Tag Archives: Avaaz.org

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Emma Ruby-Sachs- Avaaz.org


Imker
We win many victories together — like on bees last week. And now any one of us can start a campaign, by ourselves, in minutes. German beekeepers started a petition that got noticed by citizens across the country, then the media, then the government. Start your petition now on any issue that you care about — and it could be shared with thousands: 

Sign the petition

We win a lot of victories together, but any one of us can get the ball rolling all by ourselves. Remember that huge win we just had on bees?

Well a big part of it was due to a campaign *started* by Avaaz members!
The German vote was crucial to Europe deciding to ban dangerous pesticides. When a group of German beekeepers heard that Germany was likely to vote no, they used our new community tool to start their own petition. Soon over 150,000 people had signed from across the country, their petition had caught the eye of the media and, together with Avaaz staff, they delivered their call to the government!
A day later, Germany switched its vote — helping to pass the Europe-wide ban and save our bees. All it took was a few minutes to start a petition on an issue these amazing beekeepers cared about. And you don’t have to be a beekeeper or an expert or a campaigner to do the same — just click below to get started:
http://avaaz.org/en/petition/start_a_petition/
Starting a campaign is quick, but the impact can last for years. And there are no limits on what issue to choose — it could be saving a park from destruction, animals from being mistreated, citizens from corrupt politicians, anything.
Plus, if the petition gets enough support on its own, the staff at Avaaz could pick up the campaign, add strategic advice and even send it to a wider list of members. We’ve got tonnes of tips and advice to help you along the way — all it takes is to get started, share your passion and you can be on your way to winning on any issue – local, national or global.
Forward this email along now to people you know who could also use this tool to change the world — or click here to start an Avaaz petition of your own:
http://avaaz.org/en/petition/start_a_petition/
Our amazing community of more than 21 million people has already changed so much. We are transforming the way the world works by bringing people power to decision-making everywhere. Now, by investing in the campaigns that our fellow Avaaz members are all running around the world, we can take our community to the next level.
With hope,
Emma, Alex, Emily, Christoph, Oli, Wen, Caroline and the whole Avaaz team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

The 28th Amendment : Ian Bassin – Avaaz.org


The flood of corporate and special interest money pouring into our elections is corrupting American democracy to the breaking point, but we have a powerful opportunity to begin to take our democracy back if we act in the next 48 hours.

Since the Supreme Court’s radical 2010 Citizens United ruling gutted most legal limits on what billionaires and corporations can spend on influencing our elections, so-called “SuperPACs” have raised more than $300 million from a tiny group of super wealthy donors.  With this money, Big Oil can block efforts to fight climate change, Wall Street can block fair taxation and defense lobbyists can rev up the war machine — even when the public is opposed. The threat to good government is existential — yet the candidates are barely talking about it. We can change that by making sure big money in politics and the need for a Constitutional Amendment to fix the problem is a central topic in the first presidential debate.

PBS’s Jim Lehrer will moderate the debate — and his staff told Avaaz that if we petition for him to ask a question on this issue, they’ll present it to him this Friday, along with how many people signed.  So let’s build a massive call — sign below and share with everyone you know:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/us_election_debate_i_full_us_list/?biEWLbb&v=18232

Just one man, Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, has already vowed to spend more than $100 million dollars supporting Mitt Romney’s candidacy. Adelson is a savvy investor — a new analysis shows he stands to win back more than $2 billion in tax breaks if Romney ends up in the White House. But the problem affects both parties. The system is broken and most Americans know it: in poll after poll, a supermajority of Americans of all political persuasions say they want common sense limits put on what the super-rich can spend on our elections.

Centuries ago, America’s founders designed a way for us to put this genie back in the bottle, a way for us to amend what’s broken: by reversing the Supreme Court decisions that created this mess with a Constitutional Amendment.  Some argue that an amendment is too hard to achieve, but organizing for an Amendment is a powerful tool in itself which forces candidates to stake out a position on this issue for voters to judge and can serve as leverage for other reforms like transparency and public financing, which are also needed. That’s why calls for an Amendment are gaining steam – several versions have already been introduced in Congress and President Obama recently offered support for the idea.

Jim Lehrer is no dummy: he knows that few issues are more worthy of debate than big money and corruption in government. But the campaigns will be pushing for softball questions, so it’s our job to remind Lehrer that the purpose of these debates is to force candidates to address the issues that matter to us, on the record and unscripted.  Sign now and forward this to others:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/us_election_debate_i_full_us_list/?biEWLbb&v=18232

Around the world Avaaz members have come together by the millions to challenge government corruption and pay to play politics. With our fragile democracy in the US now at risk of being taken over completely by the 1%, it’s time to fight back. That’s why we’re launching Elections not Auctions, an Avaaz project to stem the flow of unlimited money into our democracy.  They have the money, but we have the power.

With hope and determination and fighting spirit,

Ian, Joseph, Morgan, Dalia, David and the entire Avaaz team

SOURCES

Poll: Americans largely in favor of campaign spending limitations (LA Times / AP)
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-poll-citizens-united-20120916,0,7468934.story

Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney (Rolling Stone)
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/right-wing-billionaires-behind-mitt-romney-20120524

Obama Grows More Reliant on Big-Money Contributors (NYT)
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/13/us/politics/obama-grows-more-reliant-on-big-money-contributors.html?pagewanted=all

Jim Lehrer to moderate DU presidential debate Oct. 3 (The Denver Post)
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_21301449/jim-lehrer-moderate-du-presidential-debate-oct-3

Obama, on Reddit, proposed overturning Citizens United (LA Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-president-obama-reddit-ama-20120829,0,7159605.story

National Survey: Super PACs, Corruption, and Democracy (Brennan Center)
http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/national_survey_super_pacs_corruption_and_democracy/

How One Mega-Donor Could Save $2.3 Billion Under Romney’s Tax Plan (Think Progress)
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/09/11/825851/romney-adelson-taxes-billionaire

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Syria – no blood for oil …Stephanie B – Avaaz.org

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For months, Syria‘s brutal President Assad has paid henchmen to wage war on his own people. Governments across the world have condemned these atrocities, but key European leaders could cut off the cash flow that finances this bloodbath.

Germany, France and Italy are the three main importers of Syrian oil. If they move to impose immediate EU sanctions, Assad’s slaughter funds will dry up. Assad has ignored political appeals for him to rein in his assault, and EU leaders have discussed ramping up sanctions, but only a massive global outcry will push them to act urgently.

We have no time to lose — every day dozens of Syrians are shot, tortured or disappeared simply for calling for basic democratic rights. The EU can stop funding the crackdown now. Click below to sign the petition to EU heads of state to immediately adopt oil sanctions on Syria:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/no_blood_for_oil/?vl

We have all watched and read about the horrific violence in Syria — much of the coverage coming from Avaaz-supported citizen journalists who are risking their lives to report on Assad’s crackdown. And now we have a chance to turn our horror into action. Experts say EU oil sanctions will seriously disrupt cash flow to Assad’s cruel army without significant negative consequences to either the European economy or the Syrian people.

Almost all Syria’s exported oil is purchased and refined by Germany, France and Italy, but these governments have yet to use their key trade relationship with Assad as leverage to protect the Syrian people. Still, they have denounced the violence, and newspapers report that some EU leaders are already pushing for oil sanctions. Let’s demand that they ramp up the pressure and push through oil sanctions immediately and cut the engine of Assad’s murderous regime.

Join in the call to cut off the cash to Syrian forces now. Click below to sign the petition for EU oil sanctions and forward to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/no_blood_for_oil/?vl

Avaaz members have played a crucial role in supporting Syrians in their demands for freedom, democracy and human rights. Much of the footage and information shown around the world is funded by small donations from Avaaz members worldwide. Let’s build the momentum for lasting change as the violence against the Syrian people escalates and insist the EU take immediate action now.

With hope,

Stephanie, Pascal, Morgan, Alice, Ricken, Wissam and the rest of the Avaaz team

MORE INFORMATION

Syria Forces Extend Siege on Hama as Toll Rises, New York Times
 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/07/world/middleeast/07syria.html

EU to tighten Syria sanctions, European Voice
http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/2011/august/eu-to-tighten-syria-sanctions/

Syrian rebels urge oil sanctions, Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/9e735f18-bd22-11e0-9d5d-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1Uc2dGYoh

Syria steps up assaults on protesters, drawing first Arab League condemnation, Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/syria-launches-new-attack-against-protesters-in-east-arab-league-condemns-assault/2011/08/07/gIQAMmKS0I_story.html

Syria protests: Troops renew attacks on pro-democracy demonstrators, The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/09/syria-protest-troops-attack-democracy-demonstrators