Tag Archives: United States

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The Ad That Could Decide The Election


Brave New FilmsDonate
Creating Media That Makes An Impact

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The 2012 election is just a few weeks away. As the polls tighten, it’s becoming increasingly clear that this election might be decided by just a handful of voters! Two of the states in which we have been focusing our efforts are the swing states of Nevada and Colorado. Latinos make up approximetely 15% of the voting population in these states. Our community will have a powerful and deciding voice.
Contribute $8 to help us get our powerful video ad on Latino networks in Nevada and Colorado.
This is why now more than ever, we must do our part to make sure our community comes out in droves and votes in Colorado and Nevada this November 6th.
In partnership with the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, Campaign For a Strong Colorado and other on-the-ground organizations we have created a powerful video ad that features Latino students, families and workers giving viewers the clear choice of what is truly at stake in this election.
Please donate $8 today and help us get this video on the air and into the homes of Latinos in Nevada and Colorado.
Your contribution for this ad could make the difference in mobilizing our community to the polls. With an election this close every single vote counts!
As a token of appreciation, we will send you our commemorative Cuéntame sticker pictured below, so that you too can spread awareness about the power of the Latino vote this November! Donate Today!

Together we can make an impact.

Yours, Axel Caballero and the Cuéntame team.
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Mitt Has A Plan For Women


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                Mitt Has A Plan For Women

During last night’s debate, Mitt Romney sure had a lot of opinions about women in the workplace. He seemed to think he was connecting with women voters. Do you agree?

Here’s the transcript of Romney from last night:

I had the — the chance to pull together a Cabinet and all the  applicants seemed to be men. And I — and I went to my staff, and I said,  how come all the people for these jobs are — are all men?

They  said, well, these are the people that have the qualifications. And I  said, well, gosh, can’t we — can’t we find some — some women that are  also qualified?

And — and so we — we took a  concerted effort to go out and find women who had backgrounds that could  be qualified to become members of our cabinet. I went to a number of  women’s groups and said, can you help us find folks? And I brought us  whole binders full of — of women. I was proud of the fact that after I  staffed my cabinet and my senior staff that the University of New York  in Albany did a survey of all 50 states and concluded that mine had more   women in senior leadership positions than any other state in America.

Now,  one of the reasons I was able to get so many good women to be part of  that team was because of our recruiting effort, but number two, because I  recognized that if you’re going to have women in the workforce, that  sometimes they need to be more flexible. My chief of staff, for  instance, had two kids that were still in school. She said, I can’t be  here until 7:00 or 8:00 at night. I need to be able to get home at 5:00  so I can be there for — making dinner for my kids and being with them  when they get home from school. So we said, fine, let’s have a flexible  schedule so you can have hours that work for you.

I don’t know about you, but I’m insulted.

Related Stories:

Mitt’s Misogyny on Full Display During Debate

Top 10 #BindersFullOfWomen Responses

Top 5 Obama Punches from Debate 2

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Did you hear … that some members of Congress plan to cut Social Security?


National Women's Law Center
Have you heard about the plan to cut Social Security? If you haven’t, here’s what it looks like:
Step 1: Talk about the plan behind closed doors
Step 2: Claim to not be cutting Social Security benefits, just adjusting the Consumer Price Index
Step 3: Keep the public in the dark with technical language such as “chained CPI”
Right now this is EXACTLY what some members of Congress are doing. They’re looking for additional programs they can cut to reduce the deficit, and Social Security is on the table. They’re looking at a stealth way to cut Social Security benefits: by switching the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment to a new measure of inflation, the chained CPI.
The chained CPI would cut Social Security benefits by reducing the annual cost-of-living adjustment — and the value of benefits — every year. These cuts start small, but get deeper every year. The older you get, the deeper the cut from the chained CPI.
That’s why we need your help to educate the public. Will you help share this important message? The image below explains what these cuts would really mean.
Infographic - Stealth cuts to Social SecurityPlease spread the word!

Why are we so worried? This stealth plan to cut Social Security would be a triple whammy to women:

  1. Since women live longer than men on average, they would face deeper cuts in their Social Security benefits.
  2. Elderly women rely more on income from Social Security, so these cuts would represent a larger share of their total income in retirement.
  3. Since older women are already more economically vulnerable, these cuts would leave many of them unable to meet basic needs.

We are worried about women like Jeannette, from Medford, Oregon. She worked her whole life, up until she was 73, but has no pension. Her only income, apart from a little help from her adult children, is her Social Security check. She described to us how she manages.
“I’m a very frugal person. Always have been. I don’t have cable…that’s a luxury. I shop for food very carefully, too. I can’t afford meat anymore, but every once in a while if I see a great bargain, I’ll splurge on a small piece of meat. There’s a special discount cheese that I like. I make very thin slices…. I’m careful about keeping my clothes in good condition. I know that I don’t have the option to buy new ones.”
Jeannette’s story is not unique. She is one of millions of women who rely on Social Security to survive. And she can’t afford ANY cuts to her Social Security. And this is exactly why we need your help.
Please help spread the word by sharing our new graphic today.
Sincerely,
Joan Entmacher Joan Entmacher Vice President, Family Economic Security National Women’s Law Center   

P.S. Do you or a loved one have a Social Security experience that you can share? Add your story to our storybank! Stories help our advocacy efforts by putting a face on programs that make a difference in women’s lives.
P.P.S. Please help us continue to advocate for policies that protect and improve economic security for women and their families by making a generous donation today.
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Presidential Proclamation — Blind Americans Equality Day, 2012

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The White House
Disability UpdatesNote: If you received this email as a forward but would like to be added to the White House Disability Group email distribution list, please visit our website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/disability-issues-contact and fill out the “contact us” form in the disabilities section, or you can email us at disability@who.eop.gov and provide your full name, city, state, and organization.

Recent disability announcements include the President proclaiming October 15, 2012, as Blind Americans Equality Day, the Department of Labor launching a virtual Workplace Flexibility Toolkit, the Federal Communications Commission putting internet closed captions rules into effect, and the Department of Education awarding $24 million in grant funding to 22 states to improve training systems to help children with disabilities.

Presidential Proclamation — Blind Americans Equality Day, 2012

As business leaders and public advocates, teachers and scientists, musicians and athletes, and in countless other ways, blind and visually impaired Americans have profoundly enriched every part of our national life. Today, we celebrate their innumerable contributions, and we recommit to guaranteeing equal access, equal opportunity, and equal respect for all Americans.

Read the full text of the proclamation at the following link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/10/15/presidential-proclamation-blind-americans-equality-day-2012

US Department of Labor launches virtual Workplace Flexibility Toolkit during National Disability Employment Awareness Month

The U.S. Department of Labor has launched its online Workplace Flexibility Toolkit to provide employees, job seekers, employers, policymakers and researchers with information, resources and a unique approach to workplace flexibility. Workplace flexibility policies and practices typically focus on when and where work is done. The toolkit adds a new dimension — an emphasis on flexibility around job tasks and what work is done. Funded by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy in partnership with the department’s Women’s Bureau, the toolkit makes more than 170 resources easily accessible

Read more about the toolkit at the following link: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP20122014.htm#.UHwpRMU712w

Federal Communications Commission Internet Closed Captioning Rules Went Into Effect September 30

Rules requiring distributors of certain Internet video programming to provide closed captioning to assist viewers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing went into effect on September 30. Closed captioning is the visual display of the audio portion of video programming. These Internet closed captioning requirements were implemented pursuant to the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA).

Read more about the new rules at the following link: http://www.fcc.gov/document/internet-closed-captioning-rules-went-effect-september-30

$24 Million in Grants Awarded to 22 States to Improve Training Systems to Help Children with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Education announced the award of $24 million in grants to 22 states to improve personnel training systems to help children with disabilities. States receiving grants are: Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The State Personnel Development Grants Program, authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), provides funds to assist states in reforming and improving their systems for personnel preparation and professional development in early intervention, education and transition services in order to enhance results for children with disabilities.

Read more about the grant awards at the following link: http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/24-million-grants-awarded-22-states-improve-training-systems-help-children-disab
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Health reform: 7 things to know now!


Policy and Action from Consumer Reports

Seven things you need to know.Consumer Reports digs in to tell you the major things you should know right now about the new health law. Donate and we will send you our 16-page guide so you’ll know how the law could affect you and your family. Help us distribute even more copies during this critical time!

Obamacare. The Affordable Care Act. Health reform. No matter what you call it, one thing is certain – the new health-care law will have some impact on your life.

But if you’re like most people, you’re not exactly sure how it will. Or, if what you’re hearing from the media, friends or family is really accurate.

Now there’s something you can do. Consumer Reports dug into the health law and picked out the most important ways it could affect you and your family. They tell it in their no-nonsense style in a 16-page colorful guide so you know exactly what is, and what isn’t, real.

Give a $5 tax-deductible gift to get your own Consumer Reports’ guide. Give more and we’ll distribute more copies during this critical time!

We believe it’s important that every American understands how the law affects them without the misinformation, hype or spin. Your $5 gift gets you this guide and helps cover the cost of distributing it to someone else. If you can give $10, we’ll distribute 25 more copies; give $25 and we’ll distribute 100 more. And your gift is tax deductible.

We know you and millions of others have questions, because we hear them everyday: If I already get health insurance through my job, what changes? Is Medicare going to be different? What exactly is that ‘mandate,’ and who does it apply to? Can I get a break on the cost of my coverage? Are there new taxes?

Consumer Reports answers these and other questions, and spells out what has already changed and what’s to come when the law is fully in place. Your donation helps get this easy-to-read guide out to you and as many other people as we possibly can.

Give $5 and get your own copy of the guide. Give more and we’ll distribute even more!

Your donation puts valuable information into your hands. And it helps us to continue getting you more affordable, decent health care and fair treatment from insurance companies. Thanks for helping spread the word!

Sincerely, De Ann Friedholm, YourHealthSecurity.org, a project of Consumers Union