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While an Arizona Sheriff named Joe Arpaio declared war on undocumented workers in his county (Maricopa, which includes Phoenix), he failed to investigate more than 400 sex crimes, including some that involved young children. This isn’t the first time Sheriff Arpaio has brought shame to his office — something John Dougherty knows all too well. John was a journalist at the Phoenix New Times for 13 years, where he investigated Arpaio’s department extensively. John reported on abuses of power, civil rights violations, and millions of dollars in wasted money under Arpaio. Yet when John heard about the Sheriff’s failure to investigate even sex crimes involving children, he knew he had to do more. John wants Sheriff Joe Arpaio to resign, but he knows that Arpaio won’t go quietly. John needs other Arizona officials to say Joe should go to turn up the pressure on Arpaio to resign. Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s directive to prioritize traffic stops and military-style raids to find undocumented workers has had chilling results. While people who committed no crimes are arrested, real felons put Phoenix-area residents in danger. According to the New York Times, one woman repeatedly asked Sheriff Arpaio’s department to “investigate the molestation of her three daughters.” Arpaio’s office wouldn’t budge, and an alleged child molester walks free in Maricopa County as a result. The US Department of Justice agrees that Arpaio’s office is out of control. In an explosive report issued this week, the government said Sheriff Joe Arpaio has repeatedly broken the law and violated thousands of people’s civil rights. And just this weekend, Arpaio’s office allegedly left a Gulf War veteran brain dead after repeatedly shooting him with a Taser while in custody. John Dougherty, the reporter who started a petition on Change.org, thinks that momentum is building to force out Sheriff Arpaio. It’s key that pressure comes from the local level, and the best bet to make that happen is with the Maricopa Board of Supervisors. While they can’t fire Arpaio, it would be much-needed fuel on the fire burning under the sheriff if they come out and say Arpaio should resign. And your signature could make the difference. Thanks for being a change-maker, – Jackie and the Change.org team |
Category Archives: ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture
Call AG Rob McKenna: Hold Wall Street crooks accountable
Original Post on 12/01/2011
Call Attorney General Rob McKenna: Hold Wall Street criminals accountable!
Call your Attorney General and demand criminal penalties for unscrupulous mortgage servicers.
Call Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna at (360) 753-6200.
Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna has a chance to make sure some of Wall Street’s biggest criminals don’t get away with cheating millions of foreclosure victims. But we need you to make a call right now.
Less than a month ago, the lead Attorney General in a 50-state investigation of the mortgage industry, Tom Miller of Iowa, promised a group of foreclosure victims and their advocates that the investigation would “put people in jail.”1
This was in response to revelations from Congressional hearings and news articles documenting pervasive abuses by mortgage servicers — the companies that collect the mortgage payments, impose late fees, negotiate loan modifications and initiate foreclosures.
But now AG Miller has changed his tune, calling the investigation “inherently civil,” not criminal.2 And just last week, when AG Miller once again met with foreclosure victims, he refused to repeat his pledge to prosecute those responsible.3
Call Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna now and demand criminal penalties for Wall Street’s worst — unscrupulous mortgage servicers. Here’s the call info and a sample script:
Attorney General Rob McKenna — (360) 753-6200
SCRIPT: “I am a resident of Washington and I am watching the foreclosure fraud investigation very closely. I want to make sure that the Attorney General reaches as strong a settlement as possible with the banks. The settlement must include principal reduction for millions of homeowners and imposes criminal penalties on those who broke the law.”
It’s clear that AG Miller and the other 49 Attorneys General are being pressured by the big banks to agree to a settlement that lets them off the hook. But we can’t let them get away with cheating millions of Americans. We need to fight back.
That’s why we’re teaming up with our friends at National People’s Action for a national call campaign targeting the attorneys general of every state. Join thousands of activists across the country in calling your state’s attorney general to demand that Wall Street’s biggest criminals are held accountable for their crimes against foreclosure victims.
Call Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna now and demand criminal penalties for corrupt mortgage servicers.
Attorney General Rob McKenna — (360) 753-6200
Thank you for fighting back against criminal Wall Street banks.
Mark Anthony Dingbaum, Campaign Manager
CREDO Action from Working Assets
1. “‘We Will Put People in Jail’ — AG Tom Miller,” YouTube.com, 12-14-2010
2. “Foreclosure Deals to Start With Big Lenders, Iowa Says,” Margaret Cronin Fisk and Prashant Gopal, Bloomberg.com, 01-03-2011
3. “Groups say Iowa AG Retreats From Promise To Be Tough On Robo-sign Banks,” Yepoka Yeebo, The Huffington Post, 01-27-2011
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Taylor Mali on “What Teachers Make”
Submitted by volunteer editor Brandon W. Originally found on JackLeftTown’s YouTube Channel.
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Summary of the Two-Month Payroll Tax Cut Extension
Title I – Temporary Payroll Tax Relief
Sec. 101 Extension of Payroll Tax Holiday (costs $20.1 billion)
The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 provided a two percentage point employee payroll/self-employment tax holiday during 2011. This means employees pay only 4.2 percent on wages and self-employed individuals pay only 10.4 percent on self-employment income up to the threshold. The proposal would extend the payroll tax cut for 2 months with a pro rata limitation on the amount of earnings eligible for the tax cut of $18,350.
Note: The total cost for Title I is $20.1 billion over ten years.
Title II – Temporary Extension of Unemployment Compensation Provisions
Sec. 201 Continuation of Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program
This provision extends for two months the availability of benefits in all tiers of Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC).
Temporary Extension of Extended Benefit Provisions
This provision continues, for 2 months the extended benefits (EB) program, with a 3-year look-back.
Federal UI Benefits Available
Program; Additional Weeks
State-Based Regular Benefits; Up to 26 Additional Weeks
EUC Under Current Policy; Up to 53 Additional Weeks
Tier 1: None; 20
Tier 2: None; 14
Tier 3: at least 6%; 13
Tier 4: at least 8.5%; 6
EB under current policy (3yr look-back); up to 20
Total: Up to 99
Sec. 202 Continuation of Unemployment Benefits Under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act
This provision permits for a two-month continuation of benefits for railroad workers.
Note: The total cost for Title II is $8.49 billion over ten years.
Title III – Temporary Extension of Health Provisions
Sec. 301 Physician Payment Update (costs $3.6 billion)
Under current law, the Medicare payment formula would cut payments to physicians by 27.4 percent on January 1, 2012. This provision would update physician payments by zero percent for two months, ending February 29.
Sec. 302 Two Month Extension of MMA Section 508 Reclassifications (changes are between $50 million and -$50 million)
Under current law, hospital geographic reclassifications authorized under section 508 of the Medicare Modernization Act expire on September 30, 2011. The bill would extend these reclassifications for two months.
Sec. 303 Work Geographic Adjustment (costs $0.1 billion)
This provision would extend the current law work geographic price cost index (GPCI) floor of 1.0 for two months, through February 29, 2012.
Sec. 304 Extension of Exceptions Process for Medicare Therapy Caps (changes are between $50 million and -$50 million)
This provision extends the exceptions process for nonhospital therapy services for two months, until February 29, 2012. Without the exceptions process, therapy services would be capped at an annual amount of $1,880 per beneficiary in 2012.
Sec. 305 Extension of Payment for Technical Component of Certain Physician Pathology Services (changes are between $50 million and -$50 million)
Permits independent labs under a grandfathered arrangement to continue direct billing for pathology services provided to hospitals for two months, until February 29, 2012.
Sec. 306 Ambulance Add-Ons (changes are between $50 million and -$50 million)
This provision would extend payment add-ons for ambulance services for two months, until February 29, 2012.
Sec. 307 Extension of Physician Fee Schedule Mental Health Add-on Payment (changes are between $50 million and -$50 million)
Extends increased payments by 5 percent for certain Medicare mental health services, until February 29, 2012.
Sec. 308 Extension of Outpatient Hold-Harmless Provision (changes are between $50 million and -$50 million)
Provides “hold harmless” payments for rural hospitals that ensure those hospitals will receive 85 percent of Outpatient Prospective Payment Services payments they would have received had the prior payment system remained in effect.
Sec. 309 Extending Minimum Payment for Bone Mass Measurement (no cost)
Extends an increase in the payment rate for certain X-Ray machines (DEXA), which are used to measure bone mass to identify individuals who may be at risk of having osteoporosis for two months, until February 29, 2012.
Sec. 310 Qualifying Individual Program (costs $0.1 billion)
This provision is a two month extension of the Qualifying Individual (QI) Program. Under the QI program, Medicaid pays the Medicare Part B premium for beneficiaries with incomes between 120 and 135 percent of poverty.
Sec. 311 Extension of Transitional Medical Assistance (costs $0.2 billion)
This provision is a two month extension of work-related Transitional Medical Assistance (TMA). TMA allows low-income families to maintain their Medicaid coverage as they transition into employment and increase their earnings. The provision extends TMA until February 29, 2012.
Sec. 312 Extension of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (no cost)
Extends the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program for two months, until February 29, 2012.
Note: The total cost for Title III is $4.1 billion over ten years.
Title IV – Mortgage Fees and Premiums
Sec. 401 Guarantee Fees
This section increases the guarantee fees that are charged to mortgage lenders by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by 10 basis points. (CBO score pending. The increase in the fees will be adjusted so that they only cover the cost of the bill.) Revenue generated by the increase is deposited directly into the United States Treasury. This increase in the annual premium expires in ten years.
Sec. 402 FHA Guarantee Fees
The Federal Housing Administration is required to increase the annual premium charged to homeowners by an amount equal to the increase at the GSEs. (CBO score pending. The increase in the GSE fees will be adjusted so that they only cover the cost of the bill.) This change does not affect the upfront premium charged by FHA for insuring loans. This increase in the annual premium expires in ten years.
Note: The total savings achieved in Title IV is $35.7 billion over ten years.
Title V – Other Provisions
Sec. 501 Keystone XL Pipeline Permitting Process (no cost)
Within 60 days, the President, acting through the Secretary of State, is required to grant a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline project application unless he determines the pipeline would not serve the national interest. Any permit issued shall require the reconsideration of routing the pipeline within the State of Nebraska. Any permit granted is deemed to satisfy all the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and any modification required by the Secretary to the construction mitigation and reclamation plan shall not require supplementation of the final environmental impact statement.
Sec. 511 Senate Point of Order against Emergency Designation (no cost)
This provision fixes a technical problem that occurred when the Budget Control Act passed. Because of an oversight, that legislation changed a long-standing 60-vote point of order against emergency designations in appropriations bills that had been a longstanding procedure in the Senate. This provision simply reinstates that procedure and it has bipartisan support.
Sec. 512 PAYGO Scorecard Estimates (no cost)
This provision directs OMB not to include the budgetary effects of this bill on the scorecard for Statutory Pay-As-You purposes. The provision is needed to avoid a possible sequester associated with the five-year PAYGO requirements.
Total CBO Savings Over Ten Years: $2.968 Billion
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House Democrats will match your gift dollar-for-dollar …Rep.Keith Ellison
I know you’re busy with the year-end holidays so I’ll get straight to the point: The only reason Republicans backed down on the payroll tax cut was because we had the American people standing behind us. Now, we need you again.
At midnight on December 31st, the big ball drops in New York City, our books close on 2011, and both parties have to report their year-end fundraising totals.
That means we have just 5 days to raise the $1 million we need to show that Democrats are strong, united and determined to defeat Republicans in 2012.
Make a year-end contribution of $3 or more to our Republican Accountability Fund and House Democrats will match your gift dollar-for-dollar, doubling your impact.
A funny thing happened last week.
When Speaker Boehner announced that Republicans would give up their Tea Party demands — for now — and pass the payroll tax cut for the middle class, he actually said these words:
“…why not do the right thing for the American people – even though it’s not exactly what we want?”
That’s exactly what we’ve been asking all year! Why won’t Republicans do the right thing for the middle class instead of kowtowing to Tea Party extremism?
It’s not just this fight over middle-class tax cuts. They were willing to bring down the government in March over a woman’s access to Planned Parenthood for health care. Then it was the Paul Ryan budget that would eliminate Medicare as we know it, their refusal to touch tax breaks for billionaires and Big Oil companies, and on, and on, and on.
Thanks to you, we’ve stopped them in 2011. With your gift today, we can defeat them in 2012.
Contribute $3 or more to our Republican Accountability Fund before the end of the year and House Democrats will match your gift dollar-for-dollar, doubling your impact.
Thanks for standing with us.
Rep. Keith Ellison
Be a Seed for Change 
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