Okay everyone, there have been a lot of filibuster/don't filibuster diaries this past week. Here's what I have to say about the issue: We need positivity!!! Dammit!
The more people who email or call their Senators and ask for a filibuster, the more cover our Senators have to use the filibuster...although an even MORE beautiful thing would be just a straight no vote.
So, get to work below...email your Senators, call them, do whatever it takes! We've GOT to stop Alito! And even if we lose (I shudder at the thought), if we've all emailed and called until we've made ourselves sick, at least we can lose and say we tried every last thing we could think of!
There are some other important action items below as well...please read through and do as much as you can!
Oh...and I should let you know that some of these are repeats from previous weeks...I wanted to include them for those of you who have never used them. The more action taken, the better!!
Women's Issues and the Supreme Court:
Campus Progress has LOTS of info on Alito's positions, as well as some action items, and they are taking donations for help with their campaign.
People for the American Way needs some $$ in order to get advertisements out to oppose Alito! Click here to make a donation!
If you've been hiding under a rock these past few weeks you may not know that Planned Parenthood opposes the (Sc)Alito nomination. Here is their action page. They even have a link for Republicans for choice!! The link to oppose (Sc)Alito is at the top.
NARAL is also opposed to (Sc)Alito. Send another letter using their website here. Check out the other stuff on their site as well. For all the complaining some folks do...NARAL is a good organization. They've also got a short cartoon you can check out!
NARAL's also got quite a funny campaign going to push the FDA to approve Plan B. Click here to help them!
NOW also has a letter opposing (Sc)Alito here
Earthjustice hates Alito too! . Click here to send a letter from their site!
The Human Rights Campaign has come out against Alito. Click here to send a letter to your Senators from their site.
The ACLU says Alito is wrong on Civil Liberties. Click here to send a letter to your Senators!
StoptheNRA.com has a form letter you can send to your Senators regarding ScAlito. Click here for their website. They've got some other issues as well!
DEFCON also has a letter for you to send regarding Alito! Click here to send yet another letter of opposition!
Democrats.org has a petition to stop Alito...Click here...blah blah blah...
Communications Workers of America (a Union that I'm not a member of, but I get their emails anyway) has a letter you can send to your Senators opposing Alito as well. Click here to fill in your info. And remember to stay tough...we can win this one if we get loud about it!
StoptheNRA.com has a link through The Brady Campaign for you to look up your Senator's phone numbers. Apparently Alito doesn't think a ban on machine guns is a good thing...So, the Constitution LOVES machine guns...but privacy for women? Not so much. I'm not a big fan of guns myself...but I don't have a problem with people owning them...but come on...who needs a machine gun for protecting their home or for hunting? Anyway, get that number and make the call! If not for this, for any of the other reasons!
Supporting Democrats in 2006:
Democracy For America has a Plan for Victory which you should all read and then Endorse here!
Also consider supporting the DNC with a Democracy Bond!
The DSCC needs help to take back the Senate in 2006. Click here to make a donation!
War in Iraq:
CODEPINK has launched a new campaign, the "Women Say No to War" campaign. You can sign your name by clicking here. They'll deliver the signatures to the White House and U.S. Embassies around the world on March 8th...they'd like to get 100,000 women to sign before then. I'm betting we can certainly do better than 100,000!! So, let's get to work ladies!! Sign on yourselves and then send this to every woman you know!
Republican Scandal Items:
Common Cause has a good action item for those of you interested in the absolutely gigantic ethics problem the Republicans are having. There are five suggested reforms. For more information or to add something to the letter and then sign, or to just sign it, click here!!
Campaign for America's Future needs us to write letters! It doesn't take long, they list some talking points for you. But the basics are...Tom DeLay has threatened TV stations with lawsuits if they air the ad about corruption that CAF has tried to get on the air. So, please click here to write your letter asking the TV stations to show some backbone and air the ad.
Protect Pets and Wildlife:
I've been touting the ASPCA lately, they have an absolutely excellent action page. Click here to check out all the various federal action items and to find your own state for more specific action items. This site REALLY is excellent. You can also sign up to receive regular emails from them. Anyone who watches Animal Planet knows what important work the ASPCA does...support them if you can, but if you don't have any dough to send, I'm sure they'd appreciate the action you take!
Last year, part of the appropriations bill was a ban on horse slaughter. Congress passed the ban on horse slaughter by refusing to provide money in the budget for USDA inspectors to those slaughterhouses. Without the inspectors, they can't operate. Well, just when you thought horses were safer...the USDA is considering a petition filed by "three foreign-owned slaughterhouses" (not my language....but I think it is important that the USDA is willing to overrule Congress because of a petition filed by 3 corporations that aren't even owned by citizens). Click here to take action to prevent horse slaughter...yet again! Once you take action, there will be an entire page of action items for you to sign as well:)
The Humane Society of the United States also has an action item with regard to the USDA trying to overrule Congress...Click here to send this letter as well!
Searching for a good Valentine's Day gift for your sweetheart? Defenders of Wildlife makes it easy for you. Click here to adopt a beautiful animal for your loved one! This is a great gift idea and it helps save these animals!
Grizzly Bears are on the Endangered Species List...for now. Of course, the Bush Administration wants to take them off the list, exposing them to hunting and habitat loss. Click here to send a letter through the NRDC and help make sure that they stay on the list. I know Stephen Colbert doesn't like the bears much...but come on people...they're just so cute and cuddly!! Once you're done with that action item, I'd encourage you to click on the "Take Action" button at the top of the page...there's LOTS of good stuff there!
The Navy is at it again with the Sonar tests. These tests are killing Whales. Click here to enter your info and send a letter!
Protect the Environment!
Send Pombo a message telling him that you like the Endangered Species Act just the way it is!! Click here for Defenders of Wildlife's link! Check out Naturegal's diary from last Monday for more details.
A new Hydropower rule threatens river protection by (surprise!) favoring industry! Click here to learn all the details and to take action to protect America's rivers!
Here's another action item about the dumping of toxic chemicals in our waterways. According to Earthjustice, "the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has authorized a gold mining corporation to dump millions of tons of mine tailings directly into pristine Lower Slate Lake in Alaska, killing all fish and smothering the lake under toxic sludge." Nothing like a little sludge in your lake! Click here to send your letter!
A Peruvian mining community needs our help! Oxfam has this to say, "When a US-based company, Doe Run, acquired the smelter plant in 1997, it committed to completing an Environmental Upgrade and Management Plan (PAMA) by the end of 2006. However, the company is seeking a five-year extension to delay construction of a sulfuric acid treatment plant that would help reduce the amount of toxic fumes currently being released." Apparently levels of lead in the blood of children who live near this area are 4 times what the WHO says is healthy. Click here to ask the Peruvian Government to deny the request for an extension.
I encourage everyone to check out TerraPass. This is a great way to neutralize your greenhouse gas emissions...you calculate your emissions, send them a check, and they invest in clean energy projects!
Health Issues:
Wakeup Walmart has a plan: "Last spring, Maryland's State Legislature became the first in the nation to pass a bill called Fair Share Health Care. This landmark legislation makes sure large, profitable corporations, like Wal-Mart, pay their fair share for health care. And, while Wal-Mart does everything it can to try and stop this important health care bill from becoming law in Maryland, we are going to introduce Fair Share Health Care in every state in the country." Just so you know, Fair Share Health Care finally became law this week in Maryland! Click here to become a citizen co-sponsor of Fair Share Health legislation in your state.
On January 31st Georgie will give the State of the Union address...I'll give you a quick preview...
"Merka is the best country in the world! You either agree with me or you're a traitor and you agree with terrists! 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11!!! I had to spy on you to protect you (this is similar in philosophy to a wife-beater....I had to beat you to show you I love you)! Democrats are traitors...9/11 9/11 9/11! Freedom is on the March in Iraq...we've got to stay there (and kill a few thousand more Merikans) to send a message that we're tough! That'll scare the terrists! 9/11 9/11 9/11" (whew...that was tough!)
Basic message....we've heard it all before...but this time, let's plan parties so we can tell family and friends...and maybe even some co-workers just how stupid he as!
Click here to ask Bush to keep his promise to fully fund the fight against AIDS and Poverty in 2007! For those of you who are unfamiliar, this letter is through The ONE campaign. I recommend sending the letter and checking them out if you haven't already.
Voting Issues:
Urge Congress to reject HR 3910 and pass HR 550 as written! The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act (HR 550) will ensure that the voter verified paper record is the official record in the event of a recount, challenge, or discrepancy in a Federal election, and that independent audits of the voter verified paper ballots are routinely performed to check the accuracy of the machines that count the vote. Click here to send your letter!
Put the EAC on notice that violations of federal standards by Diebold and other voting machine manufacturers will not be tolerated by voters. Click here, enter your info, and your letter will be off to the four EAC Commissioners and their Secretariat, which oversees the ITA laboratories. For more information about the interpreted code used by Diebold, how it violates federal standards, and why it puts the integrity of our elections at risk click here.
Specific State Issues:
For those of you living in Pennsylvania, VoteTrustUSA has a specific action item for you. Click here to Urge Your Representative to Support HB 2000 and your Senator to Support S 977 and Ensure Verifiable Elections in Pennsylvania. click here for more information.
Last week I posted an item for those of you who live in Maryland. I asked you all to take action to make sure Fair Share Health Care passed in the State Houses. Well, the good news is in!! The Fair Share Health Care Act passed the Senate by a vote of 30-17 and the House by a vote of 88-50. This is excellent news! Hopefully we can begin passing similar legislation in other states!
Calling all Illinoisians!! Last week I asked you to call the Governor and thank him for his promise to reduce mercury emissions by 90% by 2009. This week I'm asking you to click here and send a letter to your legislators telling them you support the Governor's plan and that you want them to support it too!
Other Issues:
Kos posted in an open thread the other day about individuals being able to buy cell and home phone records online. Americablog actually bought Wes Clark's records the other day. Click here to read about it. MoveOn has an emergency petition for you to sign asking Congress to fix this huge violation of privacy rights immediately. Click here to sign the petition.
Working Families (AFL-CIO activist network) has an action item that relates to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The background info is in quotes below (I tried to do the boxes...but they wouldn't work)...here's the general phone number so you can make your calls...800-393-1082. Tell your Representatives to honor Dr. King's legacy today by stopping a budget bill that attacks low-income working families.
"When the U.S. House of Representatives returns to Washington, D.C., later this month, members will vote on a budget reconciliation bill that directly attacks the interests of America's low-income working families. Among other devastating cuts, this budget would:
·Slash health care funding for the poor.
·Cut enforcement for child support, making it harder for single parents to raise their children.
·Push the American dream beyond reach for many young people by cutting $12.7 billion from the federal student loan program--the largest cut in the program's history.
·Force states to cut child care assistance to hundreds of thousands of low-income working families.
·Cut foster care funds for children cared for by grandparents and other relatives."
The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation is asking the US Postal Service to honor the memory of those who perished in the horrific attacks of February 26, 1993 and September 11, 2001 by issuing a stamp commemorating the World Trade Center Memorial. If you want to sign the petition, click here.
Working Assets has their Act For Change site and I'll just sum it up as having a TON of action items. I'm NOT kidding...Click here to take action on everything from Republican Corruption to Alito and Iraq.
The Sierra Club also has an action page. Click here to take action on Global Warming, Toxics in our water supply, and a few other things too!