Category Archives: ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Congress should end the tax cuts for the richest … AAUW


AAUW Action Network
Everyone Should Pay Their Fair Share!

Take Action!

In the next two weeks, the House and Senate will vote on extending the temporary “Bush-era” tax cuts. It’s time for everyone to pay their fair share – Congress should end the tax cuts for the richest 2 percent of Americans and close loopholes that allow large corporations to avoid paying taxes on their profits and ship jobs overseas.

AAUW supports public budgets that balance individual rights and responsibility to the community. Americans applaud financial success but when wealthy people and corporations get tax breaks they don’t need and the country can’t afford, the middle class has to make up the difference – and that’s not right.

To call Congress, simply click on the “Take Action” link in the upper right corner. Then follow the instructions on the page.
AAUW Breaking through Barriers
  
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Legal to murder gay people? Michael Whitney, Change.org


 

 

 

“Yeah, I killed him, but he did worse to me.”

In 1997, a man in Queensland, Australia killed a gay man who he claimed flirted with him by bashing his head into a wall and stabbing him to death. Today, “gay panic” is still a legal defense for murder in Queensland that can result in lesser charges.

In fact, just two years ago, a man was brutally killed in a Queensland churchyard, and his killer used the “gay panic” defense in court. He was subsequently acquitted of murder.

Father Paul Kelly is a priest in the parish where that man was killed, and he started a petition on Change.org demanding that Queensland abolish the gay panic defense. It looked like Father Kelly’s petition was headed for victory, but now there’s a new Premier in Queensland, Campbell Newman, and he won’t say whether he will abolish the gay panic loophole.

Father Kelly thinks it’s crucial to build quick international pressure on Premier Newman, particularly from important Australian allies like the US — click here to add your name to Father Kelly’s petition demanding that Queensland abolish the gay panic defense.

A recent study named Queensland as Australia’s most homophobic state — 73% of gay and lesbian Queenslanders are subjected to verbal abuse or physical violence for their sexuality. Father Kelly believes that if the gay panic defense stands, Queensland’s gay community will be forced to live in terror knowing that the law is on their tormentors’ side.

“The support from people in Australia for my petition has been wonderful,” Father Kelly says, “but we need help from our friends in the US. We need to send Premier Newman a message that he is being watched, and we will not tolerate this despicable gay panic loophole.”

Click here to sign Father Kelly’s petition demanding that Queensland abolish the legal loophole that justifies the murder of gay people.

Thanks for being a change-maker,

– Michael and the Change.org team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

keep the conversation going


The White House Monday, July 16, 2012
It’s time to keep the conversation goingIf we’re going to get traction for President Obama’s proposal to help responsible homeowners refinance their mortgages, we need to make sure as many people get the facts as possible.That’s why we recently organized a discussion between Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan and a group of homeowners from across the country to talk about the President’s plan.And now, we want to keep the conversation going.

So take a moment to watch these homeowners describe their situations to Secretary Donovan, then share your own story.

In the past month, we’ve received tens of thousands of messages from Americans who support President Obama’s proposal. We have shared them with advisors to the President, published them on WhiteHouse.gov, and posted them to Twitter and Facebook.

Again and again, the facts of their stories are the same. We’re hearing from people who’ve done everything right, who have made their payments on time each month, and who are locked out of lower payments through no fault of their own.

They want a refinancing process that’s simpler. And if we can get a vote in Congress, that’s exactly what President Obama’s proposal will give them.

But we are running out of time.

So add your voice to the discussion now, and help us bring this issue to the top of the agenda. We’ll feature stories on WhiteHouse.gov, and make sure they’re part of the conversation here in Washington:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/why-refi

Thanks.

P.S. — Watch the full Google+ Hangout with Secretary Donovan here.

Stay Connected
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Transportation and Student Loan Bills … get signed


President Obama Signs Transportation, Student Loan Bill Friday, July 6, 2012     Washington, DC

President Obama signed HR 4348, the bill passed by Congress on the last day before the 4th of July recess, which includes the transportation and student loan interest rate bills.

More Info »

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Washington State : Maria Cantwell is fighting for you … Rose Kapolczynski, Friends of Maria


You know that Maria Cantwell is fighting for you.

Today we’re sharing her record with every voter in Washington state, on the airwaves and online, as we launch our first campaign ad.

Maria wanted you to be among the first to see our ad, which focuses on Washington’s aerospace industry and Maria’s fight to keep our economy growing. Click here to watch it right now:

And after you’ve watched the video, please forward this email to five friends so that they can watch it, too!

Washington state is the hub of America‘s aerospace industry. More than 84,000 Washingtonians work in aerospace, and hundreds of thousands of jobs across the state depend on aerospace as well.

That’s why Maria has made it a top priority to see that aerospace isn’t just a tradition in Washington, but a vibrant part of our state’s future, too.

Maria has worked with community colleges to develop job retraining programs and helped Boeing win an Air Force contract that could mean up to 11,000 Washington jobs. And that’s why, from the start, she has made sure the deck isn’t stacked against Washington.

She’s worked with aviation leaders — from Everett to Yakima, from Spokane to Vancouver — to help Washington’s aerospace economy stay competitive and support jobs in communities across our state.

Watch Maria’s new ad, and see what she’s doing to keep Washington jobs in Washington!

While so much time in the “other” Washington is consumed with partisan bickering, Maria is focused on the work at hand: revitalizing our economy and making life better for families in Washington state.

As one of our strongest supporters, you already know Maria’s record of fighting for Washington state. With your help, we’ll be able to tell her positive story of accomplishment all over the state. We couldn’t do it without you.

Thank you,

Rose Kapolczynski  Senior Adviser  Friends of Maria

P.S. After voters watch our new ad, they’ll know why it’s so important to re-elect Maria to the Senate this November. Please help us spread this message throughout Washington by contributing now!