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Daily Archives: 02/14/2012
Members of the 
Click here to take flight with the Spirit of Tuskegee!
a message from Senator Patty Murray about Birth Control
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I can hardly believe this: Republican Senators are pushing legislation that will allow any employer to deny women coverage for birth control! Yes, you read that right. Birth control. What is wrong with these people? More than 98% of American women use or have used contraception. It saves money, and it saves lives, which is why President Obama wants to make sure every woman has access to this critically important part of health care. The Republicans have proved yet again that they are only interested in defeating President Obama and waging war on women.
This ridiculous legislation will probably come up for a vote this week. I need your help. Will you fight back by joining the One Million Strong for Women campaign?
Add your name to One Million Strong For Women, and help fight back against the War on Women!
Who could have imagined that in 2012 we’d be fighting over access to something as fundamental as birth control? It just shows exactly how extreme these Republicans are – and just how crucial it is that we defeat them.
Sen. Patty Murray
Thank Obama for prioritizing our future over Big Coal interests!
| By putting in place the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, President Obama made a substantial leap forward for our nation’s health and environment. Not every leader would have done this for our country, since Big Coallobbyists and corporate special interests make great efforts keep us dependent on their hazardous products and services.Give President Obama a huge THANK YOU for putting our people first and standing strong against mercury pollution.» The other current presidential candidates, for example, want to take away our environmental protection and set back the progress we’ve made.Newt Gingrich wants to “maximize oil, gas, and clean coal production.” Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have already received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Big Coal companies which visibly alters their stance on energy. And Ron Paul has stated that he would eliminate the EPA altogether.
It takes a strong leader to make such a bold environmental decision. Take a moment to let President Obama know that we appreciate his actions in standing up to Big Coal for our future.»
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It’s about the climate
In the next few days, the U.S. Senate will vote to determine the fate of a pipeline that would link a vast tar sands deposit in Alberta, Canada to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast. The construction of the pipeline has been blocked once by President Obama, who refused to buckle to pressure from Congress and industry to cut short the environmental review. Unfortunately, they are at it again.
If approved and built, this pipeline, Keystone XL, would carry one of the most carbon-intensive sources of oil on the planet.
For the next 24 hours, The Climate Reality Project is joining with 350.org, MoveOn, League of Conservation Voters, Patagonia, Sierra Club, Energy Action Coalition and others to garner 500,000 signatures in a community-wide effort against the pipeline. Bill McKibben of 350.org will be on The Colbert Report tonight and will update the world on our progress — so sign 
now, and then pass it on. We’ve come together before to stop production of this dangerous pollutant — and with your help, we can do it again:
Join me in telling the U.S. Senate to say NO to one of the most carbon-intensive oils on the planet:
http://forms.climaterealityproject.org/keystone
If you care about the climate, you have to care about stopping this dangerous pollutant and the pipeline that carries it. After extensive research, the EPA estimates that annual carbon pollution from the Keystone XL pipeline could be at least 82% higher than average crude refined in America — if not more.
What does that number really mean? That’s the same amount of pollution as adding 4.8 million cars to our roads: an additional 27 million metric tons of carbon pollution.
Instead of pouring money into the production of more dirty oil, we need to work with Canada to invest in clean energy and energy efficiency. Clean energy is already the fastest growing industry in the U.S. and one of the fastest growing industries around the world.
It doesn’t matter where you live, or if the pipeline crosses into your home state. An increase of carbon pollution anywhere leads to climate change everywhere.
I just returned from an expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula, where the temperature has risen by over 8 degrees in the last 60 years. And more than that, the glacial retreat caused by this temperature increase means sea level is rising and dangerous changes are happening around the globe. To put it simply: it means we are all living on thin ice.
Take a minute and sign this important petition and tell the Senate to say NO to Keystone XL:
http://forms.climaterealityproject.org/keystone
Thanks,
Al Gore Founder and Chairman
the Progress Report – President Obama’s Budget – 5key proposals
The FIVE Most Important Tax Proposals in Obama’s Budget
Our Tax Code is Broken and President Obama Wants to Fix It
Our current tax code — largely inherited from the Bush administration, except for the places where Obama cut taxes for the middle class and small businesses — is broken, rigged for the rich and has exploded our debt while dragging our economy down. Today, President Obama released his budget for 2013 and it includes some hugely important changes that will make the tax code simpler, fairer, and better for our economy.
Here’s the FIVE most important tax proposals the President put forward today:
- The Buffett Rule: While Republicans show no signs of stopping their all-out push to protect the wealthiest Americans at all costs, the president is doubling down on his commitment to make sure that no millionaire pays a lower tax rate than middle class workers. President Obama’s budget underscores his State of the Union call for a minimum 30 percent tax rate for millionaires.
- Gets Rid of the Bush Tax Cuts for the Rich, Once and For All: The Bush tax cuts are set to expire at the end of the year anyway, but the president’s budget makes clear that we must get rid of the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. The Bush tax cuts ushered in record income inequality and the worst job growth in decades and, as the President’s Budget says, they “were unfair and unaffordable at the time they were enacted and remain so today.” Getting rid of them and returning the estate tax to its still hugely generous 2009 level would save a whopping $968 BILLION over the next ten years.
- Gets Rid of Unfair Tax Loopholes for Hedge Fund and Private Equity Managers: One of the many reasons that Mitt Romney pays such an outrageously low tax rate is because of the so-called “carried interest” loophole — a special and unfair tax break available only to hedge fund and private equity managers. Getting rid of this wasteful and economically unjustifiable giveaway to the wealthy will save $13 BILLION over 10 years.
- Gets Rid of Unfair Tax Rates on Dividends for the Wealthiest 2 Percent of Americans: The very wealthiest Americans take in an overwhelming share of the capitals gains, dividends, and interest income earned in this country. Taxing just the dividends earned by only the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans at the same rate as ordinary income would bring in $206 BILLION in new revenue over the next ten years.
- Ends Tax Giveaways to Big Oil: The budget repeats the president’s longstanding commitment to ending wasteful, taxpayer-funded giveaways to the most profitable industry in history. With gas prices soaring to near-record levels, it’s time to end the $41 BILLION in handouts that Big Oil would receive over the next ten years.
IN ONE SENTENCE: The first step toward building an economy that works for everyone is making everyone, especially the very wealthiest Americans, start paying their fair share — and that’s what the president’s budget sets out to do.
Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have Missed
Republican female senators break with male counterparts to endorse Obama’s contraception guidelines.
Mitt Romney says drug-testing welfare recipients is “an excellent idea.”
The New Jersey legislature is set to pass marriage equality, but Gov. Chris Christie (R) has pledged to veto it.
President Obama’s budget invests in building a “fair and stable economy for the LGBT community.”
A proposed Arizona bill would impose harsh restrictions on teachers for teaching any book that contains “profanity.”
Wall Street may be cutting jobs, but they are likely to set a record for political spending against President Obama.
What happens if there’s a brokered convention?
Two polls show Santorum leading in Romney’s home state of Michigan and a third shows Romney falling further behind President Obama nationally as independents abandon him.
It only took Sony 30 minutes to start profiteering off Whitney Houston’s death.
Other recent Progress Reports
Feb 10, 2012: Attention Ladies: Republicans Are Coming For Your Birth Control
Seriously, They Are Opposed to Affordable Access to Birth Control Earlier today, President Obama announced some changes to his proposal to require no-cost contraception that accommodated objections by religious groups. Here’s what the policy, which is being finalized today, means: Contraception will be available to women at no additional cost beginning August 1, 2012. Insurance [...]
Feb 9, 2012: POLLS: Americans Support Contraception Rule
Guaranteeing Affordable Access to Birth Control is Popular The right wing has launched an all-out war on the president’s plan to guarantee that women have affordable access to birth control. Many Beltway pundits are engaging in fact-free debates that paint the decision as tremendously unpopular. Nothing could be further from the truth. Here’s a rundown [...]
Feb 8, 2012: Mitt Romney’s Shocking Hypocrisy on Birth Control
A Record of ‘Very Cynical and Tactical Manipulation’ Mitt Romney is traveling the country making the ridiculous accusation that President Obama is waging a war on religious liberty. As we discussed last week, these histrionic attacks on the president and the policy of providing affordable access to birth control to all women have no basis [...]
Feb 7, 2012: VICTORY: Proposition 8 Ruled Unconstitutional (Again)!
A Big Victory for Fundamental American Values In a huge victory for equality, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that California’s Proposition 8, which rescinded marriage equality, was unconstitutional. A federal district court had previously also thrown the ban out on constitutional grounds. Here’s the rundown on today’s big news. What the Court Ruled On: Should [...]
Obama’s Birth Control Policy Has Support From Catholic Hospitals, Colleges, And Charities, But Fox Won’t Tell You That
Obama’s Birth Control Policy Has Support From Catholic Hospitals, Colleges, And Charities, But Fox Won’t Tell You That Following the announcement by President Obama that his administration will ensure that women have access to insurance coverage for birth control while accommodating employers who object to providing birth control, Catholic hospitals and other institutions have said that they support the policy. But Fox News refuses to tell its viewers that the policy has widespread support, instead pretending that Catholic hospitals and other employers are being victimized. Read More
Ask Justice Roberts – the Surpreme Court: To Allow live TV Coverage of the “Affordable Health Care Case” on C-SPAN
Allow live TV Coverage of the “Health Care Case” on C-SPAN
- Target: The Honorable John Roberts – The Supreme Court
- Sponsored by: Care2.com
Dear Chief Justice Roberts:
“We the undersigned” respectfully request that The Supreme Court allow live TV coverage of the ”Health Care Coverage Act Case”
At this moment, The Affordable Health Care ACT is the law of the land. In the Summer of 2011 as the Affordable Health Care law started making significant and positive changes to American lives twenty-six States entered lawsuits with challenges to its merit and constitutionality yet, it has made its way through the lower courts into the hand of our highest courts.
Now, during a presidential election campaign year, you and your colleagues have agreed to hear the arguments concerning challenges to the health care law. The Affordable Health Care law could be one of the most important cases heard and decided on in our history by the Supreme Court. Again, because of the significant and positive changes the Affordable Health Care Act has already made on the lives for some Americans. It is important to shine a light on the potential effect of the Supreme Courts decision will have on approximately 30 Million more American lives, our economy and our future; it only makes sense that, “We the People” respectfully request that the case be given live televised coverage on CSPAN.
Please Sign the Petition below
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// ]]>http://dingo.care2.com/petitions/widget/common/care2PetitionEmbedBar.js”></script><script type=”text/JavaScript”>window.Care2Widgets.add({rssPath:”http://www.thepetitionsite.com/xml/petitions/636/483/372/feed.swf“, adSize:”150×250″, publisherID:”359839060″, borderColor: “#000000″, buttonColor: “#94a513″, grabbed:”0″});
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.
Sincerely,
We the People
Carmen
Be a Seed for Change
Will Congress Sell Out the Arctic Refuge?
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Allowing Big Oil to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and off our coasts could have devastating effects on struggling polar bearsand other wildlife.
Urge your U.S. Representative to oppose the terrible Transportation Bill that gives Big Oil unfettered access to the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other coastal waters.
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As denning polar bear mothers care for their newborn cubs, the U.S. House could pass a devastating plan to industrialize the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — the most important onshore denning grounds for these threatened animals that are struggling to survive.
Take action now: Urge your U.S. Representative to stand up for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and oppose the terrible Transportation Bill.
This will be the most important vote on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in five years — and it will likely happen this week. Please take action now and share this alert with your contacts on Facebook.
Scientists say that America‘s polar bears could disappear in just a few short decades. But that’s not stopping Big Oil’s allies in Congress from handing over important polar bear homes for dirty drilling.
It’s not just the Arctic Refuge that’s at stake. This bill would also open up the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and waters in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
The House leadership’s plan is shady at best. It relies on speculative revenue from oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and coastal waters to close the funding gap in the Transportation Bill.
But what they aren’t saying is that even the most generous revenue estimates won’t be enough to cover the gap — and any real revenue won’t likely start for ten years as oil companies explore, apply for permits and start development.
It’s a sweetheart deal for Big Oil — and a sellout of one of our most pristine natural areas that provides too little, too late for funding today’s transportation needs.
Stand up for polar bears and other wildlife — urge your U.S. Representative to save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other coastal waters from Big Oil.
The oil industry and its House leadership allies are pushing harder than ever to industrialize the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a move that would destroy one of the most important places for polar bears and their cubs.
But it’s not just our polar bears that need your voice. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of America’s most unique natural treasures, supporting a vast array of wildlife including arctic foxes, grizzly bears, muskoxen, Dall sheep, wolves and wolverines. And the coastal areas that this bill would open up to Big Oil are home to sea turtles, dolphins, and other wildlife.
Please take action today to urge your U.S. Representative to oppose this environmentally destructive and fiscally irresponsible bill that gives the heart of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and our coastal waters away to Big Oil.
Together, we can protect the Arctic Refuge — and the special wildlife that depend on it to survive.
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Sincerely, Robert Dewey Vice President, Government Relations Defenders of Wildlife |
