HEAL BOOK PROJECT

Tell Attorney General Holder to Hold Cheney Accountable for Torture!--Attorney General Eric Holder is considering appointing a prosecutor to investigate whether the Bush administration illegally tortured terrorism suspects.   A decision is expected in the next few weeks.  Tell Holder to investigate torture, and to start with former Vice President Dick Cheney and his legal adviser David Addington.

Tell US Government to Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"!--What if you had to lie everyday in order to keep your job or even worse, prevent imprisonment? "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the current U.S. policy, does just that by prohibiting LGBT people from serving openly in the military.  Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Send a message to Congress today! »

Take Action to get Neo-Nazis out of US Military!--We have uncovered new evidence that racial extremists are infiltrating the U.S. military and have asked Congress today to launch an immediate investigation to ensure that our armed forces are not inadvertently training future domestic terrorists.  In recent months, our investigators have found dozens of personal profiles of individuals listing "military" as their occupation on a neo-Nazi, Facebook-type website. One person, apparently serving in Afghanistan, lists The Turner Diaries as his favorite book. That's the book by neo-Nazi leader William Pierce that served as the blueprint for the Oklahoma City bombing by Gulf War veteran Timothy McVeigh.  We've been warning the Pentagon about the danger of extremists in the military for more than two decades. In 2008, the FBI issued a report indicating that the problem may have worsened. Unfortunately, the Pentagon has not taken forceful action.  Indeed, the Pentagon appears to consider homosexuals more of a threat to the good order of the military than neo-Nazis who reject our Constitution's most cherished principles. While the military has discharged more than 12,500 service members because of their alleged homosexuality since 1994, it has refused to adopt a true "zero tolerance" policy when it comes to extremists in the military.  The overwhelming majority of our courageous men and women in uniform reject extremism and are dedicated to our nation's highest ideals. We owe it to them — and to the American public — to ensure that the ranks are as free of extremists as possible.  Please stand with us on this crucial issue and contact your congresspersons. We recommend sending a personal letter or calling the offices of your U.S. Senator or Representative.

Take Action Against Outdated and Racist Segregation in Philadelphia!--Two weeks ago outside Philadelphia, sixty-five children from a summer camp tried to go swimming at a club their camp had a contract to use. Evidently, the club didn't know the kids were largely Black.  When the campers entered the pool, White parents took their kids out of the water, and the swimming club's staff asked the campers to leave. The next day, the club told the summer camp that their membership would be canceled and that they would refund their money. When asked why, the club's leader said the "kids would change the complexion ... and the atmosphere of the club."¹ A "Whites only" pool in 2009 should not be tolerated. The club's actions appear to be a violation of section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act.² Whether or not any laws were violated, a "Whites only" pool should be something every American condemns.  Please join us in doing exactly that, and please email your friends and family and invite them to do the same. Your signature will also be used to call on the Department of Justice to evaluate suing the facility under federal law. It takes just a moment to do both, here: http://www.colorofchange.org/swim/?id=2298-57723

Take Action for Farm Workers!--Nearly a year ago I remember sitting at my parents’ dining room table. We had just finished having an early dinner when my mom, dad and myself began talking about the Felix brothers and sisters. (How ironic, right?) We were talking about where everyone was now and what had become of the family after the tragic death of my grandfather who had been killed by a hit and run accident. The phone began to ring and none of us had bothered to pick it up since we were so in depth into our conversation.  It's very rare that I pick up my parents’ home phone...but on this particular day that the phone kept ringing. I picked it up. On the other end was my uncle Raudel, whom we had not spoken to in years.  He asked to speak to my mom and after talking to him for a couple of minutes he broke the news to me about my uncle Audon being in the hospital. A minute later he confessed my uncle had just passed.  How could I tell my mom that one of her baby brother had just passed?  How did I become the one to break this news to her? I gave her the news of what seemed to be the most dreadful conversation I've ever had with my mother and right then and there IT HIT ME THAT I HAD LOST MY FAVORITE UNCLE...the one who helped raised me while my mother would be at work, the one who would pick me up from school and the one to always give me my "domingo" because I WAS his favorite little niece.  That same day I looked up information about my uncle's death and noticed that the UFW had immediately began with providing information to the public. I e-mailed the UFW to thank them for what they had begun to do. For that MY FAMILIA and I thank you ALL tremendously for what you have done, not only for my uncle, but for those who have died a preventable death.  Thank you all for reaching out to us in a very personal level and know that this has helped us with dealing with my uncle's death.  I have made it now my personal mission to educate those who I cross paths with because I have learned that by educating/informing one person I have reached five!The UFW is working on a bill that would give farm workers like my uncle a voice in the fields. It could help stop more preventable heat deaths like my uncle’s so other families don’t have to suffer like ours. The bill SB789, CA Employee Free Choice Act for Farm Workers passed the Assembly appropriations last week.  It can soon be voted on by the full Assembly and then go to CA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.  The Governor has talked a lot about how he cares about this issue, but his actions have not shown it. Farm workers like my uncle are dying due to heat. Violations of safety laws--like water and shade--in the fields occur way too much. It has to change. I can't bear the thought of more families dealing with what we had to.  Please help. Send CA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger an e-mail today and tell him to pass this bill. GRACIAS for all that you've done!  Alma Felix & Familia  Take action: http://www.ufwaction.org/campaign/audonfelix

Take Action Against Indefinite Detention!--You and other ACLU supporters helped sound the alarm last week in the face of mounting evidence that the Obama administration intends to seek the power to indefinitely detain people without charges and without trial.   Thousands upon thousands of people signed our message to the President urging him not to take such a disastrous step. The President seems to know this is dangerous territory. On July 3, he told The Associated Press that the idea of indefinite detention “gives me huge pause.” But important signs indicate he’s moving forward with indefinite detention. The best way to stop this from happening is for people like you to keep speaking out in defense of the Constitution and the rule of law.  President Obama needs to hear from you. Let him know that you are firmly opposed to indefinite detention.

Stop Congress from Passing the PASS Act!--The American people have rejected the REAL ID Act, and the national ID card it would create. The politicians claim they can fix REAL ID by replacing it with something called the PASS ID, to be enacted by the PASS Act, S. 1261.  The PASS Act is a fraud. PASS ID is REAL ID by another name. Jim Harper at the Cato Institute has done a fabulous job of dissecting all the frauds involved in the PASS Act. If you care about the details then we highly recommend that you read his short analysis.   We're going to focus on just one detail here. One fear about REAL ID is that you would need it to have a job, or do anything really. But what if you were denied a REAL ID because of mistaken information or some bureaucratic blunder? Think, for instance, of all the non-terrorists who have ended up on the terrorist watch list. In that case...You would become a non-person.  To address this concern the PASS Act would enable you to access and change your own personal information. Sounds good, right, but think again... What you can access to change, others can access to steal.  In fact, a terrorist could probably do it, and maybe even get a PASS ID with which to commit a terrorist act using your identity.   In other words, a REAL ID, or a PASS ID, which we supposedly need in order to protect us from terrorism, could actually become a tool for terrorists.  This is what happens when politicians and bureaucrats try to devise vast, complex, top-down schemes to protect us from every conceivable danger and problem. Such ambitions are utopian and ultimately harmful.   We agree with the late great Helen Keller, who again provides our quote of the day (we have used this one before, and we'll use it again): "Security is mostly superstition."  It's a simple fact -- the world is full of dangers, and we'll never be rid of them all. We must focus our efforts to protect ourselves on the things that really matter. Some dangers are significant, but most are not. We assert that...  The danger posed by terrorism is probably temporary and extremely insignificant compared to other risks we face daily, like lightening strikes, automobile accidents. and warring drug gangs. By contrast... Huge, and permanent, dangers are posed by centralized, government databases and national ID cards. Any such scheme will ensnare all of us in endless complications, many of which we cannot now imagine.  Tell your congressional employees to repeal the REAL ID Act and reject the PASS Act.

Tell Congress to Support Reduction of Nuclear Arms!--President Obama just signed an agreement with Russia's leaders to begin reducing both countries' stockpiles of nuclear arms, and develop a plan for eliminating nuclear weapons from our world.¹  It's a day we've dreamed of for years, and an essential step toward reversing the huge arms build up that began under President Ronald Reagan.  The new treaty may cut the number of warheads both the US and Russia stockpile by as much as a third.²  But it can't go into effect until the Senate ratifies it. Email your Senators right now and tell them to support Obama's new treaty to reduce nuclear weapons and make the world a safer place.
 

Take Action to Regulate the Banking Industry!--From credit cards to mortgages, our financial institutions have failed us recently. Without a doubt, consumers need to take control of their own debts and obligations – but you shouldn't have to have an advanced degree in economics to understand tricky, hidden banking legalese.   Unfortunately, that's just what's happened. Unfair credit card practices and subprime loans were developed to deceive rather than create a thriving, healthy economy. To restore our economy, we need fairness in lending now. Urge Congress to create a Financial Product Safety Commission »

Take Action to Protect Women's Access to Healthcare!--We've feared all along that women and their reproductive health care could be the first to go when push comes to shove in health care reform. That day has come, and we urgently need your help. As I write this, the Republican leadership on the Senate Finance Committee is demanding health care reform language that will take away access to women's comprehensive reproductive health services. We simply can't let that happen. Please, contact the Senate Finance Committee right now to let them know we won't stand for it.
 

Take Action for Minority Voters!--We need to act now to prevent states from diminishing the power of minority voters to effect change during the next round of redistricting, but I need your help.  Please sign our petition to Congress today! Earlier this year, the Supreme Court severely narrowed a vital voter protection - Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.  Section 2 prevents states from diluting the strength of minority voters through gerrymandered voting districts.  Because of the Court's ruling, districts across the country that have been electing minorities for decades could be in danger. Click here to urge Congress to hold hearings on Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and protect minorities during redistricting.

Take Action for Palestinian Relief!--The seizure of humanitarian supplies and abduction of human rights workers is an act of piracy, a crime under international law.  When the boat was attacked, it was not in Israeli waters and was on a human rights mission to Gaza.  Israel's deliberate and premeditated attack on an unarmed boat in international waters is a clear violation of international law.  The U.S. government and corporate media has largely ignored or buried this story due to racism against Cynthia McKinney and the people of Palestine.  It is up to us to get the word out.  According to an International Committee of the Red Cross report released yesterday, the Palestinians living in Gaza are "trapped in despair." Thousands of Gazans whose homes were destroyed earlier during Israel's December/January massacre are still without shelter despite pledges of almost $4.5 billion in aid, because Israel refuses to allow cement and other building material into the Gaza Strip. The report also notes that hospitals are struggling to meet the needs of their patients due to Israel's disruption of medical supplies.This act of terrorism by the Israeli Occupation Forces against an unarmed vessel is a clear attempt to scare people away from showing solidarity with the people of Gaza.  We must take action now! Here's how you can help:    Sign the Online Petition -http://www.iacenter.org/palestine/gazashippetition

Take Action Against Indefinite Detention!--There are no two sides to the debate over indefinitely detaining individuals without charge or trial.
Indefinite detention means allowing the government to imprison people for an unspecified period of time without charging them with a crime and without holding a trial.   That would fundamentally alter the character of our democracy. It would also gut the very meaning of the Fifth Amendment which guarantees due process. In short, it would be a human rights disaster. The ACLU has been gearing up for a big legislative battle to stop any and all proposals to create a new system of indefinite detention. But now, news reports reveal a more immediate threat.
According to an article in the Washington Post last week, a strategy is taking shape in the White House that would authorize indefinite detention -- not through legislation, but with a presidentially signed executive order. And just hours ago, the president's press secretary said they would now go through Congress. One thing is clear: the Obama administration is seeking the power to indefinitely detain individuals without charge or trial.
What is also clear is that whether through executive order or legislation, indefinite detention is un-American. You and I have to respectfully urge the President to make sure that idea never sees the light of day.  President Obama needs to hear from you. Let him know that -- whether through legislation or executive order -- you are firmly opposed to indefinite detention.

Food Safety and Poison Don't Mix!--Here we have yet another phony food safety bill, which does NOTHING but grant the FDA massive new police powers without actual policy oversight. And it would do NOTHING to solve the actual problem, the
stinking cesspools which call themselves "modern" factory farms, the SOLE source of whatever filth there is in our food supply. We don't need burdensome new tracing regimes to drive small farmers out of business, we already know exactly where the problem is. H.R. 2749 would give some FDA administrator (read self-serving corporate lobbyist) the power to dictate what farming practices must and must not be used nationwide (read enforced GMOs, growth hormones, and weird chemicals in our food). How can Congress make sane policy without identifying the specific problem and its source before empowering 10 year criminal sentences and $100,000 fines? It can't. But only if we stop them from doing it, by speaking out now. Stop HR 2749 Action Page: http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum996.php

Don't Let Nanotechnology Give You Cancer!--When you slather up with sunscreen, do you know what you're putting in your body?  Demand regulations for nanotechnology to ensure product safety >>  Hundreds of products including sunscreens, anti-aging creams, and lipsticks now contain nanoparticles, which seep through deeper layers of your skin because they are so small.  But studies have shown that nanoparticles are also small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier, which protects the brain from toxins in the bloodstream. Nanoparticles can cause lung damage and may have similar effects to toxic asbestos.  Stop the commercialization of nanotechnology until it has been proven safe! >>

Take Action for Comprehensive Immigration Reform!--United Farm Workers President Arturo S. Rodriguez issued the below statement today (June 25, 2009) from the union's Keene, Calif. headquarters following President Obama's meeting at the White House with top congressional leaders on immigration reform. Please read it and then take action and send your message the president and key congressional leaders.  The United Farm Workers is grateful to President Obama for moving the process of immigration reform forward with today’s meeting at the White House. We take heart from the Democratic congressional leadership's commitment to place comprehensive reform on the agenda this year. But there are those who say 2009 is not the year to address this pressing issue.  In April 1963, in his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," Dr. King wrote, "For years now I have heard the word, 'Wait!'...We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that 'justice too long delayed is justice denied.'"  In June 1963, addressing the nation to propose the Civil Rights Act, President Kennedy reminded Americans, "Those who do nothing are inviting shame...Those who act boldly are recognizing right as well as reality."  In September 1965, "Ahora es cuando!" ("Now is the time!") became the rallying cry of Cesar Chavez and the farm workers when they took a stand for justice and humanity by beginning the historic Delano grape strike.  Now is the time to move forward with a comprehensive immigration reform bill that recognizes reality and embodies equity for hard-working immigrant families, businesses and the American people who have been plagued for too long with a broken immigration system.  Across all groups of voters, the American people desire a just and practical solution. A grassroots national campaign is behind comprehensive reform. The congressional leadership and the President are for it. Let both Democrats and Republicans, in President Kennedy's words, "recognize right as well as reality" and pass comprehensive immigration reform this year.  Please take action today.

No Aid for Israel until Peace in Gaza!--Just days after President Obama called for a complete freeze on settlement construction, the Israeli government authorized construction on 300 new homes to be built in an "illegal outpost" in the West Bank. An illegal outpost: that's a settlement that's illegal even according to Israeli law. 60 totally illegal houses, and roads to get to them, have already been built in this outpost. Instead of demolishing it - which is what they should do - the Israeli government is performing a whitewash that will make this whole outpost a "legitimate" settlement.  Yesterday's announcement is a slap in the face to President Obama. As Mitchell Plitnick put it, "Ehud Gives Barack the Finger."  "If Israel is drunk on settlements, the United States has long been its enabler." So wrote Tony Judt in the New York Times.  We call on President Obama to stand by his words and not give in to Israel's expansionism. It is the military aid that the U.S. gives Israel every year - some $3 billion - that allows Israel to keep building settlements and roads and to pay for the ever-increasing military power it takes to oppress the Palestinian population.  We want the billions of dollars the U.S. sends to Israel each year to come with Strings Attached. The United States must withhold that aid until Israel agrees to abide by U.S. and international law - and that includes stopping settlement construction.  When Israel continues to blatantly flout the law using American money, and does so with total impunity, America's moral standing in the world and democratic principles are severely compromised. And all this at the cost of Palestinian lives and livelihood and Palestinian and Israeli futures. Enabling such disregard for internationally accepted standards only further fuels the conflict and world hostilities.  We were heartened when President Obama announced that Israel must completely halt settlement construction, and we were glad when Jewish leaders - including the largest association of American rabbis, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, stepped out in support of a complete settlement freeze. Now it's time for action.   Please send an email to President Barack Obama asking him to withhold U.S. aid to Israel until Israel stops all settlement construction and agrees to abide by U.S. and international law and end the occupation of Palestinian Territories. Call on him to back up his words with concrete and meaningful action.

Inclusive ENDA Introduced! Ask your Representative to Become a Cosponsor!--This week, Representative Barney Frank, joined by Reps. Tammy Baldwin and Jared Polis, introduced an inclusive version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) - which would extend the existing federal law prohibiting employment discrimination to protect people on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.  The bill was introduced by a group of bi-partisan Representatives and it is important that you contact your legislator to become a cosponsor as well. Becoming a cosponsor shows that the Representative will stand firm with our community and helps build momentum for the bill’s passage.  Take action and send an email to your Representative.  Click here to take action

Take Action for Farm Workers!--Tomorrow we mourn the one year anniversary of Jose Macarena Hernandez’ death due to extreme heat. A veteran field worker, Jose died during record-breaking heat while harvesting squash in Santa Maria. Temperatures that day reached 110 degrees. Jose was found in the outhouse, his body blistered from the heat.  As we mark the one year anniversary of Jose's death, we must look at what Governor Schwarzenegger and the state of California have done to prevent more needless deaths. Unfortunately, it is very little. Last week, Cal-OSHA admitted that its regulations do not adequately protect farm workers from the heat. Then, yesterday, they proposed revised regulations.  Unfortunately it’s just a mirage. In reality, the Schwarzenegger administration is still failing to take adequate action to protect farm workers—after finding that employers weren’t complying with its weak regulation, the state gave them a bit more to comply with, but did nothing to:

The state's own reports highlight its poor record. Despite an extensive campaign to train employers, the number of identified cases of non compliance were more in two weeks this year than they were in all of last year.

The new proposed heat regulations are full of exceptions and won’t protect the workers.  The state's failure to protect farm workers from heat illness is just one of the reasons farm workers need a system to protect themselves. It's why SB789 is so vital. SB789, CA Employee Free Choice Act for Farm Workers (Steinberg), will make it easier for farm workers to organize and help enforce the laws that California's government hasn’t enforced. SB789 passed the California State Senate on April 23. It will next be heard in the State Assembly and then go to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.   Please take action today.

Take Action to End Attack on Afghanistan!--Last week in Afghanistan, there were 400 insurgent attacks in one week, the highest level since 2001. [1] General Petraeus expects those attacks to increase, and they’re getting ready to send in 21,000 more troops. There is no evidence that increasing the military presence will decrease violence, yet the Obama administration currently doesn’t have a plan for how and when this war is going to end. We need to raise our voices now. Join our national day of action and urge your representative to cosponsor Rep. McGovern’s Afghanistan exit strategy bill. Click here.

Support Patients Access to Relief!--Today, Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives to eliminate all federal penalties for marijuana possession. This came only one week after he also introduced a bill to protect medical marijuana patients.  Would you please take one minute to ask your U.S. representative to support these two bills? MPP's easy online action center makes it simple — just enter your name and contact info, and we'll do the rest.  The Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2009 would eliminate the threat of federal arrest and prison for the possession of up to 3.5 ounces of marijuana and the not-for-profit transfer of an ounce of marijuana — nationwide.  What's more, last week Congressman Frank introduced the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act, which would allow states to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest and jail without federal interference, as well as allow pharmacies to dispense marijuana to patients with a doctor's recommendation. You can take action on this bill here.

Take Action Against Secret Torture and Renditions!--The CIA's rendition and torture program is not a "state secret." It's a national disgrace.
On Friday, the Justice Department asked the 9th District Court of Appeals to rehear its argument to throw out our extraordinary rendition lawsuit on the basis that it cannot be tried without revealing "state secrets."  We must not protect torturers and their enablers from accountability for their actions. And we must not let the government hide behind the overly-broad use of state secrets.  Ask your representative to co-sponsor the State Secrets Protection Act of 2009 and limit the claim of "state secrets" to specific evidence.

Take Action for Equal Pay for Equal Work!--On average, women in the U.S. earn only 78 cents for every dollar earned by men. That's 22 percent less than a man makes! Has it happened to you -- or to a daughter, granddaughter, mother, niece, girlfriend, wife or sister? Together, we can fix the problem >>

Take Action to Protect Family Farms!--Every day the dairy crisis in the U.S. becomes more and more desperate.  Dairy farmers across the country are losing their farms and their livelihoods.  That's why we're working with Farm Aid to urge Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to raise the price of milk paid to farmers to cover their cost of production. Will you ask Secretary Vilsack to protect our dairy farmers?

Take Action Against Toxic Finance!--There were a lot of shady financial products that helped tank our economy: exploding mortgages, tricky credit cards and shaky mutual funds.   We just took a first step to curb the credit card banks, but most of the shady products and practices that brought down Wall Street and emptied our retirement accounts are still perfectly legal.  Our laws make sure cars are safe, and our medications do what they’re supposed to. But when it comes to protecting your hard-earned money, it’s the Wild, Wild West, and there’s no sheriff in town looking out for you.  Tell Congress: It’s time for a new sheriff to get tough on toxic financial products.

Tell Congress to Fix Food Safety System Now!--From tainted spinach and toxic peanut products to poisonous pet food, we've had our fair share of unnecessary contaminated food outbreaks here in the U.S.   That's why we need Congress to pass strong food safety reform this year, before another deadly outbreak occurs. Take action for comprehensive food safety today! »

Tell Congress to Feed the Hungry!--Last month we asked you to contact your senators to encourage them to co-sponsor the Lugar-Casey Global Food Security Act of 2009.  Now we have an opportunity to secure twice as much funding to help fight the global hunger epidemic just by asking Congress to stand behind President Obama’s budget proposal.  Tell Congress to support President Obama’s proposal and help finally end hunger.

Take Action to Protect Federal Whistleblowers!--Thank you so much for your continued support for whistleblower protection.  In the past year, you have sent over 11,000 messages to Congress demanding stronger whistleblower protection.  Congress has heard your voice, and this Thursday, June 11th, the Senate is holding a hearing on amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act.   Now we need you, the American people, to testify.  The Senate wants to hear testimony and create a record in the Senate before making a decision on including critical provisions in the Act.  Currently the Senate legislation lacks full court access for federal employees and coverage for national security whistleblowers.  The Senate needs to pass the protections included in the House bill H.R. 1507.  Tell Congress meaningful whistleblower protection must include universal coverage and jury trials for all federal employees.
 

Tell Your Representative to Take a Stand to End War!--In President Obama’s historic speech in Cairo last week, he laid the groundwork for significantly changing the US’s interactions with the Muslim world, shifting to a relationship based on mutual respect and cooperation. He also clearly stated, “Make no mistake: we do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan.”  But when exactly will our troops come home? He said, “We would gladly bring every single one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can.” This is hardly a specific benchmark for ending the war. Paired with a recent statement from the Army Chief of Staff that we'll have boots on the ground for "a decade in Iraq and Afghanistan,”[1] it sounds like a commitment to open-ended occupation. What we need is an exit strategy. Urge your representative to cosponsor Rep. McGovern's Afghanistan exit strategy bill.

Tell Your Senators to Support Paid Parental Leave!--Thanks to your calls and emails, the Federal Employee Paid Parental Leave Act passed the House by a wide margin.  Now it's on to the Senate. Ask your senators to support this legislation to guarantee federal workers four weeks of paid parental leave for a new child, as a first step toward universal paid leave.  Take Action NOW

Take Action to Bring the Troops Home Now!--We have plainly seen how the lack of a plan by the Bush administration in Iraq led to the mess we are still cleaning up today. But we don't have to repeat our mistakes. Rep. Jim McGovern has introduced a bill that calls for an exit-plan for this war¹. Almost 1 in 5 members of the House already support the bill -  email your Representative and ask them to join the list of cosponsors.

Take Action for Healthcare Reform!--A public health insurance option is the heart of real health care reform. And with the right wing united against it, we need to show Congress just how many Americans stand with Obama on this. Can you sign the petition supporting Obama and the public health insurance option? Clicking here will sign your name: http://pol.moveon.org/popetition/o.pl?id=16294-1229593-SdpKGdx&t=3

Take Action for Proper Food Labeling!--The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently allowed companies to slap a “naturally raised” label on meat and meat products that come from animals whose upbringing was far from natural. Raising animals in intensive confinement on factory farms, with no access to sunshine or fresh air - is that natural? We say no! Furthermore, such a label misleads the public and exploits consumer trust in advertising and packaging claims and in government regulation of agriculture.  Let the USDA know you won’t stand for such deceptive claims. Sign the petition to tell the agency its “naturally raised” label is not natural!

Another Reason for the California Employee Free Choice Act--Supposedly we have the water available, we have the shade available, we have bathrooms available but dare not use them for fear of being fired. It was as if we had none at all.  -- Rigoberto Ramirez, Blueberry worker  We've shared stories with you about farm workers who've had no water to drink. This week we want to tell you about workers who do have water, but don't have the opportunity to drink it because of the pressure put on them by the companies they work for. Please read their stories and then take action to help them by sending Gov. Schwarzenegger and your legislators an e-mail today.

Tell Caterpillar to Stop Supplying Terrorist Organizations with Demolition Equipment!--Do you know how much money Caterpillar made in 2008 from the sale of its military equipment to Israel and to all other countries outside of the US? About 30 million dollars.  Sounds like a lot? It's not. This is only 0.06% of the company's sales.  And yet this tiny percentage has a huge impact on the lives of the Palestinians who see their homes demolished and their orchards uprooted with CAT bulldozers.  This coming June 10, we will be at the Caterpillar annual shareholder meeting for the sixth time.  Help us bring this sobering message to Caterpillar.

Demand Equal Pay for Equal Work!--On average, women in the U.S. earn only 78 cents for every dollar earned by men. That's 22 percent less than a man makes! Has it happened to you -- or to a daughter, granddaughter, mother, niece, girlfriend, wife or sister? Together, we can fix the problem >>

Take Action for Responsible Sex Education for Today's Youth!--Ignorance is bliss, except when it leads to an unwanted pregnancy or STD. When it comes to sex education, we need to be honest and informative with our young people.   Support the REAL Act and help establish the first-ever federal sex-education program >>

Tell Congress to Close Guantanamo Bay or Resign!--Last week, in a major speech, President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to closing Guantanamo Bay,¹ the inhumane prison that epitomizes the Bush legacy of legal and moral abuses.  The right attacked immediately. Led by Dick Cheney, Republicans lashed out with fear-mongering and exaggerations²—continuing their strategy of criticizing Obama on national security for their own political gain.³  Deciding to close Guantanamo within one year was one of Obama's first bold steps as president. But he needs the support of Congress to move ahead—and Democrats and Republicans alike are caving under right-wing attacks.⁴  We need to step up and support Obama on this—to show that Americans are done with Cheney and done with Bush-era policies. Can you sign this petition to Congress asking them to support Obama's decision to close Guantanamo Bay?  Clicking here will sign your name:  http://pol.moveon.org/guantanamo_petition/o.pl?id=16266-1229593-mokuOlx&t=3

Ask Congress to Repeal REAL ID Act!--Jim Harper, at the Cato Institute, alerts us to new dangers on the national ID front.  The so-called Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and certain politicians, are trying multiple ways to impose a national ID card on us, even though the American people have made it very clear we don't want it.  One under-handed scheme started with the passage of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which requires law abiding U.S. citizens to have either a passport or an enhanced drivers license to cross the Mexican or Canadian borders. An "enhanced drivers license"...

* Is an initiative of the DHS that has NO Congressional mandate
* Will require you to undergo a security interview, pay a fee, and get a new federal ID number (in addition to your Social Security number)
* Has an RFID chip that can be read at a distance, up to 30 feet away, even while it's in your wallet!

Now things are being rigged to move citizens in the direction of the enhanced drivers license.  The problem starts with the fact that passports are too expensive. The high price gives people an incentive to pay for the enhanced drivers license, which is about half the cost. The Government Accounting Office had already issued a report saying that the $100 price for a passport didn't need to be that high, but...  Now they've raised the price even higher. Representative Paul Opsommer of Michigan suspects the purpose of this is to drive even more people to get the cheaper (but more dangerous) enhanced drivers license.   Please notice that all of this is being driven NOT by Congress, but by un-elected bureaucrats in the DHS and the State Department. But that doesn't mean Congress is blameless. Congress is doing nothing to reign in the bureaucrats, plus, some are even working to make things worse. For instance...  Something called the PASS Act is being crafted to revive the Real ID concept, under a new name, and companies like L-1 Identity Solutions, which stands to benefit, are almost certainly lobbying hard to make it happen. We must lobby just as intensely in the other direction.   Please send your Congressional employees a message asking them once again to repeal the REAL ID Act.

Stop TeenScreen and Big Pharma from Drugging Women and Children by Forcible "Mental Health" Treatment!--Please write President Obama and your Congresspersons demanding no funding be given for forced treatment of women and children.  TeenScreen and the "New Freedom" Initiative and Council need to be stopped immediately.  Learn more by clicking here and here.

Take Action to Safeguard Healthcare for Workers!--Compared to people who are employed, people who lost their jobs because their workplace shut down were 83 percent more likely to report a new health condition, such as high blood pressure, heart disease and various psychiatric problems.*  Protecting jobs for Americas means much more than simply safeguarding personal bank accounts. It means becoming part of the solution to America's healthcare problems. Speak up in support the Employee Free Choice Act >>

Take A Stand for Human Rights!--Indigenous communities affected by the Marlin Mine, operated by Coldcorp, Inc. of Canada, are calling on us to help them defend their human rights today.  Today is Goldcorp's annual shareholder meeting, an important opportunity to bring attention to and influence Goldcorp's appalling human rights record in Guatemala.  Send a message now to Goldcorp's board of directors, investor relations office, the World Bank office in Guatemala, and the Canadian and US embassies in Guatemala.  Tell them that Goldcorp's human rights violations are unacceptable. 

Take Action Against Child Trafficking and Exploitation!--Hundreds of thousands of Haitian children are the victims of exploitation.
Help end child trafficking in Haiti. »

Take Action Against Usury!--The headline today read "Reform may mean good card users pay more", even as the Senate passed their totally phony credit card bill, S. 627. The one thing that actually mattered, an amendment to limit interest rates to a very generous 15 percent was killed. With the government bailing out some of these same companies, and giving them money for zero interest, how greedy can they possibly get? Oh, but they had no problem tagging on a totally unrelated Wild Bill Hickok in our national parks provision. How stupid do they think we are? What we are left with is a cosmetic makeover which will continue to bless outrageous interest rates with no real protection for the American people at all, another charade of reform which actually changes nothing of substance. In fact, the bill expressly gives credit card companies an additional 9 months to rip us off without any new restrictions whatsoever. Congress needs to know they are not fooling us one little bit on this one. 
No Usury Action Page: http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum986.php

Ask Your Congresspersons to Support the Uniting of American Families Act!--Do you know that Americans cannot sponsor their partners for immigration to the United States if they are gay or lesbian? That’s a highly discriminatory policy, but you can do something about it.  The PDA community is a fierce advocate for justice and President Obama has identified himself as “fierce advocate of equality for gay and lesbian Americans.”  As more and more states move towards recognizing gay marriage or “civil unions,” U.S. immigration policy lags far behind. An American citizen should not have to choose between family and country.  PLEASE contact your members of Congress and ask them to cosponsor the Uniting of American Families Act. And since love knows no boundaries, please forward this e-mail far and wide to support the rights of the LGBT community. It’s time to grant our LGBT brothers and sisters the same rights granted to those enjoyed by heterosexual relationships.

Take Action to Protect Federal Whistleblowers!--I wrote to you last week that I would be testifying before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform because I believe that all employees should be protected from retaliation for reporting waste, fraud, and abuse.  I did not expect that within hours of my testimony I would be subject to additional retaliation. At 6:23 p.m. I was forwarded an email written by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chief of Staff stating that from now on, all testimony before Congress must be pre-approved by the Army Corps and that all oral testimony must conform to the approved written testimony.  I am shocked by this blatant violation of the First Amendment.  I said nothing improper during my testimony, I simply told the truth.  I was testifying on my own time while I was on unpaid leave.  I appeared at the invitation of Congress, to explain what happened when I reported improprieties surrounding the awarding of contracts to Halliburton-KBR just prior to the invasion of Iraq. The restriction imposed upon my right and the right of other federal employees to testify before Congress in our personal capacity free from restrain and censorship must stop NOW!  The newest attempt to silence me is the kind of retaliation that frightens government employees.  Federal employees have no protection when up against powerful special interests, who can intimidate and prevent federal employees from enforcing the law.  This is why Securities and Exchange Commission employees are afraid to police Wall Street.  This is why Food and Drug Administration employees are afraid to police powerful pharmaceutical companies.  This is why food safety inspectors are afraid to police powerful agri-business.   Its time to fight back when federal employees are forced to submit to censorship and are blocked from exercising their constitutional right to "petition Congress for redress of grievances."  How can we fight?  Every American should demand immediate passage of H.R. 1507.  This law protects all federal workers who testify to Congress and gives us our day in court.  It is the only way to stop overt and subtle censorship of federal employees.  We need the government to work for us - not powerful special interests.  Congress and the American people deserve to know the truth!  Federal workers do their best to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all Americans and it is time that they are protected when federal employees are retaliated for doing their job.  Take Action now!

Tell Congress to Support the Food Security Act!--As you probably know, the global food crisis has added at least 100 million more people to the 850 million people living at the brink of starvation.  But you may not know that there's a law that could help end this crisis by making US food aid to poor countries vastly more efficient and effective.  But without more support in Congress, it's not going anywhere.  Tell your Senators to co-sponsor the Lugar-Casey Global Food Security Act of 2009 and help end the global food crisis. 
 

Take Action for Sensible Drug Policy Reforms!--Yesterday, MPP's campaign committee, the Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project (AMMPP), launched a signature drive to place a medical marijuana initiative on the ballot in Arizona.  The initiative would allow seriously ill patients who find relief from marijuana to use it with their doctors' approval, much like the laws in the other 13 medical marijuana states do. What's unique about the Arizona law is that it would permit qualifying patients or their caregivers to legally purchase marijuana from licensed dispensaries — so they wouldn't need to obtain it from the criminal market.  The importance of this can't be overstated. Although medical marijuana collectives exist in other states, state laws permitting them are a hodgepodge, leaving them largely unregulated and subject to legal challenges. In Arizona, our initiative would provide clear guidelines for state-regulated dispensaries, thus ensuring safe access for patients — meaning that Arizona would have the best medical marijuana law in the country.  But to get the initiative on the ballot, our campaign committee must collect 153,365 valid signatures from Arizona voters, which means about 250,000 gross signatures. We know from our past successful signature drives, like in Michigan, that it costs about $2 to collect every signature (because of the costs of paying canvassers, checking validity, and so forth), which means it will take $500,000 to fund this stage of the campaign.  The chances of this initiative winning are strong. According to a February 2009 poll, 65% of Arizona voters support removing criminal penalties for the medical use of marijuana. And we've contracted with the best political consultants in the Arizona, who are building coalitions with organizations in the state … have hired an experienced campaign manager on the ground in Phoenix … and have already garnered the support of state opinion leaders.  Visit www.StopArrestingPatients.org/ to be part of this exciting campaign and help protect another state's medical marijuana patients from arrest and jail.

Tell Congress to Stop Bait and Switch on Banking Reform!--The Senate just PASSED credit card reform today. The bill goes back to the House for a final vote TOMORROW.  But the banks hope to derail reform at the very last minute with scare tactics trumpeted on the front page of today's New York Times.   After months of raising rates and lowering credit limits for responsible card holders to make up for their bad investments elsewhere, they say these rules will hurt those very same responsible customers.  These rules are not the problem. The banks are the problem. Don't let them change the subject. Make sure your Representative hears from you right now.

Tell Congress to Break Up the Banks and Stop Monopolies!--Please sign our petition to Congress: http://www.democrats.com/break-up-the-banks?cid=ZGVtczYwODkxZGVtcw==

Urge Senate to Vote "No" on More War Funding!--Next week your senators will be considering the war funding supplemental. Please take action to urge your senators to oppose the war supplemental. If your senators aren't willing to vote against new war funding, they should be challenged to reaffirm that the United States will not build permanent bases in Afghanistan or Iraq, to demand an end to the air war, and to insist that Obama articulate an exit strategy from Afghanistan.
 

Take Action to Protect Farm Workers!--We want to tell you a story. We wish we could say this story is fictional. It isn't. It's a story of agribusinesses greed and indifference. It’s the story of a young girl whose life was lost before she even had a chance to start living it.  Yesterday, we marked the one year anniversary of when 17-year old Maria Isabel collapsed of heat stroke. The anniversary of her death is tomorrow on on May 16.  Maria collapsed while working for Merced Farm Labor in a vineyard owned by West Coast Grape Farming outside of Stockton, CA. Maria worked for nine hours in temperatures that reached 101 degrees. There was no water nearby. There was no shade.  After about 2 hours of delays, Maria was finally taken to a clinic. Her temperature upon arrival was 108.4 degrees. Maria's heart stopped six times in the next two days before she passed away. Doctors said if emergency medical help had been summoned or she had been taken to the hospital sooner, she might have survived. (click to read Maria's story.)  Governor Schwarzenegger came to her funeral and said words that gave workers hope: "Maria’s death should have been prevented, and all Californians must do everything in their power to ensure no other worker suffers the same fate. We have put in place employer regulations to prevent heat illness, and I cannot say strongly enough that they must be followed...There is no excuse for failing to protect worker safety."  Unfortunately, these were words, like the words said in movies. The state has finally filed charges in Maria's case. This is good. However, violations occur every day and little is done. Complaints regarding lack of drinking water, shade and work breaks to make use of these simple but lifesaving measures are an everyday occurrence for farm workers (see worker stories). Last year five other farm workers died of heat-related causes after Maria's death.  It's why SB789, CA Employee Free Choice Act for Farm Workers (Steinberg) is so vital. This bill, will make it easier for farm workers to organize and help enforce the laws that California's government cannot enforce. SB789 passed the California state senate and will next be heard in the state assembly and then go to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Please take action today and tell them to pass SB789, a bill that will give farm workers the power to protect themselves.

Contact Your Representative and Ask Them to Pass HR 416 For Human Rights!--Two national disability rights organizations, the Center for the Human Rights of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (CHRUSP) and the U.S. Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (USNUSP) support H. Res. 416, which expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the “United States should become an international human rights leader by ratifying and implementing certain core international conventions” and affirms the historic role of the United States in the development of global human rights standards.  “The time has come for the U.S. to cease the practice of exceptionalism when it comes to human rights. This resolution from the House of Representatives is a step in the right direction, and we will continue to advocate and organize for U.S. ratification of UN international treaties and accountability to, international human rights norms,” said Daniel Hazen, a co-coordinator of USNUSP, a grassroots organization seeking to advance the human rights and dignity of people with psychiatric disabilities in the U.S.  CHRUSP and USNUSP support U.S. ratification of all UN conventions and optional protocols, but are particularly focused on the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD), which sets forth unprecedented protections for people with psychiatric disabilities beyond the standards currently articulated in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These include equal recognition as persons before the law (Article 12), in which users and survivors of psychiatry are entitled to full legal capacity with the option of supported decision-making should they request it. UN experts, including the Special Rapporteur on Torture, consider the controversial practice of involuntary psychiatric treatment to violate the CRPD.  Locate and contact your representative by visiting: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Take Action to Reform the Military!--In March, I went on Rachel Maddow's show and spoke three truthful words: "I am gay." As an infantry officer, an Iraq combat veteran and a West Point graduate with a degree in Arabic, I refuse to lie to my commanders. I refuse to lie to my peers. I refuse to lie to my subordinates.  As a result, the Army sent a letter discharging me on April 23. The letter is a slap in the face. It is a slap in the face to me, and it is a slap in the face to the soldiers who I have commanded and served with over the last decade.  I have served for a decade under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" — an immoral policy that forces American soldiers to lie about their sexual orientation. Worse, it forces others to tolerate deception. As I learned at West Point, deception and lies poison a unit and cripple a fighting force.  That's why CREDO Action and the Courage Campaign are getting behind me today. And I'm getting behind them along with Knights Out — an organization I founded to bring attention to the ways "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" undermines our national security.  I need your support. Please ask President Obama not to fire me. Click here to sign CREDO Action's petition asking the President to end the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

Tell Mexico to Respect Indigenous Tribes and Human Rights!--In clear violation of the Indigenous and Tribal People's Convention, on May 6th approximately 1500 state and federal police officers raided a peaceful blockade at the "Trinidad" mining site of Cuzcatián Mining Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fortuna Silver Mines, Inc. of Vancouver, Canada.  Take action now to tell Mexican authorities and Fortuna Silver Mines to respect indigenous territories and human rights.

Take Action to Enhance Protections for Federal Whistleblowers!--As you may remember, we fell just short of obtaining whistleblower protection for all federal employees in the stimulus legislation.  In my last letter I explained that Americans would need to work together to make meaningful whistleblower protection a reality.  Now is your opportunity to join me!  I will once again be going to Capitol Hill to testify before Congress.  I will be testifying in my personal capacity tomorrow, May 14th, in front of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.  I will be explaining how whistleblower protection is essential to deter contractor fraud and wasteful military spending.   The first time I testified before Congress I was stripped of my position in the Army Corp of Engineers' Senior Executive Service, as the Procurement Executive.  However, I am going to testify again.  I made this decision because I strongly believe that all employees who report improprieties and waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars should be protected from retaliation.  I am doing everything I can to persuade Congress that whistleblowers deserve protection, but I cannot do it alone!  Please contact Congress and tell them that true oversight and accountability that this nation and the world needs now cannot exist without protection for all federal employees.  I trust that you will pass this letter on to your friends, coworkers, and community groups to let them know that now is the time to act to protect all federal employees.  For 30 years, federal agencies have successfully lobbied against protecting federal employee whistleblowers.  We need to make sure that they are not successful this time! As President Obama said, "We can do it!" So please contact President Obama and tell him not to be pushed by the agency bureaucrats who are hostile to change and want to leave federal employees unprotected.
 

Take Action for Farm Workers!--For over 30 years, they've worked in substandard conditions for wages far below the poverty line.  They’ve lived in decrepit housing and struggled to get by without health care or the chance to earn a decent income.  Who are they?  They’re America’s farm workers and they’re among the most vulnerable people in our nation.  There’s a bill before Congress that could drastically improve the lives of these men and women who pick our country’s food, but we need to act fast.  Contact your representatives in Congress today and ask them to support the AgJOBS Act.

Join the virtual vigil for heat victim Eladio Hernandez--Take action to prevent future deaths--Fifteen farm workers have died of heat-related complications since July 2004. We will be conducting vigils on the anniversary of each of their deaths--where we will share the worker's story--and invite you to join in virtually by telling legislators and Gov. Schwarzenegger that enough is enough, farm workers need a tool where they can protect themselves.  On May 9, 2007, 54-year old Eladio Hernandez died while working under the scorching California sun. He was working for the farm labor contractor YNT Harvesting at Hillside Orchards in California's San Joaquin Valley. Eladio's story is especially horrendous as the company waited for almost 3 hours before calling for medical assistance. Even then, the foreman just took Eladio and dropped him off near the sorting facility and left him. Other workers were the ones who called 911. Co-worker Rodrigio Gonzalez told us how Eladio told workers, "I don't want to die." (Click to read Eladio's story.)  Cal OSHA initially fined the farm labor contractor YNT Harvesting $25,300 for being in serious violation of several health and safety standards. However, they later reduced the fine to $7,300--less than one third of the original fine. This is the system that is supposed to protect farm workers.  Disturbingly, in an April 2008 article, YNT employer, farm labor contractor Yolanda Calvillo said she operated her firm in a manner similar to that of other FLCs.  An OSHA inspection report's findings reveal that YNT's thoughtless and careless disregard for these regulations helped lead to Hernandez' death. Some of the findings outlined in the report include:

Violations of the laws designed to protect farm workers occur every day and little is done. Complaints regarding lack of drinking water, shade and work breaks to make use of these simple, but lifesaving, measures are an everyday occurrence for farm workers. (To read more worker stories, click here.)  The state's failure to protect farm workers from heat illness is just one of the reasons farm workers need a system to protect themselves. It's why SB789 is so vital. SB789, CA Employee Free Choice Act for Farm Workers (Steinberg), will make it easier for farm workers to organize and help enforce the laws that California's government cannot enforce. SB789 passed the California state senate on April 23. It will next be heard in the state assembly and then go to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.   Please take action today and tell them to pass SB789, a bill that will give farm workers the power to protect themselves.

Tell Bank of America to Do The Right Thing!--As an American citizen, you are probably as concerned as I am about how our largest institutions have put government bailout money to work. Bank of America, in particular, is starting to move in the right direction. But they still have yet to:  

• Stop consumer abuses and predatory lending practices that hurt communities.
• Provide bank workers access to affordable healthcare.
• Stop opposing pro-worker legislation like the Employee Free Choice Act to ensure bank workers have a voice on the job to protect consumers.
• Reject the failed banking policies of the past by firing CEO Ken Lewis.

Sign the letter to Bank of America's new Chairman outlining what taxpayers expect next from this institution >>

Take Action for Real Healthcare Reform!--Every year 1.4 millions Americans -- 3,800 each day -- will hear the words "You have cancer." At the same time, approximately 46 million Americans are without health insurance, and many more do not have coverage that will protect them if they are diagnosed with a chronic disease such as cancer.   Fighting cancer means fixing our health care system. »

Tell Pres. Obama to Stop Allowing Corporate America to Avoid Paying Taxes!--For years the biggest companies in America have paid less taxes than the rest of us by 'sheltering' their assets in off-shore banks. But today, President Obama said 'no more'¹. 
Closing tax loopholes like Obama suggests could add $210 billion to our economy - money we can use for education, jobs and health care. But Corporate America's worst actors - including Bank of America, Citigroup and others - are fighting to hang on to their Cayman-islands loophole². Tell your member of Congress to make Corporate America pay their share by eliminating these tax haven loopholes.  http://act.truemajorityaction.org/p/7002/Taxhavens?campaign_KEY=1606&state=WA

Tell Congress to Protect Our Farmers!--Big banks that are taking taxpayer money are trying to short-change farmers. The banks are too big to fail, but they view these farms as too small to save.  Can you ask your Senator to support the Feingold-Gillibrand amendment to the foreclosure bill so farms can keep operating?

Tell Motorola to Respect Human Rights!--After a year of the Hang Up On Motorola boycott campaign, Motorola's management still doesn't understand that they are responsible for their products systematically being used to violate Palestinian rights.  While it can take a while to get through to executives, ordinary people are more receptive, and our campaign has been gaining traction in the media, with investors, and consumers.  Help us get the message through to Motorola's management.  Click here to send them an email.  Last year, our shareholding allies won 12% approval for their human rights resolution at the Motorola shareholders' meeting.  This year, a group of US Campaign supporters will be educating shareholders about this important resolution and hope to increase support to 20% of all Moto shareholders.  Click here to read the resolution that would require Motorola to respect human rights and international law, including the laws that prohibit Israeli settlements and the building of the apartheid wall on Palestinian land.  Even if you can't be with us at the shareholders' meeting in Chicago, you can still join the pressure campaign by clicking here to send an email to Motorola's CEO and VP of Investor Relations, demanding they take action to end Motorola's support for Israel's violations of international law and Palestinian human rights.

Take Action for Real Healthcare Reform!--We need you to take effective action in support of HR 676 starting with the May 13 National Lobby Day and Rally in D.C.  If you can't make it, save the date to send an email to your member of Congress in support of HR 676. If your representative has signed on as a co-sponsor, offer your thanks and ask them to stand firm for the single-payer solution. If your representative is not a co-sponsor, ask him to support what the majority of Americans and doctors want--single-payer healthcare. Find co-sponsors here.

Not Only Does Bybee Show No Remorse, He'd Write The Same Torture Memos AGAIN!--First they floated sympathetic stories that Jay Bybee, currently a lifetime appellate judge for the 9th Circuit, had "private regrets" about his role in writing the torture memos. But when he finally and actually opened his own mouth in public yesterday, he declared he still believed they represented a "good faith analysis of the law". In other words, given a chance, he'd do the same thing again today, in exactly the same way. This is beyond outrageous. No contrition, no remorse, just the same self-serving self-justification which led to him signing off on indefensible and long settled war crimes in the first place. He is practically shouting at us, "Stop me before I write another legal atrocity!" Which he will, over and over, if not removed from the federal bench immediately. For the second time this week we agree with the N.Y. Times. If he is not capable of enough shame to resign, he must be impeached. Impeach Bybee Action Page: http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum980.php

Take Action to Insure All Workers Get Paid Sick Leave!--The news over the weekend was scary -- outbreaks of a potentially pandemic flu virus, called the "swine flu" are being reported all over the world, including in the U.S.  As of now there have been 64 confirmed cases of swine flu in the U.S., with the first fatal U.S. case reported this morning from Texas.¹ White House officials monitoring the situation are recommending that:  "If you're sick, stay home, get treatment, go see a doctor."²  This is easier said than done. In the U.S. today, nearly half of workers aren't allowed to earn paid sick days (i.e. they don't have a single paid sick day to take when illness strikes in order to keep our communities healthy and not spread illness).  And more than half of the workforce does not have or cannot use paid sick days to care for sick children.  The numbers are even worse in industries where people need paid sick days the most: 92% of waiters and waitresses, and 79% of child care workers aren't allowed to earn any paid sick days³.  How do the experts expect people to stay home when they're sick , if they don't have any paid sick days?  Sign the petition today!  The United States needs to allow all working people to earn paid sick days to ensure our economic security, and protect public health.
 

Ask Israeli Government to Stop Harassing Peaceful Israelis!--Let me cut down to the chase. We have just learned that a number of Israeli peace activists have had their computers confiscated, have been called for interrogations, and have only been released upon signing agreements not to contact their political friends for 30 days.  We are asking you to contact the Israeli Attorney General to demand an immediate stop to this harassment.

Tell Congress No More War Funding!--Contact your representative today to urge him or her to vote against the supplemental war funding bill, and instead shift the focus in Afghanistan from a military escalation to diplomatic and humanitarian solutions. Please click here to contact them now.

Take a Stand for Diplomacy!--Folks, usually we speak out on questions that are already at issue, something about to be voted on in Congress, about which there is an active conversation in the media, or whatever. But from time to time we need to demonstrate the leadership to call for something that SHOULD be on the table, as a means of PUTTING it there. As a candidate Obama ran on a platform of talking to our enemies. This principle needs to be extended to the State Department in all respects. It's time we had full diplomatic relations with all countries of the world where our diplomats can have safe and secure embassies. Why is it that we have to ask the Swiss to play intermediary when there is some kind of incident or misunderstanding with those we don't talk to, when we need to be talking to everyone directly ourselves? Are the Swiss more mature about foreign policy than we are? A perfect example is all over the news this week, the case of Roxana Saberi, a brilliant US/Iranian journalist who was just sentenced to 8 years in prison by a kangaroo court in Iran, with nobody from her own country there to protect her interests. It is not just Iran. Cuba and North Korea are other countries we have had multi-decade long snits with, and they haven't gone out of business yet because we would not talk to them. We need a new policy at the State Department with an open door to diplomatic relations with anyone with no preconditions. Diplomatic Relations Action Page: http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum975.php

Take Action to Stop Discrimination in Access to Health Information and Resources!--We know that diabetes is an epidemic in our country but did you know that African Americans, Latinos, Asians, Pacific Americans, and Native Americans are hit even harder by this disease?Children from minority groups have nearly a 50-50 chance of developing diabetes in their lifetime. To make matters worse, the complications of diabetes - such as blindness, amputations, end-stage kidney disease and death - also impact minority groups at higher rates.  Ask your Members of Congress to co-sponsor the Eliminating Disparities in Diabetes Prevention Access and Care Act.

Take Action to Protect Whistleblowers Now!--For years whistleblowers and the public have suffered under an Administrative Review Board (ARB) that is openly hostile to employee whistleblowers.  Since the previous administration appointed new ARB members in 2001, the Board has limited the kinds of adverse actions whistleblowers can challenge, raised the burdens of proof, used technicalities to trip up whistleblowers, and limited their recoveries in the few cases they do win.  Take Action! Tell Secretary Solis to Appoint New ARB Members Immediately!

Protect Funding for UN Peacekeeping!--America has supported the critical role that UN peacekeeping has played across the globe. The missions—in such hot spots as Liberia, Lebanon, Haiti, and Chad—promote regional and global stability, prevent violence, and create conditions that lead to peaceful solutions for conflict. But as the U.S. has supported the continuation and expansion of these and other peacekeeping missions, the funding we’ve provided has not kept pace with our commitments.  President Obama has signaled a change from this policy.  Last week, the president submitted a supplemental appropriation request to Congress, which included $887 million for UN peacekeeping accounts. This is a strong step towards fulfilling our commitments to the UN.  But we still need your help over the next 48 hours. There will be some members of Congress—foes of the UN and UN peacekeeping—that won’t want to pay our bills to the UN in full. Please make your voices heard to ensure Congress approves President Obama’s request.  As a member of the Appropriations Committee, your representatives will play a critical role in this decision. Urge your Senator and Members of Congress to support the president’s Supplemental Budget.

Take A Stand Against Torture!--On Thursday, President Obama released memos that describe, in horrific detail, the torture techniques authorized by the Bush administration. The memos make clear that top Bush officials didn't just condone torture—they encouraged it.  So far there's been no accountability for the architects of Bush's torture program—the top officials who justified keeping detainees awake for 11 days straight, waterboarding them repeatedly, and forcing prisoners into coffin-like boxes with insects.¹ We need real consequences for those responsible—it's the only way to keep this from happening again.  Attorney General Holder can open an investigation into the torture program—but he most likely won't unless people everywhere speak up and demand it.   Can you sign our petition to Attorney General Eric Holder asking him to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the torture program?  If we can reach 200,000 signatures, we'll deliver the petition to Holder by the end of the week.  Clicking here will sign your name:  http://pol.moveon.org/torture/o.pl?id=15951-5425778-ntOdnWx&t=3

Take Action for Universal Healthcare!--A public option is the only way to guarantee healthcare for all Americans and its inclusion is non-negotiable. Any legislation without the choice of a public option is only insurance reform and not the healthcare reform America needs.  This is just the start. We need your help to generate broad based support for a public option. We will need to canvass our neighborhoods, call our elected leaders, and arrange meetings with members of Congress in the coming months.  We need 500,000 signatures by the time this bill is introduced in Congress. We're already over halfway there — can you help me get another 10,000 by the end of the day today?  Click here to add your name along with hundreds of thousands of others who support real healthcare reform — the kind that will give struggling Americans options and hope.

Tell Congress No Amnesty for Torturers!--On Thursday, President Obama stood up to intense pressure from rightwingers by releasing four of the infamous "torture memos." This is an enormous victory for those of us who worked so hard to elect President Obama, while also working tirelessly to defend the Constitution against the crimes of Bush and Cheney.  Unfortunately, President Obama also said he would not prosecute CIA agents who engaged in torture, simply because George Bush's lawyers told them it was "legal." President Obama also said Attorney General Eric Holder would use taxpayer dollars to defend torturers against lawsuits by torture victims, and to pay all judgments if they lost.  Tell Congress: No Amnesty for Torturers http://www.democrats.com/no-amnesty-for-torturers?cid=ZGVtczYwODkxZGVtcw==

Sign Petition to Reduce Military Spending!--Today is Tax Day. And today, UFPJ is asking you to recommit yourself to ending the excessive spending on war and militarism by calling on the Obama administration to reduce the military budget by 25%.  Whether you pay taxes or engage in tax resistance, our tax dollars are continuing to fuel war, bringing death and destruction to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. This, too, at a time when all of us are suffering tough times financially, as our country is mired in the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression. To put it plainly, we need change, and now is the time for us to put forth some creative solutions to do it.  That's why UFPJ has put together a petition calling for a 25% cut to the military budget by 2010. We need to change our national priorities to fund the needs of our communities -- healthcare, jobs, education, housing -- as well as to provide humanitarian aid to Iraq and Afghanistan.  Your help will also reinforce a lot of UFPJ's efforts of late. Now that Congress is on recess, UFPJ has called for Congressional visits on a number of fronts: from Iraq, Afghanistan, the military budget, etc. And we're beginning to get report-backs from groups who have made visits, so your signatures will signal that there is a large and growing constituency behind this issue. We plan on presenting this to Congressional officials at a strategic time during debates over the military budget. So please sign the petition here and help our efforts to cut the military budget and re-invest the dollars cut into human needs, green jobs, and a clean-energy economy.

A Call for Diplomacy with Iran!--President Obama has already taken important steps toward productive engagement with Iran. He broke ground by recording a respectful New Year’s message to the people of Iran and their leaders. He has invited Iran to an international conference on Afghanistan. He has pledged to participate in direct group talks with Iran on its nuclear program, a first for the US.  However, relations are still tense, and an accidental military confrontation could dramatically derail Obama’s good intentions.  On January 6, 2008 a group of Iranian speedboats aggressively approached US naval ships in the Strait of Hormuz. One US ship was reportedly on the verge of shooting at the speedboats before they turned away. [1] What would have happened if those Iranian boats hadn’t turned back?    One year later, there is still no protocol for how the Iranian and US Navies communicate or how they respond to potential conflict. This lack of communication could easily lead to accidental military escalation with Iran. Write your representative today and urge him or her to cosponsor a bill to negotiate an “Incidents at Sea” agreement with Iran.

Take Action for Food Safety!--Last fall, we had a great victory when nearly 15,000 Food & Water Watch activists got Congress to keep the ban on imported poultry from China. Unfortunately, it was only a temporary victory, and now we need your help to maintain it. Will you ask Congress to keep the current ban on Chinese poultry?

Take Action to Protect Basic Emergency and Medical Services in Washington!--There's no way to dress up this mess, so I'll just keep it plain and simple - the state budget is a disaster with huge consequences.  So far legislators have proposed cuts that will leave our emergency rooms more crowded, kick 40,000 people off of the Basic Health Program, close nursing homes and gut critical health care programs for the elderly. The cuts include dramatic reductions in basic services like family planning and education. And that's just the beginning of the list.  With a $9 billion shortfall, the budget math is cruel. You can't produce a budget that maintains basic values like economic security, social responsibility and opportunity without adding some new revenue. With 14 days left in the legislative session, legislators need to get serious about new revenue now.  The anti-tax crowd is very loud. We have to make sure legislators hear broad support for raising revenue as well.  Sign the petition below asking legislators to help Washington families weather this economic storm by raising revenue to restore funding to our most basic needs - like hospitals, nursing homes and schools.  http://www.fusewashington.org/page/s/budgetfuse

Take Action Against Sexual Assault in the Military!--Countless military women and military spouses are victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. It is estimated that rates of marital abuse in the military are two to five times higher than civilian rates of domestic violence. Moreover, one in three women in the military will be sexually assaulted during their tour of duty. Ending sexual violence against women in the military must start now!  Action Needed:  Act now to support the Military Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Response Act to address this national epidemic and stop the violence against military women and military families!  Take action NOW!

Take Action for the Homeless and Support Low Income Housing!--Our elected officials need to know that our investments in housing and vital safety net programs are too important to cut.  It is time to consider adding revenue, in addition to cuts, to balance the budget.  Please send a message to the budget leaders in both the House and the Senate.  Tell them how important the opportunity to live in safe and affordable housing is and let them know that GA-U is a survival payment for nearly 20,000 Washingtonians a year. Urge them to consider other option  like adding revenue instead of making damaging cuts to vital programs. With a little over two weeks left, we must act now.  If we do, we still have time to save GA-U and the Housing Trust Fund.  Please send your note today!
 

It's Time to Say "You're Fired!"--Last week the Obama administration took tough, decisive action with the auto industry, forcing the resignation of the CEO of General Motors. The president knows that we can't trust the same folks who got us into this mess to help lead us out. It's time to do the same for the banks. And the best way to start is by firing Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis. He's the worst of the worst.  Lewis's poor management helped ruin his company and our economy. Shareholders are calling him "reckless" and citing "disastrous missteps."¹ Worse, Lewis accepted $45 billion in taxpayer bailout funds, but instead of using all the money to get the economy going again, he let $3.6 billion go to bonuses for top execs.² There can't be real reform on Wall Street until the CEOs who brought down the banks we had to bail out are long gone.  Can you sign our petition asking Treasury Secretary Geithner replace the leadership at bailed out banks—starting with Ken Lewis? Clicking here adds your name:  http://pol.moveon.org/lewis//o.pl?id=15895-5425778-joq71wx&t=4

Help Support Our Troops!--A bipartisan resolution has been introduced in the House calling for measures that would help prevent an accidental military conflict with Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. [1] Will you ask your representative to cosponsor this important legislation?
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/sea.html

Take Action for Human Rights in Pakistan!--While the US media is largely ignoring the human impact of these bombings, Pakistani officials have declared a “massive humanitarian emergency.” Thousands of refugees are homeless in their own country. Two weeks ago, two refugees were killed and six injured during protests over shortages of food, water and tents. Contributing to this kind of humanitarian catastrophe is not going to bring stability to Afghanistan and Pakistan or defeat terrorists. Click here to tell your representatives in Congress to take action to stop this humanitarian crisis.

Help Ratify the Treaty for the Rights of Women!--Mother's Day is coming up, and you can help ensure the rights of women around the world by urging the U.S. Senate to ratify the Treaty for the Rights of Women.  The treaty has been stuck in the Senate for years, and your help is need to finally get it ratified. »

Take Action for Marriage Equality!--This morning the Iowa Supreme Court handed down a unanimous decision in favor of full marriage equality for same sex couples.  Iowa now joins Massachusetts and Connecticut in ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage.  Last night the Vermont House of Representatives passed a marriage equality bill, already passed by the Senate.  The bill now goes to the Governor who is expected to veto it.  Efforts to ensure passage are underway (stay tuned - we may be asking for your help!). Here in Washington state we continue to move towards full marriage equality and we are proud to protect our families through domestic partnership as we continue the struggle.  It's important for our legislators to know that nothing short of full marriage equality will meet the legal needs and dignity of LGBT Washingtonians.  You've heard the old saying, "As Iowa goes so goes the nation."  Let us work together to build the pro-marriage equality ground force here in Washington.  Sign this petition

Protect Human Health!--The Bayer corporation is trying to conceal details of a deadly chemical plant accident at their factory in Institute, West Virginia. The accident killed two employees and forced a state of emergency where thousands of residents were advised to take shelter in their homes¹.   Now Congress is considering a law -- once co-sponsored by Barack Obama -- that would require companies like Bayer to use safer procedures and tell the community about the risk their facility poses. But Bayer and their allies are trying to use the threat of terrorism to hide the truth from the public and oppose tighter rules.  Tell Congress not to listen to the chemical industry -- pass tough chemical security legislation.

Take Action for Low Income Families!--And we thought the State Senate's budget was bad news for women's health!  Yesterday, the House released their budget proposal for 2009-11, and it's so much worse: The House budget calls for cutting state funding for birth control and other family planning services for low-income women by 10% in the first year of the 2-year budget, and then COMPLETELY ELIMINATES family planning funding in the second year.  Take action now: contact House budget leaders and urge them to restore the family planning budget at the full $10 million level.

Make Whistleblower Protections a Priority!--As you know, the National Whistleblowers Center has been actively involved in the campaign to obtain stronger whistleblower protection for all federal employees, including national security employees.  Take Action! Keep Whistleblower Protection On the Administration's Agenda!