Daily Archives: 07/25/2011

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A Call to Action to President Obama……HCR,Energy,Education,Equal Rights for All …something to remember


This morning, Michelle and I awoke to some surprising and humbling news. At 6 a.m., we received word that I’d been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.

To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who’ve been honored by this prize — men and women who’ve inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it’s also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.

That is why I’ve said that I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations and all peoples to confront the common challenges of the 21st century. These challenges won’t all be met during my presidency, or even my lifetime. But I know these challenges can be met so long as it’s recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone.

This award — and the call to action that comes with it — does not belong simply to me or my administration; it belongs to all people around the world who have fought for justice and for peace. And most of all, it belongs to you, the men and women of America, who have dared to hope and have worked so hard to make our world a little better.

So today we humbly recommit to the important work that we’ve begun together. I’m grateful that you’ve stood with me thus far, and I’m honored to continue our vital work in the years to come.

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The Affordable Care Act … a refresher


White House Official blog

The Affordable Care Act, passed by Congress and signed into law by the President in March 2010, gives you better health security by putting in place comprehensive health insurance reforms that hold insurance companies accountable, lower health care costs, guarantee more choice, and enhance the quality of care for all Americans.

SEE: How it works Starting Sept. 23, 2010 A bridge to 2014 Reducing Costs Progress

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Conservati​ves Urge GOP to Raise Debt Ceiling


The Progress Report Banner

 By ThinkProgress War Room on Jul 22, 2011 at 4:55 pm

Default Denialists Called Out By Conservatives

We are now 11 days away from a default on our obligations, and House Republicans appear no closer to agreeing to increase the debt ceiling than they were weeks ago. The business community and other conservatives appear to be reacting to this default denialism with increasing alarm. Here’s a rundown of some of the right-wing calls to raise the debt ceiling.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

We have been telling you for weeks and months that defaulting on our debt is not an option – it has real, immediate, and potentially catastrophic consequences. […]

The result from political inaction could be devastating.

Financial Services Forum

Failure to raise the debt ceiling and the ensuing default and inability of our country to pay its bills as they come due would have harsh implications for the dollar, the international and domestic financial system, economic growth and job creation. It is critically important that our leaders arrive at a deal to avoid both the negative consequences of a default and address our federal debt and large annual budget deficits in a responsible way.

More than 450 Corporate CEOs

Now is the time for our political leaders to put aside partisan differences and act in the nation’s best interests. It is time to pull together rather than pull apart.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R)

But they’ve got to get this done immediately or the uncertainty for the business community is going to be just devastating to our country.

Mesa Arizona Mayor Scott Smith (R), Vice President, U.S. Conference of Mayors

Anything that upsets the potential for any kind of recovery creates huge problems for the city… We’re sort of at the bottom of the food chin. When you have someone out of work, when you have someone who’s homeless, when you have someone with mental health issues, any interruption, anything that disrupts the economy, hurts our ability to help them.

Many of the social ills that we experience, you can’t just ignore. We have people who are homeless, we have people who are unemployed. They don’t just go away when governments cut their budgets…These are human beings, they still have needs, they still have problems…Our biggest concern is when there’s an across the board cut in spending without thinking about these different needs, you end up paying more.

President Ronald Reagan


Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have Missed

Although GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney has recently remarked that he doesn’t “see carbon as a pollutant,” he certainly regulated carbon dioxide like one while he was governor of Massachusetts.

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) defended the Gang of Six’s deficit-reduction proposal with the promise that only “the people sucking off the program are going to be the ones that lose.”

The real sticking point for conservatives opposed to the IOM’s recent recommendations on health care plans isn’t abortion — it’s contraception.

Pulitzer-prize winning undocumented immigrant Jose Antonio Vargas had his driver’s license revoked by the state of Washington.

A top Iowa Republican and former Bob Vander Plaats ally tells the pro-discrimination crusader that he and his organization’s “credibility is waning to the point of no impact.”

David Leonhardt is the new New York Times DC Bureau Chief.

Blue Bunny Ice Cream, whose CEO Mike Wells has close ties to Bob Vander Plaats, is feeling the heat over his support for the Iowa FAMiLY LEADER.

Ohio’s unemployment rate rises for the first time in 15 months as Republican Gov. John Kasich’s budget cuts go into effect.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) criticizes President Obama for cutting NASA’s shuttle missions. In reality, it was a former president from Texas who ended the program.

NewsCorrupt: New MoveOn Ad Calls For Congressional Investigation of News Corp

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Convicted for her son’s hit and run death …Release his Mom & install a CrossWalk -Change.org

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A.J. Nelson was just four years old when he was killed in a hit-and-run by an intoxicated driver in Atlanta. Now his own mother, Raquel Nelson — who was also hit by the car while trying to save her son — faces up to three years in prison for A.J.’s death.

Raquel and her three children got off a bus and — with several other passengers — attempted to cross a five-lane highway to get to her apartment across the street. Standing at the median, little A.J. reportedly saw someone else jaywalk and ran out into the street to follow. Raquel ran out after him to stop him. But it was too late. Both Raquel and A.J. were hit by a vehicle, and A.J. died in the hospital a few hours later.

The driver, who admitted having a few beers and pain medication that afternoon, spent just six months in jail. This Tuesday, a judge will sentence Raquel Nelson to serve up to 36 months in jail for the death of her own son.

Please sign the Change.org petition to tell Judge Kathryn Tanksley and Georgia Governor Nathan Deal not to jail Raquel Nelson on Tuesday. Improving safety is more important than punishing innocent mothers.

Raquel Nelson’s family will deliver your petition signature to Judge Tanksley at her sentencing on Tuesday. It’s critical to speak out by Tuesday to prevent Raquel from serving a day in jail.

Though the stop itself was directly across the street from Raquel’s apartment where she got off the bus, the closest crosswalk was nearly a mile away. After a long day out in Atlanta, and a missed transfer, Raquel crossed the street with other passengers on the bus, taking the most direct route home.

Raquel was prosecuted for “vehicular homicide” and other charges because she and A.J. didn’t use a crosswalk to walk home. Unfortunately, she is not the first grieving mother to be prosecuted for the hit-and-run death of her child in Atlanta. The same prosecutor who convicted Raquel for her son’s death also convicted another Atlanta mother whose daughter was killed in a hit-and-run while attempting to cross the street.

A Change.org member named Eliza Harris is an urban planner who read about Raquel’s prosecution. She started the petition because she knows it makes more sense to use the money spent to prosecute Raquel to instead create crosswalks and better serve people who use public transportation.

Prosecuting grieving mothers is not the solution — Judge Tanksley should not sentence Raquel to jail, and Cobb County should make streets walkable and safe. Please sign the petition before Raquel is sentenced on Tuesday:

http://www.change.org/petitions/cobb-county-ga-release-grieving-mother-of-hit-and-run-install-a-crosswalk

Thank you for taking action.

– Corinne and the Change.org team

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Forcing the poor and middle-cla​ss to pay … Rashad Robinson, ColorOfChange.org


 
Republicans are trying to push forward a plan that would gut America‘s social safety net — and unless we act now, they may get their way.

Congress needs to raise the debt ceiling before August 2nd so that the government doesn’t default on its debts, which would wreak havoc on the economy. But Republicans are refusing to vote to raise the debt ceiling unless they can also pass massive cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, student aid, and other important programs that create opportunity and protect the most vulnerable among us.

Democrats in Congress are holding the line, saying that they won’t accept any cuts to these programs without asking huge corporations, millionaires and billionaires to contribute their fair share.

But as the deadline approaches, Congressional Democrats will be under immense pressure to compromise their principles, even if it means giveaways for the rich while most Americans suffer.

Please join us in calling on the White House and Congress to say NO to any deal that asks people who are already struggling in this economy to sacrifice even more, without asking corporations and the rich to pay their fair share. And please ask your friends and family to join us as well:

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/907?akid=2071.1174326.rdN0yZ&t=3

The moral line is clear: the budget must not be balanced on the backs of poor and working folks while millionaires and billionaires pay lower taxes than ever. Americans oppose cuts to Medicare and Social Security by a 2-to-1 margin, and a large majority thinks that keeping benefit levels the same is a bigger priority than short-term deficit reduction.1 And an amazing 72% of Americans are united behind the idea of asking the wealthy to pay their fair share of taxes.2

By speaking out, we can help give the President and Congressional Democrats the political space they need to stand strong against the GOP‘s dangerous demands. It’s especially important that we deliver this message to the House of Representatives, because it’s likely that any budget deal will have to happen with the blessing of Democrats there. If they stand strong, we can avoid the worst of the cuts.

Why do we need to raise the debt ceiling?

Congress sets the maximum amount the federal government can borrow to pay its bills on time. If our debt rises above the limit, the government will begin to default on its commitments. And when that happens, there will be far-reaching consequences for everyone, but especially poor and working folks.

If the government doesn’t pay its bills, it’s a lot like when you or I don’t pay our bills — it ruins our credit, and makes buying goods and services more expensive. Worse, it makes even having debt more expensive, which means that money the government will have to pay higher interest rates — money that won’t go to economic stimulus or preserving the social safety net.

Most reputable economists say that a government default would wreck the nation’s economy, halting the already-weak recovery and possibly taking the world’s economy down with it.3

That fact hardly matters to most Republicans in Washington, who are treating the prospect of default like a high-stakes game of chicken. Many see an opportunity to gut programs that they never could otherwise, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. It’s a disgusting, cynical strategy.

If enough of us speak out, we can help save the social safety net and force corporations and the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share. Please join us now:

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/907?akid=2071.1174326.rdN0yZ&t=5

Thanks and Peace,

— Rashad, James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Matt, Natasha and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
    July 24th, 2011

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU–your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don’t share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/205?akid=2071.1174326.rdN0yZ&t=7

1. GOP Divided Over Benefit Reductions: Public Wants Changes in Entitlements, Not Changes in Benefit,” Pew Research Center for People and the Press, 7-7-2011
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/908?akid=2071.1174326.rdN0yZ&t=9

2. “Poll: Taxing the rich favored over Medicare cuts,” Politico, 4-20-2011
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/909?akid=2071.1174326.rdN0yZ&t=11

3. “To the limit,” New York Times, 7-1-2011
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/910?akid=2071.1174326.rdN0yZ&t=13