Category Archives: ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Americans V Republicans?


Prior to a vote on the small business jobs bill, Senator Olympia Snowe, who eventually voted no, described her frustration with the countless delays this legislation has encountered, by her Republican colleagues nonetheless…. (more info)

Senate Democrats today discussed The Clean Energy Jobs and Oil Spill Accountability Act that was introduced earlier this week. Democrats are trying to pass this legislation to create jobs, lower consumers’ energy costs, protect the environment, and hold BP accountable for the Gulf Coast oil spill. Senate Republicans want taxpayers to foot the bill for BP’s disaster and let BP use endless legal battles to run out the clock on those whose livelihoods they destroyed. The Republican plan also does nothing to create jobs or reduce our nation’s dependence on oil. … (more info)

Senator Jeff Sessions today attempted to claim that President Obama’s judicial nominees have moved at a considerably faster pace than President George W. Bush’s did. False.

Senator Sessions skewed the math to his advantage. Take a look at the video for the real facts. … (more info)

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Internet Sales Tax Coming? …LiveCheap.com


The specter of an online sales tax doesn’t seem to be willing to go away. One of the advantages of Internet shopping is the absence of any sales tax which can amount to a decent cost saving on the average purchase, but this bargain for consumers represents lost income for States across the US that are battling to close the gap on ever-increasing budget deficits.

It is not surprising then that Democratic Congressman Bill Delahunt of Massachusetts once again raised the online sales tax bogey. He first brought the bill for consideration in 2007, but now many in Washington think that he may have better luck getting it passed in 2010.  For shoppers that have gotten used to saving 5 to 10 percent by shopping at websites like Amazon, they might be getting a rude awakening.

The bill is called the Main Street Fairness Act, which its loudest opponents argue that the name is deceptive. Delahunt says that tax increases are never pleasant, but sometimes they are just plain necessary. The revenue that the states have foregone because of not taxing online sales is approximately $52 to $56 billion over a six year period ending in 2012.

The congressman argues that imposing tax can help States across the country to make up for their budget shortfalls and the revenue that is collected will be put to work for the citizens of the State through local government initiatives. Every state needs funding to make sure its roads are maintained, water is treated and the supply guaranteed, and services like the police and fire departments are properly funded. These basic necessities are put at risk when the money in the coffers runs dry and the Internet sales tax offers a legitimate and reasonable way to inject some much needed cash into the system.

Those opposed to the bill are adamant that taxing online sales will only serve to worsen an already bad situation. Republican congressmen have put forth the argument that increasing the cost of goods and services online can put smaller online businesses at risk of closure because it essentially forces them to increase their price, possibly making them uncompetitive. They also say that making American citizens pay more at a time when personal budgets across the country have contracted is tantamount to taking punitive measures.

Ebay has put out a public statement opposing the law on the grounds it will hurt its hundreds of thousands of small businesses

.  “Year after year supporters of increased Internet sales taxes

recommend legislation that would impose significant new costs on hundreds of thousands of online small businesses and ecommerce entrepreneurs, which is sure to harm the economy and kill small business

jobs,” a statement from the online auction company said today. “At a time when unemployment rates are high and small businesses across the country are closing shop, we are confident that Congress will protect small internet retailers and the consumers they serve from another Internet tax scheme.”

On the flip side, the Democrats say that the online businesses have enjoyed an unfair advantage over brick and mortar businesses that have imposed the sales tax for far too long. They maintain that the Internet is no longer in its infancy and therefore should not be mollycoddled or given special treatment. In addition to this, they say that those who shop online tend to be the more savvy customers who make more money than those who still go to the brick and mortar stores- so in effect the tax would target a sector of the population that is more able to pay.

Amazon.com and Ebay.com are two of the Internet retail giants that would be impacted if the bill does in fact come into law, so customers are looking on anxiously to see what the future of Internet shopping is likely to be.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Environment: Media Access blocked


UNDER THE RADAR

ENVIRONMENT — OIL COMPANY, LAW ENFORCEMENT BLOCK MEDIA ACCESS TO PUBLIC SITES HIT BY MICHIGAN OIL SPILL: Last week, a disastrous leak in one of the world’s largest pipeline systems gushed over 1 million gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River, located in southwest Michigan. Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) declared the area a disaster zone, quickly activating the State Emergency Operations Center to ensure all state resources are devoted to oil spill response. The spill has “coated scores of birds and fish in oil” and “led about two dozen people to seek relocation.” The Calhoun County Health Department even advised local residents to evacuate due to “higher than acceptable levels of benzene,” a “highly flammable” organic chemical that can lead to serious health risks. The Michigan Messenger reported Sunday that officials from the pipeline company, Enbridge Inc., and law enforcement are blocking the media from public spill sites. The Messenger reported that its journalists were denied access — again — “to a key oil spill site after attempting to record video of the Kalamazoo River.” An Enbridge security office said “no media was allowed” and rebuffed attempts by a citizen video crew to record the effects of the spill. This is the second time since the pipeline burst “that [the] Messenger has been refused entry to public right of ways to monitor the ongoing clean up operations.” The ACLU of Michigan is currently drafting a letter to express concern about media access issues. Despite a history of oil leaks in Michigan, Enbridge declared last week that “no fresh oil is leaking from the leak site itself,” and Enbridge would reopen the leaking oil pipeline “in a matter of days.” However, “the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has issued a Corrective Action Order directing the company not to reopen the pipeline until a comprehensive safety assessment can be completed.”

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Shop at Target?


Target just gave a huge contribution to a anti-gay, anti-immigrant, anti-progressive candidate for governor in Minnesota. Will you send a message to Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel that you won’t shop at Target unless they stop trying to buy elections? Click here:

Sign the petition


Get this: Target, the retail giant, just became one of the very first companies to take advantage of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision allowing unlimited corporate cash in elections.1

Target has spent over $150,000 in the Minnesota Governor’s race backing state Rep. Tom Emmer, a far-right Republican who supports Arizona’s draconian immigration law, wants to abolish the minimum wage and even gave money to a fringe group that condoned the execution of gay people. 2

Target must think customers won’t care. They’re wrong: We do care, and we need to let them know that we want Target—and all corporations—out of our elections.

Will you send a message to Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel telling him that you’re not going to shop at Target unless they stop trying to buy elections? Click here to add your name to the petition:


Once we get 150,000 signatures, MoveOn members in Minnesota will hand deliver the petition to Target headquarters.

The stakes are much higher than one candidate and one company. Other CEOs are in “wait-and-see” mode following the Citizens United decision, according to a former Federal Trade Commission counsel quoted on NPR.3 If we don’t push back hard, this will just be the tip of the iceberg. Other corporations will learn that they can pour money into elections to buy the outcome they want—without paying a price with their customers or shareholders.

We all knew Citizens United would benefit candidates who stand up for corporate CEOs instead of everyday people. But you wouldn’t expect a company like Target to jump in and try to buy an election so quickly. After all, Target made its name by being thought of as the more progressive store in the wake of numerous WalMart scandals.

That’s why MoveOn members are following up on actions of groups like Human Rights Campaign and the Alliance for a Better Minnesota by telling Target that we won’t shop there unless they stop trying to buy elections. Please add your voice now:


Thanks for all you do.

–Ilyse, Robin, Anna, Mari, and the rest of the team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Top 5 Social Security Myths


Social Security is under attack and we need to fight back against the lies.

Have you heard that Social Security is going bankrupt? Driving up the deficit? In crisis?

Well none of that is true. These are all myths that opponents of Social Security have been spreading to scare people into accepting benefit cuts this fall. But the myths are taking hold—so we have to fight back with the facts.

So we’ve put together a list of the top five myths about Social Security, along with the real story. Can you check out the list and then share it with your friends, family, and coworkers?

Share the list by going to http://pol.moveon.org/ssmyths?id=22234-9640874-V4M3Hcx&t=1 If you’re on Facebook, share it by clicking here. If you’re on Twitter, tweet it here.


Myth #1: Social Security is going broke.

Reality: There is no Social Security crisis. By 2023, Social Security will have a $4.6 trillion surplus (yes, trillion with a ‘T’).  It can pay out all scheduled benefits for the next quarter-century with no changes whatsoever.1 After 2037, it’ll still be able to pay out 75% of scheduled benefits—and again, that’s without any changes. The program started preparing for the Baby Boomers’ retirement decades ago.2 Anyone who insists Social Security is broke probably wants to break it themselves.

Myth #2: We have to raise the retirement age because people are living longer.

Reality: This is a red-herring to trick you into agreeing to benefit cuts. Retirees are living about the same amount of time as they were in the 1930s. The reason average life expectancy is higher is mostly because many fewer people die as children than they did 70 years ago.3 What’s more, what gains there have been are distributed very unevenly—since 1972, life expectancy increased by 6.5 years for workers in the top half of the income brackets, but by less than 2 years for those in the bottom half.4 But those intent on cutting Social Security love this argument because raising the retirement age is the same as an across-the-board benefit cut.

Myth #3: Benefit cuts are the only way to fix Social Security.

Reality: Social Security doesn’t need to be fixed. But if we want to strengthen it, here’s a better way: Make the rich pay their fair share.  If the very rich paid taxes on all of their income, Social Security would be sustainable for decades to come.5 Right now, high earners only pay Social Security taxes on the first $106,000 of their income.6 But conservatives insist benefit cuts are the only way because they want to protect the super-rich from paying their fair share.

Myth #4: The Social Security Trust Fund has been raided and is full of IOUs

Reality: Not even close to true. The Social Security Trust Fund isn’t full of IOUs, it’s full of U.S. Treasury Bonds. And those bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.7 The reason Social Security holds only treasury bonds is the same reason many Americans do: The federal government has never missed a single interest payment on its debts. President Bush wanted to put Social Security funds in the stock market—which would have been disastrous—but luckily, he failed. So the trillions of dollars in the Social Security Trust Fund, which are separate from the regular budget, are as safe as can be.

Myth #5: Social Security adds to the deficit

Reality: It’s not just wrong—it’s impossible! By law, Social Security’s funds are separate from the budget, and it must pay its own way. That means that Social Security can’t add one penny to the deficit.8

Defeating these myths is the first step to stopping Social Security cuts.  Can you share this list now?

Thanks for all you do.

–Nita, Duncan, Daniel, Kat, and the rest of the team