Category Archives: ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

February 14, 2012

The Fight for Women’s Health Must Continue

When the news got out that the Susan G. Komen foundation had cut off funding for breast cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood, men and women across the country were outraged. They didn’t understand the decision, they didn’t agree with it—and they did something about it. They made their voices heard loud and clear, and they got results. Komen did the right thing and announced that they had reversed their initial decision—and I want to commend them for that. Their mission— and their great work in the fight against breast cancer— is too important to get mixed up in partisan politics. Although this reversal was a great victory for so many women across America, let’s be clear: Our fight for women’s health does not end here. There are still many who will continue to put partisan politics ahead of women’s health and we need to make sure that the grassroots support and energy that successfully came together to right this wrong continues to stand firm against each and every attack that comes our way.

“Patty Murray Fights for Women’s Rights—Even When It Isn’t the Issue of the Day” – The Stranger

Virtual Town Hall with Disabled American Veterans

This week, I had the opportunity to chat one-on-one with veterans across the country in a Virtual Town Hall Meeting, organized by Disabled American Veterans, a non-profit charity dedicated to building better lives for America’s disabled veterans and their families. In the hour-long chat, I heard from people on a wide range of issues including mental health care, VA claim wait times, women veterans, and veterans jobs. Over 3,000 veterans, members of the military, and family members participated in the chat. I will use the struggles, stories, and suggestions I heard to continue to fight for veterans in Washington, D.C. – Read more

View full transcript of the Virtual Town Hall

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Contribute now to the Women’s Health Rapid Response Fund

02/15/2012 Nativegrl77

This is just unconscionable: Republicans in Congress are trying to make it legal for ANY employer to deny birth control coverage to their employees.

Yes, you read that right. Republicans are on track to give corporations the power to deny women access to health care.

The vote is set for this week — we must act IMMEDIATELY.

We must raise $50,000 by midnight tonight to get activists mobilized and ads up and running in Republican districts about this atrocious assault on women’s health care.

Will you contribute $3 or more right now to our urgent Women’s Health Rapid Response Fund?

We can’t afford to fall short and delay taking action for another day. Women across the country deserve to know that right-wing Republicans intend to take women’s health care back to the dark ages. Please give what you can today.

Rep. Diana DeGette

Co-Chair, Pro-Choice Caucus

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Thank Obama for prioritizing our future over Big Coal interests!

02/14/2012 Nativegrl77

By putting in place the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, President Obama made a substantial leap forward for our nation’s health and environment. Not every leader would have done this for our country, since Big Coallobbyists and corporate special interests make great efforts keep us dependent on their hazardous products and services.Give President Obama a huge THANK YOU for putting our people first and standing strong against mercury pollution.» The other current presidential candidates, for example, want to take away our environmental protection and set back the progress we’ve made.Newt Gingrich wants to “maximize oil, gas, and clean coal production.” Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have already received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Big Coal companies which visibly alters their stance on energy. And Ron Paul has stated that he would eliminate the EPA altogether.

It takes a strong leader to make such a bold environmental decision. Take a moment to let President Obama know that we appreciate his actions in standing up to Big Coal for our future.»

Thanks for taking action!Rachel M.
Care2 and ThePetitionSite Team

Thank President Obama for standing strong against mercury pollution!

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

It’s about the climate

02/14/2012 Nativegrl77

In the next few days, the U.S. Senate will vote to determine the fate of a pipeline that would link a vast tar sands deposit in Alberta, Canada to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast. The construction of the pipeline has been blocked once by President Obama, who refused to buckle to pressure from Congress and industry to cut short the environmental review. Unfortunately, they are at it again.
If approved and built, this pipeline, Keystone XL, would carry one of the most carbon-intensive sources of oil on the planet.
For the next 24 hours, The Climate Reality Project is joining with 350.org, MoveOn, League of Conservation Voters, Patagonia, Sierra Club, Energy Action Coalition and others to garner 500,000 signatures in a community-wide effort against the pipeline. Bill McKibben of 350.org will be on The Colbert Report tonight and will update the world on our progress — so sign now, and then pass it on. We’ve come together before to stop production of this dangerous pollutant — and with your help, we can do it again:

Join me in telling the U.S. Senate to say NO to one of the most carbon-intensive oils on the planet:

http://forms.climaterealityproject.org/keystone
If you care about the climate, you have to care about stopping this dangerous pollutant and the pipeline that carries it. After extensive research, the EPA estimates that annual carbon pollution from the Keystone XL pipeline could be at least 82% higher than average crude refined in America — if not more.
What does that number really mean? That’s the same amount of pollution as adding 4.8 million cars to our roads: an additional 27 million metric tons of carbon pollution.
Instead of pouring money into the production of more dirty oil, we need to work with Canada to invest in clean energy and energy efficiency. Clean energy is already the fastest growing industry in the U.S. and one of the fastest growing industries around the world.
It doesn’t matter where you live, or if the pipeline crosses into your home state. An increase of carbon pollution anywhere leads to climate change everywhere.
I just returned from an expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula, where the temperature has risen by over 8 degrees in the last 60 years. And more than that, the glacial retreat caused by this temperature increase means sea level is rising and dangerous changes are happening around the globe. To put it simply: it means we are all living on thin ice.
Take a minute and sign this important petition and tell the Senate to say NO to Keystone XL:
http://forms.climaterealityproject.org/keystone
Thanks,
Al Gore Founder and Chairman