Tag Archives: democrats

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Meet John Raese


John Raese On The Issues: Space Lasers And Slashing The Federal Government

October 18, 2010

 

Just a few months ago, nobody would have believed that it would be possible, and maybe even likely, for West Virginia to 

send a Republican Senator to Washington for the first time in 52 years.But in this turbulent political climate, nothing is for certain, not even the candidacy of a popular Democratic Governor battling against John Raese, a wealthy businessman and perpetual candidate who rec

ently proudly proclaimed that minimum wage laws should be repealed.

And so, in the highly anti-Obama but pro-Democratic state, recent polls showed Gov. Joe Manchin trailing by a slim margin behind the Tea Party-backed Republican, who told CNN’s Dana Bash this month that the conservative movement was “a little bit left of me.”

With the potential now arising that West Virginia voters could be sending Raese to the Senate in November, HuffPost has done a little digging into Raese’s positions — some of which may seem familiar from other Tea Party candidates — and has catalogued the most surprising:

 

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Three Days to Stop CEOs from Stealing Shareholder Votes

The recently passed Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act gives shareholders—including workers’ pension funds—the chance to vote on CEO pay. But Big Business front groups are putting together devious loopholes, and we only have three days to stop them.

Take Action: Don’t let Big Banks and Wall Street brokers stamp out “say on CEO pay.”

Starting in 2011, shareholders will be able to vote on CEO pay packages. This is great news because:

1. Even if you don’t have any sort of pension, or own any stock, the bottom line is the new Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act will help rein in CEO pay if it’s allowed to work. That’s a good thing for working people and the whole economy.

2. Pension funds hold TRILLIONS of dollars in assets belonging to people who are currently working, as well as retirees. So starting in 2011, there’s a chance to use the collective power of working peoples’ pension money to rein in out-of-control CEO pay that goes against the interests of shareholders.

But the new law is already in danger. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable and other Big Business groups are lobbying hard for devious schemes to gut the new law’s “say on CEO pay” provisions, and we only have three days to stop them. They want the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to give corporations more control over the proxy voting system—which is how most shareholders would cast votes on CEO pay.

You can help stop their proposals by sending a public comment to the SEC. But hurry! The deadline to submit your comment is Wednesday, Oct. 20.

Tell the SEC: Shareholders should vote on CEO pay—not Big Banks and Wall Street brokers. (If you add your own words and personalize your comment, even a little, it will make a much bigger impact.)

If Big Business wins on CEO pay, the rest of us lose. The Chamber wants to give Big Banks and Wall Street brokers power to vote on behalf of shareholders—knowing they’ll almost always vote to rubber-stamp excessive CEO pay. And the Business Roundtable wants to weaken investor privacy protections so corporations can send shareholders junk mail soliciting votes in favor of…whatever votes management wants.

Send your public comment to the SEC: Don’t let Big Banks and Wall Street brokers rubber-stamp CEO pay.

Groups representing Big Business are hoping to sneak through these seemingly “technical” changes while nobody’s paying attention. But the fact is, these proposals will undermine the voting rights of shareholders in corporate elections—and because shareholder voting rights will rein in CEO pay, that’s a big deal for everyone who cares about working people in America.

We need your help to make sure the voices of working families are heard in this debate, loud and clear. Can you help? Personalize and submit a public comment now. It only takes a moment.

Thanks for making sure working people keep their say on CEO pay.

Sincerely,

Manny Herrmann, Online Mobilization Manager
AFL-CIO

P.S. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is already trying to buy our elections with gobs of money from secret donors. Don’t let the Chamber undermine our new rights to rein in excessive CEO pay, too. Tell the SEC to put the interests of shareholders—including working families and the pension funds that hold our retirement dollars—before the interests of corporate executives who are trying to suck the rest of us dry.

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The greenest way to support UCS


Union of Concerned Scientists
Your support of the Union of Concerned Scientists has helped advance innovative, practical solutions to the problems of global warming, food safety, abuse of government science, and more. 

You can be confident your donations to UCS are spent wisely. We are accredited with the Better Business Bureau, have received four stars from Charity Navigator, and earned an ‘A’ rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy.
Better Business Bureau, Charity Navigator, American Institute of Philanthropy
Become a Partner for the Earth

Want to know how you can make your actions with UCS go even further? Join our Partners for the Earth monthly giving program.

This is an easy and effective way for you to ensure UCS has the funds needed to advance science-based solutions to curb global warming, reduce the threat of nuclear weapons, generate clean energy, produce more fuel-efficient cars—and much more—every day of the year.

The Partners for the Earth program also helps UCS reduce fundraising costs and paper use. It’s the greenest way to give—plus, it’s easy and convenient for you!

Become a Partners for the Earth member today. Simply select an amount that is comfortable for you and it is automatically debited each month from your credit card.

In the coming months, UCS will continue to:

  • Expose corporations, front groups, and media pundits who knowingly mislead the public about climate science and challenge them to get their facts straight;
  • Push state utility commissions to shut down the oldest and dirtiest coal power plants;
  • Organize public pressure on the Senate to reduce the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal; and
  • Press the Obama administration to boost fuel economy for cars and trucks, cut tailpipe pollution, and reduce our nation’s oil use.

We’ve got ambitious goals—and we need your regular support to accomplish them. Click here to join the Partners for the Earth program today.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Kevin Knobloch Sincerely,
Kevin Knobloch
Kevin Knobloch
President

P.S. As a Partners for the Earth member, you are in control. You decide the amount of your monthly gift, and you can change or cancel your pledge at any time. Join today.
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

A major announcement


Jack Conway and 200 Dems -- Social Security champs

Rand Paul, the Tea Party leader running against me for Senate in Kentucky, thinks Social Security is unconstitutional. Other Republicans across the nation are also campaigning on privatization and Social Security cuts.

With a Tea Party deep on the fringe, the way for Democrats to win in 2010 is to have a spine — and go on offense.

That’s why today, I am proud to announce with my friends at the Progressive Change Campaign Committee that over 200 congressional candidates and members of Congress are promising to oppose any cuts to Social Security.

We’re saying no privatization, no raising the retirement age, no messing with the best program for seniors and workers in American history — and no mincing words about it.

Can you show your support for Democrats who stand on principle and go “on offense” by signing a statement of support for today’s big move by 200 candidates? Click here.

We’ll make sure the political insiders and the media take notice of where the grassroots want Democratic leaders to be.

The PCCC has done a great job working with me and other Democratic candidates to go on offense on Social Security — and I’ve been taking the Social Security fight directly to Rand Paul in debates, speeches, and media events.

The 200 others include:

  • Senate candidates Scott McAdams (AK), Roxanne Conlin (IA), Lee Fisher (OH), Alexi Giannoulias (IL), Kendrick Meek (FL), Paul Hodes (NH), Elaine Marshall (NC), and others
  • House candidates Ann McLane Kuster (NH), Joe Garcia (FL), Bill Hedrick (CA), Rob Miller (SC), Julia Lassa (WI), Manan Trivedi (PA), Ed Potosnak (NJ), Michael Oliverio (WV), and others
  • Members of Congress Raul Grijalva (AZ), Mary Jo Kilroy (OH), Alan Grayson (FL), Michael Acuri (NY), Carol Shea-Porter (NH), Ed Potosnak (NJ), Bill Owens (NY), John Boccieri (OH), and others
  • The full list is at SocialSecurityProtectors.com

As Rachel Maddow would say, “This is what it looks like when Democrats go on offense.”

Can you support Democrats who stand on principle and go “on offense” by signing a statement of support for today’s big move by 200 candidates? Click here.

Then, please pass this email to your friends who want bold Democrats. Thanks for being a bold progressive.

Jack Conway

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RE: Russ Feingold
Donate now to keep Russ Feingold in the Senate
Donate NOW to keep Russ Feingold in the Senate

Russ Feingold’s opponent is Ron Johnson, a millionaire who’s spent $5.2 million of his own money trying to buy Russ’s Senate seat.

Ron Johnson supports NAFTA. He likes the Patriot Act. He thinks speaking out against the war is “extremely harmful to our nation.”

Lucky for us, Russ got Johnson to agree to three debates. Now Ron Johnson going to have to stand next to Russ and defend his extreme positions to Wisconsin voters.

FDL activists stepped up for Russ big time two weeks ago, raising more than $38,000 for his campaign. We want to show Russ and Wisconsin voters that ordinary people want to see Senator Feingold return to the Senate next year, not a self-funded millionaire.

The first debate is TONIGHT. Can you help us reach $50,000 for Russ? It’s critical we make a strong push for Russ right now. Click here to donate:

http://action.firedoglake.com/feingold

Russ stood alone and opposed the Patriot Act. He opposed FISA. He opposed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And he’s done the same thing no matter who controls Congress or the White House. He always put principles before party.

Russ is locked in a tough battle, but he’s fighting hard. He’s got 22 field offices across Wisconsin, more than any campaign in country, and his supporters are working hard to turn out voters.

But a lot is riding on these debates. We want Russ to know going into them that we’ve got his back, so we set a goal of $50,000. We’re almost there – can you please chip in to make sure Russ Feingold can continue to fight for what’s right?

Russ was there for us when it was hard. Let’s be there for him. Click here to donate and help us get to $50,000 for Russ.

With your help, we’ll show Wisconsin voters that principle counts over party; that people power will prevail over a self-funded millionaire who wants to buy his way to the Senate.

Thanks for supporting Russ, and for all you do.

Jane Hamsher
FDL Action PAC