Human

Earth

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Liberation

 

126 SW 148th St

Ste C100-422

Seattle, WA

98166-1984

 

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HEAL

HEAL’S MISSION STATEMENT

HEAL is an egalitarian network of activists self-empowered to plan events, create change, and make the world a better place for all life.  Our goals include the liberation of humans, nonhuman animals, and the earth!  We work in cooperation with like-minded organizations that put compassion in action!

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HEAL’S Human rights agenda

 

HEAL understands that everything is connected.   What disturbs us at HEAL is that there is so much misanthropy in our society.  Many

of us narcissistically forgive and excuse our own wrongs while viciously and cruelly condemning and dehumanizing our fellow human beings.  Those who are living in abject poverty, homeless, jobless, and destitute are equal to those with great economic wealth, multiple residences, CEO positions, and luxurious abundance.  Some would argue that "property is theft".  There are cultures around the world

who do not have systems of ownership.  We are not one of those cultures.  The wealthy anarchist who buys his/her way "above the law"

is balanced by the impoverished, enslaved, and oppressed individual.  The wealthy anarchist purchases absolute freedom from social responsibility at the ultimate expense of the poor and oppressed.  We, in the middle, wish for the wealth, power, and freedom from social responsibility of the wealthy anarchist.  And, we in the middle, fear (and therefore hate) the impoverished, enslaved, and oppressed.  

 

The ethical response living in these times is to desire economic and social equality and justice.  There is nearly infinite data showing the links between wealth and slavery (see Corporate America and Asia/Juarez, Mexico/etc.--or Corporate America and U.S. prisons--or Wal-Mart, etc.), slavery and poverty (see "The Shadow of Slavery" by Pete Daniel), and, therefore, wealth and poverty.  We must love

humanity.  We must love freedom.  We must love equality.  We must fight for social and economic justice!  If we do not take action for

freedom and equality, we are nothing more than hypocrites.  

 

You may have noticed that HEAL focuses its energy on Teen Liberty and Prison Reform.  We believe that children and teens are the

most vulnerable people in our society.  Because of their vulnerability, they are subjected to unthinkable abuses, cruelty, and oppression. 

Their words often fall on deaf ears and their pain is usually dismissed by adult authorities who have been socialized to disbelieve,

distrust, and abuse the very people (children and teens) most in need of protection and sanctuary.  Instead of working to improve our

society and the lives of the people, we punish our most sensitive, vulnerable, and abused citizens for not being automatons or apathetic,

hard, and delusional like the rest of us.  People learn what they live and live what they learn.

 

We must HEAL our society!  We must cultivate compassion, understanding, love, and social responsibility in ourselves, in our families,

in our communities, in our countries, and in our world.  As Mahatma Gandhi said, "We must be the change we wish to see in the world".

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human rights Links

 

Get a Farm Aid badge

Rosenhan Experiment

 

Psych Rights

 

Social Conformity

 

Dangers of Peer Pressure Society

 

Mormons Stole Our Rights--Shut Down Utah!

 

Eligible US Citizens--Register to Vote

 

"No Peace, No Work:  The MayDay Longshoremen Strike!"

Socialist Alternative

 

Socialist World

 

 

Alliance for Human Research Protection

 

Stanford Prison Experiment

 

Milgram Experiment: Obedience to Authority

 

www.invisiblechildren.com 

 

Amnesty International

 

Hayaat:  Palestinian Relief

 

American Civil Liberties Union

 

Jobs with Justice

 

No War!

 

Prisoners of War

 

Prisoners of War Part II

 

 

Teen Feed  

 

Grassroots International

 

Draft Resistance (tools & info)

 

American Cognitive Liberties Association  

 

Crazy Horse Memorial

 

Stop Blackwater

 

Fundamental Human Rights Blog Spot

 

Terry Howcott's Perspectives

 

The Injustice Must End--Free Efren Paredes, Jr.!

 

Learn the Truth About Homelessness in America!

Neither Lifestyle Nor Agenda

    

Are you a conscientious objector?  Are you a man between ages 18 and 25 and upset about

mandatory registration for Selective Service?  Here's some helpful tips:

Register for Selective Service--It's the law!

File as a conscientious objector--It's your right!  For help filing for conscientious objector status, visit:

www.duckdaotsu.org/resist.html 

www.uua.org/uuawo/issues/respond/military.htm 

www.scn.org/IP/sdmcc/co.htm 

http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/thinking-of-enlisting/draftandcohelp.htm 

 

 

 

 

 

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HEAL'S human rights PROJECTS

 

HEAL'S HOMELESS (RESIDENTIALLY-CHALLENGED) PROJECT

HEAL has an ongoing collection of clean used or new clothing, hygiene products (toiletries/sanitary napkins/tampons/etc.), gift cards or 

certificates (Grocery/Restaurant/Entertainment/Hotel), for local homeless people. You can bring items to HEAL meetings.  Or, we

encourage you to give directly to your local shelters and disenfranchised people.  Drop off locations available upon request.

 

HEAL BOOK PROJECT

HEAL has created an online store at http://www.cafepress.com/heal.  Also, we are planning to put together a book of art, short stories,

poems, and essays regarding human liberation, earth liberation, and animal liberation to sell through this shop.  Art includes

photography and political/social commentary cartoons.  If you would like to submit your work for consideration in the project, please

bring it to a HEAL meeting (schedule online at http://www.heal-online.org/events.htm), submit it online to heal@heal-online.org, or mail it

to us at HEAL, 126 SW 148th St, Ste C100-422, Seattle, WA 98166-1984.  The rewards for contributing items to this project are: helping to educate others about global liberation, having your work published, and a $10 reward for selected items (which you can choose to waive and donate to HEAL).  You keep the rights to your material.  We only ask that you include with all submissions a letter or e-mail to the effect that you are permitting HEAL to use your work and the work's title. 

 

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human rights ACTION ALERTS

 

Action Alerts are in order of Priority with Newest/Priority Alerts First!

 

Take Action to Get Patients the Help They Need!--For many Americans, cannabis is just like any other prescription -- a way to ease chronic pain. But with federal law as it is, even patients who obtain cannabis legally in their state can face federal prosecution.  Legalize medical cannabis. »  Cannabis has been used to treat HIV/AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, cancer, chronic pain, arthritis and pains associated with aging. Especially for older Americans, cannabis can be the best prescription for their pain.  Other countries recognize the benefits of medicinal cannabis. Canada, Chile and the Netherlands decriminalized or legalized the drug, and Australia and Belgium are conducting trials on its benefits.  The time has come for the United States to shed its stereotypical view of cannabis and recognize its many medicinal benefits.  Tell Congress that you support federal legalization of medical cannabis. »

 

Take Action to Support Your Right to Privacy!--The ACLU supports amended legislation that will prevent both government and private parties from tracking people by ensuring that information gathered through tolling is only used for toll collection and enforcement. Please write your legislators in the House and Senate and ask them to support privacy protection amendments to HB 2897 and SB 6499.

 

Take Action Against Death Penalty in Uganda for Homosexuals!--A proposed bill storming through Uganda's parliament is one of the most severe pieces of anti-homosexuality legislation in the world. If passed, it would establish an alarming precedent that would virtually wipe out the human rights of Uganda's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population.  Help stop Uganda’s anti-homosexuality bill today.

 

Stop Surveillance without Suspicion!--The ACLU supports legislation that would regulate surveillance. Please write your legislators in the House and Senate to ask them to protect free speech by supporting HB 2798/SB 6432, which allows law enforcement to collect and share information about an individual or group’s political or religious activities only with reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.

 

Tell Congress to Vote for Contributing to Haiti's Disaster Recovery!--Immediately following the January 12 earthquake in Haiti, CARE staff in Haiti began rushing lifesaving aid to survivors. Thanks to the generous support of people like you, we've been working around the clock to help survivors access food, shelter, clean water, jerry cans, hygiene kits, mattresses and blankets. As of today, we've reached almost 80,000 people, focusing on pregnant women, newborns, disabled people and the elderly. I am sure you have thought, "What more can I do for the people of Haiti?" Here's one way you can help right now. Please take five minutes now to contact your elected officials and ask them to show their support for Haiti's long-term recovery.

 

Support Action to Protect Civil Liberties by Revising PATRIOT Act!--I’m writing to alert you that votes on re-authorizing key parts of the Patriot Act will happen in Congress any day now. And, once again, fear-mongering and scare tactics are being used to block genuine Patriot Act reforms.  This time, opponents of reform are seizing on the attempted Christmas Day airplane bombing to insist that we don’t need to bring the Patriot Act in line with the Constitution. Some are even calling for toughening up the Patriot Act with still more freedom-stealing provisions.  You and I have to make sure Congress knows that Americans want Patriot Act reform and that we’re totally fed up with these scare tactics that don’t make us any safer.  Tell your representatives in Congress to vote for reform and stand up to fear-mongering.

 

Stop Texas School Board from Removing Latinos from School Books!--This Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010, the state board will take a preliminary vote to adopt new standards for social studies texts. These new standards would eliminate all Hispanics since the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th Century.Cesar Chavez, arguably the most important Hispanic civil rights leader of the 20th Century, is among the historical figures to be eliminated. One of Lowe's so called "experts" said that Chavez "lacks the stature...and contributions" and should not be "held up to our children as someone worthy of emulation." Alsoeliminated are a number of key Texas history makers such as Irma Rangel, the first Hispanic woman elected to the state Legislature.  Board members and their appointees have complained about an "over representation of minorities" in the current social studies standards. This is ironic as Hispanics will soon comprise the majority of all Texas public school students.  Please take a few moments right now to send board Chair Lowe an e-mail. Tell the TX State Board of Education not to allow a handful of ideological extremists to revise history by eliminating people of color. Please act now.

 

Tell the Senate to Pass Consumer Protection Laws Now!--Big banks and credit card companies have shown us that they won't police themselves. Their deceptive tactics have put millions of families in debt and at risk of losing their homes. They ultimately helped to usher in one of the worst recessions since the Great Depression.  Last month, the U.S. House passed a landmark financial regulatory reform bill, including a much-needed Consumer Financial Protection Agency.  Our Friends at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) have launched an online petition to encourage the U.S. Senate to follow suit.  We are asking for your help to reach 1000 signatures by Monday, January 11th. And it only takes a moment! Please take a second to click HERE and sign your name (or sign it anonymously).

 

Take Action to Provide Better Nutrition to Children!--Thousands of you took action in support of the Senate bill that would improve young children's access to nutritious meals. Now it's time to get a bill moving in the House of Representatives!   Recently, Representative Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) introduced legislation that would improve young children’s access to nutritious meals in child care centers, family child care homes, and Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Please urge your Represenatives to improve the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

 

Stop Outrageous Plan to Make Medical Records Public!--In late December, an Oklahoma court temporarily blocked a law from going into effect that would require doctors to give detailed personal information about patients who have had abortions for posting on a public website. This affront on women's privacy has been temporarily halted -- but we need to keep fighting to permanently stop it! >>   The law requires that abortion providers fill out a 10-page questionnaire for each procedure, which they are to submit to the public health department for posting on a public site. This extensive questionnaire - which includes the reason the procedure was sought - is not only an affront to women's rights, its detailed nature may allow women in small towns to be identified, violating their privacy and potentially jeopardizing their life and livelihood. Take action >>

 

Gaza Residents are Without Water!--For most of us, we get our water by turning on the faucet, but for 10,000 Gaza residents this is not the case. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 10,000 Gaza residents do not have water taps anywhere near their homes. On top of this, about 60 percent of Gaza residents do no have reliable access to water at all!  Bring water, a basic humanitarian need, to Gaza residents >>

 

Support Access to Clinical Trials for Cancer Patients!--Clinical trials help scientists and doctors deliver new scientific discoveries to patients and determine which treatments are safe and effective. Most important, clinical trials offer a vital lifeline for people with life-threatening illnesses like cancer.   Ensure that cancer patients have access to clinical trials -- tell your senators today >>

 

Help Put An End to World Hunger!--The numbers are startling: 1 in 6 people around the world don't have enough to eat, up 20 percent since 2005.  The community of nations must act to end world hunger. »

 

When it comes to paid sick days, Wal-Mart’s demerit practice makes me sick! Learn more »  The New York Times recently reported [1], “At Wal-Mart, when employees miss one or more days because of illness or other reasons, they generally get a demerit point. Once employees obtain four points over a six-month period, they begin receiving warnings that can lead to dismissal.”  The article goes on to quote workers who felt pressured to go to work even when they were sick, including one who was sick with — you guessed it — the dreaded H1N1 virus!   Unfortunately, that makes complete sense: in this economy, with family budgets stretched to the breaking point and scores of workers vying for every job opening. Workers are simply too anxious to do anything that could jeopardize their paychecks or their jobs.  Wal-Mart’s practice is indefensible. It’s bad for workers, their families, and for our public health. Learn more »  That’s why we’re joining our friends at MomsRising.org, and our other partners, in the Demerit Wal-Mart campaign. We’re urging you to stand up to Wal-Mart until the company changes its short-sighted practice.
It’s Wal-Mart and its executives who need a demerit badge, not its workers!
  Give Wal-Mart a demerit badge of its own by clicking here »

 

TELL THE NY MTA: HANDS OFF STUDENT PASSES! NO CUTS ON ACCESS-A-RIDE USERS!--Sign the petition: http://www.bailoutpeople.org/savestudentmtapasses.shtml

 

Stop Discrimination Against Older Workers!--Earlier this year, the Roberts Supreme Court made it easier for employers to disciminate against older workers. Tell Congress to undo the injustice. »

 

Take Action to Decriminalize Small Amounts of Marijuana!--As you may have heard, six Washington state representatives have introduced legislation that would end marijuana prohibition and replace it with a regulated and taxed system! This is, indeed, very exciting news. The introduction of this sensible bill, HB 2401, follows the introduction of a similar bill by California Assemblymember Tom Ammiano and invites an important conversation with Congress about changing federal law to leave the question of prohibition or regulation to the states.  We encourage all of our supporters to contact their local representatives in Olympia and encourage them to support the progress of this legislation, which is sponsored by Washington State Representative Mary Lou Dickerson (D-36) along with co-sponsors Reps. Scott White (D-46), Roger Goodman (D-45), Dave Upthegrove (D-33), Sherry Appleton (D-23), and Mary Roberts (D-21). At the same time, we need to urge legislators to take action now to end the waste of Washington tax dollars on arresting and prosecuting low-level marijuana offenders for possession of a modest amount of marijuana. Adults who use marijuana responsibly shouldnt be subject to the stigma of a criminal record and unfair long-term consequences of that record. SB 5615, and its companion HB 1177, would go a long way towards fixing this wasteful and damaging policy.  SB 5615 would decriminalize possession of up to 40 grams of marijuana, ending over 11,000 arrests of adults for marijuana possession and the long-term consequences of criminal records for the thousands that result in conviction. This sensible legislation would save state, county and local budgets $16 million annually in court, prosecution, defense, and jail costs; generate $1 million each year in new revenue, over half of which would go directly to our underfunded state prevention and treatment services for folks who get in trouble with harder drugs; end the 3-to-1 disparity in marijuana law enforcement against African American Washingtonians; and demonstrate that our elected officials can reform our marijuana laws without getting un-elected (this last point being extremely important if we wish to move on HB 2401). The Washington State Bar Association and the Seattle City Council support decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana; why shouldn't your legislators? With all of this excitement in mind, I, in the name of sensible marijuana policy, ask for your help. Please e-mail your legislators.

 

Take Action Against Uganda's "Kill the Gays" Bill!--There is a dangerous proposal that threatens the human rights of LGBT people in Uganda. If passed, the Anti-Homosexuality Bill would start a witch-hunt for homosexuals in the country.  Tell Uganda's President Museveni that people should not be criminalized for sexual orientation or gender identity. »

 

Women's Rights Treaty Turns 30; Time for the U.S. to Ratify!--Today marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations' adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) – a comprehensive international treaty that outlines standards for ratifying countries to meet in the treatment and rights of women.  CEDAW is a critical tool that countries can use to promote the adoption of national laws, policies, and practices to ensure that women and girls live free from violence, have access to quality education, and have the right to participate fully in the economic, political, and social sectors of their society.  > Take Action

 

Tell Pres. Obama to Take On Task of Agricultural Anti-Trust Enforcement!--Did you know that just a handful of companies determine what kind of food you can buy and how farmers can produce it? It's true. Decades of bad farm policy and unchecked corporated mergers have driven out independent players, creating powerful agribusiness giants with massive market share. Tell the Obama Administration that it's time to protect consumers instead of agribusiness!

 

Tell WalMart to Ditch Toxic Toys!--You might think you could rely on the world's largest retailer for safe children's gifts this holiday season. But you'd be wrong. The Ecology Center just revealed that Walmart is currently selling holiday gifts for children that have dangerous levels of lead, chlorine arsenic, cadmium and bromine - all toxic substances.  Tell Walmart to remove dangerous children's products from its shelves now >

 

Tell WalMart to Post Seafood Warnings!--Care2's friends at Oceana are asking grocery stores to protect kids from mercury in fish by posting the Food and Drug Administration's mercury advice at their seafood displays. Over a third of the major grocery companies are on board but retailing behemoth Walmart has not agreed to post signs at its stores.  Demand that Walmart post seafood warning signs >>

 

Take Action to Protect Civil Liberties!--Three provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act will expire on December 31. Committees in both the House and Senate have approved renewal bills, but the House version includes much stronger civil liberties protections.  Let's tell Congress to pass the House version, or pass nothing at all and let these provisions expire using our "I am not afraid" campaign.  https://secure.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/77

 

Take Action for Families!--The American immigration system is broken and tearing American families apart.  Every day, hard working immigrants are forced to choose between living in poverty and oppression with their families -- or in America without them.  Help families stay together: fix America's broken immigration system. »
 

 

Take Action for Equal Rights!--In 1996, Bob Barr wrote the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). When the bill became law, the federal government and all federal agencies were prohibited from extending any federal marriage-based benefits, privileges and rights to same-sex couples.  Thirteen years later, Bob Barr came to admit that he made a mistake with DOMA.  Ask President Obama and Congress to overturn DOMA. »
 

 

Take Action for a Public Option in Healthcare Reform!--Hi. I'm Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor under President Clinton and currently a professor at the University of California. You've probably heard about a possible "deal" in the Senate to do away with the public option.  I'm here to tell you that this is no deal: it's a gift to Big Insurance, plain and simple.   The details are sketchy. The only thing that's really clear is the deal would drop the public option from the bill. With no public option, there's no guarantee of real competition. And without real competition, health care costs will continue to be out of control.  But the deal is far from done. If voters generate a massive outcry around this and progressive leaders in Congress fight back, we can fix it.  Can you sign a petition to leaders in Congress and the White House right away? Click here to add your name: http://pol.moveon.org/gift/?id=18251-1229593-zPy3TCx&t=5

 

Stop Genocide Today!--One year ago, the Genocide Prevention Task Force led by President Clinton's Secretary of State Madeleine Albright declared genocide is preventable. It recommended improved early warnings, early action to prevent genocide and mass atrocities, greater preparedness to employ military options to prevent mass killings, and stronger global norms and institutions.  Please ask President Obama to prioritize genocide prevention today.

 

Tell T-Mobile to Treat Workers Fairly!--Secret anti-union memos.  Unionbusting "consultants" brought in to train managers.  An anti-worker campaign so out of line that the federal government opened multiple investigations.  Employees at T-Mobile just want a fair chance at better wages and working conditions. They just want the freedom to form a union. But instead, they get harassment, threats, and fear tactics.  Sign our petition to T-Mobile USA's parent company: T-Mobile employees deserve respect and rights!

 
 
DROP ALL CHARGES AGAINST SHARON BLACK-CECI, STEVEN CECI AND PATRICK ALLEN NOW! STOP POLICE ATTACKS ON ALL POLITICAL ACTIVISTS!--Take Action Today: Sign the online petition here

 

Help Protect Children from Toxic Pesticides!--Pesticide drift protections could make a big difference for children where you live!  Tell the EPA today:  we can't let another season go by without action!

 

Tell Congress to Stay Strong on Financial Reform!--The economic crash has delivered a harsh lesson: The government was asleep at the switch and now everyone is suffering.  Congress needs a wake-up call to put an end to taypayer-funded industry bailouts and start helping American families who continue to suffer through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.  Congress must pass a strong Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) to stop abusive financial practices and ensure that American families have access to responsible credit. It’s time to say no to predatory loans, to abusive overdraft fees, to explosive credit card rates.  We need real reform, and we need it now.  And we need you now. Today.  The House of Representatives will vote on the CFPA this week. The banking industry, whose irresponsible practices sparked this crisis, is working overtime to undermine the intent of the proposal and prevent the creation of an agency that works on behalf of borrowers. Please contact your Member of Congress in the House of Representatives TODAY and demand that they vote in favor of a strong and independent CFPA.  What CFPA will do for America Congress took 20 years to pass the Credit Card Act. It moves much too slowly to jump on abuses that spring up quickly. The Consumer Financial Protection Agency could offer rapid, effective responses to practices such as:

  • lenders offering broker kickbacks for steering borrowers into high-cost mortgages;
  • banks re-ordering debit card transactions so they can charge multiple overdraft fees;
  • credit card companies holding payments until after the due date so they can charge late fees;
  • payday lenders flipping $300 loans every two weeks and charging $50 interest with each  transaction at annual interest rates of 400%;
  • title lenders trapping borrowers in debt until they default and then repossessing their cars.

No wonder most banks and finance companies are united in their opposition to an agency with teeth.  And some of the biggest banks want to make sure that Washington, not your state, is the only place that can regulate them.  As taxpayers, as consumers, as Americans who want a fair financial system that works for us all, please contact your representative today.

 

 

Take Action to Close Guantanamo Bay!--Irrational. Misguided. Fearmongering.  At this point it shouldn't surprise us - but that doesn't mean we shouldn't fight back! Liz Cheney's Keep America Safe and the 9/11 Never Forget Coalition are rallying tomorrow - against justice for 9/11 perpetrators! Let's throw our voice into the mix: sign our petition saying that you want Guantánamo closed - and that you trust our courts to handle the cases!

 

Tell The Senate: "Stop Ben Bernanke!"--It's hard to understand why President Obama would nominate George W. Bush's Federal Reserve Chair, Ben Bernanke, for another four years in office. But now that he has been nominated, the Senate needs to stop Bernanke and refuse to confirm him. Bernanke's Senate confirmation hearings start today. Bernanke may be a fine academic economist but he got just about everything important wrong during the financial crisis. He has served on the Federal Reserve Bank board since 2002. During this time he advocated against taking steps to rein in predatory lending and the explosive growth in unregulated derivatives, even though it was within the power of the Federal Reserve to do so.  Click here to automatically add your name to our petition telling the Senate to reject Bernanke's nomination.

 

Jobs Not Wars!--We support President Obama, but we cannot support the escalation of George Bush's war in Afghanistan. Congress, not the President, decides how our tax dollars are spent. After 8 years, nearly 5,300 U.S. lives, and $3 trillion, it's time to bring our troops safely home from Afghanistan and Iraq. Tell Congress to vote against any funds for these wars, except to bring our troops safely home. http://www.democrats.com/jobs-not-wars

 

 

Stop Your Tax Dollars from Subsidizing Motorola Israel!--Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that it will award $900,000 to Motorola Israel and SmartSynch for a joint project to develop an energy grid management system.  The Department of Energy should not be rewarding Motorola Israel with this contract; instead it should be sanctioning Motorola for supporting Israel's illegal settlements.  Click here to send a message to the Department of Energy telling them to end their relationship with Motorola Israel.

 

Take Action Against the Stupak Amendment!--I’m here in Washington, D.C., after a long bus ride from Maine that took me nearly nine hours -- and more than 500 miles. But nothing could have stopped me from getting here because the fight to protect reproductive rights is too important, and it’s personal. My own commitment to reproductive freedom is rooted in my grandmother’s story about her difficult decision to have an abortion when it wasn’t even legal. I’m sure that the hundreds of other women and men who have joined me in Washington today to take part in this lobby day have their own reasons for caring so deeply.  But we’re all here to send a powerful message to our senators: we want health care reform that will protect reproductive freedom -- not put it in peril as the House did with their Stupak-Pitts Amendment, banning abortion coverage.  We’re going to be heading to senators’ offices to deliver this message in just a few moments, but it would be great if they could hear from all of you, too!
Email Sen. Patty Murray and Sen. Maria E. Cantwell now. Let them know you want health care that will improve women’s lives -- not interfere with them. (by Alysia Melnick, ACLU Public Policy Counsel)

 

Demand Real Overdraft Reform!--As the holidays approach, Americans are ever more vulnerable to abusive financial practices.  At $24 billion per year in fees, unfair overdraft practices transfer funds from the accounts of hardworking Americans into the coffers of their banks and credit unions at the rate of $65 million every single day. This means our nation’s financial institutions will collect some $1.8 billion during the 28-day holiday shopping season, through practices such as charging $34 for an average $17 debit card overdraft and manipulating the order in which they subtract debits from their customers’ accounts. $65 million = 1.5 million turkey dinners With the average turkey dinner priced at $43 this year,* the money lost to overdraft fees could pay for 1.5 million turkey dinners --- per day.  The Federal Reserve Board recently issued a rule on bank and credit union overdraft practices that failed to address disproportionate and excessive fees. Congressional proposals would tackle what the Fed has neglected.  Contact your members of Congress. Ask them not to delay this crucial issue: they must pass real overdraft reform by the end of the year. 

 

Take Action for Food Safety!--A young mother left her job for several weeks earlier this year when her toddler became sickened by E. coli. It's been a very long haul for the little girl and her family. Fortunately, the youngster is now healing. We have an opportunity to prevent this from happening to others. Write your senator today to ensure our food is safe.

 

Say No to Pesticide Applications near Kern County Schools!--The Kern County Agricultural Commissioner is currently organizing hearings on pesticide buffer zones near schools. These proposed buffer zones are a vital first step in protecting children’s health. Please help.  Approximately 90% of pesticides used in California drift away from their intended targets. Instead they can easily reach nearby homes, schools and businesses. Long-term exposure to pesticides can also cause cancer, reproductive harm and respiratory or nervous system damage. In addition, pesticide exposure can cause immediate poisonings to people close by.  Children are more at risk of adverse health effects from pesticide exposure because their bodies and brains are still developing. Studies have linked pesticide exposure in children with learning disabilities, behavioral issues, lower IQs and other problems.  Current buffer zone rules in Kern County are not adequate. They are set at 1/4 mile for aerial applications of restricted use pesticides around residential areas, occupied labor camps, schools in session and other areas designated by the Agricultural Commissioner. Kern County ranks 2nd in pesticide use in CA. There are no current standard restrictions for ground applications of pesticides--yet they constitute the majority of pesticide applications.  The proposed regulations before the Kern County Agricultural Commissioner would include all agricultural pesticide applications (including ground applications) around schools in session and during school-sponsored activities when children are present.  This is an absolutely vital first step to protecting California's children from pesticide exposure. Schools must be a safe place for kids to play and learn. This is a good start, but it is not enough. The UFW and a coalition of community groups firmly believe these buffer zones should be larger, and include residences, hospitals, nursing homes and other sensitive sites. However, these regulations are a key first step towards the safety of children in Kern County. They will also set an important precedent for other farm worker counties throughout CA.  Please send your e-mail to the Kern County Ag Commissioner, Ruben J. Arroyo today and tell him to move forward with these proposed regulations as soon as possible.

 

Take Action Against the US Chamber of Commerce for Covering Up Rape!--In 2005, Jamie Leigh Jones was working for a private contractor in Iraq when she was brutally gang-raped by coworkers.1 Four years later, Jamie is still being denied justice.  Jamie can't file U.S. criminal charges because the rape took place overseas, and a fine-print clause in her contract takes away her right to file a lawsuit in the U.S.2  Why? Because big corporations, led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, have worked for years to prevent workers from suing their employers in almost any circumstance, even sexual assault.3  The good news is that a bipartisan group in Congress is working to protect the rights of rape victims like Jamie. But, shockingly, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is fighting it.  They sent a letter to Congress saying that it would "set a dangerous precedent" to allow rape victims into court.4 The worst news? The Chamber has enough clout to tie up the bill for years, unless we fight back.  Clicking here will add your name to our petition telling the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to stop opposing the rights of rape victims: http://pol.moveon.org/chamber/rape/o.pl?id=17972-1229593-RPAHm_x&t=4

 

Sign Petition Against Mandatory Male Genital Mutilation!--No medical society in the world recommends male circumcision - yet newborn circumcision is the most common surgical procedure in the U.S. and carries serious risks, including hemorrhage, infection, surgical mishap and death.  Help prevent a government recommendation of routine newborn male circumcision >>

 

Urge Holder to Try All Detainees in Federal Court!--Your support and determination helped the ACLU win an important first step for justice today. In a victory for due process and the rule of law, the Obama administration just announced that the defendants charged in connection with the 9/11 attacks will be tried in federal court rather than in the Guantánamo military commissions. It's an important step forward towards restoring core American values of justice and fairness. Unfortunately, it is accompanied by an announcement that the administration has chosen to prosecute some other Guantánamo detainees in the unsalvageable military commissions system.  You and the ACLU have stood together and insisted, if America is going to remain a nation of laws, those held at Guantánamo Bay must have their fair day in court.  Today's transfer of these high-profile cases is a significant step forward, and we are grateful for the leadership of Attorney General Holder and the Obama administration. At the same time, we must insist that justice cannot be served by trying any detainees in the discredited military commissions system. Send Attorney General Holder a message of support for an important step forward, and urge him to try all terrorism suspects in our tried and true courts.

 

Take Action to End Gender Discrimination in Health Insurance Coverage!--Through the process known as "gender rating," insurers can charge women higher premiums. This process is not only discriminatory, it is illegal in 10 states!   Sign the petition to Congress urging them pass a health insurance reform bill that forbids insurance companies from discriminating against women >>

 

Take Action to Feed the Hungry!--Last week, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced legislation that would improve young children’s access to nutritious meals in child care centers, family child care homes, and Head Start and Early Head Start programs.  With your help, we can gain support for the Access to Nutritious Meals for Young Children Act of 2009 (S. 2749).  Please urge your Senators to improve the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

 

Take Action for Healthcare and the Public Option!--The House has just passed health care reform that includes a government-run insurance plan! But health care reform's prospects in the Senate are a lot more dicey.  Republican senators are united in their opposition, and there are moderate Democrats who are balking as well.  The fight is on for a public option! Tell the Senate that health care is a right, not a privilege. »
 

 

Establish Presidential War Powers Commission!--The Bush Administration's policies and executive orders went beyond what many of us were legally comfortable with -- and we cannot let this happen again. That's why it's so important that we establish a national commission on presidential war powers and civil liberties >>

 

Tell Nature's Partner's Affiliates what Giumarra is up to!--Two weeks ago, our supporters asked Walmart to tell Giumarra/Nature's Partner--as one of its fresh produce suppliers--to uphold the law and the standards it claims to adhere to. You can continue to help keep Giumarra accountable by letting their fellow growers in the Nature's Partner network know that you also expect them to be a part of the effort to hold this company responsible. Let them know that their reputations are also on the line. Practices as abusive as those of Giumarra Vineyards reflect badly on the entire Nature's Partner line of fruits and vegetables.  Giumarra's grower partners are in a special position to encourage the company to be responsible. But we need you to ask them to do so.

 

Stand Up for Struggling Families!--First you lose your job. Then you find out you're about to lose the one lifeline that's keeping your family afloat — your unemployment insurance.  Sadly, that's the reality for hundreds of thousands of American families. Every day that Congress fails to extend unemployment insurance benefits, benefits run out for thousands of workers. This month alone, 200,000 jobless workers will exhaust their unemployment benefits; by the end of December, the number is expected to reach 1.3 million.     That's why we need your help.  Support the extension of unemployment benefits by contacting your Senators today!

 

Tell Wal-Mart's New CEO:  "Do Better"!--Low wages and unionbusting have been par for the course at Walmart.  But it doesn’t have to be that way.  Walmart has a new CEO, Mike Duke, who has a chance to take Walmart on a better path.  Tell Mike Duke to do the right thing for workers and bring respect to Walmart.

 

Don't Eat That!--Today a key Senate committee will hear just how unsafe our food supply is.  We need your help to make sure they do more than just listen. We need them to act to prevent any more deadly outbreaks from contaminated food.  Food safety has fallen from the headlines since last winter’s deadly outbreak of contaminated peanut products that killed at least nine people. But the problem hasn’t gone away. Nearly every month another food outbreak is reported, often too late to help those already sickened.  Email your Senator on this committee and ask them to pass a food safety bill ASAP!

 

Take Action for Single Payer Amendment!--After an anti-heroic 6 month campaign by Congress to avoid confronting the real problem in any meaningful way, that insurance company overhead and outlandish, undeserved profits are bleeding our health care system to death, the headline read, "Get ready to pay more for your health coverage." But elsewhere the headline also read, "Public option backers fight on." Because there ARE valiant members of Congress who are still fighting for good public policy, Anthony Weiner with an amendment to substitute HR 676 for the core of HR 3200, the Kucinich amendment to allow states to implement their own single payer plans, and the Sanders (S 703) amendment on the Senate side. Any or all of these amendments can and WILL pass if only we speak up in sufficient numbers. Please make your voice heard today. 
Single Payer Amendments Action Page:
http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum1013.php

 

Speak up to save the Internet.--Who do you want to decide which websites you can visit or what Internet content you can access — you or a big telecom company? That's what the fight about network neutrality is all about. Net Neutrality is the principle that Internet users, not Internet service providers, should be in control. This week, the Federal Communications Commission is expected to propose net neutrality rules to ensure that the Internet is free from blocking, censorship and discrimination by powerful telecom companies. But the pushback from Big Telecom has already begun. Telecom lobbyists have started an all-out effort to stop the FCC. Tell the FCC: Save net neutrality. Click here and we'll automatically add your name to our petition.

 

Please send Congress a letter objecting to any further funding for REAL ID.  You can copy what I said in my letter to Congress . . .

I'm upset that Congress just appropriated $60 million for the REAL ID national identification scheme. I've asked you repeatedly to repeal REAL ID, and replace it with nothing. I'm repeating my request today.

I do not want a centralized national ID system. It lays the foundation for a police state, and will do little or nothing to improve security. Instead, it will subject me to increased risk of identity theft, and eventually entangle me in new Congressional schemes to do things like control my health care decisions.

I also object because the REAL ID Act was passed under false pretenses. It was rejected three times by the U.S. Senate, and was only enacted because it was added to a larger bill containing funding for disaster relief and Iraq. REAL ID never could have passed on its own merits, but now that we have it, we can't seem to get rid of it. But you, as my representative, can do something about this . . .

Please introduce legislation to repeal REAL ID and replace it with nothing. I'm paying close attention to how you represent me.

END OF SAMPLE LETTER

You can send your letter to Congress here.

 

 

 

What's in your beef?   Tell Secretary Vilsack to beef up the USDA's E. coli testing program.

 

Alliance for Justice releases Tortured Law.

We are happy to announce the release of our new short documentary, Tortured Law, which examines the role U.S. lawyers played in authorizing torture. 

The film is being used to spark debate across the country, and calls on Attorney General Eric Holder to uphold the Constitution and the law by releasing the Justice Department's report on the "torture memos" and authorizing a full investigation of those who ordered, designed, and justified torture.

Sign the petition and share the film today.

 
Watch Alliance for Justice's new film:
Tortured Law.

 

Keep the Pressure on Giumarra!--Last week we shared some disturbing news about the treatment of farmworkers in California's grape fields.  Giumarra Vineyards Corporation has been abusing and mistreating its workers. If workers take time for water, shade, or breaks, they risk being fired.  You did your part – joining over 23,000 other activists from American Rights at Work, the United Farm Workers, and a coalition of workers' rights groups who signed our petition demanding better treatment for Giumarra's workers.  We'll be delivering the petition you signed to Giumarra next week, but to really drive the message home, we're doing something extra.  Can you take 1 minute and post a comment directly on Giumarra's website, demanding better treatment for California farmworkers?

 

 

Whatever Happened to Presumed Innocent?--The government wants to seize the home of a widowed cancer survivor. She hasn't been charged with any crime, but her now-dead husband once grew marijuana on their property. He used it to ease his chronic pain. Under federal civil asset forfeiture law, that might be enough for the government to take this woman's home.  Such outrages are nothing new in the War on Drugs, but we're seeing more abuses as criminal law becomes increasingly federalized. For instance, federal agents are now exploiting the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act to seize bank accounts and computers.  The leader of a new Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering task force admits that unlike criminal cases where the suspect is presumed innocent until proved guilty, in civil asset forfeiture cases . . .  * if you lose property to an asset forfeiture seizure you must prove your innocence in order to get it back  * you have no 5th amendment protections -- even your silence can be used against you Civil asset forfeiture is also alive and well at the local level, where police steal money from citizens in order to pay for new equipment.  Under Illinois law, the state can withhold cash, cars, or other property for six months without even a preliminary hearing! Under the law, three innocent people had to wait over a year to get their cars back. They, along with three innocent people who had money stolen from them, have argued the Constitutionality of the Illinois law.  The "good" news is that this law will be argued in the Supreme Court this month in Alvarez v. Smith.  The bad news is that the most positive outcome is likely to be only a reduction of the time you must wait before a preliminary hearing. The Court isn't expected to strike down the law, even though civil asset forfeiture proceedings clearly violate the 14th Amendment provision that no state "can deprive any person of . . . property, without due process of law."   Congress can do what the Court will not. Tell your representatives to abolish Civil Asset Forfeiture using our Educate the Powerful System.

 

Stop the Abuse of California Farmworkers!--It's hard to imagine this kind of abuse still happens in 2009...Forcing farmworkers to "race" and see who can pick the most grapes in searing 100-degree heat, and then firing the "losers." Screaming at workers and forcing them to take unpaid "time-outs" if they dare to question supervisors. Insane quotas, giving workers no time for water, shade, or breaks.  But that's standard operating procedure at Giumarra Vineyards Corporation – a  leading grape company. California farmworkers urgently need your help to make the abuses stop.  Please speak up and demand fair treatment for California farmworkers today!

 

Call Out Senators Who Defy Public!--Yesterday Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee voted against a public option. The reason given by Chairman Max Baucus?  Well, he says there are Democrats in the Senate who would join with Republicans to filibuster such a bill.  Harry Reid, the majority leader of the Senate, needs to tell us which Democrats think they can stand with the Republicans and filibuster a public option.  Those Democrats are the only roadblock to a public option in the Senate, and we need to know who they are.  We have 60 Democratic Senators.  So what's the problem?  Sign our petition to Senator Harry Reid: we need to know which Democrats want to filibuster a public option with Republicans.

 

Take Action for Terminal Patients!--You won’t believe what’s happening on your dime!  San Diego law enforcement called in the DEA this month to assist with SWAT-style raids of 14 medical marijuana dispensaries.  Local and federal authorities arrested dozens of people and physically accosted at least one patient.  We have to stop the district attorney behind this persecution campaign!

 

Roll Back the PATRIOT Act!--Following 9/11, Congress passed the gargantuan USA PATRIOT Act, without reading it. The PATRIOT Act and the FISA Amendments Act were written to protect Americans from terrorism, but they've left people unprotected from their own government.

The good news is that some parts of the PATRIOT Act will expire at the end of the year unless Congress renews them. This provides an opportunity to roll back many dangerous provisions. Toward this end Senator Russ Feingold introduced the JUSTICE Act (S. 1686) on September 17, Constitution Day. JUSTICE stands for the Judicious Use of Surveillance Tools In Counterterrorism Efforts. This bill would . . .

  • narrow the scope of "sneak and peak" warrants so they can't be used in common criminal cases

  • ensure judicial review of NSLs and require that they only be used in terrorism or espionage investigations

  • prevent roving wiretaps of unnamed suspects that allow the government to monitor the conversations of innocent people

  • revoke the retroactive immunity provision of the FISA Amendments Act that has shielded the telecom companies that collaborated with the government in illegal surveillance

  • provide additional privacy protections outlined here

In short, the JUSTICE Act would give government agents powerful tools to spy on suspected terrorists, while preventing them from spying on YOU.  We would prefer to repeal the PATRIOT Act entirely, but until that can happen the provisions of the JUSTICE Act would move things in the right direction. Please take action to pass the JUSTICE Act.

 

Take Action for Food Safety!--Four months ago, Linda Rivera enjoyed a couple spoonfuls of Nestle Toll House raw cookie dough. Today, she can no longer speak and spends her time in a hospital bed, a victim of America's lax food safety laws. Linda is one of 80 people in the U.S. who became infected with the E. coli virus after eating cookie dough.   Tell your Senators: Modernize our food safety laws! >>

 

Take Action to Ban Nuclear Weapons!--Today, President Obama is chairing a United Nations Security Council Summit on nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament.  The United States has submitted a draft resolution reaffirming its 40-year old commitment in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) "to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to nuclear arms reduction and disarmament." This is good, as far as it goes, but there's no timeline, and there's not one new or concrete disarmament measure called for.  On April 5, Obama made a historic speech in Prague, declaring that "as the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon, the United States has a moral responsibility to act."  We agree! We believe that if our voices are strong enough, we can make nuclear abolition a reality in our life time. Sign the petition here.

 

Tell Congress to Vote For the Justice Act!--Do you remember the Patriot Act? Rushed through Congress in October 2001 with little debate, this deeply flawed legislation curtails your fundamental freedoms. And now, just like in 2001, legislation is moving through Congress quickly. But this time, we have a chance for genuine Patriot Act reform.  Senator Russ Feingold and nine other senators have introduced the JUSTICE Act, a bold piece of legislation, which effectively reins in the out-of-control government powers embedded in the Patriot Act. We now need your help to gather more support for this comprehensive legislation.  Ask your senators to co-sponsor the JUSTICE Act.

 

Take Action for Real Financial Reform!--Wall Street is Baaaaack! Reckless financial companies tanked our economy, using weak laws and lax regulators to do it. Now they're on a roll again--hoping we've already forgotten the biggest taxpayer bailout in history.  Many of our leaders are finally ready to fix the underlying problems so our finances – and our nation’s economy – aren’t taken for another ride. But guess whose spending millions to oppose the changes? You guessed it, the same folks who got us here in the first place.  Email Congress NOW to support practical rules to protect us from financial abuses, and a real regulator who goes after those who break the law.

 

Take Action for People Suffering with Diabetes!--Lack of insurance and high health care costs are forcing many people with diabetes to cut back on - or even go without - doctor visits, medications and diabetes supplies.  Take action >>

 

Take Action for Insurance Reform!--Dawn is a few years younger than me. She lives in Atlanta. She's an aspiring playwright. And four years ago, she was diagnosed with a rare, but treatable brain tumor.  Dawn's doctors are ready to treat the tumor, but they can't. CIGNA, her insurer, refuses to pay for the care she needs because the only hospitals qualified to treat her are out-of-network.  And after years of fighting, Dawn just received her final denial letter.  For me, the scariest thing about Dawn's story is that it could happen to any of us—to a friend of mine, or someone in my family. After all, Dawn has insurance. But as long as private insurers are the only game in town, they'll continue to have the power to deny Americans the care they need.  Dawn is fighting back. And while CIGNA may be able to ignore Dawn, they won't be able to ignore millions of us standing together with her. I'm joining Dawn's fight to shine a light on Big Insurance's abusive tactics, get Dawn the care she needs, and make sure they don't do this to anyone ever again. Will you join me by signing a statement of support? Clicking below will add your name: http://pol.moveon.org/dawnsmith/o.pl?id=17262-1229593-0plQs0x&t=3

 

Honor the Real "Norma Rae"!--In 1973, Crystal Lee Sutton couldn't take it anymore. She turned off her machine, climbed onto her work table, wrote the word "UNION" on a big piece of cardboard, and raised it for all to see.  Before the police could drag her away, she had brought her textile factory to a standstill – and helped give her coworkers the courage to form a union.  Her story became the basis for the Oscar-winning 1979 movie, "Norma Rae." Crystal Lee Sutton – the real "Norma Rae" – passed away just recently.  In her memory, will you send an eCard to Congress asking them to pass the Employee Free Choice Act in 2009?

 

Take Action to Get Rid of DOMA!--CREDO has just gotten word that a bill has been introduced to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denies married same-sex couples the rights and protections enjoyed by straight married couples. We're partnering with our friends at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund today to finally kick DOMA to the curb. Join us, and please act now.

 

Take Action for NY State Farm Workers!--In New York State, laws protecting workers categorically exclude farm workers from basic rights and protections leading to conditions that are one step from slavery.  Farm laborers often work 14 hour days, 7 days a week, at minimum wage, with no overtime pay, no right to form a union, no disability insurance coverage, and no right to a day of rest.Children who work in the fields can be paid $3.20 an hour, less than half of the $7.15 minimum wage.  The UFW is joining with a coalition of groups--including Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert Kennedy and Founder of the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights—who are working to change this injustice. "The Farm Workers Fair Labor Practices Act" (S.2247/A.1867) would finally grant farmworkers rights equal to all other workers. NY’s Governor Paterson said he will sign the bill if it crosses his desk. The bill had already passed by the Assembly. Organizers believe that they have enough votes for the bill to pass if it makes it to the senate floor.  Making it to the senate floor, however, is a big challenge.  Opponents will do all they can to see the bill stalled in committee. That’s why we’re begging you to help the bill organizers by contacting key senators today.  When Robert Kennedy broke bread with Cesar Chavez in Delano ending Cesar’s fast, he said, “When your children and grandchildren take their place in America,--going to high school, and taking good jobs at good pay, when you look at them, you will say, ‘I did this. I was there at the point of difficulty and danger.’  And though you may be old and bent from many years of labor, no one will stand taller than you when you say ‘I marched with Cesar.’”  Please take action today.  And, when you are old and bent you will turn to your children and grand children and say “I was there. I helped the farm workers."

 

Take Action for Farm Workers!--Last week we told you about the outrageous behavior of Giumarra--the world's largest table grape company, who uses the Nature's Partner label. We asked you to write to Nature’s Partner and tell them their behavior of intimidation would not be tolerated by their consumers.  Their response? To block us from allowing our supporters to communicate with them through our e-mail system. Giumarra/ Nature's Partner thinks they are so important, that they won't even listen to the input of their customers. With this attitude, imagine how they respond to farm workers who labor in their fields.  We’ve gotten feedback from farm workers and local supporters. They need your help in getting the message through to Giumarra/Nature’s Partner. Starting on Labor Day through the end of this month, we are asking folks to sign a petition that a delegation will hand to Giumarra/Nature's Partner representatives. Workers are hoping to have at least 25,000 signatures by the end of the month. Will you help? By signing this petition you can help farm workers fight back.

 

Take Action Against Indefinite Detention!--I’m writing to alert you that a proposal to approve some form of indefinite detention—holding people without charge or trial—could be coming from the administration at any moment. As we prepare to respond, your support as an engaged and concerned ACLU activist could be crucial to our ability to fight any attempt to establish a system of indefinite detention that would violate the Constitution. Once this proposal is introduced to Congress, the ACLU must—and will—mount an immediate, vigorous effort to prevent its passage. But, we need a core group of supporters to act even sooner.  I hope you’ll be a first responder in defense of the Constitution and lend your name now to help the ACLU’s rapid-response opposition to indefinite detention.

 

Demand Stronger Food Safety Laws!--Four months ago, Linda Rivera enjoyed a couple spoonfuls of Nestle Toll House raw cookie dough. Today, she can no longer speak and spends her time in a hospital bed, a victim of America's lax food safety laws. Linda is one of 80 people in the U.S. who became infected with the E. coli virus after eating cookie dough. Tell your Senators: Modernize our food safety laws! >>

 

Take Action to Reform America's Broken Immigration System!--The American immigration system is broken and hurting families, workers and the economy.  Act now to help fix America's broken immigration system. »

 

Sign Petition for American Farmers!--Stop taxpayer giveaways to factory farms.  Support family owned farms!  Sign the Farm Aid petition now! 

 

Take Action to Prevent Unnecessary Genital Mutilation of Boys!--No medical society in the world recommends male circumcision - yet newborn circumcision is the most common surgical procedure in the U.S. and carries serious risks, including hemorrhage, infection, surgical mishap and death.   Help prevent a government recommendation of routine newborn male circumcision >>

 

Tell Congress to Pass the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights!--Already this month, two different delayed flights left more than 150 passengers stuck on planes for six hours  without fresh air, clean toilets or enough food or water. If you’ve flown this summer, you too, might have felt like a ‘prisoner on a plane’ if your flight was delayed, trapped on the tarmac for hours waiting for word when you could leave.  A bill in the Senate would give delayed fliers the right to decent treatment  adequate food, restrooms and ventilation on board. And it would give you the right to get off the plane after three hours. But the airline industry is fighting this bill!  Email your Senators right now and tell them to pass the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights when they return from their summer vacation. No passenger should be a prisoner on a plane!

 

Stop Raids on Terminally Ill!--Congress has heard the evidence about the medicinal benefits of marijuana, but legislators still haven’t changed federal law to reflect scientific fact. Tell them to end the federal medical marijuana ban now!  While Congress ignores the science, patients like Eugene Davidovich, who operates a medical marijuana collective in San Diego, are criminalized. He complies with state law and the California attorney general's medical marijuana guidelines, but the San Diego district attorney is threatening to throw him in prison anyway.  Bolstered by the federal ban on medical marijuana, the San Diego DA is systematically harassing patients, and Eugene now faces four felony charges. This is outrageous! Will you join me in asking Congress to end the federal medical marijuana ban?

 

Take Action to Hold Torturers Accountable!--This week, Attorney General Eric Holder announced a preliminary review into the interrogation practices of certain detainees, giving a special prosecutor a narrow mandate to investigate those CIA interrogators who went outside the legal guidance provided by the torture memos.  But will the lawyers who permitted torture be held accountable?  Prisoner abuse and torture did not take place simply as the result of the actions of a few rogue actors on the ground; they happened within a legal framework designed by lawyers like Bybee, Yoo and Bradbury.  Full accountability requires full disclosure and full investigation.  Preservation of the rule of law requires an investigation led by a special prosecutor who can operate without artificial constraints and who has the discretion to follow the facts where the evidence leads, including up the chain of command.  No blinders should be put on a special prosecutor, and no artificial barrier constructed to shield certain perpetrators from evidence of a crime.  Any investigation must reject blame-shifting and include the high-level officials who sanctioned and attempted to justify torture, not just the individuals who carried it out.  We cannot tolerate another investigation that ignores the lawbreaking of senior government officials without addressing the systemic problems that led our country astray in the first place.  Call on Attorney General Holder to Launch a Full-Scale Investigation of the "Torture Memos"

 

Take Action for the People of the 9th Ward!--This week's anniversary of Hurricane Katrina is a time to honor the lives lost to Katrina -- and to remind the rest of America the work in New Orleans is far from done >>   Close to 80 percent of the city is back overall. But in the poorest neighborhoods, the numbers are much lower. In the Lower 9th Ward, only 19 percent of the residents have come home. The reasons? Not enough affordable houses and apartments. And basic services are still not available. Only one of three schools has reopened. Neither of the two hospitals that provided health care in the Lower 9th Ward are back in business. And there still is no grocery store in the neighborhood. Take action >>

 

Boycott Israel's IKEA Boycott --Shop Till You Drop at IKEA to Counteract Israel's Boycott! --Posted by Lori Price, www.legitgov.org 24 Aug 2009 Thousands of Israelis petition to boycott Sweden retailer IKEA By Adi Dovrat and Irit Rosenblum, Haaretz 23 Aug 2009 Thousands of Israelis have signed an online petition to boycott the Swedish furniture retailer IKEA, in the wake of a controversial article published in the Swedish daily Aftonbladet that suggested that Israeli soldiers "harvested" the organs of Palestinians.

 

Help Keep Pressure On for Thorough Investigation into Torture Programs!--As a result of shocking revelations in the CIA Inspector General’s report, which was brought to light by an ACLU lawsuit, Attorney General Eric Holder has announced the appointment of a prosecutor to investigate prison abuse cases carried out as part of the Bush torture program.  As anyone who has seen the details of this appalling report can tell you, this investigation is necessary and long overdue, and Attorney General Holder should be commended for taking this important step.   However, the very limited scope of the investigation he launched today is nowhere near as thorough and broad as the torture investigation America really needs.  Urge Attorney General Holder to conduct a thorough examination of the Bush torture program.
 

 

Take Action for Academic Freedom!--Thursday, August 20 the LA Times published an op-ed in which Ben Gurion University Professor Neve Gordon, a prominent political scientist and long-time peace activist, wrote that the question that kept him up at night, both as a parent and as an Israeli citizen, was how to ensure that his two children as well as the children of his Palestinian neighbors do not grow up in an apartheid regime. His pained conclusion  is that  the only strategy left is "massive international pressure"  in the form of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS).  He therefore endorses the Palestinian BDS campaign proposed by a wide swath of Palestinian civil society.(1)  Following the publication of the article there has been a vehement and aggressive attack against Gordon in Israel that calls into serious question Israel's committment to academic freedom and the democratic right to free speech.  We now believe that "massive international pressure" will be needed to keep him from being fired from his job.  Tell Ben Gurion University and the Israeli Minister of Education to defend academic freedom.

 

Tell Congress to Pass the Employee Free Choice Act!--Last week, you sent Rite Aid a message they won't soon forget...When we asked you to stand up for Rite Aid workers fighting for a fair workplace, you sent their CEO 12,656 letters!  But, under current labor law, the deck is stacked. If we want to stop Rite Aid's brand of stalling and intimidation for good, we need to take it up with Congress.  Tell Congress about the Rite Aid debacle – and keep up the drumbeat for the Employee Free Choice Act.

 

Take Action for Equal Rights!--In 29 states, it's still legal to fire someone because they're gay.  As a result, thousands of hardworking lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans have lost their livelihoods simply because of who they are.  But now, for the first time, we have the chance to end this unacceptable discrimination. Just this month, the Senate has introduced the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would make it illegal to fire, refuse to hire, or refuse to promote employees simply based on sexual orientation or gender identity. President Obama supports a fully-inclusive ENDA, but there are opponents of gay rights on Capitol Hill that will fight to preserve discrimination. To overcome this opposition, the Human Rights Campaign, one of our partners and a leading organization fighting for equality for all Americans, needs your help.  Stand for equality by asking your senators to support ENDA and end workplace discrimination today >

 

Take Action for Accessible Healthcare!--Last week we leveled with you - Healthcare reform could be in trouble because a small group of conservative critics were attacking public forums (and civil discourse). Now, you've probably seen media reports that these hecklers are getting their way as President Obama and others back away from the public option.But the media is wrong, and so are the hecklers. The public option is alive and well with the support of a super-majority of Americans.2 Not only that, powerful members of the House have stepped up to defend the public option and to smack down the crazy critics who equate insurance reform with Socialism and death panels.3,4 The only place the public option is in danger is in the US Senate - where a tiny group of Democrats and Republicans are stalling the process and trading away the most important parts of reform in the name of "bipartisanship."5 It's time to get these foot-draggers off the dime. Tell your Senators: Reform won't wait - either get behind the public option and real healthcare reform or get out of the way.

 

Fight Brewing at Washington State Dairy--Take Action!--Workers at Ruby Ridge Dairy in Eastern Washington complain of toiling ten, twelve, even fourteen hours a day. Not only do they not get overtime, they don’t even get breaks. Nor do they get to stop and eat lunch. Try that, and the boss will threaten to fire them.  Under those conditions it’s perhaps not surprising that four workers who went to the UFW for help have already gotten fired.  Workers are fed up with these horrendous conditions and have asked the UFW to represent them.The owners of Ruby Ridge have responded with more threats and intimidation. Faced with no other choice the UFW helped the workers file suit.  You can assist these workers in winning justice. Please contact Dick and Ruby Bengen, the owners of Ruby Ridge. Demand they respect workers, rehire the four workers who they fired, and recognize the UFW as the union of the workers’ choosing.

 

Take Action Against Workplace Bullies!--Workplace bullying affects 37 percent of the workforce yet is a public epidemic that is easily overlooked. It can include verbal abuse, offensive behaviors that are intimidating or humiliating, and sabotage that interferes with work.  Demand legislation that will protect employees in Washington from bullying in the workplace. Take action >>

 

Tell WalMart to Stop Sponsoring Hate!--Barack Obama "has exposed himself as a guy... who has a deep seated hatred for white people or the white culture." "This guy, I believe, is a racist."   This is the kind of drivel Glenn Beck has been spewing lately. We know. We know. Not much that comes out of the Fox News host's mouth surprises you anymore, but guess what: Glenn Beck's hate speech is being sponsored by, you got it, Walmart.   Other major advertisers (i.e. Geico, Proctor and Gamble, and Lexis Nexis) are pulling their ads from Glenn Beck's show in response to his disgraceful rhetoric. Not Walmart.  It's time for that to change. Join the fight to end Walmart's financial support of Glenn Beck's televised hate. Tell Bentonville that you demand Walmart pull its ad dollars from Glenn Beck's show right now. Send a letter to Walmart executives denouncing their financial support of hate speech

 

Tell Rite Aid to Negotiate with Their Employees!--Rite Aid's employees faced a campaign of misinformation and intimidation for trying to form a union. After two years, they finally formed their union, but the company has stalled contract negotiations for over a year.  Rite Aid employees have been working non-stop to get their company to do the right thing, But they need our help to break this damaging stalemate.  Let's make it impossible for Rite Aid to ignore their workers any longer: Write CEO Mary Sammons right now.

 

Take Action for Terminal Patients!--Federal and local agents raided two Los Angeles-area medical marijuana dispensaries this week.  During the raids, agents arrested the owner of the dispensaries, seized property and money, and shot a dog.  Why is the Justice Department still using Bush-era tactics to go after medical marijuana providers when, as a presidential candidate, Obama declared medical marijuana raids a waste of federal resources?  Are you as outraged as I am?  Ask Congress to end this ongoing federal interference by legalizing medical marijuana.

 

Tell Your Senators to Vote Yes on Food Safety Bill When they Return from Vacation!--A major food safety reform bill passed the U.S. House just hours before members left Washington for their August recess. And your phone calls and emails helped make that happen!  Now, the bad news: The Senate must pass a bill too, and there is no timetable yet for bringing it up. Each week of delay puts us at risk. Did you throw away lettuce last week because you heard about a recall? Have you checked your spice rack for newly recalled seasoning? The failures of our food system make headlines week after week. We must keep up the momentum for real change. Email your Senators to take up food safety when they return from August recess!

 

Take Action Against Corporate Welfare!--Please use DownsizeDC.org's Educate the Powerful System (sm) to send your Congressional employees another message opposing corporate bailouts.

 

Tell Your Senators to Co-Sponsor ENDA!--In 29 states, you can be fired solely because you're gay – and if you're transgender, that's 38 states. It's outrageous, and it's unacceptable.  The good news is that we are closer than ever to moving the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and providing workplace protections for our entire community.   We have a President who supports a fully-inclusive ENDA. We have legislation in the House that already has more than 150 co-sponsors. And today, for the first time ever, we have a fully-inclusive bill in the Senate! We need your help to continue building support for ENDA on Capitol Hill. Send a message to your senators today – tell them to cosponsor ENDA!

 

Stop Bombing Afghanistan!--According to villagers in Kandahar, in the early hours of Wednesday morning an American helicopter fired missiles, killing three young children and their older brother in their sleep. Residents of the village brought the four bodies to the house of the Kandahar governor from their village to protest, shouting “Death to America! Death to infidels!” [1] How does anyone think this is making America and Afghanistan safer? And why aren’t members of Congress speaking out against these bombings? Click here to write your representative and senators and urge them to call for a halt to airstrikes that kill innocent civilians.
 

Is Karl Rove Back?!--Last week a special interest lobbying firm with ties to dirty energy companies1 was caught sending forged letters to a Democratic congressman's office—urging him to oppose clean energy legislation.The letters claimed to be from a Hispanic non-profit called Creciendo Juntos and the local chapter of the NAACP. The only problem? Neither group had ever seen the letters, much less sent them.3Faking letters from ethnic groups to oppose progressive legislation? It's like Karl Rove is back running the show.  This incident could be just the tip of the iceberg—one small part of a coordinated campaign to undermine the president's agenda. The House of Representatives has started to investigate how far this scam goes—but with allegations this serious, this is a federal criminal matter.4Can you sign our petition asking the Department of Justice to investigate whether the lobbying firm committed fraud? Clicking here will add your name: http://pol.moveon.org/roveisback/o.pl?id=16707-5425778-dH2LMrx&t=9

 

Tell WalMart to Respect Free Speech!--Remember when Walmart tried to restrict usage of the ubiquitous yellow smiley face? Well, the company's legal team is it again.  Walmart has filed an injunction against a website critical of its Canadian business practices, and their "legal basis" will outrage you. Walmart wants to stop WalmartWorkersCanada.ca from using the word "Wal-Mart" either "alone or with other words... in a color scheme of blue, white and gold." Even more ridiculous, the company wants to restrict the usage of circular shapes on the group's website! If Walmart has its way, "an oval, circular or semi-circular design" will be off limits to groups critical of its business practices. We're sure you agree--this is simply too bizarre for words. You can take a stand against Walmart's censorship threat. It takes just a few seconds to put the pressure on Walmart to respect freedom of expression. Tell Walmart to respect free speech: sign our petition today

 

Tell Chipotle to End Worker Exploitation!--Since we wrote to you a few weeks ago, more than 10,000 activists have urged Chipotle to stand up for exploited Florida farmworkers.  Momentum is building.  People around the country have been calling on Chipotle to live up to its “food with integrity” promise – and now they’ve taken their demands to the streets, protesting in front of film screenings sponsored by Chipotle.  Can you back them up by sending a quick email to Chipotle’s management?  Urge Chipotle to make "food with integrity" truly fair food.

 

Stand in Solidarity Against Racism!--Stop Racial Profiling and Police Brutality!  Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Was Right!  The Cambridge Cops Must Apologize!  Youth Need Jobs & Schools - Not Jails!  Demand a Justice Department Investigation of Racial Profiling Across the US  Sign the Online Petition here. Let President Obama, Attorney General Holder, Massachusetts Governor Patrick, Cambridge Mayor Simmons, the Cambridge City Council, Cambridge Police Commissioner Haas, Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, Congressional Leaders and members of the media know you stand against racism with Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and you want the Obama administration to launch a national investigation into racial profiling and police brutality NOW! http://www.bailoutpeople.org/gatespetition.shtml

 

Take Action to Protect Federal Whistleblowers!--The Senate will be marking up its version of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2009 (S. 372) this Wednesday.  Now is the time to contact your Senators and President Obama and ask them to support adding jury trials for all federal employees, including national security employees.  Take Action! Demand Court Access for All Federal Employees!

 

Tell TX to Keep Thurgood Marshall and Cesar Chavez in its History Books!--There is an education war going on in Texas that you need to know about and get involved with. The TX State Board of Education is currently preparing to adopt new social studies curriculum standards.  These standards have major national implications as Texas is such a major purchaser of textbooks and their state’s required curriculum drives the content of textbooks produced nationwide.  Please read the following and then take action and forward this to as many friends as possible.  The TX State Board of Education has hired 6 "experts" to determine what will be in the books their schools use. Some of these "experts" are arguing that the state’s social studies and history textbooks are giving "too much attention" to some of the most prominent civil rights leaders in US History, namely Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall. David Barton, one of these "experts," claimed Cesar Chavez "lacks the stature, impact and overall contributions of so many others." Another of these "experts" evangelical minister Peter Marshall said, "To have Cesar Chavez listed next to Ben Franklin"--as in the current standards--"is ludicrous." He went on to say Chavez is not a role model who "ought to be held up to our children as someone worthy of emulation."  The same "expert" wants to eliminate Thurgood Marshall, a prominent Civil Rights leader who argued the landmark case that resulted in school desegregation and was the first African-American U.S. Supreme Court justice. He wrote that the late justice is "not a strong enough example" of an important historical figure to be presented to Texas students. Board members and their appointees have complained about an "over representation of minorities" in the current social studies standards. This is ironic in light of the changing demographics of our country. Sadly, Latino and African-American children have the highest drop-out rates in the country. It’s essential to ensure schools are providing students with role models and historical figures whose experiences reflect their own.  We must be concerned when the contributions of Cesar Chávez, Thurgood Marshall and other individuals who have contributed so much to the landscape of American democracy are cast aside and ridiculed. We should welcome the inclusion of all Americans who have helped to make this nation great.  It is horrific to discover that the TX State Board of Education has allowed these panelists to use our children's social studies curriculum as a platform for their political agendas. Please take action today to stop this travesty from going forward. Send your e-mail to the Chair of the Texas Board of Education Gail Lowe (R).

 

Take Action Against Ignorance and Oppression!--“Marijuana is dangerous and has no medicinal benefit.”— White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske, at a Fresno, Calif., press conference yesterday...Not again.  In fact — and it's getting a little tiresome to keep repeating it — the esteemed Institute of Medicine, American Nurses Association, American Public Health Association, American Academy of HIV Medicine, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Lymphoma Foundation of America, American Academy of HIV Medicine, and dozens of other medical organizations recognize marijuana's medical value.  What's more, President Obama's own statements on the campaign trail about marijuana's medical efficacy run counter to his new drug czar's statements yesterday.  We need to stop this in its tracks. Would you please speak out against this ridiculous, outdated argument:  Please use MPP's online action center to e-mail the president about the drug czar's statement.

 

Take Action to Protect Innocent Lives!--90 percent of the people who die in wars today are civilians. Take the Democratic Republic of the Congo: 8 percent of the country's citizens have died in the ongoing conflict there. They were killed by a combination of violence and the deadly hunger and disease that follows. If the United States lost a similar proportion of civilians, 25 million people, more than the population of Texas, would have died. America could be doing more to protect the vulnerable – but our foreign service is understaffed and its mission is often clouded. We must give our diplomats more resources and a clear new mission: to prevent, mitigate, and resolve armed conflict.  Tell your senators to scale up staffing and programs at the Department of State to help more people affected by war.

 

Take Action for Family Farms!--The National Animal Identification System is supposed to track the movement of livestock and allow authorities to respond to disease outbreaks.  But in reality the program is fatally flawed and puts a huge burden on family farms. Small-scale farmers will be forced to buy expensive electronic tags for each animal, while large factory farmers can cover all their animals with just one.  The program also does nothing to deal with problems caused by sloppy practices in meat processing plants.  If USDA is serious about improving the safety of meat production, there is plenty for it to do. It could increase testing for mad cow disease, fund disease prevention programs, or crack down on factory farms that use methods that raise the risk of disease.  The agency could also try to track something useful -- like where contaminated meat goes after it leaves the slaughterhouse.  But instead of getting serious about improving safety, NAIS forces family famers into an ineffective program that many object to and few can afford.  The listening sessions are over, but there is still a chance to let USDA know what you think of this controversial program.  Tell the USDA that the National Animal Identification Program hurts family farms and does nothing to improve food safety.

 

Refuse and Resist Mandatory Flu Vaccines!--Sign petition! This petition needs YOUR signature! We are only at 1,000 signatures and we need a lot more. We need to send the signal that we will *NOT ACCEPT* any forced, deadly Baxter vaccines, whose sole purpose is to enhance these pharma-terrorists' coffers. Petition link to copy and paste to forward to your lists: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/refuse-and-resist-mandatory-flu-vaccine
 

Take Action for Public Funding of Public Health!--Tens of thousands of people have contracted HIV unnecessarily since this ban was put in place in the 1980s, and many of them are dead now — all because politicians wanted to "send a message" about drug use.  You can help save lives AND dismantle a hysterical drug war policy. Join me in telling Congress to repeal the syringe exchange funding ban today!

 

Take Action for Pregnant Farm Workers!--"I am very afraid because I do not know what tomorrow will bring because I am four months pregnant and I worry for my unborn baby. Three days later [after being exposed to pesticide drift], I am still vomiting and have a major headache. My pregnancy doctor could not see me as he was going to charge me and I did not have any money to pay him."
-- Julia Rojas Sabino, Organic Onion Worker  Pesticide drift poisonings should be a thing of the past. Agribusiness knows pesticides are dangerous. Pesticide applicators know pesticides drift. Proper precautions should be taken by applicators. Every farm should make sure supervisors know what to do in a drift emergency. It's simple. Right?Tell that to Julia Rojads Sabino and the other farm workers who were exposed to pesticide drift on Friday, July 10, while harvesting onions in Tehachapi. Julia and another farm worker were pregnant (four and five months respectively).  The workers thought they were safe. After all, they were harvesting organic onions. They weren't dealing with pesticides, right? However, the orchard next door wasn't organic.  Julia and her crew arrived at the field. Julia noticed that to the side of her crew--approximately 60 meters away--there was a man ready to spray pesticides in the apple orchard in the next field.  Julia and the crew she was part of began working at 6am, at the same time they began spraying. They began to smell a very strong odor. Julia told us, "The smell became stronger and we spoke to the crew boss. He told us it was lime [sulfur] and after a while gave us masks for our mouths." She said these masks did nothing to protect workers against the smell or the chemical.  Workers started sneezing and vomiting and their eyes began stinging. The crew boss called the supervisor and when he arrived ten minutes later they moved the workers to another location and told them to have lunch.  Julia told us, "My coworkers were vomiting and their eyes burning. I felt very dizzy and was vomiting and I tried drinking lots of water to see if it would go away." It didn't.  The fire department and ambulance arrived and the sickest workers--including Julia--were put in an enclosed area, stripped down and given a high pressure bath and taken to the county hospital. Julia told us all "they did an ultrasound and gave us a glass of cold water."  Julia is worried about the effects these pesticides, Assail 70 WP (acemidiprid) and Fujimite 5EC (fenpryoximate), might have on her unborn baby or herself. Luckily she was past her 1st trimester, so the chance of birth defects is much lower.  The laws and regulations out there say an applicator should not spray pesticides in a way that creates a danger of contaminating other people.  The laws say the employer should have moved the workers out of harm's way and ensured they were taken to the doctor immediately.  However, a lot of this is a matter of judgment. There are no set buffer zones or required communication between separate farms about planned spraying. (If it was the same farm, there is required notification for other workers expected to come within 1/4 mile of the sprayed area.) 
This is wrong. E-mail the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) today and tell them to make sure the county issues stiff fines. But even more importantly these rules have to stop being just a matter of judgment. Established minimum buffer zones need to be set. Communication between farms needs to be a must, not a maybe.  Please take action today!

 

Help Ratify International Treaty on Women's Rights!--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 needed to finally get it ratified. »
 

Tell Congress to Support Public Insurance Plan!--Big health care news this week. Leaders in the House of Representatives have unveiled a bill that includes a robust public health insurance plan option, paid for in part with a fair progressive surtax on households earning more $350,000.  And the Senate health committee cleared a bill that also includes the choice of public health insurance to compete with private plans. (The tax question will be addressed separately by the Senate Finance Committee.)  It's up to us to give these bills the grassroots push necessary to overcome the relentless opposition from the special interests.  Click here to tell Congress: Pass the public health insurance plan option.

 

Demand Congress End Unverifiable Voting Processes!--The 2010 elections are approaching, and once again we are confronted with the fact that millions of votes in America cannot be verified, audited, or recounted. Next year, over 10 states, including Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Texas, will see most votes cast on electronic voting machines - unless we persuade Congress to take action.  You can help. We have made a great deal of progress toward verifiable and trustworthy elections, but it is long past time for this situation to end. Please tell your Representative to support the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2009. Visit our Action Center to send a letter urging passage of HR 2894:  http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/199/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27619

 

Take Action to Protect Farm workers!--We've written to you before about methyl iodide. Thousands of UFW supporters have written to California authorities and begged them to do the right thing and refuse approval of this deadly, mutagenic compound.   This highly toxic new pesticide is currently being given a comprehensive review by the Department of Pesticide Regulations and the agency's registration decision is pending advice from a panel of scientists convened specifically to review this chemical.  However, according to inside sources, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is being pressured by corporate interests to fast-track registration of this toxic pesticide--despite serious concerns from the state's own scientists at the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). "Methyl iodide is so toxic that scientists working with it in the laboratory take extreme precautions when handling it, using a ventilation hood, gloves, and special equipment for transferring it so it does not escape to the air," notes Dr. Susan Kegley. "This degree of protection is not possible in an agricultural setting where the pesticide would be applied at rates of 175 pounds per acre in the open air. Buffer zones of 400 feet for a 40-acre fumigation would still result in a dose of methyl iodide to neighbors that is 375 times higher than DPR believes is acceptable. For workers, the numbers are much worse, with exposures estimated at 3,000 times higher than DPR's acceptable dose for some tasks."   Methyl iodide's manufacturer, Arysta, withdrew its New York application for registration after state officials raised concerns about groundwater contamination and potential exposure for workers, bystanders and nearby residents--especially children, pregnant women and the elderly.  Now the industry is asking California's governor to order DPR to fast track the registration of this deadly fumigant. This is not acceptable. Please take action and tell the Governor to keep methyl iodide of California's fields.

 

Take Action Against HR 20 and Senate Bill 324 Requiring ALL MOTHERS TO GET SCREENED FOR MENTAL ILLNESS!--From VERACARE: An article in TIME Magazine about the "Mother's Act"-- Federal legislation that would require screening all women who give birth for depression--has sparked a cyberspace debate.  "http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1909628-1,00.html  Dr. James Douglas Bremner (psychiatrist at Emory University)  joined those of us who challenge the promoters of such legislation by debunking the fundamental flaw in their reasoning:  In his article, "Motherhood is NOT a Medical Disorder" he notes:  "First of all, there is no evidence that women without a prior history of anxiety and depression have any increased risk of getting post partum depression. So to screen all moms as if giving birth is a risk factor for depression is ridiculous."  Second: "whenever you start screening the general population, you get into problems with over-identification of people and an increase in the number of people that go on antidepressants."  Third: "I am opposed to mandatory screenings of the population, like Teenscreen, which are bonanzas for the pharmaceutical industry, but a major intrusion into the privacy and autonomy of American citizens."  Write your Representative(s) and Senator(s) today and say "No" on HR 20 and S. 324!
 

 

Take Action Against World Hunger!--More than 950 million people in the world live on the brink of starvation, and as food prices continue to skyrocket, hundreds of millions more are put in jeopardy. Hunger is unacceptable in a world that collectively has the knowledge and the resources to improve access to food. Tell your Senators to support the Global Food Security Act of 2009. »

 

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:

  • increase employers’ incentives to comply
     

  • give workers a means to enforce the law themselves
     

  • strengthen Cal-OSHA’s well-documented shortcomings, such as its inability to identify noncompliance, its failure to verify whether a violation has been remedied, and its disappointing record on penalty collection.

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.

 

Tell Youtube Not to Censor Activists!--The night before President Obama spoke in Cairo, Max Blumenthal and Joseph Dana took a video camera to downtown Jerusalem and asked kids on the street - mainly Americans in Jerusalem over the summer - how they felt about Obama. The answers they heard: mainly hardcore racism enhanced by expletives, homophobia, Islamophobia, Arab hatred, and a lot of ignorance. 
Blumenthal posted a video to YouTube called "Feeling the Hate in Jerusalem on Eve of Obama's Cairo Address". Then, without explanation, YouTube took down the video and has stonewalled all attempts to find out what happened. 
Censorship? Yes.  This video is important. We know this kind of hatred and extremism is a real phenomenon in our Jewish communities. It needs to be unearthed and looked at with the same seriousness we want to see in any community confronting its own extremists.  This hatred is a symptom of the false framing of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as an unending war against Jewish people. Instead of seeing the troubles in Israel/Palestine as a conflict over land to which two peoples lay claim, as a struggle against 40+ years of occupation, and as a question of people's right to self-determination, the young Jews in this video believe and are being taught that Jews should either have absolute power or else they become absolute victims. Videos like this show how working for a just peace in the Middle East requires us to address bigotry and hate within our own communities. People who've seen the video agree that it's important. The video went viral after being released on June 5th. Hundreds of thousands of people have watched it, it's been covered by Ha'aretz, National Public Radio, and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and it's struck a strong resonance among viewers. Too many of us hear hatred like this among our families, friends and extended communities, where people believe that supporting Israel means hating Arabs and Muslims and - now - hating President Obama, too.  So please: tell YouTube to put this video back up
.

 

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.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.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:

The field was located in a remote, isolated location and the employer failed to provide the crew boss proper equipment or a telephone communication system for contacting a doctor to avoid unnecessary delay in treatment. As a result, medical treatment was delayed and an employee of YNT Harvesting FLC died on 5/9/07.

It was determined that employees were not acclimatized. The OSHA investigation report detailed how the employer callously disregarded this by saying, It would be impossible to check each employee and determine if the worker needed an extra break just because certain new hires were not used to working in the heat. She also stated that she could not monitor each individual employee because it would be discrimination to allow one employee more time for a break.

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."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 days3How 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!

 

Take Action Against Toxic Yogurt!--Never heard of Milk Protein Concentrates?  You're not alone. But ask any U.S. dairy farmer about this processed food ingredient and you'll get an earful.  Unregulated imports of cheap milk protein concentrates are driving down the price of domestically produced milk and putting American dairy farmers out of business.  No one in the government is checking to make sure that they're safe to eat, and now FDA is thinking about letting them be used to make yogurt. Can you take action to keep your yogurt free of MPCs?
 

 

Tell Congress to Break Up the Banks!--Treasury Secretary Geithner proposed a $1 trillion plan to help Wall Street make a killing buying "toxic assets" with our tax dollars and guarantees. And he proposed a complex regulatory scheme to keep huge financial institutions from wrecking our economy once again.  But there's a better and simpler solution: break up those huge financial institutions. If they're "too big to fail," then they're too big to exist.   Sign our petition to Congress: http://www.democrats.com/break-up-the-banks?cid=ZGVtczYwODkxZGVtcw==

 

Take A Stand for Low Income Families!--Given the 9 billion dollar state deficit, our state is planning on implementing massive cuts to the funding for social services.  Please read Governer Gregoire's proposed budget for details http://www.ofm.wa.gov/budget09/highlights/default.asp.  The agency I work for DESC, provides vital services to homeless, mentally ill people.
Please assist my agency and other housing advocates in fighting back against these cuts by signing this petition.  Please follow this link to sign the petition:
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2685/t/8761/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1879

 

Tell Congress: Keep Antibiotics Working!--Resistance to antibiotics is a growing public health crisis, afflicting hospital patients and seemingly healthy individuals alike. Doctors caution that these vital drugs should only be used when absolutely necessary, because resistance emerges when bacteria are constantly exposed to antibiotics. Yet roughly 70 percent of antibiotics used in the United States are added to the feed of livestock and poultry that are not sick. This reckless practice encourages the development of antibiotic-resistant diseases—such as food poisoning and post-operative blood infections—that affect humans.  Please write to your members of Congress today and tell them to support the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act, and put an end to the dangerous overuse of important human antibiotics in the feed and water of animals that are not sick.  Take Action  Send a letter today urging your members of Congress to keep antibiotics working by supporting the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act.

 

Tell Congress to Act Now to Protect World's Most Vulnerable by Curbing Corporate Welfare!--We’ve all read the headlines. The crisis in Afghanistan continues to worsen, while the US continues to spend millions of dollars per month in foreign assistance. What’s worse is that US foreign aid in Afghanistan is failing to reach its full potential because short-term and security goals are being emphasized over a coordinated and effective strategy to reduce poverty. Fortunately, there is a major effort underway in the House Foreign Relations Committee to make US aid more effective at combating extreme poverty in Afghanistan and other developing countries. But the committee needs to hear from you before they make this a priority this year.  Tell Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Howard Berman to make foreign aid more effective at fighting poverty.
 

 

Tell Congress to Investigate Cheney's "Private" Assassination Ring!--Remember when former Vice President used to claim that he constituted a peculiar fourth branch of government unto himself, claiming executive privilege as part of the executive branch, while with the next breath refusing to obey executive branch record keeping laws?  Now we beginning to find out what that fourth branch of government actually was . . . his own private worldwide assassination ring.  Somehow we don't recall the U.S. Constitution providing for such a fourth co-equal branch of our government.  Even those who argue that the president has the power as "commander in chief" to commit war crimes with impunity, do not argue that the Vice President should be able to order operate his own war crimes franchise independent of the president. And yet, according to Seymour Hersh, a most reliable source, that is exactly what took place. Cheney was running his own personal assassination squad, reporting directly to himself.   Action Page: http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum944.php

 

Citigroup Did What?!--Congress authorized a $750 billion bailout so banks could keep lending money to struggling Americans and fix our economy.  Citigroup took $45 billion in bailout money. Without that money, they'd be bankrupt. But like AIG, Citigroup has no shame. Instead of making loans to Americans who desperately need them, they're spreading lies about the Employee Free Choice Act.  Tell Congress to put an end to bailout waste – and demand Citigroup stop using taxpayer money to lobby against the middle class.

 

Take Action for Farm Workers!--Gov. Schwarzenegger’s Cal-OSHA has announced today that they are kicking off a campaign to train employers to protect farm workers from the heat. Ironically, the same agency just proposed changes that actually undermine the current regulations aimed to protect workers from dying or becoming ill from extreme heat. Teaching growers how to avoid illness and deaths among their workforce is important, but it’s not enough. At the same time, the governor must make sure the laws are enforced. Such a system surely includes giving farm workers the tools to protect themselves.  For the past four years, the United Farm Workers has worked tirelessly to prevent heat deaths. In response to pressure from the UFW and their supporters, Gov. Schwarzenegger issued heat regulations. Despite these regulations, six farm workers died in the summer of 2008—as the rules went unenforced and ignored by employers.  The evidence points to neglect--not ignorance--as the cause of farm worker deaths.  Also, the state's consistent reduction of fines for violations has made these regulations ineffective.  Please take action today and help us tell the governor that more of the same will not prevent deaths.  Farm workers need a system that works. This requires a multi-faceted approach which would include: enforcing existing laws, giving farm workers the tools to protect themselves, and seeking serious criminal penalties for those whose gross negligence has caused the death of innocent people.

 

Tell Congress to Rescind AIG Bonuses!--By now you've heard about AIG, the giant insurance corporation whose screw-ups have cost taxpayers more than $170 billion, but whose executives still want to keep over $450 million in bonuses1.Fortunately, President Obama ordered the Treasury to take every legal means to stop the bonuses2.   But we need more. Obama is leading in the right direction, but it was Congress who handed out that money with no strings attached. And now Congress needs to get our money back.  Click here to tell Congress to follow President Obama's lead and get the bonus money back from AIG and into taxpayers' hands.

 

Take Action for Quality Pre-K Education for American Children!--Friday, ABC's Good Morning America ran an inaccurate and unbalanced story on pre-kindergarten, attacking public investment in pre-k as a "scam" and a "waste of money."  Upset? So are we. The producers at Good Morning America need to hear from us – quality pre-k programs are proven and effective, helping our children and strengthening our country.  Click here now to sign our petition to GMA demanding balanced journalism and airtime for the pre-k facts.

 

Sign Petition to Stop AIG Misuse of Bailout Money!--If you had to find one single group of people to blame for our economic crisis, you'd definitely have to consider the financial products division of AIG.  They made huge, bad bets on the housing market that have cost taxpayers $170 billion...so far. That's more than $500 from every American.But get this: The Washington Post just reported that these people are receiving $450 million in bonuses—and they got their first installment yesterday.2 They destroyed our economy, and now they're being rewarded for it with our bailout money!   We can't let this stand. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Congress need to do whatever it takes to get our money back.  Can you sign our petition today and then pass it on? We'll deliver it to Secretary Geithner and the congressional committees that supervise AIG. Clicking below will add your name: http://pol.moveon.org/aigbonus/o.pl?id=15742-5425778-n.RpVZx&t=3

 

Tell Congress to Rethink Afghanistan!--A group of Afghan parliamentarians have formed a working group to block the military escalation President Obama approved for Afghanistan [1]. After seeing their people lose their lives, homes, loved ones, and livelihoods, they are demanding an end to violence. Who is speaking for them in the US Congress?  Congress needs to exercise real oversight over US strategy in Afghanistan.  Let congressional leaders know you are watching US strategy in Afghanistan, and they should be too.   Become an Afghanistan Witness and tell Congress you will not allow them to ignore the truth about Afghanistan. Join the call for real oversight and accountability.
 

End the "Constitution-Free" Zone!--The Border Patrol plans to continue stopping and questioning individuals without any reason to think they have done something wrong.  Unless the government has good reason to suspect individuals of criminal activity, they should be free to travel without interference.  The ACLU opposes these checkpoints as an infringement on people’s freedom. If you haven’t already done so, please sign our petition opposing Border Patrol actions inside our border as abuses of our civil liberties and a waste of resources.

 

Demand Equality for Girls Around the World!--In developing countries around the world millions of girls face daily discrimination. They cannot go to school. They are economically and sexually exploited. They are abandoned at birth. Why? Because they are girls. Please ask President Obama to support three simple things that will help girls in developing nations.

 

Take Action for Election Reform!--Today, I'm testifying in front of the Senate Rules Committee about the urgent need to modernized our wildly outdated voter registration system. We are also releasing the 2008 Election Protection Report - and I want you to be the first to see it.  My testimony and the report highlights the inefficiencies in our antiquated voter registration system - a system that was created by the Whig Party in the 19th Century!  The system is inefficient, and it sets election officials up for failure by diverting resources and energy from other critical tasks and prevents more eligible Americans from voting than any other part of the system.  Send the 2008 Election Protection Report to Congress and tell them to act now to modernize voter registration.

 

Tell Congress "Pass the Employee Free Choice Act"!--Today, we took an important step towards restoring balance and fairness to our economy – the Employee Free Choice Act was introduced in BOTH the Senate and the House of Representatives.  But with both houses of Congress now considering the bill, there's no time to waste.  Corporate special interests are twisting arms, spending millions on misleading ads, and spreading lies and propaganda to block the bill. We've got to put relentless pressure on Congress before they debate and vote.  Representative McDermott, Senator Cantwell, and Senator Murray need to hear from you immediately – they're already hearing from corporate lobbyists and CEOs.  Make sure your elected officials actively support the Employee Free Choice Act!

 

Bring Back the Fairness Doctrine!--A couple of weeks ago all of the monolith of right wing radio was literally hysterical about the possibility that the Fairness Doctrine might be brought back. And then all of a sudden on Feb 26, 2009, with no other warning, a nauseatingly named and so-called "Broadcaster Freedom Act" was passed as an amendment to the DC voting rights bill in the Senate. It happened so fast that none of the congressional bill tracking sites have an update on this yet.  We're of the opinion that the handful of hostile corporations who have such a death grip on our political speech right now don't need any more "freedom" to suppress even paid commercials they don't agree with, and to coordinate secret advertiser boycotts of the few progressive outlets in the so-called "free" market. The only point of Broadcaster Dictatorship provision is to make the current extreme wingnut bias of our media permanent, and to hold the DC voting rights provision for ransom to do it.  Action Page: http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum943.php

 

Improve Nutrition of School Lunches!--Each year, the federal government invests billions of dollars in school lunches and breakfasts. Yet food sold in school vending machines, school stores and snack bars is not required to meet nutrition standards.  Please ask your U.S. Representative to support the Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act.

 

Call for a Commission of Inquiry!--In 2008, you helped NRCAT advocate for a Presidential executive order to halt the use of torture.  On January 22, our collective efforts were rewarded with the executive order issued by President Obama.  Now the task is to make sure that torture never happens again. To accomplish this goal, our nation needs to put safeguards in place to prevent the recurrence of U.S.-sponsored torture.  We will better understand what safeguards are needed if we have a comprehensive understanding of what happened - who was tortured, why they were tortured, and who ordered the torture.   As a nation we need the answers to those questions.  This week NRCAT released a statement calling for an impartial, nonpartisan, and independent "Commission of Inquiry" to investigate U.S.-sponsored torture policies and practices.   The statement, signed by 24 prominent religious leaders, was included in written testimony NRCAT submitted for a Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on a Commission of Inquiry.  Endorse the statement online right now. It would be good if we could gather a substantial number of endorsers in a week to reinforce our message to religious leaders and Members of Congress that there is strong and growing support within the religious community for this critical step in the campaign to end U.S.-sponsored torture once and for all.

 

Impeach Judge Torture!--When presidents and federal judges take office, they must swear to support and defend the Constitution. But federal judge Jay Bybee worked long and hard to undermine the Bill of Rights — and to make sure that President George W. Bush could do the same.  On March 2, the Justice Department released a series of legal memos, some authored by Jay Bybee, that gave the Bush Administration legal cover to wiretap Americans without court approval, to send prisoners oversees where they were likely to be tortured, to use U.S. military forces for domestic purposes, and a number of other actions that previously would have been considered unconstitutional.  For his service, Bybee was rewarded by the Bush administration with a federal judgeship — a lifetime appointment. CREDO worked to oppose his nomination, but only 19 senators sided with us, and Bybee was overwhelmingly confirmed. Now that we know the extent of the crimes he authorized — the extent to which he worked against our own Constitution — Bybee must be impeached.  The Bush administration didn't bother to repudiate the Bybee memos until five days before President Obama took office. While his federal judgeship is a lifetime appointment, Congress has the power to remove him from the bench. The House Judiciary Committee should begin impeachment hearings immediately to learn the full scope of Bybee's successful campaign to undermine the Constitution.  Click here to tell Rep. McDermott to vote to impeach Judge Bybee.

 

Take Action for American Workers!--The country is in real trouble right now, with unemployment rising every day.1 President Obama's stimulus plan provides money to expand desperately needed unemployment assistance.2 But six Republican governors, led by Louisiana's Bobby Jindal, are trying to score political points by blocking that assistance from reaching the people who need it. It's cynical and disgusting.  These governors are playing with people's lives. They're trying to further their political ambitions while showing a complete disregard for the fate of everyday folks--even in their own states.   Help us call them out and increase the media spotlight on these governors by signing our open letter demanding they do the right thing. Together, we can help make sure that in times of hardship folks get the assistance they need. It only takes a moment:  http://colorofchange.org/govs/?id=2304-675209

 

Decriminalize Small Amounts of Marijuana in Washington!--On February 19, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved SB 5615, which would reclassify adult possession of 40 grams or less of marijuana as a civil infraction imposing a $100 penalty that could be paid by mail. Currently, possession of less than 40 grams is punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000 — the mandatory minimum punishment is 24 hours in jail and a fine of $250.  SB 5615 is now in the Rules Committee, which must take action and send the bill to the Senate floor for a full vote before March 12.  Please send your senator an e-mail in support of SB 5615.

 

Ask Senators to Support Paid Parental Leave Act!--Ask your senators to support upcoming legislation to guarantee federal workers four weeks of paid parental leave for a new child, as a first step toward universal paid leave.

 

We Deserve the Truth!--Senator Pat Leahy (D-VT) wants the truth - who committed crimes, when were they authorized, and why?  This isn't about gotcha politics or finger pointing, it's about responsibly looking at the past so we can have a better future. That's why yesterday Leahy held a Senate hearing about creating a special Truth Commission to investigate the activities of the Bush era1.  Show Sen. Leahy that we stand behind him as he begins the search for answers.

 

Sign Petition to Stop Foreclosure Auction of Family Homes in NY!--http://www.bailoutpeople.org/nonycauction.shtml

 

Take Action for Fair Pay!--That message was loud and clear at the bill-signing ceremony for the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. As I stood with Lilly during the reception following the signing, she said:  "You can count on my continued commitment to fighting to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and to making sure women have equal pay for equal work."  While the Ledbetter bill’s passage was a critical step forward, the fight for pay equity is not over. Here at the National Women's Law Center we're helping to lead the battle to take the next step ─ passing the Paycheck Fairness Act.  Please urge your Senators to quickly pass the Paycheck Fairness Act.

 

Take Action for Food Safety!--It would be too easy to blame the recent peanut panic on one criminal corporation owner, who KNOWINGLY shipped Salmonella contaminated product. But before that it was millions of pounds of ground beef, and before that tomatoes all over the country, and on and on. And when you ask where is all this horrible filth coming from, with a over a million cases of Salmonella in the U.S. alone every year, the answer is self-evident. It's the huge factory farms that overflow with seas of untreated animal waste, that then spill into our food supply, including through our agricultural plant crop fields.   We have a lot of work to do to clean up this giant mess, but the first thing we have to do is STOP a lunatic boondoggle being pushed by these same corporate interests, to force radio computer chip implanting of literally every farm animal in the country, EXCEPT on their own factory farms. It is absolutely nothing but a further attempt to drive small family farms out of business, who in fact are our safest source of reliably clean food now.  The proposed National Animal Identification System (NAIS) would force even the smallest healthy farms to buy expensive new computer tracking equipment, and potentially would subject them to gestapo-like tactics by the USDA if they are in even slight technical non-compliance. And all this just to fatten the pockets of the RFID chip manufacturers, and to make it LOOK like something is being done to make our food safer.  The special one click action page below will send your personal message to all your members Congress and also directly to the U.S.   Department of Agriculture who is trying to rush this thing through without adequate scrutiny.  Stop NAIS Action Page: http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum942.php

 

Take Action for Fair Pay!--Ask your senators to sponsor and help pass the Paycheck Fairness Act!  The House version of the Paycheck Fairness Act was passed in January, and now it's time for Senate action. The House passed both the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act, but the Senate considered and passed ONLY the Ledbetter legislation. In order to build up steam for this bill, we need to DOUBLE the number of Senate sponsors; currently, there are only 26 co-sponsors.  Action Needed:  Please contact your senators and encourage them to sponsor this important women's rights bill. Our email system will automatically identify those senators who are already co-sponsors, and the message will thank them for their support. So please send this to both of your senators; it's important that we encourage them to round up more support!  Take Action NOW!

 

Ask Pres. Obama to Allow Independent Human Rights Experts to Evaluate Conditions at Guantanamo Bay!--After all the years of torture, indefinite detention and lawlessness, the Pentagon’s conclusions, based on its own say-so, are hard to believe. How can the detention facilities that are a global symbol of long-standing human rights abuses be compliant with the Geneva Conventions? And how can we take the Pentagon’s word for it? We can’t. That’s why an independent review of the conditions at Guantánamo is essential as we work to restore our reputation in the world. Ask President Obama to grant the ACLU and other human rights groups full access to the prison to independently examine conditions there and to adhere to U.S. human rights treaty obligations.  Ask President Obama to let human rights groups independently examine conditions at Guantánamo Bay.

 

Sign Petition Requesting Formal Apology for Genocide of American Indians!--Petition to the United States Government for a written apology for genocide, ethnocide and imprisonment of Native Americans.

 

Tell Congress It Is TIME to HELP Hurricane Katrina Victims!--Trouble the Water came close to winning an Oscar on Sunday Night! If you don't recall, it's the inspiring story of two Katrina survivors and their journey to rebuild their lives.  But Trouble the Water is more than a film -- it's part of a campaign to remind the American people that the injustices along the Gulf Coast didn't begin when the levees failed in New Orleans, and that the recovery is far from over. With Obama in office, we have a new chance to demand legislative action to heal the Gulf Coast. So we've partnered with the Gulf Coast Civic Works Campaign to demand action from Congress.  By clicking below, you can send a message through the film's web site to demand that Congress finally do right by Katrina survivors. And when you do, can you ask your friends and family to do the same? It only takes a minute:  http://colorofchange.org/trouble/oscar.html?id=2298-57723

 

Workers chained to poles. Locked in trucks. Physically beaten. Robbed of pay.--It sounds too extreme to be true. But it's happening today.  For decades, Florida's farmworkers have faced terrible abuses, brutal exploitation, and in the most extreme cases, forced labor. But almost as disturbing is the silence of Florida's governors – who have refused to condemn these abuses.  That's why we're calling on Florida Governor Charlie Crist to commit the full power of his office to addressing the plague of forced labor in Florida's fields.  Add your voice to this call by writing Governor Crist today!

 

Ask Pres. Obama to Expand Family and Medical Leave Act!--President Obama is off to a great start — signing critical legislation to help restore fair pay law, to expand the children’s health insurance program, and to begin the long hard work of rebuilding our economy and fixing our broken health care system.  And we are delighted that the Senate today confirmed Congresswoman Hilda Solis as the new Secretary of Labor.   Now it’s time to focus on restoring and expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) — and we need your help.   In its last days, the Bush Administration gave a parting gift to the big business lobby and passed regulations to make it harder for workers to take family and medical leave (and easier for employers to have direct contact with a worker’s health care provider)!  Your voice is needed. The FMLA is critical legislation that has been working well for 16 years. Workers have used it approximately 100 million times to take unpaid leave when they need it most.  Given our nation's economic crisis with so many families struggling financially, we need to restore the FMLA and expand it to cover more people — and offer paid leave, since millions of workers can’t afford to take the unpaid leave guaranteed by the FMLA.   >>Urge President Obama and newly confirmed Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis to undo the damage done by the Bush Administration by restoring and expanding the FMLA!

 

Take Action for the Citizens in Wash. DC!--Although Washington, D.C., passed a ballot initiative to allow medical marijuana use in 1998, with an overwhelming 69% of the vote, Congress has thwarted the will of D.C. voters and prevented the law from taking effect.  In fact, originally — until a court intervened — Congress even tried to stop the vote from being counted!   Would you please take a minute to ask Congress to stop overriding the will of D.C. voters, and let D.C.'s medical marijuana law go into effect? MPP's online action center makes it easy.

 

Tell Congress and Pres. Obama to Invest in America!--Tell the president, your senators, and your representative to cut the military budget and invest in rebuilding America. Click here.

 

Cut Funding for Unnecessary Pentagon Programs!--TrueMajority was founded on the idea that the world would be a better place if we spent a little less on war and weapons, and invested a little more in priorities that benefit us all, like education and health care. Well tomorrow morning, in a briefing room on Capitol Hill, a leading Congressman is announcing a plan to do just that - cut the Pentagon's bloated budget so we can afford health care for all Americans and other domestic priorities.  It's a big step for us, but it's only a first step, and if it's going to work we need to back it up with some serious grassroots pressure. So let's get going: Tell Congress to cut programs in the Pentagon budget that don't work.
 

Take Action for the Right of Labor to Organize!--This Sunday's PARADE Magazine promotes an online poll asking: "Does America still need labor unions?"  Please VOTE YES right now and pass this along to your friends and family.

 

Tell Pres. Obama and AG Holder to Stop the Raids!--One of President Obama's campaign promises last year was that he would stop the DEA's cruel and senseless raids on medical marijuana clinics. But one two occasions since he took office, the DEA has conducted such raids, most recently hitting several clinics in the Los Angeles area early this month.  We are hoping this is just Bush administration holdovers at work, and in the wake of the LA raids an administration spokesperson had encouraging words -- change is coming on this issue, the Obama administration says. Follow the link below to our feature report to read more.  In the meanwhile, patients and the people who serve them are being subjected to continued injustice. Please click here to e-mail President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to ask them to take action now to stop the raids sooner rather than later.  If you are on Facebook or might want to be, please click here to sign our petition to President Obama on this issue.

 

Tell Pres. Obama to Sanction Israel!--Tomorrow, President Obama is expected to address a joint session of Congress and deliver a "blueprint" for his FY2010 budget.  According to the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the United States and Israel in 2007 and made public by the US Campaign, the President is expected to request $2.775 billion in military aid to Israel in FY2010.  However, there are growing indications that the Obama Administration is considering sanctioning Israel. According to a senior Israeli security official in a Feb. 17 article in Ma'ariv, Israel fears that Special Envoy George Mitchell will convince the White House to cut military aid as a response to Israel's ongoing settlement activities in the occupied West Bank. A Feb. 15 Ha'aretz article speculated that amounts available for U.S. loan guarantees to Israel would be cut for the same reason.   Meanwhile, last Thursday, Sen. John Kerry and Reps. Keith Ellison and Brian Baird visited the occupied Gaza Strip to assess the damage from Israel's recent war and ongoing siege. This was the first time any U.S. government official visited Gaza in more than three years. After their visit, Ellison and Baird released a strong press release, stating:  "If this had happened in our own country, there would be national outrage and an appeal for urgent assistance.  We are glad that the Obama administration acted quickly to send much needed funding for this effort but the arbitrary and unreasonable Israeli limitations on food and repair essentials is unacceptable and indefensible.  People, innocent children, women and non-combatants, are going without water, food and sanitation, while the things they so desperately need are sitting in trucks at the border, being denied permission to go in."  Keep up the momentum to hold Israel accountable by taking action below.  Encourage President Obama to sanction Israel for its misuse of U.S. weapons. Send a letter to the President today asking him to investigate Israel's prior misuses of U.S. weapons against Palestinians and to reconsider his anticipated request for additional weapons in his upcoming budget. To send your letter, please click here.

 

Join in Solidarity with Chiapas!--Sara and Joaquin continue to be defamed and harassed by the Federal Commission of Electricity (CFE), and these tactics are now spreading throughout communities in Mexico who resist the increases in fees for electric service.  The resistance of communities in the states of Campeche and Chiapas is spurred by sky-rocketing electricity costs, due to the growth of U.S. backed privatization schemes, and the construction of new dams that cause environmental damage and displace families.  Now people in various communities in the state of Chiapas are also being targeted for their resistance to the electric rate hikes.   In one community, the actions of the Federal Commission of Electricity took a step up by fueling conflicts between community members.  CFE's "divide and rule" approach resulted in the death of a farmer and left several people wounded.  In another instance, Nora Cacho, the Executive Director of the Center for Economic & Political Research for Community Action (CIEPAC) - a Grassroots' ally - has been receiving threatening phone calls from an unknown individual.  The calls began after Nora led the World March of Women in December, during which she spoke out against acts of feminicide and the criminalization of social movements in Mexico.  According to an open letter released by CIEPAC last week, government officers and police were filming and taking photographs of the demonstration.   Let's send a resounding message that the world will not turn a blind eye to government repression of peaceful activists.  Please lend your voice once again to pressure federal, state, and municipal authorities in Mexico to stop their tactics of harassment and intimidation against women and organizers.  Time is of the essence.

 

Tell Pres. Obama to Put an End to Bush Era Torture!--An important legal case being argued in a United States Court of Appeals concerns allegations of torture by five victims of the Bush Administration's extraordinary rendition program.  Unfortunately, last week, the Department of Justice affirmed the "state secrets" argument used by the previous Administration to bar crucial evidence from the courtroom.  You can read more about the case in this Andrew Sullivan piece and this commentary by legal scholar Scott Horton, who will be a panelist at a NRCAT event on March 14 in Arlington, VA.  A major focus of our work this coming year will be securing an independent Commission of Inquiry to uncover all the facts surrounding the use of torture by the United States.  The success of such an investigation will rest on the willingness of our government to quit hiding evidence of abusive practices behind a cloak of secrecy.  Please join NRCAT in expressing our concerns by contacting President Obama and Attorney General Holder. 
Please click here to access a form e-mail that you can use.

 

Speak Up for Free Speech at UGA!--Administrators at the University of Georgia are threatening to kick a student organization off campus because it created T-shirts that read "Legalize It" and "Equalize It," featuring a hand-drawn image of the college's mascot using marijuana in front of a campus structure.  The Georgia chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) created the shirts to send a message that marijuana laws should be reformed and that marijuana should be treated equal to alcohol. It did NOT use any of UGA's trademarked images or logos, and there is sound legal precedent in favor of the students' right to political speech and satire.  The administration's actions are clearly driven by its opposition to the content of the shirts -- the image of marijuana use and suggestion that marijuana laws be reformed. Yet UGA allows its logos and mascot to be printed on shot glasses, flasks, and other alcohol-related paraphernalia, despite the fact that alcohol use is FAR more harmful and problematic than marijuana use -- especially on college campuses.  Click on the button below to send an e-mail to Vice President of Student Affairs Rodney Bennett, and tell the UGA Administration to leave the Georgia NORML chapter alone and stop the hypocrisy!

Take Action for American Families!--The origin of our country's economic crisis is the collapse of the housing market.  We are experiencing foreclosure rates not seen since the Great Depression.  I'm frustrated that while we are spending hundreds of billions to help banks, we have done nothing to help out homeowners.  Tell Congress: It's time to help American families keep their homes

 

Lift the Sanctions!--Sign open letter speaking out for indigenous Zimbabweans.  Read and sign now at: http://www.iacenter.org/africa/zimbabweopenletter

 

Tell Congress We Want Single Payer Health Care--We congratulate President Obama and Congressional Democrats for passing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to start the difficult process of reviving our economy.  Sadly, Republicans are taking their marching orders from Rush Limbaugh, who declared "I hope [Obama] fails." Just three Republicans supported the recovery bill; the rest want big tax cuts for the rich.   It's time for Democrats to enact the big changes that Americans voted for, and ignore Republican obstructionism.  The first big change should be Single Payer Health Care .   The latest poll shows Americans prefer government health insurance to private insurance by 59%-32%. That's because private insurance has failed.  There are nearly 50 million US citizens with no health coverage at all, and at least 18,000 of them die unnecessarily each year as a result. Millions more have inadequate insurance coverage.   Rep. John Conyers is leading the fight for Single Payer Health Care for decades with H.R. 676, the "Medicare For All" Bill . Democrats.com is joining the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care (LCGHC) to support H.R. 676.   Please urge your Representatives and Senators to support H.R. 676:  http://democrats.com/single-payer-petition?cid=ZGVtczYwODkxZGVtcw==

 

Ask Congress to Take a Stand for Food Safety!--It's taken one of the biggest recalls in history to expose the Food and Drug Administration's complete lack of inspection and enforcement of our food system.  Just yesterday in a meeting with Food & Water Watch and fellow consumer groups, David Acheson, the FDA Food Czar, stated, "we don't enforce anything," in response to a question about why the FDA wasn't keeping up with registration of food establishments.  We know that the system is beyond repair.  That's why we're supporting Rep. Rosa DeLauro's bill to create a new food safety system. We've got 36 co-sponsors in Congress so far. Can you ask your Representative to take a stand for food safety?

 

Take Action Against Hate!--Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League is defending one of Israel's most powerful far-right extremists and his plan to strip "unfaithful" citizens, mostly Arab Israelis, of their citizenship. The Anti-Defamation League is supposed to "secure justice and fair treatment to all." Instead, they are supporting a dangerous ideology that calls for taking citizenship away from Israelis for exercising their right to free speech.   How can we expect the ADL to effectively defend the rights of Jews when they so easily step on the rights of Arabs?

 

Please Ask Congress to Set Up A Truth Commission!--We have just emerged from a time when White House officials often acted as if they were above the law. That was wrong and must be fully exposed so it never happens again.  That is why I proposed the idea of a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate abuses during the Bush-Cheney Administration.  These abuses may include the use of torture, warrantless wiretapping, extraordinary rendition, and executive override of laws.  During the past several years, this country has been divided as deeply as it has been at any time in our history since the Civil War.  It has made our government less productive and our society less civil.  In this week when we begin commemorating the Lincoln bicentennial, there is need, again, "to bind up the nation's wounds."  President Lincoln urged that course in his second inaugural address some seven score and four years ago.  Rather than vengeance, we need a fair-minded pursuit of what actually happened.  The best way to move forward is getting to the truth, finding out what happened, so we can make sure it does not happen again.  Please sign my online petition at BushTruthCommission.com -- and urge Congress to consider establishing a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate the Bush-Cheney Administration's abuses.

 

Take A Stand Against Torture!--Now it's time to contact the Special Task Force on Interrogation and Transfer Policies, a group of high-level members of the Administration who will be reviewing U.S. interrogation policies and recommending changes.  It is vital that the Special Task Force recommend only those changes that will strengthen, not weaken, the rules against torture.  Please contact members of the Special Task Force and ask them to recommend three things:

  1. that all interrogation techniques be made public - that no agency can use a secret set of interrogation guidelines;
  2. that all approved interrogation techniques comply with the "golden rule" standard - specifically that they would be considered both legal and moral if used upon a captured American;
  3. that Appendix M is either modified or removed from the Army Field Manual.  Appendix M currently allows techniques, such as prolonged separation - or isolation - that can be used to torture detainees.

We have created a form email that you can use to contact Members of the Task Force.  Please click here to access it.

 

Tell Congress to Rein in Military Spending!--The United States is facing an economic crisis unlike any it has seen 80 years. Already trillions have been spent on the bailout by the Federal Reserve and FDIC. Now the Congress is about to approve an economic stimulus that will cost more than $800 billion. The national debt is over $10 trillion and the annual deficit is over $1 trillion. How is the United States going to pay for it? How is it going to fund the new energy economy, schools, education, health care and other urgent needs? One solution: Cut the wasteful and bloated military budget.  Click here to send a letter to your congressman, senators and the president urging a 25% cut in military spending as a first step to reigning in military spending.

 

Take Action for Civil Liberties!--Yesterday, ACLU lawyers encountered a recurring -- and troubling -- obstacle in our lawsuit seeking justice for torture victims caught up in the CIA’s extraordinary rendition program. But this time, the objections were not coming from the Bush administration.
To our surprise and disappointment, the new Justice Department urged a federal appeals court to dismiss our lawsuit charging a Boeing subsidiary with providing critical support for the CIA’s rendition program based on the same “state secrets” claim that the Bush administration had repeatedly invoked to avoid any judicial scrutiny of its actions. During the course of the argument, one judge asked twice if the change in administration had any bearing on the Justice Department’s position. The attorney for the government said that its position remained the same. This isn’t the kind of change we need if we want an America we can be proud of again.  If the judges rule in the government’s favor, our clients -- who were tortured as part of the government’s rendition program -- will never get their day in court.  We’re still hoping the court will rule in our favor and allow our case to move forward. But, in the meantime, we must do everything we can to end the abuse of the “state secrets” doctrine both in the courts and on Capitol Hill. Senators Kennedy, Leahy, Specter and Representative Nadler introduced legislation in 2008 to narrow the scope of the state secrets privilege -- and open the courthouse doors to people who have suffered real and legitimate harm by the government. Clearly, this legislation is needed now more than ever.
Send a message to these members of Congress to let them know you support the State Secrets Protection Act.
 

 

Tell the Obama Administration and Congress: End the Bush Administration's Frame Ups  Designed to Politically Assassinate
Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner and Other Progressive Elected Leaders
! Sign online petition at http://www.iacboston.org/chuckturnerpetition.html

 

Ask Congress to Extend Statute of Limitations on Prosecuting Corruption!--One of the most important recommendations by John Conyers in his 487 page recent report "Reining In The Imperial Presidency" was to extend the statute of limitations on the crimes of Bush and Cheney, to allow a fair opportunity for them to be actually investigated by a real prosecutor. Of course the Justice Department was entirely derelict in enforcing the law as to them while they were still in office. To fully preserve and protect the rule of law, the statute of limitations must be extended now. And sure enough, just the other day Cheney was out there gloating
about how the statute of limitations was expiring on some of their most egregious offenses. For example, the midnight putsch to
institute a regime of illegal wiretapping occurred in early March of 2004, not quite 5 years ago. We certainly did not expect Alberto
Gonzales, who conspired in all of this, to enforce the law when he was attorney general, did we? Extend Statute of Limitations Action Page: http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum933.php

 

Take Action to Protect Federal Whistleblowers!--Today I am asking you to contact your Senators and Representatives to demand, in the strongest possible terms, that employees who disclose fraud in federal contracting are fully and properly protected in the 800 billion dollar stimulus package that Congress is currently debating.  Here's why.  Shortly before the Iraq War commenced, I blew the whistle on the award of a multi-billion dollar, no-bid, cost plus contract to Halliburton/KBR for the "Reconstruction of Iraq."  I was concerned that improper contracting activity would cost the taxpayers billions - and it did.  The contact should not have been awarded.   But Vice President Cheney was the former President of Halliburton, and from an inside prospective it appeared to me that the fix was in.   Those who should have protested the contract remained silent.  And their silence is not surprising because, as federal employees, we have no meaningful whistleblower protection!   We can be fired for reporting fraud.  We can lose our careers simply for doing our job and trying to protect the taxpayer.  I know this is true.  It happened to me.  The top brass demanded that I drop my protests.  I refused.   The top brass - many of whom had longstanding relations with government contractors - slammed me.  I was thrown out of my job and removed from anything having to do with contract oversight.  When I went to federal court to demand protection as a whistleblower the judge dismissed my case because as a federal employee I had no protection. The bottom line is that without access to independent courts, real judges and juries, whistleblowers don't stand a chance.  Only Congress can fix this. The House of Representatives has already acted decisively by adding H.R. 985 to the stimulus bill, by a unanimous voice vote (now called H.R. 1, Section IV).   President Obama's presidential campaign is on record as supporting the same whistleblower protections now found in House version of the stimulus bill.  So, the buck stops with the Senate.  I urge you to contact your Senators and let them know that whistleblower protection is an important part of the stimulus package.  I urge you to contact your Representatives and tell them to hold strong -- and refuse to cut whistleblower protections from the Bill.  Federal employees, like me, who risk their careers to protect taxpayer money need to be protected.
 

Take Action for Human Rights in Gaza!--The cease-fire in Gaza is (mostly) holding, and a tenuous calm has settled over the area. With thousands of homes destroyed in Israel's war with Hamas, people there have a new concern: rebuilding.  Urge the U.S. Special Envoy to help rebuild Gaza and establish true peace in the Middle East. »

 

Tell Congress To Cut Frivolous Spending!--You've seen the ads — the ones telling you that you'll shoot your friend in the head or get your fist stuck in your mouth if you use marijuana. Or the one warning that marijuana might turn you into a rapist.  During his campaign, President Barack Obama promised to curb government waste by cutting funding for programs that didn't show results. These ads — run by the White House drug czar's office — should be first on the chopping block. Not only are they ridiculous on their face, but every independent assessment of the ads has shown them to be a failure, with a government watchdog agency finding that the ads actually increased use among teens.  Would you take one minute to write your members of Congress today to urge them to eliminate funding for these wasteful, ineffective, and plain silly ads? MPP's online action system makes it really easy; just enter your name and address, and we do the rest.  MPP's lobbying work has resulted in a 66% reduction in funding for these ads since 2002 — including a nearly 40% reduction between 2007 and 2008 alone. With the ads' funding now at its lowest level ever — $60 million — we're optimistic that we can finally get them eradicated altogether.  Would you please help by sending a letter to your members of Congress today?

 

Take Action to Protect Federal Whistleblowers!--In the next few days, the Senate will be voting on the stimulus package and we must act to ensure that the whistleblower amendment is included in the final version of the legislation.   You can help make this a reality!  Here is a link http://capwiz.com/whistleblowers/issues/alert/?alertid=12551916&type=CO to our action alert message.

 

We Need A New Surgeon General!--Earlier this month I raised concerns about the trial balloon floated for Surgeon General, Dr. Sanjay Gupta .  The doctor is a health commentator for CNN who dispenses medical advice with a breezy style appropriately suited to the brief two-minute segments of television.  While he has earned praise for his television persona, there are undeniable drawbacks that would limit his effectiveness as an advocate for the comprehensive health care reform this country urgently needs.  We need a Surgeon General serious about health care reform.

 

Keep Weapons-Makers Out of Pentagon!--The nominee for Deputy Secretary of Defense, the chief operating officer of the Pentagon, is a lobbyist for Raytheon. William Lynn, is due $1.5 million in payouts for his work lobbying for the defense industry.  This revolving door has to stop. We need to break the military-industrial complex and stop having defense contractors and their lobbyists working on the inside of the Pentagon.  Please take two steps:
 

  1. Write the Armed Services Committee and tell them to reject the nomination. The message - no defense contractor lobbyists inside the Pentagon.
     

  2. Write President Obama and urge him to withdraw the nomination and replace it with an independent voice who will look critically on the bloated military budget.

Our task is bigger than ending the Iraq and Afghanistan wars - it is to challenge the military-industrial complex that has resulted in a military budget as big as the whole world combined. The nomination of William Lynn is an opportunity to say no to lobbyists inside the Pentagon.

 

Tell Pres. Obama to Use Diplomacy in the Mid-East!--Iranians, not just Americans, have high hopes for our new president. 

And with good reason. There is a great deal at stake, and because of President Obama's inclination toward diplomacy, we have a window of opportunity to put the specter of war with Iran to rest, and instead build a lasting peace. But what happens in the next few weeks will be critical, and by sending a message to our new President, you and I can help lay the groundwork for peace.  
We know President Obama has the right instincts when it comes to dealing with Iran. But the fact is he's under immense pressure to respond aggressively to Iran, and right now there is an influential circle of Washington insiders who support a militarist approach, and they are campaigning hard to get one of their own, Dennis Ross2, appointed to lead the president's Iran strategy.  This is why it is so critical for you and I to act today. We need to let the new president know he has ample support to pursue direct talks with Iran's leadership, a campaign promise he took considerable heat for during his campaign.
Please click here to send an email to President Obama telling him that you stand with him for diplomacy, and that the people he chooses to lead our strategy with Iran should too.

 

Take Action for Public Health!--Hundreds of people across our country have fallen ill after eating peanut butter. Seven of them died. A single plant supplying schools, nursing homes, and snack food companies is to blame, and each day brings news of another recall.  We don't do enough to prevent food borne illness, and don't do a very good job tracking down tainted food once people start getting sick. Instead, we need regular inspection of production facilities, and efficient tracking once food has been distributed--in other words, a major overhaul of the FDA's food safety program.  Help make our food safety system stronger and more efficient!

 

Take Action Against Abusive Raids!--Yesterday — with the leadership of the Department of Justice in flux while Attorney General-designate Eric Holder awaits confirmation by the Senate — Bush administration holdovers raided a medical marijuana dispensary in South Lake Tahoe, California.  President Obama vowed repeatedly during his campaign to stop such raids if elected, and we have every reason to believe he will make good on that promise. However, four top positions at the DEA are still filled by Bush cronies, who are attempting to undercut the president's pledge.  Would you please take one minute to use MPP’s easy online system to e-mail the president and ask him to get his new leadership in place at the DEA quickly, so that these cruel and outdated policies finally end?   President Obama has promised that arresting patients and raiding clinics in states where medical marijuana is legal won't be acceptable on his watch. Getting political appointees in place takes time, but yesterday the Bush holdovers showed that we must move swiftly.  Please write the White House today to urge the president to quickly place his new leaders at the DEA. 

 

It's Time to Reform Washington's Marijuana Laws!--As former President Jimmy Carter has said, "Penalties against drug use should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against the possession of marijuana in private for personal use."  Although marijuana arrests have increased almost 200% in the past 15 years, the percentages of Americans using marijuana have not gone down. Over 100 million Americans have used marijuana at some point in their lives. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration admits that marijuana is "readily available" in Washington state. Despite record marijuana arrest rates nationwide—872,720 in 2007, 89% of which were for possession only—a large segment of our society continues to use this plant for recreational purposes.   Take Action
 

Take Action for Civil Rights!--Protection Agency is supposed to secure the U.S. border. But in recent months Border Patrol agents repeatedly have set up random checkpoints on the highways of the Olympic Peninsula and at the Anacortes ferry terminal miles away from the border. The agents stop all vehicles and ask the drivers and passengers about their citizenship. Citizens and non-citizens alike have been detained and had their cars searched. Sign Petition

 
 

Take Action: Enforce UN SC Resolution 1860 Now!--As Israel's war on the occupied Gaza Strip nears two weeks in duration, Palestinians casualties continue to mount at a horrific rate.  According to medics, Israel has killed nearly 800 Palestinians and wounded more than 3,000-all with U.S. weapons provided by U.S. taxpayers in violation of U.S. law.  Last night, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1860 by a vote of 14-0 with the United States abstaining.  The resolution calls for an "immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire, leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza" and for "unimpeded provision and distribution throughout Gaza of humanitarian assistance, including of food, fuel and medical treatment".   Although the White House reportedly overruled the State Department and changed the U.S. vote from "yes" to "abstain", this vote is a clear indication that our collective pressure is being heeded and we are forcing a change in U.S. policy.  Keep in mind that for the first ten days or so of Israel's war on Gaza, both President Bush and Secretary of State Rice urged a conditional, non-immediate ceasefire that has allowed Israel to continue its killing of Palestinians.  Now, we need to demand from our Members of Congress, the State Department, White House, and the Obama Transition Team the immediate implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1860.  Israel already has rejected the Security Council Resolution and is continuing its deadly attacks on and siege of Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip.  An immediate ceasefire is the best way to protect all civilians.  Because Israel is defying the will of the Security Council, the United States must impose an immediate arms embargo on Israel until the resolution is implemented, just as President Eisenhower did when Israel invaded Egypt in 1956.  The United States must also investigate Israel's misuse of U.S. weapons in violation of the Arms Export Control Act as demanded by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, and impose the sanctions that are required by law on countries that violate this law.  Contact Congress, the State Department, the White House, and Obama Transition Team and demand an immediate arms embargo on Israel and full and immediate implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1860.  Send a letter by clicking here

 

Take Action Against "Santa's Sweatshops"!--Kids across America face dangerous threats this holiday season from unsafe imported toys. Our trade agreements have flooded the country with toys made in countries with incredibly lax safety standards, while at the same imposing limits on the safety standards and inspections we can impose on imports. China has repeatedly threatened action at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to undermine U.S. legislation meant to keep our kids safe.  Sign our petition to help protect our kids from unsafe imported toys.

 

Support the Damour Family in Their Fight for Justice!--Several people were injured in that early morning crush, but none fared worse than Jdimytai. Now, the only support for the Damours will come from family and activists like you. They are relying on us.  Donating helps, but it isn't everything. The Damour family also needs your moral support. You can use our website to send the Damours some words of encouragement and consolation. It will take only a few seconds (longer if you like) to help Jdimytai's family take heart in the coming New Year.   Please show your support for the Damour family by writing a few words of encouragement.

 

Demand Justice for Victims of Hurricane Katrina!--A new report in The Nation1 documents what many have claimed for years -- for some Black New Orleanians the threat of being killed by White vigilantes in Katrina's aftermath became a bigger threat than the storm itself.  After the storm, White vigilantes roamed Algiers Point shooting and, according to their own accounts, killing Black men at will-- with no threat of a police response. For the last three years, the shootings and the police force's role in them have been an open secret to many New Orleanians. To date, no one has been charged with a crime and law enforcement officials have refused to investigate.   The facts are finally seeing the light of day. Now we must demand action. Given Louisiana's horrible record when it comes to criminal justice and Black folks, it's the only path to justice.   You can help. Join us in calling on Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Louisiana's Attorney General Buddy Caldwell, and the U.S. Department of Justice to conduct a full investigation of these crimes and any police cover-up. It takes only a moment to add your voice and to invite your friends and family to do the same: http://www.colorofchange.org/nation/?id=2298-57723

 

Tell Pres. Obama to Stop the Food Crisis!--"The global food crisis ceded headlines to the financial crisis this fall," noted Maria Aguiar, Grassroots International's representative to the U.S. Working Group on the Food Crisis. "But the problem has not gone away. In fact the fragile economy in the U.S. and around the world has only made hunger more widespread."  Now, nearly one billion people worldwide - including 50  million here in the U.S. - are facing hunger. These appalling numbers signal the need for a new vision for U.S. food and agricultural policy.  Sign onto the Call to Action now to demand that the incoming Obama Administration take rapid steps to address the food crisis, through fundamental changes to the federal government's food, farm labor, and international aid policies.  The petition will be delivered to President-elect Obama on Monday, so don't delay!

 

Tell Congress to Modernize Unemployment!--"So far this week around 40,000 job cuts have been announced by an array of companies as varied as Dow Chemical, Electronic Arts, the National Football League and Sony Corp," writes CNN this morning1.  Times are tough. But they can be even tougher for people who have (or had) part-time positions.  Did you know that two-thirds of the states don't provide unemployment compensation to part-time workers? That's right, for the 6.6 million mothers of children under 18 who work part time2, many have zero economic security in this time of historic levels of job loss.  Which begs the question:  "What are we, chopped liver?"  Our paid and unpaid work isn't just gravy, it's essential to the economic survival of our families.   Ask your Senators to support the Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act (UIMA) as part of the economic recovery package they're working on now.  http://www.momsrising.org/ModernizeUnemployment

 

Take Action for Clean Campaigns!--The Governor of Illinois' appalling attempts to auction a Senate seat sets a new low for campaign fundraising corruption. Could it happen in Washington State? The sad truth is that it already is. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's justified the crime with a simple conclusion: "This Senate seat is worth a lot of money."  At the heart of the crime was his simple decision: "Screw the law."  The Building Industry Association of Washington, with help from Republican Dino Rossi, made the same decision in disregarding campaign finance laws to raise and spend $7 million in their failed efforts to defeat the progressive candidate, Governor Christine Gregoire.  And according to a complaint filed last week by the staff of Washington's Public Disclosure Commission, the Association of Realtors failed to disclose almost $1 million worth of mailings supporting Attorney General Rob McKenna and Dino Rossi, and illegally coordinated with McKenna and Rossi in their fundraising for the mailings.  It's time to demand that our State's leaders get serious about cleaning up Washington's campaigns and close the loopholes that invite special interests and candidates to flaunt our campaign finance laws. Click on the link to help us send a strong message that we want cleaner campaigns in Washington.  http://www.fusewashington.org/page/s/pdcrealtors

 

Tell Pres. Obama to Close Guantanamo and Stop Torture Now!--Yesterday, five high-profile detainees attempted to submit guilty pleas before the government’s ill-conceived military commissions. But, by the end of the day, their pleas were tied up in a blizzard of confusion over unresolved legal questions.  It's not clear what will happen next if these unjust proceedings are allowed to continue. But, what is abundantly clear is that, no matter how hard the government tries to advance the military commissions, this process doesn't work.  History will show that any guilty pleas in these proceedings were the result of an inhumane, unjust process designed to achieve a foregone conclusion. The only solution is to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay and shut down these unjust military commissions.  As you know, the ACLU is calling on President-elect Obama to close Guantánamo, ban torture, and shut down indefensible military commissions on his first day in office. This trip to Guantánamo has convinced me that it is more essential than ever to keep the pressure on -- because what’s happening down here flies in the face of justice, fairness and our American ideals. Sign our Open Letter to Barack Obama now.   The ACLU is working on all fronts to dismantle this system of injustice that the Bush administration has created. We’re sponsoring expert civilian counsel to those held at Guantánamo, mobilizing our nationwide network of grassroots activists, filing lawsuits and exposing the truth.  Just last week, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a vitally important ACLU case taking on the Bush administration’s sweeping claim that it can indefinitely imprison a legal resident of the United States without charging him with a crime or trying him before a jury.  Our case was filed on behalf of Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, who has been detained in solitary confinement at a Navy brig in South Carolina since June 2003.  Al-Marri asked the Court to reverse a federal appeals court decision that gave the president sweeping power to deprive individuals in the United States of their most basic constitutional rights simply by designating them “enemy combatants.”   We will urge the Court to ensure that people in this country cannot be seized from their homes and imprisoned indefinitely simply because the president says so.  From this important Supreme Court challenge to indefinite detention to our grassroots efforts to demand the closure of Guantánamo and the end of Bush’s military commissions, your support and your voice are essential to our success. Help us keep the pressure on and add tens of thousands of names to our Open Letter to Barack Obama. Sign our Open Letter to Barack Obama now.
 

Stop America's Child Exploitation Epidemic!--The numbers are frightening: 624,932 computers identified as trafficking in sexualized images of children since October 2005.  Learn the signs and help protect children from abuse. »

 

Help Pres. Obama End Torture!--Please email your Members of Congress to ask them to endorse the Declaration of Principles for an Executive Order banning torture.  By endorsing the Declaration of Principles, your Members of Congress can provide support and encouragement for President-elect Obama as he moves to end torture.  Hopefully, by showing sufficient public support for the Declaration of Principles, you, your Members of Congress, and other members of the public will make it clear to the President-elect that the American people not only appreciate his publicly stated opposition to torture, but also expect him to act to end the use of torture shortly after he takes office.  We have created a form email to assist you in contacting your congressional delegation.  Click here to see it and send it.
 

Sign Petition to Close the School of the Americas (Terrorist Training Camp in Georgia):  Learn more and sign at: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/727/t/3823/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1732

 

Urge Pres. Obama to Pick a Reasonable Drug Czar!--You have an opportunity right now to influence one of the most important choices President-elect Obama will make. The media is reporting that he is considering nominating Republican Congressman James Ramstad (MN/3rd) to be his “drug czar”. It’s easy to understand why. Rep. Ramstad is in recovery from substance abuse (alcohol) and has a long track record in support of increasing access to drug treatment. Ramstad, however, is still mostly wedded to the failed punitive drug war policies of the last 30 thirty years.

For instance, Ramstad has voted against medical marijuana five times. He has voted against making sterile syringes more available to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS three times. Even though his colleagues are increasingly supporting sentencing reform, including eliminating the crack/powder sentencing disparity, he hasn’t stood up on the issue.

In other words, Rep. Ramstad does not appear to be committed to the kind of change President-elect Obama has said he will bring to our nation’s drug policies. 

Obama needs to hear from you, and is making it easy for you to contact him through his website. Will you take a minute today to urge Obama to choose a drug czar who will champion reform?

The Drug Policy Alliance believes our nation’s next drug czar should be chosen based on the following criteria:

  1. Are they committed to enacting and supporting evidence-based policies? ONDCP should make decisions based on science, not politics or ideology.
  2. Are they committed to reducing the harms associated with both drugs and punitive drug laws? We need a new bottom line for U.S. drug policy.
  3. Do they think drug use should be treated as a health issue not a criminal justice issue? To paraphrase former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke, we need a surgeon general not a military general or police officer.
  4. Do they welcome and encourage debate and research? We need a drug czar who is open-minded and willing to consider every alternative.
  5. Are they committed to reducing the number of nonviolent offenders behind bars? Our country’s next drug czar should be fully committed to major sentencing reform.

Who President-elect Obama chooses as his drug czar will affect everyone. DPA is working over-time to influence that decision but we need your help. Please let Obama know that you want him to nominate a drug czar who supports marijuana law reform, syringe availability and treatment-instead-of-incarceration.

 

Help prevent contaminated Chinese food products from coming into the U.S.--Take Action

 

Take Action Against Big Pharma!--The US Supreme Court is asked to rule on whether drug manufacturers--who are
in possession of the most comprehensive data about their products' safety--can be held liable if the company fails to disclose a drug's hazardous effects--whether or not the FDA, with its limited access to safety information--required the company to issue such warnings.  The issue before the court is whether FDA's approval of a drug and its label at the time of approval preempts the manufacturer's duty to warn about drug hazards.   If drug safety disclosure requirements were to be limited by FDA's imperfect drug safety determinations, physicians' access to drug safety information will be severely limited--thereby affecting physicians' ability to determine the risks and benefits of drugs they prescribe. Hence, the ruling could affect the practice of medicine.  The ruling will also determine whether consumers' legal right to seek just compensation from a pharmaceutical company that fails to warn physicians and the public about serious risk of harm caused by its marketed FDA-approved prescription drug. The case, Levine v. Wyeth, focuses on manufacturers' legal responsibility under state consumer safety laws, to warn physicians and the public about emergent serious adverse drug effects.  See links to Amici Curiae briefs by prominent healthcare experts and jurists: http://ahrp.blogspot.com/2008/08/amici-curiae-briefs-levine-v-wyeth.html  You have a chance to register your opinion--Sign the Anti-Preemption Petition.  http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fdapreemptionbadmedicine/index.html

 

Take Action to Put Voters First!--Like you, we're sick of special interests coming before voters - just look at the mess we're in thanks to this pay-to-play system. Big Oil, Big Pharma and other corporate titans have had their way with our government for too long.  It's time to change this system and put voters first!  A gaping loophole is being exploited by the national parties and those who seek to influence our elected officials. Millions of unregulated dollars are being funneled to the national party conventions through so-called nonpartisan "host committees." These committees claim to be helping Denver and the Twin Cities, but they are really just using the sizable donations for political purposes.  A new Public Citizen report reveals the extent to which political access is being bought by the "host committee" sponsors. As an added bonus, this type of influence peddling is also tax-deductible for donors like AT&T!  This runs contrary to our campaign finance laws. After Watergate, Congress passed a law that provides the parties with public funds for the conventions to avoid the undue influence of money on the political process. But instead of enforcing the law, the Federal Election Commission has created loopholes in it.  Another loophole has been made out of the landmark reforms you helped us pass last year. The new law fundamentally changed the relationship between lobbyists and members of Congress by, among other things, banning lawmakers from lobbyist-funded parties at the conventions where a member of Congress is being feted. Yet this law is being flouted because of the House ethics committee's own interpretation: The committee says the rule applies only to single members of Congress. If lobbyists fete multiple members at the same time, then the House ethics committee says there's no problem. This must change!  What can you do? Take action! We make it easy to:  - Contact your members of Congress!

 

REAL ID Passed Through Backdoor Vote, Take Action!--The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) wants you to have a Real ID card that's very similar to the TWIC card. But DHS is failing to implement the Real ID because state governments are resisting. Twenty one states are refusing to comply with the REAL ID. It's probably the biggest rebellion against the federal government since the Civil War. So what can the DHS do to overcome this rebellion? They can "pick off the herd" -- hit one industry at a time until so many people have Smart Cards no one is left to resist. Those with the Smart Cards may even begin to think it would be "just" if everyone had one. It's a classic totalitarian strategy, summed up by the German Pastor Martin Niemoller . . .
 

"...first (they came) for the Communists, And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist;
And then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist; And then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew;
And then . . . they came for me . . . and by that time there was no one left to speak up."
 
Lowell Rogers may be among the first that they're "coming for," but he won't be the last. The President has issued a presidential directive, HSD12, aiming to force all federal employees AND CONTRACTORS to carry a Smart Card. This means government employees and contractors will be the first part of the herd they pick-off. There are 1.8 million federal employees, excluding elected officials, the military, and employees of the Postal Service. But it won't end there. DHS is also attempting to impose Smart Cards on truckers and railroad workers, covering another 3.5 million workers. And the maritime/TWIC portion of the strategy will apply to about 700,000 workers.  If DHS can "come for" these 6 million people, how long before you think they're going to get you too? Preventing this from happening starts with defending Lowell Rogers. He's willing to stand up and resist, at the potential loss of his career. How about you?Please send Congress a message asking them to repeal and defund the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC card).
 

 

Tell Congress it is time to Rein in Travel Abuses by the DHS!-- raveling shouldn’t mean checking your rights when you’re checking your luggage. Tell Congress: it’s time to rein in travel abuses by the Department of Homeland Security. Or, read more.  Take action now!

 

Tell Congress to stop spending billions of taxpayer dollars to subsidize obscenely profitable oil companies.--Click here to act immediately.

 

SENATOR SAYS STOP BRAINWASHING CHILDREN TO EAT JUNK FOOD--A new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) report has revealed that food and beverage corporations spent $1.6 billion dollars in food advertising in 2006. As parents and public health officials understand, the nation's alarming surge in childhood obesity and diabetes are directly related to increased consumption of junk food. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) has urged industry and government regulators to redirect the massive funds spent every year in junk food advertising toward education and programs focused on healthy eating.
Take Action:
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25289

 

END MODERN-DAY SLAVERY IN U.S. FIELDS--The Organic Consumers Association (OCA)-- representing over 850,000 consumers across the U.S. -- has joined a growing alliance in support of the Florida-based Coalition for Immokalee Workers' campaign to “End Slavery and Sweatshops in the Fields.”  While the organic and sustainable agricultural movement has traditionally focused primarily on health and environmental issues, the time is long overdue to integrate Fair Trade and worker justice issues into our alternative food and farming system. Consumers need to understand that much of the so-called “natural” food and produce, such as tomatoes, sold in natural food stores like Whole Foods are actually coming from chemical-intensive farms where low wages and labor exploitation are the norm. Please join this growing campaign. Click here to sign the petition. http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_11123.cfm
 

 

Soldiers and Mothers!--Following on the heels of reports that there are now 4,000 dead and over 30,000 [1] U.S. soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, was the news that essential help to military families could get held up at the Department of Labor. Why?  Because help for military families got lumped in with proposed rules which could restrict working families' access to the FMLA. This means that military families could end up waiting for months for their expanded leave while we fight to keep the FMLA intact and widely available for everyone.  Tell the Department of Labor to stop FMLA rollbacks and to protect military families now: http://www.momsrising.org/defendfmla


 

 

FDA Lets Drug Companies Off The Hook--Last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a new rule which directly contradicts legislation passed just last September by Congress to make our drugs safer.  When Congress passed the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (FDAAA) it made sure that it was the responsibility of the drug manufacturer to update drug labels to warn consumers of possible side effects and dangers.  Congress was clear that it intended to keep the burden squarely on drug companies to update warning labels.  In fact, the drug companies fought and lobbied hard to include language to loosen warning label obligations.  But Congress specifically left it out of the final bill.  Since the drug companies couldn’t get Congress to agree to lessen their responsibilities towards consumers, they turned to the Bush Administration bureaucrats -- and they succeeded Tell Congress To Investigate The FDA’s Bureaucratic Activism

 

 
Tell Congress We Can't Abide More Testing on Babies!--Whether it is waterboarding or wiretapping, the Bush administration has
trouble spelling out when ethical lines are being crossed.  The latest moral frontier is lack of ethical guidelines for Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) experiments on human beings using pesticides and other chemicals.  Despite the backlash from the
Children's Environmental Exposure Research Study (CHEERS) in which infants were used as guinea pigs to see how much pesticide
they would absorb,  EPA human testing rules still allow these kind of experiments.  Despite promises to develop ethical guidelines, the
agency is punting again, issuing proto-regulatory documents that contain no rules against experimentally exposing children or any other vulnerable population to potentially harmful chemicals.  Please tell Congress that it should stop EPA from conducting these monstrous experiments with your tax dollars.
 
 

 

 

 

Not in My Cart!--The holiday shopping season will begin in just a few weeks, yet we still have a long way to go before we

can trust the safety of the products on our store shelves.  Congress has taken some first steps--investigational hearings

and initial bill proposals--but it won't be easy to get real protections through Congress quickly. Consumers Union will

testify before a Senate Committee this week, and it's time to raise the volume.  Will you join us in holding Congress' feet to

the fire?  Send a message urging your members of Congress to strengthen product safety and import laws now, before

anyone else gets hurt.

 

Demand Justice for Torture Survivor Maher Arar!--This Thursday CCR client Maher Arar - an innocent victim of the Bush administration's policy of extraordinary rendition - will testify before a Congressional hearing regarding his rendition to

torture by the U.S. government. Please send a letter to your Representative urging them to attend these important hearings

and demand justice and accountability for Maher.

 

Take A Stand For Women:  You are a second class citizen.  You are a female prohibited from selling land, that you rightfully own,

without the approval of a male.  That is the situation that Holaria Pastory, an aging widow in Tanzania, finds herself in when she is no

longer able to work her land and attempts to sell it. Despite the fact that she has inherited the land from her father, Pastory's nephew, Bernardo Ephraim, is attempting to block the sale. Because Pastory is female, Ephraim points out, she is prohibited by Haya

customary law from selling clan land.  This might have been the end of the story were it not for the Treaty for the Rights of Women.

 

Sign Petition to Create Two States, Israel AND Palestine:  http://www.petitiononline.com/zhym8407/petition.html

 

 

Operation Happy Note:  HEAL is endorsing Operation Happy Note.  Operation Happy Note (OHN) is a campaign to get musical instruments to US troops serving overseas.  We believe music is universal, cathartic, healing, and wonderful.  Short of putting an end to the war, we believe this campaign is one of the best ways civilians can help our young men and women heal from the trauma of wartime service.  Please get involved and learn more at: www.operationhappynote.com.  Thanks!

 

Stop Spending our Taxes to Teach Torture: Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay are names which make us cringe at the human rights violations done in our name. But there's another one: the School of the Americas. This week there's a chance to actually close that one -- also known as the "School of Torture."  The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) at Ft. Benning, GA – formerly known as the School of the Americas (SOA) – has been teaching the techniques of torture since the end of the Second World War. Over 60,000 Latin American soldiers and officers – many linked to the worst human rights crimes ever perpetrated in the western hemisphere – were trained there at U.S. taxpayer expense.1  Tell your Rep. to close the School of the Americas!  http://act.truemajority.org/o/1/t/3/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1179

 

Sign Petition To Support "Books Not Bars":  As you may know, Ella Baker Center's flagship campaign, Books Not Bars, has been working hard for more than three years to shut down California's notoriously abusive youth prisons.  Tuesday, they took a giant step

towards that goal when the Assembly's Public Safety Committee approved our bill to do just that: close the youth prisons.  This is a MASSIVE leap forward for this campaign. The closure bill, introduced by Assembly Speaker pro Tempore Sally Lieber (D-San Jose)

and co-sponsored by Books Not Bars, is now clear to go to the Appropriations Committee, then to the full Assembly floor.  Help this bill

go the rest of the way: SIGN OUR PETITION http://www.ellabakercenter.org/page.php?pageid=67&contentid=215  If that link doesn't

work go to: http://www.ellabakercenter.org 

 

TELL CONGRESS TO INVESTIGATE WAL-MART'S SPY SCANDAL:  Just like President Bush approved a secret program to eavesdrop on Americans, Wal-Mart has hired a group of former CIA, FBI and Justice Department officials to spy on its employees and maybe others.  Please join us in calling on Congress to investigate the Wal-Mart spy scandal: http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/feature/bigbrother 

 

 

 

Sign the Pledge for NOW's "Mothers Matter, Caregivers Count" campaign, where we can combine our voices and votes in a statement of basic principles and support for policies and programs that recognize and reward the value of caregiving.

 

 

 

Sign the Petition for a National Cesar E. Chavez Holiday!:  The United Farm Workers and the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation are proud to support the grassroots efforts of the "Cesar E. Chavez National Holiday Coalition".   UFW Founder Cesar E. Chavez, stood as one of the heroic figures of the 20th century who inspired millions in our nation into action for economic and social  justice, civil rights and political empowerment.  He led the historic non-violent movement for farm workers' rights and was dedicated to building a movement of poor working people that extended beyond the fields and into cities and towns across the nation.  The legacy of Cesar E. Chavez, like the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., serves to educate, inspire, and empower people from all walks of life. Cesar Chavez is a role model for all Americans and the generations to come.  Ask Congress to designate March 31 as Cesar E. Chavez Day to ensure Chavez' legacy is recognized and celebrated throughout our nation with a federal paid holiday and a day of service and learning in our public schools.  Take Action at: http://www.ufw.org/chavezholiday

 

 

 

SIGN PETITIONS DEMANDING AN END TO EXTORTION AND DEATH CAUSED BY WATER MONOPOLIES: Syed Tanveeruddin of Karanji and Siddarthanagar Tax Payers' Association has called for online registration of drinking water woes.  He has questioned the legality of the hike in the water tariff by Mysore City Corporation (MCC) and alleged that the recent hike in the tariff is in violation of Section 104(c) of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation (KMC) Act.  Sign online:    Mr Tanveeruddin has urged citizens to sign the petition, by logging on to:  http://www.PetitionOnline.com/watertax/ He has also created a separate petition demanding the restoration of daily supply of drinking water. Citizens can log on to http://www.PetitionOnline.com/watermcc/petition.html

 

 

Endorse the National Religious Campaign Against Torture at http://www.nrcat.org.  It has a statement that people of goodwill from all faith communities can endorse.  We strongly encourage you to do so and to spread the word. 

 

TAKE A MOMENT TO HONOR MARTIN LUTHER KING'S LIFE, LIVE YOUR LIFE HONORING HIS MISSION:  We welcome you to listen to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream speech by visiting:  http://www.stickergiant.com/martin_luther_king/ 

 

 

 

PROTECT SCHOOL CHILDREN FOR TOXIC ENVIRONMENTS:  KIDS AT RISK FROM PESTICIDES IN SCHOOLS:  A summer 2005 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports "significant increases" in pesticide poisonings of children in schools since 1998. Nearly a third of the cases were attributable to drifting pesticides from applications taking place off-site, while the majority were due to the use of insecticides inside schools. Study authors also addressed chronic exposure to herbicides due to repeated applications on school yards, saying "the potential for chronic health effects from pesticide exposures at schools should not be dismissed." A piece of legislation that would reduce these chemical risk factors in schools is currently stalled in the House of Representatives. Learn more and sign on to support the School Environmental Protection Act here: http://www.organicconsumers.org/sepa-petition.htm

 

 

 

JOIN WOMEN OF THE WORLD IN DEMANDING AN END TO THE US OCCUPATION OF IRAQ!—This is an important petition in solidarity with women in Iraq that calls for an immediate end to the U.S. military occupation, among other things.  Read and sign the petition by visiting: http://www.petitiononline.com/Iraqwomn/petition.htm

 

 

 

SIGN PETITION DEMANDING AN INVESTIGATION INTO AND PROTECTION FROM THE MURDERS OF POOR MEXICAN WOMEN IN US FACTORIES ACROSS THE BORDER IN JUAREZ!—Hundreds of women have been murdered just across the Texas-Mexican border.  It is believed that the murders are in part due to women workers’ organizing for better working conditions and wages.  These women are being raped, mutilated, and murdered.  The Mexican government has been complacent for over 10 years while these murders continue.  Public pressure may inspire action.  However, they have used other poor people as scapegoats to pretend they are taking action.  Something more ought to be done for these women.  You can help by signing the petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/JUAREZ/petition.html.

 

 

 

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