Tag Archives: house

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Police killed our roommate


 

Change.org
Our new roommate Paulie accidentally walked into the wrong house, and a police officer recklessly killed him. Help us take the officer who shot him off the streets.
Sign Our Petition

 

When our roommate and close friend Paulie was killed by Officer Heimsness, he was just trying to come home. Paulie had moved in only a few days before, and in the dark he mistook the nearly identical house two doors down for ours. Our neighbor recognized him and tried to make sure he made it home safely. His wife, unsure of what was going on, decided to call the police as a precaution. Paulie never made it home.

Officer Heimsness shot Paulie even though he was unarmed and, according to eyewitness accounts, backing away with his hands up.

We’re devastated that Paulie is dead. Then we found out that Officer Heimsness has a dangerous pattern of taking violent force too far. We don’t feel safe with Heimsness or other officers with records like his on the streets, so we started a petition demanding that the Madison Police Chief take Officer Heimsness off the streets and review the department’s policy on use of force.

Click here to sign our petition.

Paulie was one of our best friends. When he decided to move back to Madison after 8 years in New York, we were thrilled. Paulie was your go-to guy for lending a helping hand or repairing broken stuff: your car, your computer, your heart. He played music with our daughter and read to her.

Officer Heimsness ran onto the scene without identifying himself as a police officer, with his gun already drawn. Despite years of training in non-lethal tactics, he shot Paulie three times in the chest. His backup officer, by contrast, had just arrived with her Taser — not a gun — drawn.

Heimsness’ record of allegedly using excessive force stretches back to 2001. He’s apparently even gone so far as to beat one man into a bloody pulp. We don’t trust someone with this record of poor judgment to patrol the streets of Madison.

Police most effectively keep neighborhoods safe when they have the trust of those they protect. Thanks to Heimsness’ reckless actions, that trust has been seriously eroded. Megan O’Malley, our neighbor who called the police that night, told one reporter, “I feel terrible I called the police. I wouldn’t call them again.”

Please join us in calling on the Madison Police Chief to do everything in their power to take Officer Stephen Heimsness off the streets and to review the Madison Police Department’s use of force policy so no more people needlessly die at one of their officers’ hands.

Thanks for your help,

Nathan and Amelia Royko Maurer
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Repeal renewable energy?


Union of Concerned Scientists

Stop Special Interests from Repealing Renewable Energy in Washington

Currently, Washington is one of 29 states leading the transition to a clean energy economy by requiring utilities to obtain a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable sources, such as the sun and wind. But these highly effective clean energy policies, known as renewable electricity standards, are now threatened by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a Washington, DC-based special interest group funded by big polluters, including ExxonMobil and the Koch brothers.

Take action today to let politicians in your state know that you support renewable energy, not the agenda of out-of-state fossil fuel interests.

More than 20 comprehensive studies over the past decade have found that renewable electricity standards are an effective and affordable way to downsize our reliance on coal-burning power plants, the top source of carbon emissions that are the primary cause of global warming.

For years, ALEC has misled politicians by denying the role carbon emitted by human activities plays in warming our planet. Now, the legislation ALEC is pushing to repeal renewable electricity standards has been exposed as the handy work of the Heartland Institute, the same group behind last year’s offensive billboard campaign comparing those who accept the scientific consensus on global warming to “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski.

The good news is that ALEC’s war on science is backfiring. Dozens of corporations, including Coca-Cola and Wal-Mart, have stopped funding this special interest group in response to the concerns of thousands of informed citizens like you.

As politicians gear up for the 2013 legislative season, do your part to defend renewable energy today.

Together, we can make sure Washington remains a clean energy leader and send ALEC packing.

Sincerely,
David Anderson
David Anderson
Outreach Coordinator
Climate & Energy Program
Union of Concerned Scientists
Twitter: @UCSMidwest

~ FDA/USDA ~~ Alerts & Safety, ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Something fishy is going on!


 

WethepeopleThe FDA is close to approving genetically engineered salmon. Yet thorough environmental impact and safety studies haven’t been done. And this salmon won’t be labeled so you won’t know what you’re buying. Tell the FDA what you think of this potentially bad decision before it’s a done deal.

Consumers need to speak up out and possibly against

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

MMA Weekly Update


Media Matters for America
 

From voter suppression efforts to the stranglehold that the right-wing media machine has on Republican politics, we’re looking at what got called out this week. All that and more.

John Whitehouse Twitter: @existentialfish

Colin Powell Explains Voter Suppression To Bill O’Reilly

Colin Powell discussed voter suppression with Bill O’Reilly. Powell shared his concern that voter ID laws suppress the ability of minorities to vote, especially when there is no evidence supporting O’Reilly’s claim that in-person voter fraud is a problem. In response to Powell’s arguments, O’Reilly was left grasping at straws: http://mm4a.org/118wQCe

Limbaugh And Fox Caught Red Handed

President Obama noted that Fox and Limbaugh dictate when Republicans are allowed to work with Democrats. In return, Fox and Limbaugh lashed out at Obama for highlighting their sway. But there’s a long history of Republicans openly saying that their actions are dictated by Fox or Limbaugh – and we list them here. http://mm4a.org/WnyY4a

Can We Talk About Economic Growth Now?

When discussing economic issues, mainstream media outlets have focused recently on debt and budgetary issues. Butthe biggest problem facing America is growth. With the news that GDP was down 0.1% in Q4, will the media talk more about growth? Growth is the best way to solve America’s long term deficit problem, but in the short term that may require more government spending and less fiscal contraction. Can the media kick its deficits obsession? http://mm4a.org/X8g6CJ

Covers Are For Closers

The latest error-riddled Newsweekscreed is from playwright David Mamet, whose article has spawned fact checks in every corner of the internet. Clearly not fit for publishing, Mamet makes basic mistakes like misunderstanding the nature of background checks and claiming that assault weapons have been banned for 78 years. America deserves a debate about gun violence grounded in facts, not misinformation: http://mm4a.org/112Rp2P

FEATURED VIDEO

Sean Hannity isn’t taking Obama’s second term well. He claimed Fox is the “only media organization on this planet that has delivered fair and balanced coverage” of Obama, and added “I’m not saying the President is a dictator, but wouldn’t that be what we had?” http://mm4a.org/Vkqzxl

AU REVOIR

Sarah Palin is no longer a Fox News contributor. We look back at the ten worst things she said on the network. http://mm4a.org/14ktcmD

INEVITABLE EVENT OCCURS

Erick Erickson parted ways with CNN and joined Fox News. Here are 25 reasons he’ll fit in with Fox News’ style of chicanery: http://mm4a.org/115eIZR

LAPIERRE V. REALITY

NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre testified before Congress. From background checks to assault weapons, a number of his statements were inaccurate – and the media has a responsibility to note the truth. http://mm4a.org/127GFiY

IMAGE OF THE WEEK
Black History

CONGRESS: the Republican led House ::: the Senate led by Democrats


CapitolSenateDC

the Senate Convenes at 12:30pmET January 4, 2013

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will recess for the Joint Session for the counting of the electoral votes.
  • Senators will gather at 12:45pm to proceed together to the Joint Session.

WRAP UP

No ROLL CALL VOTES

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Passed H.R.41, an act to temporarily increase the borrowing authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for carrying out the National Flood Insurance Program by voice vote.

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

——————————————————–

Watch Most Recent House Floor Activity

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on January 4, 2013.

10:00:25 A.M. The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
10:00:30 A.M. The Speaker designated the Honorable Jo Ann Emerson to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
10:01:03 A.M. Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
10:02:20 A.M. SPEAKER’S APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL – The Chair announced that she had examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and had approved it. Mr. Garrett demanded that the question be put on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal and by voice vote, the Chair announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Garrett objected to the voice vote based upon the absence of a quorum and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of the Speaker’s approval of the Journal until later in the legislative day.
10:02:59 A.M. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. King of NY to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
10:04:16 A.M. S. Con. Res. 3 Considered as privileged matter. S. Con. Res. 3 — “Providing for a conditional adjournment or recess of the Senate and an adjournment of the House of Representatives.”
10:06:16 A.M. S. Con. Res. 3 On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection.
10:06:24 A.M. S. Con. Res. 3 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
10:06:25 A.M. H.R. 41 Mr. Garrett moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 41 — “To temporarily increase the borrowing authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for carrying out the National Flood Insurance Program.”
10:06:52 A.M. H.R. 41 Considered under suspension of the rules.
10:06:55 A.M. H.R. 41 DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 41.
11:26:00 A.M. H.R. 41 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 354 – 67 (Roll no. 7).
11:26:02 A.M. H.R. 41 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
11:26:07 A.M. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on the Speaker’s approval of the Journal.
11:26:25 A.M. On approving the Journal Agreed to by voice vote.
11:28:42 A.M. H. Res. 17 Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 17 — “Electing Members to certain standing committees of the House of Representatives.”
11:29:11 A.M. H. Res. 17 On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by voice vote.
11:29:17 A.M. H. Res. 17 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
11:29:27 A.M. APPOINTMENT OF TELLERS – Pursuant to S. Con. Res. 1, 113th Congress, and the order of the House of January 4, 2013, the Chair announced the Speaker’s appointment of tellers on the part of the House to count the electoral votes: Mrs. Miller of Michigan and Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania.
11:29:50 A.M. The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:55 P.M. today.
1:05:48 P.M. The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of January 4.
1:05:51 P.M. APPEARANCE OF THE SENATE – The Vice President and the Members of the Senate appeared and were admitted into the House Chamber to meet with the House in a Joint Session for the purpose of certifying the Electoral College ballot count.
1:07:00 P.M. JOINT SESSION CALLED TO ORDER – The Vice President called the Joint Session to order, announced the purpose of the Joint Session and directed the tellers on the part of the House and Senate to take seats at the Clerk’s desk.
1:08:00 P.M. CERTIFICATION OF ELECTORAL VOTES – Begining with the state of Alabama, the tellers proceeded with announcing the results of the Electoral College balloting.