Tag Archives: White House

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Higher standards, better cars. Take action! UCS


The Union of Concerned Scientists is proud to unveil the 2011 Hybrid Scorecard. More automakers are delivering real environmental benefits at good value, yet others continue to try and use the “hybrid halo” to peddle small benefits, bigger, dirtier engines, and lots of unnecessary bells and whistles. To find out how they stack up, check out the fully updated Hybrid Scorecard homepage.

Hybrid technology stands poised to play an important role in transforming vehicles in America. But only strong clean car standards will push the automakers to produce more of the hybrids that will rate high on our scorecard for environmental impact, efficiency, and value. The vehicles occupying the top of our scorecard prove such an expansion CAN be done. Strong clean car standards ensure that it WILL be done.

The Obama administration is deciding right now whether to set clean car standards as high as 60 miles per gallon (mpg) through 2025. That number matters—for our wallets and for our environment. And right now, we need big numbers of people telling the White House to deliver for U.S. consumers.

You and your fellow UCS supporters have taken public action, engaging the Department of Transportation on their blog and commenting on President Obama’s weekly address on YouTube—now it’s time to go right to the source.

We need you, and as many of your friends as you can muster, to send emails straight to President Obama telling him you want the kind of cars a 60 mpg standard can deliver.

Take Action Today!

Let’s make history together,
ScottNathanson_jpg
Scott Nathanson
National Field Organizer
UCS Clean Vehicles Program

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What We’re Fighting For … Jim Messina, BarackObama.com


I know we’ve been asking a lot of you.

In the first major test of this campaign, you delivered.

More than 475,000 people decided to own a piece of this campaign in just our first quarter — a promising sign of what’s to come if we all stay focused and work together.

We’ll be in touch with more information as we continue to crunch the numbers. But for now, I wanted to pass along a quick video I think you’ll like.

If you missed it, the President held a press conference earlier this week. The last few minutes were really something special. It’s a good reminder of why we’re fighting so hard to get him re-elected:

Thanks again. Hope you have a great holiday weekend.

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

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Tell President Obama: Stand Up for Women & Families in Budget Negotiatio​ns


Budget negotiations in Washington are at a critical point.

Republicans who want to slash programs for low-income people while rejecting any revenue increases are threatening to refuse to raise the debt ceiling — which must happen to avoid a fiscal crisis — unless they get their way.

President Obama needs to hear that women and families are counting on him to protect programs for low-income people.

You can help! Call 1-888-245-0215 to be connected to the White House comment line. In your message:State your name, where you’re from, and if you’re affiliated with a service provider or work with low-income people (though that is not necessary to call).
Then say: “Please tell the President and the Vice President to hold firm and insist that any deficit-reduction plan must protect programs for low-income people and not increase poverty. Women and their families shouldn’t bear the brunt of deficit reduction through cuts to critical programs like Medicaid, food stamps, child care and Head Start, and Pell grants. Increased revenues from those with the greatest ability to pay must be a major part of any deficit-reduction plan.”
Unless programs for low-income people are protected in the budget negotiations, women and their families will bear the brunt of deficit reduction. Women are more likely than men to be poor at all stages of their lives and their families disproportionately rely on programs designed to help low-income people. Maintaining and strengthening programs like Medicaid, food stamps, child care assistance, Head Start, and Pell grants protects vulnerable women and families today — and expands their opportunities for a better life.

Please ask President Obama and Vice President Biden to demand fair change in the budget negotiations. Dial 1-888-245-0215 today!

Sincerely,

Joan Entmacher
Vice President, Family Economic Security
National Women’s Law Center

Judy Waxman
Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights
National Women’s Law Center

P.S. Please spread the word by forwarding this message to friends, family and colleagues.

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“Democrats intentionally steal elections.” says, Maine’s State GOP Chairman Charlie Webster


You need to know this: Republican governors and state legislatures are working to pass laws to suppress voter turnout in 2012. Texas, Wisconsin and Florida have already passed legislation including restricting early voting. Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maine might be next.

These are all crucial swing states in 2012. If Republicans can prevent Democratic voters from exercising their right, we could lose the White House. And we could lose the Senate. It’s that simple.

Republicans can’t win on the merits – look how unpopular their plan to kill Medicare is. But they might very well capture the Senate if they keep Democrats from voting. I need your help to fight back now. We need 100,000 people to stand with us and draw attention to the undemocratic actions of these Republican state legislators and governors. Will you add your name?

 www.dsccc.org

After you’ve signed, be sure to forward this email to friends. All Democrats need to join together and draw attention to these disgusting Republican tactics. We won’t stand quietly by while they try every trick in the book to steal an election. It’s undemocratic, and it must end.

Sincerely,

                                Guy Cecil

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Think Progress


Some Inconvenient Truths About the National Debt

Jun 1, 2011 | By ThinkProgress War Room

How’d We Get Here?

As we draw closer to August 2, the drop-dead date by which the nation’s debt ceiling must be raised or the U.S. will risk economic calamity by defaulting on its obligations, Republicans continue to play political  games with the economy. Last night, House Republicans staged a political stunt by bringing a $2.4 trillion increase in the nation’s borrowing limit that was not paired with any spending cuts up for a vote.  Republicans designed the measure to fail (as it did, with the Democratic leadership also calling for a ‘no’ vote in protest) to try and gain political leverage over President Obama and the Democrats in the ongoing budget negotiations being led by Vice President Biden. Also tucked into this measure was poison pill language blaming President Obama for the nation’s fiscal woes. Since the GOP continues to have collective amnesia about how we got into this mess in the first place, here’s a handy chart from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP):

As our friends at CBPP note, “without the economic downturn and the fiscal policies of the [Bush] Administration, the budget would be roughly in balance over the next decade.”

Where the GOP Wants to Take Us: More Tax Cuts for the Wealthy & Big Oil, Less Health Care for Grandma

In order to raise the debt ceiling to pay for the debts we’ve already incurred as a result of these Bush-era policies, Republicans are demanding that the president accept elements of their disastrous — and extremely unpopular — budget plan, which includes:
A permanent extension of the Bush tax cuts, which (along with two wars) make up almost half of the debt we’ll owe by 2019 under current policies
A new  tax cut for the wealthy that would lower the top rate by almost one-third
A new tax cut for corporations — including Big Oil
Ending Medicare as we know it and slashing Medicaid
A hidden tax increase on the middle class

Missing from the GOP plan? Any new revenue for the government or any serious deficit reduction over the next decade.

Evening Briefing: Important Stories That You May Have Missed

Voters in several states have buyer’s remorse.

South Africa’s Zuma fails to persuade Qaddafi to step down.

The House GOP prefers to keep campaign finance disclosure opaque.

Texas redistricting is underway and it isn’t pretty.

Forcing “forcible” out of federal rape policy.

Matt Drudge’s disgusting race war awareness campaign.

Supposed-Libertarian Rand Paul (R-KY) wants to imprison people who attend “radical political speeches.”

Which major corporations are making huge profits but pay negative tax rates?

News You Can Use: Get Your Go-Bag Ready — Hurricane Season Starts Today

After a spring filled with record floods and killer tornadoes fueled by an ever-warming planet, today marks the start of the Atlantic hurricane season.  Scientists predict that this season there will be 18 named storms, including 3-6 major hurricanes.   The La Niña effect, which helped steer storms away from the U.S. last year, is expected to ebb by June or July, increasing the likelihood of a major hurricane hitting the U.S during the peak of the season in late August and September.  Meanwhile, the GOP’s proposed budget for next year cuts disaster preparedness funding by $1.5 billion.

Lie of the Day: Palin’s Magical Mystery Tour Marches On–Complete With a $7 TRILLION Lie on Fox News

In between saying how much she “loves the smell of emissions,” playing hide-and-go-seek with the media, and eating dinner with Donald Trump, Sarah Palin sat down with Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren.  As is customary for Palin’s appearances on Fox, her interview included a ‘pants on fire’ lie about President Obama.  She claimed that the president has increased the national debt by “more than all other presidents combined.”  As ThinkProgress’ Judd Legum notes: “this is flatly false,” as the debt was $10.6 trillion when Obama came into office and has increased by $3.7 trillion since then — mostly due to Bush-era policies, as noted above.  That leaves Palin’s accounting off by a mere $7 TRILLION. Check out the video:

http://youtu.be/bsSzEtIvEFQ

www.ThinkProgress.org