“I can’t breathe.”

Those were Eric Garner’s last words after being put in a chokehold by a Staten Island police officer. He shouted repeatedly from the ground, gasping for breath, as bystanders watched in horror.¹

If you haven’t already, please listen to the devastating audio of Eric Garner’s final moments. His last words ring as a call to all of us—to pay attention and to act.

And then, please share this with five friends who might not be fully aware of the protests that have erupted across the country, led by young people of color crying out for justice.

Listen and share the audio of Eric Garner’s last words.

Garner’s death—and the subsequent refusal of the Staten Island grand jury to hold the police accountable—have ignited a massive outcry, as people are flooding the streets in dozens of cities with eloquent and peaceful protests.

Now we’re at a turning point. This wave of public revulsion and outrage can help change the culture and policies that have been enabling police violence in communities of color for far, far too long. But only if enough people really tune in and take action.

For those of us who are already in motion, thank you. For the rest of us, let’s make sure we really hear Eric Garner’s last words and the moral call to act that they represent. They’re hard to take—but that doesn’t mean we can turn away.

Please listen and share Eric Garner’s last words.

Thank you for all you do.

–Corinne, Justin R., Erica, Anna, and the rest of the team

P.S. Check out FergusonAction.com to find ongoing peaceful demonstrations in your area.

Source:

1. “Protesters Fill the Streets Across the Country Over Decision in Eric Garner Case,” New York Times, December 4, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301950&id=105527-17809870-KHfgCWx&t=3

In a state like Washington — a state connected to the world by the ocean, the interstate, and the air — our roads, bridges, ferries, airports, and rails make up a vital system that feeds our economy and prepares us for the future.

We can’t let investments in this infrastructure — infrastructure that creates jobs and keeps our families safe — be derailed by another political showdown.

When the next legislative session starts, I’m ready to work with our state’s leaders to create a plan that works for everyone — but I want to know you’re standing with me.

Do you want a transportation plan that works for Washington to be a top priority in the next legislative session? Click here to show your support.

Our state’s transportation infrastructure is long overdue for repairs and upgrades. But when the last legislative session ended, so did our hopes for a comprehensive transportation plan to be passed in 2014.

We can’t let that happen again.

I’ve already invited state legislators to meet with me and help develop a plan that works for Washington. That plan must do several things: fund desperately needed repairs and replacement of structurally deficient roads and bridges, support a multiplicity of transit options — from cars and freight trains to buses and ferries, and create jobs for Washington workers.

I believe we can develop a plan that is sustainable and ensures safe, reliable ways to move people and products whether by car, bus, bike, rail, boat, or plane. And I want to work with our state’s leaders to make that plan a reality.

But to make that happen, I need to show that I have your support. I need to make it clear that Washington wants the passage of a forward-thinking, sustainable transportation plan to be one of our top priorities in the upcoming legislative session.

Help me make Washington roads and bridges safe and create new jobs for workers. Click here to declare that you believe Washington needs a comprehensive transportation plan now.

Thanks for your support.

Very truly yours,

Jay Inslee

By CAP Action War Room

A Remarkably Positive Jobs Report, With A Reminder That There’s More To Do

The November jobs report was released today, and it brought a lot of good news. The U.S. economy added 321,000 jobs in November, well exceeding analysts’ expectations of 230,000. The unemployment rate remained at 5.8 percent. But the report also offers a reminder of the struggles that many working Americans continue to feel in the sluggish recovery.

The monthly jobs report doesn’t provide a comprehensive view of how our economy is doing, but it does offer an important glimpse into some of the macro employment and wage trends that reflect whether the economy is growing, and who is sharing in that growth. Here are five charts that show what to be happy about, and why we need to continue to work so that everyone has a chance for economic opportunity and prosperity.

1. A first for the U.S. economy: 50 straight months of job growth

CREDIT: DPCC

There have now been 50 straight months of payroll job growth — which has never happened before in the U.S. economy. 2014 will have them most job growth of any year since 1999.

2. Job growth is coming from full-time employment, not part-time.

Not all jobs are created equal. The good news, over the last few years, is that employment growth is coming from full-time, not part-time work.

3. Involuntary part-time work is decreasing — but still high.

CREDIT: Vox

The number of people working part-time for economic reasons declined by 177,000 from October to November. But years into the economic recovery, the number remains persistently high.

4. Wage growth continues to be sluggish.

Average weekly earnings rose faster than they have in a year, by 2.4 percent. But this economic expansion has brought slower wage growth than previous ones have: comparing this recover to the past three, it is doing 5 percent worse.

5. The share of Americans in the labor force is still historically low.

The unemployment rate measures those who are out of work–but are still looking. The percentage of able-bodied adults of working age who are not looking for work remains high and clues us into some of the economic pessimism still being felt.

BOTTOM LINE: The November jobs report brought lots of good news that we hope can continue in the months to come. But this isn’t the time to declare victory: this is the foundation we need to jump start growth that benefits everyone, not just the wealthy few.