Category Archives: ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Rocket science?


It’s not rocket science.

Republicans have to choose whether to defend tax breaks for Billionaires and Big Oil companies or to protect the middle class, seniors and American jobs.

As President Obama said, “It’s not class warfare. It’s math.”

But each of us also has a choice to make: Will we stand with President Obama to create jobs — or not?  Will we take on the Tea Party’s smears and mischaracterizations — or not?

I can tell you the political world here in DC will be scouring our September 30th FEC fundraising report to see if grassroots Democrats are strong and united behind President Obama’s plan to create jobs. We’re nearly halfway to our $1 Million grassroots goal.

Will you stand with us and President Obama right now?

Contribute $3 or more right now to show Tea Party Republicans that America will not put tax breaks for Billionaires and Big Oil ahead of middle class jobs. Your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar by my fellow House Democrats.

The lines are clearly drawn. The Republicans have their right-wing shadow groups and billionaire backers like the Koch Brothers on their side. I’ll take my chances standing with you.

Contribute $3 or more today and we’ll know we have you on our side >>  WWW.DCCC.ORG

Thank you,

Steve Israel
DCCC Chairman

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture, ~ Recent Post

Class Warfare


This morning, the President proposed the “Buffett Rule,” which would require those earning more than $1 million a year to pay the same share of their income in taxes as middle-class families do.

This proposal makes sure millionaires and billionaires share the responsibility for reducing the deficit. It would correct, for example, the fact that Warren Buffett‘s secretary currently pays taxes at a higher rate than he does.

The other side is already saying it’s “class warfare” — that’s their rhetorical smokescreen for providing millionaires and billionaires special treatment.

As the President said this morning, “This is not class warfare — it’s math.”

The wealthiest Americans don’t need further tax cuts and in many cases aren’t even asking for them. Requiring that they pay their fair share is the only practical way forward. The Republican alternative is to drastically slash education, gut Medicare, let roads and bridges crumble, and privatize Social Security. That’s not the America we believe in — but many in the Republican leadership actually prefer those policies, which explains their refusal to act.

That’s why they’ll say “tax increase” over and over again, trying to muddy the waters and trick ordinary Americans into thinking the Buffett Rule will hurt them. And if we don’t speak out right now, they just might get away with it.

WWW.BarackObama.com

Of course, the Buffett Rule won’t really touch most Americans — only 0.3% of households will even be affected.

And without it, the only way to reduce our debt is to savage the programs that seniors and middle-class families rely on.

That’s exactly what the President refuses to do — in fact, he’s said he’ll veto any bill that changes benefits for folks who rely on Medicare but doesn’t raise serious revenue by asking the wealthiest Americans or biggest corporations to pay their fair share.

This isn’t just a commonsense approach to cutting the deficit — it’s the only way to make sure we can provide security to people who work hard and play by the rules.

So right now, I’m asking you to say you’ll stand with the President on something that won’t be easy. Get the President’s back today:

WWW.BarackObama.ORG

Thanks,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Too much doubt to execute Troy Davis …Rashad Robinson, ColorOfChange.org


The state of Georgia will execute Troy Davis on September 21 despite powerful doubts about his guilt.Please read on to learn how you can help stop this injustice.

The state of Georgia plans to execute Troy Davis this Wednesday, September 21 despite major doubts about his guilt.Killing a man who may be innocent is not justice, and more than 92,000 ColorOfChange members have spoken up to say so. But to save Troy, as many people as possible need to speak out.

The fact is, no physical evidence connected Davis to the murder. Seven of the original nine witnesses have recanted, with many saying their testimony was a result of law enforcement pressure. Of the remaining witnesses, one is highly suspect and the other could be the actual culprit in the officer’s murder.

No one should be executed when so much doubt remains about his guilt.  You can help us stop Troy Davis’ execution in five ways:

  1. Sign the petition asking Chatham County District Attorney Larry Chisolm to oppose Troy’s execution: http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/chisolm
  2. Send a message to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole asking them to spare Troy’s life: http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/troy
  3. Help us tell Troy’s story to thousands of Georgia residents by making a contribution to the effort to buy ads in Georgia media: https://act.colorofchange.org/donate/troydavis
  4. Write a letter to the editor of local and national newspapers: http://action.firedoglake.com/page/speakout/troydavis
  5. Spread the word to others. Forward this email to your friends and family, and share the links to the petition and donation pages on Facebook and Twitter.

Since Troy Davis’ 1991 conviction, numerous facts have emerged that introduce significant doubt as to his guilt. These facts include:

  • All but two of the original witnesses against Troy Davis have signed affidavits recanting their earlier testimony. Most claim that their testimony was coerced by police officers.1
  • Multiple witnesses say that another man — one of the original witnesses against Davis — has claimed to have slain the fallen officer.2
  • The weapon used in the murder was never found. The only physical evidence connecting Davis to the crime was circumstantial — and new testimony disputes Davis’s connection to that evidence.3

In light of this evidence, the Supreme Court granted Davis another chance. But instead of an actual new trial before a jury, which would mean the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt is on the prosecutor, he got an evidentiary hearing before a single federal judge where Davis’ lawyers had the burden to meet an impossibly high and undefined legal standard.

Under these difficult circumstances, the judge rejected the new evidence and cleared the way for Troy’s execution. But even he acknowledged lingering doubt, noting that the case against Davis was not “ironclad.”

But “ironclad” is exactly what the evidence should be in order to put someone to death. When the case isn’t ironclad, the process is prone to human error, and innocent people may die. That’s what evidence suggests happened to Cameron Todd Willingham, a Texas man who was executed after being convicted of setting the fire that killed his children. A new review of the case used to convict him shows that Willingham was killed even though there’s no evidence he set the fire. But now it’s too late to do anything about it.4

It will take all of our combined efforts to make sure Troy Davis isn’t the next Cameron Willingham. Please join me and my friends at ColorOfChange.org in asking Georgia officials to save Troy Davis’ life by commuting his sentence to life in prison. And when you do, please ask your friends and family to do the same.

Thanks and Peace,

— Rashad, James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Matt, Natasha and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
September 17th, 2011

Help support our work.ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU–your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don’t share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

http://www.colorofchange.org/donate

References:

1. “Troy Davis – Finality over Fairness,” Amnesty International USA
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/970?akid=2228.1174326.Cllb_a&t=7

2. See Reference 1

3. See Reference 1

4. “The Haunting of Rick Perry,” The New York Times, 6-23-2011
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/958?akid=2228.1174326.Cllb_a&t=9

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Committee Hearings …In the House of Representatives


3:00 pm Hearing: Panel on Business Challenges within the Defense IndustryCommittee on Armed Services: Full Committee
3:00 pm Hearing: Human Rights in North Korea: Challenges and OpportunitiesCommittee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights 
3:30 pm Hearing: The Proposed Merger between Express Scripts and MedcoCommittee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet
4:30 pm Markup: H.R. 2250, EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011,H.R. 2681,H.R. 2937Committee on Energy and Commerce: Full Committee
5:00 pm Hearing: H.R. 2401 – Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation Act of 2011Committee on Rules: Full Committee
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

President Obama is right …Robby Mook


President Obama just threw down the gauntlet.

In case you just missed the President’s speech from the White House Rose Garden this morning, I wanted to make sure you saw this key quote:

“It is wrong that in the United States of America a teacher or a nurse or a construction worker who earns $50,000 should pay higher tax rates than somebody pulling in $50 million.

Anybody who says we can’t change the tax code to correct that, anyone who has signed some pledge to protect every single tax loophole so long as they live, they should be called out.”

That’s where you come in

Contribute $3 or more right now to help us call out Republicans who are putting millionaire tax breaks before middle class jobs. House Democrats will match your gift dollar-for-dollar.

WWW.DCCC.ORG

The next 24 hours are critical.

Moments after President Obama’s speech, Speaker Boehner resorted to his same old Tea Party talking points mischaracterizing the President’s plan to create jobs and ensure that billionaires and Big Oil companies pay their fair share.

We’ve set a goal of raising $1 million from grassroots Democrats before the FEC deadline to show we have what it takes to fight for President Obama’s jobs plan and take on Republicans who put special tax breaks for the wealthy before their constituents back home.

Contribute $3 or more right now to help us call out Republicans who are putting millionaire tax breaks before middle class jobs >>       WWW.DCCC.ORG

Enough with the Tea Party games. If Republicans want to stick to their “my way or the highway” strategy, then it’s up to us to show them the off-ramp.

Robby

Robby Mook
DCCC Executive Director