Category Archives: ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Gitmo


click above to sign petition
by Dalia Hashad – Avaaz.org
Avaazpix
In 24 hours, President Obama could finally move to close Guantanamo —
With inmates on a 100-day hunger strike and massive calls for Obama to act, our president has been pushed to respond with a major speech about the prison. If enough of us demand a plan — he could free the prisoners already cleared for release, and appoint a White House official with one mission: close Guantanamo down!
We’re at a tipping point. Sign up to demand Obama close this shameful gulag down, and share the shocking facts below so others join this urgent call.
The facts speak for themselves:
• Detainees in Guantanamo now: 166
• Detainees facing active charges: 6
• Detainees cleared for immediate release, but stuck in the camp: 86
• Guantanamo inmates on hunger strike: 103
• Hunger strikers strapped down and force fed: 30
• Prisoners who have died in custody: 9
• Children the US has held at Guantanamo: 21
• Detainees tried in civilian court: 1
• “Unreleasable” detainees who can’t be tried for lack of evidence or torture:50
• Prisoners released by the Bush administration: 500+
• Prisoners released by the Obama administration: 72
• Current annual cost to US taxpayers: $150 million
• Days since Obama first pledged to close Gitmo: 1579
• Time since first prisoners arrived at Guantanamo: 11 years, 4 months, 11 days …
For years, Obama has blamed the US Congress for the failure to close Guantanamo. But since Congress granted the Defense Department waiver authority that allows prisoners who have been cleared to be transferred out, Obama himself can free these 86 men. And while he will need Congressional cooperation to close the prison completely, if he truly wants to shut it down, he can task someone at the White House right now to show it is a priority and make it happen.Sign now to demand Obama announce a plan to close Guantanamo, and then let’s up the pressure by flooding the White House with calls in these final hours  — it’s time we end this shame!

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Get the facts. Then share them


Rainforest Action Network
 Gemma Tillack, Rainforest Action Network
Help spread the word about palm oil’s destructive impact on Indonesia’s rainforests—and how we can stop it!
Image Description

We’ve been writing to you about the deforestation in Indonesia caused by palm oil production for years now. But you might still be connected to the problem and not even know it.
Palm oil is in roughly half of all the products on your grocery store shelves, including many of the most popular snack foods. Cookies, crackers, ice cream, peanut butter, chocolate bars… You get the point. Palm oil is difficult to avoid, especially if you don’t even know what to look for.
How can you find out if palm oil is an ingredient in your favorite snack? Why are rainforests being cut down for palm oil in the first place? And what can you do about it? Everything you need to know is in this blog post, which you can easily share with your friends and family!
To stop a problem as large as the destruction of Indonesia’s rainforests for palm oil, though, it’s not enough to arm ourselves with the facts. We need to spread the word as far and wide as possible. Everyone needs to know their connection to rainforest destruction and how they can be part of the solution.
Is your favorite snack food contributing to rainforest destruction? Get the facts. Then share them.
If you look for “palm oil” in the ingredients list of your favorite snack food, you may not find it. But that doesn’t mean it’s not there. Palm oil often gets listed as something seemingly harmless (though generally with more syllables than real food), like Ascorbyl Palmitate or Palm Kernel Stearin .
We put together all the information you need about palm oil’s destructive impact on the rainforests of Indonesia, and outlined ways you can take action to break the link between America‘s favorite snack foods and rainforest destruction. Arm yourself—and your friends and family—with the facts now.

Campaigner Name

For the forests,
Gemma Tillack             Senior Agribusiness Campaigner
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

UPDATE: Abortion ban subcommittee hearing today


NARAL Pro-Choice America

   20 Week Abortion ban gets Congressional Hearing

Today, Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) is holding a hearing in his subcommittee on legislation that would take away women’s constitutional rights and put women across America in danger.

Ironically, Franks‘ panel is called the “Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice,” neither of which Mr. Franks seems very interested in using to protect women.Womenshc

This is incredibly dangerous legislation. It’s a blatant attempt to roll back a woman’s right to choose. We need to fight it every step of the way. People need to know this is happening. People need to know what’s in store if these anti-choice zealots have their way.

Please make an emergency gift to stand against this bill and to stand up for women.keepabortionlegal

Yesterday, the radical anti-choice group Susan B. Anthony List stood with Rep. Franks and declared their support for this terrible bill. Anti-choice activists want to drag us back to the days when abortion was illegal and desperate women had nowhere to turn. I won’t go back. Will you?

Ilyse G. Hogue President, NARAL Pro-Choice America
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Top 3: No Relief For Oklahoma, A Congressma​n’s Hypocrisy, And The Supreme Court


OKLAHOMA SENATOR REFUSES TO SUPPORT TORNADO RELIEF WITHOUT BUDGET CUTS

CONGRESSMAN COMPARES FOOD STAMPS TO STEALING

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE IN TROUBLE
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Pelosi – House Dems and the Headlines : May 2013


Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 Pelosi Statement on LGBT Pride Month

“What emerged as a new chapter in the fight for civil rights at Stonewall in June 1969 continues today in the battle to secure basic, fundamental protections for LGBT families and workers everywhere – to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act; to reject discrimination in our immigration system against LGBT families and foreign-born partners and spouses; and to make marriage equality not just a cause of one community, but the law of the land. In LGBT Pride Month, that drive endures as we act to keep the doors of opportunity and equality open for LGBT Americans and all Americans.”
Friday, May 31, 2013
 
“There is no greater way to safeguard the future of our country than to invest in the education of our children. Yet if Congress fails to act by July 1, interest rates on student loans will double, putting a college education well out of reach for millions of American students. With hardworking families already carrying $1 trillion in student loan debt, we must do more to ease – not exacerbate – that burden.
Friday, May 31, 2013
 

“As we mark another Memorial Day, we recommit to addressing the challenges of military families in our time: to ensure timely access to benefits; to end the claims backlog at the VA; to secure quality health care and good-paying jobs for our service members.  On this day and every day, we must reaffirm our solemn promise: just as the military leaves no one behind on the battlefield, we will leave no veteran behind at home.”Friday, May 24, 2013

 
“Thanks to the cooperation and commitment of California’s medical community, our health insurance marketplace will expand competitiveness, improve health care, protect the economic security of the middle class, and transform millions of lives.  I am proud to see that California is leading the way in establishing the bright and healthy future that the Affordable Care Act is meant to ensure.”
Thursday, May 23, 2013
 
“President Obama’s address reaffirmed our nation’s firm commitment to preserving our security while upholding our civil liberties.  As elected officials, we have no greater responsibility than protecting the American people; with the President’s statement today, we have a broad framework to meet that duty and maintain our commitment to our country’s highest ideals.”
Thursday, May 23, 2013
 
“Instead of working to enact a budget, or to create jobs, today the House Republicans will vote on the “Make College More Expensive Act.”  This is really stunning.  I hope you pay attention to the debate with the charts and the rest.  It clearly demonstrates how damaging this is to college affordability, to those who want to go to college, to their families who want to help them to do so…”
Thursday, May 23, 2013
 
“As we approach Memorial Day, the challenge to our conscience of that – meeting the needs of our veterans is heightened.  It is with us every day.  But it’s heightened on Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day, and other times of the year.  As we say in our meetings all the time on the battlefield, the military says: ‘on the battlefield, we will leave no soldier behind.’  And all of us say together, in a bi-partisan way: ‘and when they come home, we will leave no veteran behind.’  And so, it is in that spirit that this backlog is a challenge to the conscience of our country…”
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
 
“On this Harvey Milk Day – on what would be his 83rd birthday – Harvey’s green light has opened doors for LGBT elected officials nationwide: from America’s first LGBT Senator in Tammy Baldwin to six LGBT Members of the House, each contributing their leadership to the most diverse Democratic Caucus in history.  These Members are a living testament to Harvey’s principle that LGBT people deserve a place at the table.”
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
 
“I am pleased that the more than 600,000 American citizens who reside in the District of Columbia will finally have a statue representing them in the U.S. Capitol.  While the District deserves to have two statues in the Capitol, like the states, since its residents pay federal taxes and have fought and died in every American war, a statue depicting Frederick Douglass could not be a more apt representative for the people of D.C.  Douglass fought for District residents to have self-government and Congressional representation, a fight our Caucus carries on today.”
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
 
Washington, D.C. – Today, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman Joe Crowley, Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey, and Congressman Rush Holt met with President U Thein Sein of Burma and his delegation.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
 
“So, I hope it is a comfort to the people of the region, that their loss is one that is shared, and mourned, by people across the world, certainly in our country, and definitely in this Congress of the United States.  Whatever it is in our power to be helpful to them, we will do, and we will do quickly.  And that most importantly, they will always, always, always, and ever, be in our prayers.”
Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Pelosi Statement on the Devastating Tornado in Oklahoma

“As rescue workers continue the search for survivors, Members of Congress stand ready to do what we can to support the communities in Oklahoma, the first responders, and state and local government in their efforts to recover, respond, and rebuild.”
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
 
Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and senior House Democrats have sent letters to nine separate U.S. retailers calling upon them to join a broadening global coalition supporting a May 12 Accord on Fire and Building Safety, developed by the Worker Rights Consortium and a number of key stakeholders.
Friday, May 17, 2013
 
“Here we are, 134 days into the 113th Congress, without one vote on a jobs bill.  Fifty-four days after the Senate passed its budget, we still haven’t moved forward to the budget process with this do nothing agenda that does not reflect the priorities of the American people.  It is an agenda that only the Republicans are interested in pursuing.  So, you see a series of subterfuges, job evasions.  Today’s job evasion is that the Republicans have decided to vote on the Patient’s Rights Repeal Act, their 37th attempt to repeal our country’s landmark reform bill.  That’s 37 votes, 43 days, $52 million – $52.4 million – on an obvious evasion of our responsibility to work on the priorities of the American people.”
Thursday, May 16, 2013
 
“…[W]e believe there is simply no substitute for tough, comprehensive, uncompromising government support for legislation and fully-resourced law enforcement and administrative action… that both empowers workers and prevents more accidents from happening,” write the lawmakers in the letter.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
 
“First of all, it is our job to come here and act for the good of the American people.  And right now the American people see that good as the creation of jobs.  What is it, 134 days into this Congress?  And the Republican majority has yet to put forth one bill, vote one bill out to create jobs, to have evasion.  Here we are today with yet another one of their subterfuges: ‘let’s not talk about jobs.  Let’s use up time.’  And that adds to – what has been up until now – $54 million dollars, 43, some days spent on this – the 37th effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act.  What we should be doing is what the Republicans have asked for: regular order, to go to the budget table, to reconcile the differences between the House and the Senate, so that we can put forth a product, a budget that creates jobs, that reduces the deficit, that strengthens the middle class…”
Thursday, May 16, 2013
 
“…it’s about how it affects women specifically, that we are talking about today, but those women are part of the nearly 13 million Americans benefitting from $1.1 billion in rebates from health insurance companies last summer…”
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
 
Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi announced today that Catlin O’Neill, longtime aide and Chief of Staff in her Congressional office (CA-12), will be departing for the private sector.  Today, Leader Pelosi named Robert Edmonson, her current Legislative Director, as Ms. O’Neill’s successor.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
 
“Today, the Pentagon’s civilian employees join the growing list of Americans bearing the brunt of the devastating sequester cuts.  As long as House Republicans refuse to replace the sequester, hard-working Americans will see crippling cuts to services in education, health, and national security.”
Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Boehner, Pelosi, Bipartisan Group of Members – Call for State Department to Address Plight of Chen Guangcheng & Family

Washington, D.C. – House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and a bipartisan group of members sent the following letter to Secretary of State John Kerry expressing concern about the harassment and abuse inflicted upon Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng and his family by local officials in the Shandong Province of China.  The letter makes a series of recommendations for actions the State Department could take in its discussions with the Chinese government.
Monday, May 13, 2013
 
“While we look forward to reviewing the Inspector General’s report this week, it is clear that the actions taken by some at the IRS must be condemned.  Those who engaged in this behavior were wrong and must be held accountable for their actions.  Regardless of political affiliation or bias, there is no place for this type of activity by the IRS or its employees.”
Monday, May 13, 2013
 
“This week we gave mothers not a very good gift.  More work, less pay.  Happy Mother’s Day?  I don’t think so.  The bill that gives less flexibility to working people, more discretion to their bosses.  Here’s what the bill really does: it ends the 40 hour work week, it ends, it cuts pay for women, undermines the economic security of the middle class, gives an interest free loan, paid for by workers’ wages and unused comp time to the company…”
Thursday, May 9, 2013
 
“We feel very, very hopeful that we will be able to move forward on this before the session of this Congress is out.  That we will indeed have passed comprehensive immigration reform.  It couldn’t happen without you.”
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
 
“On Cinco de Mayo, we remember the extraordinary victory of a poorly-armed Mexican militia over larger, stronger, better-equipped French forces in the Battle of Puebla.  For 151 years, this date has been a source of pride to the people of Mexico – and here in the United States, it has been an opportunity to honor the contributions, heritage, and rich history of Mexican Americans and all Hispanic Americans.”
Friday, May 3, 2013
 
“Today’s jobs report shows signs of progress for our workers and our middle class.  Yet it is also a reminder that Americans cannot afford more Republican political games that protect the sequester, slow our growth, inject uncertainty into our economy, and create instability for our working families.  Members of Congress must work together to put people to work, invest in American businesses and manufacturers, and build a lasting recovery.”
Friday, May 3, 2013

Pelosi Statement on Nominees for Secretary of Commerce, U.S. Trade Representative

“Today, President Obama nominated two effective, passionate leaders to guide our efforts to grow our economy, strengthen the hands of American businesses and workers, and keep our nation number one on the global stage.”
Thursday, May 2, 2013
 
“Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is an opportunity to celebrate the remarkable achievements, rich cultures, and extraordinary contributions of the AAPI community.  Americans from Asia and the Pacific Islands have risen above hardship, prejudice, and outright persecution to become an indelible part of the American story.”
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
“Jewish American Heritage Month is a time to honor and celebrate a community rich in achievement, central to American progress, bound together by the values of fairness and justice for all.”
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
“A proud son of North Carolina, Congressman Mel Watt has spent the last 20 years as a staunch and tireless advocate for the health, economic security, and prosperity of the people he represents.  As an economic development attorney and small business owner, he will bring the real-life expertise and unwavering dedication necessary to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency.”
Wednesday, May 1, 2013