Monday, September 30, 2013

BREAKING: Tea Party Republicans shut down the government

Dear MoveOn member,

This is it. The Tea Party and the GOP actually took us over the cliff—and shut down the federal government. 

We've got a lot of work to do to make sure they pay a steep political price and back down. On Tuesday, MoveOn members will start showing up at Republican offices around the country to make sure local voters know that the Tea Party's responsible for this mess. 

 
We've had enough tea, thanks.

Thanks for all you do. 

–Mark, Joan, Bobby, Nick, and the rest of the team

P.S. We've got a rapid-response campaign to hold the Tea Party accountable. Click here to pitch in $3

Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 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.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 30, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Re: The Tea Party's shutdown implosion

With just hours to go before a possible government shutdown, I wanted to make sure you saw this note:

Republicans just announced that they'll only keep the government open if President Obama agrees to delay Obamacare—all but assuring that the government will shut down Tuesday. We've launched a rapid-response campaign to make sure they pay the steepest possible political price. Can you pitch in $3?

Chip in $3
Dear MoveOn member,

Big news: Republicans just announced that they will only allow the federal government to stay open if President Obama agrees to delay implementation of Obamacare.

The New York Times says the announcement "all but assured that large parts of the government would be shuttered as of 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday."1

This is not a drill. After years of threats, Speaker John Boehner and the Tea Party are about to shut down the government for real, with millions of Americans losing access to vital services, hundreds of thousands of public servants unpaid, and a big blow to our economic recovery.2

We can't stop the Tea Party from trying to push America's economy off a cliff, but we can make sure they pay a steep political price like they did in 1995 so that they finally stop this nonsense. Our plan is to start by putting targeted web ads on Facebook and other websites targeting the most vulnerable Republicans facing reelection next year and then keep up the pressure till the Republicans give up on these outrageous demands. 

The Tea Party's popularity has already sunk to near-record lows, and if the shutdown backfires, it could send the entire Republican Party into a tailspin.But time is of the essence—we need to raise $200,000 in the next 24 hours to power our rapid response campaigning and give us the ad budget we need to hold the Republicans accountable. Can you chip in $3 today?

Yes, I'll chip in $3 right away to hold Tea Party Republicans accountable.

The GOP has descended into chaos and infighting—literally yelling at each other on the Senate floor.4 The shutdown—while terrible for America—is a big opportunity to go on offense and send the Tea Party into permanent decline.

MoveOn has launched an ambitious campaign to discredit Tea Party Republicans and expose their 1% backers—to hold them accountable for threatening to sabotage our economy and trying to subvert our democracy. We'll keep them on the defensive in the short term and ensure that no one forgets their reckless hijinks as elections approach next year.

After four straight years in which Tea Party Republicans have forced a job-killing austerity agenda down our throats, their reckless decision to risk a government shutdown finally has them on their heels. If they follow through, we'll have a historic opportunity to expose just how extreme they are.

We'll need to move quickly and speak forcefully to win the debate and bring about a repeat of 1995. That was the year Newt Gingrich and House Republicans shut down the government because they refused to negotiate with President Clinton. They paid for it dearly.5 Now, it's on us to ensure this time is no different. If we play our cards right, 2013 could become known as the year the Tea Party relegated itself to the dustbin of history.

Our campaign includes rapid response ads and press outreach, as well as long-term strategies to discredit the Tea Party and take away its power, including pushing PBS stations to air "Citizen Koch," the thus-far-censored documentary exposing the Koch Brothers as the Tea Party's 1% financiers. We'll also shine a spotlight on positive alternatives to the Tea Party's agenda, including a higher minimum wage to tackle income inequality. And we're amassing a war chest to ensure that this week is one everyone will remember well into next year. But first things first—the next few hours and days are crucial, and to win this fight, we all need to pitch in.

Click here to donate $3 to help take advantage of this historic opportunity.

Together, MoveOn's 8 million members have tremendous people power. Let's go all in together to seize this opportunity and send the Tea Party packing.

Thanks for all you do.

–Anna, Carinne, Bobby, Alejandro, and the rest of the team

1. "House Leaves U.S. on Brink of Shutdown," The New York Times, September 28, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293865&id=75592-10220574-0nozigx&t=5

2. Everything You Need to Know About How a Government Shutdown Works," The Washington Post, September 24, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293850&id=75592-10220574-0nozigx&t=6

3. "Tea Party Support Has Shrunk to Near-Record Low," Gallup Politics, September 26, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293838&id=75592-10220574-0nozigx&t=7

4. "GOP Anger at Ted Cruz Hits Senate Floor," Politico, September 26, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293851&id=75592-10220574-0nozigx&t=8

5. "Republicans Flunk Government Shutdown History," Salon, September 8, 2010
http://www.salon.com/2010/09/08/government_shutdown_1995/


Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 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.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 30, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

The Tea Party's shutdown implosion

Republicans just announced that they'll only keep the government open if President Obama agrees to delay Obamacare—all but assuring that the government will shut down Tuesday. We've launched a rapid-response campaign to make sure they pay the steepest possible political price. Can you pitch in $3?

Chip in $3
Dear MoveOn member,

Big news: Republicans just announced that they will only allow the federal government to stay open if President Obama agrees to delay implementation of Obamacare.

The New York Times says the announcement "all but assured that large parts of the government would be shuttered as of 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday."1

This is not a drill. After years of threats, Speaker John Boehner and the Tea Party are about to shut down the government for real, with millions of Americans losing access to vital services, hundreds of thousands of public servants unpaid, and a big blow to our economic recovery.2

We can't stop the Tea Party from trying to push America's economy off a cliff, but we can make sure they pay a steep political price like they did in 1995 so that they finally stop this nonsense. Our plan is to start by putting targeted web ads on Facebook and other websites targeting the most vulnerable Republicans facing reelection next year and then keep up the pressure till the Republicans give up on these outrageous demands. 

The Tea Party's popularity has already sunk to near-record lows, and if the shutdown backfires, it could send the entire Republican Party into a tailspin.But time is of the essence—we need to raise $200,000 in the next 24 hours to power our rapid response campaigning and give us the ad budget we need to hold the Republicans accountable. Can you chip in $3 today?

Yes, I'll chip in $3 right away to hold Tea Party Republicans accountable.

The GOP has descended into chaos and infighting—literally yelling at each other on the Senate floor.4 The shutdown—while terrible for America—is a big opportunity to go on offense and send the Tea Party into permanent decline.

MoveOn has launched an ambitious campaign to discredit Tea Party Republicans and expose their 1% backers—to hold them accountable for threatening to sabotage our economy and trying to subvert our democracy. We'll keep them on the defensive in the short term and ensure that no one forgets their reckless hijinks as elections approach next year.

After four straight years in which Tea Party Republicans have forced a job-killing austerity agenda down our throats, their reckless decision to risk a government shutdown finally has them on their heels. If they follow through, we'll have a historic opportunity to expose just how extreme they are.

We'll need to move quickly and speak forcefully to win the debate and bring about a repeat of 1995. That was the year Newt Gingrich and House Republicans shut down the government because they refused to negotiate with President Clinton. They paid for it dearly.5 Now, it's on us to ensure this time is no different. If we play our cards right, 2013 could become known as the year the Tea Party relegated itself to the dustbin of history.

Our campaign includes rapid response ads and press outreach, as well as long-term strategies to discredit the Tea Party and take away its power, including pushing PBS stations to air "Citizen Koch," the thus-far-censored documentary exposing the Koch Brothers as the Tea Party's 1% financiers. We'll also shine a spotlight on positive alternatives to the Tea Party's agenda, including a higher minimum wage to tackle income inequality. And we're amassing a war chest to ensure that this week is one everyone will remember well into next year. But first things first—the next few hours and days are crucial, and to win this fight, we all need to pitch in.

Click here to donate $3 to help take advantage of this historic opportunity.

Together, MoveOn's 8 million members have tremendous people power. Let's go all in together to seize this opportunity and send the Tea Party packing.

Thanks for all you do.

–Anna, Carinne, Bobby, Alejandro, and the rest of the team

1. "House Leaves U.S. on Brink of Shutdown," The New York Times, September 28, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293865&id=75559-10220574-JE8LKDx&t=4

2. Everything You Need to Know About How a Government Shutdown Works," The Washington Post, September 24, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293850&id=75559-10220574-JE8LKDx&t=5

3. "Tea Party Support Has Shrunk to Near-Record Low," Gallup Politics, September 26, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293838&id=75559-10220574-JE8LKDx&t=6

4. "GOP Anger at Ted Cruz Hits Senate Floor," Politico, September 26, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293851&id=75559-10220574-JE8LKDx&t=7

5. "Republicans Flunk Government Shutdown History," Salon, September 8, 2010
http://www.salon.com/2010/09/08/government_shutdown_1995/


Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 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.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 29, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Obamacare up in smoke -- AND government shutdown?

Did you read the news? Republicans are now willing to shut down the government to try and stop Obamacare. They've made a historic mistake. Can you help us raise $200,000 more to counter the right-wing's Obamacare smear campaign? Click here to chip in. 

Urgent: Right-wing groups have launched a multi-million-dollar misinformation campaign to convince young people that they're better off uninsured than participating in Obamacare. Their goal is to make Barack Obama's signature achievement fail, no matter what the cost. Can you donate $5 to help fight back?

Chip in $5
Dear MoveOn member,

Starting on October 1, America will take a huge step towards universal health care. That's the day that 22 million uninsured Americans will be able to start getting affordable health insurance under Obamacare.

But now, with just weeks to go, right-wing groups have launched a multi-million-dollar campaign to torpedo Obamacare before it even gets started.1

Their plan: Mislead young people about how the law works so they get scared and don't enroll. The problem is that it really could work because if younger, healthier people don't participate, then costs will skyrocket and Obamacare will fail. Period.

It's disgusting—people could actually die because they don't get the health insurance they need, and our entire health care system would be thrown into chaos. But these groups are so blinded by hate for Barack Obama that they'll do anything to make his signature program go up in smoke.

To fight back, MoveOn is launching an urgent campaign of our own to debunk right-wing lies and go after Republican politicians and media outlets that spread misinformation—but we need to raise at least $250,000 in the next 72 hours to make sure we have the resources to set the record straight.

Can you donate in $5 to fund our urgent campaign to save Obamacare?

Yes, I can contribute $5. 

Conservatives are so desperate to stop Obamacare from succeeding that they're literally telling people to "burn your Obamacare card"—even though these cards don't even exist.2

Our plan is to counter their misinformation campaign with a laser-like focus on social media and the websites where young people spend the most time. Young people live on the Internet today, and reaching them online is far cheaper than with traditional TV advertising.

Just for starters, we'll be able to put an ad on the Facebook pages of 18- to 35-year-olds across America, and we'll also run ads in college newspapers—right as students return to school—explaining the truth about what Obamacare means for young people.

We've seen these kinds of right-wing scare tactics work before—lies about Social Security have convinced an entire generation of young people that that program won't be around in the future. And polling shows that awareness about the new program is dangerously low among the young people who need health insurance most.3 

We can't just sit back and hope for the best. And the clock's ticking. We've got just weeks to fight back—and we've got just 72 hours until Sunday afternoon, when we'll look at what's come in, decide how big we can go with this campaign, and get started. Can you chip in?

Yes, I'll chip in $5 to make sure right-wing extremists can't kill health care reform.

We know from the past that MoveOn can run effective campaigns to debunk lies and misinformation. During the last election, we lampooned Mitt Romney's lies with truth and humor, and it worked.

So, can you help us debunk the lies again?

We've reached a critical moment. Summer's ending. School's starting. And with just weeks to go, young people are starting to tune in. We've got a plan. We're literally ready to wire money to our ad vendor and get started. But we're 100% member-funded—and we can only do this campaign the right way if enough MoveOn members chip in.

MoveOn members were integral in passing the Affordable Care Act. We've come too far and fought too hard to let right-wing extremists succeed at making sure health care reform fails. Can you help out? Click below to donate $5 and help fund our urgent campaign stop the right-wing effort to kill Obamacare before it gets started.

Yes, I'll chip in $5 to make sure right-wing extremists can't kill health care reform.

Thanks for all you do.

–Mark, Rosy, Manny, Eric, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Inside the Obamacare resistance," The Washington Post, August 1, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=292769&id=75468-10220574-SOwsa7x&t=7

2. Ibid.

3. "Young Adults' Obamacare Awareness Low Ahead of Rollout, Survey Says," The Huffington Post, August 21, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=292801&id=75468-10220574-SOwsa7x&t=8


Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 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.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 27, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Are you down with the Global Frackdown?

Get down with the Frackdown! On Saturday, October 19, "fracktivists" in more than 20 countries are rising up in action to ban fracking. This is a great opportunity to grow the movement in New York. Can you host a Global Frackdown event in Inwood?

Host a Frackdown Event!
Check out these photos from the the inaugural Global Frackdown, last year:

Capetown, South Africa:
Capetown, South Africa
Nova Scotia:
Nova Scotia
Raleigh, North Carolina:
Raleigh, North Carolina
Dear MoveOn member,

It's time to get down with the Global Frackdown!

MoveOn members have been leading tremendous grassroots campaigns to fight fracking in 43 states—organizing for a moratorium on fracking in California, fighting fracking pipelines in New York and Kentucky, stopping fracking mines in Minnesota and Illinois, and more.

There's so much work to focus on locally that it can be easy to forget that we're part of an amazing community of organizers and activists around the world fighting for a future with clean water, clean air, strong communities, and a liveable climate.

On Saturday, October 19, "fracktivists" in more than 20 countries on 6 continents will rise up in action during the Global Frackdown—an international day of action to ban fracking and to protect our water, air and climate from the fossil fuel industry's assaults.

All sorts of creative actions are in the works—rallies in Belgium and France; a "No Frack Zombie Walk" in Buffalo, New York; a bike tour of fracking fields in Culver City, California.

Can you bring the Global Frackdown to Inwood by hosting a local action on Saturday, October 19?

Yes, I want to help bring the Global Frackdown to New York. 

You could gather petition signatures at your local farmers market, organize a speakout targeting your governor to ban fracking, or plan a flashmob—whatever inspires you and whatever will help grow the movement in New York. It's going to be fun, it's going to have an impact, and it's going to feel great, knowing that the movement in New York to stop fracking and its impacts is in solidarity with movements in Australia, Ireland, Mexico, and South Africa.

And we're making it easy for anyone to host an action. Once you register your event, we'll help out by providing a Global Frackdown event guide created by our friends at Food & Water Watch, by connecting you with other Global Frackdown event hosts to brainstorm creative ideas, and by recruiting local MoveOn members and allies to join you. And if we find out that someone near you is also planning a Global Frackdown event, we'll put you in touch with each other.

By joining with allies across the state—and across the world—on a single day, we'll focus our resources so that our message to ban fracking is heard load and clear. But we need your leadership in Inwood to make this big.

Can you host an event on Saturday, October 19 in Inwood as part of the New York Frackdown?

Here are some creative ideas we've already heard about for the Global Frackdown:

  • Find out where local decision-makers will be on Saturday, October 19, and be there to greet them with signs and a crowd of people. That's what New Yorkers will do when Governor Cuomo—who's set to make important decisions on fracking in New York—speaks at an event in Manhattan on the day of the Global Frackdown.

  • Remember the Pepsi Challenge? Do a Fracked Water Challenge at your local farmers market, your college, or other public venue to earn media attention and educate the public. When you offer passers-by a glass of water alongside a list of the chemicals used in fracking, they might think twice about drinking that water—driving home the inherent public health risks that come along with fracking.

  • Gather a few friends and hit a busy commercial neighborhood, with a goal of signing up 10 local businesses on to a letter calling for a ban on fracking in New York
You are a valuable part of the anti-fracking movement, and your ideas and actions matter.

Sign up now to bring the Global Frackdown to Inwood. 

Thanks for all you do.

–Victoria, Manny, Mariana, Bobby, and the rest of the team

P.S. Be sure to check out the Global Frackdown website to learn about the events happening around the globe, to access materials, and to spread the word on social media. Then, sign up to host an event in your community!

Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 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.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 24, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Monday, September 23, 2013

President Obama: Investigate how fracking poisons drinking water

Actor Mark Ruffalo started a petition on MoveOn's petition site, where anyone can start their own petition. He's calling on President Obama to reopen investigations of water contamination from fracking, and activists will deliver signatures to the EPA this Wednesday. Will you join Mark Ruffalo by signing his petition?

Dear MoveOn member,

When I'm not playing a superhero, I do my best to help out the real superheroes who are fighting to keep our water clean. That's why I started a petition to President Barack Obama and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, which says:

Preliminary studies by the EPA linked fracking to water contamination in three communities: Dimock, Pennsylvania; Parker County, Texas; and Pavillion, Wyoming. But the EPA abandoned its own findings and stopped these investigations. President Obama and new EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy must reopen these fracking investigations and provide residents with safe drinking water.

I first got involved in the fracking fight years ago when I traveled to Dimock, Pennsylvania, to meet families who were suffering serious health impacts from using water contaminated from fracking operations. I met many people whose children and pets were suffering from skin lesions, hair loss, vomiting, severe headaches, dizziness and pain throughout their bodies—and they could light their tap water on fire!

When the going got rough, a group of concerned citizens and I stepped in to help these people get safe drinking water. Thankfully, the Environmental Protection Agency came to the rescue and delivered families water while conducting an investigation. But when the EPA abruptly closed the case, stopped water deliveries to the residents and deemed the water safe to drink, we knew something was wrong.

Thanks to EPA whistleblowers, the Los Angeles Times was recently able to report that the fracking investigation in Dimock was shut down despite evidence from the EPA's water tests showing that Dimock's drinking water was severely impacted by fracking. Since that time, many residents have not had access to safe drinking water.

That's why I started a petition to President Obama and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy calling on them to reopen the investigations into water contamination from fracking. We'll deliver the petition signatures to the EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday this week to show the public demand for action.

Can you add your name to my petition, and then share it with your friends?

The EPA has also shut down investigations in Wyoming and Texas. Early results of all three investigations showed that the EPA had evidence linking gas drilling and fracking operations to groundwater contamination. Yet instead of protecting people in these areas, the EPA ignored its own scientific data and abandoned the investigations.

It's time for the EPA to do its job and protect the drinking water of the American people from toxic fracking. Join me in calling on the new EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, and President Barack Obama, to reopen the EPA investigations in Dimock, Pennsylvania; Pavillion, Wyoming; and Weatherford, Texas; and provide safe drinking water to the residents of these communities during the investigations.

Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.

Thanks!

–Mark Ruffalo

This petition was created on MoveOn's online petition site, where anyone can start their own online petitions. Mark Ruffalo didn't pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.

Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 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.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 23, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Keep federal protections for wolves

Below is an email from Elissa Wagner, a MoveOn member in Aptos, California. Elissa started a petition on the MoveOn website, where anyone can start their own online petition.



 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Don't let special interests dictate the fate of gray wolves.

Sign the Petition!

Dear MoveOn member,

Gray wolves in the lower 48 states have been hunted, trapped, and poisoned to near-extinction. With the passage of the federal Endangered Species Act in 1973, the gray wolf was designated an endangered species. In places like Yellowstone National Park, the health of ecosystems depends on the presence of top predators, such as the gray wolf.

Now, however, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) wants to remove the gray wolf from its endangered species status in all of the lower 48 except in the Southwest, claiming the wolf has recovered. The science says otherwise: In the lower 48 states there are fewer than 5,500 wolves, less than 1% of their original numbers. Wolves are found in only 5% of the area they once roamed.

Tell FWS to maintain federal protections for gray wolves.

In an outrageous, unprecedented action in which politicians, rather than scientists, decided the fate of an endangered species, a 2011 rider attached to a Congressional appropriations bill delisted wolves in the Northern Rockies. And in 2012, the FWS removed endangered species status for wolves in the Western Great Lakes area. In the past two years, wolves in the Northern Rockies and Great Lakes regions have been hunted down, gassed, and trapped, in aggressive, state-sanctioned hunting and trapping seasons. In this short amount of time, more than 1,700 wolves have been killed in these states. At this rate, wolves—which are in the early stages of recovery—will be quickly wiped out.

The FWS should not delist the gray wolf but should instead maintain the wolf's endangered species status and embark on a national wolf recovery plan that would restore wolves to significant portions of their former range.

That's why I started a petition to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe and Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, which says:

We oppose the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's plan to delist the gray wolf from endangered species status, as the wolf has not approached recovery. Instead, the delisting could lead to the wolf's extermination. We ask that the wolf's endangered species status be maintained and that the FWS embark on a national wolf recovery plan that would restore wolves to significant portions of their former range.

Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.

–Elissa Wagner

This petition was created on MoveOn's online petition site, where anyone can start their own online petitions. Elissa Wagner didn't pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.

Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 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.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 14, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Fwd: How We Stopped a War--For Now

Dear MoveOn member,

Today feels different.

Unlike the last three weeks, we seem to no longer be standing at the brink of war. President Obama declared on Tuesday night that he'd halted requests for an authorization to use military force so he could pursue a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in Syria with Russia—and Congress has stopped moving toward a vote on that authorization. This is what we wanted. And it's only possible because progressives led the charge in calling for peace.

Click here to take a look at what MoveOn members did over the last three weeks.

This campaign isn't over yet—and we'll stay vigilant until a diplomatic solution is reached. But getting this far took the work of millions of MoveOn members and grassroots activists on the outside, and progressive champions like Representative Alan Grayson inside Congress. Check out this note from Rep. Grayson, whose steadfast opposition to military strikes has helped avoid our fall down the slippery slope toward war.

Thanks for all you do.

–Ilya, Rosy, Angie, Mark, and the rest of the team

—————Forwarded message—————
From: Rep. Alan Grayson
Subject: How We Stopped a War—For Now




Dear MoveOn member,

After three frenetic weeks, during which time MoveOn members and Team Grayson were burning the midnight oil every night, it's time to take stock of what we've accomplished.

Here were the headlines in late August, just before we started our campaign against U.S. military intervention in Syria.

"Syria crisis: UK and US finalise plans for military strikes"The Guardian, August 27.
"Syria strike due in days, West tells opposition—sources"Reuters, August 27.
"Strike Against Syria is Imminent"Reuters, August 27.
"Obama Will Bomb Syria"Politico, August 26.
"U.S. military ready to attack Syria, Hagel says"CBS News, August 27.

And here are the headlines, now:

"Obama to explore diplomatic route on Syria,"Reuters, September 10.
"U.S. to Work Through U.N. on Syria Arms Proposal"   The New York Times, September 10.
"Obama Agrees To U.N. Discussion Of Putting Syria Chemical Weapons Under International Control"Associated Press, September 10.
"Syria Will Sign Chemical Weapons Convention, Declare Arsenal, Foreign Ministry Says"Reuters, September 10.

Let's go behind the headlines, to the numbers in Congress. Bloomberg News just came out with its own count of how every single member of the U.S. House and Senate would vote on war with Syria. In the U.S. Senate, which is institutionally designed to favor war and bailouts, the war vote is losing 34-22. That's shocking—the Senate is voting for peace?! In the U.S. House of Representatives, it's even better. House members oppose war by a 10-to-one margin. The Washington Post has it at 26 in favor, 251 against.

In other words, we are winning. Peace is winning.

How did this miracle happen?

To answer that question, look in the mirror.

You did this. Your calls and e-mails. Your pressure. The military industrial complex, the neoconservatives like Dick Cheney, the foreign policy corporate-funded think tanks in D.C., the warmongers at the State Department—they wanted war, but you wouldn't let them. We stood up for peace.

Now, what's interesting is not just that we averted military action (so far). It's also what has happened, because we averted military action. We showed that successful diplomacy, shunted aside just a week ago as irrelevant, is actually possible.

Think about this. We are on the verge of a solution that:

  • Removes chemical weapons from Syria, preventing another attack and putting them out of the reach of both the Assad regime and Al Qaeda,
  • Does not require the use of dangerous military force by the United States,
  • Compels Syria to become a signer to the Chemical Weapons Convention,
  • Restores the role of Congress in matters of war and peace, and
  • Rejuvenates the United Nations as a platform for peace.
This happened only because of our work. To his credit, President Obama listened. He listened to Congress, to the voices of allies around the world asking us to pause, and most importantly, to We the People of These United States. But you spoke, President Obama listened, and now peace may bloom.

Of course, we may still go to war—the war lobby is fierce and relentless. Even as we speak, warmongers in Congress are writing new war resolution language, thinking that if they tweak this word or that word, making it an itsy-bitsy, teensy-weensy war, it can pass. To that, we say, "a big, fat NO."

We have shown that Peace can be more powerful than War.

And hopefully, one day soon, we will not be arguing about where to direct our bombs. If you and I keep working together, we will be trying to figure out what to do with the fruits of peace—the Peace Dividend.

Courage,

Rep. Alan Grayson

P.S. Please share this with your friends and family on Twitter and Facebook.

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 8 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 September 12, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Stunning news on Syria

Americans don't want to get involved in another bloody war in the Middle East. But things have been moving so fast in Washington, we don't have much time. Can you chip in $5 to help mobilize massive days of action and cut a TV ad—before Congress votes as soon as next week?  

Chip in $5

Dear MoveOn member,

Huge news from Washington.

A week ago, it seemed inevitable that America would attack Syria. But as of this morning, after an outpouring of public opposition, more than 200 members of Congress are now saying they're likely voting against bombing.1 And according to some reports, top administration officials are starting to rethink the idea of bombing Syria in the first place.2

But they're still pushing Congress hard to authorize bombing, and this fight will likely go down to the wire. The work of MoveOn members will be crucial because so many of the undecided votes in Congress are Democrats—people progressives helped elect from districts where we have tons of members.

And we have to act now, because once the bombing starts, no one can be sure what will happen next.3

Last night thousands of MoveOn members took to the streets with an urgent message opposing strikes against Syria. Now our creative team is working overtime to create a sharp, memorable ad that will remind everyone why it's so dangerous to get involved in someone else's civil war. 

We're asking you to chip in because it's costing $200,000 to mobilize massive actions like last night and to get our new TV ad noticed. Can you donate $5?

Click here to donate $5 and help stop the rush to war in Syria.

It's all so familiar. Politicians are telling us that Bashar al-Assad is like Adolf Hitler and that the intelligence is rock solid.4 Democrats who should know better are standing silent.5 And the media is beating the drum for war, promising that military engagement will be quick and easy.6

Make no mistake: There's no such thing as a simple, limited military strike, and neocons in Washington are already pushing for America to go "all-in."7

The Syrian Civil War is a tragic humanitarian disaster, and MoveOn members have been donating to relief efforts for refugees and pressing our elected officials for non-violent paths to respond to the reported use of chemical weapons. But the truth is that there isn't really a "good guy" in the war. On one hand you have a bloody dictator, and on the other you have rebel forces affiliated with al-Qaeda—in some cases literally the same people who were fighting us in Iraq and simply crossed the border.8

But while Washington might not have learned the lessons of the past decade, the American people have. Members of Congress are saying that more than 95% of the calls to their offices are against bombing, and if we can keep the pressure up, we can stop this war before it starts.9

Can you chip in $5 today?

Click here to donate $5 and help stop the rush to war in Syria.

Thanks for all you do.

–Anna, Joan, Mariana, Alex, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Will Congress Authorize A Strike On Syria?" The Huffington Post, accessed September 6, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293232&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=4

2. "Kerry's Comments Are a Shift Over Strike," The New York Times, September 9, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293500&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=5

3. "Dempsey: Syrian rebels wouldn't back US interests," Associated Press, August 21, 2013  
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293231&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=6

4. Meet the Press transcript, September 1, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293163&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=7

5. "MoveOn.org lobbies against Syria resolution, while OFA stays neutral," The Washington Post, September 5, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293164&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=8

6. "Media Cheerleads For Another War: Blasts Obama For Not Rushing Into Syria," Think Progress, September 1, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293165&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=9

7. "Neocons Push Obama to Go Beyond a Punitive Strike in Syria," Mother Jones, August 28, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293168&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=10

8. "Syria's Nusra Front eclipsed by Iraq-based al Qaeda," Reuters, May 17, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293169&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=11

9. "DeFazio Will Likely Vote Against an Attack on Syria," KLCC, September 5, 2013
http://klcc.org/Feature.asp?FeatureID=4813

 

Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 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.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 10, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Congress: It's time to reform the criminal justice system

Below is an email from Newark Mayor and New Jersey Senate candidate Cory Booker. Mayor Booker started a petition on the MoveOn website, where anyone can start their own online petition.



Congress: Empower incarcerated people with programs for rehabilitation and reintegration.

Sign the Petition!

Dear MoveOn member,

Congress needs to put the justice back in the justice system by fundamentally reevaluating why and how we convict and incarcerate—and the best ways we can empower people who have been incarcerated to succeed once they rejoin society. 

But criminal justice goes beyond just prisons. Since 1980, the number of people under community supervision—either probation or parole—has risen by more than 250%. More than seven million people live under supervision of the criminal justice system. 

Without programs to help offenders rehabilitate, reintegrate, and stay in touch with their families, they're more likely to reoffend and take another trip through this ineffective, revolving-door system that costs us $74 billion per year. 

But more devastating are the impacts on the inmates' children and families. Not only do they lose the income and direct support from their incarcerated parents, but innocent children who have a parent in prison also suffer emotional trauma, social stigma, and destruction of their familial relationships.

Tell Congress to put the justice back in the justice system with programs to help offenders rehabilitate and reintegrate.

We can do better, and we've started to in Newark with smarter re-entry programs. But our cities and towns can't do this alone. The federal government must reform the system where it controls it, and support innovation at the local level.

That's why I started a petition to the United States Congress, which says:

For too long, the priorities of our criminal justice system have been backward. 

We have valued punishment over rehabilitation for low-level, nonviolent crimes, and we have done so at the expense of public safety, human dignity, our budget, and the economic vitality of our communities and of our nation. We must fundamentally reevaluate our criminal justice system. 

I ask you to put justice back in our criminal justice system by fundamentally reevaluating why and how we convict and incarcerate—and the best ways we can empower people who have been incarcerated to succeed once they rejoin society.

Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.

Thanks!

–Cory Booker

This petition was started by the Cory Booker on MoveOn Petitions Political Action Edition, which is licensed to and paid for by MoveOn.org Political Action. Cory Booker didn't pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.

Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 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.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 9, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tonight: Vigil in Jackson Heights to oppose strikes on Syria. Can you join?

Dear MoveOn member—MoveOn members and other progressives are coming together at more than 165 vigils from coast to coast tonight to send a clear message to Congress: vote "no" on the authorization to use military force in Syria.

Click here to RSVP for tonight's vigil in Jackson Heights.


 
☆YOU'RE INVITED!☆
Vigil to oppose strikes on Syria:
Monday in Jackson Heights


Host: Judith N.

Where: 82 Street & 37th Avenue Jackson Heights (in Jackson Heights)

When: Monday, Sep. 9, at 7:00 PM

Can you come?
Click below for more details and to RSVP:

Yes I'll be there!
I can come.

I can't make it.
Sorry, I can't make it, but I'm interested in getting more updates.
What: Congress could vote as early as Wednesday to authorize military attacks on Syria. MoveOn members and other progressives are gathering for vigils Monday evening to lift our voices for peace to stop the U.S. from once again heading down a slippery slope toward war in the Middle East. The American public overwhelmingly opposes military strikes on Syria. But with the President set to give a special address to the nation on Tuesday, Congress needs to hear our message loud and clear, and that will only happen if progressives show up in person Monday night to make our voices heard. Can you join us in Jackson Heights on Monday?
 
 

Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 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.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 9, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Monday: Vigil in Jackson Heights to oppose strikes on Syria. Can you join?

 
☆YOU'RE INVITED!☆
Vigil to oppose strikes on Syria:
Monday in Jackson Heights


Host: Judith N.

Where: 82 Street & 37th Avenue Jackson Heights (in Jackson Heights)

When: Monday, Sep. 9, at 7:00 PM

Can you come?
Click below for more details and to RSVP:

Yes I'll be there!
I can come.

I can't make it.
Sorry, I can't make it, but I'm interested in getting more updates.
What: Congress could vote as early as Wednesday to authorize military attacks on Syria. MoveOn members and other progressives are gathering for vigils Monday evening to lift our voices for peace before the U.S. once again heads down a slippery slope toward war in the Middle East. The American public overwhelmingly opposes military strikes on Syria. But with the President set to give a special address to the nation on Tuesday, Congress needs to hear our message loud and clear, and that will only happen if progressives show up in person Monday night to make our voices heard. Can you join us in Jackson Heights on Monday?
 
 

Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 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.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 8, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Urgent: Update from Colorado

URGENT: We've just heard from organizers on the ground in Colorado that they need to raise $150,000 in the next 24 hours to fund their Election Day Get-Out-the-Vote efforts against the NRA's attempt to recall two leaders who got a sweeping new gun law passed this spring.

Will you chip in $5 right now to stop the NRA?
 

Chip in $5

Dear MoveOn member,

Remember the feeling when Congress voted down the first common-sense gun measures being considered in years? 

Shock. Sadness. Anger. 

The one bright spot was that a bunch of states like Colorado did pass important new laws to reduce gun violence. Now the NRA is trying to make sure that never happens again.

They want to make an example out of Sen. John Morse—who courageously led the fight for Colorado's stronger gun laws—in order to bully and intimidate elected officials around the country. The NRA has launched a huge effort to recall Morse, and he's in serious danger. We urgently need to get John's back to show state leaders around the country that gun violence prevention is both the right thing to do and a winning election issue.

Click here to donate $5 to help Colorado Senate President John Morse beat the NRA.

The NRA scared enough U.S. Senators to defeat a federal universal background check bill in April.2  But courageous leaders at the local level like Sen. Morse didn't bend under pressure from the NRA, and he wasn't alone. Colorado State Senator Angela Giron bravely cast the deciding committee vote on key measures, like banning guns on college campuses—the NRA is trying to recall her too.3 

We've got to have their backs now.

Sens. Morse and Giron need to immediately begin mobilizing their base against the NRA. Will you donate $5 to make sure the NRA doesn't defeat these gun violence prevention champions?

Yes, I'll donate $5.

Thanks for all you do.

–Garlin, Stephen, Victoria, Susannah, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Facing a Recall After Supporting Stronger Gun Laws in Colorado," The New York Times, July 28, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=292224&id=74537-10220574-cRcHuUx&t=4

"Battle ahead as Colorado Democrat John Morse fights gun-based recall," The Denver Post, June 3, 2013  
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=290713&id=74537-10220574-cRcHuUx&t=5

2. "Senate Scuttles Gun Limits," The Wall Street Journal, April 18, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=290711&id=74537-10220574-cRcHuUx&t=6

"Polls Plummet For Senators Who Voted No On Gun Background Checks," Talking Points Memo, April 29, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=290712&id=74537-10220574-cRcHuUx&t=7

3. "Colorado lawmakers advance gun control bills," KKCO 11 News, March 5, 2013 
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=292587&id=74537-10220574-cRcHuUx&t=8

 

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 8 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 September 6, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.