Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Stand against pesticide pollution of our water

Dear MoveOn member,

The Senate committee charged with protecting our environment just passed a bill that would make it a lot easier to spray pesticides in and around our rivers, lakes, and streams.

The dubiously named "Sensible Environmental Protection Act" eliminates the requirement for point sources to have a permit to spray pesticides in and around our waterways under the Clean Water Act.1

Can you join me in standing against pesticide pollution of our water? Click here to sign the petition to the United States Senate, which says:

Pesticides have been linked to a wide range of human health problems, as well as die-offs of bees, grassland birds, and other wildlife. Permitting helps ensure pesticides are used in a responsible way that reduces contamination of our streams, rivers, and lakes.

For public health and safety, I strongly encourage you to vote against the Sensible Environmental Protection Act, and also respectfully ask you to make a public statement against it.

This bill should be called "The Contaminate Waters at Will Act” since it eliminates the need for permitting to spray pesticides into our waterways.

The documented health hazards and loss of wildlife attributed to pesticides are the exact reason why businesses and industries are required to obtain permits to spray in and around bodies of water.2, 3

Please tell your senators to stand against this reckless action now.

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

Thanks!

–John Rumpler, Environment America

Source:

1. "Big Food is Spending Millions to Lobby for Less Transparency," Yahoo! News, September 1, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307630&id=132976-10220574-zhen6Sx&t=2

2. "Health Agency Says Widely Used Herbicide Likely Carcinogenic," The Wall Street Journal, March 20, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=304344&id=132976-10220574-zhen6Sx&t=3

3. "Monarch Decline and Genetically Engineered Crops," Center for Food Safety, September 3, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307631&id=132976-10220574-zhen6Sx&t=4

You're receiving this petition because we thought it might interest you. It was created on MoveOn.org, where anyone can start their own online petitions. You can start your own petition here.

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 30, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Oklahoma set to execute an innocent man in less than 24 hours

Dear MoveOn member,

Oklahoma will execute an innocent man at 3:00 p.m CST on Wednesday—unless the U.S. Supreme Court steps in now. That's why MoveOn members gathered outside the Supreme Court tonight to send this simple message: Save Richard Glossip.

In their emergency petition to the U.S. Supreme Court today, Richard's lawyers wrote, "New evidence, not fully considered by any court, shows that Mr. Glossip is innocent of the murder for which he faces execution."1

Check out the photo of tonight's last-minute appeal for justice, and then share it right now on Facebook. Together, we can draw more attention to the gross injustice that's set to occur—and just maybe help convince the Supreme Court to stop the execution. There's very little time left, and we can't stop fighting for Richard's life.

Not on social media? Can you forward this email to five friends?

Richard was sent to death row on the word of one man—who bragged about setting him up.2

Justin Sneed confessed to the gruesome murder at a motel, but he said Richard hired him to do it. In exchange for testifying against Richard, Sneed avoided the death penalty himself and now is serving a life sentence in a medium-security prison.3

But for 18 years, Richard hasn't had the resources to hire lawyers to prove his innocence. Only now is a team of pro bono lawyers working on his case—and what they've found is breathtaking, including witnesses who say that Sneed bragged about framing Richard and that Sneed acted alone. And the latest? The state has been intimidating those witnesses, even arresting one at gunpoint.4

Yet, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals yesterday ruled 3-2 to deny Richard's final appeals, and Gov. Mary Fallin continues to refuse to act.5

Hundreds of thousands of people across the country have added their name to petitions. Thousands more have made phone calls to key decision makers. And now time is up. We have one last chance to save an innocent man.

Please share tonight's photo right now on Facebook, and ask your family and friends to share it as well.

Thanks for all you do.

–Mark, Ben O., Brian, Matt, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. Glossip petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, September 29, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307625&id=132930-10220574-BaIZunx&t=4

2. "The Only Witness Against Him Bragged About Setting Him Up. Now He Is About To Be Executed," Think Progress, September 14, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307143&id=132930-10220574-BaIZunx&t=5

3. "What Happened in Room 102: Oklahoma Prepares to Execute Richard Glossip," The Intercept, July 9, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307104&id=132930-10220574-BaIZunx&t=6

4. "Why Is Oklahoma So Eager to Kill Richard Glossip Tomorrow," The Intercept, September 29, 2015
https://theintercept.com/2015/09/29/glossip-to-die-tomorrow/

5. "Oklahoma court denies Richard Glossip's request for a stay of execution," The Washington Post, September 28, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307624&id=132930-10220574-BaIZunx&t=7

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 29, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

The most important speech of 2015?

Elizabeth Warren just gave one of the most important speeches by any politician in 2015. You have to see this video.

Dear MoveOn member,

"That's a speech I really wanted to give!"

That's what Elizabeth Warren said after the standing ovation finally subsided for her speech on racial injustice in America.

A couple days ago, in a riveting 30 minutes, Senator Warren spoke about the historical violence, voter suppression, and economic injustices that have been used to stifle the lives of Black Americans—the "tools of oppression," as she called them.

After acknowledging the victories of the civil rights movement, Sen. Warren explained how much farther we have to go today—politically and legislatively—to make clear that "Black lives matter, Black citizens matter, and Black families matter."

You have to see this speech—it's rare that you'll hear a politician talk like this today. Click here to watch and share the refreshingly honest and compelling remarks.

Senator Elizabeth Warren remarks at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate

Since the murder of Trayvon Martin, the growing movement for Black lives—today's continuation of America's historic civil rights struggle—has changed the political discourse in our country. It's brought racism—and its systemic, material effects—front and center in our national conversation.

In her speech, Sen. Warren provided a direct rebuttal to those who argue that confronting economic injustice alone will be enough to challenge and dismantle society's entrenched race problem. Here's some of what Sen. Warren said:

Economic justice is not—and has never been—sufficient to ensure racial justice. Owning a home won't stop someone from burning a cross on the front lawn. Admission to a school won't prevent a beating on the sidewalk outside ... The tools of oppression were woven together, and the civil rights struggle was fought against that oppression wherever it was found—against violence, against the denial of voting rights, and against economic injustice.

We should help as many people as possible to see Sen. Warren's important speech—from other elected officials who need an example, to grassroots activists, to just plain folk. 

Click here to watch and then share Sen. Warren's remarks with your friends.

Thanks for all you do.

–Mark, Erica, Manny, Josh, and the rest of the team

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 29, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tell Subway: Switch to antibiotic-free meat!

We cannot solve the growing problem of antibiotic resistance unless big meat purchasers, like Subway, stop serving meat raised with routine antibiotics. Tell Subway: Switch to antibiotic-free meat!
Dear MoveOn member,

I'm Peter Stocker of the organization Friends of the Earth, and I started a petition to Subway's CEO, Suzanne Greco, which says:

As the largest restaurant chain in the world—and one that markets itself as serving healthy meals—I urge you to adopt a policy prohibiting the routine use of antibiotics for growth promotion and disease prevention in the production of meat and poultry served in your restaurants.

Subway can make a big difference by using its considerable purchasing power to work with meat and poultry suppliers to eliminate the routine use of antibiotics in their operations, or shift to suppliers that do not misuse antibiotics that are important in human medicine.

I also urge you to ask your suppliers to improve management practices and conditions for animals in their facilities, reducing the need for routine use of these drugs.

80 percent of all antibiotics sold in the U.S. are used in animal agriculture. The nation's leading health experts agree that feeding low doses of antibiotics to animals that are not sick contributes to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, one of our nation's greatest public health threats. As a result, those same antibiotics may not work when we get sick.1

We cannot solve the growing problem of antibiotic resistance unless big meat purchasers like Subway stop serving meat raised with routine antibiotics.

By insisting on meat raised without routine antibiotics, we will remove a key tool that perpetuates terrible factory farming conditions and prevents a transition to more sustainable, humane meat production.2

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

Thanks!

–Peter Stocker

Source:

1. "The FDA is cracking down on antibiotics on farms. Here's what you should know." The Washington Post, December 14, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307514&id=132923-10220574-lkE87gx&t=1

2. Ibid.

You're receiving this petition because we thought it might interest you. It was created on MoveOn.org, where anyone can start their own online petitions. You can start your own petition here. http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=306934&id=132923-10220574-lkE87gx&t=2

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 29, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Saturday, September 26, 2015

FW: Can I send you a book?

Want a copy of my new book? Want to help MoveOn's organizing? You can do both!
Hi there—I just wanted to make sure you saw this email. My new book, "Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few," is coming out. Want one? 
Dear fellow MoveOn member,

Capitalism.

How does that word make you feel these days? I'm going to guess it brings up a wide range of emotions.

In my latest book, "Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few," I take a scalpel and a sledgehammer to our nation's economic structure.

As far as I'm concerned, capitalism is in dire need of major fixes. Building an economy that works for everyone is going to take all of us working together.

That's why I'm partnering with MoveOn to offer my new book, "Saving Capitalism," to everyone who donates at least $29.

Click here to get your limited-edition copy.

In its current unchecked state, capitalism is at the heart of ballooning and inexcusable inequality. It's the barrier to winning on all the issues MoveOn members care about.

So throughout "Saving Capitalism," I shatter entrenched myths about capitalism and offer an accessible guide for all those ready to tackle inequality, rebuild our economy, and restore our democracy.

That sounds like a job for MoveOn members to me.

Don't just take my word for it. Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz calls "Saving Capitalism" "a riveting guide." Publishers Weekly says it's "arresting, thought-provoking," and ranks it as one of the fall's top 10 business and economic releases. I also sent an advance copy to MoveOn staff. They thought it was great—and wanted MoveOn members like you to have an opportunity to read it, too.

"Saving Capitalism" is due out next week. And sure, you could visit your local big-box store or online retailer and preorder it. But MoveOn has a much better way.

If you click here and make a donation of $29 or more, MoveOn will send you a limited-edition copy of "Saving Capitalism."

Instead of giving your money to a corporate bookseller, you can get my new book and get to help fund MoveOn's cutting-edge organizing. No big-box store or online retailer is going to put your money to work to fight for a $15 minimum wage, help working families, expand Social Security, save Planned Parenthood from cuts, and tame Wall Street.

But MoveOn will.

Click here to get your limited-edition copy of "Saving Capitalism"—before supplies run out.

Thanks for all you do—and all you read!

–Robert Reich  

Robert Reich, Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley, was secretary of labor in the Clinton administration. He has written thirteen books before this one, including the best-sellers "Aftershock" and "The Work of Nations." His latest book, "Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few," is available here. His recent film, "Inequality for All," is now available on Netflix, iTunes, DVD, and on demand.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 26, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Call today: Support international negotiations to end Syrian civil war

Dear MoveOn member,

What can we do to support Syrian refugees—in addition to direct financial aid and heartfelt welcome messages?

We can give diplomacy a boost by supporting a congressional sign-on letter directed to President Obama which is being circulated by Representative Jim Himes (D-CT).1

Rep. Himes' letter calls for the president to use his authority to hasten international diplomatic negotiations to end the ongoing and brutal Syrian civil war and stabilize the country so that refugees can return home.

Representative Gregory Meeks has not yet signed on to Rep. Himes' letter to the president—and we need as many Democrats as possible to sign on to bolster Rep. Himes' request. Can you pick up the phone right now and ask Rep. Meeks to sign on before next Tuesday's deadline?

Here's where to call:

Representative Gregory Meeks
Phone: (202) 225-3461

You can say: "Please sign on to Rep. Himes' letter to President Obama calling for international diplomatic negotiations to end the civil war in Syria."

Please report the details of your call here:

http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FHNY_05&cp_id=2408&id=132720-10220574-sVIPqqx&t=1

Rep. Himes' letter allows MoveOn members to—once again—demonstrate our stanch support for diplomacy as a mechanism for solving entrenched conflicts.

In a letter to his House colleagues encouraging their support of this sign-on letter, Rep. Himes writes that an "international agreement won't come easily, but it is in our best security and moral interests to lead the way."2

This is a moment to build on the historic Iran diplomacy breakthrough—which also didn't come easily.

Many in Congress predicted diplomacy with Iran would fail, claiming that an all-out war was the only way to achieve our objectives. Against all odds, MoveOn members worked for diplomacy and peace with Iran. We helped hard-nosed and tough negotiations prevail, yielding a solid deal that will prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Now, with millions of Syrian lives at stake, it's time we step up again and join the outcry for international diplomacy to address the Syrian civil war.

Thanks for all you do.

–Jo, Milan, Ben W., Joan, and the rest of the team

P.S. Negotiations could provide a long-term solution to an entrenched and brutal Syrian civil war. But there's a great deal to do in the short-term to ease the suffering of millions of Syrian refugees. MoveOn members have donated more than $230,000 to the United Nations' refugee agency and have joined the call for the United States to raise the cap on the number of Syrians admitted into the U.S. See thousands of incredible welcome messages from MoveOn members and our allies by clicking here.

Sources:

1. "Rep. Himes' Letter to Support Syria Negotiations," Friends Committee on National Legislation, September 23, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=307494&id=132720-10220574-sVIPqqx&t=2

2. Ibid.

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 25, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Can I send you a book?

Ready to take a scalpel and a sledgehammer to capitalism?
Dear fellow MoveOn member,

Capitalism.

How does that word make you feel these days? I'm going to guess it brings up a wide range of emotions.

In my latest book, "Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few," I take a scalpel and a sledgehammer to our nation's economic structure.

As far as I'm concerned, capitalism is in dire need of major fixes. Building an economy that works for everyone is going to take all of us working together.

That's why I'm partnering with MoveOn to offer my new book, "Saving Capitalism," to everyone who donates at least $29.

Click here to get your limited-edition copy.

In its current unchecked state, capitalism is at the heart of ballooning and inexcusable inequality. It's the barrier to winning on all the issues MoveOn members care about.

So throughout "Saving Capitalism," I shatter entrenched myths about capitalism and offer an accessible guide for all those ready to tackle inequality, rebuild our economy, and restore our democracy.

That sounds like a job for MoveOn members to me.

Don't just take my word for it. Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz calls "Saving Capitalism" "a riveting guide." Publishers Weekly says it's "arresting, thought-provoking," and ranks it as one of the fall's top 10 business and economic releases. I also sent an advance copy to MoveOn staff. They thought it was great—and wanted MoveOn members like you to have an opportunity to read it, too.

"Saving Capitalism" is due out next week. And sure, you could visit your local big-box store or online retailer and preorder it. But MoveOn has a much better way.

If you click here and make a donation of $29 or more, MoveOn will send you a limited-edition copy of "Saving Capitalism."

Instead of giving your money to a corporate bookseller, you can get my new book and get to help fund MoveOn's cutting-edge organizing. No big-box store or online retailer is going to put your money to work to fight for a $15 minimum wage, help working families, expand Social Security, save Planned Parenthood from cuts, and tame Wall Street.

But MoveOn will.

Click here to get your limited-edition copy of "Saving Capitalism"—before supplies run out.

Thanks for all you do—and all you read!

–Robert Reich  

Robert Reich, Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley, was secretary of labor in the Clinton administration. He has written thirteen books before this one, including the best-sellers "Aftershock" and "The Work of Nations." His latest book, "Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few," is available here. His recent film, "Inequality for All," is now available on Netflix, iTunes, DVD, and on demand.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 24, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Join ColorOfChange's town hall, Aftermath: The Movement for Black Lives 10 Years After Katrina

Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, Van Jones will moderate a panel featuring the voices of New Orleans-based organizers talking about their local work for racial justice and equity after Hurricane Katrina.

Dear MoveOn member,

It's been 10 years since Hurricane Katrina changed our country.

The disastrous federal response to the storm, the lack of emergency preparedness and support for low-income communities, and the failure of our government to rebuild entire neighborhoods have shaped our national understanding of how our federal government responds to the suffering of Black communities.

Our friends at ColorOfChange, the country's leading online civil rights organization that was founded in the storm's wake, are hosting an important town hall to reflect on what's changed since Hurricane Katrina tore through New Orleans and southern Louisiana.

This Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, Aftermath: The Movement for Black Lives 10 Years After Katrina—moderated by CNN political contributor and ColorOfChange Co-founder Van Jones—will feature the voices of New Orleans-based organizers on their local work for racial justice and equity.

Click here to sign up for Aftermath: The Movement for Black Lives 10 Years After Katrina.

Ten years after Hurricane Katrina, Black workers continue to be excluded from the ongoing reconstruction of New Orleans, though more than $71 billion has been spent to restore the city. More than 50% of the city's Black children live in poverty, Black families make half the income of white families, and as little as 4% of the workforce on city construction projects is Black—even while 52% of Black men in New Orleans face unemployment.

ColorOfChange is joining New Orleans-based civil rights groups to discuss organizing and activism in the Black community after Hurricane Katrina, resistance to the privatization of schools and the expansion of the cradle-to-prison pipeline, and the exclusion of Black workers from quality jobs.

The online town hall will provide an opportunity to connect with front-line organizers in the Movement for Black Lives in New Orleans to better understand the current struggles in the efforts to dismantle the entrenched plantation economy, end white supremacy, and build a world that respects Black lives in school, at work, and in communities.

Click here to join ColorOfChange's virtual town hall, Aftermath: The Movement for Black Lives 10 Years After Katrina, moderated by Van Jones.

The event will take place on Thursday, September 24, at 8 p.m. ET. 

  • Moderator: Van Jones, political contributor, CNN; president, Dream Corps; and co-founder, ColorOfChange
     
  • Host: Rashad Robinson, executive director, ColorOfChange
     
  • Co-host: Saket Soni, executive director, New Orleans Worker Center for Racial Justice
     
  • Panelists: Latoya Lewis, organizer, STAND with Dignity at the New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice; Gina Womack, executive director, Families and Friends of Louisiana's Incarcerated Children (FFLIC); Quess, co-founding member of BYP 100 NOLA

You can sign up for the town hall by clicking here. We hope you'll join our friends at ColorOfChange for this important event.

Thanks for all you do.

–Mark, Maria, Erica, Nick, and the rest of the team

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 23, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

More Walking and Biking: Thank You Surgeon General!


Dear MoveOn member,

I'm U.S. PIRG of U.S.PIRG, and I started a petition to Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General , which says:

Surgeon General Murthy,

Americans increasingly want more and better options for transportation beyond the personal car – Americans like me. Thank you for your recent Call to Action advocating for more and better walking and biking infrastructure. We need more champions like you fighting for a healthy America and the transportation options that will get us there. Please continue promoting more and better walking and biking options.

Sincerely,

The nation's doctor has issued a rare Call to Action calling on cities and states across the country to invest in ways to make walking and biking safer, more attractive, and easier to use.

Less than half of Americans get enough daily physical activity to help ward off chronic health problems like obesity and cancer, but more "active transportation" options can be part of the solution.

By issuing this challenge to cities and states, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy recognizes that not only is this something more people want, but it's also something we need.

Thank the Surgeon General for his leadership on keeping America healthy.

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

Thanks!

–U.S. PIRG

You're receiving this petition because we thought it might interest you. It was created on MoveOn.org, where anyone can start their own online petitions. You can start your own petition here.

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 22, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Should MoveOn support this petition?


Dear MoveOn member,

A MoveOn member named Mark Crain recently created a petition on our public petition website entitled "Investigate apparent assault by Stockton cops and decriminalize jaywalking"—and we'd like to know what you think of it.

The petition is addressed to Anthony Silva, Mayor of Stockton, CA and City Council, of Stockton, CA, and reads:

16 year old young people should not be brutalized and arrested for jaywalking!

I am horrified by the video of Stockton police brutalizing 16 year old Emilio Mayfield for jaywalking. By all accounts, it appears that the police behaved criminally. We want you to launch an independent investigation into the arresting officers with assault of a minor and decriminalize jaywalking in Stockton.

Sign Mark's petition.

Here's what Mark wrote about it:

The criminalization of Black youth is out of control! On the heels of a Texas teen being arrested for bringing a clock to school, Stockton, CA police brutalized 16 year old Emilio Mayfield for jaywalking. The cops were the threat to public safety, not the minor getting off the bus.

We demand the cops be charged with assaulting a minor, that Restorative Justice methods are used to resolve non-violent victimless "crimes," and—we can’t believe we have to say this—the decriminalization of jaywalking.

Can you click to let us know what you think?

I want to sign this petition.

I don't think MoveOn should support this petition.

We'll decide whether to send this petition out to additional MoveOn members in your area based on your feedback.

In case you haven't heard about it, MoveOn's petition site allows anyone to start an online petition and share it with friends and neighbors to build support for their cause.

Thanks for all you do. 

–Milan, Maria, Manny, Bobby, and the rest of the team

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 20, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Friday, September 18, 2015

DEFUNDED: Planned Parenthood (Update)

UPDATE: Just hours ago, the House voted to defund Planned Parenthood, setting the stage for a government shutdown.
UPDATE: Just hours ago, the House voted to defund Planned Parenthood—setting the stage for a government shutdown. The fight now moves to the Senate. Will you chip in $3 to help MoveOn stop the defunding of Planned Parenthood?

For more information, see Victoria's email from the other day:


Dear MoveOn member,

Five states have defunded Planned Parenthood in just the last month, and Congress is voting TOMORROW on legislation to cut their funding nationwide.1

If you watched last night's Republican debate, you know these people are hell-bent on defunding Planned Parenthood—even if it means shutting down the government.

The good news is that Planned Parenthood is still overwhelmingly popular with voters.2 So we're launching an emergency campaign to make sure members of Congress are hearing from real people in their home districts.

But these attacks came out of the blue, and we didn't budget for this fight. Will you chip in $3?

Yes, I'll chip in to help MoveOn fight to stop the defunding of Planned Parenthood.

In July, we helped stop anti-choice Republicans in the Senate from eliminating funding for Planned Parenthood. We collected more than a quarter-million petition signatures, flooded Senate offices with 10,000 phone calls, and ran ads on Facebook highlighting how Planned Parenthood has helped individual MoveOn members.

To win this fight, we'll show that attacking Planned Parenthood is a political loser and will cause vulnerable Republican senators and representatives running for re-election next year to lose support among women. We know it will work because Planned Parenthood is enormously popular. The Republican war on women is a big reason why Todd Akin and Mitt Romney lost their elections in 2012.

Here's our plan:

  • We'll partner with Planned Parenthood on a national day of action this month and work with their staff and MoveOn members to hold protests outside the offices of vulnerable Republicans and members who are on the fence.
  • We'll target those same Republicans with a flood of phone calls and actions on social media.
  • We'll deliver hundreds of thousands of signatures demanding that Republicans stop the attacks.
  • We'll expose the attacks on Planned Parenthood for what they are: propaganda designed to close down health clinics and ban abortion.

This is a critical moment in the fight for Planned Parenthood and women's health and rights—and we must win. Will you chip in $3 to join MoveOn as we fight to save Planned Parenthood?

Click here to chip in and help stand with Planned Parenthood.

Thanks for all you do.

–Victoria, Maria, Stephen, Ben W., and the rest of the team

Source:

1. "Arkansas, Utah target Planned Parenthood funding," The Hill, August 14, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=306598&id=132385-10220574-g8FPZ9x&t=1

2. "Most Americans Don't Want To Defund Planned Parenthood," ThinkProgress, August 19, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307199&id=132385-10220574-g8FPZ9x&t=2

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift 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 18, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Thank Rep. Meeks for being a champion for diplomacy

Dear MoveOn member,

As you know by now, the grassroots movement for peace beat the war hawks this week. As of last night, time has run out for Republicans to sabotage the nuclear agreement with Iran.1 This was the result of an incredible mobilization of regular folks in local communities across the country, who pressured Democrats to stand strong for diplomacy, not war. Representative Gregory Meeks was one of the members of Congress who cast a brave, smart vote in this fight.

Now, many pro-diplomacy Democrats are feeling severe backlash from the well-funded opponents of diplomacy, who have been pouring money into attack ads and, in some cases, threatening to support opponents in upcoming primaries.  

We have no problem calling out Democrats when they do something bad, but let's also make sure to thank them when they stand for true progressive principles. 

Can you drop by the office of Rep. Meeks on Monday, September 21, to say thank you?


We encourage you to visit around noon. That way, if other MoveOn members are dropping by, you'll see them—and you can head in together. But you can also stop by anytime that's convenient for you that day. Visiting Rep. Meeks's office is a clear way to show that you'll have his back in the fights ahead. We'll provide thank-you signs and cards you can print out to bring with you as well.

The office near you is at

67-12 Rockaway Beach Boulevard 
Arverne, NY

(Want to find a different office location? Click here.)

Are you in?


If you can't make it in person, there are other ways to show your thanks.

You can call Rep. Meeks and say, "Thank you for choosing diplomacy over war. I am proud of your vote for peace."

Here's where to call:

Representative Gregory Meeks
Phone: (202) 225-3461

Then, please report your call by clicking here:

http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FHNY_05&cp_id=2399&id=132372-10220574-JInMS5x&t=3

Rep. Meeks was a champion for diplomacy this past week. Let's say thanks—and dig in to keep fighting for peace in the years ahead.

Thanks for all you do.

–Matt, Jo, Maria, Justin K., Alejandro, and the rest of the team 

P.S. We're asking you, and every MoveOn member who was active around our Iran and other peace work, to visit or call ONE member of Congress who deserves our thanks. Don't worry—other members of Congress who deserve our thanks will hear from other MoveOn members. 

If you want to make sure you personally thank (or express your displeasure with) another member of Congress, not just Rep. Meeks, you can reach ALL of your members of Congress via the congressional switchboard number: 202-224-3121. 

Source:

1. "Democrats block Senate vote to bar Obama from lifting Iran sanctions," USA Today, September 17, 2015 
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307200&id=132372-10220574-JInMS5x&t=4

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 18, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

DEFUNDED: Planned Parenthood

In the weeks since those heavily edited Planned Parenthood attack videos came out, FIVE states have defunded the organization.
Dear MoveOn member,

Five states have defunded Planned Parenthood in just the last month, and Congress is voting TOMORROW on legislation to cut their funding nationwide.1

If you watched last night's Republican debate, you know these people are hell-bent on defunding Planned Parenthood—even if it means shutting down the government.

The good news is that Planned Parenthood is still overwhelmingly popular with voters.2 So we're launching an emergency campaign to make sure members of Congress are hearing from real people in their home districts.

But these attacks came out of the blue, and we didn't budget for this fight. Will you chip in $3?

Yes, I'll chip in to help MoveOn fight to stop the defunding of Planned Parenthood.

In July, we helped stop anti-choice Republicans in the Senate from eliminating funding for Planned Parenthood. We collected more than a quarter-million petition signatures, flooded Senate offices with 10,000 phone calls, and ran ads on Facebook highlighting how Planned Parenthood has helped individual MoveOn members.

To win this fight, we'll show that attacking Planned Parenthood is a political loser and will cause vulnerable Republican senators and representatives running for re-election next year to lose support among women. We know it will work because Planned Parenthood is enormously popular. The Republican war on women is a big reason why Todd Akin and Mitt Romney lost their elections in 2012.

Here's our plan:

  • We'll partner with Planned Parenthood on a national day of action this month and work with their staff and MoveOn members to hold protests outside the offices of vulnerable Republicans and members who are on the fence.
  • We'll target those same Republicans with a flood of phone calls and actions on social media.
  • We'll deliver hundreds of thousands of signatures demanding that Republicans stop the attacks.
  • We'll expose the attacks on Planned Parenthood for what they are: propaganda designed to close down health clinics and ban abortion.

This is a critical moment in the fight for Planned Parenthood and women's health and rights—and we must win. Will you chip in $3 to join MoveOn as we fight to save Planned Parenthood?

Click here to chip in and help stand with Planned Parenthood.

Thanks for all you do.

–Victoria, Maria, Stephen, Ben W., and the rest of the team

Source:

1. "Arkansas, Utah target Planned Parenthood funding," The Hill, August 14, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=306598&id=132328-10220574-meghMix&t=1

2. "Most Americans Don't Want To Defund Planned Parenthood," ThinkProgress, August 19, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307199&id=132328-10220574-meghMix&t=2

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift 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 17, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

WATCH: Planned Parenthood attacked. Help fight back.

Right-wing extremists in the U.S. House of Representatives are trying to defund Planned Parenthood. It's up to us to fight back.
Dear fellow MoveOn member,

On Thursday, right-wing extremists in the U.S. House of Representatives will vote to try to defund Planned Parenthood, one of the nation's largest providers of women's health care and family planning services.

In my latest video with MoveOn, I lay out the economic argument for funding family planning and women's health services, and why it's critical that all of us step up right now to defend Planned Parenthood.

Please watch and share this very timely video now.

Planned Parenthood is under attack

Here's the bottom line: Everyone benefits when society respects women's right to control their own bodies and plan their own families.

Planned Parenthood is under relentless attack, and it's only going to get worse over the coming weeks. It's up to all of us to fight back. So I hope you'll watch and then share this video with your friends. 

Thanks for all you do.

–Robert Reich

P.S. Want to do more to defend Planned Parenthood? MoveOn is organizing to defend it in Congress. Will you chip in to help MoveOn fight back?

Source:

1. "House Will Vote This Week to Defund Planned Parenthood," RH Reality Check, September 14, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=307146&id=132264-10220574-z%3D7BHfx&t=4

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 16, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Less than 24 hours to stop the execution of an innocent man

Dear MoveOn member,

The only witness against Richard Glossip—who Oklahoma plans to execute tomorrow—bragged about setting him up.1

That's according to information discovered just in the last few weeks and released yesterday by Richard's new pro bono lawyers. Richard had years of totally inadequate legal defense until his new team took over in July.2

Now, despite all of the new information, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin is still set to take this innocent man's life.

Will you share this graphic right now on Facebook, so that your friends can join you in demanding Gov. Fallin issue a 60-day stay of execution? Also share it on Twitter.

Not on social media? Can you call her office right now to stop the execution?

Here's the number:

405-521-2342
(It may take 30 seconds or more to hear anything after calling. When you hear the automated menu, press 2 to talk to the governor's receptionist, which is better than leaving a message on the governor's comment line, given the urgency. Call volume is high. So if you are unable to leave a comment the first time, try again.)

Then, please report your call by clicking here:
http://civic.moveon.org/signon/calls/?id=132221-10220574-0tt7Nwx&t=4

It's a race against the clock to save Richard's life.

He's set to be executed based on one man's word. The prosecutors even conceded, "The physical evidence doesn't directly implicate Mr. Glossip."3

When Justin Sneed confessed to the gruesome murder at a motel, he said Richard hired him to do it. In exchange for testifying against Richard, Sneed avoided the death penalty himself and now is serving a life sentence in a medium-security prison.4

Other new information released yesterday shows for the very first time that Sneed was addicted to methamphetamine and had been breaking into cars and rooms at the motel where Richard worked to buy meth.5

The confessed murderer "lied to save his own life"6—and now Richard, whose record was so clean he had never even gotten a speeding ticket, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow.7

We can't give up. Please share this graphic right now on Facebook and Twitter and ask your family and friends to share it as well. We need to increase the pressure on Gov. Fallin to stop tomorrow's execution.

Sister Helen Prejean, who has been at Richard's side, shared this from recent conversations with him: "When we talk, he always asks me, 'Sister Helen, what do you think is going to happen on the 16th.' I tell him, 'You are not going to die.'"8

Please help today.

Thanks for all you do.

–Mark, Manny, Brian, Victoria, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Glossip's Attorneys Present Evidence To Governor's Office," NewsOn6.com, September 14, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307148&id=132221-10220574-0tt7Nwx&t=6

2. "New Evidence in Glossip case will be presented Monday, September 14 by Legal Defense Team Member Don Knight," The City Sentinel, September 12, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307105&id=132221-10220574-0tt7Nwx&t=7

"What Happened in Room 102: Oklahoma Prepares to Execute Richard Glossip," The Intercept, July 9, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307104&id=132221-10220574-0tt7Nwx&t=8

3. Ibid.

4. "What Happened in Room 102: Oklahoma Prepares to Execute Richard Glossip," The Intercept, July 9, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307104&id=132221-10220574-0tt7Nwx&t=9

5. "New Evidence in Glossip case will be presented Monday, September 14 by Legal Defense Team Member Don Knight," The City Sentinel, September 12, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307105&id=132221-10220574-0tt7Nwx&t=10

6. Ibid.

7. "Don't put to death an innocent man," CNN, September 12, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307107&id=132221-10220574-0tt7Nwx&t=11

8. "Is Oklahoma about to execute an innocent man? Richard Glossip's supporters say yes," The Guardian, September 13, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307135&id=132221-10220574-0tt7Nwx&t=12

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on September 15, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

One day left: Oklahoma is about to execute an innocent man

MoveOn and I are teaming up in a fight to save an innocent man.

Hi there—I wanted to make sure you saw this urgent message while there's still time to help.


Dear fellow MoveOn member,

Tomorrow, Oklahoma will execute Richard Glossip, an innocent man—unless we stop it.

The situation is so dire that right now, at this very moment, Richard is in a cell right next to the death chamber.1

The system has failed a good man. But now, after years of totally inadequate legal representation, one of the best death penalty lawyers in the country is working on his case pro bono—and he's uncovered new evidence that could prove Richard's innocence.2

We just need more time. I've teamed up with MoveOn, because it's going to take a groundswell of public outrage to force Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin to issue a 60-day stay of execution, and no one can very quickly mobilize hundreds of thousands of people better than MoveOn.

Will you help out with $3?

Yes, I'll chip in and help MoveOn's campaign to save an innocent man's life.

Richard was convicted of murder solely on the testimony of Justin Sneed, who confessed to committing the murder himself, but claimed Richard had hired him to do it. There is no evidence to support this claim—no DNA, no fingerprints, no other witnesses—just Sneed's word. By implicating Richard, Sneed avoided the death penalty and now is serving a life sentence in a medium-security prison.3

Sneed's own daughter wrote to the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board last October to say that she "strongly believe[s]" Richard is innocent. "For a couple of years now, my father has been talking to me about recanting his original testimony," she wrote. She feels her father's conscience is "getting to him."4

And now, Richard's pro bono lawyers have released new evidence showing that Sneed even bragged about setting Richard up.5

While Richard's lawyers are fighting around-the-clock to save him in court, MoveOn and I are teaming up in a fight to save him in the court of public opinion—because Oklahoma's governor still has the power to act.

Will you chip in $3 to help MoveOn fight for Richard's life?

Yes, I'll chip in to help MoveOn stop the execution of an innocent man.

Richard, like others before him who were wrongly convicted, didn't have the money to hire lawyers who could prove his innocence in court. 

Our system is just not fair: You can't get a decent shake because of how much money you have or the color of your skin. It's heartbreaking, but 10 men on death row in Oklahoma alone have been exonerated in the past 35 years.6

We need to fight to the end to save Richard. And then, no matter what happens, we need to fight to change the system.

Last week, Sister Helen Prejean, who I played in the movie "Dead Man Walking," delivered a MoveOn.org petition signed by a quarter of a million people, asking Gov. Fallin to issue Richard a 60-day stay. But the governor hasn't budged. So now, MoveOn is flooding the governor's office with phone calls and ramping up pressure on her through the media. And after that, no matter what happens, MoveOn will fight for criminal justice reform that will finally start to fix a broken system that could put an innocent man to death.

Will you help out with $3?

Click here to chip in to help save Richard and fix a broken criminal justice system.

Together, we have to do everything we can to fight for Richard's life—and a more just criminal justice system.

Thanks for all you do.

–Susan Sarandon

Sources:

1. "Susan Sarandon Tries to Save a Man from Death Row," Dr. Phil, August 31, 2015
http://www.drphil.com/shows/page/richard_glossip/

2. "New Evidence in Glossip case will be presented Monday, September 14 by Legal Defense Team Member Don Knight," The City Sentinel, September 12, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307105&id=132198-10220574-RAwqbMx&t=2

3. "Is Oklahoma About to Execute an Innocent Man?" Letter from Sen. Tom Coburn et al to Governor Mary Fallin, The Huffington Post, September 11, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307106&id=132198-10220574-RAwqbMx&t=3

"What Happened in Room 102: Oklahoma Prepares to Execute Richard Glossip," The Intercept, July 9, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307104&id=132198-10220574-RAwqbMx&t=4

4. "Clemency letter from O'Ryan Justine Sneed," October 23, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=306051&id=132198-10220574-RAwqbMx&t=5

5. "Man Is About To Be Executed Even Though The Only Witness Against Him Bragged About Setting Him Up," Think Progress, September 14, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307143&id=132198-10220574-RAwqbMx&t=6

6. "Don't put to death an innocent man," CNN, September 12, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307107&id=132198-10220574-RAwqbMx&t=7

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift 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 15, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.