Tag Archives: civil rights

President Obama hosted Afghan President Hamid Karzai this week at the White House for talks on the partnership between our two nations and the role of U.S. troops in that country. In this week’s address, President Obama discusses how we will end the war in Afghanistan and how our goal of ensuring that al Qaeda never again uses Afghanistan to launch attacks against America is within reach.

Watch President Obama’s weekly address.

watch this

01/14/2013 Nativegrl77

Change.org

2012 was the year that wildfire fighters finally won health insurance. It was the year three teenage girls decided it was time for a woman to moderate a presidential debate, the year a gay Boy Scout fought for his Eagle award, the year Trayvon Martin’s parents got justice for their son.

You and 25 million people won all of these victories — and thousands more — by starting, signing, and sharing petitions on Change.org in 2012. Take a look:

Watch the video.

We’re blown away by all you accomplished in 2012, and we know this is just the beginning.

We can’t wait to see what you’ll do in 2013.

Thank you, – Katie and the Change.org team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

No Brainer

01/14/2013 Nativegrl77

By ThinkProgress War Room

It’s Time to Stop Paying Companies to Ship Jobs Overseas

The presidential election served as a useful opportunity to educate the American people about some of the worst elements of our tax code. Mitt Romney personally demonstrated how the tax code is rigged in favor of the wealthy and his career at Bain Capital demonstrated how corporations can reap massive financial rewards, even if it means leaving closed factories and devastated communities in their wake.

As we look for ways to raise more revenue to further reduce the deficit, protect vital programs like Medicare and Social Security, and make investments in the middle class, one obvious place to start is cracking down on the tax loopholes and giveaways that incentivize companies to ship jobs overseas and subsidize investing abroad instead of here at home.

Ending these perverse incentives would bring in at least $168 BILLION over the next ten years. Just to put that into perspective, it’s about as much as you’d save by reducing future Social Security benefits ($175 BILLION) and far more savings than is achieved from the GOP’s pet proposal: raising the Medicare retirement age (which saves the government $125 BILLION, but costs the rest of us twice as much).

(For a very detailed explanation of these and other giveaways in the tax code, check out this paper from our colleagues at the Center for American Progress.)

Closing these tax loopholes will also help make sure that corporations aren’t gaming the system in order to avoid paying their fair share in taxes. It will also encourage companies to invest and create jobs here at home, rather than stashing money abroad.

BOTTOM LINE: Instead of cutting vital programs, it’s time to stop corporations rewarding corporations for shipping jobs overseas and gaming the system in order to avoid taxes.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

Anti-gay pastor withdraws from Inauguration ceremony.

Five people who could replace the anti-gay pastor.

Vice President Biden outlines measures to reduce gun violence.

Biden’s gun violence event was interrupted by news of another school shooting.

Zero Dark Thirty and the emptiness of the War on Terror.

NRA leaders not interested in any common sense measures to reduce gun violence.

Multimillionaire lobbyist suggests slashing health benefits for vulnerable Americans to reduce the deficit.

The ban on high-capacity magazines worked before it was allowed to expire.

Consumer watchdog outlines new rules to curb predatory mortgage lending.

~ Culture & History

gambling …

01/10/2013 Nativegrl77

With the governor and legislature poised to approve a state constitutional amendment next year that would allow for corporate casino gambling throughout the state, some elected officials in Brooklyn have begun to prematurely salivate at the promise of tax revenues, jobs and community revival. Before jumping on this casino bandwagon and forcing the development of a casino complex on what will likely be a vulnerable community, I implore our elected and community leaders to take a hard look at what the real impact casino gambling would have on a battered and dense urban community such as Coney Island as well as other similarly situated communities in Brooklyn.

Take Action: #DontCrapOut

Bertha Lewis, President and Founder
The Black Institute
http://www.theblackinstitute.org/

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Things are different

12/19/2012 Nativegrl77

By ThinkProgress War Room

Ten Pro-Gun Legislators Willing to Consider New Gun Regulations

Following last week’s gun massacre in Newton, Connecticut, public support for commonsense gun safety regulations is surging. One poll out today found that support had risen nearly 20 points since this Spring. hitting a ten-year high.

As we know, overwhelming public support (or opposition) doesn’t guarantee that politicians in Washington will actually listen (e.g. why we still have to fight over giveaways to oil companies and the wealthy). Fortunately, it appears that the Sandy Hook shooting was finally one massacre too many and our elected are stepping up to the challenge of protecting everyone in our society from senseless violence.

ThinkProgress’ Josh Israel highlights ten pro-gun politicians that are now willing to consider sensible new regulations on weapons that have no place on our streets:

1. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)

The Senate Majority Leader has earned high marks from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and has run as a strong gun-rights advocate. In a floor speech Monday, he said, “In the coming days and weeks, we will engage in a meaningful conversation and thoughtful debate about how to change laws and culture that allow violence to grow.” He added that “every idea should be on the table” in the discussion. Politico reported Monday that he told a colleague he was now open to more gun control, observing that “something has to be done.”

2. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA)

Though he has run for office as a “friend to gun owners” and received an “A” rating from the in his 2008 Senate run, Warner said Monday that he believes, “enough is enough.” Citing urging from his own daughters, he noted “I, like I think most of us, realize that there are ways to get to rational gun control.”

3. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV)

A lifelong NRA member who has received an “A” rating from the anti-gun control group, Manchin announced Monday that the time has come for assault weapon regulations. “We need to sit down and have a common sense discussion and move in a reasonable way,” he said on MSNBC. In a separate interview, he told CNBC that the tragedy in Connecticut, “changed me and it’s changed most Americans, I think.”

4. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA)

Casey has received consistently high grades from the NRA and campaigned in his 2012 re-election race on his “record of supporting the Second Amendment and the interests of Pennsylvania sportsmen.” In a statement, Casey said, “These senseless acts of violence are unacceptable. Addressing them will require a comprehensive strategy that acknowledges all of the factors that contributed to this tragedy and takes every appropriate step to protect our citizens, especially our kids. Everything should be on the table.”

5. Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD)

Johnson has received an “A” rating from the NRA, but said Monday, ” This tragedy will certainly force us as a country to have a discussion about our gun laws, as well as our mental health system. Like always, I will carefully consider any proposed legislation and listen to the voices of South Dakotans.”

6. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Collins has been fairly pro-gun — receiving a “C+” rating from the NRA. On Monday, she said in a statement, “While denying the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens won’t change the behavior of those intent on using firearms for criminal purposes, I wholeheartedly agree that we must examine what can be done to help prevent gun violence.” She suggested that “we should examine, among other issues, whether states are reporting data on mentally ill individuals found to be a danger to themselves or others to the national background check database designed to prevent gun purchases by such individuals.”

7. Sen.-Elect Joe Donnelly (D-IN)

As a U.S. Congressman, Donnelly received an “A” rating and endorsement from the NRA. In a statement Monday, the Senator-elect said, “Now is the time to work together to make sure this never happens again. All parties must come to the table as we determine the appropriate action to address this extremely concerning problem of senseless violence.” He told CNN he was open to gun control measures, noting, “I’m a Dad too. My kids are a little older now, but I think of when they were 6 and 7 years old, and I think we have a responsibility to make sure this never happens again.”

8. Sen.-Elect Martin Heinrich (D-NM)

As a U.S. Congressman, Heinrich received an “A” rating and endorsement from the NRA. Monday, he said the tragedy in Connecticut left him “deeply affected” and that he was willing to consider “sensible policy” to address the problem. He vowed to take a “very serious look all legislative proposals aimed at preventing these horrific tragedies,” and noted that as a hunter, “I don’t need a 25-round clip for effective home defense, and I sure don’t need one for hunting. That’s just too much killing power. It defies common sense.”

9. Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA)

The NRA has endorsed Dent and praised him for being “a staunch defender of the Second Amendment freedoms of law-abiding gun owners, hunters and sportsmen in Pennsylvania and across America.” After Newtown, he announced he would “push for us to examine all of the possible solutions to this problem,” including ways to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.

10. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV)

In his 2012 re-election campaign, Rahall noted on his candidate website that he was “NRA Endorsed, A Rated.” Monday, while noting that the “causes of violence in America are bigger and broader than just firearms,” Rahall said, “I want to hear from all sides before the Congress moves forward, so we can move forward together. Let us act deliberately, but, for the sake of too many already lost, let us act.”