ACTION ALERTS!
Please DU these important alerts, type :kick: to keep this up where everyone can see it, and pass along to others:
CONTACT THE MEDIA & CONGRESS RE: THE BRITISH MEMO (From the Democratic National Committee) :
The Democratic National Committee is getting serious about building a case to impeach Bush. The DNC has added a copy of the British “smoking gun” memo to its weblog, along with links to more info and this action alert:
It's time to step up and make our voices heard. Here are a few things you can do to take action.
· First, get the facts. Visit Downing Street Memo.com to learn everything there is to know about the memo. You can read the memo itself and learn how Bush's rhetoric directly contradicted the facts in the memo.
· Alert the media. Has your local media covered the story? Write a letter to local media outlets asking why they don't think a memo proving the Bush administration lied to push us into war isn't important.
· Contact your elected officials. Have your Representative and Senators spoken out about this memo? Call them today and ask them.
http://www.democrats.org/blog/comment/00012146.htmlASK CONGRESS TO SUPPORT HR 1483:
STUDY DEPLETED URANIUM’S HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
Large numbers of bullets and missiles containing depleted uranium have been used in U.S. military operations in Iraq, and smaller amounts have been used in Afghanistan and Kosovo. Breathing dust containing deplete uranium could have health effects for generations. Military officials have been slow to acknowledge the danger to our own soldiers and to the civilian population. Rep. Jim McDermott (WA) has introduced legislation, HR 1483, requiring studies on the health and environmental impact of depleted uranium munitions.
Contact your representative and urge him/her to support this study.
For contact information:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/SAVE THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT!
The Voting Rights Act (VRA) has been our biggest line of defense
against voter discrimination for 40 years. Because of the VRA,
millions of minority voters are able to come to the polls each
year knowing that their vote will be counted.
But unless Congress acts soon, several key provisions will
expire that help prevent discrimination against minority voters.
You can help protect 40 years of progress in civil rights by
signing this petition today urging Congress to reauthorize the
Voting Rights Act!
------------------------------------------------------------
Please sign the petition located at the following URL:
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/casc_vra_petition/Sign this petition either via email (please see directions
below) or via the web at:
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/casc_vra_petition/ueg6eb41767d65?OPPOSE EXPANSION OF THE PATRIOT ACT
There are significant flaws in the Patriot Act, flaws that threaten your fundamental freedoms by giving the government the power to access to your medical records, tax records, information about the books you buy or borrow without probable cause, and the power to break into your home and conduct secret searches without telling you for weeks, months, or indefinitely.
Some of these flawed provisions are set to expire at the end of the year. But President Bush wants to make them permanent, and the House and Senate have been holding hearings in preparation for votes that are expected this June and July.
Urge your Members of Congress to oppose expansion of the Patriot Act.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5052309,00.htmlTELL CONGRESS TO SHUT DOWN GUANTANAMO (From Center for Constitutional Rights)
It's time to shut down the prison camp at Guantánamo Bay once and for all. Guantánamo has become a symbol world-wide of the Bush Administration's arrogant disregard for the most basic of human rights. In a hard-hitting editorial on Sunday, June 5, The New York Times wrote: "The best thing Washington can now do about this national shame is to shut it down. It is a propaganda gift to America's enemies; an embarrassment to our allies; a damaging repudiation of the American justice system; and a highly effective recruiting tool for Islamic radicals, including future terrorists."*
Please write your representatives in Congress and the members of the Senate Judiciary and Foreign Relations committees and tell them to shut down Guantánamo and either try the remaining 540 detainees in a court of law or release them.
The Center for Constitutional Rights has led the fight against the detentions at Guantánamo Bay. From the day the government made clear they planned to ship prisoners there to keep them beyond the reach of law, indefinitely, and without any chance to challenge their detention or know the charges against them, CCR has fought for the detainees to have their day in court. CCR won the fight in the Supreme Court one year ago and is leading a team of more than 350 attorneys from around the country representing the detainees in the courts, but the Bush Administration has defied the ruling of the highest court in the land and stonewalled detainees' access to the courts and to counsel.
…In response to increasing documentation of abuse and the now admitted intentional desecration of the Koran, Senator Arlen Spector (R-Pennsylvania) will be holding hearings in June on the treatment of the detainees, and Senator Joseph Biden, (D-Delaware), who has just called for Guantánamo to be shut down, has proposed an independent commission to investigate the situation. CCR has long called for an independent special prosecutor with the power to prosecute the human rights abuses being committed in our name as Americans. And now we're calling for the immediate closing of the Guantánamo prison camp.
To find out more about Guantánamo and CCR's other cases go to www.ccr-ny.org
ASK FOR A SPECIAL COUNSEL ON HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES (From Amnesty International)
If you've seen the news over the last week, you know about the release of Amnesty International's Annual Report and our criticisms of human rights abuses by the U.S. government in Guantánamo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other detention camps around the world. You may have heard me on NPR or seen me on CNN, NBC, or Hardball.
We've exposed widespread abuses. Now we need your help to build momentum for an independent commission and appointment of a Special Counsel to investigate fully what happened in these detention centers and hold anyone responsible accountable.
PLEASE CLICK HERE:
http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=760754&l=13300MAD COW USA: STOP THE MADNESS
(From Organic Consumers Association)
The OCA and the Center for Media and Democracy will be staging a press conference and "Mad Cow Milkshake Demonstration" outside a USDA PR event in St. Paul Minnesota on June 9. While USDA national head Mike Johanns tells a carefully selected audience of beef industry boosters at the University of Minnesota that all is well with the USDA's "Don't Look, Don't Test" policy on Mad Cow Disease, consumer and farmer representatives outside will graphically demonstrate how American cattle on non-organic farms are still being fed cow blood, slaughterhouse waste, and poultry manure--practices banned in Europe and Japan because they spread Mad Cow Disease. OCA will also call attention to the fact that the USDA is still refusing to test all animals at slaughter, despite repeated pleas by American consumers and the overseas customers for U.S. Beef. In addition, the USDA has threatened to arrest and jail U.S. meat producers and ranchers if they dare to contract with leading Mad Cow detection labs and start to do their own testing. The OCA will be delivering "Stop the Madness" petition signatures to USDA Secretary Johanns this week, so please sign now!
http://www.organicconsumers.org/madcow/MadCowRelease060605.htmSTOP THE MAKE CONGRESS MORE CORRUPT BILL (From Public Campaign Action Fund)
The Republican-led Congress is trying to do away with the limit on the total amount of contributions to federal candidates so that wealthy donors can donate up to a million dollars in support of their preferred candidate. That's outrageous. It'll make Congress more corrupt and less accountable to us.
Guess who supports it? Tom DeLay, the Republican Majority Leader.
The "Make Congress More Corrupt" bill would give the wealthy and well-connected the ability to elect who they wanted. Politicians would spend their time collecting large checks from a small handful of donors, and no time talking to you.
If you think Congress doesn't listen to you now, think about what would happen if Republicans succeeded with their proposal to allow virtually unlimited donations.
http://ga3.org/campaign/makecongressmorecorrupt/step1.tclCONGRESS IS THREATENING YOUR HEALTHCARE! (From Act For Change)
There's a bill in Congress that's received scant attention, but it could undermine efforts around the country to make health insurance more affordable and more widely available.
Click here to take action!
Congress is trying to create a "new" kind of federal health insurance called Association Health Plans. But AHPs are really healthcare that hurts. AHPs mean no protection, no guarantee and no limits on price. They will be exempt from health and consumer protection laws you have in your state. We need to do something about healthcare, but AHPs will make things worse.
· They will be able to raise your rates, as much as and as often as they want. You could face frequent rate hikes because you get sick and file a claim.
· They will take away your right to appeal. Right now, in most states, you have the right to appeal if health insurers refuse to pay your bill, but you won't with AHPs.
· They may not be there to pay your claims. You could get stuck with the bills, because AHPs won't have to keep enough money in the bank to cover your medical expenses.
Only you can stop them. Protect Your Healthcare, a broad alliance that includes the American Federation of Teachers, the AFL-CIO, the American Nurses Association and the National Partnership for Women and Families, is committed to fighting AHPs - and they need your voice now.
Take action today! Sign this petition to stop Congress from creating AHPs - healthcare that hurts.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/590261171?z00m=24668&z00m=24668<l=1118356682SAVE OUR OCEANS (From Senator Barbara Boxer):
Yesterday I introduced S. 1224, the "National Oceans Preservation Act of 2005," critical legislation to improve the health and governance of our oceans.
The beauty and wonder of our oceans should be a cause for celebration -- something that our children and grandchildren should have a chance to enjoy and cherish.
Instead, our oceans are facing grave threats from over-fishing, invasive species, and pollution. In fact, two independent commissions have found oceans to be in a state of crisis. My legislation, co-sponsored by Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, meets these challenges head-on by adopting a comprehensive national approach to oceans management that will protect marine wildlife and habitat, strengthen fisheries, and reduce pollution.
But I need your help to protect our oceans. Please contact your Senators, urging them to co-sponsor S.1224, the "National Oceans Preservation Act of 2005!"
All Americans should be able to unite to protect our oceans and the communities and ecosystems they support. By reaching out to your friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues, you can help us build the grassroots support we desperately need to get the job done -- for our children, grandchildren, and generations to come.
Please urge your Senators to co-sponsor this critical legislation now -- and then invite all of your friends, family neighbors and colleagues to join in our cause!
http://ga4.org/campaign/saveouroceans/dkskdi4l55x6ew?INTERNET UNDER ATTACK IN CONGRESS
A bill just introduced in the House could destroy universal, affordable Internet access everywhere.
The “Preserving Innovation in Telecom Act” (H.R. 2726) would let big cable and telecom companies shut down Community Internet and municipal broadband projects being planned across the country.
The bill would prevent state or local governments from providing “any telecommunications service, information service or cable service” anywhere a corporation offers a similar service.
This outrageous legislation was introduced by Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) — a former SBC executive — and is a blatant effort by the telecom and cable companies to cement their monopoly control of communications at the expense of innovation, competition, and local choice.
We need your help to stop H.R. 2726. Please send a letter to your representative now.
http://www.freepress.net/action/sessionsbillSAVE OUR WATERWAYS (From the League of Conservation Voters)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is about to relax restrictions on dumping sewage into our waterways. The new policy would allow sewage with no biological treatment into our lakes, rivers, streams and coastal waters. This kind of treatment is intended to kill pathogens and remove toxic chemicals. But exposure to the bacteria and viruses in such polluted waterways can be life-threatening. Use this link to take action now!
http://action.lcv.org/campaign/sewage01/6k3b37205jwbtt?
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