Action Alerts! Don't Let Congress Silence Our Progressive Votes!

[Liberty Belle]

ACTION ALERTS 4-19-05

Please DU as many of these as possible, kick so everyone can participate, and forward this list to others!


DON’T LET CONGRESS SILENCE OUR PROGRESSIVE VOICES! (From Americans Coming Together)

The Republicans have one more power-grab up their sleeves. …The U.S. Senate is considering legislation (S. 271 and H.R. 513 - "527 Reform Act of 2005") that would severely limit your ability to have a voice and an impact on the political debate.

The 527 Bill would force independent Section 527 organizations like ACT, unions, advocacy groups, and other non-profit Section 501(c) organizations to use highly regulated and restricted federal PACs for much of their public advocacy and voter mobilization activity, even if non-partisan.

Essentially, this would limit the involvement of millions of individuals and organizations who work to mobilize, educate, and empower voters on the federal, state, and local levels. Help fight this aggressive assault on political free speech.

This legislation will skew federal election law more in favor of big business because they could continue to spend money for political purposes with no tax consequences. Meanwhile, non-profits would be denied the use of the 527 accounts and risk being taxed at the highest corporate rate on their political spending. Individuals, acting on their own, will remain free to spend whatever they want to influence elections, so long as they do so independently of candidates or parties.

The proposed 527 legislation goes far beyond the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act often known as "McCain-Feingold". McCain-Feingold was designed to limit the ability of lawmakers to solicit large sums from special interests. It was not designed to curtail the free speech rights of ordinary American citizens and inhibit their ability to speak out on the issues of the day. This new bill overreaches and misdirects new and complex regulation against the already disclosed and independent activities of non-profit organizations, unions, and advocacy groups that pose none of the dangers that federal campaign finance law is designed to address…

The proposed law unfairly treats independent citizen groups as if they are controlled by political parties, candidates, or campaigns. Political action by individuals who pool time, energy, and resources to create a unified voice is the foundation of our democracy. 527s do not threaten to corrupt the political system and they should not be regulated as if they do.

This bill is about silencing your progressive voice. Please don't let that happen.

Contact your Senators today. Urge them to stand up for your right to ACT.

http://activist.acthere.com/page/petition/527legislation?PHPSESSID=





OPPOSE A PERMANENT REPEAL OF THE ESTATE TAX (From Act For Change):

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on a bill to permanently repeal the estate tax this week. Urge your representative and senators to vote to retain the estate tax.

Click here to take action!
http://act.actforchange.com/cgi-bin7/DM/y/ee4O0IEmbg0Ow50xjz0Es

Within the complicated, regressive American tax system, the estate tax is a simple and fair tax that only affects the richest 2% of all
Americans, individuals with estates larger than $1.5 million and couples with estates larger than $3 million. In fact, most of the benefits of eliminating the tax will go to billionaires. The Bush administration has already drastically cut taxes for wealthy Americans. Pushing for the permanent elimination of a tax that affects
a few thousand of the wealthiest Americans while in a time of war and increasing deficits is unfair, immoral and simply un-American.




ASK AMERICAN AIRLINES TO STOP PAYING LEGAL DFENSES FOR TOM DELAY (from the American Progress Action Fund)



Call senior American Airlines officials and ask why they gave money to defend Tom DeLay's unethical behavior and demand that they ask for their money back:

· Tim Wagner, Spokesman, Corporate Communications – [phone]

· Dan Garton, Executive Vice President, Marketing – [phone]

· Ralph Richardi, Senior Vice President, Customer Service – [phone]



OPPOSE BOLTON’S NOMINATION AS UN AMBASSADOR (From Senator Barbara Boxer):

Other than the Secretary of State and the President himself, the UN Ambassador is our country's chief diplomat. But at a time when the United States is working to repair relationships with our allies and rebuild our image around the world, John Bolton is absolutely the wrong choice for this critical job.

Tell your Senators to reject Bolton's nomination today!

After all, John Bolton has shown nothing but contempt for the United Nations throughout his entire career. He has even gone so far as to state that "there is no United Nations" and "if lost 10 stories, it wouldn't make a bit of difference."

Further, John Bolton has demonstrated a disturbing propensity to politicize the intelligence-gathering process and twist intelligence to suit his needs. In fact, recently Bolton tried to punish two intelligence analysts who disagreed with his views about Cuba's possession of biological weapons. In the aftermath of the Iraq debacle, we can't stand to promote anyone who misuses critical intelligence information.

The confirmation vote for John Bolton's nomination promises to be very close -- your individual lobbying effort could very well make the difference.

So please take 30 seconds right now to sign my petition and tell your Senators how you feel about John Bolton -- before the Foreign Relations Committee votes on Thursday.

http://ga4.org/campaign/bolton/dkskdi2p57bx7t







URGE RESIGNATION OF JAMES A. BAKER III FROM THE NATIONAL ELECTION COMMISSION (From the Velvet Revolution):



Ask former President Jimmy Carter and the Commissioners of the National Election Reform Commission to demand the immediate resignation of James. A Baker III from the National Election Reform Commission. As lead attorney for Bush/Cheney 2000, Baker and his cronies helped assure that many Americans’ votes were not counted in Florida.

Congressman Conyers, who chaired Democrats’ hearings to investigate voting fraud and other electoral issues, was not invited to participate. Instead, the Commission has been stacked with those who wish to suppress votes, including a bogus Republican-backed voting “reform” group, while omitting all representation by legitimate voting reform representatives.



http://www.velvetrevolution.us/mailing.php?Mailing=0730E07D500040E02150F





HELP FARMWORKERS EARN PERMANENT RESIDENCY

(From United Farm Workers of America)


The Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act (S.
359/H.R. 884), also referred to as AgJOBS, would allow undocumented
farm workers to earn the right to permanently stay in this country by
continuing to work in agriculture. This comprehensive bill was
negotiated by the United Farm Workers and the agricultural industry.

Last year, there were 63 co-sponsors in the Senate. The bill was
reintroduced last month, and already has 43 Senate co-sponsors. Help
us reach our goal of more than 60 co-sponsors!

Click here to take action!
http://act.actforchange.com/cgi-bin7/DM/y/ee4O0IEmbg0Ow50xj10Ef









ELIMINATE THE “G.I. TAX” ON VETERANS -- & SUPPORT A NEW “G.I. BILL OF RIGHTS” (From Wes Clark):

The American people have a strong tradition of honoring our war veterans. And Democrats have always led the fight to give our veterans what they deserve for their brave service to our country. The time has come for us to do it again.

We all may not agree with the causes of this current war in Iraq, but we all agree that the brave men and women fighting it, and their families, deserve more than we can ever give them.

Now we must focus attention on our veterans and military retirees who have seen the government cut medical benefits, close VA hospitals, double tax disability payments, and more than double prescription drug co-payments, while requiring veterans to pay an annual enrollment fee of $250 to use government health services in the 2006 budget.

All of these costs add up to a "GI Tax" on our soldiers and veterans. And it's time to end that "GI Tax" -- once and for all. I need your help!

I was proud to join House Leaders Nancy Pelosi, Ike Skelton, Lane Evans, and Jon Salazar on Capitol Hill yesterday to unveil the new GI Bill of Rights for the 21st Century. From the original GI Bill, signed by Franklin Roosevelt, it's always been up to a grateful nation to stand up for veterans and their families. Now it's our turn -- so please help.

Tell your Members of Congress to end the "GI Tax" and support the new GI Bill!

The new GI Bill of Rights will improve benefits for our men and women in uniform today, while providing long overdue benefits for our veterans and military retirees. It will bolster support for our troops in harm's way, as well as their families at home. It will provide better educational, health care, and job training benefits for those who have answered the call. And it will honor the sacrifice of the National Guard and Reserve who have gone far beyond the call of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Among many other benefits, the new GI Bill of Rights will:

· Increase funding for VA health care, including an additional $3.2 billion over President Bush's budget for FY 2006 and an additional $10 billion over the next 10 years

· Improve mental health services, including expanding post-traumatic stress disorder services to all VA medical facilities

· Block increases in prescription drug co-payments and enrollment fees that would raise the health care costs for 2.2 million veterans

· Fully repeal the Disabled Veterans Tax, which currently forces disabled military retirees to give up one dollar of their pension for every dollar of disability pay they receive

· End the Military Families' Tax which penalizes survivors, including widows and children of those killed in combat

· Ensure an adequate number of troops and make sure they have adequate equipment, so that our troops are well protected and not stretched too thin

· Provide a $1,000 bonus to the nearly 1 million brave men and women who have served in imminent danger in Iraq and Afghanistan as a thanks for a job well done

· Modernize and enhance the GI Bill and Job Training Programs

· Assist homeless veterans with employment, and protect bonuses and special pay for those who are permanently and severely injured or wounded or killed in service

· Protect the income of our National Guard and Reservists to help the more than 40 percent of those called up who have suffered a pay cut to serve our country

· Expand military health care to provide full access to TRICARE -- the military health program -- to all members of the Guard and Reserve and their families

Urge your Members of Congress to support the new GI Bill of Rights for the 21st Century!

http://ga4.org/campaign/gi_tax

Sign my GI Bill petition today! http://ga4.org/campaign/gi_tax/snes352r57bxj5







ASK YOU STATE SENATOR TO COAUTHOR THE MILLION SOLAR ROOFS BILL (From Environment California)



Last week, more than 1,800 of you signed an on-line petition urging the state's largest electric utilities to support the Million Solar Roofs bill, SB 1. Given their influence and central role in creating a clean energy future, it is important that these powerful companies hear directly from you, their customers. Thanks to all who took action.

This week, as we near SB 1's first hurdle - a policy committee hearing in the state Senate - we need our state Senators to hear from you. Please take a minute to ask your senator to co-author the Million Solar Roofs bill and vote yes when it comes before them for a vote. Then ask your friends and family to help by forwarding this e-mail to them.

To take action, click on this link or paste it into your Web browser:
http://environmentcalifornia.org/envirocalifenergy.asp?id=412&id4=ES

As the Los Angeles Times points out, SB 1 will help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels by greatly expanding California's solar power market. Co-authored by state Senators Kevin Murray (Los Angeles) and John Campbell (Orange County), and endorsed by Gov. Schwarzenegger, the Million Solar Roofs Bill would make California the world's solar power leader and put us on pace to achieve Gov. Schwarzenegger's goal of building half of all new homes with solar power and a million solar roofs by 2017.

Specifically, SB 1 would:

1) Require all builders of large single-family home developments to offer solar power as an option for homebuyers. This would give homebuyers the opportunity to save money by incorporating the solar system during construction;
2) Provide homeowners and businesses a new, stable and secure rebate fund to reduce the upfront cost of solar power systems over the next ten years;
3) Mandate that solar rebates decline each year and phase out by 2017 to help ensure a mature, self-sufficient solar market by 2015;
4) Mandate that utilities buy-back excess electricity generated by solar systems up to 5 percent of peak demand, helping make the investment cost-effective for homeowners and businesses;
5) Encourage greater energy efficiency in new homes and provide additional support for incorporating solar into affordable housing.

SB 1 will be heard in its first policy committee, Senate Energy Committee, the week of April 25th. The bill needs to pass out of that committee with at least six votes and without any weakening amendments. It will then go to Senate Appropriations Committee and then on to the Senate floor in mid-May. If all goes well, SB 1 will then go through the same steps in the Assembly and reach the governor's desk in August.

To take action click on the link below, or paste it into your Web browser:
http://environmentcalifornia.org/envirocalifenergy.asp?id=412&id4=ES



OPPOSE A POLLUTING ENERGY BILL & ARCTIC DRILLING

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and America's other remaining wild lands need your help once again.

This week, the House of Representatives will vote on an energy bill -- not one that would make the investments in clean energy and technology that America needs, but one that would make it easier for oil and gas companies to pollute our waters, pave the way for drilling on more wild public lands, and open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

Call today and tell your Representative that drilling the Arctic Refuge and allowing oil and gas companies to pollute our lakes, streams, and drinking water is the wrong way to respond to America's energy needs.

If you absolutely can't make a call, please send your Representative a fax today from
http://ga1.org/campaign/energyhse/w6ubxxe497wd6et

Ask your Representative to do both of the following: 1) vote FOR the Markey-Johnson Amendment to prevent drilling in the Arctic Refuge, and 2) vote AGAINST this energy bill, which would pollute our water, destroy our wild lands, and give our hard-earned tax dollars to energy companies, instead of providing real solutions or lowering prices.

The House Energy Bill would do nothing to bring down the rising prices of gasoline, natural gas, or electricity. Instead, it would provide higher profits for energy companies from federal subsidies and make America more dependent on fossil fuels, while allowing oil and gas companies to pollute our air and water and wreak havoc on our wild public lands.

The United States consumes 25% of the world's oil, yet we have less than 3% of the world's proven oil reserves. We simply cannot drill our way to energy independence.

We need to invest today in clean energy and efficient technology, not sacrifice our remaining wild lands and waters for the profits of Big Oil. By simply increasing the fuel efficiency of our vehicles by a few miles per gallon, we would save far more oil, and sooner, than drilling the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge would ever yield.

Background

Backers of a plan to drill America's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will stop at nothing in their drive to allow sprawling oil development across the 1.5-million acre coastal plain of the Refuge. While Senate and House negotiators are deciding whether or not to include Arctic Refuge drilling in the budget resolution, some eager House members have resurrected an old energy bill in order to push their drilling agenda. This energy bill features most of the bad provisions from last year's energy bill, which passed the House last year but, fortunately, was defeated in the Senate.

Soon the full House of Representatives will have the chance to vote on an amendment to their energy bill, offered by Representatives Ed Markey (D-MA) and Nancy Johnson (R-CT), that would prevent oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. A similar amendment was rejected by the House Resources Committee last week.

Some of the worst provisions in the energy bill before the House of Representatives would:

- Open the entire 1.5 million acre coastal plain of America's Arctic Refuge to oil drilling and pave the way for drilling on even more of our remaining wild lands

- Let industry off the hook for billions of dollars and force states to pay for groundwater clean-up of the toxic gasoline additive "MTBE"

- Change laws to make it easier for oil and gas companies to pollute our rivers, streams, lakes, and drinking water

- Increase air pollution that causes asthma attacks by relaxing Clean Air Act standards

- Do nothing to lower rising energy costs, but give even more taxpayer dollars to oil, coal, and natural gas companies already flush with profits

- Lock America into greater dependence on fossil fuels and imported oil

You can look up your Representative's fax number, as well as district office phone numbers, at

http://ga1.org/wilderness/leg-lookup/search.tcl

STOP REPUBLICANS FROM SEIZING ABSOLUTE POWER OVER JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS (From MoveOn)



In the next 10 days the Republican leadership is planning to pull the trigger on their scheme to break the rules of the Senate, seize absolute power over judicial appointments, and stack the courts with extreme judges. Overnight, some of our most treasured rights, like the 40-hour work week, basic environmental protections, and the right to privacy, would be in danger. We must act.

We can win this fight if we sound an unwavering note of protest on a national scale in the next two weeks—emboldening the Democrats to fight in Congress and ensuring that moderate Republicans know the American people are counting on them to hold the line.

We're kicking off the 10 day sprint with a drive towards 10,000 letters sent to the editors of at least 1,500 different newspapers nationwide. These letters are extremely powerful tools to shape the national debate and apply direct pressure on the Senate. Two weeks ago MoveOn members published thousands of letters in papers in all 50 states. Soon afterwards, three Republican senators came out against the nuclear option, including John McCain. If we get three more, we'll win.

It just takes a few minutes to write and send a letter online—please write one today.

http://www.moveonpac.org/lte/lte_t.html?t=1&zip=92111<e_campaign_id=20&id=5372-5385436-HQWRGiWwlklJQ11A0HGnVw

The Republican scheme is known as the "nuclear option". It would break the Senate rules to eliminate the filibuster—the right to extend debate on controversial votes—that has protected minority rights for centuries. Once they "go nuclear," there will no check on who they can force into lifetime appointments on the federal courts, and the Supreme Court.

Janice Rodgers Brown will most likely be the first judge the radical Republicans push through using the nuclear option—onto the D.C. Court of Appeals, a stepping stone to the Supreme Court. It's not hard to see why she is so important to them or so dangerous for the American people.

Judge Brown is against the most basic protections for workers and the environment that have kept our country strong since the Great Depression. She follows a radical judicial philosophy, (often called "Constitution in Exile") that says courts have a duty to block Congress from interfering with a corporation's "right" to profitably pollute, or an employer's "right" to demand unlimited hours at any wage from their employees. With judges like Brown flooding the bench, and as many as four Supreme Court vacancies coming in the next four years, bedrock laws from the Clean Water Act to the 40-hour work week could be struck down and eliminated forever.

We can stop this, but we have to act now. Please send a letter today:

http://www.moveonpac.org/lte/lte_t.html?t=2&zip=92111<e_campaign_id=20&id=5372-5385436-HQWRGiWwlklJQ11A0HGnVw

For the next 10 days stopping the "nuclear option" will require all hands on deck.

After this letters-to-the-editor campaign, we'll send out signs you can put in your windows and give to your neighbors, then organize door-to-door canvasses in major cities to hand out more window signs and flyers. We'll run hard-hitting ads on television, in print, and on the radio. We'll flood target senators with constant phone calls and all manner of grassroots pressure. And we'll culminate next week with a day of coordinated national rallies in cities all over the country.

Our big push begins today on our local editorial pages. The most powerful weapon we have against this assault is the power of our voices. Please take a few minutes to write your local paper about why extremist Republicans must not be allowed to break the rules and roll back decades of progress protecting poor and middle class families by forcing through judges like Janice Rodgers Brown.

If we hit our goal of 10,000 letters in 1,500 papers it will have a broader reach than millions of dollars of advertising, and will have far more impact because it all comes from you. Please take a few minutes to write and send a quick letter—just a couple paragraphs—using our quick online system today.

http://www.moveonpac.org/lte/lte_t.html?t=3&zip=92111<e_campaign_id=20&id=5372-5385436-HQWRGiWwlklJQ11A0HGnVw

Thanks for all that you do,

–Ben, Noah, Joan, Jennifer and the MoveOn PAC Team
Monday, April 18th, 2005







SUPPORT THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT (From Working Families)



Dear Working Families e-Activist,



Some 57 million workers in America say they would join a union tomorrow if they could. Today, a bill was reintroduced in both houses of Congress that would level the playing field for workers trying to form unions. It’s the bipartisan Employee Free Choice Act and it could make a world of difference for working people trying to gain a voice on the job. Please click the following link to urge your members of Congress to support it:

www.unionvoice.org/campaign/Support_EFCA

The bill is being introduced into the 109th Congress by Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Reps. George Miller (D-Calif.) and Pete King (R-N.Y.).

The Employee Free Choice Act says when a majority of employees in a workplace decide to form a union, they can do so without the bitter war employers now wage to block them. Every 23 minutes a worker is fired or discriminated against for exercising the basic freedom to decide whether to form a union. On paper, U.S. labor law and international standards give workers the legal right to form unions—but in the real world, employers block that right day after day. So 57 million workers who want the benefits of union membership can’t get them.

Please do your part to restore workers’ freedom to decide for themselves whether to have a union. Send a message now urging your members of Congress to support the Employee Free Choice Act. Click here:

www.unionvoice.org/campaign/Support_EFCA

The Employee Free Choice Act is a commonsense approach to restoring workers’ freedom to form unions. It would require employers to recognize the union once a majority of workers signed cards authorizing union representation. It also would provide for mediation and arbitration of first-contract disputes and authorize stronger penalties for employers that violate the legal rights of workers seeking to form unions and negotiate first contracts.

. Please urge your U.S. senators and representative to support this important legislation:

www.unionvoice.org/campaign/Support_EFCA

[bling bling]

1. You couldn't have made this much easier.

Thank you so much!

(PS. I just sent you a PM)

[bling bling]

2. Did them all, except Moveon

I couldn't get through to their website - looks like they're having an issue with their server.

[bling bling]

3. kick

[redqueen]

4. .

This stuff just SINKS

[DemBeans]

5. thanks!

This is really useful - I'm going to work down this list and then forward it.