Welcome activists and friends!
This week's action diary has some very important items for you! I wanted to let you know that we have a success story related to one of last week's items though...just so you know your actions are actually working!! Last week's action was to tell the World Bank to speed up debt relief to poorer countries. Well, they did exactly that! Why? Well, because SO many people sent letters to pressure them to do exactly that! Action is a beautiful thing...and it gets beautiful results sometimes:)
Anyway, on to this week's diary...I should let you know right away that I won't be able to sit here with it for very long. I have millions of things to get done today including lots of grading, but we're also on track to get some very heavy thunderstorms and probably tornadoes very soon, so I'm going to have to unplug the computers so I can make sure they don't get fried. That would be incredibly upsetting. So, I apologize up front for that. But, that shouldn't stop you from taking action yourselves and adding any action items of your own to the comments!!
Voting Issues:
This next item is one we should be MUCH more active on!! We should be calling our Congresspeople EVERY DAY about this. This should be just as big as our action on Alito in those last 5 days!! There is a long list of groups working on this issue, everyone from Working Assets, Common Cause, VotersUnite.org, VerifiedVoting.org, Electronic Frontier Foundation, and VoteTrustUSA. Sign this petition to the House Administration Committee to bring HR 550 to the floor as written. Let's keep our elections fair and free by requiring a verifiable paper ballot! Please pass this one along to ALL your friends and family!!
Budget and Economic Issues:
From Act Now (unionvoice.org):
"Last year, we came within two votes of defeating the Republican leadership's immoral plan to slash funding for essential public services that are vital to America's families.
The House votes next week on a new budget resolution -- and if they give President Bush what he wants, vulnerable people across the country -- from infants to the elderly -- will lose needed services. But if we derail this legislation, the agenda of the President and Republican leadership in Congress will be stopped dead in its tracks."
Tell your U.S. Representative to vote "NO" on the House budget resolution by clicking here and sending a letter!
Women's Issues:
Join the CARE Power Circle:
"You have the power to help poor women throughout the world build a better future. It starts with a simple show of support: By adding your name and message to CARE's Power Circle, you'll be joining a global movement dedicated to ending poverty."
Click here to add your support!!
Click here to tell your Governor to stand up for women by preventing abortion bans and restrictions in your state! You may want to add a personal story to this email...the form email is awfully short on its own.
Concerned about sexual abuse and violence? Click here to read tbrucegodfrey's diary from yesterday and take action towards the end!
Immigration Issues:
Want to see a fair and reasonable immigration bill? Me too. Click here to send your letter of support for the Senate Judiciary Committee's bipartisan bill in the Senate.
The ACLU needs you to send letters to support an immigration bill that doesn't infringe on fundamental civil liberties and erode the right of due process.
Protect Pets and Wildlife:
Click here to connect to the Defenders of Wildlife action page and please take as many actions as you can! There are SO many animals that need our help to survive...let's do what we can for them!
Click here to connect to the ASPCA action page. There are a lot of action items here that are worth your while. They actually separate the Federal and State items.
Sign The Sierra Club's petition to save the Endangered Species Act!
Okay...I absolutely adore this action item!! Apparently the New England Cottontail Rabbit population has been on the decline for the past 50 years. Defenders of Wildlife is raising money in their fight to help save the Endangered Species Act and one of the ways to help is to adopt a Cottontail Rabbit, or a family of Cottontail Rabbits! What a wonderful Easter gift (for those of you celebrating Easter), you get a plush toy rabbit and an adoption certificate!! Click here to adopt one or a whole family and help save the Endangered Species Act at the same time!
Join the virtual Earth Day March!
Protect the Environment/Energy Issues:
From Environmental Action:
"We already know that global warming is here, now. There's no question that the alarm bells are ringing loudly. Environmental Action has pieced together another frightening part to this story. We've created an interactive map identifying the 130 brand new coal-fired power plants that the industry is quietly trying to build in the next 10 years. Building these plants would be a terrible mistake."
Click here to tell your Governor to stop building these new coal-fired power plants.
The Union of Concerned Scientists had members send letters to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urging improvements to its flawed proposal to revise fuel economy standards for light trucks (SUVs, minivans, pick-ups). Of course, the Administration refused to do what was necessary, so today, the Union of Concerned Scientists needs you to contact your members of Congress today and urge them to act to reduce our oil consumption and protect our national, environmental, and economic security.
Click here to tell automakers why you want green cars today!
From Earthjustice:
"a new bill introduced by Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) runs directly against this scientific consensus, and would fast-track logging projects all across America in the name of forest recovery. The bill also disregards important protections for clean water and wildlife, eliminates meaningful environmental analysis and public involvement, and would misleadingly define even rain or windstorms as "catastrophic events."
This timber industry's dream come true just passed out of the House Resources Committee.
Please, ask your representative to oppose this "log first, ask questions later" legislation!
Supporting the Democrats:
April 29th is Neighbor to Neighbor Organizing Day! To help the 50-state strategy, click here and find a canvassing event in your area!!
Other Issues:
From DEFCON:
"This week, at the behest of the religious right, the Georgia State Senate passed two pieces of legislation that pose a serious threat to the separation of church and state. One would create state-funded Bible classes in Georgia public schools. The second would allow the Ten Commandments to be displayed by county governments. Both bills are now on their way to Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue for final approval.
The religious right will stop at nothing to push their theology in the public square or our public schools. And now, they want to use public dollars to do it!"
Send your letters to Governor Purdue here!
From Oxfam:
"Next week, the Senate will be working on a bill to support humanitarian efforts in East Africa where millions are facing what may be the worst drought in memory. Unfortunately, as it stands, the bill would dramatically cut funding for international humanitarian aid for extremely vulnerable populations, including women, children, and the elderly."
Please sign this petition asking the Senate to not cut humanitarian aid!
I keep getting email action alerts from a group called Parents' Action for Children. They appear to be doing some good stuff. I'm not a parent though, so I don't really feel like I should be participating. But...I figured I'd put the link to their action page here for those of you who are parents!
Crossposted at Street Prophets and Action Alerts blog!