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Surging

12/12/2013 Nativegrl77

Obamacare Enrollment Gaining Steam

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the enrollment figures for Obamacare through the end of November. Unsurprisingly, about four times more people enrolled during the month of November as did during October, when HealthCare.gov was largely non-functional. Reports indicate that enrollment has continued to surge over the past two weeks ahead of the December 23 deadline to purchase coverage taking effect January 1, 2014.

Here are the topline numbers to know:

110,410 Americans signed up for private coverage through HealthCare.gov just last month.

1,900,000 people have made it through the process but have yet to select a plan.

803,077 people have been determined to be eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

364,682 Americans selected plans through the state-run or federal insurance marketplaces (137,204 through HealthCare.gov and 227,478 in state-run exchanges).

The surge resembles Massachusetts’ successful launch of Commonwealth Care, where most people signed up later in the open enrollment period:

OctNovEnrollment

Enrollment for Massachusetts’ Commonwealth Care in 2007:

MA2007

In other good Obamacare news, a report out today found that the number of women who are receiving birth control at no additional cost — a key Obamacare benefit — has jumped 25 percent since the requirement went into effect last year.

“This data confirms that the Affordable Care Act is already working for millions of women and their families — and we expect that number to keep growing,” said the president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Cecile Richards.

For their part, Republicans continued to attack the law during another predictably one-sided hearing.

Things did not go so well for Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL), who botched an attempt to compare HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to North Korea’s totalitarian dictator and then totally freaked out. A Democratic Member admonished Shimkus, who was shouting at Sebelius, to allow her to actually answer his questions. “I do not have to allow her to answer the question!” Shimkus screamed in reply.

(Shimkus was attacking the aforementioned no-cost preventive care benefits under Obamacare, which include birth control and cancer screenings.)

BOTTOM LINE: Obamacare is working and more than a million Americans have gained access to health coverage because of the law, many for the very first time.

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Arlington Cemetery is 35,000 wreaths short

12/12/2013 Nativegrl77

VoteVets.org

Every year during the holiday season, volunteers lay wreaths atop the tombstones honoring the fallen heroes laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

They’re traditionally funded by individual donations, but this year they are about 35,000 wreaths short.

VoteVets would like to help them close that shortfall.

Each wreath costs about $15 to make before they’re driven down to Virginia and placed in front of a headstone.

Can you contribute $15 today to pay for a single wreath, and we will write a check to Wreaths Across America from the VoteVets community?

http://action.votevets.org/wreaths

There’s a story of sacrifice and sadness beneath every headstone at Arlington. During this time of year, we’d like to remind the families that their loved ones will never be forgotten.

All the best,

Jon Soltz
@JonSoltz
Iraq War Veteran & Chairman
VoteVets.org

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Yelp and ALEC are partners ?

12/12/2013 Nativegrl77 2 Comments

Yelp! is silencing thousands of its users who oppose its recent decision to join ALEC.

At our new site TELLYELP.NO, submit your own Yelp! “review” and we’ll deliver it directly to Yelp’s CEO.

Friends ,

According to documents ColorOfChange obtained from the highly-secretive American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) last month, user-review site Yelp! joined ALEC — and gave the group at least $10,000 — during the opening week of George Zimmerman‘s murder trial.

More than 50 corporations have pulled their funding from ALEC over its responsibility for deadly so-called “Stand Your Ground” — or “Shoot First” — laws. It’s due to Shoot First that Zimmerman was not only acquitted of all criminal charges for his confessed killing of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin,¹ but will likely be immune to any civil penalty for wrongful death.²

Pressed to explain the company’s bizarre decision to join ALEC now, Yelp!’s Director of Public Policy admitted he “can’t ignore” the damage ALEC has done.³ But the company is suppressing thousands of negative reviews posted to ALEC’s Yelp! page opposing the move, and Yelp!’s CEO has made every effort to sidestep the growing controversy. To cut through Yelp!’s filter and reach company decisionmakers directly, ColorOfChange is launching a new site — TELLYELP.NO — that drives home the harm Yelp! inflicts on our communities by funding ALEC.

Check out TELLYELP.NO now, and urge CEO Jeremy Stoppelman to withdraw Yelp!’s funding from ALEC.

In the wake of Zimmerman’s acquittal, Shoot First — with its legal presumption that subjective, racist fears are justifiable grounds for vigilante homicide — has served to paint a target on the backs of Black youth.⁴ Shoot First endangers millions of people living in more than two dozen states, and there is now eight years of available data on the laws’ racially-biased outcomes.⁵ But ALEC has taken no steps to repeal Shoot First laws in the states where they’re on the books — nor to stop ALEC legislators from continuing to introduce new ones. Ten Shoot First bills have been introduced so far in 2013, and two have passed.⁶

ALEC is a bill mill that thrives on millions in fungible corporate “membership,” “scholarship” and “sponsorship” monies;⁷ this explicit pay-to-play legislation pipeline ensures that ALEC will continue to produce extreme profit-driven laws⁸ that exploit and endanger our communities. By funding it, Yelp! is directly furthering all aspects of the ALEC legislative agenda, and is responsible for the harms caused by the laws that result.

Join us in urging Yelp!’s CEO to withdraw funding from ALEC and TELLYELP.NO now. And when you do, please ask your friends and family to do the same.

Thanks and Peace,

–Rashad, Matt, Arisha, Kim, Johnny and the rest of the ColorOfChange team
September 26th, 2013

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.

References

1. “Fox News Still Denying Role Of Stand Your Ground In Zimmerman Acquittal,” Media Matters for America, 08-20-13
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2975?t=10&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

2. “‘Stand your ground’ law may snarl any civil suit vs. George Zimmerman,” Orlando Sentinel, 07-16-13
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2966?t=12&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

3. “Agree: can’t ignore it,” @lutherlowe (Twitter), 08-15-13
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2967?t=14&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

4. “Open season on black boys after a verdict like this,” The Guardian, 07-14-13
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2969?t=16&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

5. “Uneven application, shocking outcomes,” Tampa Bay Times, 07-03-12
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2970?t=18&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

6. “ALEC at 40: Turning Back the Clock on Prosperity and Progress,” Center for Media and Democracy, 08-08-13
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2971?t=20&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

7. “How the ALEC corporate bill mill works,” Capital Times, 08-16-11
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2972?t=22&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

8. “Big Money, ALEC and the Gun Agenda,” Truthout, 12-16-12
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2098?t=24&akid=3138.1174326.5lrQmV

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NMAAHC

12/12/2013 Nativegrl77

2013 has been an exciting year for us!
Since our ground breaking in February 2012, the Museum has been taking shape at our construction site on the National Mall, located at the corner of 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, in Washington, DC.
Just before Thanksgiving, we installed by crane two signature objects — a Southern Railway railroad car (segregated) and a 1930s guard tower from Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola — too massive to be installed after the Museum is built. These will be a part of our inaugural exhibition on segregation.
As construction continues, the beams and pillars are beginning to rise. When finished, the Museum will be nearly 400,000 square feet, crowned by a 3-tiered bronze colored corona, but we still need additional funds to reach the finish line.
Can I count on your help? Please consider making a special, year-end tax-deductible gift to the Museum.
Your support is vital to preserving and promoting the cultural legacy of African Americans. Imagine seeing firsthand a PT-13 Stearman Bi-plane actually used to train Tuskegee pilots, viewing the lace shawl Queen Victoria gifted to Harriet Tubman, or enjoying a presentation of jazz music from the Harlem Renaissance!
With artifacts like these and more, the Museum will be a place that becomes a lens into a story that unites as all. To make this possible, Carmen, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today and ensure we stay on schedule to open the Museum’s doors in just a few short years.
Thank you for all you’ve done to support the Museum so far!

Sincerely,
Signature

Lonnie G. Bunch
Director

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Please Support the Black Institute

12/12/2013 Nativegrl77

Since 2010, The Black Institute has been the premiere “action tank” mobilizing the immigration reform movement from a Black perspective. We have advocated for low wage fast food workers, a Walmart Free NYC, Caribbean DREAMERS, comprehensive immigration reform, the rights of immigrants, environmental justice, and the deprivatization of public education. The latest TBI initiative is The G Project. The G Project aims to impact Comprehensive Immigration Reform by shifting the perception of immigrants in this country to include Black immigrants. This is achieved by identifying blacks and black immigrants as “G’s.”

We need you to support our initiatives and help us fight back! Our opponents are well funded by big corporations and wealthy donors. You can make a big difference and give us a fighting chance. Make your end of the year tax-deductible donation RIGHT NOW!!!!!
Please take Action today with a contribution of $25, $50, $100 or $250 today by clicking here!!