Tag Archives: United States

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Going to cost them


Absolutely incredible!

Democrat Kathy Hochul has surged to a dead heat in a New York special election that could dramatically alter the political landscape in Washington. Ever since Republicans took the majority in the U.S. House, they’ve pushed a non-stop platform of unpopular and destructive ideas, like ending Medicare while preserving tax breaks for millionaires.

Kathy’s special election, in one of the reddest districts in the state this May 24th, is our first chance to show them how much it’s going to cost them. Let’s get her over the top.

http://www.dccc.org/page/m/1d63ca61/1b9dd8ab/4ae5ef98/4e0ce962/1372734153/VEsH/

Kathy is exactly who we need in Congress. She is a tireless fighter for jobs, someone who will always do right by middle class families in her district, and a strong leader who will stand up to the hard right.

Washington insiders and the media are closely watching this race. If Kathy can win a dramatic grassroots victory in this Republican stronghold, it would give Democrats the momentum in our fight to preserve Medicare and stop the Republicans’ reckless agenda.

That’s why hard right groups have just launched a smear campaign against her.

http://www.dccc.org/page/m/1d63ca61/1b9dd8ab/4ae5ef98/4e0ce962/1372734153/VEsE/

This race is winnable, but time is running short. We must keep TV ads on the air so Kathy can keep fighting back against the special interest-funded attacks.

With the eyes of the world watching, let’s show them exactly the kind of victory that grassroots Democrats are capable of.

Senator Chuck Schumer

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Scholastic Lies to 4th Graders …change.org


Let’s say you’re the CEO of McDonald’s. You know kids love to eat your food, but their pesky teachers keep telling them it’s not healthy. Don’t worry! You have options.

Scholastic (the company that publishes tons of children’s books) has a program where companies like McDonald’s, the American Coal Foundation, and SunnyD can pay to have teachers teach kids about their products to create “brand awareness” and “consumer loyalty.”

http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-scholastic-stop-pushing-corporate-pr-in-classrooms?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&alert_id=XjZTygzXWR_JMKqNQJEBS

It’s called Scholastic InSchool Marketing –– and it has nothing to do with education.

Here’s how the program works: A corporation gives Scholastic a pile of money. In turn, Scholastic creates a curriculum designed to further “client interests,” cleverly masked as actual learning opportunities for students. (For example, Scholastic sometimes says these materials will help improve students’ scores on standardized tests.)

According to Scholastic, this program reaches more than 66,000 classrooms.

Some terrific groups (including the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and Rethinking Schools) are fighting hard to end Scholastic InSchool Marketing. This week, they had a big win when Scholastic agreed to stop selling its “United States of Energy” curriculum (paid for by the American Coal Foundation) which teaches 4th graders about the benefits of coal while hiding all the risks to public health.

Momentum is on their side. Now it’s time to stop this practice for good. Sign the petition today to tell Scholastic to end its insidious InSchool Marketing division:

http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-scholastic-stop-pushing-corporate-pr-in-classrooms

Thanks for taking action,

– Patrick and the Change.org team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Contribute now to Fight Back Against Republican Attacks


Remember that Republican congressman who high-tailed it out of Washington after the shirtless photos he sent to women on Craigslist got splashed all over the Internet?

Well, the special election for his seat is just 8 days away and our Democratic candidate, Kathy Hochul, is down by just 1 point in her latest poll!

Republicans know it would be a disaster to lose this race in the single reddest district in all of New York — even his Royal Highness Speaker John Boehner rushed up there to raise cash for more dishonest Republican attack ads.

With just 24 hours to go until our One Week Out Deadline, let’s show we’ve got what it takes to fight this race to the finish.

http://www.dccc.org/page/m/1d63ca97/1b9dd8ab/4a800264/4e0ce99a/243752719/VEsE/

I’m telling you — the more folks in Western New York hear about the Republicans’ support for that ludicrous budget to end Medicare, the more voters are flocking to support Kathy.

The Republicans’ cynical plan to pay for tax breaks for the ultra rich by ending the Medicare support that our seniors rely on is far more shameful than a few racy photos. Let’s make sure they don’t get away with it.

Thanks,

James Carville

P.S. Back in 2009, Democrats won another special election in upstate New York by just 726 votes. This race is shaping up to be the same sort of nail-biter. Help us hit our $75,000 goal to help put Democratic candidate Kathy Hochul over the top. http://www.dccc.org/page/m/1d63ca97/1b9dd8ab/4a800264/4e0ce99a/243752719/VEsE/

~ Recent Post

Congress: the Repbulican led House back 5/23 -the Senate is in Session today 5/17


The Senate Convenes at 2:00pmET May 17, 2011

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #31, the nomination of Susan Carney, of Connecticut, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit. There will be up to 2 hours for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination. As a result, Senators should expect a roll call vote on confirmation of the Carney nomination to begin shortly after 12:20pm.

Following the vote, the Senate will recess until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.

At 2:15pm, the Senate will begin consideration of the motion to proceed to S.940, the Close Big Oil Tax Loopholes Act. There will be up to 4 hours for debate, equally divided and controlled in the usual form, prior to a vote on the motion to proceed to S.940. The vote on the motion to proceed is subject to a 60-affirmative vote. Senators should expect the vote on the motion to proceed to S.940 to begin at approximately 6:15pm.

This will be the last roll call vote of the day.

Votes:

71: Confirmation of Executive Calendar #31, the nomination of Susan Carney, of Connecticut, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit;

Confirmed: 71-28

72: The motion to proceed to S.940, the Close Big Oil Tax Loopholes Act (60-vote threshold); Not agreed to: 52-48

Unanimous Consent:

Adopted S.Res.186, honoring the 100th anniversary of the School of Fire for the Field Artillery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Adopted S.Res.187, supporting national minority health awareness in order to bring attention to the severe disparities faced by minority populations such as American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asians, Blacks, or Africans, Hispanics or Latinos, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next meeting in the House is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on May 23, 2011.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

a message from Michelle Obama …


I am thrilled to make sure you are the first to hear some very exciting news. Charlotte, North Carolina, will host the 46th Democratic National Convention in 2012.

Charlotte is a city marked by its southern charm, warm hospitality, and an “up by the bootstraps” mentality that has propelled the city forward as one of the fastest-growing in the South. Vibrant, diverse, and full of opportunity, the Queen City is home to innovative, hardworking folks with big hearts and open minds. And of course, great barbecue.

Barack and I spent a lot of time in North Carolina during the campaign — from the Atlantic Coast to the Research Triangle to the Smoky Mountains and everywhere in between. Barack enjoyed Asheville so much when he spent several days preparing for the second Presidential debate that our family vacationed there in 2009.

And my very first trip outside of Washington as First Lady was to Fort Bragg, where I started my effort to do all we can to help our heroic military families.

All the contending cities were places that Barack and I have grown to know and love, so it was a hard choice. But we are thrilled to be bringing the convention to Charlotte.

We hope many of you can join us in Charlotte the week of September 3rd, 2012. But if you can’t, we intend to bring the spirit of the convention — as well as actual, related events to your community and even your own backyard.

More than anything else, we want this to be a grassroots convention for the people. We will finance this convention differently than it’s been done in the past, and we will make sure everyone feels closely tied in to what is happening in Charlotte. This will be a different convention, for a different time.

To help us make sure this is a grassroots convention — The People’s Convention — we need to hear from you. We want to know what you’d like to see at next year’s convention, how and where you plan on watching it — and the very best way we can engage your friends and neighbors.

I can’t believe it has been more than two years since my brother Craig introduced me at the 2008 Convention in Denver. It truly feels like it was yesterday.

As I looked out at a sea of thousands of supporters that night, I spoke about my husband — the man whom this country would go on to elect as the 44th President of the United States. I spoke about his fundamental belief — a conviction at the very core of his life’s work — that each of us has something to contribute to the spirit of our nation.

That’s also the belief at the core of The People’s Convention. That the table we sit at together ought to be big enough for everyone. That the thread that binds us — a belief in the promise of this country — is strong enough to sustain us through good times and bad.

Barack talked at the State of the Union of his vision for how America can win the future. That must be the focus now, and I know so many of you will help talk about our plans with your neighbors — that through innovation, education, reform, and responsibility we can make sure America realizes this vision.

http://my.barackobama.com/PeoplesConvention1?keycode=

Looking forward to sharing this together,

Michelle