Tag Archives: United States

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Standing strong …Nancy Pelosi


The latest reports are that Republicans are launching a smear campaign this week against ten Democrats who stood up and opposed the Tea Party plan to flat out end Medicare so they can give more tax breaks to multi-millionaires and Big Oil companies.

 We have launched our “Accountability August” campaign to hold Republicans accountable for their radical agenda while they are home in their districts but we must raise an additional $27,335 by midnight tonight to fully fund our Rapid Response campaign.

Will you stand with us and contribute $3 or more right now to help hit our Rapid Response Fund goal by midnight tonight?

www.dccc.org

 Your dollars will be put to work immediately with targeted advertising, grassroots organizing, and rapid response research.

 Let’s stand together for a new direction that chooses creating jobs and protecting Medicare over false attacks and reckless tax breaks for billionaires and Big Oil.  Contribute $3 or more before tonight’s deadline.

www.dccc.org

 Thank you for your support,

 Nancy Pelosi
 Democratic Leader

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Attacking the EPA is NOT fiscally responsibl​e …Union of Concerned Scientists


Attacking the EPA is Not Fiscally Responsible

Lately, there has been a lot of talk in Washington, DC, about fiscal responsibility. Under the guise of cutting government spending, some lawmakers are taking a hatchet to many of the landmark laws that protect our health and the environment—such as the Clean Air Act. But attacking the Clean Air Act is both fiscally irresponsible and terribly short-sighted.

This legislation has a 40-year track record of cutting dangerous pollution and, in 2010 alone, helped prevent an estimated 160,000 premature deaths and 1.7 million asthma attacks. On August 2, the total value of the net benefits provided to Americans by the Clean Air Act since its inception reached a staggering $50 trillion.

Yet despite the massive benefits that this landmark piece of legislation provides to the American people, certain members of Congress continue to try to undermine the Clean Air Act by working to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from reducing dangerous global warming emissions and other harmful pollutants. This has grave implications for our health, our children’s health, and the health of Americans for generations to come.

While the House of Representatives is currently on recess, they will return to Washington to continue debate on H.R. 2584, a spending bill that outlines the budget for the Department of the Interior and the EPA. The bill is an all-out attack on our air, water, lands, and wildlife, and includes nearly 40 anti-health, anti-environment amendments—including an amendment that would prevent the EPA from reducing global warming emissions under the Clean Air Act. Protecting our health and the environment is the fiscally responsible thing to do.

Please write today and urge your representative to vote against this anti-health, anti-environment bill.

Take Action Now

Sincerely,

Chrissy Elles

Outreach Associate

UCS Climate & Energy Program

P.S. With the Congressional Recess starting this week, your representative is home in your state until early September. Many representatives will host town halls or be at public events. I encourage you to attend these events and ask your representative, in person, to protect our health and environment and oppose H.R. 2584.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Hot, hot, hot …Robby Mook


Dems launch ‘Accountability August’
– CNN

 House Democrats Attack GOP Members Over Medicare
  – Wall Street Journal

Democrats Hit Back in GOP Districts
  – New York Times

No matter what the National Weather Service is forecasting for August, I promise it is going to be extremely hot for House Republicans headed back to their home districts.

 Today, we’re kicking off an aggressive campaign to hold Republicans accountable for repeatedly choosing Millionaires over seniors’ Medicare. We’re calling it “Accountability August.”

Thanks to your incredible grassroots support, we beat our $500,000 rapid response goal for July’s critical Federal Election Commission deadline, raising $671,658. Your dollars are being put to work immediately to take the fight to Republicans with targeted advertising, grassroots organizing, and our “Millionaires over Medicare” action center so grassroots Democrats like you have the tools to fight back.   Click on the link for more info … http://www.dccc.org/page/m/1d63c982/1b9dd8ab/4d0c4293/4e0cec36/1302624222/VEsH/

 We’re on offense and forcing Republicans to defend the indefensible: A reckless agenda that would use Medicare as a piggybank in order to fund tax breaks for millionaires and protect subsidies for Big Oil. This is an insult to every hardworking American who has paid into Medicare over a lifetime of hard work.

 I can’t thank you enough for your tremendous grassroots support and for standing strong against the Republicans’ reckless agenda to hurt seniors and instead protect millionaires and Big Oil.

 When we’re done with them, Republicans are going to want to book a flight right back out of their districts faster than you can say “Millionaires over Medicare.”

Stay tuned,

 Robby Mook
 DCCC Executive Director

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Somalia is Dying … Luis Morago – Avaaz.org

1 Comment

Right now, more than 2000 people are dying every day in Somalia, in a famine that threatens to starve eleven million people to death. Drought has brought this region to its knees, but the food crisis is really fueled by a complete breakdown in governance and international diplomacy, and we can put an end to it.

The famine-hit area is governed by Al-Shabaab, an Islamist regime that is linked to terrorist groups. The isolation and conflict between Al-Shabaab, other local leaders, and the international community have kept out much of the aid and trade that could end the famine. But a few key countries, including the United Arab Emirates, still trade with Al-Shabaab — they have an opportunity to broker a deal with the regime and break the stalemate that threatens the survival of millions.

We cannot let the politics of the war on terror claim any more innocent lives. It’s time for the international community and Al-Shabaab to come to an agreement to immediately get food to the suffering Somali people. The UN Security Council is meeting in a few days — let’s demand that they take immediate action to support key Arab nations in an effort to open talks with Al-Shabaab on cooperating to end the famine and seize this chance for a long-term political solution:

www.avaaz.org

Somalia’s government was destroyed in 2006 by a US-backed invasion which feared Islamic extremism. But the tactic backfired. Since then, even more radical groups like Al-Shabaab took over and brutalized most of Somalia, and the international community has propped up a corrupt government whose control is limited to parts of the capital. The policies of isolation, invasion and pressure in the war on terror have not helped anyone, and now thousands of Somalis are dying every day. It’s time for a new approach.

The US has already stepped up to tackle the crisis, relaxing anti-terrorism laws that blocked aid from reaching the Somali people in Al-Shabaab’s region. Meanwhile, there are growing cracks within insurgent groups, and some leaders are willing to let aid in. But it is not enough to break the wall that surrounds those hardest hit by famine. Only bold international diplomacy can engage with all key parties to ensure that relief safely reaches the hundreds of thousands of desperate families.

One of Al-Shabaab’s largest sources of income comes from cutting down acacia trees for charcoal, which they illegally export primarily to the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf countries. These nations could now leverage their economic ties to Al-Shabaab to play a crucial diplomatic role and guarantee humanitarian access to famine-stricken areas.

We urgently need a new direction for Somalia — let’s appeal to the UN Security Council to support key Gulf countries to lead mediation efforts to ensure that Somalis dying behind Al-Shabaab’s lines are able to access life-saving food and health care for themselves and their starving children. Sign now and forward widely

www.avaaz.org

Together, Avaaz members have ensured crucial aid was delivered in Burma, Haiti and Pakistan after natural disasters, saving thousands of lives. Now, as the world watches heartbreaking images of dying children in shock and horror, we can urge key countries to show the leadership the Somali people urgently need — let’s stand together now and help end the tragedy in Somalia.

With hope and determination,

Luis, Stephanie, Maria Paz, Emma, Ricken, Giulia, Iain and the whole Avaaz team

SOURCES

Somalia (New York Times)
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/somalia/index.html

Famine weakens and divides Al-Shabaab militants (France24)
http://www.france24.com/en/20110729-somalia-al-shabaab-famine-weakens-divides-qaeda-linked-militants

A famine in Somalia, and a chronic political failure on humanitarian aid (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-leadership/a-famine-in-somalia-and-a-chronic-political-failure-on-humanitarian-aid/2011/08/03/gIQAPaOgrI_story.html

US urges global action on Horn of Africa famine (AFP)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gWVkYmwIZGd2Jr-3vp5rKF1blTbg?docId=CNG.0dcc70d787af82f2b283aeb2af9d940e.b31

Horn of Africa: From one drought to another (The Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/07/horn-of-africa-drought

Somalia: Focus on the Charcoal Trade (SomaliaWatch.org)
http://www.somaliawatch.org/archiveoct00/001026601.htm

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Gray hairs …Michelle Obama


Every day, I see Barack make choices he knows will affect every American family. That’s no small task for anyone — and more proof that he’s earning every last one of those gray hairs.

This has been a busy week in Washington, but today happens to be Barack’s 50th birthday. I’m writing to you because this year, the girls and I would like to do something a little different.

I’m asking friends and supporters of this campaign to wish him a happy birthday by signing his card, and sharing why you’re on this journey with us.

Your names and notes will become part of a book that tells the story of this campaign — who’s building it, why we’re in this thing, and what he means to us. We’ll deliver a copy to Barack and send one to our campaign offices across the country.

I’ve known Barack for more than 20 of his 50 years, and we’ve been through quite a lot together.

It still amazes me that no matter how many decisions and distractions he’s faced with every day, he’s always able to focus on the bigger picture. One way he does that is by making time for stories and letters from people like you — because he knows that this job isn’t about him, but about the millions of folks around the country he’s fighting for.

This next year will challenge us all to work harder than ever before, but the crucial thing is that you’re here now, early on, helping to build this campaign.

I know that, like Barack and me, you have your own reasons why, so I hope you’ll take a moment to sign the card and share your story with him and other supporters of this campaign.

Thanks for being a part of this,

Michelle