Tag Archives: msnbc

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

“by the time I feed my family, I have maybe $400,000 left over.” -John Fleming


Try not to burst into tears when you read this:

Tea Party Republican Congressman John Fleming would have a rough go of it under President Obama’s new plan to make millionaires pay their fair share. In fact, he told MSNBC yesterday — and these are his words — “by the time I feed my family, I have maybe $400,000 left over.”

Must be tough. Let’s make his life tougher.

If committed Democrats in Seattle and across the country chip in $4 before our big reporting deadline to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on September 30th, we’ll have the grassroots strength to support President Obama’s plan and kick out-of-touch Republicans like John Fleming out of Congress.

WWW.DCCC.ORG

Contribute $4 or more right now to defeat out-of-touch Tea Party Republicans and show your support for President Obama’s plan to put middle class jobs before tax breaks for multi-millionaires and Big Oil companies. House Democrats will match your gift dollar-for-dollar.

As comical as Tea Party millionaire John Fleming’s comments are, there are too many Americans out there facing real struggles to feed their families right now. Maybe you know one. Maybe you’re in one.

September 30th will be the first FEC fundraising deadline since the President introduced his American Jobs Act to put people back to work, protect middle-class tax cuts in this tough time, and ensure that millionaires and Big Oil companies are paying their fair share.

As President Obama put it yesterday, “This is not class warfare. It’s math.” It’s unfair to ask seniors to give up the Medicare benefits they have earned while multi-millionaires pay taxes at lower rates than secretaries.

The world will be watching our fundraising totals on September 30th to determine whether Democrats are united behind President Obama’s plan. We must have a powerful showing.

Show your support: Contribute right now >>   WWW.DCCC.ORG

Thank you,

Robby

Robby Mook
DCCC Executive Director

~ my 2cents ...

MJ –


In this age of the 24/7 news cycle: the massive coverage of the death of MJ and memorial was frustrating and very disappointing to say the least…

It was surprising to see someone like ac360 star join up with so many news outlets that chose to exploit MJ. The negative aspects of this great entertainer and human being are apparent. MJ lived a different life that was subject to ridicule, disdain, and contempt. What was surprising at the time was that most, not all but most who did have the opportunity to use their “media platform” to do any type of story on MJ made a sad ending ugly. In the end, we all know they decided to follow a very negative biased flavour and it was quite clear most if not all of these vultures, I mean reporters made sure the viewer knew in no uncertain terms that they felt MJ was guilty of all previous charges lodged against him, though the charges were dropped. The coverage was awkward and while “the media” continued to spew ugly rhetoric, they acted as if MJ had no family, no children, and no friends out there watching and or listening to the offensive and devoid of compassion coverage viewers heard.

I did a lot of channel surfing to see exactly what folks were saying and though there were several instances of nasty, the comments that were beyond the pale were of the Cali representatives who said they just did not have the money to pay for this thing. There was even a plea for donations as well as several stations stating asking demanding to know just who was paying for what part of this thing and even more said the Jackson’s should have to pay for all of it.

I know that no matter how “the media” in Cali decided to get hood. It was incredible so see how places like the UK, Germany, Berlin, and France celebrated MJ. It was far better than the US and comforting to hear and see fans, some friend or fellow entertainers not just see the obvious side reporters chose and go out of their way to respond with comments about the negative “ MEDIA coverage” by letting them know fans are not happy or listening to the vultures, i mean panels? Dissect his life. I was also happy that most radio stations went a different direction… the controversial images and video chosen by “reporters” were definitely a part of this man’s life but it was not his whole life…

http://youtu.be/HzZ_urpj4As

The number of reporters opting to engage in shameful behavior in my opinion were many but Cooper chose to end his so-called report with the images and comments by a so- called friend stating how lonely MJ was and my first thought was how much did this guy get paid. I do not know if he was lonely, I do know he loved his children and they all seemed happy but that’s just me. I definitely heard someone implying something and that was not the actions of a true friend. So, I changed the channel to MSNBC, unfortunately they made a decision to run some old comments by so-called reporter Toure made years ago and apply them to current videos, seemed truly disrespectful to his family and children. It was sad to see how it all played out. I felt myself wanting to scream have some RESPECT … why all the anger he was gone and then while this was going on folks on radio played MJ’s music and made sure their audience knew just who essentially ran MJ out of the US of A and why did he choose London to jump off his tour.

I cannot begin to understand or accept the comment made by the likes of diane diamond, and no, i do not feel that Courtney Hazlet/entertainment news reporter is correct when she said, “comments made on his past were fair”. I know she said many many times she has had conversations with folks close to MJ, which I guess, is supposed to quantify her credentials. I get it, a lot has been said, done, and reported on regarding the life of MJ, obviously, no one knows what went on behind closed doors though folks in “the media” did act as if they had the facts without MJ able to defend himself. It was evident in most if not all the coverage not one interview was seen or done with an Actual MJ family member only so-called family friends who when pressed stated that they had not spoken to him for a while. Ok .Then a plethora of MJ know-it-all interviews, more scandal, reckless misinformation and his children totally disrespected until the televised memorial. That was sad enough but more “reporters” like Keith O seemed to treat the whole event like a sideshow and if memory serves Chris matthews compared OJ Simpsonto MJ. The fact is not everyone believed MJ was guilty but that angle barely got any play at all and contrary to all those reports past or present, not all black folks disowned him.

I know even though this should be yet another teaching/learning moment for those that work in the business or watch MEDIA coverage we all know that “the media” knows and bets on great revenue from celebrities alive or dead demand is high … they also know the supply does not have to be fair … or balanced.

I know fans will respect and remember the King of Pop as a great World entertainer who was also a human being, may he rest in peace.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Recall! …from BoldProgressives.org


Today, we’re turning up the heat in Wisconsin — with a powerful new TV ad that captures the magic of the campaign to “Recall the Republicans.”

This ad shows people of all ages coming together to reject the Republican war on the middle class. We loved the energy in Wisconsin while we were filming the ad. We think you’ll love it too!

http://act.boldprogressives.org/go/3501?akid=3667.392150.erQS24&t=1

Our first Wisconsin ad got rave reviews. When we were filming this new ad in Wisconsin last week, people stopped us on the street and said “Thank you!” for giving voice to what so many people are thinking.

We’re working with our friends at Democracy for America on this ad and other tactics that will defeat Republicans and hold them accountable for their war on the middle class.

Click below to check out the new ad — and if you like it, please donate $3 to put it on Wisconsin TV.

http://act.boldprogressives.org/go/3501?akid=3667.392150.erQS24&t=3

Then, please pass this email to others! Thanks for being a bold progressive.

— Stephanie Taylor, Adam Green, Jason Rosenbaum, Michael Snook, Amanda Johnson, and the PCCC team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Right now in Wisconsin

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We’ve been busy in Wisconsin and we just finished our brand new RECALL TV ad.

It’s powerful.

We need your help again right now to make an impact. Take a look and please contribute $5 to keep it on the air.

 http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/619?akid=654.1480546.d8nRh4&t=1

Here’s what’s happening: For the last two weeks, over 2,600 Wisconsin DFA volunteers have been helping gather signatures to put Recall campaigns on the ballot.

They’re over halfway done.

MSNBC‘s Rachel Maddow called our first TV ad with the Progressive Change Campaign Committee “the most pointed, stand-with-the-people-who-work-for-a-living ad that we have seen for a very long time.” We’ve saturated the airwaves with it on broadcast and cable, morning, day and night. We’ve been running radio ads, robocalls, volunteer actions.

All of it targeted at defeating the eight Republican Senators eligible for recall in their districts.

We only need to defeat three Republicans to flip the Senate and stop Scott Walker‘s attack on middle class families.

http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/619?akid=654.1480546.d8nRh4&t=1

Please contribute now to keep the NEW Recall Ad on the air.

We’re not taking any momentum for granted. We won’t stop until we win either. In fact, both Democracy for America and our partners at the Progressive Change Campaign Committee have opened local Wisconsin recall committees to make sure we can maximize the flexibility and effectiveness of our campaign,

Recent polling looks very bad for Scott Walker and the Republicans, but we can count on Karl Rove and the Koch brothers to try to change it up and put Democrats on defense.

It’s up to us not let that happen.

Thank you for taking action today.

-Charles

Charles Chamberlain, Political Director

Democracy for America

All contributions are subject to the limitations and prohibitions of federal election law. An individual may contribute a maximum of $5000 per calendar year.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Wisconsin GOP out of control!

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Republicans in the Wisconsin State Senate voted yesterday to issue arrest warrants for the Senate Democrats who have left the state heroically to halt Gov. Walker’s unwarranted attack on workers. Eight of those Republican Senators are eligible for recall for their overreach. They are:

– Robert Cowles

– Alberta Darling

– Sheila Harsdorf

– Luther Olsen

– Randy Hopper

– Glenn Grothman

– Mary Lazich

– Dan Kapanke

In a move that many are contending is in direct violation of the state constitution and a departure from normal Senate rules, Republicans in the Wisconsin State Senate yesterday approved an order for the state’s police to detain the Senate Democrats, who have left the state to block Gov. Scott Walker‘s attack on the middle class and workers’ rights, and bring them to the Senate chambers. Gov. Walker also threatened that he would start sending layoff notices today to state workers.

Now they’re running roughshod over state law and the rules of their own chamber … and Gov. Walker has gone from simply acting like a dictator to acting like a hostage taker, with state jobs as his hostages. Unwilling to even consider compromise on his proposal to gut workers’ fundamental rights, he is now threatening to start eliminating those state jobs if he doesn’t get his way.

Perhaps the most outrageous part is that the layoffs are completely unnecessary to address the state’s budget problems … the same way his plan to destroy collective bargaining for public employees and make the middle class bear the entire economic sacrifice in fixing the state’s budget is completely unnecessary.

If you’re like me, you are wishing more than anything right now that Gov. Walker was eligible for recall this year — especially since polling shows he would lose in an election between him and his 2010 gubernatorial opponent. Unfortunately, he can’t be recalled until 2012, but eight of the Republican Senators backing his extreme power grab are eligible to be recalled now, including:

Randy Hopper, who won his last election by just 184 votes …

Alberta Darling, who won her race by just over 1,000 …

And Glenn Grothman, who on MSNBC‘s The Last Word, called protesters at the Wisconsin state capitol “slobs,” and insisted that they were just a bunch of “college students having a fun party.”

Here’s what you can do today:

1. If you have not already done so, sign our petition indicating your support for the recall effort now underway in Wisconsin. If you have signed, make sure to spread the word! Share on Facebook and ask others to visit http://www.pfaw.org/Recall.

2. If you live in or near Wisconsin, you can start volunteering to help gather recall petition signatures. We have 60 days to get enough signatures to hold recall elections and our friends at the SEIU will be sending out a sizable wave of canvassers this weekend to get us off to a good start. Sign up here: http://action.seiu.org/page/s/wisconsinrecall

3. If you know ANYONE in Wisconsin, please call or email them as soon as you can and urge them to support the recall effort.

4. Make a contribution to PFAW‘s work on the recall campaign.

Thanks for your activism and your support!

— Ben Betz, Online Communications Manager