Equality is THE LAW in NY State

This year the State of New York made the decision to recognize the right of same-sex couples to marry. It’s now the law, and public officials must abide by it regardless of their personal prejudices.

This weekend we demanded that the Town Clerk of Ledyard, New York, Rose Marie Belforti, sign marriage licenses for same-sex couples looking to marry — as the law dictates she must do — or resign.

Belforti had previously stated that she would not sign licenses for same-sex couples and refused to do so for one couple on August 30. Even after numerous residents voiced their objections to the clerk’s position at a town meeting just last night, it was clear that Ms. Belforti is sticking to her refusal to issue licenses and has no intention of resigning.

PFAW Foundation is stepping up the pressure with a petition to Town Clerk Belforti that will help us focus more attention on this issue. Please add your name to it right now! www.pfaw.org

Marriage equality is THE LAW in New York State, and couples like Katie Carmichael and Deirdre DiBiaggio, whom Belforti refused a marriage license, have the RIGHT to wed.

Public officials can’t pick and choose what laws they want to follow. And Ms. Belforti has no place putting her personal prejudices over the hard-won legal rights of New York’s same-sex couples. We’ll pursue all necessary legal action to make sure those rights are protected and are working with the global law firm Proskauer Rose, LLP to achieve a swift remedy. We’ve also brought the issue the attention of New York’s attorney general.

This year the State of New York made the decision to recognize the fundamental rights of gay and lesbian New Yorkers by finally allowing all couples to have equal access to the protections only marriage provides. We must be able to trust in our elected officials to uphold the people’s laws.

Please join us in this fight. Sign the petition to Ledyard Town Clerk Belforti now telling her to do her job, follow the law and sign ALL legal marriage licenses, or else resign. www.pfaw.org

After you take action, it’s critical that you help spread the word. We can’t let elected officials at any level get away with illegally denying Americans’ their rights because of their own personal prejudices.

Thank you for standing for Equality — the American Way.

Sincerely,

Michael Keegan

P.S. Please notify us if you or someone you know has experienced the same problem in New York State. Email legal@pfaw.org.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

$53 Billion For Iraq, $0 For America …Judd Legum, ThinkProgress

09/14/2011 Nativegrl77

For the past decade, Congress has had no problem spending over $120 billion to rebuild schools, roads, bridges and other essential infrastructure in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, America‘s infrastructure is crumbling and millions of people are out of work. Contact your member of Congress and tell them it’s time to rebuild America.

It just takes a second using our form: http://www2.americanprogress.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=163

All the Republican leaders in Congress voted to approve massive amounts of funding to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan without a penny in offsets. But now they are opposing President Obama’s proposal to rebuild America even though it’s fully paid for.

Contact your member today and demand we invest at least as much in our own communities as we did in Iraq and Afghanistan. And let us know what you hear back from your representatives.

Best,

Judd

Judd Legum
judd@thinkprogress.org
202-682-1611

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Lost, Abused And Neglected For A Profit …”Axel Caballero from Cuéntame”

09/14/2011 Nativegrl77

Lost, Abused And Neglected For A Profit

Guillermo Gomez-Sanchez is a 50 year old legal resident with a mental disability. In 2004 Gomez was detained because of a dispute at a grocery store over a bag of tomatoes.

Guillermo spent two years at a private CCA (Corrections Corporation of America) detention facility – the corporation neglected to report his medical condition.

Watch our video and take a stand with Cuéntame’s Immigrant For Sale documentary campaign today.

CCA profited close to $90,000 off of Gomez’ incarceration, and ensured greater profit by failing to disclose his mental disability effectively leaving Guillermo trapped for 2 years. In 2010 CCA CEO Damon T. Hininger received $3,266,387 in total compensation.

It’s time to put an end to the private prison racket. How many more are suffering lost in a system that values profit over justice? Join the discussion on Facebook today!

Yours,
Axel Caballero and the Cuéntame team.

I invite you to join Cuéntame on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Congress: the Republican led House the Senate

09/14/2011 Nativegrl77

the Senate Convenes at 9:30amET September 14, 2011

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning
business for one hour with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10
minutes each with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority
controlling the final half.
Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the
motion to proceed to H.J.Res.66, a joint resolution regarding Burma Sanctions
and the legislative vehicle for additional FEMA funds, post-cloture.
By unanimous consent, all time during adjournment, morning business, and
recess will count post-cloture on the motion to proceed to H.J.Res.66.
We expect to begin consideration of H.J.Res.66. We also hope to consider
the FAA and Highway extensions which was received from the House. Senators will
be notified when votes are scheduled.

The motion to proceed to H.J.Res.66, a joint resolution regarding Burma Sanctions and the legislative vehicle for additional FEMA funds was agreed to by unanimous consent and the Senate is now considering H.J.Res.66.

Senator Reid then offered amendment #602 (text of the Burma language and the FEMA language) and filled the amendment tree. Senator Reid then filed cloture on amendment #602 and on H.J.Res.66.

Unless an agreement is reached, the cloture vote on amendment #602 would occur one hour after the Senate convenes on Friday, September 16th.

Adopted S.Res.267, Recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month and celebrating the heritage and culture of Latinos in the United States and the immense contributions of Latinos to the United States.

Discharged Foreign Relations and confirmed the following:

Mary B. DeRosa, of DC, to be Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the Sixty-sixth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

Frank E. Loy, of DC, to be Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the Sixty-sixth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

Kendrick B. Meek, of FL, to be Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the Sixty-sixth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

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

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
LEGISLATIVE DAY OF SEPTEMBER 14, 2011
112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

3:05 P.M. – SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.

3:02 P.M. – ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.

3:01 P.M. – Mr. Scalise asked unanimous consent That, when the House adjourns on Wednesday, September 14, 2011, it adjourn to meet at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 15, 2011. Agreed to without objection.

H.J. Res. 77:: relating to the disapproval of the President’s exercise of authority to increase the debt limit, as submitted under section 3101A of title 31, United States Code, on August 2, 2011

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

On passage Passed by recorded vote: 232 – 186, 2 Present(Roll no. 706).

2:36 P.M. – The previous question was ordered pursuant to the statute.

1:01 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to section 3101A(c)(4) of title 31, United States Code, the joint resolution was considered as read, and the previous question was considered as ordered on the joint resolution without intervening motion except 2 hours of debate equally divided and controlled.

1:00 P.M. – On motion to proceed to consideration of H.J.Res. 77 Agreed to by voice vote.

12:59 P.M. – MOTION TO PROCEED – Pursuant to section 3 of H.Res. 392, Mr. Reed was recognized to offer a motion to proceed to the consideration of H.J.Res. 77. Subsequently the Chair announced that pursuant to section 3101A(c)(3) of title 31, United States Code, the motion was not debatable, and put the question.

12:58 P.M. – Called up under the provisions of ruleH. Res. 392.

H.R. 2867:: to reauthorize the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, and for other purposes

12:57 P.M. – At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

12:34 P.M. – DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate onH.R. 2867.Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Smith (NJ) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

12:33 P.M. – The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until tomorrow.

12:03 P.M. – ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches which by direction of the Chair, would be limited to 15 per side of the aisle.

12:02 P.M. – PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Ms. Tsongas 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.

12:01 P.M. – Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.

12:00 P.M. – The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of September 14.

11:04 A.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 P.M. today.

10:01 A.M. – MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate. At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 12:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.The Speaker designated the Honorable Jeff Denham to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.

10:00 A.M. – The House convened, starting a new legislative day.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Democrats in NYC GOTV for David WePrin …NY09 … VOTE TUESDAY

09/13/2011 Nativegrl77

Watch David Weprin’s latest ad >>

#1. WEPRIN ENDORSED BY NEW YORK TIMES

David Weprin Endorsed by New York Times. In August 2011, the New York Times endorsed David Weprin for Congress, noting that he “promises to work to protect Social Security and Medicare” and would not “cut programs that serve the working and middle classes.” The Times wrote that Weprin has “far more expertise… and fiscal rationality.” [New York Times, Editorial, 8/30/11]

NYT: Bob Turner Economic Plan “Would Take a Magician.” The Times wrote that Republican Bob Turner’s economic plan “would take a magician” to work, which would mean reducing benefits for those on Medicare and Social Security. [New York Times, Editorial, 8/30/11]

Turner Willing to Cut Medicare and Social Security, Raise Retirement age, Increase Co-pays. In an August 2011 interview with the New York Post editorial board, Turner pledged to rein in government even if that meant “cutting spending on entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security.” He said that “an increase in Medicare co-payments also has to be considered,” and that it would be “easy” to raise the eligibility age on entitlements for people currently under 55 years of age. [NY Post, 8/26/11]

Turner Wanted to Cut the Budget by 35 percent. In an op/ed published in National Review in June 2011, Bob Turner wrote: “My desire to go to Congress was to fix what’s broken and go home. End subsidies. End government dependencies. Dramatically cut the budget by 30 or 35 percent.” [National Review, 6/08/11]

Republican Bob Turner on Tax Loopholes

Also see: NY-1 VIDEO: Rowdy Debate Shows Intensity In Special Congressional Race >>

#2. WEPRIN CLOSES LOOPHOLES, TURNER LOVES THEM.

David Weprin thinks it’s outrageous that New York City’s small businesses end up paying some of the highest business taxes in the world, while big corporations hire expensive lobbyists so they can get big tax breaks and evade taxes in offshore accounts. Bob Turner is a corporate executive who says he never met a tax loophole he didn’t like

Weprin Supports Small Businesses by Closing Loopholes. In August 2011, Weprin released his small business plan, helping New Yorkers by “closing loopholes and lowering overall rates.” Weprin would also “fight to remove tax incentives for companies that ship jobs overseas and use those savings to reduce tax rates for small business.” [Times-Union, 8/15/11]

Weprin: An Advocate for Small Businesses. Launching his small business plan, Weprin said that New York’s small businesses pay some of the highest business taxes. “While big corporations are able to hire expensive lawyers and lobbyists to secure special tax breaks, I’ll be an advocate for small businesses in Washington.” [Times-Union, 8/15/11]

Turner: “Never Met a Loophole I Didn’t Like.” “As a Republican, I never met a loophole I didn’t like,” Turner said at a debate. “I really don’t know.” Weprin cited tax breaks for companies moving jobs overseas as a corporate loophole he would like to close. [New York Times, 9/06/11]