csziggy
csziggy's JournalThank you to the We the People community: from The We The People Team
We the People has proved to be an innovative experiment in a new kind of civic engagement. It is a way for anybody, from anywhere, to send a message directly to the White House -- and, if their petition collects enough signatures, to receive a direct response.
Over the past five years, we've seen petitions on issues ranging from the refugee crisis to gun violence to worker's rights and more. We've watched as your petitions have led to profound engagement between citizens and senior White House staff and served as an outlet for citizens to discuss the issues that resonate most deeply with you.
They've also inspired real change:
In August of 2014, in response to a petition on the subject, President Obama signed a bill allowing consumers to use their mobile devices on the network of their choice.
A petition on puppy mills contributed to the passage of a new ruling to expand protections of animals under the Animal Welfare Act.
After you petitioned us to enact Leelah's Law, which proposed the banning of conversion therapy on minors, the Administration came out in full support of the ban.
See more of the Administration's most memorable petitions and responses here.
Simply put, your signatures helped make our government better. Each time a petition received 100,000 signatures, our team would get to work, collaborating with staff all across the executive branch of government to hunt down answers and draft responses. This wasn't always easy. Most of your petitions weren't to say “Congratulations!” The thorniest ones called on us to take a second look at policies and prompted discussions at the highest echelons of the executive branch. But every response was valuable because it helped to make our government more responsive to the people it serves.
These responses also helped us stay in touch. Often, following an initial response, our team would post ongoing updates on the issue petition signers had raised. We would also invite petition creators to in-person meetings or digital hangouts with Administration officials. Petitions enabled a two-way conversation -- and an opportunity for us to listen.
That's what We the People was meant to be: a way for citizens to have their voices heard and participate in the process of governing. This makes petitions one of the most powerful tools for ensuring that an Administration is not only open about the decisions it makes, but accountable as well.
We're proud of what We the People has become and the communities that you've built. And we're excited to see how they grow and develop. There are many exciting ways to build on this work -- whether it's citizens working with their state and local representatives to build similar tools or adapting other platforms to make government more responsive to you.
As always, thanks for making your voices heard.
-- The We the People Team
P.S. On Tuesday, January 10, President Obama will deliver his Farewell Address in Chicago. He'll talk about how citizens like you have changed the country for the better, and offer his thoughts on the work ahead. You can watch live at wh.gov/farewell.
Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates - Marching On Tallahassee
Dear Supporter,
As the Women’s March on Washington is happening on January 21st, here in Florida we will be simultaneously marching on Tallahassee. We will stand together in solidarity with women and families across the state for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families. We will do this together because we – recognize that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of Florida and our country.
Click here to join the Women’s March on Tallahassee Saturday, January 21, 2017.
The Women’s March on Tallahassee is a grassroots effort culminating in a rally with speakers including civic leaders, advocates, and others at the Florida Capitol. These marches in Tallahassee, in Washington and around the country are a critical first step towards unifying our communities, grounded in new relationships, to create change from the grassroots level up. We will not rest until women have equity at all levels of our society.
These marches will send a bold message to the new administration and Congress in Washington, to Florida Governor Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature, and to the world – that women's rights are human rights. We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us.
Join us in solidarity for the Women’s March on Tallahassee Saturday, January 21, 2017.
The Women’s March on Tallahassee is a 100% inclusive event and all genders, races, ages, religions, sexual orientations – everyone! – is invited to participate. We envision a future where each of us will be treated with dignity, respect and compassion. In the spirit of democracy and honoring the champions of human rights, dignity, and justice who have come before us, please join us as we show our presence in numbers too great to ignore.
For justice and equality,
Lillian Tamayo
Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates
(Also posted in the Florida Group.)
Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates - Marching On Tallahassee
Dear Supporter,
As the Women’s March on Washington is happening on January 21st, here in Florida we will be simultaneously marching on Tallahassee. We will stand together in solidarity with women and families across the state for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families. We will do this together because we – recognize that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of Florida and our country.
Click here to join the Women’s March on Tallahassee Saturday, January 21, 2017.
The Women’s March on Tallahassee is a grassroots effort culminating in a rally with speakers including civic leaders, advocates, and others at the Florida Capitol. These marches in Tallahassee, in Washington and around the country are a critical first step towards unifying our communities, grounded in new relationships, to create change from the grassroots level up. We will not rest until women have equity at all levels of our society.
These marches will send a bold message to the new administration and Congress in Washington, to Florida Governor Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature, and to the world – that women's rights are human rights. We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us.
Join us in solidarity for the Women’s March on Tallahassee Saturday, January 21, 2017.
The Women’s March on Tallahassee is a 100% inclusive event and all genders, races, ages, religions, sexual orientations – everyone! – is invited to participate. We envision a future where each of us will be treated with dignity, respect and compassion. In the spirit of democracy and honoring the champions of human rights, dignity, and justice who have come before us, please join us as we show our presence in numbers too great to ignore.
For justice and equality,
Lillian Tamayo
Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates
Just called my Representative - and it was not as easy as it should be
Both the Representatives from this area, Al Lawson (D-Florida 5) and Neil Dunn (R-Florida 2) are newly elected. Lawson is my representative.
When I went to the House site yesterday, Lawson was not listed - they still had Corrine Brown (who lost in the primaries last August) as the Rep. for District 5. Today I looked online and Al Lawson is listed but his phone number is NOT on his contact page.
So I called the main House switchboard number. The voice menu asked for my zip code, I put it in and it gave me the option of (1) Neil Dunn or (0) hold for the operator. I had to wait for an operator, wait for her to look up Rep. Lawson and then be connected to his office.
I told his aide about this and how petty this seems. 
It seems to be designed to make it harder for people to contact their Democratic representatives!
If you try to contact your Democratic Representative and run into the same kind of problem, let them know.
Watched the start of the Rep Representatives & Pence news conference
Who was the woman who came on? And WTF does the Washington Monument being closed for maintenance have to do with Obamacare or even with incompetence at the federal level?
She was whining about the monument being closed for two years to repair the elevator - as if there were not engineering challenges with fixing or replacing an elevator in an old historic building.
The first guy who talked - I didn't see his name either - absolutely lied about Obamacare. So did Scalise from (I think) Louisiana. After the woman Paul Ryan and Mike Pence came on and I turned the sound off. Just couldn't take it anymore.
Profile Information
Gender: Do not displayHometown: Leon County, Florida
Member since: Tue Feb 12, 2008, 10:18 PM
Number of posts: 34,136
