First, Senate Republicans voted to kill Medicare. Now, Republican leader Mitch McConnell is holding Medicare hostage, saying the GOP will refuse to lift the debt ceiling – endangering our economy – unless Democrats support the GOP Medicare Plan. The GOP plan isn’t to reform the system – it’s to end Medicare as we know it. Period.

Senate Democrats have said the GOP plan to end Medicare is off the table. But they need your support to stand strong in the face of sustained GOP attacks. Will you sign our petition to show Democrats that you stand with them in defending Medicare? We need 100,000 Democrats to sign it so GOP leaders know we have an online army behind us.

Tell Republicans that the GOP plan to end Medicare is off the table! go to: www.dscc.org and sign the petition

Millions of Americans count on Medicare for their health coverage, and millions more expect to rely on it in the future. Help us send a strong signal to Republicans that we won’t allow them to destroy our social contract.

Guy Cecil

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Free Amina … Alice Jay – Avaaz.org

06/08/2011 Nativegrl77 1 Comment

On Monday, Amina Arraf, a popular young Syrian American blogger was abducted by three armed men as she walked to a protest meeting. Her high profile kidnapping is an ominous sign that the Syrian regime‘s gloves are now totally off.

Amina is one of over ten thousand men and women who have been detained and tortured in the last few months just for calling for democracy. Security forces have shot dead over one thousand peaceful demonstrators, and are laying siege to entire cities to crush the non-violent movement. But despite this brutality, a total ban on foreign reporting, and internet and phone blackouts, courageous Syrians, like Amina, refuse to be silenced.

Every hour that passes she is in greater danger of unimaginable persecution, and experts say only the US and Turkey‘s diplomatic influence could get her out. Let’s call for Amina’s immediate release, an end to the violent crackdown, and for all political prisoners to be freed. Click to send an urgent message straight to the inboxes of the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Turkey and the President and Secretary of State of the USA — then send this onto everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/free_amina_arraf/?vl

The regime has steadily escalated repression against protestors, with 80 civilians killed just this past Friday by security forces and dozens dying of gun shot injuries since then. The army has repeatedly fired on unarmed demonstrators in Dera’a, Hama and Homs and horrific tales of sexual torture of children, men and women, fingernail extraction and psychological torment are rampant. Given that homosexuality is illegal in Syria and Amina’s forceful and frank platform as a gay blogger, her treatment by the regime could be terrifying, and her life could be in danger.

So far, the Syrian regime has proven deaf to international pressure, including European Union and US sanctions. But, cracks are appearing in the regime and as we saw in the case of Iman al-Obeidy in Libya and Sakineh Ashtiani in Iran, Turkey can play a crucial role, and massive global public pressure can save the life of an individual, even in times of chaos and violence.

Amina is a symbol for the extraordinarily brave Syrians struggling for basic rights. She has written extensively in her blog about her family’s experiences during the repression, about being a gay woman in Syria, and she has given voice to many demonstrators’ criticism of the regime. Recently she had been forced into hiding. Two hours before her detention she posted a poem that ended:

Soaring and flying
Freedom is coming
Here am I wanting
To know it one day

Later that day Amina’s cousin posted on the blog, “I have been on the telephone with both her parents and all that we can say right now is that she is missing. Her father is desperately trying to find out where she is and who has taken her.” Let’s send an avalanche of messages now to the USA and Turkey to help stop Amina’s torment and secure the freedom that she saw soaring and flying:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/free_amina_arraf/?vl

Together, the Avaaz community is assisting Syrian citizen journalists to break the blackout and get key footage out across the world, and are directly supporting the efforts of peaceful, pro-democracy protesters. Let’s secure Amina’s freedom now and continue to stand with Syrians struggling for a free, inclusive future.

With hope and determination,

Alice, Stephanie, Mohammad, Rewan, Ricken, Benjamin and the whole Avaaz team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Deadline: 20,000 new donors … Julianna Smoot, BarackObama.com

06/08/2011 Nativegrl77

This donor-matching drive ends tonight — thanks for taking that first step and owning a piece of this campaign.

But I need your help to get us where we need to be: With more than 15,000 people joining this matching drive so far this week, I’m setting a goal to reach 20,000 before our deadline at midnight.

My team calculated how many new donors this goal translates to in your area. Here’s where we stand:

GRASSROOTS MATCH
Deadline: Midnight tonight
National Goal: 20,000 new donors
Goal in Seattle: 15

One of these people — maybe even someone in your neighborhood — will make their first donation to the campaign because you’re ready to double their impact.

Can you help us meet our goal by pledging to match a first-time gift of $25?

We know that we can compete without compromising our values — measuring our goals not just in dollars raised, but in people who’ve taken ownership of this campaign.

So tonight’s goal is an important one — and you’re a big reason we’re in a position to hit it. People like you are the most effective fundraisers we have right now. You made your first donation simply because someone said, “If you give, I’ll give, too.” Now, it’s your turn.

Donate $25 or more today and help bring in a new donor:

https://donate.barackobama.com/2011-Pledge-Deadline

Thanks,

Julianna

Julianna Smoot
Deputy Campaign Manager
Obama for America

~ my 2cents ..., ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

wicked Wednesday &some News

06/08/2011 Nativegrl77

Today, as the progress of our Nation seems to be slowing down given our Congress is unable to work in a bipartisan way to get our economy growing and Republicans, though in the minority have managed to do their best to stop any effort to create and pass laws that will. Instead, they work, debate and will finally vote on delaying the debit card usage fee caps or the 10% tax on tanning salons; don’t get me wrong those two pieces of legislation definitely are important but it would it would be nice if Leader Reid would introduce Jobs bills whenever possible. If you are like me it seems like every time a Republican speaks now days i flinch, cringe, or say I told you so. I know that in my resentment for the lack of knowledge in the issues, reality and or trust by my fellow Americans, or from those angry voters, even some Democratic members of Congress in President Obama I am not alone. I have to say that it is important that we remind ourselves why and what some of our so-called allies said about the November Midterm elections and not let this happen again. Yes, we are all suffering on some level because they decided to sit out, vote right of center … whatever. Yep, I was worried and now we are all living with a daily barrage of crap on any given platform confirming the worry with good reason. The week before the midterms, I stated … What worries me, is the possibility that people who have no experience, common sense or clarity may get on the floor of Congress and really ruin what use to be a great country. The fact is this group of Republicans is not our parent’s right of center Political Party. This Political Party of No have not only proved themselves to be more concerned about those top 2% by repeatedly holding legislation hostage in the name of those job creators and financial backers since the midterms elections. It is more than obvious they do not care about reducing the deficit, climate change, Jobs, fair share or the middle or lower classes whatsoever they have used the race card though hidden or undetected by most. The conversation from pundits, cable heads and others who engage in coded racial talk have an agenda that will hurt us all in the long term. Though Republicans have not introduced one Jobs bill but have btw voted against all the Jobs bills offered up by the Democratic Party because it will give our President a win. They continue to state that giving them control of the House of Representative is what Americans wanted but they have failed to listen and accept the buyer’s remorse screamed at them at town halls, meet-ups, and or calls from their own constituents. We the People on both sides of the aisle want Congress to put people back to work not to touch Medicare, Planned Parenthood, NPR, or anything else related to a social program that is government run. . I have not heard that slogan as much but the Republican Tea Party has acted as if they will “take back their country,” on all levels of government. In October 2010 I said, I guess you can plug in whatever that means for you though it sounded like an awful way to live if you are a minority on any level. Now, it is obvious that it means a vote against all your best interests. If you live on the Gulf Coast or a State with a Republican Mayor or Governor, it is likely you have been asking yourself not only why you were so easily conned but what have Republicans really done for you lately. If you have family, friends and or co-workers who are Teachers, Cops, Emts, Firefighters or any type of Rescue worker you probably are feeling as if your vote to take back your country was one of the last nails that will or could ruin this country as you know it. Yes, that is my opinion but come on, if you have been paying attention or living under a rock, Republican members of Congress, and some so-called dems started working and voting against their fellow Americans since President Obama Admin took office. The main mission as stated by the likes of a Bachmann is making this President Obama’s only term by voting against all of his policies which will invariably takes us all down.