Tag Archives: vote

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Further to the right on immigratio​n


Democrats

It seems the longer the GOP race drags on, the more extreme the candidates get.

In fact, at a debate last week Mitt Romney placed himself further to the right on immigration than any presidential candidate in recent history.

He said he would deport all undocumented immigrants — including grandparents and families who have been in the United States for over 25 years, belong to local churches, pay their taxes, and in some cases have even defended our country in the military.

I’m sure it won’t be the first or last time the GOP candidates use immigration and Hispanic families as political props to score points with the far-right base.

That’s why we need to stand up and fight back every time they do. Don’t forget, we’re all in this together — and we prosper when we stand united.

Join us and say you’ll stand up for Hispanic families in this election and fight for sensible immigration reform.

The thing that makes Mitt’s statement even more troubling is that a mere five years ago — when the politics of immigration among GOP voters were quite different from today — he was singing a different tune, saying that the nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants in our country “are not going to be rounded up and box-carred out.”

In an interview yesterday he was reminded of his old talking points, but rather than attempting to moderate his stance, he actually doubled down on his current position.

So why the change of heart? It’s simple, according to Mitt’s 2008 Iowa State Director, Doug Gross. Gross said that while campaigning in Iowa before the caucuses, Mitt began to realize the so-called “political implications” of his stance and switched his position as a result.

“Political implications” shouldn’t be the determining factor in the lives of 11 million people.

But now Newt Gingrich — on the heels of being accused by the right of being compassionate — came out this week in support of a new South Carolina law, similar to the one passed in Arizona, that allows police to demand the immigration status of anyone they pull over.

And Rick Perry recently trotted out the endorsement of Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, self-titled “America’s toughest sheriff,” who’s been known to organize armed, volunteer posses in his county to round up undocumented immigrants to deport.

As the primaries get closer, there’s no way of knowing where the GOP candidates will stop in trying to out-extreme each other when it comes to illegal immigration.

But I can tell you this: We’re going to fight back every time one of them sells out Hispanic families to try to improve their standing in the polls.

Join us today:

http://my.democrats.org/Stand-up-for-Hispanic-Families

Thanks,

Juan

Juan Sepulveda
Senior Advisor for Hispanic Affairs
Democratic National Committee

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Washington State don’t let AG Mckenna keep HCR away from the people in Washington State- A reminder to Voters



On March 22nd McKenna announced he will join the HCR lawsuit to  protect Washington citizens against new health care mandates, he will probably do this by using tax payers dollars.
Please Call his office to tell him to STOP   blocking health care reform

CALL Main Office (360) 753-6200

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Rob McKenna today issued the following statement about joining a multi-state lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the recently-approved federal health care measure, once it is signed into law.

“I believe this new federal health care measure unconstitutionally imposes new requirements on our state and on its citizens. This unprecedented federal mandate, requiring all Washingtonians to purchase health insurance, violates the Commerce Clause and the 10th amendment of the US Constitution.

“I’m concerned that the measure unconstitutionally requires all Washingtonians to purchase health insurance and places an extraordinary burden on our state budget by requiring Washington to expand its Medicaid eligibility standards in violation of our state’s rights guaranteed under the10th amendment.”

–30 —

Contacts:
Janelle Guthrie, AGO Communications Director, (360) 586-0725
Dan Sytman, AGO Media Relations Manager, (360) 586-7842

360) 753-6200

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10Cost Estimate for S. 27, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act


S. 27, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act

Cost estimate
for the bill as reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on July 22,
2011

The document above is in pdf form so if clicking on it fails Please click and open in new window… Thank you

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Message from Nancy Brown on Enactment of Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act- UPDATE!


An UPDATE

American
Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown Hails Progress in Smoke-Free Policies

Over the last decade, we have made steady progress in
protecting Americans from the deadly consequences of tobacco use with passage of
comprehensive smoke-free policies. But it’s too soon to rest on our laurels.
Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia have enacted smoke-free laws for
workplaces, bars and restaurants since 2000, according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and if current trends continue, the nation
could be 100 percent smoke-free by 2020. However, nearly half of the country
still lacks comprehensive smoke-free laws, hampering efforts to reduce tobacco
use and smoking-related illnesses in the southern region of the country where
heart disease and stroke death rates remain high. Tobacco use is a major risk
factor for cardiovascular disease, the nation’s No. 1 killer. We must zero in on
those areas that continue to lag despite studies that show smoke-free policies
benefit public health and the local economy with lower health care
costs.

The CDC report, State Smoke-free Laws for Worksites, Restaurants,
and Bars – United States, 2000-2010, indicates approximately 88 million
Americans are still exposed to secondhand smoke and several states have
exemptions that put too many nonsmokers at risk. This remains a hurdle that must
be addressed with passage of strong legislation to close loopholes. Elected
officials, particularly those in the south, must do more to enact comprehensive
smoke-free laws and give citizens a greater opportunity to breathe clean
air.

For more information, visit the CDC
website.

Today, we’re celebrating a monumental victory in the fight against heart disease and stroke. Representing the American Heart Association’s 22 million volunteers, supporters and dedicated staff, AHA President Dr. Timothy Gardner and I were thrilled to stand with President Obama at the White House as he signed the bipartisan Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. This legislation represents another huge step toward breaking the deadly cycle of tobacco addiction that leads to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke for millions of Americans.

This bill, which had tremendous support from Republicans and Democrats alike, will give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the clear authority to regulate the manufacturing, advertising and promotion of tobacco products in order to protect public health.  The bill also focuses on limiting advertising that targets our kids.  It is estimated that the legislation will result in an eleven percent decline in underage smoking over the next decade and will significantly reduce the annual $100 billion cost for tobacco-related illnesses in the U.S.

Why is this legislative victory so important?  Nearly one-third of cardiovascular disease deaths are linked to smoking, and tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of heart disease and stroke. For generations, tobacco companies lied to the public about the deadly dangers of tobacco use.  They lied about the addictiveness of nicotine.  They made misleading health claims about light and low-tar products.  And they shamelessly and aggressively marketed to children to attract new smokers.  These unconscionable practiceswill finally be reined in with effective government oversight of an industry that has placed profits above the health of the American people.

 

American Heart Association volunteers and staff, along with our public health partners, have been working for over a decade to see this legislation become law.  We are extremely proud to have played a major role in moving this legislation through Congress and to have had the opportunity to join our Congressional champions today in witnessing the bill signing.

This measure, along with many other policy initiatives the association supports on the local, state and national level, directly impacts our mission to build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke.  This historic public health victory would not have been possible without the tenacious efforts and unwavering support of our You’re the Cure advocates — the volunteers and staff who worked to generate Congressional and public support for the measure.

If you are not already involved, you too can play a vital role in American Heart Association legislative advocacy efforts. Start today by thanking Members of Congress and the President for making this legislation a reality. Visit heartprescription.org to send your email.

I would also like to extend a personal and very special thank you to former CEOs Cass Wheeler and Dudley Hafner, who devoted much of their AHA careers to advancing this issue by meeting with members of Congress and speaking out loudly about the deadly effects of tobacco on our nation’s youth.

 

And finally, while the FDA bill represents an important victory, the fight against tobacco is not over.  We must continue to push for smoke-free workplace laws, higher tobacco excise taxes and funding for comprehensive smoking prevention cessation programs to help break the cycle of addiction and create a healthier environment for our families.  We’re counting on your continued support to help us achieve these important goals.

Sincerely,

Nancy Brown
Chief Executive Officer

P.S. You can learn more about this bill and our other legislative issues and share your comments on our You’re the Cure blog.  You may also want to join Cass Wheeler, our former CEO, on Twitter as he shares his thoughts on this historic win. Follow him @casswheeler

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Green companies … Green projects … Green jobs … Green heroes


click on  links for more green info …

**Dow Chemical designed solar shingles that can be nailed to a roof, testing to begin in 2010, initially manufactured in Midland MI

**Chris Campbell,pasadena,CA His most recent venture, www.caligreen.com is an eco-friendly apparel company located in Santa Barbara, California. Prior to Cali Green, Chris was the head of Sales Integration where he developed and lead several high performing teams of developers and designers at GorillaNation.com and AtomicOnline.com that produce revenues of over $8 Million per month.

**Global Star will be supplying the thin-film solar cells, of Tucson, AZ   ( Global Solar )

**Solar Reserve filed an application to build a 150-megawatt solar farm that will store seven hours’ worth of the sun’s energy in the form of molten salt, a Santa Monica company.  (SolarReserve )

**The Rice Solar Energy Project will be built in the Sonoran Desert east of Palm Springs (  Rice Solar Energy Project )

**Taja Sevelle,singer-songwriter, executive dir&founder of int’l non-profit Urban Farming,headquartered in Detroit;oversees 600 community gardens in 5counties&14cities,including Los Angeles&New York

**Bill Mckibben,writer/activist,Co-founder/Dir of 350.org ;is one of the largest groups fighting against global warming

**glenn croston, Ph.D., is a green scientist, author and entrepreneur. He has written five biology and chemistry books and is involved in developing entrepreneurial businesses with a focus on green research. He lives an environmentally-friendly life in both business and at home.

**Omar Freilla,founder of the Bronx umbrella org Green Worker Co-op,helps turn trash into green jobs

**Clean Edge Jobs  …

Clean Edge Jobs specializes in connecting job candidates at every level with a range of clean-tech companies and other organizations leading the transition to a clean-energy economy.  In addition to creating a profile and resume for employers to search, job seekers can use the Clean Edge Jobs website to search their growing database of green jobs by location, industry or job type.  Employers can post jobs free of charge.  Check it out at  http://jobs.cleanedge.com.

**The websites below are also good sources of green-collar job postings:

** Warren Washington,head of the climate-change research section @the Nat Ctr for Atmospheric Res., was one of the first scientist to analyze climate change and it’s effect on the low-lying places in the coastal areas where a lot of African-Americans live.

** Majora Cater,in Hunts Pt Riverside Pk,SBronx,NY,2001 founded Sustainable S Bronx,to create green spaces

** Robert Bullard,sociologist/dir of the Environmental Justice Res Ctr@Clark Atlanta Univ., noticed almost all landfills/incinerators in Houston were located in predominately Black neighborhoods,inequity became his life’s work,Environment,race/politics,are all connected.

** Will.I.AM,song-writer, was inspired by Al Gore‘s inconvenient truth,wrote S.O.S.,Take Our Planet Back to enlightened fans about global warming,says he is brown but lives green

**Kerry Washington,actor lives green,says the green movement is about inequities, making and saving money, promotes going green by taking small step

** Xavier Bishop, Mayor of Moss Pt., Miss. River City,used to be a major industrial city,but the plants there damaged the city/environment,wanted to save his city/our environment,has partnered with groups: Inst for Sustainable Communities,promotes rebuilding with green products,tip: dont litter,most products don’t degrade.

** Kinari Webb,MD,founder,Health in Harmony in oakland CA and Indonesia,advocate for saving rain forests,stopping illegal logging a source of income,but floods/infection from mosquitoes are high as a result of tearing down rain forests.tip:avoid palm oil,major cause of rainforest destruction in Indonesia.

** Daniel Goleman, Phd,writer Ecological Intelligence, asks us to think beyond organic, recycled or  fair trade, think about how the products we buy, use, and discard affects the environment.

** Bryant Terry,Eco chef/food justice activist&author uses cooking to illuminate the intersections among poverty, structural racism, and food insecurity.

** Carole Allen,founder,Help Endangered Animals,involved in saving turtles,started a foundation to save them,the Nat Marine Fisheries Serv invented a Turtle Excluder device to allow turtles to escape fishing and shrimp industry trawls.tip:don’t touch a sea turtle,call 866-Turtles if you see one in distress.

** Ron Gonen, co-founder and ceo,RecycleBank; recyclebank.com based in NYC,operates in 15States,they give recycle containers to every home w/a chip embedded in it. the weight is electronically recorded/points go into recyclebank,worth up to $400 a yr at stores such as target,whole foods,coca-cola,program saves money by diverting waste into recycling.tip:recycle because it costs more to take trash to landfills,our taxes are increased to pay for it.

** Ken Cook,co-founder Environmental Working Group,ewg.org , they investigate products to protect the environment/public health,score it and provide info to their members.

** Nneka Leiba, an environmental health researcher for the group Skin Deep Web site cosmeticsdatabase.com,W.DC tip: don’t use bottled water,an avg of 8toxic chems are in ea,also the travel to get it to your home produces emissions