Monthly Archives: February 2011

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WI State Senator Chris Larson …supports


Here is a message for PFAW members and activists from Wisconsin State Senator Chris Larson, a member of PFAW Foundation’s Young Elected Officials Network and one of the 14 Democratic Senators who left Wisconsin in order to prevent the Republican controlled Senate from passing Gov. Scott Walker‘s union-busting budget proposal:

Friends,

I write to express my sincere thanks to you and the other thousands of PFAW supporters who have taken the time to show your support for us and for our state’s public employees. Just one week ago, our Republican Governor Scott Walker announced that he would be using a budget adjustment bill to reverse 50 years of Wisconsin history and go after worker rights in Wisconsin. If passed, the balance in our society will again tilt to the powerful over the powerless. The ability to organize and get fair treatment are qualities that built our country. This is what the last generation fought for in the 60s and the 70s to make sure we all had a better life.

If this bill moves forward in Wisconsin, rights in all America we have grown to take for granted will no longer be so reliable. Workers will no longer be able to work as a group to negotiate anything besides wages. Republicans here have already passed a “tort reform” law that makes it much harder to seek justice in Wisconsin. But this new move by Walker is much worse. It is an unprecedented attack on workers, their communities and our tradition of working with labor to move our state forward.

If this passes here, it will pass in other states.

To be clear, Walker is seeking to scapegoat unions as the cause of the fiscal crisis in an effort to divide the middle class against itself. This, while he is opening tax loopholes for the richest in the country.

I appreciate your support and seek it for the ongoing fight ahead of us. Please speak out in any way you can. We need you to let your neighbors know that this assault on worker rights will hurt every person and every community across Wisconsin, and perhaps across the nation. It will drive down wages and decrease work place safety for all workers in our country, union and non-union alike.

Thank you for all you do for your community.

In Solidarity,

Chris Larson

Wisconsin State Senator

twitter.com/ChrisJLarson

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Harmful Bush-era “Conscienc​e” Rule Rescinded


A few years ago, we asked you to imagine this: A woman with cervical cancer is not given information about the option to extract and freeze her eggs before her cancer treatment because her gynecologist has a religiously based opposition to infertility treatment.

You helped us oppose this Bush administration “conscience” rule by sending thousands of comments and emails to the administration. The rule, which was in effect since 2008 encouraged providers to deny access to abortion and contraception, and treatment for infertility, substance abuse and HIV/AIDS in ways the law does not allow.

When President Obama took office he proposed rescinding this harmful rule, and again you responded by sending over 5,000 comments in support of removing this restriction. We are pleased to report that the Obama administration announced late last week that it was rescinding dangerous provisions of this rule. We couldn’t have done it without your help and support!

But the battle over women’s health continues and we need your help now. Please make an urgent donation today to support the Center’s work on women’s health and other issues important to women and their families.

Please make an urgent donation today to support the Center’s work on women’s health and other issues important to women and their families.http://action.nwlc.org/site/R?i=WAE9P7vrbxWLu20UOP3Kew..

The new House leadership has unleashed alarming attacks on women’s health and reproductive rights, and if they have their way, women’s access to health care will be set back decades. The House voted to repeal the new health care law, which is already helping women and families. Now House leadership wants to put into law parts of the regulation which was just rescinded. For example, exempting hospitals from requirements to treat women in need of emergency abortion care, even if they may die without it. They want to raise taxes on potentially millions of individuals and small businesses that keep the insurance plans they currently have if they include coverage of abortion. And on top of it all, this past week they made it clear that they are launching an all-out assault on women’s access to contraception and other family planning services.

For nearly 40 years, the National Women’s Law Center has led the way for women and families — in the classroom, in the workplace and in society as a whole. We’re up against what is already one of the most challenging sessions of Congress in recent history, but with our team of experts and your help we know we can win, no matter how much the other side pushes its dangerous message.

Your generous donation allows us to continue to stand up for women and their families. Please support the Center’s important work today. http://action.nwlc.org/site/R?i=vP-vEw_2yVfPMfAafWcfmQ..

Your generous donation allows us to continue to stand up for women and their families. Please support the Center’s important work today.

On behalf of women and families everywhere, thank you for your generous help.

Sincerely,

Judy Waxman

Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights

National Women’s Law Center

P.S. Learn more about Obama’s decision to rescind this harmful Bush-era regulation in our new fact sheet.

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Why Wisconsin matters for President Obama (via Anderson Cooper 360)

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CNN Political Unit Washington (CNN) — President Obama knows that the ongoing budget protests in Wisconsin are just round one in the national battle for control of the budget message. So he’s reportedly sent his outside political team, Organizing for America, to help build even larger crowds. It’s something that drew ire from House Speaker John Boehner on Friday. “His political organization is colluding with special-interest allies across the cou … Read More

via Anderson Cooper 360

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First, they attacked PBS and NPR. Now this?


First, they went nuclear on PBS and NPR. Now, they have voted to totally shut down AmeriCorps — the groundbreaking national service program that has transformed the lives of millions of Americans.

In the dead of night on Saturday, a Tea Party-driven group of House members voted to kill AmeriCorps, completely eliminating all funding. With a potential government shutdown looming on March 4th, the fate of 85,000 AmeriCorp community organizers, teachers, and tutors will now be decided by the U.S. Senate.

Here is the heart of the matter: AmeriCorps volunteers help and protect our country’s most vulnerable. Every day, AmeriCorps organizers work in many of the poorest communities in America, lessening the pain of those suffering in this brutal economy. As their work rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina exemplifies, these organizers are the backbone of our country’s service community — a Peace Corps for our own country.

After hearing the shocking news, former AmeriCorps volunteer Caleb Jonas decided he had to do something. From a coffee shop in Massachusetts, Caleb logged in to www.Change.org from his laptop and created a petition asking Congress to “Save AmeriCorps.” Caleb’s inspiring action has already been signed by 17,266 Americans — without significant promotion from any major organization. Until now. http://www.change.org/petitions/save-americorps?alert_id=NNHcGQVECl_XoMYVCMMAM&me=aa  

Click here now to quickly sign your name to Caleb’s “Save AmeriCorps” petition to the Senate. Your signature will help Caleb reach his personal goal of 85,000 signatures — one signature for every AmeriCorps member currently serving their country. DEADLINE: Thursday, 5 p.m.

Why does Caleb care so much about AmeriCorps? Because he spent a year improving the quality of tutoring programs for low-income kids in Minnesota — and witnessed AmeriCorps members build houses for Habitat for Humanity, help political refugees start new lives, improve reading test scores for elementary school students, and help disadvantaged high school students get into college.

As Caleb told us over the phone, it breaks his heart that this vital national service program could be shut down at a time when people in the most marginalized communities in America need it the most. That’s why Caleb was inspired to start his “Save AmeriCorps” petition from a coffee shop — and why AmeriCorps supporters are sharing it on Facebook and forwarding messages like this to their friends around the country.

With AmeriCorps on the chopping block, it’s time for us to stand up for Caleb and thousands of other volunteers who have committed years of their lives to community service. Will you click here now to sign your name and tell the Senate not to kill AmeriCorps?

http://www.change.org/petitions/save-americorps?alert_id=NNHcGQVECl_XoMYVCMMAM&me=aa

Thank you for joining Caleb and Change.org members across our country fighting to save AmeriCorps before it’s too late.

— Patrick and the Change.org team

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Wisconsin state Senators joined with protesters …


Thank Wisconsin‘s courageous state senators who have joined with protesters to block the Republican attack on public employees.

Support the Wisconsin 14

Clicking here will add your name to this note to Wisconsin’s Democratic state senators:

“Thank you for taking a courageous stand. I stand behind you in your fight to block a vote on Gov. Walker’s outrageous attack on nurses, teachers and public employees.”

Amazing. Inspiring. This is what people power can do.

When Republican Governor Scott Walker attacked state workers and threatened to call out the National Guard if they protested, it sparked a popular uprising in Wisconsin. And now the extreme proposal to take collective bargaining rights away from public employees is temporarily blocked as a result of mass protests.

Tens of thousands of people — including members of CREDO Action — have been out in the streets and in the Rotunda in Madison, Wisconsin. Students and citizens are protesting in solidarity with nurses, teachers and workers.

And the people are not alone. Instead of caving to the opposition, their elected representatives are fighting with them. In fact, Democratic state senators boldly left the state in order to deny Republicans the quorum they need to pass Governor Walker’s radical anti-worker, anti-union bill. As long as every Democratic state senator refuses to go to the capitol, a vote cannot be held.

Thank the Wisconsin 14 — the Democratic state senators who have fled Wisconsin to block Gov. Walker’s attack on workers. Click here to automatically sign your name. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=7158&id=16906-2591629-_fzv8Kx&t=9

Wisconsin state Senator Chris Larson, who is one of the senators in hiding, laid out the stakes in an open letter and asked for our support:

The ability to organize and get fair treatment are qualities that built our country… If this bill moves forward in Wisconsin, rights in all America we have grown to take for granted will no longer be so reliable… If this passes here, it will pass in your state… It is an unprecedented attack on workers, their communities and our tradition of working with labor to move our state forward… I am seeking your support for the fight ahead of us.

Larson, and his fellow Democratic senators, are literally working to evade capture by state police in order to prevent this radical attack on public workers. He’s asked for our support.

Let’s show the Wisconsin 14 that we wholeheartedly support their actions and offer our profound thanks for their leadership in this fight. Clicking here will automatically sign your name. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=7158&id=16906-2591629-_fzv8Kx&t=9

Too often our elected representatives refuse to lead. But Wisconsin is proving that big things can happen when our elected officials work together with committed activists and fight back.

All 14 Democratic state senators are holed up outside the reach of the State Troopers who are working on orders of the Governor to forcibly return them to the capitol. If even one Democratic state senator is returned to the capitol, Republicans will be able to pass Gov. Walker’s bill. Not only that, but Republicans are organizing recall efforts to throw them out of office. The Wisconsin 14 need to hear encouragement from progressives nationwide. Let’s show them resounding support for their actions.

Thank Wisconsin’s 14 Democratic state senators and tell them they have your support. Click here to automatically sign your name  >> click on link >>http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=7158&id=16906-2591629-_fzv8Kx&t=9

Our teachers, nurses and other public workers wouldn’t have the chance to fight for their rights without the bravery of these Wisconsin state senators. I’m proud to have grown up in Wisconsin. I received an excellent education from its public schools and was raised in a working-class community that valued the contributions of every citizen. Wisconsin would not be the great state it is without the work of thousands of people who have dedicated their lives to public service.

Thank you for taking action in solidarity with the uprising in Wisconsin.

Mark Anthony Dingbaum, Campaign Manager

CREDO Action from Working Assets

P.S.: SEIU has a list of solidarity actions planned for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in 21 states. For a list of actions compiled by SEIU and to RSVP, click here. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=7165&id=16906-2591629-_fzv8Kx&t=13

P.P.S.: Special thanks to the worker who took our order Saturday afternoon at Ian’s Pizza on State Street in Madison, Wisconsin. When we asked if he could deliver pizzas to the protesters on behalf of CREDO Action members, he replied, “Hell, yeah!”