Tag Archives: Congress

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Shop at Target?


Target just gave a huge contribution to a anti-gay, anti-immigrant, anti-progressive candidate for governor in Minnesota. Will you send a message to Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel that you won’t shop at Target unless they stop trying to buy elections? Click here:

Sign the petition


Get this: Target, the retail giant, just became one of the very first companies to take advantage of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision allowing unlimited corporate cash in elections.1

Target has spent over $150,000 in the Minnesota Governor’s race backing state Rep. Tom Emmer, a far-right Republican who supports Arizona’s draconian immigration law, wants to abolish the minimum wage and even gave money to a fringe group that condoned the execution of gay people. 2

Target must think customers won’t care. They’re wrong: We do care, and we need to let them know that we want Target—and all corporations—out of our elections.

Will you send a message to Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel telling him that you’re not going to shop at Target unless they stop trying to buy elections? Click here to add your name to the petition:


Once we get 150,000 signatures, MoveOn members in Minnesota will hand deliver the petition to Target headquarters.

The stakes are much higher than one candidate and one company. Other CEOs are in “wait-and-see” mode following the Citizens United decision, according to a former Federal Trade Commission counsel quoted on NPR.3 If we don’t push back hard, this will just be the tip of the iceberg. Other corporations will learn that they can pour money into elections to buy the outcome they want—without paying a price with their customers or shareholders.

We all knew Citizens United would benefit candidates who stand up for corporate CEOs instead of everyday people. But you wouldn’t expect a company like Target to jump in and try to buy an election so quickly. After all, Target made its name by being thought of as the more progressive store in the wake of numerous WalMart scandals.

That’s why MoveOn members are following up on actions of groups like Human Rights Campaign and the Alliance for a Better Minnesota by telling Target that we won’t shop there unless they stop trying to buy elections. Please add your voice now:


Thanks for all you do.

–Ilyse, Robin, Anna, Mari, and the rest of the team

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The Senate in Session -what’s going on …


The  Senate Covnenes: 9:30amET August 3, 2010

The Senate will convene at 9:30am and immediately proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination of Elena Kagan to by Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The Senate will recess from 12:30 until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.

Debate time on the Kagan nomination will be controlled as follows:

– Chairman Leahy –first 30 minutes

– Ranking Member Sessions—next 30 minutes

– 10:30 until 11am equally divided and controlled between the Leaders, or their designees

– 11-12:30pm equally divided and controlled, with the Majority controlling the first 45 minutes;

– 2:15pm-8:15pm divided in one hour alternating blocks, with the Majority controlling the first block

– 8:15pmET and beyond continuing to be divided in one hour alternating blocks of time.

There will be no roll call votes today.

Unanimous Consent:
Passed S.3397, the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act.

Adopted S.Res.555, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of “National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month”.

Adopted S.Res.596, a resolution to designate September 25, 2010, as “National Estuaries Day:.

Adopted S.Res.605, a resolution designating September 13, 2010, as “National Celiac Disease Awareness Day”.

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The next meeting in the House is scheduled for 2:00pmET on September 14,2010

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Top 5 Social Security Myths


Social Security is under attack and we need to fight back against the lies.

Have you heard that Social Security is going bankrupt? Driving up the deficit? In crisis?

Well none of that is true. These are all myths that opponents of Social Security have been spreading to scare people into accepting benefit cuts this fall. But the myths are taking hold—so we have to fight back with the facts.

So we’ve put together a list of the top five myths about Social Security, along with the real story. Can you check out the list and then share it with your friends, family, and coworkers?

Share the list by going to http://pol.moveon.org/ssmyths?id=22234-9640874-V4M3Hcx&t=1 If you’re on Facebook, share it by clicking here. If you’re on Twitter, tweet it here.


Myth #1: Social Security is going broke.

Reality: There is no Social Security crisis. By 2023, Social Security will have a $4.6 trillion surplus (yes, trillion with a ‘T’).  It can pay out all scheduled benefits for the next quarter-century with no changes whatsoever.1 After 2037, it’ll still be able to pay out 75% of scheduled benefits—and again, that’s without any changes. The program started preparing for the Baby Boomers’ retirement decades ago.2 Anyone who insists Social Security is broke probably wants to break it themselves.

Myth #2: We have to raise the retirement age because people are living longer.

Reality: This is a red-herring to trick you into agreeing to benefit cuts. Retirees are living about the same amount of time as they were in the 1930s. The reason average life expectancy is higher is mostly because many fewer people die as children than they did 70 years ago.3 What’s more, what gains there have been are distributed very unevenly—since 1972, life expectancy increased by 6.5 years for workers in the top half of the income brackets, but by less than 2 years for those in the bottom half.4 But those intent on cutting Social Security love this argument because raising the retirement age is the same as an across-the-board benefit cut.

Myth #3: Benefit cuts are the only way to fix Social Security.

Reality: Social Security doesn’t need to be fixed. But if we want to strengthen it, here’s a better way: Make the rich pay their fair share.  If the very rich paid taxes on all of their income, Social Security would be sustainable for decades to come.5 Right now, high earners only pay Social Security taxes on the first $106,000 of their income.6 But conservatives insist benefit cuts are the only way because they want to protect the super-rich from paying their fair share.

Myth #4: The Social Security Trust Fund has been raided and is full of IOUs

Reality: Not even close to true. The Social Security Trust Fund isn’t full of IOUs, it’s full of U.S. Treasury Bonds. And those bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.7 The reason Social Security holds only treasury bonds is the same reason many Americans do: The federal government has never missed a single interest payment on its debts. President Bush wanted to put Social Security funds in the stock market—which would have been disastrous—but luckily, he failed. So the trillions of dollars in the Social Security Trust Fund, which are separate from the regular budget, are as safe as can be.

Myth #5: Social Security adds to the deficit

Reality: It’s not just wrong—it’s impossible! By law, Social Security’s funds are separate from the budget, and it must pay its own way. That means that Social Security can’t add one penny to the deficit.8

Defeating these myths is the first step to stopping Social Security cuts.  Can you share this list now?

Thanks for all you do.

–Nita, Duncan, Daniel, Kat, and the rest of the team

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An impossible and unneccessary choice …


National Women's Law Center - Reform Matters

Protect Vital Medicaid Funding for Women

Take Action!

Tell your Senators to extend Medicaid funding to states without slashing food stamp programs.

Take Action!

A minority of Senators are forcing their colleagues to make the impossible choice between slashing Medicaid programs or cutting food stamps for the most vulnerable women and families.

Tell your Senators to ensure the neediest women and families continue to have access to health care by extending Medicaid funding to the states, but without slashing critical funding for food stamps.

As the Senate prepares to leave for the August recess, the lives of struggling women and families hangs in the balance. With a possible vote taking place as early as tomorrow, this may be our last chance to extend these vital funds to ensure that low-income women and families can receive Medicaid services. But it cannot be done by slashing equally critical funds to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Programs (SNAP) that put food on the tables of over 40 million Americans.

We do not need to make this impossible and unnecessary choice. Tell your Senators to pass legislation to extend Medicaid funding to the states without slashing critical funding for Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Programs (SNAP).

Thanks for your continued commitment to women and their families.

Judy WaxmanSincerely,

Judy Waxman
Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights
National Women’s Law Center

P.S. Your generous donation allows us to continue to stand up for women and their families. Support our work today.
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Congress in Session -The Senate, Monday 8/2/10


The Senate Convenes at 2:00pmET August 2, 2010

Following Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to a period of morning business until 3:00pm with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the House Message on H.R.1586. At 5:45pm, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur with amendment #4567 (Teacher Funding and FMAP) in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to HR1586.

Next week, in addition to considering the Teacher funding and FMAP amendment, the Majority Leader would like to consider an energy bill, the nomination of Elena Kagan to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, and any other items cleared for action on the Legislative or Executive calendars.

Votes:
223: Reid motion to table the motion to concur with amendment #4567: (Teacher Funding and FMAP) in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to HR1586
Tabled: 95-0

Because The CBO scored 223 Reid had to table A#4567/HR1586 until further notice stay tuned

Unanimous Consent:
Passed S.1055, a bill to grant the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Batttalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, United States Army, in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.

Passed H.R.2097, the Star-Spangled Banner Bicentenial Commemorative Coin Act.

Passed S.3689, the Copyright Cleanup, Clarification, and Corrections Act.

Adopted S.Res.604, a resolution urging the Government urging the Government of the Islamic Republica of Iran to immediately and unconditionally release Sara Shourd, Joshua Fattal, and Shane Bauer on humanitarian grounds.

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The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00pmET on September 14, 2010