Oppose John Bolton's Nomination!
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is planning hearings on the nomination of John Bolton to the position of U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. in early April. Please urge your Senator to take a leadership role in opposing Bolton's nomination. Someone who opposes multilateralism and has a history of actively opposing international cooperation should NOT lead the U.S. mission to the world body.
"There's no such thing as the United Nations....If the UN secretary building in New York lost 10 stories, it wouldn't make a bit of difference," says John Bolton, President Bush's nominee for US ambassador to the United Nations.
Bolton, who served as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security in the first Bush administration, is an advocate of unilateral U.S. military action, an opponent of arms control, and previously an advocate for withdrawal of US funds from the UN. John Bolton is NOT the right choice to represent the United States at the UN.
During his time in and out of government, Bolton has consistently taken positions undermining the United Nations and other forms of global cooperation. At a 1994 panel discussion sponsored by the World Federalist Association, Bolton made the statement quoted at the top of this message. When the Bush administration failed to persuade the UN to back the invasion of Iraq, John Bolton observed that it was "further evidence to many why nothing more should be paid to the UN system."
Bolton told the Wall Street Journal that signing the letter informing the UN that the United States was removing its signature from the Rome Treaty to create the International Criminal Court "was the happiest moment of my government service." The Senate must seriously question why the Bush administration nominated someone who has repeatedly and blatantly expressed his contempt for the United Nations to represent the U.S. mission to the global organization.
John Bolton would rather retire the UN than reform it...oppose his nomination TODAY!
http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/issues/alert/?alertid=7322176&type=TA
May 1: May Day Rally for Jobs, Not War - Bring the Troops Home Now!
On May 1 the Troops Out Now Coalition and the NYC Million Worker March are calling for a JOBS NOT WAR - Bring the Troops Home Now rally in Union Square, NYC.
MAY DAY -- International Workers Day -- grew out of the struggle of working people in this country more than 100 years ago for an 8 hour work day with a full day's pay. All over the world, working and poor people march on May Day to send the message that workers are united and have the right to a job, a living wage, health care, housing and education. Workers have a right to pensions and social security. Immigrant workers and the unemployed should have the same rights. On May Day 2005, let's bring back that fighting spirit.
http://www.troopsoutnow.org/
Tell Wash U. to Implement a Living Wage NOW!
Students have been sitting in at Washington University in St. Louis now for 24 hours. After a year and a half of forums, discussions, rallies and the disregarded recommendations of an official "Living Wage Task Force" - the Student Worker Alliance is committed to staying in Brookings Hall until Chancellor Mark Wrighton understands the need for a Code of Conduct that includes a Living Wage.
Tell Chancellor Mark Wrighton that Wash U deserves no less! Send the email at the link below.
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/washusitin/
Tell Your Senators Not to Place the Defense Department Above the Law!
The Bush Administration and its Congressional allies want to give the Pentagon permanent exemptions from our most important environmental laws. If they succeed, military bases across America will be allowed to leave unexploded munitions lying on the ground, where they will leach toxic substances into our drinking water, rivers, and air. Don't let the Defense Department endanger what it is supposed to be defending -- the well-being of the American people! Contact your senators today.
http://www.nrdcactionfund.org/dod/action.asp?step=2&item=52110
Stop Logging Project in Tongass National Forest, Alaska
The Bush administration has signaled its intent to place the spectacular Port Houghton roadless area on the chopping block--again! Logging there, and the roads built to do the logging, would seriously undermine the ecology of the area and also affect a growing economy based on forest recreation.
Widespread opposition in Alaska and around the country forced the Forest Service to withdraw two previous attempts to offer the sale. It seems as if they still haven't gotten the message! So it's time to tell them NO, again, to logging Port Houghton--the largest unbroken tract of unprotected old-growth forest in the Tongass National Forest.
Please add your own thoughts to our letter to the Forest Service chief, then click on "Send this Message," to send it off.
http://ga1.org/campaign/tongasslogging/
Speak Out to Protect Our Courts
We are already in the midst of a major legislative battle that will affect the social tenor of our country for generations to come -- the battle to protect our courts. And we urgently need your help.
The problem? Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) is threatening to change the long-standing rules of the Senate to keep moderate senators from exercising the only tool they have left, the filibuster, to prevent the worst of President Bush's judicial nominees from securing lifetime seats on the federal courts. This radical measure has become known as the "nuclear option" because of the drastic effect it would have on senate rules.
The solution? Planned Parenthood is urging senators to oppose this radical measure and to vote against the "nuclear option."
You can help by writing your senator now.
http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/filibuster/
$82 Billion More for Iraq: Demand an Exit Strategy
Congress has barely debated the war in Iraq or its aftermath since it voted to authorize the use of force in October 2002. Now, the Bush administration is skipping the normal budget process to ask for an additional $82 billion to fund the American presence in Iraq. Among the big-ticket items, a $600 million embassy and some 14 "enduring" bases. Those bases, and the absence of an exit strategy, will worsen, not improve the situation in Iraq.
And, remember the last $87 billion Congress authorized for the war: a whopping $9 billion of it is missing because of corrupt contracting. We must root out the corporate corruption that has undercut the rebuilding efforts and lost billions of taxpayers' money.
As it considers another $82 billion for Iraq, Congress needs to insist that America has an exit strategy from Iraq with a timeline, that we do not construct permanent bases in Iraq and that we end war profiteering by corporations. Please sign our petition urging Congress to act today.
http://www.moveonpac.org/iraq?id=5311-544364-9e.KJl5hm6ZgVMjMHDFtHA
Explosion Verifies Need for Congressional Action on Chemical Security
Thousands of facilities around the country place millions of Americans at risk from the potential release of deadly chemicals. For several years, Congress has considered and reconsidered chemical security legislation that would encourage companies to reduce chemical hazards at these facilities. Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) has repeatedly introduced bills that would require facilities that use large quantities of hazardous chemicals to evaluate safer chemicals and technologies to reduce safety and security risks. Companies that pursue these opportunities would have less severe accidents when problems occur and pose less tempting targets for possible terrorist attacks. Unfortunately, Congress has repeatedly failed to act on this issue.
A March 23 accident at BP Amoco's Texas City refinery, which killed 15 employees and injured over 100 people, illustrates the high cost of inaction. According to reports BP filed with the Environmental Protection Agency, the accident could have been even worse. The Texas City refinery stores 800,000 pounds of deadly hydrofluoric acid onsite, threatening the lives and health of more than half a million people in its 25-mile `vulnerability zone.' However, oil refineries can replace hydrofluoric acid with sulfuric acid, a much safer chemical that many other refineries are already using.
While Corzine has not yet re-introduced his legislation to Congress this session, the Texas City accident demands that Congress finally take action on this issue. It is more than three years since the 9/11 attacks and we still have no national policy to assess and reduce chemical vulnerabilities wherever practical. Urge your representatives to support chemical security legislation.
http://capwiz.com/ombwatch/issues/alert/?alertid=7328511
Make September Pain Awareness Month
To make the public in each state aware of the effects pain has on the society as a whole and to make the following known:
- Pain is one of our nation's most serious health problems. An estimated 50 million Americans live with chronic pain caused by various diseases or disorders and each year nearly 25 million Americans suffer with acute pain.
- Medical knowledge and tecnology exist to relieve or greatly ease pain, but most pain goes untreated, UNDER TREATED, or improperly treated; and the majority of healthcare professionals are still unaware of how to treat pain effectively. Most people with pain, including those at the end of their life, get little relief or no relief.
- People who suffer from chronic pain are too often stigmatized and marginalized and often not informed about their right to effective pain assessment and management.
- The American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) has over 500 support groups available in over nine countries.
- ACPA through Pain Awareness Month, will create public awareness and facilitate cooperative efforts among verious organizations with an interest in the many aspects of pain and address the many obstacles and issues that living with chronic pain create.
- These organizations seek to increase awareness surrounding the under treatment of pain; and on the state level a council will be set up with multidisciplinary group of health care professionals, consumers, and other interested persons, who will serve as an advocate for people experiencing chronic, acute and cancer pain.
- To make the "Pain Care Bill of Rights" not just a piece of paper but one that is endorsed by each state.
Please take a few moments to sign this petition.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/918799248
Milton Mathis
The state of Texas is scheduled to execute Milton Mathis April 20 for the Fort. Bend County murders of Travis Brown and Daniel Hibbard on Dec. 15, 1998. Mathis, a black man, was 19 years old at the time of the crime.
Mathis made several claims on appeals including ineffective assistance of counsel.
Also, Mathis has some serious mental impairments that may not have been adequately developed and presented to the court. After performing tests on Mathis, Dr. Stephen Martin, a neurological expert, was prepared to testify that Mathis had frontal lobe damage and that brain damage impaired Mathis' ability to think and function normally, particularly when under stress. Pheobe Smith, one of Mathis' lead attorneys at trial presented an affidavit during appeals stating that she had given this information to the lead counsel at trial. Smith stated that she did not know why the lead counsel chose not to present this potentially mitigating evidence to the trial.
The state of Texas has executed more people than the next five highest states combined. Thus far, in 2005 Texas has carried out one third of all executions with six more scheduled in April and May.
Please write the state of Texas protesting the execution of Milton Mathis.
http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=526
These and over 350 other action alerts are archived at http://shetquaker.blog-city.com/
