Tag Archives: United States

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

ThinkProgress ~~ the GOP


By 

Today’s GOP, In Two Numbers

Last week, President Obama laid out a sweeping agenda to combat income inequality, strengthen the middle class, and extend ladders of opportunity to those striving to enter it. He also challenged the GOP to put forward their own ideas instead of just rejecting whatever he proposes. We have yet to see any new ideas from the Republicans but their opposition to the president’s agenda of economic empowerment is still going strong.

Two numbers perfectly illustrate the almost cruel indifference shown by today’s GOP toward the concerns of the millions of Americans who are struggling to get by:

  • 4,831,590: That is the number of low-income Americans who will not receive health coverage through Medicaid simply because Republican governors and legislatures are refusing to expand the program under the Affordable Care Act. Because the expansion is almost entirely paid for by the federal government, states refusing to expand the program will forego billions in tax dollars, even as providers remain on the hook for uncompensated care provided to the uninsured. Texas will lose out on more than $9 BILLION, while Florida is leaving more than $5 BILLION on the table.

real_victims-53

  • 1,300,000: That is the number of unemployed Americans who will immediately lose their benefits come January if Republicans in Congress refuse to extend long-term unemployment benefits, which would be an unprecedented move during a period of persistently high unemployment.  The number who stand to lose their benefits would climb to 3.6 MILLION by the end of 2014. In addition to unnecessarily causing added misery for millions of struggling families, letting the extended benefits lapse would also deal a blow to the economy to the tune of 240,000 lost jobs as well as reduced growth. Over the weekend, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) tried to justify the GOP’s intransigence by making the bizarre argument that extended benefits are somehow harmful to the unemployed and do them a “disservice.”

BOTTOM LINE: If Republicans want to appeal to a broader group of Americans, they should stop putting politics ahead of people. The policies Republicans are pursuing will needlessly punish millions of Americans who can least afford it.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Weekly Address: Calling on Congress to Extend Unemployment Benefits This Holiday Season


The White House, Washington

In this week’s address, President Obama says that before Congress leaves for vacation, they should extend unemployment benefits for 1.3 million hardworking Americans who will lose this lifeline at the end of the year.

Click here to watch this week’s Weekly Address.

Watch: President Obama's Weekly Address

Top Stories

Economic Mobility: On Wednesday, the President spoke about the growing inequality and lack of upward mobility in the United States. “The idea that so many children are born into poverty in the wealthiest nation on Earth is heartbreaking enough,” the President said.

 

But the idea that a child may never be able to escape that poverty because she lacks a decent education or health care, or a community that views her future as their own, that should offend all of us and it should compel us to action. We are a better country than this.

The President called reversing this lack of upward mobility the defining challenge of our time and said he is driven to expanding opportunity to ensure that if you work hard, you have a chance to get ahead. Click here to read his full remarks.

The passing of Nelson Mandela: Thursday evening President Obama delivered a statement on the passing of former South African President and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela. “We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again,” the President said. “So it falls to us as best we can to forward the example that he set: to make decisions guided not by hate, but by love; to never discount the difference that one person can make; to strive for a future that is worthy of his sacrifice.”

White House Youth Summit: The White House held a Youth Summit on Wednesday, where youth leaders from across the country gathered to discuss issues important to their generation, including the Affordable Care Act. They participated in panels and breakout workshops with administration officials, and even had a surprise drop by from the President.

I look around the room and I see a lot of leaders who are going to be leading the charge well into the future on a whole range of issues. Don’t get discouraged. Be persistent.  You may get a few gray hairs as a consequence — but I think at the end of the day you’ll think it’s worth it.

Holidays at the White House: Over the weekend, the Official White House Christmas tree was delivered to the White House by a horse-drawn carriage. The 18 1/2-foot high and nearly 11-foot-wide Douglas Fir tree is decorated in honor of military families and displayed in the Blue Room. Another National Christmas tree will be lit tonight at the 91st annual holiday tree lighting ceremony, which features a talented line-up of performers.

On Wednesday, First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed military families to the White House to preview this year’s holiday decor, centered on the theme ‘Gather Around: Stories of the Season.’

The President and First Lady joined a long line of past presidents in celebrating Hanukkah on Thursday. The two Hanukkah receptions included a candle lighting ceremony and a kosher meal.

You can check out more holiday happenings at the White House and find some holiday crafts here.

World AIDS Day: The White House hung a red ribbon from the North Portico on Monday to mark World AIDS Day. The President spoke in South Court auditorium

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

55 years for marijuana ?

2 Comments

My brother Weldon was given a mandatory minimum sentence for a nonviolent marijuana offense that even the judge disagrees with.

Sign my petition and join the growing bipartisan support demanding President Obama to pardon my brother.

My brother Weldon is a talented musician, producer, and loving father. But for the past ten years his kids have grown up without their dad because he’s serving a mandatory 55 year sentence in prison for a nonviolent marijuana offense.

Weldon’s judge wanted to sentence him to just one day in prison for three small-time marijuana sales, but because an informant testified that he saw a gun, which wasn’t used or displayed, federal law forced him to issue a mandatory minimum 55 year sentence. The judge called it “unjust, cruel, and irrational.” But he had no choice.

The judge is hopeful that justice can still be served for my brother — he wrote a letter that strongly recommends President Obama commute Weldon’s sentence, and over 100 people signed his request in support — including former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and a prominent Republican Senator.

I started a petition on Change.org because I believe the momentum to free Weldon could pressure the President to grant him clemency. Please sign my petition asking Pardoning Attorney Rodgers to recommend that President Obama commute the remainder of Weldon’s sentence.

Weldon made the mistake of selling marijuana and deserves to serve some time, but his sentence is longer than those imposed for three aircraft hijackings, three second-degree murders, three kidnappings, and three rapes. Now, significant public support for the President to pardon him is the only chance Weldon has of getting out of prison before he’s 70 years old.

Not a day goes by that I don’t miss my brother. I can’t stand seeing his kids miss their father because he made one mistake and is now paying an unfairly high price for it. And I’m not the only one who thinks so.

Join thousands of others who have signed my petition on Change.org demanding that federal Pardon Attorney Rodgers approve the request of Weldon’s judge and recommend his clemency request to President Obama. Click here to sign. 

Thank you for your support.

Lisa Angelos

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Keep families in their homes: Call for an eviction moratorium in Seattle & King County


SeattleWAthumbpixsPutting an End to the Foreclosure Crisis in Seattle and King County.

By Olu Thomas (Contact)

To be delivered to: Seattle City Council and King County Council

PETITION STATEMENT
Declare an eviction moratorium in Seattle and King County, using eminent domain as a tool to force the banks to negotiate with homeowners and enforce principal reduction.

Petition Background

I am a victim — like millions of other Americans — of a predatory home loan. I am at risk of losing my home, thereby making my children and me homeless. I ended up here because of a death in the family and an injury restricting my ability to work. The banks refused to negotiate with me when I got into an emergency situation.

The banks claim that they have no legal obligation to negotiate with homeowners, but what about their moral obligations? They have completely forgotten that they were bailed out of their situation. They would rather foreclose on homes and make the people homeless and leave the homes vacant, sometimes for years. They are destroying the fabric of existing communities and neighborhoods. This is setting the stage for crimes and further encouraging gentrification. Housing is a human right.

This is another white collar crime.The banks think they are invincible. They believe they are too big to be fought. Of course they have forgotten the power of collective bargaining! Let us come together and bring down this “Tower of Babel.” There is no power like the power of the people!

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Please, help me stay in the U.S. with my family


  ICE: Don’t Deport Me Away From My Sons; Grant Me Prosecutorial Discretion 
  By Tsatsral Bekhbat
                                                Omaha, Nebraska

I am a wife, a mother of three boys, and long-standing member of my community in Omaha, Nebraska. But despite President Obama’s declaration that people like me should be low-priority for deportation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office, is trying to deport me.  Please, help me stay in the U.S. with my family by signing this petition asking ICE to close my case.

I came here to the United States at the age of 16 as a high school exchange student. I lived with my host family for ten months and graduated from high school, after which I was accepted into college. I lived here over 16 years, and this is where I graduated from college, learned to drive, bought my first car, got married, bought our first home and most of all had our sons. Brandon 9, Nike 5, avid basketball lovers. Jordan, my youngest, is only two years old. This is the country I grew up, and became the person who I am today. I mourn and cry when horrific happens, or celebrate the remarkable events, because I consider this great nation as my home.

I maintained my immigration status for years , but in 2009, I met a person who I thought was an immigration attorney, and she agreed to file my case. Later, I found out not only she didn’t file my case within a reasonable time, but also wasn’t an attorney, even though I was paying very high fee. I hired another attorney who later filed a complaint with State Bar Association on my behalf, because she said that there are a lots of people like her out there who take advantage of people.

My case was initially denied by Immigration Officer because not filing my case in timely manner. When my case was heard by Immigration Judge, it was denied because he didn’t think I had good reason to get my permanent residency granted based on information I provided. We appealed the case with BIA, and it was denied October of this year, and gave me 60 days to leave the country or face deportation. I am requesting Department of Homeland Security and ICE to grant me prosecutorial discretion.

Now, my precious boys might have to grow up without their mother around or leave the only home they have ever known. And I can’t let that happen.

Please, help me keep my family together. Join me in asking DHS/ICE to grant me prosecutorial discretion ( my alien number is 076768406) and remove me from deportation proceedings.