Category Archives: ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

President Obama: Support marriage equality for all


Human Rights Campaign

Mr. President, it’s time for you to support marriage equality for all Americans

The President has said that his thinking on the issue is “evolving.”

Help get him over the finish line.

President Obama has done more for the nation’s LGBT community than any other president in history, from hate crimes protections to the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” to hospital visitation rules. This president has proven himself to be an advocate for the LGBT community.

He’s a fair and just man. That’s why we’re calling on him today to publicly and vocally support marriage equality for all Americans.

Earlier today, the Department of Justice filed a brief appealing two federal court rulings that found the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. The Administration claims that it has a duty to defend the laws that are on the books. We simply do not agree. At the very least, the Justice Department can and should acknowledge that the law is unconstitutional.

All families deserve the recognition and respect of their government. It’s time for President Obama to state his support for full, equal marriage. And we want your help in telling him that it’s time.

Because of DOMA, gay and lesbian families with marriage licenses from Iowa, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, California, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia don’t get basic protections like Social Security, pension benefits, and family medical leave – benefits of marriage available to all other married couples. The law is discriminatory and unjust.

The President’s clear and unequivocal support for marriage equality will be a very powerful message that all Americans should be treated fairly and with respect and dignity. It will also send a direct message to LGBT Americans, young and old, that their nation values them.

President Obama has already stated his position on marriage is “evolving.” And he’s already seen the outpouring of support for his successful call to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Let’s help him get over the finish line.

Together, we can move this president to speak out for the right to marry freely. I hope you’ll take a moment to send your message today.

It’s time,

Joe Solmonese
Joe Solmonese
President

Take Back Democracy on Citizens United Anniversary


Last year, the five-justice conservative majority on the Supreme Court decided to reaffirm its inclination to rule on behalf powerful corporate interests by giving corporations a gift that was not theirs to give: the People’s democracy.

January 21 will mark the one-year anniversary of the Citizens United v. FEC decision, which reinterpreted the Constitution to give corporations the same First Amendment rights as people and opened the floodgates of limitless, undisclosed spending by corporations and their shadowy front groups to influence elections.

PFAW‘s marking the anniversary by joining with our friends at the Coffee Party, Public Citizen, MoveOn and others to hold a weekend of events in Washington and promote citizen-organized local events around the country.

Please be a part of next week’s grassroots actions to take our democracy back for the People.

Find a local event near you here:

http://www.movementforthepeople.org/get-involved/organize-locally/distributed-events/find-an-event/

If you know of an event that is not on this list, please add it or contact Sergio Lopez at slopez@pfaw.org.

If there is not an event near you, and you think you can organize or hold something yourself (anything from a street protest or a small rally to a house party or a town hall-style meeting at a public venue), also please contact Sergio at slopez@pfaw.org for help doing that.

After the D.C. rally on January 21, we’ll be joining with our allies to deliver hundreds of thousands of petition signatures to Congress calling for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to overturn the Roberts Court‘s disastrous decision by giving lawmakers explicit authority to limit corporate spending in elections.

If you have not yet had a chance to join our petition, please do so now.

And ask others to join at http://www.pfaw.org/Amend.

Thank you for your activism to reel in the corrupting influence of unlimited corporate spending, and to take our democracy back for We the People.

— Diallo Brooks, Director of Field and Mobilization

Great News! EPA Finally Vetoes Spruce Mine Permit!


Rainforest Action Network
Click on the banner above for more information …

Great news came from the coalfields of Appalachia this morning: the EPA vetoed the Spruce No. 1 mountaintop-removal mining permit in West Virginia!

Activists like you from around the country have worked hard to urge the EPA to veto the Spruce Mine permit, and all of your hard work has finally paid off! Thousands of people have emailed comments to the EPA about this issue; many have shared the Spruce Mine story with friends and allies, and still others dumped 1,000 pounds of West Virginian dirt on the front lawn to demand a veto of the Spruce Mine permit. We should all feel proud of this success.

Because the Spruce Mine was the largest proposed mountaintop removal mine site in all of Appalachia, it has been viewed as a bellwether for the MTR industry. While we certainly hope that the EPA’s decision this morning means that the agency is working hard to slow the destruction caused by MTR in Appalachia, it’s important that we don’t forget that there are many more MTR mines in central Appalachia that have devastating impacts on nearby residents.

Thank EPA Administer Lisa Jackson for protecting communities in West Virginia by vetoing the Spruce No.1 Mine Permit and to encourage her to continue to uphold federal laws and regulations for clean water enforcement.

Thank you for helping to stop the Spruce No. 1 mine!

GFC team

For the mountains,

Amanda Starbuck, Annie Sartor and Scott Parkin
Global Finance Campaign Team

No more shootings, no more hate


Hi,
In the wake of the mass shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others in Tucson, we must end the violent rhetoric that has exploded in American politics over the past two years.

That’s why I signed this petition calling on every member of Congress, as well as the major TV news networks, to put an end to any overt or implied appeals to violence in our political debate.

Can you join me at the link below?

http://pol.moveon.org/debatenothate/?r_by=25774-17809870-vPzuBwx&rc=confemail

Can you also take a moment to help spread the word and share this important petition with others?

Even if you don’t usually email petitions around, this is a time to make an exception. We must speak out now to end the extreme and violent rhetoric that is spreading in American politics to ensure that this does not happen again.

Thanks for all you do.
Thanks!

Bankrate.com


Here are stories published today.
Credit card interest rates for Jan. 13, 2011 | 2011-01-14
Here are the average credit card rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.
Home equity loan rates for Jan. 13, 2011 | 2011-01-14
Here are the average home equity rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.
Credit card users face additional charges | 2011-01-14
Form a strategy now to deal with the hiked rates and fees that are expected this year.
Auto loan rates for Jan. 13, 2011 | 2011-01-14
Here are the average auto loan rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.
Debt consolidation basics: zero percent offers | 2011-01-14
Debt consolidation using zero percent card offers come with rewards, but also certain risks.
CD rates for Jan. 13, 2011 | 2011-01-14
Here are the average CD rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.
National mortgage rates for Jan. 13, 2011 | 2011-01-14
See rates from our survey of CDs, mortgages, home equity products, auto loans and credit cards.