Category Archives: ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

The Senate Convenes: 9:30amET September 24, 2010

Morning business with senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

There will be no roll call votes during Friday’s session.

Unanimous Consent:
S.Res.644, a resolution designating the week beginning October 10, 2010 as “National Wildlife Refuge Week.”

S.3839, a bill to provide an additional temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (extends through January 31, 2011)

S.3196, the Pre-election Presidential Transition Act (with Kaufman-Voinovich substitute amendment)

H.R.6190, FAA Extension Act (extends to December 31, 2010)

*********************************************

The next meeting in the House is scheduled for 10:30amET September 28, 2010

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Russ Feingold down by 6

09/23/2010 Nativegrl77

The latest polls show that Sen. Russ Feingold is in serious danger of losing in November—and we simply can’t afford to let that happen. We’re making his race our top national priority, and we need to invest additional resources in Wisconsin immediately. We need at least 102 donations from Seattle today. Can you chip in $5?

Chip in

Red alert: The latest polls show that Senator Russ Feingold could lose in November. They all him have him down by at least 6 points against a tea party Republican who actually thinks climate change is caused by sunspots.¹

There’s no better, more principled Democrat in Washington than Sen. Feingold: The only senator to vote against the PATRIOT Act. A steadfast opponent of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And a passionate crusader against corporate influence in politics.

But since those very corporate interests have already spent $650,000 trying to defeat him, he’s now facing the fight of his political life.² Because keeping Sen. Feingold’s voice in the Senate is so important, this race has become our top national priority.

We need to invest additional resources in Wisconsin immediately, which means raising at least $375,000 today. That’ll take at least 102 donations from folks in Seattle. Can you chip in $5? Just click here:

https://pol.moveon.org/donate/feingold.html?bg_id=hpc5&id=23613-17809870-XHvkOGx&t=3

With enough resources, we can recruit more volunteers to help Feingold’s campaign get out the vote, run an additional wave of ads in Wisconsin, and double our efforts to expose the corporate money behind the right-wing attacks on him.

We’re ready to expand on the key pieces of our campaign:

We’re firing up the recruitment engine we used to turn out hundreds of thousands of volunteers for the Obama campaign in 2008. In the next six weeks, we’re planning to make 500,000 calls nationwide to build a grassroots army and get out the vote.
Our team of expert field organizers and specially trained volunteer leaders are working around the clock to expose the corporate money backing Feingold’s opponent, as well as Republicans in other states.
And every time the right wing tries to smear Feingold and other Democrats who voted for the health care bill, we’re pushing back with hard-hitting ads and grassroots media campaigns.

Sen. Feingold can absolutely come back and win. Even the pollster who found Feingold down by 11 points predicts it’ll be a dead heat if voter turnout matches 2008 levels—and adds, “Right now these races look very difficult but if Democrats wake up between now and November they have the potential to become toss ups.”³

In a moment like this, with polls so close and just weeks to go before the election, the “ground game” is what’ll tip the balance—and that’s something MoveOn members excel at.

We’ll be able to expand our grassroots organizing and ad campaigns if at least 102 people from Seattle donate today. Can you chip in $5?

https://pol.moveon.org/donate/feingold.html?bg_id=hpc5&id=23613-17809870-XHvkOGx&t=4

Thanks for all you do.

–Michael, Joan, Anna, Jeff, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. “2010 Wisconsin Senate General Election: Ron Johnson (R) vs Sen. Russ Feingold (D),” Pollster.com, Accessed September 23, 2010
http://www.pollster.com/polls/wi/10-wi-gov-ge-jvf.php

“Sunspots are behind climate change, Johnson says,” Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, August 16, 2010
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/100814454.html

2. “Campaign Cash: Who’s spending where in 2010, Wisconsin Senate race,” The Washington Post, Accessed September 23, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90359&id=23613-17809870-XHvkOGx&t=5

3. “PPP Poll: Feingold, Barrett Trailing in Wisconsin,” Talking Points Memo, September 21, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90675&id=23613-17809870-XHvkOGx&t=6

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

This is health reform

09/23/2010 Nativegrl77

Organizing for America

After a century of struggle and a year of debate, health insurance reform became law six months ago today — and this week, key provisions of the Affordable Care Act take effect.

This is possible only because you — and millions of Organizing for America supporters and volunteers — stood up and said, enough. Even when the fight seemed all but lost, we continued to organize, call Congress, knock on doors, and do everything we could to keep reform alive.

But behind these historic changes are real people and real families. Their stories are important reminders that health reform couldn’t wait — and we can’t give up on moving this country forward. Too much is at stake.

Meet Patrick, Kay, and Kristin:

			Patrick is a single dad in Rockport, Maine. When he lost his job as a boat builder, he lost his health coverage, and paid out of pocket when his 14-year-old daughter required surgery for scoliosis. Pat has since found a new job, and because insurance companies can no longer deny coverage to children on the basis of pre-existing conditions, his daughter Katie is now insured. “If it wasn’t for proper medical insurance, we never would have had the doctors she had. I feel like President Obama did it just for us.” Now, Pat can take Katie to the doctor without worrying about falling deeper into debt. “It’s about time someone, anyone, stood up for the things that mattered.”

			Kay is a small business owner in Evansville, Indiana. Every year she sees premiums soar and searches for more affordable options. “Even with us paying half the premiums, we have employees who cannot afford the health insurance and go without. They feel like they are constantly living on the edge — hoping that neither they nor their children will face an illness or injury that will bankrupt them.” The small business tax credit in the Affordable Care Act will help Kay continue to ensure her employees can get the coverage they need.

			Kristin is a recent grad living in Scottsdale, Arizona. Last year, she was told that the cost of staying on her parents’ plan after graduating would skyrocket to $500 a month. “Staying on my mother’s plan would have been a great option now! But that was in the spring of last year, before any health reform had passed.” Now, young people like Kristin will be able to remain on their parents’ insurance at the same rate until finding work or turning 26 — eliminating what can be a costly gap in coverage.

Today, we also celebrate an end to some of the worst insurance company abuses, like rescinding coverage when someone needs it most. Those previously considered uninsurable because of a pre-existing condition — 400,000 Americans — now have access to insurance through the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan. And all new health plans must now provide free preventive care, like mammograms, colonoscopies, immunizations, and pre-natal care.

Millions will see expanded benefits — and more control over the care they receive.

This is real change. And there are stories like these all over America. Check out a few more — including a video of one woman’s surprise call from the President — at the White House‘s site:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform

Thanks for all you do,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

0 children dead from preventable causes

09/23/2010 Nativegrl77

Take action to reduce the number of preventable child deaths to zero.

Big news: UNICEF just announced that the number of children under the age of five dying each day has significantly dropped over the past year: from 24,000 to 22,000.

We’re asking you to take action today and help make that number ZERO.

We know you believe that 22,000 children dying from preventable causes each day is 22,000 too many. They die from causes most of us will never have to worry about – such as starvation, unsanitary living conditions, no access to clean drinking water, or lack of a five-cent vaccine.

We are making remarkable progress toward a world in which no child dies from preventable causes, and can see a light at the end of the tunnel. But without a strong commitment by the U.S. government, we will never reach zero. Please urge Congress to fully fund our committment to UNICEF this year to help save millions of children’s lives and protect their futures.

From measles campaigns in Pakistan to emergency food in Ethiopia; from hurricane relief in Haiti to anti-malarial bed net distribution in Nigeria – UNICEF’s work is having a huge impact. And with this latest announcement comes more hope – we can see that the drop in child mortality is actually accelerating.

In a very concrete way, the news about a drop in child mortality demonstrates that global investment and strategic partnerships are putting comprehensive child survival strategies in place that get results. Over the last 50 years, UNICEF and its partners have helped reduce the worldwide child mortality rate by more than 50%. This pace of improvement is increasing, and we are getting closer to a day when zero children die from preventable causes.

Please write Congress today and urge continued strong support of UNICEF so that we can continue to reduce the number of preventable child deaths around the world.

Thanks for all that you do,

– The Change.org Team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Saturday in Washington

09/23/2010 Nativegrl77

Early Voter Action Fund: 24 Hours Left
$122,646 TO GO: Contribute Today >>

Saturday is another critical make-or-break day for our campaigns nationwide.

Local Washington organizers are ready to go door-to-door this Saturday to make sure voters know the truth about Democrats fighting for the middle-class and tea party Republicans attempting to hide their radical ideas — but we can’t do it without your help.

We need 17 supporters from Seattle to help equip local organizers for this Saturday’s massive Voter Outreach Day of Action.

Almost every pundit agrees it’s all going to come down to turnout and who can get their supporters to the polls. That means voter contact NOW when early voting is starting will be critical to our success in November. We are short $122,646 before our deadline in just 24 hours to get the money to our campaigns in time.

Will you contribute before tomorrow’s midnight deadline to help power our National Day of Action? Your gift will be matched 2-to-1 by a group of committed Democrats.

“Boehner for Speaker” Republicans and their corporate-funded front groups just launched a barrage of new ads attacking House Democrats who stood strong against the special interests. With early voting starting this week in battleground states, we can’t sit back and let their lies take hold.

The right-wing shadow groups may have millions in right-wing special interest cash but they can’t hide the fact that their Republican candidates support unpopular ideas like privatizing Social Security and tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas.

With your support, we’re going to give voters the facts they need to fight the right-wing spin.

Help us make sure voters have the facts on tea party Republicans’ radical ideas by contributing to our Early Voter Action Fund today. Your gift will be matched 2-to-1 by a group of committed Democrats.

Onward to victory!

Chris Van Hollen
DCCC Chairman