Tag Archives: civil rights

Goodbye, Colbert Report


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On Its Final Day, Remembering Some Of The Colbert Report’s Best

The final episode of “The Colbert Report” airs tonight, as its host Stephen Colbert moves on to succeed David Letterman as the new late night host on CBS. In the move, Colbert is retiring the hilarious, ridiculous, and lovable conservative pundit that hosted his show. In his honor, we wanted to share with you some of our favorite Colbert moments:

  • The Colbert Super PAC, “Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow.” In one of the best examples of the comedian’s humor to actually educate people about an important civic issue, Colbert’s efforts earned him a Peabody award, over $1 million in donations, and some pretty hilarious bits.
  • When Colbert interviews Jane Fonda and Gloria Steinem about their new feminist radio station — while the three of them make an apple pie.
  • Former Arizona Senator Jon Kyl landed himself in some hot water after saying that abortion services are “well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does.” Abortion is actually just 3 percent of Planned Parenthood services, and when Kyl was corrected a spokesman said the Senator’s comment was “not intended to be a factual statement.” Enter Colbert.
  • Pretty much any time Colbert went head-to-head with Bill O’Reilly.
  • Colbert’s Congressional testimony — in character — about the plight of migrant farm workers. “I don’t want a tomato picked by a Mexican. I want it picked by an American, sliced by a Guatemalan . . . and served in a spa where a Chilean gives me a Brazilian.”
  • After Daft Punk cancelled their appearance on the Report, Stephen gathered some of his friends — including Bryan Cranston and Jimmy Fallon — to do their own rendition of the musical group’s summer hit, ‘Get Lucky.’
  • Any of Colbert’s “Better Know A District” segments — but perhaps most importantly when Nancy Pelosi rode a BMX bike.
  • Colbert’s appearance as the host of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 2006: “To sit here at the same table with my hero, George W. Bush. To be this close to the man! I feel like I’m dreaming. Somebody pinch me. Actually, I’m a pretty sound sleeper, that may not be enough. Somebody shoot me in the face.”
  • That time when Colbert and Jon Stewart staged the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear. Hundreds of thousands of people attended the rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
  • Colbert’s moving, tearful tribute to his late mother. The comedian knew how to be serious, too.

Thanks for nine years of giving us the most low-class, bloviating, hypocritical, obnoxious, arrogant — and all-around amazing — coverage of important progressive issues and so much more. We don’t know what to expect from the new show, but we aren’t expecting anything less.

PS: Want a taste of what Colbert is like out of character? Here he is talking to the Yale Daily News, with Yale student and former CAP Action intern Cody Pomeranz as the interviewer!

Save the Chesapeake from Big Ag’s toxic pollution


The EPA wants to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, but Big Ag and the right wing are trying to stop them.

Undermining the EPA is wrong.
Sign the petition to save the bay today!

Chesapeake Bay sunet, courtesy the USDA

Take action today!

Supporting Millennial Entrepreneurs


Calvin W. Goings

Regional Administrator Calvin Goings

Supporting Millennial Entrepreneurs

Millennials, born between 1980 and the mid-2000s, are the largest generation in the United States, representing one-third of the total U.S. population in 2013. Millennials are a technologically connected and diverse generation. Their unprecedented enthusiasm for technology has the potential to spark change in traditional economic institutions and the labor market.

The priority that millennials place on creativity and innovation make them an important economic engine for the U.S. economy.  Millennials were born to be entrepreneurs.

In Region 10 we’re making millennial entrepreneurship interest a reality. With the help of Small Business Development Center (SBDC) counseling, millennial entrepreneur Nathan Graham Sleadd, was able to jumpstart his business, Sleaddadventures, LLC.  Starting with annual sales of $100,000 in 2008, Sleaddadventures employs 7 full-time and 2 part-time employees and generates over $300,000 of payroll that cycles through the local economy.

Research shows that more than half of millennials are interested in starting their own business.  That’s why the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), recently announced the My Brother’s Keeper initiative for millennial entrepreneurs. It’s a new federal outreach and education campaign to help America’s millennials become what SBA calls “enterprise-ready”.

The My Brother’s Keeper initiative was launched to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by young people of color. The President’s new economic opportunity agenda for millennials creates new policies to support this generation, to ensure that all young people can overcome challenges and achieve their potential.

At the SBA, our message to millennials is clear. It’s a message of inclusion and possibility to help jumpstart their small business potential, wherever their talents and interests lie. Overall, we want to help millennials start, grow, and succeed as small business owners.

Entrepreneurship can be the answer if your question is “What’s next for me?” If you’re a potential millennial entrepreneur or know someone who is, visit www.sba.gov/young to learn more.


I hope you have found this information useful.  Please feel free to forward this to your friends and colleagues. If you have comments or questions for me, please contact Connie Marshall in my office at connie.marshall@sba.gov. To visit our regional website click this link.
Sincerely,
Calvin
CALVIN W. GOINGS

U.S. Small Business Administration

How some seniors are losing 15% of their Social Security


We all know student debt is out of control. What you may not know is just how bad it’s gotten:

The government is garnishing senior citizens’ Social Security checks to claw back education loans they co-signed for their children or grandchildren. Seniors are losing up to 15% of their earned benefits each month.

There are no exceptions. Neither the borrower nor the co-signer can have student debt absolved in bankruptcy court.

Campaign for America’s Future is in this fight and we want you to join us. This is no longer an issue simply for young people. There is over a trillion dollars in outstanding student debt.

We’re joining the fight with Senator Elizabeth Warren to allow all student loans to be refinanced at today’s lower rates.

Can you support our campaign to fix our broken student loan system with a donation?

We’ll be reaching out to lawmakers and the media, and keeping the pressure on.

But that’s only a first step. Social Security checks should be off limits. Steps must be taken to control costs, especially at online and for-profit colleges.

When a young person opens his or her college acceptance letter, it should be a moment of joy and celebration, not anxiety.

Can you help with a donation to our fight to reform this broken system?

 

Social Security Admin


campaignForAmericaLgo

The Social Security Administration has lost its mind.

They’re about to close dozens of field offices. But don’t worry, they say. Seniors will use their smartphones or laptops if they need help.

The SSA may think they’ve got a great money saving idea, but this could be disaster for seniors with vision problems or arthritis, or those who can’t afford a computer.

Social Security is a great system, but it’s often complex. While many seniors are expert computer users, others will struggle.

Our parents and grandparents deserve to have a human face to guide them. They’ve done too much for us to be abandoned now.

Please sign our petition demanding the the Senate pass S.2742, which would require any future office closures to go through a public review period to ensure that local communities can stand up for their field offices.

It’s the least we can do.