Tag Archives: MJ

Sell Target?


Target is one of the first corporations to take advantage of Citizens United. It donated over $150,000 to an anti-gay, anti-immigration candidate in Minnesota. We need to hold Target accountable—and show other corporations that they will pay a price if they follow Target’s lead in hijacking our democracy. Can you chip in $5?

Breaking news: After Target’s contribution to a far-right candidate in Minnesota ignited a public outcry, the company’s stock took a hit. In one day, it lost $1.3 billion in value—and some observers said the threat of a boycott was one cause.1

But Target won’t stop trying to buy elections. In fact, Target’s CEO is already talking about “future donations.”2 Maybe he’s listening to the analysts who are “downplaying” the downsides of Target’s political activity.3 So we need to turn up the heat to make sure that Target—and ALL corporations—understand that Americans won’t tolerate corporations hijacking our elections.

We’ve been working round-the-clock on new, visible ways to get our message across—including skywriting above Target’s headquarters, viral videos from angry customers, and live events outside stores around the country. We need to hold Target accountable, and help show other corporations that they better not follow Target’s example.

Target gave a right-wing candidate $150,000. We need to raise at least that much right away to keep fighting back.

That’ll take 64 donations from Seattle—can you chip in $5? Just click here:

https://pol.moveon.org/donate/target.html?bg_id=hpc5&id=22407-9640874-r0UfT.x&t=3

It’s clear that we’ve got real momentum. A Facebook group protesting Target ballooned to over 40,000 members in less than a week. A woman with a gay son went to her local Target to protest respectfully—and the resulting video racked up over 200,000 views on YouTube.4 Target was forced to set up a special phone line to handle the volume of customers’ phone calls.

But Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel hasn’t promised that the company will stop intervening in elections. He emailed Target employees and defended the donation as focused on “business objectives”—and, later, pledged to set up a “review process” for future donations.5

Future donations? As long as corporations like Target think that it’s OK to plow money into political campaigns, we’re in trouble. Corporations are not people. We need to make sure that Target and each and every corporation in the country gets this message: Stay out of our elections!

To bring that lesson home, we need to use all our movement’s creativity and energy. So on Friday, MoveOn members at over 1,100 Target stores around the country (!) dropped by with letters expressing their disappointment. And we’re getting ready to display our message in the sky overhead Target’s headquarters!

We need resources to pay for these high-profile tactics. If we can raise $150,000—the same amount as Target donated to a right-winger—we’re confident we can break through the media chatter and spin.

That’ll take 64 donations from Seattle—can you chip in $5? Just click here:

https://pol.moveon.org/donate/target.html?bg_id=hpc5&id=22407-9640874-r0UfT.x&t=4

Thanks for helping us bring home this message to Target and other corporations—and for all you do.

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

Weekend wrap-up views &some News …As Discrimination breaks out


Sunday buzz … as Discrimination breaks out all over the country… in a place that has always welcomed immigrants has a new look and conflict on an old issue – Race, Religion and Sexual Preference.

Yes -there are two sides to every story …

What i see is a whole lot of race baiting from people on the extreme right acting in the name of getting their country back in response to having an African-American President among other things that seem to be on the break the Obama Presidency train agenda. The question is will we start to see angry mobs saying this that and the other in the name of the constitution? That ultimately blocks the rights of people of colour. It is a fact that Republicans state that they are the fiscal party, the conservative party that believes in the constitution yet the last 2years of the Obama Administration have suggested otherwise. We have two Democrats under investigated for possible ethics charges and Democrats in Congress have stated that they will in fact reprimand any member found to be guilty. .FYI:  We are all innocent until proven guilty …lets remember that but if we remember that lets also remind ourselves of the list of Republicans who have yet to be investigated for various things that seem to qualify for ethics charges in my opinion…

…Republicans have voted for Tax Cuts for the Rich, more Money for War, and do not want the Bush tax cuts to expire. They did without any morose vote against Teachers, our auto-industry, Wall Street Reform, Health Care reform, First Responders and Americans who are unemployed…What more do you need in order to Vote to keep Democrats in office or fill more seats with Democrats because Republicans want to take entitlements away from ALL of us… what is an entitlement? Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare and who out there in the middle class knows they need reforming but cutting those programs will create a chaos in the lives of current and future Senior citizens and probably not recover from. Now they are using the 14th Amendment in a disturbing and truly rude awakening way.

If you have been watching the news at all, it is apparent that the attitude and intent of people on the right have reached a new low in my book of nasty actions. The question i have among many others is if 9/11 had not happened. What if people on the right hadn’t said who and where the nexus of evil was and those responsible hadn’t been so determined to blame all Muslims for the action of a few or declare war against Islam as a response to the terror attack on the US; what would be their response. For me and it is just my own feelings and opinions but what i see is truly embarrassing, sad and offensive. I am not a religious person i am spiritual and feel that that is my right to feel and worship where and how i see fit as long as i hurt no one or myself in doing… let me say that again, as long as i hurt no one or myself. I watched the News covering the protests with signs that brought back memories of people who are afraid of the unknown and who have to be completely uninformed of the facts regarding our constitution or something else that probably should scare us all. It made me wonder how it must have felt when pressed, shoved, and provoked into Marching against discrimination. It made wonder how it felt to make a commitment to stand up against racism, against exclusion. We know that they had to take to the streets again and again even with the real possibility of dying at the hands of people who either just do not understand, are obviously listening to provocateurs  or are just racists and only see the problem and the most basic of logic…at least for them Race. What we have seen is not at the same level as history has on record yet the fight to uphold the 14th Amendment is on…though civilized now it is troublesome nonetheless.

The whole mosque protest is odd, first of all there is already a mosque and FYI location of the mosque and the new community center will not be at ground Zero as suggested by and started by someone misinformed jerk who is trying to stir people up. That is a fact and here is another one. There were great Muslim Americans who worked and lived among others in the NYC as anyone else like those carrying foul signs of contempt acting as if they are better than the Muslims that also died in that dreadful terror attack. I say shame on these people who obviously do not understand that not all Muslims are bad nor are all Black or Brown people or Gays and that brings me back to something i posted yesterday. Yesterday, i posted a picture of the civil rights riots- all or mostly all Black being beat and hosed down for standing up for future and equal rights in society. I know that we are not experiencing that same depth of discrimination but it spoke loudly to me though Blacks have more rights and more opportunities, we still suffer discrimination, women still suffer discrimination, and if the right continues, the right to choose will be an issue women will again have to March against discrimination. It you are in tune, Brown people are the latest target of discrimination, and so are their anchor babies -as Republicans call them. The undocumented and their children have become tool to stir up people who use the Constitution when they are mad at the government or are afraid and who are definitely willing to use the Racist Card as a political bat against giving others rights the 14th Amendment clearly states… People should look up the facts before protesting based on misinformation and anger. The attitude of folks in certain parts of our country seems like feel they have to do something before people of colour move in and take over. That is just my opinion but if you are honest, the target of said anger currently in the news today is about people of coulor. Those who are projecting the anger also know the fight is about equality and since we are in the 21st Century, we all need to move into it because until we do our stagnation will only stop progress. We had hope for change we could believe in that included Climate Change, Clean Energy, Green Jobs better Educational opportunities, and comprehensive immigration. If done correctly the US could become number one again but it requires Congress to create and make laws that gets All Americans back on track with small business loans, tax cuts to the middle class and credits to the private sector in order to get the cooperation that is missing right now. It is not lost on me how businesses such as AIG are still making Profits …the question is why is not this resulting in more jobs? Are they trading overseas, outsourcing and or slashing jobs and saving money while investing? At this moment, i see the country as The Republican Political Party in Congress against Americans. How can we see Republicans any other way? We have a group of people voted into office by Americans who say they are fiscal conservatives yet when they don’t get their way they have major tantrums.  They gave become the party of No to all things American. Saying no to health-care reform, unemployment, financial regulations affects everyone not just people who are left of center and if you are right of center or on the extreme right you have been impacted as well and should wonder what has any Republican done to help you because that is their job whether they admit it or not and they have yet to help even their own constituents out.

Equality is a right not a Privilege

Other News …

**Ice island breaks off Greenland Glacier

**Nun’s death is used to create allies and rallies anti-immigration reform

**Some people are being forced to retire early and use SS early

**Entourage will end sometime next year…but they might do a movie

**Thad Allen states BP must use the relief wells …huh?

——————————————————————————————

The Elena Kagan swearing in will be held today about 2pmET.

My Saturday sound off …We have all heard of Ratings Week or what most call Sweeps …whatever it seems like a whole lot of stations have decided to create a mood of doom and gloom for Democrats as we move toward the November elections. It is funny to hear the constant barrage coming from the mouths of an ab stoddard type of journalist who definitely does not speak for me or to me…

Well, none of them speak for me; some have said things that have made me frustrated because they have the platform to say whatever they want and the audience does not challenge it. Some of the commentators think this is News when obviously it is just opinions and sometimes-reckless comments are put out there to stir up trouble and or get ratings …right. It is offensive on most occasions and it may just be me but getting the News plus something extra from the likes of a Jenk just is not appetizing to me in most cases the channel is turned immediately, especially that day he said we all should have voted for Hillary Clinton as if he was speaking for all those in the Democratic Party.   It was offensive on so many levels and it was disrespectful to the current President and a great reason no one from the Obama Administration would want to be on that show as of late.

If you were able to see msnbc live yesterday you would have seen the interaction between Jenk and Senator Grayson told it all for me and hopefully other people saw the often-awkward banter on msnbc. It seemed to have left Jenk with a very nervous laugh and while he probably felt he behaved, professionally he did not, all that Senator Grayson could say was good luck with your TV show, and not smile attached … ok that is just my opinion.

Anyway, folks on cable and their cable heads are trying. Maybe too desperately to get Ratings… the almighty Ratings Numbers i guess translates into dollars but we all know that cnn and msnbc are behind the so-called fox news station because as reported in the news they offer up all those things cnn and msnbc or mainstream TV does not such as : Campaign Platform for candidates on the right, Racism and discrimination by hosts, lies, opinions portrayed as News, fabricated News and clowns like beck, hannity and others tell the audience things that are not completely lies but they aren’t accurate either and reach viewership of up to millions and make that and then some in change for telling the public half-truths.  It has to be said not all of their commentators engage in such unprofessional behavior but Sheppard smith is the only one i can think of right now and he gets good ratings from what i hear. It was odd when they hired huckabee then Palin as hosts and commentators because i thought both were interested in running for President and clearly the fact that they are on TV in their host or contributor status takes them out of the running for good. At least that is my understanding of the rules.

It has not lost on me that there have been a whole lot of changes to network programming because the November elections are just 60 some odd days away. We have to see prime timers making guest appearance on daytime to talk doom and gloom for Democrats with a little sarcasm about the President Obama and what he did in the short time he has been in office. Then we hear if Republicans played their cards, right the Poll numbers say this that or the other and we all believe those right. It all makes me want to puke but now and until the November elections we have to hear the manipulated truth or the truth with some facts left out or an off the wall opinion backed up by what the commentator believes we all feel as well…NOT. It is offensive to think that we all feel the way the commentator feels on every issue of the day and because they are, free to say whatever they want we the people sit with headphones or watch the screen with distaste. The comments and or manipulation of the truth is why i had to join twitter and blog as well because we as viewers have no recourse to some of the crap we hear on the airwaves or hear and or read from the Media. Beware of Ratings Sweep coming your way from now until the November elections.

Other News …

**6 American on med-team workers died in a Taliban attack in Afghanistan

**Tropical storms colin are heading into Bermuda and warnings of high winds  beaches are closed Saturday…estelle moves into the pacific and mexio with 50mph winds

**Overnight gunfight in Baghdad bomb factory kills 5

**Saudi says deal has been reached on BlackBerry services

C-SPAN …

listen BP Conference Call

watch James Roosevelt on Social Security

listen Admiral Allen Daily Oil Spill Update

watch White House Reception

July unemployment rate stays at 9.5%; Trustees report Released

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported yesterday that the unemployment rate for July stayed at 9.5% with 71,000 jobs created during the month.

Overall, the nation lost 131,000 jobs last month, but those losses came as 143,000 Census Bureau workers left their temporary employment, the Labor Department said. June’s number was revised downward to a total loss of 221,000 jobs. The agency originally reported that the nation lost 125,000 jobs in June.

To further examine BLS’s report, the Joint Economic Committee heard testimony from Keith Hall, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on unemployment numbers for July, and national employment trends.

Pres. Obama spoke at Gelberg Signs, a small business in Washington, about the employment report. He also discussed the Adminisration’s plans to expand small business with the support of loans from the Small Business Administration.

Also this week, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who serve on the Board of Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds, released a new Trustees report on the fiscal condition of Social Security and Medicare. They outlined the report which piggy-backed an earlier announcement by the Obama Administration that projected that new spending cuts would save the Medicare program $8 billion dollars by the end of 2011.

Under the new health care law, signed by the president in March, Medicare spending will increase by 5.3 percent a year over the next decade and allow the program’s trust fund to remain solvent until 2029.

Kagan to become fourth women on supreme court

Elena Kagan will go to the Supreme Court to take the Constitutional and the Judicial Oath to become the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The oath will be administered by Chief Justice John Roberts. The Senate approved Kagan as the 112th Justice on Thursday by a vote of 63-37. Nebraska Democratic Senator Ben Nelson was the only member of his party who opposed Kagan in the final vote. Five Republican Senators joined the Democratic majority to support the nominee: Susan Collins (ME), Lindsey Graham (SC), Richard Lugar (IN), Olympia Snowe (ME) and Judd Gregg (NH). Kagan will replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens and become the fourth female Justice in the Supreme Court’s history. For the first time in its history, he nine-member court will now have three sitting female justices.

watch Swearing-In Ceremony: C-SPAN at 2pm ET
watch C-SPAN’s Senate Confirmation Hub Page
watch Pres. Obama Meeting With Kagan watch C-SPAN Biographical History: Elena Kagan

Photos …Getty Images

Big news …from firedoglake.com


Click here to say Just Say Now!

The war on marijuana is a complete failure.

Billions of dollars are wasted every year. Police officers’ lives put at risk daily. Out-of-control Mexican drug cartels have ravaged our borders, killing thousands of people every year. It’s so bad, even Mexico’s President called for a debate on legalizing marijuana this week

Our government needs a reality check – it’s time to end the war on marijuana.

So we’re launching a massive campaign to fight for legalizing marijuana that we’re calling “Just Say Now.” With the support of the grassroots group Students for Sensible Drug Policy, we’ll organize thousands of people to support legalization at the ballot box.

To kick off our campaign, we’re bringing attention to the unjust, unpopular, and racist reality that is the war on marijuana. It’s a war that must end now.

Ask President Obama to help end the war on marijuana. Click here to sign our petition.

http://action.firedoglake.com/page/s/endthewaronmarijuana

We’re organizing our Just Say Now campaign to put a stop to the federal government’s war on marijuana. To do that, we’ll organize activists to identify and turn out supporters in states to vote for marijuana in the 2010 and 2012 elections.

This campaign will be a game-changer. Our partners at Students for Sensible Drug Policy have already organized 150 campuses and thousands of student activists. We’re poised to make a huge impact to legalize marijuana.

This November, California will vote to legalize marijuana, and 3 other states will vote on medical marijuana regulations. Thirteen states and DC have already legalized medical marijuana. Poll after poll shows huge majorities in states and the country support legalizing marijuana.

Despite this popular support, the federal government’s war on marijuana continues. Just last month, federal agents raided several completely legal medical marijuana farms and dispensaries.

Join us in calling on President Obama to help end this war. He should join the debate to legalize marijuana.

Click here to add your name to our petition to President Obama to end the war on marijuana:

http://action.firedoglake.com/page/s/endthewaronmarijuana

We’re excited to Just Say Now to legalizing marijuana. Thanks for all you do.

Best,

Jane Hamsher                        Aaron Houston
Founder, Firedoglake              Director, Students for Sensible Drug Policy

P.S. We have an online store with great items using our Just Say Now logo – t-shirts, stickers, buttons, and more. All proceeds will go towards our campaign to legalize marijuana. Check out our store!

http://firedoglake.com/justsaynow/store/


wacky Wednesday &some News


Today millions of people are singing Happy Birthday to our 44th President, Barack H Obama on his 49th birthday. It is exciting and hopefully millions signed that virtual card… He will give the 2nd highest award available …Presidential Citizens Medal to Eureka’s Betty Chin

There are reports that the Deep Horizon BP well has been killed by the Static kill procedure and thus the Static Condition is now in full effect ..The fact is that President Obama and thad allen were the ones that got this Well dealt with asap…with clear and precise research and concise communication we can give super props to the Obama crew based on his advisors and science. Please do not think the Obama Admin is feeling this whole thing is done with he and his administration will be watching this for quite awhile. I do believe our President has to get into the mix of how people are getting or in most cases not getting their money and or how it is being dispersed.

And another note on President Obama, given the Mid-term Election season is in full effect I had to bring up that we are in a moment we have to continue …The slogan YES WE CAN …or Si Se Puede  and i my own version  … damn we have to. This is not the time for folks who wanted President Obama to take a hard left of all issues or legislation to stir up trouble by making comments on the airwaves.  If anyone is even looking at the public response folks are saying this President lied to get into office and is now blah blah blah… though these clearly are talking points they seem to be loaded with a lot of ok yes i heard it on cable or the radio and they have to be right don’t they? NO and hell NO. If you believed McCain truly wanted Palin as his VP then you are a lost cause. The media on every level will tell the public as much BS as it can until they are told to stop and that includes people on the left. It cannot be lost on most people that this is the United States first Black President (bi-racial) and if that was not enough, he has a funny name and a father from Kenya, which Republicans have used in a much negative way but then we have people in Congress in both Chambers and possibly on both sides of the aisle that may not want to work with him. It is obvious that Republicans have made a choice to take not only a hard right but some of those Republicans who seemed honest, intelligent and so forth appear to be apart of the lemming family and following the teabaggers off the ledge. It would be great if folks did their homework and find out why he made moves toward the center or right because if you really cared the problem was as the months moved forward Republicans began to go further right. In addition, as Republicans continued to bait Democrats in Congress, which if the public would fing open their eyes, Republicans are not only voting against the President they are bringing the American people with them.

The notion that the No votes, the stalling or blocking of legislation in Congress only affects Democrats is not lost on me. It seems like the Political Party of No hopes people will agree that bringing the economy down even further is a good thing and if we Democrats fail to go to the voting booth they will bring us down and i predict a big fat fing depression is in our future. That is not a scare tactic it seems like a fact because solutions coming from right are far and few if any at all which is not only offensive it is truly un-American the failure of our system happened to all of us and should be dealt with on a bipartisanship way.

On Jan 20, 2009 we all became apart of history. It will be history that we all believed would bring change even though that change is slow, we can honestly be proud that we participated in. In addition, if you believe in moving into the 21st Century, believe in health care for all, if you believe, it is a right not a privilege that the overhaul is long overdue, will help most if not all of us, and is not as people are portraying it. The HCR bill is not just for the poor and financial reform will help everyone as well but we have more to do and that means climate change, immigration, clean energy, education and more.

I do not believe that parents with kids in college would say they are poor and now days most families have two or more children in college at the same time. Unfortunately, the first year at college is usually filled a whole lot of illnesses because they do not sleep, eat, or drink enough water and then there are other reasons. I say that because i remember what it was like and living in dorms can be fun but not always. We all know college is not cheap so those who say HCR is only for the poor are just wrong. This Bill will benefit everyone …  and more… get informed

As a woman, we can now look forward to less discrimination because of HCR and you do not have to be poor to benefit … can i just say that again, women will NOT be discriminated against anymore. It would be naïve to believe some doctors and or hospitals will not try but the law is there to refer to now and covers All Americans not just some. I believe that Bart Stupak and the pro-lifers don’t understand that every part of a woman’s health is subject to being penalized and that includes abortion, which, is not a choice but a situation that is always possible and is apart of healthcare. It is bad enough that among other ridiculous laws that need to be voted on The Hyde law must be voted on every year; here is hoping people who truly want smaller government will also stop trying to control women

We need to move swiftly forward to deal with education, energy, more jobs, comprehensive immigration and more.

Other News …

**Parts of SB1070 has been over turned

**Reports are that Tom Brokaw will moderate the Brown/Whitman debate

**Reports are that Republicans plan to repeal, replace and restart the status quo and Bush governing ways if in control and reports are that is due to 2Wars, 2tax cuts

**Reports are that 3/4 of the oil has evaporated that the oil was crude oil and organic so microbes and evaporation took care of it and while the relief wells are being worked on the procedure of Static Condition is now in full effect

**There is a Free Clinic scheduled to be held August 31st/Sept 1 to remember Katrina but donations are needed so go to freeclinic.com

**Call Tacoma Macy’s to tell them you will boycott -due to unfair hiring practices

**MO. passed legislation that will challenge the new health care law –

**Prop 8 decision is due today sometime mid-afternoon

**

C-SPAN …

watch White House Briefing

watch Pres. Obama Town Hall

watch Admiral Allen Daily Oil Spill Update

Discussion On The Health Care Savings Account

C‑SPAN’s Washington Journal continues with its week-long series looking at issues arising from the new health care law. This morning, Michael Cannon of the Cato Institute takes a look at how individual health savings accounts are impacted by the recent changes to health coverage.

Tomorrow, the Washington Journal will explore Medicare Part D and on Friday, two state Attorney Generals will share their views on how the health care law affects their state.

During the summer, the Washington Journal will look at issues in the news, covering various topics from financial reform to politics.

Static Kill Working; Senate Holds Joint Hearing on Oil Dispersants

“Static kill,” the latest attempt to permanently plug the blown-out well in the Gulf, began yesterday. BP engineers are pumping heavy drilling mud into the well in an attempt to force the oil back underground. National Incident Commander Thad Allen said yesterday that the entire process could take anywhere from 33-61 hours, but reminded the public that “the relief wells are the answer.” Allen will join others today at the daily White House briefing to provide an update on the “static kill” procedure.

The Senate Environment Committee and a Senate Oversight Subcommittee are holding a joint hearing to discuss the use of oil dispersants and to gain a better understanding of the known long-term effects on the regional environment. Congressional investigators are accusing the Coast Guard of giving BP too much leeway to use chemical dispersants to break up the oil on the surface. Thad Allen said that federal regulators did not ignore environmental guidelines and decisions to use more dispersants were made on a case-by-case basis.

The EPA released a study earlier this week showing that dispersants used to break up oil are no more toxic to aquatic life than oil alone.

Senate Continues Debate on Kagan Nomination

Some Republican and Democrats clashed on their opinion of Solicitor General Elena Kagan during the first day debate on her nomination to be the next Supreme Court Associate Justice. Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Sen. Sessions (R-AL) maintained that Kagan would not be able to keep her political views from the bench, nor would she be a judge “committed to restraint.” Read More »

Meanwhile, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) defended Kagan and said she “will do her best to consider every case impartially, modestly, with commitment to principle and in accordance with law.”

Senate members will pick up the Kagan nomination debate today after finishing work on other legislative business. A final vote will likely take place on Thursday. If confirmed, she would replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens and become the fourth female Justice in the Supreme Court’s history.

So far, Nebraska Democratic Senator Ben Nelson is the only Democrat who has announced their opposition to Kagan. Conversely, Republican Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Richard Lugar (R-IN), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Judd Gregg (R-NH), have announced their support for the nominee.

So what happens now on Climate Change?


Center for American Progress Logo

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts.

The Senate has abandoned the climate change bill. Want to know what this means about the future of climate and energy issues?

You’re not alone.

Watch the Video

Thankfully, there’s a way to get answers on the tough questions. Center for American Progress experts are at your service.

Daniel J. Weiss, an expert on energy and climate policy, is taking questions through Facebook on the oil disaster response bill and other climate and energy issues.

To ask Dan a question, just go to CAP’s Facebook page and click the “Like” button at the top. Then post your question on our wall. Your question might be chosen for Dan’s next “Ask the Expert” video.

Make sure to get your questions in now ― the deadline is this Thursday. Next week, we’ll post the new video with Dan’s answers on Facebook.

And keep an eye on CAP’s Facebook page to see when our next “Ask the Expert” video is coming up so you can get your questions in!