FYI. Best, Munsup

P.S. Please reply back to me with ‘unsubscribe’ added on the subject line if you no longer want to receive
my e-Newsletters. The convenient link to unsubscribe is no longer available due to security reasons.
P.P.S. "He who dares not offend cannot be honest" - Thomas Paine
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

· FW: Vote Yes, No, Yes on Ohio Issues 1, 2, 3

· FW: Important Information About Issue 2

· FW: Dispelling the Model Minority Myth: A Message from LEAP’s President and CEO

· FW: Four free short films to educate about climate solutions

· FW: SIGN THE PETITION: I pay my taxes. Corporations should too.

· FW: The Invisible Black Republican

· FW: From Ferguson to Gaza

· FW: DOJ creates new position to fight domestic terrorism; praises SPLC efforts

· FW: On the Transpacific Partnership

· FW: Sign the petition: Force Congress to choose--the NRA or the American public?

· FW: ZERO COLA next year and some in DC say that is TOO much

· FW: The Tea Party that won't end

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Christine Link; Executive Director, ACLUOhio
Subject: Vote Yes, No, Yes on Ohio Issues 1, 2, 3

Ohioans have an unprecedented opportunity to defend their civil liberties in the upcoming November election by voting yes on Issue 1, no on Issue 2, and yes on Issue 3.

Issue 1 calls for redistricting reform to ensure legislative maps are drawn more fairly and Ohioans have a true say in who represents them. Vote yes.
Issue 2 would make it very difficult for Ohioans to get initiatives on the ballot. Vote no.
Issue 3 would legalize marijuana in our state, and provide us with an extraordinary opportunity to strike a blow to the War on Drugs and stop the misery and injustice of mass incarceration. Vote yes.

I urge you to learn more about these important ballot issues and vote yes, no, yes on 1, 2, 3. Also, be sure to visit the ACLU Vote Center to check out our “Three-Step Voting Guide” and early voting opportunities.

Stay on Top of Your Rights!
Sign up for the ACLU of Ohio blog
for the latest civil liberty insights sent to your inbox three times a week.

From: SPAN Ohio
Subject: Important Information About Issue 2

Important Information About Issue 2

The Executive Board of SPAN Ohio has voted to oppose Issue 2. Issue 2 masquerades as a protection against monopolies, but the hidden language that is not talked about is the real danger in the issue.

Issue 2 would make a citizen's initiative almost impossible. If passed, Issue 2 would make every vote on an initiative a two-stage process. The first hurdle would be this ballot language - this express wording, asking the voter whether he/she wishes to vote into law something that violates the Constitution! Surely that is a guarantee that there would never, ever be passage of a constitutional amendment! Only if this hurdle is passed, would you be able to vote on the proposal itself.

There is concern that this would not only prohibit the marijuana proposal (Issue 3), but could also affect initiatives involving constitutional protections of civil rights, community rights, labor rights and, of course, a single payer health care plan.

Our friends at Common Cause Ohio sum it up very well:

Issue 2 is a poison pill for direct democracy in Ohio. While pretending to stop monopolies, Issue 2’s real impact would be to give Ohio’s ballot board the power to kill any initiative it dislikes. Issue 2 would therefore undermine direct democracy in Ohio, taking power away from the People and giving it to the partisan politician-bureaucrats on Ohio’s ballot board.

Ohio’s citizen’s initiative is an essential component of our constitutional system. It gives ordinary citizens a voice, allowing them to enact laws that serve the public interest when incumbent politicians won’t. It’s no surprise that some of the most important political reforms in our nation’s history have been adopted through the citizen’s initiative. Oftentimes these initiatives are opposed by career politicians, even though they serve the public interest.

No one likes a monopoly, least of all Common Cause. But to understand the harm that Issue 2 would do to direct democracy in Ohio, you need to read its fine print. A careful reading shows that it’s not actually limited to monopolies. Issue 2 would apply to initiatives that create a “monopoly, oligopoly, or cartel, specify or determine a tax rate, or confer a commercial interest, commercial right, or commercial license to any person, nonpublic entity, or group of persons or nonpublic entities, or any combination thereof, however organized, that is not then available to other similarly situated persons or public entities.” The key terms aren’t defined anywhere in the measure, so it’s precise meaning and application is anyone’s guess.

Issue 2 also suffers from sloppy draftsmanship. Most notably, it’s not clear what the limiting clause at the end of the sentence above (starting with “to any person…”) refers to. Does it apply only to the phrase “commercial interest, commercial right, or commercial license, “or to everything that precedes it? The last antecedent canon of construction would suggest that it’s only the former. If that’s correct, then the initiative would bar a wide range of measures, possibly anything that affects anyone’s tax rate. But it’s hard to know exactly how this broad and vague language will be construed.

Issue 2’s careless language isn’t even the worst part of it. Buried deep in Issue 2 is language expressly gives the ballot board the power – apparently unreviewable power – to decide whether an initiative meets its nebulous standard. Issue 2 says that if “in the opinion of the Ohio ballot board” this standard is satisfied, that board shall brand the initiative a “monopoly” (among other things) on the ballot. We can be confident that any initiative so branded will be defeated -- whether or not it actually creates a monopoly. Who after all will vote for an initiative with such scary-sounding language? This is a scarlet letter that the ballot board can manipulate to exclude any initiative of which it disapproves.

And here’s the kicker: the italicized language seems to foreclose judicial review. If it’s left to “the opinion of the Ohio ballot board” to determine which initiatives get the scarlet letter, there would seem to be no authority in the courts to remove this fatal brand. This is perhaps the most devious feature of Issue 2. Its gives our highly partisan ballot board – no stranger to political controversy -- a silent veto of citizens initiatives. That’s directly contrary to the core purpose of the initiative.

No one likes a monopoly. But that’s not really what Issue 2 is about. Issue 2 would give Ohio’s partisan ballot board a poison pill with which to kill citizens initiatives it opposes. Because Issue 2 would undermine direct democracy while empowering Ohio’s hyperpartisan ballot board, Common Cause urges Ohioans to vote No on 2.

Common Cause and SPAN Ohio take no position on Issue 3.

We join with Common Cause in urging a NO vote on 2.

From: Linda Akutagawa; President and CEO, Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP)
Subject: Dispelling the Model Minority Myth: A Message from LEAP’s President and CEO

Dispelling the Model Minority Myth:
A Message from LEAP’s President and CEO

On Sunday, Nicholas Kristof wrote an op-ed, “The Asian Advantage”, for the New York Times generalizing Asian Americans as the model minority and writing that “Asian-Americans are disproportionately stars in American schools, and even in American society as a whole.” He focuses on Asian American exceptionalism by citing aggregate statistics about the Asian American community, US Census data showing higher overall educational attainment and median household income for Asian Americans, and excerpts from The Asian American Achievement Paradox.

Kristof, like many before him, continues to sustain the stereotypical notion that the traditional values of Asian Americans create quiet, hardworking high achievers with overbearing Confucian parents. This completely misses the reality that, like other groups, Asian Americans are diverse and face inequity, bias, and discrimination. Kristoff is adding to a long debated conversation about the model minority in media that began in the 1980s and continues in The Economist earlier this month and even on CNN Money this morning.

In response to Kristof’s article, Christopher Kang, National Director of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), points out through an infograph created by Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP) that less than 3% of the leadership of the nation’s top for-profit and non-profit groups is Asian American. LEAP is a proud member of NCAPA and the infograph summarizes research from LEAP’s Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Board Representation Research. LEAP began this research in 2009 to dispel the myth that Asian Americans had achieved the American dream and were over represented in positions of leadership. Often times when advocating for leadership at all levels and in all sectors, LEAP was asked to present data to prove there was a “bamboo ceiling” and should be included in diverse talent pipelines. At the time, there was very little data available, so LEAP took the initiative to create that data and partner with the Alliance for Board Diversity to ensure that women and minority communities would not be divided and positioned against one another.

Research Infograph 112114

The research showed that despite being the fastest growing minority group, and a vital part of the nation’s talent pipeline, Asian Americans remain one of the least represented groups in leadership roles. Representation of Asian Americans on Fortune 100 Boards show that despite the business and economic clout of the group, Asian Americans remain absent from corporate boards. Furthermore, a whopping 80.4% of the Fortune 500 companies lack Asian representation in their boardrooms.

Across industries and sectors, Asian Americans continue to be underrepresented in leadership roles, including nonprofit boards and foundation boards. Asian American representation on the top 100 nonprofit boards shows that despite the fact that 47 of these nonprofits have Asian American representation on their boards, it represents merely 2.55% of the total board seats. Furthermore, with the continuously growing need for segments of the Asian American community to gain greater access to services supported by large grant making foundations, Asian Americans continue to remain largely absent from the decision making tables of foundation boards.

However, it is not enough to look at representation at the board level. It is also key to work with companies and organizations to create stronger pipelines so that there are qualified confident Asian American leaders ready to step into those roles. For the past three years, LEAP has worked with the Asia Society as their knowledge partner for their annual 2015 Asian Pacific American Corporate Survey, a national benchmarking study aimed to fill a critical knowledge gap relating to the growth, development and advancement of Asian Pacific American employees and the opportunities and challenges that Asian American employees face in Fortune 500 companies.

As President and CEO of LEAP, I believe that, for Asian Americans to be seen as three-dimensional, we need to continue to challenge, question, and educate those who seek to box us in and make us one-dimensional model minorities. We also need to continue to seek out diverse partners and allies to ensure that division amongst marginalized communities does not allow for continued inequalities.

From: Alexandra Hart; Online Team, People For the American Way
Subject: Care about climate change? Take this simple pledge:

We’re excited to bring you one more way to amplify your voice as an activist by being part of this dynamic partner petition about the Divest-Invest movement.

Whether you're a thousandaire, millionaire, or have a couple dollars in your pocket, you can be among tens of thousands of people standing up to the fossil fuel economy.

Simply make the personal pledge to DIVEST from the fossil fuel industry and INVEST in our clean energy future.

Read the pledge and add your name now>>

You might have read about Shell’s recent abandonment of plans to drill for oil off the coast of Alaska. A big part of that move was that investors simply dried up.

Fossil fuel divestment and clean energy investment is a rapidly growing movement. In just the last few weeks, high-profile celebrity activists like Mark Ruffalo and Leonardo DiCaprio have divested. And various institutions and leaders have pledged to move their money -- over $2.6 trillion and counting -- out of fossil fuels and into clean energy solutions.

Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York is even now taking steps to begin moving the pension fund investments of America's largest city out of dirty fossil fuels and into clean energy.

Join the movement -- take the pledge today>>

From: Karen Tracy
Subject: Four free short films to educate about climate solutions

When you click the link and go to the bottom of the page, there are links to four short (8 minute) films which help to educate about climate change and climate SOLUTIONS!.

http://www.greenworldrising.org/#!ep4-restoration

A project of Thom Hartman and Leonardo Di Caprio

From: Moonyoung, along with Annie, Eddie, Emma, Kelsey, Laura, Lindsay, Paul, Scottie, and Tim (the Courage team), Courage Campaign
Subject: SIGN THE PETITION: I pay my taxes. Corporations should too.

SIGN THE PETITION to tell Congress: "I pay my fair share of taxes. Corporations should too."

Over 70% of Fortune 500 companies have $2.1 TRILLION in profits stashed offshore -- most of it in offshore tax havens -- and they’re not being taxed for it.(1) That leaves you and me to make up the difference. How absurd is that?!

We’ve joined with over a dozen organizations to be more powerful than ever and tell Congress that it’s time to stop rewarding companies that ship jobs and stash profits offshore to avoid paying taxes here at home.

JOIN US to tell Congress to make tax-dodging corporations pay their fair share of taxes.

Corporations spend millions of dollars on lobbyists to work behind the scenes in Washington and make sure their tax bill is a small fraction of what they owe. As a result, corporations dodge roughly $600 BILLION in federal income taxes on their offshore profits!(2)

Just imagine what we could do with the $600 billion that giant corporations owe right now. Make college affordable and pay down crushing student debt. Rebuild crumbling roads and bridges. Research new medical cures. Revitalize public education and more.

CLICK HERE to tell Congress to reform our broken corporate tax laws and make corporations pay what they owe.

It’s time big corporations paid their fair share. You and I do. Sign on here.
Thank you for taking on Big Money,

p.s. Want to make sure corporations are held accountable? Donating $5 or more today will give our small and dedicated team the resources we need to keep up the fight to make sure corporations pay their fair share of taxes.

Like what we do? Chip in to help fund the fight for a more progressive nation. Or find us on Facebook or Twitter.

From: Raynard Jackson
Subject: The Invisible Black Republican

The Invisible Black Republican

October 12, 2015
By Raynard Jackson, Columnist

I have been asking and will continue to ask, where are the Black Republicans? Race will be one of the top issues in the 2016 elections and none of our presidential campaigns have any Blacks in the media representing their respective campaigns.

Why in the hell do Republicans continue to have white staffers try to address racial issues within the Black community? Are these campaigns really that stupid?

Black Republicans have absolutely no presence in the media when it comes to representing any official Republican entity: RNC, House Campaign Committee, Senatorial Committee, presidential campaigns, Republican Governor’s Association, etc.

The response I constantly get is that “they” can only “pitch” Blacks to various media outlets; but they can’t make a CNN or MSNBC put Black Republicans on the air. Factually, this is a true statement; they can’t make a news network do anything.

My response is very simple, if these Republican communications staffers can’t get the job done; then they should be fired. Each of these entities has their own internal PR/communications staff and has proven to be totally incompetent when it comes to Black surrogates.

Can you imagine a private sector company retaining a PR firm to place their employees in various media outlets and they came to you and told you they couldn’t get your employees placed? You would fire them immediately and get a new firm who will get the job done.

Where are people like Sean Moss? He served as regional administrator for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under George W. Bush. He should be all over the media discussing the disastrous decline of Black home ownership under the Obama administration.

Where is Allegra McCullough? She served as regional administration for the Small Business Administration (SBA) under George W. Bush. She should be all over the media highlighting how loans to Black business went from 8% under Bush to 1.8% under Obama.

Where is Bob Brown? He was the highest serving Black in the Nixon administration and a personal confidant of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and former South African president Nelson Mandela. He should be all over the media discussing civil and voting rights; after all, he was at the table during these discussions in the 1960s.

Where is Bob Woodson? He worked with former congressman Jack Kemp when he was secretary of HUD for former president George H.W. Bush. He should be all over the media talking about Ferguson and Baltimore since he works in inner city communities all across the country with stunning success.

Where is Shannon Reeves? He’s a former RNC staffer, former congressional candidate, lifetime member of the NAACP and a former board member, and finishing his PhD in political statistics. He should be all over the media talking about voting and civil rights. He also should be working within the party on data metrics for the Black community.

These are just a few people that come to mind immediately. So to my Republican friends, I am quite tired of you telling me that you can’t find or don’t know any Blacks you can hire.

To Republicans who are paid to do communications within various party entities listed above, if you can’t get “real” Black surrogates in various media forums; simply man-up and resign because you are not up to the job.

Republicans will not win next year’s presidential election without getting more than the usual 9% of the Black vote. Blacks are totally disillusioned with Obama and the Democrats; but unfortunately Republicans have continued to ignore the Black community.

I have presented Republicans many opportunities to speak directly to the Black community via radio, TV, and newspapers; but their all white staffers continue to see no value in engaging with the Black community; and unfortunately, many of the few Black staffers feel the same way.

Do Republicans not understand how out of touch they look showing up at a Black church with an all-white staff or showing up at the National Urban League’s annual conference with not one Black on staff?

I’ve said it once and I will say it a thousand times, how can you seek to be president of the United States and not have any Blacks on your staff? How is it even remotely fathomable in the 21^st century for me to have to continue to write about the lack of diversity within the Republican Party?

But just as distressing is the silence of Black Republicans who are too afraid to voice publically what they constantly voice to me privately. What exactly are they afraid of? Losing their low level job? Or not being patted on the head and told “that’er boy?”

I want to win the elections next year and if I have to continue to criticize my party until they heed my advice; then look for more columns like this. When will Republicans learn that they can’t win elections by only appealing to white voters? Mathematically it is not possible.

But at the same time, don’t just go out there and hire a couple of Black twenty year olds who don’t have the necessary experience or institutional knowledge to know who the relevant Black Republicans are. Most party leaders and Black staffer have no idea who the people I listed above are.

Republicans should be embarrassed that they have to be chided into doing what’s in their own best interest. But Black Republicans should also be embarrassed for being so silent and invisible on this issue.

Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC is an internationally recognized political consulting, government affairs, and PR firm based in Washington, DC. Jackson is an internationally recognized radio talk show host and TV commentator. He has coined the phrase “straticist.” As a straticist, he has merged strategic planning with public relations. Visit his website at: www.raynardjackson.com.

From: Cecilie Surasky; Deputy Director, Jewish Voice for Peace
Subject: From Ferguson to Gaza

For decades, the lives of millions of Palestinians have been marked by daily confrontation with the institutional violence of occupation, displacement, and discrimination. The dehumanization of Palestinian lives is so commonplace that daily deaths or injuries at the hands of the Israeli military barely warrant comment in the media.

But a different kind of violence has emerged these past days, fueled by the escalation of settler and government provocations, an increasingly brutal occupation, and hopelessness in response to an empty peace process.

Frustrated Palestinians without political ties, many of them teenagers, have attacked Jewish Israeli civilians, mostly with knives. Some 30 Palestinians and seven Jewish Israelis have been killed in this upsurge. Racist Jewish mobs have repeatedly marched through the streets of Jerusalem, chanting “Death to Arabs”, sometimes attacking those who appear to be Palestinian. East Jerusalem is now in lockdown, and over 1,000 people, mostly Palestinian, have been attacked.

While fear, death, and family heartbreak are a daily part of Palestinian life, today they are part of all lives in Israel and Palestine. We deeply mourn the loss of all lives, and know that this violence will not end until the conditions of oppression that created it also end.

The only way forward for all people is a future of equality and freedom that includes Palestinians.

In this heartbreaking moment, we draw inspiration from this new groundbreaking video, a Black-Palestinian collaboration that points the way forward through joint struggle against state sanctioned violence and dehumanization, and towards equality and freedom.

Please share it with everyone you know.

Watch Black and Palestinian activists—including Ms. Lauryn Hill, Danny Glover, DAM, Omar Barghouti, Alice Walker, Angela Davis, Yousef Erakat, Annemarie Jacir, Boots Riley, Dr. Cornel West, and many others— identify how state violence, structural racism, dehumanization, and the globalization of the technology of control connects us all, from Gaza to Ferguson, Charleston to Bethlehem.

This video is a joint project of the Dream Defenders, Black Youth Project, the DC Palestinian Film and Arts Festival, the Institute for Middle East Understanding, the Arab Studies Institute, and Jewish Voice for Peace.

From: Richard Cohen; President, Southern Poverty Law Center; FIGHTING HATE // TEACHING TOLERANCE // SEEKING JUSTICE
Subject: DOJ creates new position to fight domestic terrorism; praises SPLC efforts

Today the Justice Department announced the creation of a new, high-level position to coordinate the fight against domestic terrorists like the white supremacist who killed nine African Americans in Charleston this summer.

The announcement came during a terrorism summit in Washington that we sponsored.

In his remarks, Assistant Attorney General John Carlin lauded the work we’ve been doing, saying the SPLC has a “long history of tracking and countering hate” and that our efforts “will continue to be critical.”

We’ve long been pushing the government to devote more resources to domestic terrorism.

So, we applaud the Justice Department and Attorney General Loretta Lynch for taking this important action.

As we documented in our report on “lone-wolf” terrorists prior to the Charleston attack, a domestic terrorism incident occurs about once a month – and most are motivated by white supremacist or other radical-right beliefs.

We’re committed to fighting hate, and we’ll do everything we can to help law enforcement at every level combat potential terrorists.

From: Karen Tracy
Subject: On the Transpacific Partnership:

Here's some informative humor (sorry he uses bad language) but Lee Camp is great and people learn alot about tough issues in a humorous way, from him. On the same channel RT.COM is Thom Hartmann's conversations with Great Minds, and Oksana's World's Apart, and Watching the Hawks. Lee Camp is the humorist.

On the Transpacific Partnership:

https://www.rt.com/shows/redacted-tonight-summary/318189-corporate-world-order-refugees/

From: Monique Teal, Daily Kos
Subject: Sign the petition: Force Congress to choose--the NRA or the American public?

The National Rifle Association’s grip on Congress means that it’s impossible for any gun control bills to get a vote. It means politicians who are in the NRA’s pocket can continue to prioritize the NRA over their constituents, and continue to do nothing to end the epidemic of gun violence in America.

But there is one way to force a vote on gun control. Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi can use a parliamentary tactic called a "discharge petition" to force a vote on a gun control package, even if pro-NRA politicians in the House refuse to act.

Sign the petition from CREDO and Daily Kos to Democratic Leader Pelosi: File a discharge petition that would force an up-or-down vote on gun control legislation.

With the current chaos in the House, there’s already a Republican effort to use a discharge petition to force a vote on an issue that has stalled in the House Financial Services Committee. The recognition, even among Republicans, that the House is in a state of near-dysfunction indicates that Democrats could potentially leverage a discharge petition to force Republicans to move on this issue.

Even if we don’t win an up-or-down vote, we can use a discharge petition to force a vote in the House and force members of Congress to pick a side. They can either stand with the American people who are ready to take action to reduce gun violence in America or they can stand with the NRA.

Sign the petition from CREDO and Daily Kos to Democratic Leader Pelosi: File a discharge petition that would force an up-or-down vote on gun control legislation.

Paid for by CREDO.

From: Alex Lawson; Executive Director, Social Security Works
Subject: ZERO COLA next year and some in DC say that is TOO much,

Today they made it official: There will be no Cost of Living Adjustment to Social Security benefits next year.

As if that's not bad enough, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is saying that benefits are still too high! He's promising not to increase the debt ceiling unless cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are implemented--the same cuts that have been rejected time and again. If McConnell gets his way, zero COLAs would become the norm.

Tell Mitch McConnell that Social Security is not a hostage or bargaining chip. It is a beloved program, which supports millions of retirees, children, surviving spouses, and people with disabilities. At a time when there will be no COLA in 2016, we must be expanding, not cutting Social Security!

Social Security Works' President, Nancy Altman, is participating in an online video session today at 3pm (Eastern time), in which she will be discussing the implications of today's COLA announcement, particularly as it relates to Medicare premium increases. Click here to register, and we'll send you a link to participate just before the session begins!

We've stopped these cuts before, and together, we can do it again.



		CNN is reporting that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is planning on holding Social Security and Medicare hostage in upcoming debt ceiling debates. We’ve heard these threats before—but that doesn’t make them any less dangerous. In just a few weeks – on November 5 – the Federal Government will run out of money to pay its debts unless Congress raises the debt limit. And Majority Leader McConnell is pledging to not raise the debt limit unless the president and members of Congress agree to deep cuts to our earned benefits. This hostage-taking comes just as the Social Security Administration is expected to announce tomorrow that there will be no cost of living adjustment (or COLA) in 2016. That’s right—The Social Security COLA will be zero, and the Senate Majority Leader thinks that’s STILL too high. Tell Mitch McConnell that Social Security is not a hostage or bargaining chip. It is a beloved program, which supports millions of retirees, children, surviving spouses, and people with disabilities. At a time when there will be no COLA in 2016, we must be expanding, not cutting Social Security! With the looming debt ceiling debate as well as budget negotiations to keep the government running, we must make sure that Congress is listening to the American people. They must know that 79% of likely voters – Republicans, Democrats and Independents – want to see Social Security benefits expanded, not cut. They must know that more than half of households 55 and older have zero retirement savings and that two-thirds of retirees depend on Social Security for the majority of their income. Please, stand with Social Security Works today and tell Mitch McConnell that Social Security is not a hostage or bargaining chip. We must expand, not cut Social Security!

	Paid for and Authorized by Social Security Works

From: Michael Keegan; President, People For the American Way
Subject: (Supporter Update) The Tea Party that won't end

The Republican Party is still in a tailspin after Speaker John Boehner was forced out by the unmeetable demands of extremists in his House majority, and then the heir apparent Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California took himself out of the running for the job … and it seems that no one in their right mind would want the job.

The Tea Party monster that Republicans created has completely consumed the party and now, with a base that will never be satisfied, a GOP agenda that is as unpopular as it is extreme is being accented by a surreal level of tantrum-throwing, obstruction, and the party's complete inability to govern. Yet somehow, because they control Congress and the majority of states and are backed by unlimited big money now allowed in our elections, the threat that the GOP could win the White House, keep control of Congress, and move the Supreme Court even farther to the right for a generation remains real and present.

In contrast to that, here are some updates and a quick rundown of just some of our work over the last two weeks.

GOP 2016 Primary

On Saturday, Marco Rubio spoke at a forum sponsored by the Koch brothers’ massive Latino outreach project, the LIBRE Initiative. We released information to the press on both Rubio’s and LIBRE’s record and placed online ads targeting those covering the event. We’re vigorously fighting back against LIBRE and the other well-funded right-wing efforts to obscure Republicans’ dismal record on issues important to Latino voters, and will continue to do so through Election Day.

Earlier this month when news broke of a horrific mass shooting in Oregon, Jeb Bush took it in stride, and told an interviewer on Friday that although the shooting was “very sad,” it didn’t require government action.

“Look,” he said, “stuff happens, there’s always a crisis, and the impulse is always to do something, and it’s not necessarily the right thing to do.”

The “stuff happens” line was eerily reminiscent of an earlier Bush administration…

I published an op-ed about it that you can read here>>

Getting Big Money Out of Elections

Thousands of PFAW activists took action to make sure that money in politics -- and the need to overturn decisions like Citizens United -- was an issue discussed at the debate. And, as you probably saw, despite a lack of questions on the topic, it was a recurring theme. For example, Jim Webb kicked off the debate by acknowledging that “people are disgusted with the way that money has corrupted our political process” and Bernie Sanders pointed out that “as a result of this disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision, our campaign finance system is corrupt and is undermining American democracy.”

PFAW members have also been leading the way in New Hampshire, a frontline state in the movement to overturn decisions like Citizens United and restore Government By the PEOPLE. Despite tremendous efforts by PFAW volunteers and other pro-democracy activists in that state, a New Hampshire House committee this week punted an anti-Citizens United bill, that would make NH the 17th state calling for a constitutional amendment to overturn that and similar decisions, to the next legislative session with a vote for “interim study.” We’ll have another opportunity though, when the bill, which already passed unanimously in the state Senate, will be considered by the full House at the beginning of January.

PFAW’s campaign coordinator on the ground there, Lindsay Jakows, was quoted in the press calling the vote a "delay tactic" and vowed on behalf of PFAW and all of our supporters in New Hampshire to keep fighting for the bill.

And I wrote a letter to the editor of USA Today that was published in the paper this week responding to a wrongheaded and dishonest column about the movement to overturn cases like Citizens United.

The letter states:

“When wealthy interests with billion dollar megaphones can drown out the voices of everyone else, what kind of political debate is that? Those pushing to overturn decisions such as Citizens United are working to ensure that everyone can meaningfully participate in our democracy, not just wealthy special interests.”
You can read the whole letter here>>

New Right Wing Watch In Focus Report Uncovers
the Story Behind Planned Parenthood Smear Campaign

Three years ago, a young activist named David Daleiden walked into the offices of the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue in Wichita, Kansas, with a plan to take down legal abortion in America by accusing Planned Parenthood of illegally selling fetal tissue for profit.

Troy Newman, the head of Operation Rescue, explained the meeting this way in an interview with Religious Right broadcaster Jerry Newcombe:

The genesis happened three years ago in my office in Wichita, Kansas, where we discussed the fact that we already knew that Planned Parenthood was breaking the law in trafficking in human organs after their abortions, and so we decided and set out to go ahead and expose that and create an investigative journalism organization that would embed ourselves into the abortion cartel and to catch them off-script.

Newman told Fox News that he and Daleiden “hit it off very, very well, and we began discussing all the various techniques he would have to use in order to infiltrate Planned Parenthood” …

Read the report: Operation Rescue’s Big Break: How an Organization Rooted in the Radical Fringes of the Anti-Choice Movement Is Threatening to Shut Down the Government>>

Supreme Court

Finally, on Monday, October 5, the first day of the Supreme Court’s new term, People For the American Way hosted a telebriefing for members offering analysis of some of this term’s cases and detailing what’s at stake for the future of the Court in the 2016 elections.
You can read about it and listen to audio from the call here>>

Thank you for your steadfast support and commitment to defending the American Way from Radical Right attacks’

End of MPEN e-Newsletter

peace

Friday, October 16, 2015

[mpen-dayton4] FW: "Vote Yes, No, Yes on Ohio Issues 1, 2, 3" & "FW: Care about climate change?" & "PETITION: I pay my taxes. Corporations should too" and more

Dispelling the Model Minority Myth:
A Message from LEAP’s President and CEO

0 Comments:

About Me

Previous Posts