Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Raise the retirement age to 70?

Dear MoveOn member,

Yesterday news broke that John Boehner, the Republican Leader in the House of Representatives, believes that Congress should raise the retirement age to 70 and cut Social Security so that we can finance the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

That's right: Boehner told a reporter that he thinks we should cut Social Security to pay for war.1 And later in the day, several other Republicans came out and agreed with him.2

The scary thing is: The way things are looking, Republicans could actually win enough seats this fall to put them in charge and make that vision a reality.

So we have to send a clear message to representatives in both parties and the media: If they plan on raising the retirement age to 70 next year, we're going to make sure they're out of work come November.

And we have a powerful way to do it—using photos. Can you take a moment to print out a sign making clear that you're against raising the retirement age to 70 and snap a quick photo of yourself with it? We'll deliver them to Congress and use them in online ads.

Everything you'll need is at this link:

http://pol.moveon.org/deficitcommission/photo_petition/?id=21483-10220574-dC6VYax&t=1


Photo of person holding signClick Here

We've done photo campaigns like this before and they are incredibly moving. The faces of everyday Americans who want to protect Social Security can make a really big impact on Congress and the media.

After you add your photo to the collection, pass this on to family and friends who want to be able to retire before they're 70 so they can do the same. Together, we can make it clear that Americans don't want to cut Social Security to finance wars.

Thanks for all you do.

–Nita, Daniel, Duncan, Amy, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Obama's good for GOP, Boehner says," Pittsburgh Tribune Review, June 29, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89245&id=21483-10220574-dC6VYax&t=4

2. "GOP shrugs over Boehner comment," Politico, June 29, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89246&id=21483-10220574-dC6VYax&t=5

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 30, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Visit Rep. McCarthy's office in Garden City

 

MoveOn members are dropping by local congressional offices to deliver copies of our Fight Washington Corruption pledge. Can you help out by visiting Rep. McCarthy's office in Garden City?

Click Here


In Memoriam

The thoughts of millions of MoveOn members go out to the family of Sen. Robert Byrd, who passed away last night. Sen. Byrd spoke out passionately against the Iraq War when many others were afraid to do so:  http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89228&id=21429-10220574-RZEAE_x&t=4
Dear MoveOn member,

Last week over 130,000 members endorsed the "Fight Washington Corruption" Pledge—our people-powered blueprint for reducing the influence of corporations and lobbyists.

The pledge contains 3 big ideas that would transform our democracy. We're launching a major campaign to make them a reality—and starting by getting members of Congress to sign on.  But that'll only happen if they know this matters to lots of their constituents. 

So MoveOn members are dropping by local congressional offices across the country to deliver copies of our Fight Washington Corruption pledge and ask every single member of Congress to sign on.

Can you help make it happen by delivering a copy of the pledge to Carolyn McCarthy's office in Garden City? It's easy to do, and we'll give you all the materials you need. 

Yes, I'll stop by Rep. McCarthy's office in Garden City.

Sorry, I can't do that.

It's really simple to visit your local congressional office. You don't even need an appointment—just stop by and ask to speak with someone about corporate influence in our democracy.

We'll give you a copy of the pledge to print out and a few suggested talking points to help guide your conversation. And don't worry, there's no need to be an expert on the specifics—you can let our people-powered pledge do all the talking. As a reminder, here's what it calls for:

  • Overturn Citizens United: Amend the Constitution to protect America from unlimited corporate spending on our elections by overturning the Supreme Court's decision giving corporations the same First Amendment rights as people.

  • Fair elections now: Pass the Fair Elections Now Act, providing public financing to candidates who are supported by small donors so they can compete with corporate-backed and self-funded candidates.
  • Lobbyist Reform Act: Pass legislation to end the overwhelming influence of corporate lobbyists by: prohibiting individuals from switching from corporate lobbying to government service, or vice-versa, within a 5-year period; stopping corporate lobbyists from giving gifts and providing free travel to government officials; and posting online the attendees and content of all meetings between lobbyists and government officials.

Members of Congress will be home later this week for the Fourth of July recess so it's critical that we act right now and make sure the Fight Washington Corruption pledge is the first thing they hear about when they get home. Can you help by visiting Rep. McCarthy's office?

Yes, I'll stop by Rep. McCarthy's office in Garden City.

Sorry, I can't do that.

Thanks for all you do.

–Ilyse, Duncan, Amy, Jeff, and the rest of the team

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 28, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Elmhurst vs. Corporate Lobbyists -- It starts Sunday

Elmhurst: Big Meeting on Sunday to take on Corporate Lobbyists

We've kicked off a massive effort to make democracy work for the 98% of us who don't have corporate lobbyists in Washington, D.C. We're launching a campaign in the Elmhurst area to make sure all candidates for Congress support concrete changes to fix our democracy. The details:

Host: Janine M. and your local MoveOn Council

Where: Terraza 7 Train Cafe (in Elmhurst)

When: Sunday, Jun. 27, 2010, at 6:00 PM


What: Big Insurance, Wall Street, and Big Oil have expensive lobbyists working everyday to kill progressive reforms. We've had enough. We're going to meet up to plan how we will put a stop to corporate corruption and elect leaders who will work for us here in New York.   


Can you make it to this community meeting?

Click here for more details and to RSVP:


I can come.


Sorry, I can't make it this time.

For more info and to find other events in your area, click here.

And don't worry, this email was sent through the MoveOn system, so your personal contact info is kept private.

 

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 25, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Results are in!!

Member Vote Results:

96% Agree

to endorse the Pledge 
To Fight Corruption in Washington.

Running a massive people-powered campaign to beat back corporate corruption in Washington will cost $90,000 per month. Can you contribute $15 per month build this campaign?


Dear MoveOn member,

A whopping 96% of MoveOn members voting decided to launch a major campaign to counter corporate corruption—centered on the following 3 point agenda we're calling the Fight Washington Corruption Pledge:

1. Overturning Citizens United

2. Public Financing for Fair Elections Now

3. Passing the Lobbyist Reform Act

Those three points together would give us a great start in making Washington work again for ordinary Americans and not just lobbyists and CEOs. 

But getting politicians to stand up to the pervasive influence of corporations like BP and Goldman Sachs won't be easy. If we're going to rewrite the rules to end corporate influence in Washington, we'll need a bigger, smarter people-powered campaign than we've ever run before—and that means all of us need to chip in.

The first step is to challenge congressional candidates to support these ideas. That will take skilled organizers supporting teams of volunteers in every congressional district, TV and radio ads to call out reps who oppose reform, and serious muscle to help elect those candidates who support our agenda.

All that will cost about $90,000 per month. There's no corporate cash, here. No big donors. Just you. And we'll need about 3 people donating in Inwood to get this campaign off the ground.

Can you chip in $15 per month to build this campaign? 

Yes, I'll chip in monthly.

Sorry, I can't make a monthly donation right now.

Right now, the rules are rigged in favor of big corporations. But we can change that.

Want clean energy? Funding to improve our schools? A public health insurance option? Protection from banks that are "too big to fail"? On every issue, the path to progress runs smack into an army of corporate lobbyists.

Tens of thousands of us took the first step, when we came together online to sift through hundreds of proposals for reducing corporate influence in Washington. The result—three big ideas that together we're calling the Pledge to Fight Washington Corruption—would dramatically transform our democracy.

Now comes the tough part—getting Congress to adopt these reforms. So, as soon as we have the funds, we're ready to enact our biggest grassroots organizing effort yet. We'll have volunteer teams across the country that will bring this pledge directly to every candidate and member of congress—and won't let up 'til they sign. They'll be backed up by skilled organizers and trainers.

All of this will rely primarily on volunteer power. But it'll also take money. And the faster we can raise it, the sooner we can start taking on the big corporations that have been blocking progress on so many issues. Can you give $15 per month and help us put the People back in charge in Washington? 

Yes, I'll chip in monthly: https://pol.moveon.org/donate/98_ratified_monthly.html?bg_id=hpc0&id=21310-10220574-padYqMx&t=5

Sorry, I can't make a monthly donation right now:https://pol.moveon.org/donate/98_ratified_nonmonth.html?bg_id=hpc0&id=21310-10220574-padYqMx&t=6

Thanks for all you do.

–Justin, Ilyse, Milan, Robin and the rest of the team

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 24, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Join us Saturday at Long Beach in Long Beach

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people will join hands at beaches across the country to draw a literal line in the sand to say "yes" to clean energy and "no" to more offshore drilling. There's an event Saturday at 11 am at Long Beach in Long Beach. Can you make it?


RSVP for your local event



Dear MoveOn member,

There's a huge event happening this weekend at a beach near you.

In the wake of the giant BP oil spill in the Gulf, tens of thousands of people are getting together on beaches around the world for a massive event called "Hands Across The Sand." And you can take part at an event right in Long Beach.

We'll join hands on Long Beach in Long Beach, making a literal line in the sand to say "no" to new offshore drilling and "yes" to clean energy. If enough of us join in, we can create a powerful visual display and send a strong message to Washington, DC.

Can you join us at Long Beach in Long Beach on Saturday at 11 am? Here's the link to RSVP:

http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=104888&id=21286-10220574-02QXoyx&t=3

This event is happening at a crucial time. With oil still gushing into the Gulf, wildlife devastated, and people's livelihoods torn apart, we need to stand up for clean energy NOW. And after President Obama's speech last week calling for an end to our addiction to oil, Congress is getting ready to push forward on a new energy bill.

But Big Oil lobbyists are trying to hijack this legislation to include—of all things—new offshore drilling and taxpayer handouts to Big Oil.1 We can't let that happen. And given how angry people are at BP right now, we can really push Congress to stand up to the Big Oil lobbyists—if enough of us get involved.

Hands Across the Sand was started by Dave Rauschkolb, a Florida small business owner, in October of 2009 and has grown into a huge, literally global movement. With the help of dozens of great organizations, there will be events in over 400 cities and 12 countries, including the U.S., Japan, India, and New Zealand.

As Dave says, "The image is powerful, the message simple. No to offshore oil drilling, yes to clean energy. We are drawing a line in the sand against offshore oil drilling along America's beaches and in solidarity events across America and around the world."

Hands Across The Sand could be the largest protest against offshore drilling in U.S. history. But to achieve that goal, we need you there. Can you join us at Long Beach in Long Beach at 11 a.m. this Saturday? Here's the link to RSVP:

http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=104888&id=21286-10220574-02QXoyx&t=4

Hope you can join us, and thanks again for all you do.

–Steven, Adam, Kat, Marika, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Enviros cringe as Senate committee approves energy bill," Grist, June 17, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=88994&id=21286-10220574-02QXoyx&t=5

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 23, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The results, after 1,650,000 votes

***OFFICIAL BALLOT***

Dear MoveOn member,

We've got a big decision to make together.

Over the last several days, thousands of us have been sifting through ideas for how to end corporate corruption of our democracy. The top ideas are combined into the slate below. 

Now we have to decide whether MoveOn should endorse this slate—and run a major grassroots campaign demanding that Congress pass this anti-corporate-corruption agenda into law.

If 2/3 of MoveOn members vote yes, we'll spend the next several months challenging candidates for Congress to pledge their support—and work to elect those who promise to go to DC and fight for this agenda. And of course we'll keep pushing after the election to make sure they keep their promise. If we don't reach the 66% mark, we'll focus on other projects.

Here's the winning slate:

  1. Overturn Citizens United: Amend the Constitution to protect America from unlimited corporate spending on our elections by overturning the Supreme Court's decision giving corporations the same First Amendment rights as people. 

  2. Fair Elections Now: Pass the Fair Elections Now Act, providing public financing to candidates who are supported by small donors so they can compete with corporate-backed and self-funded candidates.

  3. Lobbyist Reform Act: Pass legislation to end the overwhelming influence of corporate lobbyists by: prohibiting individuals from switching from corporate lobbying to government service, or vice-versa, within a 5-year period; stopping corporate lobbyists from giving gifts and providing free travel to government officials; and posting online the attendees and content of all meetings between lobbyists and government officials.

So, should MoveOn endorse this anti-corruption agenda, and work to get candidates and elected officials to support it?



Voting closes tomorrow at 9 pm EST.

This slate was put together by tens of thousands of MoveOn members and other progressive Americans. Working with The Other 98%—a new online movement to make democracy work for the 98% of us who DON'T have corporate lobbyists representing us in DC—we feel we've been able to capture the combined spirit and frustration in the final ideas above. (These three planks actually combine the top 6 ideas, after more than 1.5 million votes were cast. For example, the Lobbyist Reform Act combines three top-ranking ideas.)

If you vote yes, we'll add your personal endorsement to thousands of others, and make sure your representatives in Congress know you back these solutions. 

So please vote now.

This is an important choice. Reining in the influence of companies like BP and Goldman Sachs to put the people back in charge of our government is probably the most ambitious goal MoveOn has ever tackled. It'll take a major effort—electing true progressives and pushing legislation—over years—to win these solutions. But unless we start right away, we might never get there.

Please take a moment now to vote. Voting ends at 9 pm EST on Wednesday. 

Thanks for all you do,

–Ilyse, Eli, Milan, Lenore, and the rest of the team

P.S. If you'd like to vote "yes" on the slate without having your support passed on to your members of Congress, you can click here. And again, here's the link to vote "no."

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 22, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Will Elmhurst stand with The Other 98%?

We're kicking off a massive effort to call on our elected officials to put our government back in the hands of the 98% of us who aren't represented by corporate lobbyists. MoveOn members are gathering in Elmhurst on Sunday, Jun. 27 at 6:00 PM. Can you make it?


RSVP for your local event


Dear MoveOn member,

This is what democracy looks like.

Last week, we launched an ambitious project in partnership with The Other 98%—a new online movement to make democracy work for the 98% of us who don't have corporate lobbyists in Washington.

Over the last several days, tens of thousands of folks around the country have participated in our "Stand for Democracy" process. Together, we've come up with a blueprint for fixing our democracy: a set of key steps we'll ask candidates to support to end corporate corruption in DC.

This week, the rubber hits the road: we'll launch campaigns in every community to spread the word about the democracy pledge and get our members of Congress and candidates on board for reform. In Elmhurst folks are gathering on Sunday, Jun. 27 at 6:00 PM to get the ball rolling. It's going to take all of us pushing to make this a success—can you come?

Yes, I'll be there on Sunday, Jun. 27 at 6:00 PM

No, I can't make it

Together, we're going to work to make our government accountable to the People, not BP and Goldman Sachs. Here's what we'll do at these events:
  • Kick off an effort to build local public support for our progressive reform agenda.
  • Meet neighbors who are passionate about kicking corporate influence out of politics.
  • Discuss the reform agenda that comes out of our online, member-driven process.
To get the summer campaign off to a good start, we need strong turnout of MoveOn members in the Elmhurst area who're ready to pitch in. Click here to RSVP:

Yes, I'll be there

Sorry, I can't make it

Thanks for all you do.

–Ilyse, Wes, Anna, Amy, and the rest of the team

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 22, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Caught on camera

The co-chair of the deficit commission was just caught on tape calling Social Security recipients "lesser people." He needs to resign immediately. Check out the video, then add your name to the call for his resignation.


Watch the video

Dear MoveOn member,

I'll bet you know a lot of good people who depend on their Social Security check. Hard-working folks who have contributed their whole lives and now need those checks. Like my grandparents. Or your grandparents. Or your parents. Or you.

Well, former Republican Senator Alan Simpson was just caught on camera calling them "lesser people."

That kind of condescending disrespect would be infuriating coming from anyone, but Senator Simpson isn't just anyone.  He's a co-chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility, which is charged with finding ways to cut the deficit.

And Simpson is joining with the other right-wing ideologues on the "deficit commission" to find a way to cut Social Security for those "lesser people"—even though Social Security hasn't caused the deficit.1

Someone with Senator Simpson's disdainful attitude and ideological commitment to cutting Social Security has no business serving in this powerful position. This video shows it's time for him to resign. 

Can you check out the video, join our call for Simpson to resign, and then pass on the video to your friends?

http://pol.moveon.org/deficitcommission/simpson.html?id=21242-10220574-R0KuHAx&t=5

Not only does the video show Simpson's contempt for retired Americans who rely on Social Security, it also shows his contempt for the facts. Paul Krugman detailed some of Simpson's lies on his blog today.2 And even the Fiscal Times—a newspaper funded by Pete Peterson, a billionaire hedge fund manager who's been trying to cut Social Security for years—admitted that Simpson's "facts" are just plain wrong.3

But that hasn't stopped right-wing blogs from taking Simpson's side. They're pushing the idea that Simpson "remained reasonable throughout," despite his profanity and condescending speech.4 They know that if Simpson is forced to resign over his comments, it could stop plans to cut Social Security in their tracks.

The outrageous video of Simpson has already been seen almost 50,000 times. It's our best opportunity yet to pull back the curtain on the closed-door meetings the deficit commission has been holding to let the public know who's deciding the fate of Social Security.

Can you join our call for Simpson to resign, and then pass on the video to your friends at the link below?

http://pol.moveon.org/deficitcommission/simpson.html?id=21242-10220574-R0KuHAx&t=6

Thanks for all you do.

–Daniel, Duncan, Matt, Nita, Joan, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Zombies Have Already Killed The Deficit Commission," The New York Times, June 21, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89114&id=21242-10220574-R0KuHAx&t=7

2. "Zombies Have Already Killed The Deficit Commission," The New York Times, June 21, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89114&id=21242-10220574-R0KuHAx&t=8

3. "Simpson's Comments Undermine Commission Efforts," The Fiscal Times, June 20, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89115&id=21242-10220574-R0KuHAx&t=9

4. "Watch Alan Simpson School A Lefty," Breitbart.TV, June 18, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89116&id=21242-10220574-R0KuHAx&t=10

"Alan Simpson," The Daily Mail, June 19, 2010
http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/archives/16245

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 21, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

***Official Vote: Choose your favorite planks***

Over a million votes already have helped us identify the best ideas for how to rescue our democracy from corporations and lobbyists. Now it's up to YOU to choose the finalists. Will you help to build the best pledge to combat corporate corruption? Vote by Monday night at midnight.


Dear MoveOn member,

It's now or never. In the wake of the BP spill and the Wall Street meltdown, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rescue our democracy from the corporate corruption that led to these disasters.

It's time for elected officials in Washington to choose sides: Will they do the bidding of corporations and their lobbyists or stand with the Other 98% of us to make government work again? Together we're creating a tool to put them on the record on this critical question—but we need your help.

The "Stand for Democracy" project has already generated hundreds of ideas that have been rated over 1.3 million times. Now, we've got the top tier of ideas, and we a really tough decision to make together. Which ideas should make it into our final platform?

Click here to help choose the winning ideas so we can construct our pledge against corporate corruption in our democracy. Voting ends Monday night at midnight PST.

http://pol.moveon.org/sfd/slate/signup.html?id=21220-10220574-F2z49Ox&t=5

Once the pledge is formed, we'll ask candidates to endorse it and work with us to take our country back from giant corporations and their lobbyists.

In the face of the ongoing economic crisis and the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, we simply can't sit back and wait for change. We need to be clear on what we're asking, fight for candidates who are with us, and oppose those who would rather do the corporations' bidding. That's just what we're doing with the Stand for Democracy project.

We're figuring out how to re-wire American politics to work for regular people again, instead of the 11,000 corporate lobbyists who have taken over Washington, D.C. This grassroots project has absolutely taken off in the last week, with hundreds of ideas receiving over a million votes.

Now, we need your vote so we can package the winning ideas into this high-profile pledge. It needs to reflect your vision for how to take back our country from the forces that have worked to block real reform at every step. Please take a moment to vote on the final slate of ideas for our pledge to combat corporate corruption:

http://pol.moveon.org/sfd/slate/signup.html?id=21220-10220574-F2z49Ox&t=6

Thanks for all you do.

–Ilyse, Milan, Anna, Tim, and the rest of the team
  

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 20, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

MoveOn member, it's your choice

Hundreds of people have submitted ideas for how to rescue our democracy from corporations and lobbyists. Now it's up to YOU to choose the best ones. Will you take 5 minutes to rate some ideas?


Dear MoveOn member,

Can you spend 5 minutes right now helping us find the best ideas for taking on the influence of lobbyists and corporations in Washington, DC?

Evidence that our democracy is broken is all around us, from the foreclosure signs in our neighborhoods to the oil washing up on our beaches.

That's why we're joining with the Other 98%—a new online movement to make democracy work for the 98% of us who DON'T have corporate lobbyists—to create a new blueprint, written by all of us together, for putting the People back in charge of our government.

We're calling the effort Stand for Democracy. Hundreds of folks have submitted ideas for how to curb corporate influence: Will you take 5 minutes right now to rate some of these ideas—or even add your own? It's really simple. Just click here:

www.standfordemocracy.org/?id=21175-10220574-Y4vxIZx&t=104

Later this week, after thousands of us have rated the initial proposals, we'll announce the top 20 finalist ideas, and ask everyone to choose the 5 ideas that, together, would do the best job of making our democracy work for regular people.  Then we'll ask candidates to support the winning ideas.

The overwhelming clout of lobbyists and corporations is, of course, a huge problem, and not one we can fix in a month or a year. But it's a problem we have to tackle. As we saw again and again this year—from the insurance companies killing the public option, to the oil and coal companies blocking clean energy legislation—until we take this on, transformative change will be impossible.

And this year, when there's so much frustration with Washington across the political spectrum, is the right time to push for reform.

But it'll only work if we all get involved. And the first step is to agree on what we want. Will you take 5 minutes to rate some ideas for the pledge?

www.standfordemocracy.org/?id=21175-10220574-Y4vxIZx&t=104

Right now, our democracy is working great for CEOs and lobbyists. It's time to make it work for the other 98% of us. 

Thanks for all you do,

–Ilyse, Milan, Justin, Kat, and the rest of the team
  

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 17, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Obama's big speech tonight

Clicking here will add your name:
"President Obama: We need a real plan reduce our dependence on oil, not more offshore drilling and taxpayer handouts to oil companies."

Sign the petition

Dear MoveOn member,

Tonight, President Obama will address the nation in prime time about the crisis in the Gulf of Mexico. According to White House aides, he'll call for clean energy legislation to end America's addiction to oil.1

The problem is, the proposals currently in Congress are packed with more offshore drilling and taxpayer handouts to Big Oil—exactly the opposite of what we need.2

This speech is President Obama's best chance to demand a real plan to cut our dependence on oil.

That's why we're launching this petition now—which we'll deliver tonight before the speech—to call on President Obama to clearly reject any legislation that expands offshore drilling or gives taxpayer handouts to oil companies. You can add your name by clicking the link below:

http://pol.moveon.org/obamaoilspeech/o.pl?id=21126-10220574-DjJ1tsx&t=5

The petition says: "President Obama: We need a real plan reduce our dependence on oil, not more offshore drilling and taxpayer handouts to oil companies."

President Obama is expected to talk about his plan to hold BP accountable, help the Gulf Coast recover, and end our addiction to oil. Those are the right goals. But we've learned that Congress won't stand up to Big Oil unless President Obama leads the way.

For instance, one of the most prominent energy proposals would roll back the Clean Air Act and give incentives for new offshore drilling, essentially bribing states to allow new drilling in areas that are currently protected.3 The bill would also give valuable pollution permits for free to the biggest polluters.4

This moment is a major test of Obama's presidency—and for America. We can't let the Big Oil lobbyists turn the oil spill legislation into another DC insider giveaway.

Can you sign our petition calling on President Obama to demand a real plan to reduce our dependence on oil and reject any legislation larded up with taxpayer handouts to Big Oil or offshore drilling? Add your name by clicking the link below:

http://pol.moveon.org/obamaoilspeech/o.pl?id=21126-10220574-DjJ1tsx&t=6

Thanks for all you do.

–Steven, Kat, Adam, Joan, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Obama to Lay Out Broader Energy Plan in Speech," The New York Times, June 15, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=88995&id=21126-10220574-DjJ1tsx&t=7

2. "Enviros cringe as Senate committee approves energy bill," Grist, June 17, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=88994&id=21126-10220574-DjJ1tsx&t=8

Expanded Offshore Drilling Will Be Part of Senate Climate Bill, Says Lieberman," The New York Times, May 11, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=88884&id=21126-10220574-DjJ1tsx&t=9

3. "Statement of Charles D. Connor, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Lung Association On the Kerry-Lieberman Bill, The American Power Act," American Lung Association, May 12, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89001&id=21126-10220574-DjJ1tsx&t=10

"Proposed Kerry, Lieberman Bill Charts Wrong Course on Climate, Energy and Oceans," Oceana, May 12, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89000&id=21126-10220574-DjJ1tsx&t=11

4."APA Cap and Allocation Summary," Environment Northeast, accessed June 15, 2010
http://www.env-ne.org/resources/open/p/id/1059

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 15, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Monday, June 14, 2010

40,000 barrels a day

The BP oil disaster is in the headlines every day. But almost no one is talking about a real plan to get America off of oil—so we're flooding newspapers with letters demanding Congress and the White House take action. Can you write a letter to the editor of The Daily News about the need for a real plan to end America's addiction to oil? 

Click Here
Dear MoveOn member,

40,000 barrels a day.

That's the latest estimate of how much oil is gushing into the Gulf of Mexico daily, according to a new report—nearly twice as much as the last estimate.1

And yet even now Washington and the mainstream media barely mention the only true solution: ending America's addiction to oil.

By organizing nearly 200 oil spill vigils last week that were covered by dozens of newspapers, CNN, MSNBC, and more, MoveOn members have started to force a real public debate about ending our oil addiction. But we need to keep speaking out.

One great way to do that is by writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Can you write a letter to the editor of The Daily News—or another local paper—about the urgent need for a real plan to get America off of oil once and for all? 

Click here:

http://pol.moveon.org/lte?campaign_id=124&id=21103-10220574-8pxWNHx&t=3

Our tool makes writing a letter really simple. You can send the letter right from our website—it only takes a few minutes.

The letters page is one of the most widely read in local newspapers. Members of Congress and their staffs read it to understand how their constituents are feeling. And with the BP oil disaster in the headlines right now, members of Congress are paying close attention to what voters are saying about it.

Here are some key points you can use in your letter:

  • Experts have been saying for years that a true investment in clean energy could move our economy away from oil over 20 years. It's just a question of starting down that path.2

  • Anywhere from 42 million to over 100 million gallons of oil are already devastating the waters in the Gulf Coast. In comparison, the Exxon Valdez spill—the previous worst in U.S. history—spilled 11 million gallons into waters around Alaska in 1989.3 

  • How much oil is that? Just 63 million one-gallon milk jugs would line up for 5,500 miles—the distance from the spill to BP's London headquarters, and then to Rome.4 
  • The choice is clear, and so are the consequences. If we don't transition off of oil, the next disaster is just a matter of time.

Can you send a letter to the editor of The Daily News, or another local newspaper? Just click here to get started:

http://pol.moveon.org/lte?campaign_id=124&id=21103-10220574-8pxWNHx&t=4

Thanks for all you do.

–Steven, Jodeen, Eli, Kat, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Gulf of Mexico spill 'releasing twice as much oil as thought,'" The Daily Telegraph, June 11, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=88916&id=21103-10220574-8pxWNHx&t=6

2. "Winning the Oil Endgame," Rocky Mountain Institute, September, 2007
http://www.oilendgame.com/

3. "Gulf of Mexico spill 'releasing twice as much oil as thought,'" The Daily Telegraph, June 11, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=88916&id=21103-10220574-8pxWNHx&t=7

4. "New oil numbers may do more harm to fish, wildlife," The Associated Press, June 11, 2010
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_gulf_oil_spill

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 14, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Need your ideas


It's time to take our democracy back from corporations and lobbyists.

Can you submit an idea for how to start making democracy work for the rest of us?

http://pol.moveon.org/agenda/ideas/?id=20999-10220574-ikfOOEx&t=1

Dear MoveOn member,

The daily, devastating images of the disaster in the Gulf are a vivid reminder of the consequences of corporations running roughshod over our democracy. For decades, companies like BP and Goldman Sachs have invested heavily in influencing elected leaders and legislation, so our system no longer works for most Americans.

This isn't news, but the urgency to fix it is growing—we need an economy, an energy plan, and a country that work for middle-class Americans—not just corporate elites.

So how can we fix our democracy?   

We think you have the answer.

That's why we're joining with our friends at "The Other 98%"—a new web-based movement to reclaim our democracy—to draw up a bold agenda for returning control of our government to the people who elect it. We're particularly looking for ideas that are new, creative, catchy, and easily understood, so we can challenge candidates to back them this fall.

Can you submit an idea (or two!) for how to "change the rules" to make our democracy work for the other 98% of us?

http://pol.moveon.org/agenda/ideas/?id=20999-10220574-ikfOOEx&t=2

Thousands of us will help suggest, rate, and vote on ideas, and then refine them into a comprehensive blueprint. But to get the ball rolling, we need some great ideas from you.

Here are some ideas we've received so far:

  • Close the revolving door between K Street and the capitol by making it illegal to lobby for 5 years after leaving office
  • Enact a Constitutional amendment to remove virtual personhood of corporations
  • Increase transparency by requiring all appointment books of all elected officials to be posted on line

In the next two days, we'll collect as many ideas as we can about how we can root out corporate influence on our democracy and of our elected officials. Then, later this week, we're going to ask the entire MoveOn membership to rate the ideas we collect and help refine them into a blueprint that we'll ask politicians and candidates to commit to in the upcoming election season.

We're looking for any kind of changes we could enact that would make elections more fair, reduce influence peddling in Washington, or force politicians to listen to their constituents.

Too many of the ideas for reclaiming our democracy are so technical and hard to understand that they're very difficult to build public support around. So this is an attempt to tap our collective wisdom to come up with some new ideas that will make a big difference, and are the kind of thing you could explain to your neighbors while standing in line at the market.

Reclaiming our democracy can seem like a daunting task. But we have one important thing on our side—we're the majority. Something is wrong when our government mostly works for the 2% of the population who benefit from corporate lobbying. The Other 98% campaign lets the rest of us join together to fight back. And that starts by collecting ideas from as many people in this movement as possible.

Submit your ideas today so we can start building our agenda this week.

http://pol.moveon.org/agenda/ideas/?id=20999-10220574-ikfOOEx&t=3

Thanks for all you do.

–Ilyse, Milan, Jodeen, Matt, and the rest of the team.

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 8, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Come to a vigil in Brooklyn for the Gulf Coast

On Tuesday, June 8, we're organizing candlelight vigils around the country to mark the 50th day since the beginning of the BP oil spill. There's a vigil in Brooklyn. Can you make it?


RSVP for your local vigil



Dear MoveOn member, 

For so many of us, the worst part of the BP oil spill has been this feeling of total helplessness. No one seems to be able to stop the spill, not even President Obama. And the oil just keeps coming.

But we're not helpless. In fact, we have the power to seize this moment and demand that we get off oil once and for all.

There are also great organizations working to respond to the immediate crisis, and we can help them as well.

That's why we're organizing emergency Oil Spill Vigils across the country this Tuesday—the 50th day since the spill began. There's a vigil in Brooklyn on Tuesday at Tuesday, Jun. 8, 2010, at 7:00 PM—can you come?

Yes, I'll be there

No, I can't make it

The oil companies are hoping that once this spill is stopped, people will move on, and we'll go right back to our dependence on oil. We can't let that happen.

As a MoveOn member from New Orleans said to me the other day, "As sad as I am, I think the thing that would put me over the edge is if I felt like the Gulf was dying in vain." But if enough of us speak out, we can make this tragedy a turning point and finally start to do what's necessary to get off oil for good.

At the Oil Spill Vigils, we will:

  • Demand real solutions from Washington, including a plan to end our addiction to oil by transitioning to clean energy.
  • Show the people of the Gulf region that we're behind them in this terrible time.
  • Help raise money to meet the needs of the immediate crisis.

There's a vigil in Brooklyn on Tuesday—can you make it? Here are the details:

Host: Linda S—fellow MoveOn member
Where: Lincoln Road & Flatbush Ave. (in Brooklyn)
When: Tuesday, Jun. 8, 2010, at 7:00 PM

Yes, I'll be there

No, I can't make it

Hope you can join us, and thanks again for all you do.

–Steven, Matt, Joan, Stephen, and the rest of the team

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 6, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Oil Spill Vigil in Inwood

The BP oil spill is the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. But Congress isn't even talking about the bold action we need. So this Tuesday, June 8, we're organizing emergency Oil Spill Vigils to demand an end to America's addiction to oil. Can you host a vigil in your area?

Host a vigil

Dear MoveOn member,

It's just unbelievable.

By Tuesday, the oil spill in the Gulf will have been gushing out for 50 days straight. It might already be five times larger than the Exxon Valdez, and now BP says that the spill probably won't be stopped until August.1

Meanwhile, our political leaders in Washington aren't even talking about the real solution—getting off oil once and for all, and fully powering our economy with clean energy. It's clear we need a major public outcry to make this horrible tragedy a turning point.

So on Tuesday—day 50 since the spill—we're organizing emergency Oil Spill Vigils to demand an end to our dependence on oil, call for stepped-up efforts to end the spill, and stand in solidarity with all those affected in the Gulf.

Can you host an emergency Oil Spill Vigil next Tuesday? Click here to get started:

http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/create.html?action_id=213&id=20923-10220574-QkOVkGx&t=5

Hosting a vigil is easy. We'll gather together, read stories from Gulf residents affected by the spill, and observe a moment of silence. All you need to do is find a nearby public location for people to gather, invite friends, and tell the local media about it. We'll help you recruit people and give you all the guidance you need. 

By standing together at events coast-to-coast, we can make sure lawmakers understand that the American people are demanding bold action to prevent disasters like this from happening again.

But we have to act now. The people in the Gulf of Mexico are facing the destruction of an entire way of life. Fishermen say they've lost 75% or more of their business, and it's getting worse. Federal officials have closed over one-third of the Gulf of Mexico to fishing. And the oil is poised to reach the beaches of Florida soon.2

As Charlotte Randolph, president of one of the coastal parishes affected by the spill, said, "You see it in people's eyes. You see it. We need to stop the flow. Tourism is dead. Fishing is dead. We're dying a slow death."3

Until we end our dependence on oil, disasters like the BP spill will keep happening. We can't get off oil in a day, but the energy experts say that if we had gotten started 20 years ago after Exxon Valdez we could be most of the way there already.4 But because Big Oil still calls the shots in Washington, such bold action isn't even being discussed. We need to turn this moment of crisis into a rallying cry to finally get America off oil.

We need as many Oil Spill Vigils as possible around the country so that tens of thousands of MoveOn members have the chance to speak out right in their neighborhoods. Can you host a vigil in your area? Click here:

http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/create.html?action_id=213&id=20923-10220574-QkOVkGx&t=6

Thanks for all that you do.

–Steven, Wes, Lenore, Kat, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "BP oil spill worse than Exxon Valdez, according to government estimates," Christian Science Monitor, May 27, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=88572&id=20923-10220574-QkOVkGx&t=7

"BP officials on Gulf oil spill: We can't stop leak until August at the earliest," New York Daily News, May 30, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=88575&id=20923-10220574-QkOVkGx&t=8

2. "BP puts containment dome on gushing oil geyser," The Washington Post, June 4, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=88577&id=20923-10220574-QkOVkGx&t=9

"Almost one-third of Gulf fishing grounds closed," Associated Press, June 2, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=88578&id=20923-10220574-QkOVkGx&t=10

"Oysters: From The Gulf To The Table, " NPR, June 3, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=88576&id=20923-10220574-QkOVkGx&t=11

3. Ibid.

4. "Winning the Oil Endgame," Rocky Mountain Institute, September, 2007
http://www.oilendgame.com/

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 5, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.