SEND YOU A FREE “UNIONS = JOBS” BUMPER STICKER

http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/491?akid=461.1480546.b0LjN0&t=1

They’re standing up because Wisconsin’s Republican Governor Scott Walker is on the attack. His proposed state budget attempts to strangle workers’ rights by eliminating the right for cops, firefighters, teachers, or any other government employee to let their union negotiate their pay and benefits through collective bargaining.

To make it clear he’s serious, Gov. Walker has even threatened to call out the National Guard on protesting marchers in an attempt to squash debate and demonize the hard-working Americans standing united in front of the state capital right now. This is only the beginning of the Republican attack on unions and middle class families. Similar attacks on unions are expected by Republican Governors in Ohio and New Jersey very soon with other states to follow.

It’s time for us to stand up — all of us — across America — in solidarity with union workers and the good-paying middle class jobs they protect. Today we start a virtual march nationwide and will deliver the signatures to Democratic leaders in the target states. And when you sign up right now, we’ll send you a “Unions = Jobs” bumper sticker to put on your car, computer, or wherever you can to spread the message that we all stand together.

JOIN THE MARCH NOW AND GET YOUR FREE “UNIONS = JOBS” BUMPER STICKER

http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/491?akid=461.1480546.b0LjN0&t=1

Republicans are starting to get scared by the reaction. Even Republican Paul Ryan from WI compared Gov. Walker to deposed Egyptian President Mubarak, when in an interview with Joe Scarborough on “Morning Joe” this morning he said:

“It’s like Cairo moved to Madison.”

They never expected American workers would stand united to defeat them, now they’re seeing it happen. If we keep the pressure up and keep growing the number of Americans standing together, we can win this and protect vital middle class jobs.

STAND TOGETHER AND JOIN THE VIRTUAL MARCH NOW >> http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/491?akid=461.1480546.b0LjN0&t=2

This isn’t just about unions. This is about good-paying middle class jobs and the America we want to live in.

Thank you for everything you do.

-Charles

Charles Chamberlain, Political Director

Democracy for America