My dad was sentenced to die in prison for a non-violent drug charge. Please sign my petition asking President Obama to grant him clemency.
For the last 25 years, my entire life, my father has been behind bars serving a life sentence for a nonviolent drug offense. Over the years I’ve cried myself to sleep many nights, knowing that I’ll never have my father in my life. My father’s name is Michael Palmer and between 1987 and 1989 he made the wrong decision to get involved in selling drugs. In 1989, ten days before I was born, he was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine and given a life sentence because he was painted as “a kingpin” — he was not. He was only 25 years old. Throughout my life I can honestly say I was embarrassed of my dad for selling drugs and ending up in prison. He left our family. But he is now 50 years old and not the same man he used to be. He was convicted along with four other men — three have been released and the other will be soon. The mandatory minimum sentencing laws that sent my father to prison for the rest of his life have since been reduced by Congress. Those laws created a 100:1 sentencing disparity between powder and crack cocaine and were based on assumptions about crack cocaine now known to be false. The impact of that disparity fell disproportionately on African-American families. My father committed a serious crime and deserved to be punished, but life without parole means he will die behind prison bars. After 25 years in prison, he has spent more of his life in prison than outside of it. He has paid his debt to society, been rehabilitated, and deserves to reunite with the grandchildren he has never met. He can only be free if President Obama grants him clemency. With your support, I believe that he will — just four months ago President Obama granted clemency to 8 non-violent crack-cocaine offenders. My dad is a good man who, even as a prisoner, has motivated me to be where I am at today. With his encouragement I graduated at the top twenty five percent of my class and I am now in medical school, soon to graduate in 2016. It’s time for my father to come home. Thank you, Taylor Palmer |
Tag Archives: United States
Eye on the Amazon: Photos from #AntiChevron Day around the world
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What Happens When an Oil Company Actually Chooses to Be a Sociopath? You gotta give Chevron’s management credit for bringing people together – across oceans, continents, and borders. Not because the company is a good neighbor; quite the opposite. Communities on five continents who live where Chevron operated, operates, or seeks to operate, came together yesterday in a worldwide day of protest to denounce the oil giant’s environmental and human rights practices. |
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the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 5/23 ~~ the House
Any death is tragic and unacceptable but we need members of Congress to be the solution NOT a part of the problem and Republicans in their need to spew misinformation tend to go so far to the right they forget the People of the United States ! If the Benghazi hearings have to happen, the facts, comparisons and the knowledge of the ever present danger of being an Embassador must be told
Republicans seem to be on a train going back to a time that no one wants!
Separate and definitely NOT Equal
The Senate will convene at 2:00pm on Monday, June 2, 2014.
Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 5:30pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
At 5:30pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #633, the nomination of Keith M. Harper, of Maryland, for the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service as United States Representative to the UN Human Rights Council. There will be 2 minutes of debate prior a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Harper nomination.
During Thursday’s session of the Senate, cloture was filed on the following items in the order listed:
– Executive Calendar #633, Keith Harper, of Maryland, for the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service as United States Representative to the UN Human Rights Council (up to 8 hours of post-cloture debate equally divided);
– Executive Calendar #755, Sharon Bowen, of New York, to be a Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (up to 8 hours of post-cloture debate equally divided);
– Executive Calendar #691, Mark G. Mastroianni, of Massachusetts, to be United States District Judge for the District of Massachusetts (up to 2 hours of post-cloture debate equally divided);
– Executive Calendar #692,Bruce Howe Hendricks, of South Carolina, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of South Carolina (up to 2 hours of post-cloture debate equally divided);
– Executive Calendar #733, Tanya S. Chutkan, of the District of Columbia, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia (up to 2 hours of post-cloture debate equally divided); and
– Executive Calendar #798, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, of West Virginia, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services (up to 30 hours of post-cloture debate).
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Last Floor Action:5/22
2:43:15 P.M. – The House adjourned pursuant to a previous special order.
The next meeting is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on May 23, 2014.
| 3:00:33 P.M. | The House convened, starting a new legislative day. | |
| 3:00:38 P.M. | The Speaker designated the Honorable Thomas E. Petri to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. | |
| 3:00:58 P.M. | Today’s prayer was offered by Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld, Ohev Sholom: The National Synagogue, Washington, DC. | |
| 3:02:39 P.M. | The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved. | |
| 3:02:43 P.M. | PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair led the House in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. | |
| 3:03:01 P.M. | <action_description>The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received a message from the Secretary of the Senate on May 23, 2014, at 11:09 a.m., stating that that body had passed H.R. 316 with an amendment, S. 2198, H.R. 724, H.R. 862, H.R. 4032, H.R. 1726, and H.R. 4488. The Senate also agreed to S. Con. Res. 36. | |
| 3:03:14 P.M. | <action_description>The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn pursuant to a previous special order. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on May 27, 2014. |
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“Making Use of America’s Talent”
We hope this message finds you well. As President Obama’s “Year of Action” continues, Senior White House Officials are joining him in taking this work to the Nation.
Valerie Jarrett, Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, recently participated in the New York Regional Forum on Working Families to talk about issues ranging from paid leave to flexible scheduling. Click here to read more about Jarrett’s personal journey to balance the schedules of work and family.
On Monday, May 19th, Dr. Betsey Stevenson, a Member of the Council of Economic Advisers, spoke at the Boston Regional Forum and talked about Making Full Use of America’s Talent. As Dr. Stevenson writes, “Workplaces can change — many already have. Workplaces that offer part-time schedules, scheduling flexibility, or work-from-home options have found that these policies can help recruit and retain workers, increasing productivity.” Click here to read more and be sure to visit www.workingfamiliessummit.org.
In related news, President Obama continued his push for an increase in the minimum wage. Women disproportionately work in low-wage jobs, and more than half of the workers who would benefit from an increase in the minimum wage are women. Read below or click here to learn more.
We couldn’t possibly finish our note without asking you to mark your calendars (May 27th) for the 2014 White House Science Fair! This year, there will be a special focus on girls in STEM. Click here to learn more and stay tuned for updates.
Visit us on the web at www.whitehouse.gov/women and follow @vj44 for updates on all this and more.
Thank you so much for all that you do!
White House Council on Women and Girls
A 21st Century Workplace for Today’s Working Families
Valerie Jarrett, Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls shares her thoughts:
Every day in America, there are single moms struggling to take sick children to doctors’ appointments because missing work isn’t an option. Working dads find themselves straining to focus at work, because their employer doesn’t provide paternity leave that would enable them to contribute at home and bond with their new babies. Young women are questioning their ability to thrive in the workplace as they try to balance the needs of their families with their responsibilities at work.
Nearly half of America’s workforce is now comprised of women, and three-fourths of households are headed by a working single parent, or two working parents. Still, our workplaces have yet to catch up by implementing policies which empower women, and provide flexibility for parents.
Making Full Use of America’s Talent
Dr. Betsey Stevenson, Member of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisors, shares her thoughts:
I told a friend recently that I thought that I was failing at everything — my kids weren’t getting enough of me, I wasn’t doing everything that I wanted to at work, and I wasn’t spending enough time with my partner. Her response was to congratulate me for getting my work-life balance just right…
Workplace flexibility enabled us to bridge the gap between our care and career responsibilities, but many working women still don’t have this option. Research shows us that women are deterred from entering certain professions with long hours or inflexible schedules because they worry about balancing work and family responsibilities, and are often forced into a less productive career paths as a result. Many workers — both men and women — also lack access to paid family leave and high quality affordable child care, forcing them to make difficult choices between work and family. By limiting career options of some talented workers, we are failing to build an economy that can operate at its full potential and jeopardizing our ability to compete on the world stage. In order to continue making the kind of economic progress we’ve seen in the last 100 years, we’re going to have to reshape the workplaces of today and tomorrow.
- Learn more about the upcoming White House Summit on Working Families.
- Learn how the President is taking action to ensure equal pay for women.
- Get the facts on how raising the wage will help women succeed.
- Get an economic update on the state of women in the workforce.
The Benefits of Raising the Minimum Wage for America’s Women
Raising the minimum wage is especially important for women, who are highly concentrated in low-wage jobs and occupations.
Learn more and then share this graphic with others.
Announcing the White House Science Fair and Celebrating Girls Excelling in STEM
President Barack Obama gets down on his hands and knees as he looks at the inner workings of a robot that plays soccer, built by a team from Blue Bell, Pa., as he tours science projects on display in the State Dining Room of the White House. President Obama hosted the White House Science Fair for winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions. October 18, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Next week – on Tuesday, May 27 – the White House is going to be filled with robots, science projects, and more. Students from around the country are headed to the 2014 White House Science Fair hosted by President Obama, and we couldn’t be more excited. With students from a broad range of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competitions, this year’s Fair will include a specific focus on girls and women who are excelling in STEM and inspiring the next generation with their work.
Stay tuned, because this week, we’ll be previewing some of the amazing girls who will be presenting their projects at the White House Science Fair. Since day one, the President has been committed to getting more underrepresented groups, including women and girls, excited to excel at STEM subjects. For example, in the Administration’s $4.35 billion Race to the Top competition, President Obama granted states competitive preference if they demonstrated efforts to close the STEM gap for girls and other groups that are underrepresented.
The President began the tradition of hosting White House Science Fairs in 2009 when he launched his Educate to Innovate campaign to inspire more girls and boys to excel in STEM subjects. As the President has noted, “If you win the NCAA championship, you come to the White House. Well, if you’re a young person and you produce the best experiment or design, the best hardware or software, you ought to be recognized for that achievement, too.” In the run up to the Science Fair, we also want you to share your stories, and we want to highlight YOUR First Science Fair project. So for this Thursday’s Throw Back Thursday, tweet us a photo of your science fair projects and other STEM work from when you were a kid using #TBTsciencefair!
Follow us here @WhiteHouse and @WhiteHouseOSTP as we plan to join in the fun as well.
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Drinking Chemical Out Of a Tank
5 Terrible Things That Happened In A Charleston Jail During The West Virginia Chemical Spill
It’s been over four months since West Virginia was thrown into a state of emergency after roughly 10,000 gallons of coal chemicals leaked in the water supply and left 300,000 people without potable water. The state took immediate action for many of its residents, shutting down schools and calling the National Guard to help distribute water. But in a detailed investigation released today, Think Progress reports on one group that didn’t receive the proper treatment: the 429 prisoners locked in Charleston’s overcrowded jail,entirely dependent on the state to provide them clean water.
The investigation, based on interviews with multiple current and former inmates, their family members and internal documents obtained by Think Progress, paints a dire picture. We’ve pulled out five of the most disconcerting pieces of information. Head over to the blog to read the entire story.
1. Jail officials initially said they provided inmates with a “plentiful supply of water,” then acknowledged later that was untrue. The only article prior to the Think Progress investigation included jail officials claiming they gave inmates eight 8-oz bottles of water per day. When confronted with jail documents instructing guards to give inmates four bottles per day, and inmate allegations that they sometimes received just two, officials openly said that “some of the information provided to the paper was in fact untrue.” The Institute of Medicine recommends men over 19 years old drink at least 12 8-oz bottles of water per day:
2. Inmates spoke of choosing between chemical-laced tap water or severe dehydration. One inmate, Eric Ayers, initially opted for the latter option. “That lasted about a day,” he said. “I was just extremely exhausted. I got headaches, felt like I couldn’t do anything. My urine was dark yellow, almost orange.” Some started selling bottles of water for $1.60 a piece, while another “saw a guy make coffee out of toilet water.”
3. Jail officials also exaggerated the extent of the flushing process for cleaning out the taps. Prior to the Think Progress investigation, the public thought that the jail went through a “very extensive” flushing process that lasted two to three days–similar to other public facilities. Jail logs show, however, that flushing occurred in a single day, not three. Officials said they followed formal protocol and ran taps for 20 minutes, but here is how one inmate described it: “After two to three minutes they said good to go you can drink the water. It tasted real strong. Just like drinking that chemical out of a tank.”
4. Inmates may have been placed in solitary confinement for getting sick from drinking the polluted water. From the Think Progress report: “In February, inmates say they were notified of a new policy. Anyone that made more than three sick calls in a month would be moved to medical isolation until they saw a doctor. If there weren’t any bunks there, inmates say they could be put in solitary confinement.”
5. The jail where this all took place has been called “the worst in the state” when it comes to overcrowding. South Central Regional Jail houses 476 inmates, which is over 50 percent above the jail’s intended capacity (currently, sixteen inmates are sleeping on mats on the floor). Perhaps as a consequence of this, the jail has also struggled to keep corrections officers on staff; one former administrator acknowledged that “the good people we do get, we work them to death, they burn out, and then they’re gone.” That’s led to a jump in assaults.
BOTTOM LINE: Thanks to breakthrough investigative reporting, the ramifications of the West Virginia chemical spill are still being discovered. When society’s more basic resources — like running water — disappear, it hits the most vulnerable among us the hardest. And when those people are already in a situation that is under-resourced, the negative impacts are magnified.
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