Tomorrow’s sad anniversary & your chance to speak out

01/20/2011 Nativegrl77

Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of when the conservative majority in the Supreme Court, by a single vote, staged a hostile takeover of American democracy on behalf of corporations.

Citizens United v. FEC reversed more than 100 years of settled law and gave corporations the same First Amendment rights as people, saying they could spend unlimited amounts to influence elections. The day that decision was released, PFAW launched a campaign to undo the Roberts Court‘s attack on democracy by amending the U.S. Constitution to ensure that Congress has the authority to limit the influence of corporations in elections.

Americans will join together tomorrow to mark the anniversary by standing up for democracy in events in Washington, DC and around the country. PFAW will be joining with many of our friends to drop off hundreds of thousands of petition signatures to members of Congress calling on them to pass a bill to amend the Constitution.

Please make sure your signature is counted by joining our petition now.

Legal experts, members of Congress and many organizations and regular citizens are recognizing the need to counteract the Supreme Court’s devastating overhaul of laws that protect the core of our democratic system. We support legislative efforts to mitigate the damage of the Court’s decision. But a Constitutional amendment is the most complete solution to the danger of unlimited corporate spending in elections.

People For the American Way has spent many years fighting against destructive amendments to the Constitution proposed by the Right Wing around issues like flag burning, school prayer and banning gay marriage, so our decision to support an amendment to the Constitution was not taken lightly. We understand that the fight will be long, and it’s an uphill battle, but with a strong grassroots movement behind it, it’s an effort that can succeed.

Join the movement to take back our democracy from corporate special interests by signing the petition now.

Alternatives like public financing are important, but no matter how many tax payer dollars the government uses to try to offset corporate influence it will never be enough to compete with the bottomless coffers of corporations. For this reason and many more, we must amend the Constitution.

— Diallo Brooks, Director of Field Mobilization

P.S. There are grassroots events going on around the country tomorrow and this weekend to commemorate the anniversary of Citizens United.

PPS. Watch the brand new video about the Citizens United decision … click on the link below

http://site.pfaw.org/site/R?i=eVmXspEJtQeDtN_dKqq6Uw..

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

“Because it’s Time to End the Afghanistan War…”

01/20/2011 Nativegrl77

Chris JohnsonJanuary 20, 2011 at 8:10am

Subject: New Video Release: “Because it’s Time to End the Afghanistan War…”

Hello Activists,

We just released a new video entitled: “Because it’s Time to End the Afghanistan War”

With violence in Afghanistan still worsening a year after the military push into Marjah–the start of what some call “Obama‘s War”–it’s clear military solutions won’t work. It’s time to end the war. We want people to share why they oppose the war for a chance to appear in an upcoming Rethink Afghanistan video.

Help us spread the word so that people watch our video and leave a comment on our Rethink Afghanistan wall. Here is how we need you to share:

SHARE with all of your friends on Facebook. Head over to the Citizen Activists Facebook Wall for sample copy:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=129038640447204

Also, be sure to let us know how your friends are reacting and how you shared!

We can’t do this without you.

Chris Johnson

New Media Associate

Brave New Foundation

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

What’s Your Town Doing About Climate Change?

01/20/2011 Nativegrl77

If you listened to the professional pundits and climate deniers, you would think the fight against climate change has ended. That is not the reality. Despite the lack of leadership in Washington, we are moving toward clean energy solutions in our communities, our states and in our own lives.

All across America, neighbors and communities are coming together to do more than just demand change. They are making it happen.

When neighbors in Montgomery County, Maryland wanted to do something about climate change, they didn’t wait for Congress to pass a law. They banded together and worked their hearts out. Their work paid off: Last May, the Montgomery County Council passed a local law requiring polluters to pay for carbon emissions — the first of its kind in the United States.

Now, we’d like you to help us by answering a question. What’s happening in your community? Is your county, city or even state working to combat climate change? Are your schools, places of worship or local businesses embracing a clean energy future? We want to hear about it. Share your story with us here… click on link below

http://www2.repoweramerica.org/page/m/396e8d98/6fdeebac/4bff270/19ba7825/810372057/VEsE/

Climate change is a global problem, but the solutions are close to home. Take Oxford, a rural community in Southwest Ohio. Families in Oxford worked together to create a more energy-efficient school for their children, and now Talawanda High School is on track to be one of the first schools in Ohio to be certified as LEED Silver for its energy savings. The school is expected to use 40% less energy than an average building of the same size. That’s an important accomplishment.

When Louisville, Kentucky hosted its first “Kilowatt Crackdown” — a competition lasting a full year that invited building proprietors to improve energy efficiency — over 100 buildings competed. Across sectors spanning education, business, healthcare providers and hospitality, building owners came together and saved 4,766,977 kilowatt hours in 2009 as compared to the year before. That’s the same as preventing the carbon emissions from 385,092 gallons of gasoline.

Every day, people in communities across America are taking actions like these. We believe your stories can inspire even more to take action. Every successful local, state and regional initiative to fight climate change and promote clean energy will empower and inform further action. As we wait for our national leaders to catch up with us, we must build on these changes already happening outside of Washington, D.C.

We need your stories. We know these the communities mentioned above aren’t the only ones working locally to make change happen. What’s happening near you?

http://acp.repoweramerica.org/shareyourstory

We can’t wait to read about your project or accomplishment. Share your stories now and we’ll share some of them with the rest of our community.

Thanks for all you do,

Maggie L. Fox

President and CEO

Alliance for Climate Protection

~ Recent Post

Mark and Dante just married,and they need your help

01/20/2011 Nativegrl77

Last month, members Mark Reed-Walkup and Dante Walkup got married in Washington, D.C., where same-sex marriage is legal. After their wedding, they couldn’t wait to get home to Texas and share the joy with their Dallas community.

Unfortunately, the Dallas Morning News didn’t share their sentiments — turns out the paper refuses to print gay wedding announcements in its Wedding section.

Mark and Dante are fighting back. Join them in telling the Dallas Morning News to print same-sex wedding announcements in its Weddings section.

As Mark told Change.org: “Our ultimate goal is to raise awareness about how this is blatant discrimination and send a clear message to the Dallas Morning News and news outlets around the country.” Together, we’re planning to do just that.

Sign the petition today to tell the Dallas Morning News to print same-sex wedding announcements:

http://www.change.org/petitions/view/hey_dallas_morning_news_same-sex_marriage_announcements_belong_in_the_weddings_section?alert_id=cinvxWkIEa_PNWFqjgevG&me=aa

Thanks for taking action,

Eden and the Change.org Team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Congress … The Republican led House of Representatives -in Session …the Senate back on 1/25

01/20/2011 Nativegrl77

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE DAY OF JANUARY 20, 2011

112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

2:05 P.M. –

The House adjourned pursuant to a previous special order. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on January 24, 2011.

On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.

Mr. Wolf moved that the House do now adjourn.

11:47 A.M. –

SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.

11:45 A.M. –

ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.

H. Con. Res. 10 : http://clerk.house.gov/floorsummary/bill-information.php?num=400010

providing for a joint session of Congress to receive a message from the President

11:41 A.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection.

Considered as privileged matter.

11:40 A.M. –

Mr. Cantor asked unanimous consent That when the House adjourns on Thursday, January 20, 2011 it adjourn to meet at 12 p.m. Monday, January 24, 2011, for Morning-Hour Debate. Agreed to without objection.

H. Res. 9 : http://clerk.house.gov/floorsummary/bill-information.php?num=100009

instructing certain committees to report legislation replacing the job-killing health care law

11:08 A.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 253 – 175 (Roll no. 16) . http://clerk.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.asp?year=2011&rollnumber=16

11:00 A.M. –

On agreeing to the Matheson amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 428 – 1 (Roll no. 15). http://clerk.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.asp?year=2011&rollnumber=15

10:36 A.M. –

The previous question was ordered on the amendment and the resolution pursuant to the rule.

10:30 A.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 26, the House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Matheson (UT) amendment.

Amendment offered by Mr. Matheson.

An amendment printed in Part B of House Report 112-2 to instruct the committees of jurisdiction to include a permanent fix to the Medicare physician payment formula in legislation to replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Car Act.

9:15 A.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 9. http://clerk.house.gov/floorsummary/bill-information.php?num=100009

9:14 A.M. –

Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2 and H. Res. 9. Measure provides for consideration of H.R. 2, as amended, with the amendment printed in Part A of the report. H.R. 2, as amended, shall be debatable in the House for seven hours, equally divided and controlled. Measure provides for consideration of H. Res. 9 which shall be considered as read, debatable for one hour, equally divided and controlled, and makes in order the amendment printed in Part B of the report.

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 26. http://clerk.house.gov/floorsummary/bill-information.php?num=100026

9:03 A.M. –

ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches which by direction of the Chair, would be limited to 5 per side of the aisle.

9:02 A.M. –

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Poe of TX to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.

9:01 A.M. –

Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Daniel Coughlin.

9:00 A.M. –

The House convened, starting a new legislative day.