Tag Archives: United States Constitution

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The New Populist Movement


“More liberal, populist movement
emerging ahead of 2016 elections.”

Front page, The Washington Post, December 1, 2013:

The past two years have been scarred by a government shutdown, the sequester, the near default of the US government and a Tea Party Congress blocking everything.

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And yet –

In the midst of the wreckage, we’ve helped build a populist movement that the media and the politicians no longer can ignore.

That movement – that you, the Campaign for America’s Future and others are forcing onto the table the changes that the American people want.

Take a look at last year:

  • We blocked politicians from cutting one dollar of Social Security and Medicare benefits — and now our champions in Congress are pushing to expand those programs.
  • We put economic inequality on the national agenda and drove demands for a higher minimum wage.
  • We pushed for investment in jobs and full employment and against job-killing austerity.
  • We demanded prosecution of banks and bankers who tanked the economy – and pushed to break up too-big-to-fail financial institutions.
  • We stopped Larry Summers from becoming Federal Reserve chairman.
  • We challenged job-killing trade agreements and the corporations that wrote them in secret.

In this election year, we need to keep up the fight. We need to support political champions like Senator Elizabeth Warren. We must keep up the fight for the minimum wage and pre-school for every child. We can’t do this without you.   We need your energy and we need your help with a donation.

Can you help with a $10 donation to build this movement?

Thanks for all you do,

Roger Hickey & Robert L. Borosage
Co-Directors, Campaign for America’s Future

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Aurora, two years later


Everytown for Gun Safety

My heart sank when I heard the news about the shooting two years ago in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. It was opening day of The Dark Knight Rises and 12 people had just been shot and killed at a midnight showing — 58 wounded.

The only thing I could think to do was go to Aurora. I visited the survivors and family members in the hospital.

One of the amazing survivors of the shooting I met was Steve Barton — a guy who just happened to be passing through on a cross-country bike trip when he stopped to go to the movies with friends.

Tomorrow marks two years since the Aurora shooting. Click here to watch Steve’s moving story and then share it with your family and friends to mark this somber anniversary.

Watch Steve Barton's powerful message

After the shooting, Steve focused his incredible talents on fighting for public safety measures that will prevent others’ lives from being affected by gun violence like his was. I’m inspired by his resilience and dedication.

The fact is, there’s a lot more we can do to cut down on gun violence. After the Aurora shooting, Colorado passed a strong law that has already blocked criminals from easily buying guns without a background check.

But making that kind of progress in other states or at the federal level is going to require elected officials with the backbone to act. That’s why it’s so important to support local, state and federal candidates who will push for common-sense gun laws.

On this sad anniversary, let’s all recommit ourselves to turning tragedy into meaning.

Watch Steve’s powerful message now and then spread the word:

http://every.tw/aurora-two-years

It’s an honor to stand with Steve, with you and with all Americans fighting to reduce gun violence.

Thank you,

Christian Bale

Christian Bale
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#LivetheWage … it’s a Challenge


By

Join Leaders And Advocates Taking The #LiveTheWage Challenge And Live On A Minimum Wage Budget For A Week

July 24th marks 5 years since the last federal minimum wage increase and America can’t wait any longer.

While corporate profits and CEO salaries skyrocket, the minimum wage remains stuck at $7.25 an hour, well below the poverty line for a family of three. We need to raise the minimum wage so that workers have more money to support themselves and their families. More money for workers means more customers for businesses. More customers means more jobs and a stronger economy for everyone.

It’s time for action.

This July, join the national movement to raise the minimum wage by taking the Live the Wage Challenge.

The Live the Wage Challenge asks elected officials, community leaders, advocates and everyday citizens to walk in the shoes of a person who earns minimum wage by living on a minimum wage budget—$77—for one week. Your weekly budget of $77 represents the weekly wages of a full-time worker making the federal minimum wage, minus average taxes and average housing expenses. Your weekly budget includes all your meals, groceries, transportation, and recreational spending. (It does not include long-term and inflexible expenses like loan, car, mortgage, or rent payments, child care, health care, etc.)

Obviously, $77 is not a lot of money. The truth is that you may simply run out of money and go over budget. That’s OK: the Challenge is not easy, and it’s not supposed to be. Workers who make the minimum wage have little, if any, leeway in how they spend their money each month. The Challenge gives a glimpse into just how little the minimum wage provides. It is not enough to live on—much less enough to invest back into the community. Whatever happens — good or bad — by sharing our experiences you will help highlight the critical need to raise the federal minimum wage.

Visit Livethewage.com to learn more about the challenge and read the stories of minimum wage workers and the struggles they face. The Challenge starts on the anniversary and goes for one week: from Thursday, July 24th until Wednesday, July 30th. Invite your friends, your neighbors, your congregation, your co-workers to join. And if you take part, be sure to chronicle the whole experience on social media using the hashtag #LiveTheWage. The more participants share their experiences with others, the bigger the impact we’ll have on the national conversation around the minimum wage.

BOTTOM LINE: Take part in the Live the Wage challenge by walking in the shoes of a minimum wage worker and living on just $77 for a week. We can keep the momentum going to raise the minimum wage – and keep the pressure on legislators who are saying no.

Like CAP Action on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

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Bosses vs birth control


This week on “The Good Fight” podcast: an inside account of the Supreme Court’s hearings on the case that could give corporate CEOs the right to deny birth control coverage to their employees.

Irin Carmon, the brilliant reporter for MSNBC.com, was there in the courtroom as the justices hashed out Hobby Lobby v. Sebelius—and then walked across the street to our studio in D.C. to tell us exactly how it went down.

Her story made me laugh, it made my blood boil a little bit … and it made me very excited about sharing this episode. If you’ve ever benefited from birth control yourself, you’ll definitely want to hear it: Click here to open the podcast on iTunes (and be sure to subscribe)!

Or you can listen on our website, via the Stitcher app for Android or iOS, or via RSS.

 

Guess how many justices were distinctly unenthusiastic about corporations getting to impose religious views on their employees’ birth control decisions?

Here’s a hint: There are three women on the Supreme Court.

You’ll hear what it’s like to sit inside the court during a historic case, and you’ll learn about what’s at stake. Plus, in this episode, you’ll hear updates on progressive fights from coast to coast in “The Good Fight’s Win Report.” If you’ve never listened to “The Good Fight,” this is a great place to start—this one’s short, sweet, and full of positive energy.

Click to hear the podcast on iTunes! And if you like it … subscribe!

Or check it out on the “The Good Fight” website.

If it seems to you like your CEO’s religious freedom shouldn’t affect what you can do with your own body, you’re not alone. In fact, one of the many great provisions in the Affordable Care Act is based on exactly that idea. It’s now under attack, like so many of the rights and freedoms that we’ve fought for over the years. And to fight back, the first step is knowing what’s happening. The second step? Spreading the word.

Thanks for all you do!

–Ben Wikler

P.S. New to podcasts? Welcome! A podcast is a prerecorded radio show, distributed through the Internet. You can listen on your computer on our website or through iTunes, or on your phone (through iTunes for iPhones, or Stitcher for Androids).

We launched “The Good Fight” in partnership with MoveOn a few months ago to tell the inside stories of fights that matter, and inspire people to get involved. If you like the program, please subscribe, post a review, and drop us an email at show@thegoodfight.fm.

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a message from Gov.Inslee … Washington is cutting carbon


WAseattleferriesdowntownbackground“This is not some distant problem of the future. This is a problem that is affecting Americans right now.”

These were the words of President Obama on Tuesday as his administration released the National Climate Assessment, a landmark report written by over 250 scientists and government officials that confirms something we’ve known for a while: Man-made climate change is real and is already altering our lives and our planet.

But this report doesn’t just warn us about the problems facing our planet in general — it specifically warns that Washington is now facing greater wildfire risks, a reduced water supply, and significant damage to our shellfish industry due to ocean acidification.

We’ve heard warnings like these for far too long, yet failed to act. But as I said on Tuesday, “This challenge is significant, but it is matched by tremendous opportunities.” That’s why, last week, I announced an executive order to limit carbon pollution and asked you to help stop climate change before it’s too late.

Thousands of Washingtonians have heeded the call and signed a petition, in just the last week, to declare that they support this executive order and demand bold action to address the climate crisis.

As our movement grows stronger, we know the opposition is watching. With the release of Tuesday’s report, there should be no doubt that now is the time to join us, and show them that we’re not backing down.

Click here to declare your support for real climate action in Washington — including a market-based program to limit carbon — by signing my petition now.

Very truly yours,

Jay Inslee