267,000


By ThinkProgress War Room

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

Republicans demand Obama expand Obamacare.

Colorado approved in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants.

Marco Rubio threatens to shut down the government over Obamacare funding.

James O’Keefe to pay a $100,000 settlement for ACORN pimp sting.

Study: states with most guns laws have fewest gun deaths.

Four important policies that could help women’s health around the world.

Beltway bubble insulated from real effect of sequester.

Unemployment hit a four-year low.

Republicans whine about canceled White House tours as Army suspends tuition assistance program.

The Tide is Shifting Because of YOU!


endangeredWhales

Dearest Friends:

by Lyndia Storey

Today in San Diego,  the California Coastal Commission said “NO” to the Navy and their plan to deploy bombs and sonar sound off the Coastline that would likely injure, maim or kill millions of cetaceans over the next 5 years. They said that the Navy’s position is inadequate and unsupported by facts. They also said that the Navy did not keep its agreements in the past and that there was no point in making a compromise with them. In attendance were Lyndia, Lance and Kim of Whale and Dolphin Watch, several representatives from NRDC, Greenpeace, many other ocean organizations and dozens of individuals from near and far.

Although the decision only affects California waters, it is still significant as it sets a major precedent for the whole country.  This will have far reaching implications for what can be done next, and ultimately the safety of our cetacean friends, the health of our oceans and our planet. In this case, your 2deaddolphins

participation may have shifted the tide that has so long moved in the direction of disrespect and outright disregard for our oceans. We hear from a major environmental organization that your signatures have energized this movement in a big way!!!

We are not done with this issue yet. This week end is our last chance for signatures on our petition to go to NOAA/National Marine Fisheries on Monday. Will you help us out?

Here’s what we want you to do next:

  1. 1. Call and network with your friends and get them to sign this last petition
  2.    2.  Post on your Facebook page
  3.     3. Go to our Facebook page and like us (link on our website)
  4.     4. Sign up for ongoing information on our website to keep abreast of this issue

Here is the link: http://www.whaleanddolphinwatch.com

From the bottom of our hearts, we wanted to say a big ‘Thank You” for your signature on our petitions and your ongoing support. You are awesome people and we are deeply humbled by your support of our oceans.

Lyndia, Lance, Kim and Wes

Sequester : State by State


whitehouselogoBelow are links to each of the White House reports detailing how the sequester will impact individual states:

1. Alabama

2. Alaska

3. Arizona

4. Arkansas

5. California

6. Colorado

7. Connecticut

8. Delaware

9. District of Columbia

10. Florida

11. Georgia

12. Hawaii

13. Idaho

14. Illinois

15. Indiana

16. Iowa

17. Kansas

18. Kentucky

19. Louisiana

20. Maine

21. Maryland

22. Massachusetts

23. Michigan

24. Minnesota

25. Mississippi

26. Missouri

27. Montana

28. Nebraska

29. Nevada

30. New Hampshire

31. New Jersey

32. New Mexico

33. New York

34. North Carolina

35. North Dakota

36. Ohio

37. Oklahoma

38. Oregon

39. Pennsylvania

40. Rhode Island

41. South Carolina

42. South Dakota

43. Tennessee

44. Texas

45. Utah

46. Vermont

47. Virginia

48. Washington

49. West Virginia

50. Wisconsin

51. Wyoming

How the sequester impacts military families


VoteVets.org

“What that means is the rest of the forces that are now back in the United States will not be able to train. They will be able to do small-level, squad-level training. They will not be able to do platoon-level, company-level, battalion-level training back at their installations. They will not be able to go out to combat training centers, which is what provides them the final readiness certification at the battalion and brigade level.” – Chief of Staff of the United States Army, General Ray Odierno

When Republicans rejected compromise solutions to avoid the “sequester,” they ushered in a series of cuts that promise to hurt military families at home and in the field.

At home, medical care, Department of Defense-run schools, social services like sexual assault prevention and treatment, tuition assistance, child care, and many other programs will get cut.

In the field, operations and maintenance funding (O&M) — which is essentially responsible for readiness and deployment — already faces a $6 billion shortfall, and sequestration could double it.

We have a powerful voice and unique opportunity to stop these cuts. Sign our petition to congressional leadership calling on an end to the sequester and its impact on military families.

http://action.votevets.org/sequester

Nine Republican Senators already defected from a GOP plan to end the sequester, in large part because of the cuts impacting members of the military and their families.

They also rejected a commonsense Democratic plan that would have millionaires and billionaires shoulder a small amount of the burden to avoid sequester.

The issue is at an impasse right now, and our voices are critical to ensure there’s a resolution to the crisis.

Sign our petition to congressional leadership and make your voice heard today.

http://action.votevets.org/sequester

We’ll deliver these petitions early next week and let you know about any responses we receive from legislative offices.

Best,

Jon Soltz
@jonsoltz
Iraq War Veteran
Chairman, VoteVets

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