Tag Archives: United States Supreme Court

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Homelessness in Seattle ~ a repost a reminder

 

OutsideIN: 1,000 Safe by 2015

It’s now 2015 and while the homeless among vets might have been on the decline the cities renewal project has probably pushed a lot more into the label or category of being homeless
By Real Change Homeless Empowerment Project
Seattle, Washington

  • Petitioning Dow Constantine

“Nobody should have to go through what I went through on the streets. When the shelters fill up and people are left outside, they become vulnerable. We all need to act together to end homelessness because we are all connected.” – Susan Russell, Real Change Vendor

Fact: The 2014 One Night Homeless Count found 3,123 people sleeping outside in King County after the shelters were filled.  This was a 14% increase in the unsheltered count from the previous year. 

Fact: The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Homeless Education counts at least 6,188 homeless students in King County, a more than 18% increase from 2011-2012.

Fact: According to the City of Seattle’s “Role of Shelter” report, more than 600 non-disabled single adults have languished in emergency shelter for six months or longer.

This is unacceptable. Strategic investments in the following areas will create the new housing and shelter capacity we need to get more people inside now:

Fund Additional Shelter: The more than 3,000 women, men and children that are living outside in King County on any given night deserve an emergency response. Invest immediately in additional shelter to bring at least 500 more people inside before January 2015.

Support Community Partnerships: Provide funding to expand partnerships between faith communities, civic groups and service providers to get more people off the street and ensure that no child or family sleeps outside.

Meet Immediate Basic Needs: Create a flexible discretionary fund for caseworkers to reunite families with bus tickets, get cars out of impound, or take other actions that quickly and inexpensively get people off the street.

Support Creative Housing Options: Provide financial incentives and support to private landlords and homeowners to match people experiencing homelessness with community members who have space to share.

We hereby call upon the Governing Board of the Committee to End Homelessness and our elected representatives in Seattle and King County to allocate the resources required to make 1,000 more unsheltered homeless people safe by 2015.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

What the President did for Bristol Bay, AK – 2014 – a reminder


The President took action to pThis is Bristol Bay, Alaska, a national treasure that President Obama is protecting for all of us.rotect a place called Bristol Bay, Alaska. Here’s why that matters:

It places a national treasure — and one of the nation’s most productive fisheries — off limits for oil and gas leasing. Alaskans have been fighting to preserve Bristol Bay for decades. Today, we got it done.

Bristol Bay helps to produce 40 percent of America’s wild-caught seafood each year. It supports $2 billion every year in commercial fishing, and supports good jobs in sport-fishing and tourism.

These waters are beautiful and valuable, and today’s action will ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy their bounty.

It’s a big deal. Watch the President’s announcement, and take a look at these photos of the place this Administration just took definitive action to protect:

Please click on link above for more amazing pictures and information

 

This is Bristol Bay, Alaska, a national treasure that President Obama is protecting for all of us.

A humpback whale with shearwater birds in Bristol Bay.

A humpback whale with shear water birds in Bristol Bay.

The beautiful Bristol Bay helps to produce 40% of America's wild-caught seafood every year.

The beautiful Bristol Bay helps to produce 40% of America’s wild-caught seafood every year.

Thanks,

Sally

Secretary Sally Jewell
Department of the Interior
@SecretaryJewell

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Thank Governor Bullock for Medicaid Expansion!


Wordpressmo-medicaid-whiteRight now, 70,000 Montanans are caught between not qualifying for Medicaid and being unable to afford health insurance on their own.

Governor Bullock has just signed a bipartisan bill that would close this gap and ensure all Montanans have access to quality health care.

SIGN YOUR NAME: Thank Governor Bullock for expanding Medicaid!

~ Culture & History, ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

How much do working mom’s get paid in your state


a reminder and repost

Every working mom should get paid enough to care for herself and her family.

But research has shown that working mothers are offered lower starting salaries than women who don’t have children — while working fathers are actually recommended for significantly higher pay than men without kids.

It’s outrageous double standards like this that contribute to the gender wage gap. Mothers who work outside the home full time, year round typically make only 70 cents for every dollar paid to fathers — and things are even worse for mothers of color and single moms.

Every working mom should get paid enough to care for herself and her family.

But research has shown that working mothers are offered lower starting salaries than women who don’t have children — while working fathers are actually recommended for significantly higher pay than men without kids.

It’s outrageous double standards like this that contribute to the gender wage gap. Mothers who work outside the home full time, year round typically make only 70 cents for every dollar paid to fathers — and things are even worse for mothers of color and single moms.

Support Fair Pay for Working MothersTell Congress to co-sponsor the Paycheck Fairness Act and support equal pay for all women — including working moms.

Take Action

The Paycheck Fairness Act would help end wage discrimination by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act. It would make it harder for employers to pay women less for the same work, prohibit retaliation against employees who talk about their pay, and require that employers who break the law fairly compensate the women they’ve discriminated against.

In this tough economy, more and more families are counting on women’s earnings. Yet pay discrimination undermines women’s ability to provide for themselves and their families.

Tell Congress: Support equal pay by co-sponsoring the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Thank you for all you do for women and their families.

Sincerely,
Fatima Goss Graves
Vice President for Education and Employment
National Women’s Law Center

P.S. To see how working mothers in your state fare, check out our interactive map..
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Presidential Ambitions Over Student Needs:Chris Christie reminders!


By

Chris Christie Reverses His Position on Common Core

Today New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie turned his back on New Jersey kids for his own political gain. In a speech this afternoon Christie, a likely 2016 presidential candidate, reversed his position on Common Core, a set of education standards he had earlier supported. Christie was for the Common Core State Standards long before he was against them. Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, since 2010 when he adopted the standards, Christie has reversed his position in an attempt appeal to the extreme right-wing conservative base. From 2010 to 2015 Christie has slowly walked away from the standards. Below are a few examples showing his evolution on the issue:

  • 2011: Christie fully supported the Common Core. He said the standards “are a building block in our state’s education system meant to ensure that teachers and districts can innovate within a framework of high expectations and accountability.”

But the truth is that Common Core is working. Kentucky, which was the first state to adopt the standards, saw their college and career readiness rates increase from 34 to 62 percent in just four years after the standards were put in place. Common Core standards are designed to measure real world skills to help students graduate college and career ready and one set of standards helps level the playing field to ensure that all kids have an equal chance at succeeding.

Christie’s flip flop comes the same day that the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals is hearing a case Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, another marquee flip-flopper on the Common Core, has brought against the standards. Jindal’s lawsuit suggests that the federal government forced states to adopt Common Core in order to receive federal funding as a part of the Race to the Top program. But in fact, Race to the Top grants were awarded based on several criteria, and the decision to adopt Common Core standards was completely voluntary. Christie and Jindal aren’t the only GOP governors who have flip flopped on Common Core, Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, are two other 2016 contenders who have reversed their positions for political gain.

BOTTOM LINE: Common Core standards level the playing field and help to give all students an equal opportunity to graduate ready for college or a career. Chris Christie should not play politics with the future of New Jersey’s students.