Tag Archives: Bolton

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Stories of 2013 …

01/09/2014 Nativegrl77

‘Female visitors could fall for them’: Saudis deport three men for being ‘too handsome’
Canadian man fights strict Dubai swearing laws by arguing ‘f— off’ is not an insult in Canada
UAE cyber-crime law ‘effectively closes-off country’s only remaining forum for free speech’: watchdog
AFC apologizes for referring to UAE national soccer team as ’sand monkeys’
36 Senators Introduce Bill Prohibiting Virtually Any New Law Helping Workers | ThinkProgress http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/08/02/2404301/36-senators-introduce-bill-prohibiting-virtually-any-new-federal-law-helping-workers/
Paul Krugman Calls Out The Right For Covering Up Basic Facts About Inequality
Republican-appointed federal judge says blacks and Hispanics are “predisposed to crime.” Judge Edith Jones, a member of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, a circuit overseeing a large number of death penalty cases, made her outrageous comments about minorities during a speech earlier this year. The judge, who has a long history of troubling behavior, added that the death penalty is a public service because it’s the only way an inmate can “make peace with God.”
Republican governor schedules costly special election to lower Democratic turnout during the general election. Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) is far head in the polls in his bid for re-election, yet he appears to have scheduled a special election to fill the seat of recently deceased Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) to keep Democratic turnout low the day he and Republican state legislators will be on the ballot. The election will cost $12 MILLION or more and is taking place less than a month before the November general election.
Anti-Obamacare states pass up billions in funds meant to help the poor get health insurance. The red states that are refusing to expand Medicaid under Obamacare are set to lose out on $8 BILLION in funding, which will cause them to leave an additional 3.6 MILLION Americans uninsured simply out of spite.
A Texas jury acquitted a man for the murder of a woman he hired as an escort, after his lawyers claimed he was authorized to use deadly force because she refused sex.
, Media Matters released a report showing that business news channel CNBC had cast doubt on science in more than half of its 2013 climate change coverage,Media Matters conducted a follow-up study to see if CNBC had adjusted its coverage. [3] Remarkably, we found that climate denial at the network actually increased, rising from 51 percent to 55 percent of climate reporting.
Myths about Medicaid

Resources:

National Post …

Media Matters for America

Think Progress

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He could become the first Iraq veteran elected Governor

01/09/2014 Nativegrl77

VoteVets.org

When Army Colonel Anthony Brown received his mobilization orders for Iraq, he left his post in the Maryland House of Delegates and began a ten month tour with the 353rd Civil Affairs Command.

One year after his return, he was elected the state’s Lt. Governor, and you would be hard pressed to find someone who has done more to help veterans re-acclimate to life at home after overseas deployments.

His work passing the Veterans Behavioral Health Act has helped those coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan receive the mental health care they need, and the Veterans Full Employment Act has driven Maryland’s unemployment rate for veterans well below the national average.

Now he’s running for Governor and VoteVets is honored to support his campaign. Lt. Gov Brown has an urgent campaign finance deadline that ends when the state’s General Assembly officially begins at midnight. Can you contribute $5 to his campaign right now?

http://action.votevets.org/anthony-brown

Anthony Brown has a chance to become the first Iraq veteran to serve as a Governor.

Let’s help him realize that goal.

Jon Soltz
@Jon Soltz
Iraq War Veteran and Chairman
VoteVets.org

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Do faith leaders need to be conservatives

01/07/2014 Nativegrl77

Dear MoveOn member,

If you’re glad that Obamacare is finally here—that millions of Americans are, at last, covered by health insurance—then you’ll love this podcast.

It tells the inside story of the final battle to pass the bill, in the final week before the final vote. But it’s not a story about politicians. It’s a story about an unlikely group of heroes who saved the day: Catholic nuns. And it will bring a smile to your face.

Click here to listen to the podcast on iTunes—and if you like it, subscribe and post a review!

Or you can listen on our website here, or on Stitcher, or subscribe via RSS.

You may have seen the headlines about the Catholic nuns suing over contraception coverage in Obamacare. The case just reached the Supreme Court. And it would be easy to look at that story and conclude that nuns in general are opposing the most significant piece of progressive legislation in decades.

But that would be exactly the wrong conclusion.

Sister Simone Campbell—one of the most charming, utterly down-to-earth, and profoundly committed people I’ve ever met—explains why. And in the process, she tells her own fascinating story, from an anti-segregation sit-in where, as a teenager, she decided to take her vows, all the way to the present and her delight in the joyous tone set by Pope Francis.

You’ve got to hear her voice. Listen in to “The Good Fight” on iTunes, and be sure to subscribe if you want to hear more!

(Or check out the episode on our website.)

Sister Simone’s story is a piece of recent history that we’d do well to remember. It punctures the myth, so often pushed by Republicans, that faith leaders are necessarily conservative. In fact, for Sister Simone and so many others, a commitment to social justice is linked inextricably with faith.

Whatever happens to this Supreme Court case, I’ll always be thankful to America’s nuns for what they did on health care. And once you hear this story, you will be too.

Thanks for all you do.

Warmly,

–Ben

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Breaking News on NJ Pregnancy Discrimination Law!

01/07/2014 Nativegrl77

New Jersey Pregnancy Bill Passes in Both Houses; Headed to the Governor’s Desk!

Dear Friend,

Moments ago, the General Assembly of New Jersey followed the State Senate’s footsteps in passing a bill that would help New Jersey women keep their jobs and stay healthy while pregnant. But the fight isn’t over– New Jersey Governor Chris Christie still needs to sign the bill by January 14th for it to become law. If you want to help New Jersey start off 2014 by ending pregnancy discrimination, call Governor Chris Christie today at 609-292-6000 and ask him to sign this important bill into law.

Passage comes on the heels of New York City’s Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which goes into effect this month. Building off our victory in NYC, ABB helped to draft a similar bill for the women of New Jersey, and our own Dina Bakst and Phoebe Taubman testified in support of the bill late last year. But we aren’t stopping until the bill becomes law.

No woman should be fired or pushed out of her job because she needs a modest accommodation at work to protect her health. We won these rights for the women of New York City, and we intend to win them for our neighbors in New Jersey. But ABB can’t do it without your support. Please take a moment to call Governor Christie, and let him know the women of New Jersey shouldn’t have to choose between their job and a healthy pregnancy.

Courtesy Game Face Productions

Here’s what you can say when you call Governor Christie at 609-292-6000 today:

I am calling in support of S2995, because no woman should have to choose between her job and a healthy pregnancy. If he supports working families, Governor Christie should sign this important bill today, and end pregnancy discrimination in New Jersey.

If you live in New Jersey, please make sure you let Governor Christie know that you are a constituent!

Happy New Year and Thank You for All Your Support,

The ABB Team: Sherry, Dina, Phoebe, Jared, Elizabeth, Liz, Risha & Rachel

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What you should know …

01/07/2014 Nativegrl77

By CAP Action War Room

Today’s Top News

2014 is already off to a running start. Here’s today’s news to know.

Supreme Court Stays Marriage Equality In Utah: Though today’s order will come as a disappointment to the many same-sex couples whose marriages are now in limbo until this case is finally resolved, it is not a particularly surprising order. Nor does it reveal much about how the justices view the merits of the case.

This Week’s Cold Front Could Be Deadly For The Homeless: As temperatures plunge below zero across the country this week, public health officials are urging Americans to stay inside. But that’s not always an option for the extreme poor.

After Bar Brawl Escalates Into A Deadly Shooting, Court Lets Shooter Off Thanks To Stand Your Ground: Gabriel Mobley claimed he feared imminent deadly harm when he shot dead two men outside a Chili’s restaurant. But before he fired the gun, he had time to go to his car and retrieve it.

Koch Groups Alone Raised More In 2012 Than Candidates Spent During Entire 2000 Presidential Election: A political network linked to conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch raised $407 million in the last presidential election.

The 7 Worst Moments Of Liz Cheney’s Aborted Senate Campaign: Liz Cheney, a former George W. Bush administration state department official and daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, announced Monday that she will end her primary challenge to Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), a third-term Senator who ranked as the eighth most conservative member of the Senate in 2012. Her less-than-five-month campaign was plagued by poor press and political missteps. Here’s a look back at the worst of them.

One Of The Steubenville Rapists Has Been Freed After 9 Months: Ma’lik Richmond, one of the two young football players who was found “delinquent” of having raped a young girl in Steubenville, OH, last year, has been freed from his sentence at a juvenile detention facility. Though the sentence was supposed to carry a minimum of one year in detention, Richmond got out early on good behavior. He served nine months.

Seattle’s Mayor Is Pushing For A $15 Minimum Wage: After a $15 wage was approved by voters in a nearby town, Seattle is gearing up to do the same.

Why Health Care Costs Continue To Slow Down So Dramatically: New government data reveals that the annual growth in health spending hit historic lows over the past four years.

Security Experts Ask Senators To Pull Back Iran Sanctions Bill: Experts led by former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq and Afghanistan Ryan Crocker ask that Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) not move forward with their Iran sanctions bill at this time.

Janet Napolitano’s Views Have Evolved To Support Marriage Equality: Janet Napolitano, who will be leading the U.S. delegation to the Olympics, has come out for marriage equality.