Saturday, February 28, 2015

Frank Underwood vs. Elizabeth Warren

While the Internet was losing its marbles Thursday night over #thedress and two runaway llamas, our favorite fake president was busy trolling our favorite real senator.
Run Warren Run

Dear MoveOn member,

While the Internet was losing its marbles Thursday night over #thedress and two runaway llamas, we decided to imagine what would happen if our favorite fake president started trolling our favorite real senator: Frank Underwood meets Elizabeth Warren.

Take a look at how it started, then click here to see the whole (imagined) conversation on Buzzfeed:

Frank Underwood Goes Trolling On Facebook And We Can't Get Enough

To be clear: every comment in the post was actually uttered by the real Senator Warren or Francis Underwood, Kevin Spacey's devious antihero in Netflix's House of Cards.

But this imagined and satirical Facebook war was our own concoction—a playful look at conversation between a politician who speaks from her heart, follows her convictions, listens to her constituents, and governs for everyday people and one who, in his own words, thinks "democracy is so overrated."

With the new season released just yesterday, literally millions of Americans are talking about #HouseofCards—including many folks who don't follow politics the way MoveOn members do. Let's make sure they're hearing about a real political hero as well.

Take a look—and don't forget to share it with friends.

Thanks for all you do, and have a great weekend!

–Mark, Bobby, Stephen, Maria, and the rest of the team

Like us on Facebook Watch our video Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram

We're part of a growing grassroots movement to convince Senator Warren to run for president. Help build the momentum—start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation 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 February 28, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Friday, February 27, 2015

Elizabeth Warren hears us

Run Warren Run
Dear MoveOn member,

In response to a reporter's question about "the folks that your message is resonating with, that want you to run for president, that support you as a senator," Elizabeth Warren recently said:

Americans understand that the game is rigged, and they've had enough of it. They're ready to fight back. They want a Washington that works for them.

I think that people are getting more engaged, politically, and they're seeing through a lot of the rhetoric that politicians have been throwing out there for a long time. They want to see some real change, and I think that's what we need to work on.1

The hundreds of house meetings and rallies, the more than 300,000 petition signatures, the thousands of media stories—what gets to the heart of all of this tremendous organizing is that Elizabeth Warren herself hears us. She does.

Can you help keep this tidal wave of support going by chipping in $3?

Yes, I'll chip in.

While Sen. Warren was meeting with constituents last week, Massachusetts resident and MoveOn member Bram Haver handed her the signatures of 9,030 of her Massachusetts constituents encouraging her to run for president (Bram is on the left):
 

Bram shared with Elizabeth Warren his story about saving money for his three kids' college funds only to have them lose one-third of their value during the economic crisis in 2007. He told her:

When we bailed out Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, we stuck my kids—along with millions of others—with the bill. Each of my kids will now graduate with $30,000-$50,000 in debt. I read up on how to save the right way, and followed the rules, and then the bottom fell out. I felt ashamed, even though I knew it wasn't my fault. It's wrong that we're burdening our kids with historic debt while we bail out the banks that got us into this mess.
With just 36 hours' notice, Bram was able to organize fellow MoveOn members in Massachusetts to greet Senator Warren and show her why they hope she'll run for president.

The truth is, this kind of grassroots mobilization takes resources—the technology to invite nearby supporters on a moment's notice, the ability to print those stacks of petition signatures (and to gather the signatures in the first place), and the funds to hire local photographers like the one who snapped this great photo of Bram with Elizabeth Warren that helps tell the story.

It's all worth it when we learn that what we're doing together is reaching Senator Warren.

Can you chip in $3 to help out so that we're ready for the next opportunity to greet Elizabeth Warren with love and support?

Yes, I'll chip in.

This week, when Senator Warren launched her "Middle Class Prosperity Project" with Representative Elijah Cummings and top economists like Joseph Stiglitz2, Run Warren Run supporters were there to cheer her on again.

Our work is adding up. Wherever Senator Warren goes, she gets a glimpse of the millions of people who want her leading the Democratic Party and want her voice in the presidential race. With your help, we can keep that going.

Can you chip in $3?

Yes, I'll chip in.

Thanks for all you do.

–Victoria, Erica, Alejandro, Milan, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Warren: Supporters are 'ready to fight back,'" CNN, February 20, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=303145&id=109101-10220574-huvsXIx&t=2

2. "Elizabeth Warren, Elijah Cummings Launch 'Middle Class Prosperity Project,'" The Huffington Post, February 23, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=303146&id=109101-10220574-huvsXIx&t=3

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. Start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation 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 February 27, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Harvard-Smithsonian: Drop Koch-Funded Climate Denier Wei-Hock Soon

Dear MoveOn member,

I'm Brad Johnson, a MoveOn member in Oakland, California, and I started a petition to the director of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Charles R. Alcock, which says:

End your association with climate denier Dr. Wei-Hock "Willie" Soon, financed by Koch, Exxon, and Southern Company, and stop accepting funding from the fossil-fuel industry.

The fossil-fuel industry's campaign to promote climate denial, led by the Koch brothers, has corrupted Harvard University and the Smithsonian, two of the most trusted scientific institutions in the world.

The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, a joint program of the Smithsonian Institution and Harvard University, is harboring a polluter-funded climate denier. Documents uncovered by Greenpeace reveal that Dr. Wei-Hock "Willie" Soon has taken more than $1.2 million from the Kochs, ExxonMobil, coal giant Southern Company, and others to produce "deliverables" that push the long-debunked claim that solar activity, not fossil-fuel pollution, drives global warming.1

Smithsonian-Harvard's contract with Southern Company forbade disclosure of Willie Soon's funding, a clear violation of scientific integrity and ethics. Some of the Exxon-Mobil money was used to directly fund Harvard-Smithsonian general expenses.

This level of corporate influence in research is unacceptable. Add your name and tell Harvard-Smithonian to end their association with this climate denier.

Harvard-Smithsonian has no fundingdisclosure requirements, nor does it have a conflict-of-interest policy that prevents funding from fossil-fuel companies of climate science research.

Is Harvard-Smithsonian a scientific institution or a fossil-fuel climate-denial public-relations firm?

To restore public trust in the institution, Harvard-Smithsonian director Charles Alcock must
1) sever his institution's ties with Dr. Wei-Hock Soon,
2) end all financial relationships with the fossil-fuel industry, and
3) establish strong financial public disclosure rules for all institute scientists that prevent anonymous or secret funding of research.

Harvard University and the Smithsonian Institution are two of the most prominent and trusted scientific institutions in the world. They are taking money from Koch and Exxon to promote climate denial. This must end today.

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

Thanks!

–Brad

Source:

1. "Deeper Ties to Corporate Cash for Doubtful Climate Researcher," The New York Times, February 21, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=303154&id=109046-10220574-U34mOmx&t=1

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

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. Start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation here.


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

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Huge Obama/Warren announcement

President Obama and Senator Warren are teaming up to stop Wall Street from playing games with Americans' retirement security.
Dear MoveOn member,

On Monday, President Obama—with Senator Elizabeth Warren by his side—made a huge announcement: He called upon the Department of Labor to take steps that would protect millions of Americans by requiring financial advisers to act in the best interest of their clients. Will you sign the petition to make sure Congress doesn't stand in the way of this bold proposal?

I had the honor of representing millions of MoveOn members as President Obama spoke about this proposal. But we know that Wall Street, and its allies in Congress, will fight this tooth and nail. It's going to be a huge fight, but with President Obama, Sen. Warren, the AARP, and other organizations that push for financial reform backing this effort with us, we can win.

That's why we launched a petition to Congress, which says:

Help protect Americans' retirement security by supporting new rules that would require financial advisers to act in the interest of their customers rather than for their own financial gain.

Join the president's call to the Department of Labor to issue these rules, and don't let congressional action undermine this commonsense effort.

Every single year, an estimated $17 billion is transferred from Main Street retirement accounts into Wall Street's coffers—because brokers and financial advisers are allowed to steer investors into unethical investments that aren't in their own best interest.1

But the new rule proposed by President Obama—and championed by Sen. Warren—could change that. 

Click here to sign the petition.

As the White House explains:

A 1 percentage point lower return could reduce your savings by more than a quarter over 35 years. In other words, instead of a $10,000 retirement investment growing to more than $38,000 over that period after adjusting for inflation, it would be just over $27,500.2

And for a young person just starting out today and saving consistently—the numbers are staggering: A worker who saves $5,000 a year for 40 years could end up with over $224,000 more if Obama's new rule is implemented!3

There's reason to worry that Republicans in Congress will side with their Wall Street pals and try to undo this work. They could try to pass laws preventing the Department of Labor from issuing such rules, or could threaten the agency's funding to enforce these rules.

We need to make sure members of Congress hear from us: These rules make sense. Don't mess with them. Side with Main Street over Wall Street. 

Sign this petition now.

These types of rules sometimes fly under the radar. By signing and sharing this petition, we can make sure this important move gets the attention it deserves—and puts Congress on notice that we're paying attention.

Thanks for all you do.

Ilya, Brian, Maria, Manny, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1.  "FACT SHEET: Middle Class Economics: Strengthening Retirement Security by Cracking Down on Backdoor Payments and Hidden Fees," The White House, February 23, 2015  
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=303142&id=109012-10220574-NeXV2ux&t=6

2. Ibid. 

3. According to the White House fact sheet, the average loss for investors who receive investment advice with conflicts of interest is 1% per year. If a worker deposits $5,000 each year for 40 years into a retirement account and never withdraws anything, the worker would retire with $773,809 at a 6% rate of return with conflicts of interest. But the worker would receive $998,176 with a 7% return without conflicts of interest. The 1% per year difference compounds to $224,367 over 40 years. 
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=303142&id=109012-10220574-NeXV2ux&t=7

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. Start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation 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 February 25, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Just waiting for you

I'm ready to review your petition and look forward to adding your victory to the ever-growing list of progressive causes that MoveOn members across the country have championed.
I'm ready to review your petition and look forward to adding your victory to the ever-growing list of progressive causes that MoveOn members across the country have championed. I'm just waiting on you. Will you start your petition now, and take the first step?

Yes, I'll Start a Petition
Dear MoveOn member,

You probably didn't recognize my name in your inbox—which is fair because it's probably never been there before. I tend to take on more of a "man behind the curtain" role on the MoveOn Petitions team. In fact there's usually only one way to get an email from me: start a petition. 

Hundreds of progressive petition campaigns pop up on our platform every week. Their goals range from fighting for local school board initiatives to taking on Congress, and all of them have a common denominator: They're led by MoveOn members like you!

So what actually happens once you click "Submit" on your petition? Here's a behind-the-scenes look at what I do once you click submit on your petition. 


I always tell people that I have the best job in the world, because I do. All day long I get to work to help you make your petition campaigns succeed. There are all kinds of ways that we offer you support to help turn your petition into a full-on campaign for change. 

I jump into action as soon as your petition hits just 20 signatures. That's when your petition gets put into our state-of-the-art testing system. From there, I go through each petition by hand—well, by mouse—and find the perfect set of MoveOn members to share your petition with, helping to supplement your own efforts to gather signatures.

As your petition grows, you'll start to see my name in your inbox some more as you receive emails from my teammates and me, giving you step-by-step insider guides to running a successful campaign, based on MoveOn's 16 years of experience. 

You'll also be invited to training calls that will allow you to communicate directly with some of our most seasoned campaign staff. And finally when you've utilized our tools and support, we will even help pay for you to print your petition, so that you can deliver the voices of your signers directly to your targets. 

Nothing makes me happier than when MoveOn members claim victory. There's honestly just no better feeling than seeing that you were able to help someone create change in a meaningful way. I keep a special folder of images sent to me by MoveOn members, like the one below of student leaders in Jefferson County, Colorado who fought for their access to an uncensored American history education. 



I'm ready to review your petition and look forward to getting pictures of your petition delivery soon, and adding your victory to the ever-growing list of progressive causes that MoveOn members across the country have championed. I'm just waiting on you. Will you start your petition now, and take the first step?


Thanks for all you do.

–Ben O., Maria, Corinne, Erica, and the rest of the team

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. Start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation here.


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

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Stop Shell’s Disastrous Arctic Drilling plan (again)


Dear New York member,

I'm Drew_Hudson of Environmental Action, and I started a petition to Sally Jewel, Secretary of the Interior, Gina McCarty, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency, and President Barack Obama , which says:

Scientists say that to save the planet from climate chaos, we must leave three-quarters of our remaining fossil fuel reserves in the ground — including all of the oil and gas in the Arctic.

I, therefore, call on you to reject Shell's doomed-to-fail-again plan to drill in the Arctic once and for all.

Neither risk of an oil spill nor global climate change nor the falling price of oil will keep Shell from exploiting the Arctic's oil. But you can.

In 2012, Shell oil embarked on a dangerous plan to drill for oil in the frigid and unforgiving waters of the Arctic. It was a disaster.

As documented in popular press reports and a recent retrospective "the Wreck of the Kullig" Shell's mission was plagued by failure after failure1: Their vessels couldn't meet basic air quality standards, were deemed unfit for the voyage by the coast guard, and unable to drill for oil at all by experts. Their experimental containment dome - the critical piece of equipment that's supposed to protect the fragile ecosystem in the event of a well blowout - was "crushed like a beer can" in a simulation.

Shell never even made it to their destination, or drilled a single well - despite spending millions of (taxpayer subsidized) dollars on the attempt. Then, in an attempt to dodg e local alaskan taxes, Shell finally gave up and tried to tow it's rig out of the arctic. Only to lose control of the massive structure and see it run aground (fortunately with no oil aboard).

Two short years later, Shell's back to try again, and it's still a bad idea2. If Big Oil companies can't even drill safely in the calm and warm water of the gulf of Mexico, how can we possibly expect them to get it right in the dangers, icy, waters of the Arctic? And if anything does go wrong, it will be nearly impossible to contain or clean up a spill in the Arctic - as the wreck of the Kullig clearly illustrates.3

But none of that seems to matter to Shell, which has already invested $1 billion in their plan to drill the Arctic - not to mention millions more in lobbying fees and political donations to our elected leaders.4

President Obama has been talking tough on climate change in the last few months. And under his direction, the Department of Interior and EPA have moved to protect critical arctic ecosystems like Bristol bay from mining, drilling and other disasters. But there's still no law or policy that stops Shell from drilling the Arctic. Sign here to tell President Obama and his team that it's time to shut the door on Arctic drilling for good - and block Shell's plans.

1 - http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/magazine/the-wreck-of-the-kulluk.html?_r=0
2 - http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/29/shell-arctic-idUSL6N0V846B20150129
3 - http://www.salon.com/2015/01/11/why_arctic_drilling_is_a_disaster_waiting_to_happen/
4 - http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/29/shell-arctic-idUSL6N0V846B20150129
--

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

Thanks!

–Drew_Hudson

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

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. Start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation here.


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

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Tell the Obama administration: Prosecute endangered species killers!

Dear MoveOn member,

I'm Mitch Merry of the Endangered Species Coalition, and I started a petition to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and President Barack Obama, which says:

Please direct the Department of Justice to revise its self-imposed restriction on prosecutions of those who kill an endangered species and later claim to have not intended to do so.

The so-called "McKittrick Policy" ties the hands of prosecutors who could otherwise bring justice to those who violate one of our nation's most popular laws, the Endangered Species Act.

Please end this policy immediately and prosecute those who kill endangered species.

A little known and decades old Department of Justice policy is protecting killers of endangered grizzly bears, whooping cranes, California condors and wolves.

The so-called "McKittrick Policy" was enacted after a Montana man gunned down a wolf and later claimed he had thought he was firing on a dog. He was prosecuted, though the Department of Justice (DOJ) later decided to accept his self-exoneration by claimed ignorance and has clung to that policy of inaction for years.

Endangered species need to be protected from hunters who can simply claim they did not know what they were shooting.

Tell President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to drop the McKittrick Policy and treat the killing of endangered species like the crime that it is.

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

Thanks!

–Mitch

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

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. Start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on February 21, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Friday, February 20, 2015

Keystone needs a one-two punch

Dear fellow MoveOn member,

President Obama says he'll veto the latest attempt by Congress to push through the Keystone XL pipeline—which is the right thing to do. But he hasn't yet committed to rejecting this dangerous proposal outright.

That's where we come in.

The proposed pipeline would run through much of our nation's heartland, and the costs and risks could be a disaster for our climate and our communities. Watch this short video to see what I mean:

President Obama should stop Keystone XL for good—and do it now.

Will you help spread the word about why it's time for the president to reject Keystone XL, by watching and sharing the video right now?

Thanks for all you do.

–Robert Reich

 

Want to support MoveOn's work? It's entirely funded by its 8 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And its tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation here.


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

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Groundbreaking new project

I'm writing to ask for your help with a groundbreaking new project I'm starting with MoveOn.
Hi there—It looks like you recently considered a donation to help us launch a groundbreaking new project with Robert Reich, but didn't complete it. Can you help out? Click here to chip in.
Dear MoveOn member,

Hello. This is former Labor Secretary Robert Reich. I'm writing to ask for your help with a groundbreaking new project I'm starting with MoveOn.

I'm going to explain it to you in depth, but just to cut to the chase, I'm also going to ask for money. So before I launch into this whole explanation, here's the link to donate, just so you have it handy.

OK, here's the deal: After the last election, it became painfully clear that we progressives have a problem.

On issue after issue, the public is on our side. Raising the minimum wage. Cracking down on Wall Street. Ending corporate welfare.

And yet, every one of these issues is completely and utterly gridlocked in Washington.

Why? That's a big question, and I know people who have written entire books on it. But one part of the problem is clear: We're losing the message war.

You see, when Republicans pick a message, they hammer on it over and over and over. Obamacare. Benghazi. Solyndra. It doesn't matter what the facts are—conservative thinktanks, the right-wing media, and Republican politicians pick one story and stick to it until it sinks in.

Progressives don't have anything like that kind of media support or message consistency. And that's what we're setting out to change.

Getting excited yet? If so, here again is that link to donate.

The way it's going to work is that we're putting together the most powerful and important proposals to improve the lives of the bottom 90 percent. Proposals that will impact tens of millions of Americans—and are supported by conservative voters and progressives alike.

But instead of waiting for CNN or the network news stations to give our ideas the attention they deserve, we're teaming up with the online experts at MoveOn to bypass the mainstream media and get our message in front of millions of Americans directly.

We know this can work. Because just last week, we created a video sounding the alarm about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a corporate-friendly trade deal that's been almost totally ignored by the corporate media.

In just a few days, the video was seen by THREE MILLION PEOPLE.

Do you know how much it costs to get millions of people to see a 60-second television ad? Our TPP video cost a fraction of that.

If we want to start making progress again on the big issues that matter, we need to change what we're doing. And I believe that together, with this plan, we can do it. Will you chip in $3 help us get this project off the ground?

Yes, I'll chip in today.

Thanks for all you do.

–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, including the best-sellers "Aftershock" and "The Work of Nations." His latest, "Beyond Outrage," is now out in paperback. His new film, "Inequality for All," is now available on Netflix, iTunes, DVD, and On Demand.  

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. Start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on February 19, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Sign the petition: Expand Social Security!

MoveOn members have a long, successful track record of defending Social Security—and we'll do it again if it comes under attack. But now is a moment when going on the defensive isn't enough. It's time to make the case for strengthening this critical and popular program by expanding it. Join our friends at Social Security Works by telling your members of Congress and President Obama: now is the time to expand Social Security! Click here to add your name.

Dear MoveOn member,

I'm Michael Phelan of the organization Social Security Works, and I started a petition to the United States Congress and President Barack Obama, which says:

Social Security is more than America's retirement program—it provides an economic bedrock, protecting the disabled, survivors, and veterans.

Now is the time to protect and expand Social Security!

Right now in Washington, there is a coordinated attack on Social Security. Congressional Republicans and their Wall Street cronies are attempting to divide the American people through phony, manufactured crises.

The truth of the matter is that Social Security has a surplus of $2.8 trillion.1 If no changes are made, it can pay out every benefit owed to every eligible American for the next 18 years and around 80% of benefits owed after that. And if millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share, we can not only extend the life of the Social Security trust fund, but we can expand benefits for every American.

Social Security is more than America's retirement program—it provides an economic bedrock, protecting the disabled, survivors, and veterans. Click here to tell Congress: now is the time to protect and expand Social Security!

Expanding Social Security is simple: It means making our Social Security system work even better by ensuring that benefits are able to meet the costs that seniors and people with disabilities face every day. It means a stronger Social Security Administration that can ensure that people can access the benefits they earn throughout their working lives.

What we should not be doing is considering cuts such as the disastrous Chained CPI, or the new Republican plan to cut Social Security for 11 million Americans living with disabilities, including 3 million children.2

Stand with Social Security Works and MoveOn.org in demanding that congressional Republicans drop their phony crisis and stop threatening the earned benefits of millions of Americans. Demand that they listen to the American people and expand, not cut, Social Security!

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

Thanks!

–Michael

Sources:

1. "Social Security Income, Outgo, and Assets," Official Social Security Website, accessed February 15, 2015
http://www.ssa.gov/oact/progdata/assets.html

2. "Republicans planning stealth attack on Social Security, Democrats fear", The Washington Post, February 9, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=302990&id=108685-10220574-BB7O4nx&t=2

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

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. Start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation here.


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

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Final countdown for Net Neutrality

Can you make a quick call to your members of Congress to make sure we seal the victory for Net Neutrality?
Dear MoveOn member,

We're right on the verge of winning a huge victory for the future of the Internet.

We know that it's a lot easier to come close to a victory than to actually secure it. That's why we've got to do everything we can to make sure that when the FCC votes next Thursday on Net Neutrality rules, we, the Internet users, the small businesses, the entrepreneurs, the artists, the bloggers, the grassroots—win.

In the last few days, Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and the members of Congress who do their bidding have ramped up their campaign to sabotage Net Neutrality, threatening to undo the progress we've made. 

Congress is on recess this week, so we have a chance to reach our representatives while they're at home.

Can you call make a call right now to save Net Neutrality?

Here's where to call:

Senator Charles Schumer
New York District Office: 212-486-4430

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
New York District Office: 212-688-6262

Representative Gregory Meeks
Arverne District Office: 347-230-4032

You can tell them: "Don't let Verizon and Comcast block the FCC's rules to protect the open Internet that we all depend on."

Then click here to report your calls—which helps track the impact we're making together. 

The cable industry's friends in Congress are throwing everything they've got at us—launching a frivolous investigation, readying legislation, even likening the open Internet rules FCC Chairman Wheeler proposed to Internet censorship, which is the opposite of what it is.1 They're stooping low, but if we keep the pressure on, we will prevail. We've come this far; let's bring this home.

Thanks for all you do.

–Maria, Ben W., Josh, Jadzia, and the rest of the team

Source:

1. "The GOP game plan on net neutrality," Politico, February 12, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=303020&id=108604-10220574-ZsxSt7x&t=2

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. Start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on February 17, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Monday, February 16, 2015

Leave your message at the tone

We're launching VoicemailsforWarren.com because Elizabeth Warren needs to hear from us about why she should run for president. Will you call and leave your message today?
Run Warren Run

Dear MoveOn member,

We've shared the story before of Elizabeth Warren's decision to run for the Senate a number of years back. In her book, A Fighting Chance, Warren narrates the key moment that persuaded her to run: A woman had walked two miles to hear Warren speak and share her struggle to find a job. Though Warren had previously decided in her "heart of hearts" not to run, that woman, herself teetering "on the ragged edge of the middle class," asked Warren if she would fight for her. That was the moment that Senator Warren committed to the race—and the progressive movement's been benefiting ever since.1

We can help recreate that moment—this time with an even bigger election at stake—by helping Sen. Warren to hear our personal, heartfelt messages explaining why we want her in the race for president.

That's the purpose of Voicemails for Warren—a project to collect and deliver thousands of recorded messages asking and encouraging Elizabeth Warren to run for president in 2016.

Will you leave your message at the tone? Click here to visit VoicemailsforWarren.com and share your personal reason for wanting Sen. Warren to run.

Voicemails for Warren: Leave yours today!

Our strategy to get Sen. Warren into the race is firing on all cylinders. We're building real grassroots excitement in early states. Our visibility events in Iowa were all over the news last week—including an appearance on "The Rachel Maddow Show." More and more people are making the call for a contested primary, including progressive champion Van Jones, who said Elizabeth Warren is "the name that's on the lips of every grassroots Democrat right now."2 Together, we're changing the conversation.

But one thing we're certain of is that Sen. Warren needs to know running for president right now is worth the grueling campaign it'll take to win. She needs to know the people who are counting on her to fight for them—against big banks, student debt, or dwindling retirement funds. In short, she needs to know our stories—and she needs to hear them in our voices.

So will you call and share your story today?

Tell the senator about the student loan debt holding back your career and ambitions. Or about the home that was taken from you by the banks in the Great Recession. Tell her about the job you or a loved one lost when manufacturing started being moved overseas. Or how your family would benefit from a raise in the federal minimum wage. Tell her about the hope you felt when you first heard one of her incredible speeches.

Whatever message you have for Sen. Warren—now's the time to share it. Visit VoicemailsforWarren.com today and leave your message for Elizabeth Warren.

We'll take the messages and deliver a compilation to Sen. Warren.

Thanks for all you do.

–Victoria, Bobby, Jo, Mark, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Elizabeth Warren's Supporters Persist on 2016, One Meeting at a Time," ABC News, February 3, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=303060&id=108598-10220574-b2S6PLx&t=5

2. "How is Hillary Clinton Prepping for 2016?" ABC News, February 10, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=303061&id=108598-10220574-b2S6PLx&t=6

Like us on Facebook Watch our video Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram

We're part of a growing grassroots movement to convince Senator Warren to run for president. Help build the momentum—start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation 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 February 16, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

The cat is out of the bag

I'm writing to ask for your help with a groundbreaking new project I'm starting with MoveOn.
Dear fellow MoveOn member,

Recently, award-winning director Jake Kornbluth and I worked with MoveOn to put together a video about the worst trade deal you've never heard of—the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), often called "NAFTA on steroids." 

If the TPP doesn't sound familiar, that's no accident: This giant story has been almost totally ignored by mainstream TV networks. (Interestingly, most TV networks are owned by corporations that would rake in profits if the deal goes through.) 

But the joke's on them. Thanks to MoveOn and social media, as well as the work of progressive allies, the cat is out of the bag. The video we made has already been viewed online THREE MILLION TIMES. 

This got us thinking: What if we could do this on all the issues that matter? 

This model has incredible potential to revitalize our democracy. That's why MoveOn and I are teaming up to launch a groundbreaking new project to reveal what's really going on in our economy, and how to fix it—bypassing the corporate media entirely.

We've already raised over $140,000—but we need $250,000 to launch. Can you chip in $3 to help us get this off the ground?

Yes, I'll chip in.

There's a lot we all need to understand. Student debt has skyrocketed. Inequality has thrown the entire economy out of balance. Wages haven't budged in decades.
 
And recently, I read a Washington Post headline that said, "Majority of U.S. public school students are in poverty."1 The majority. In America. In 2015. Enough is enough.

Let's stop just wishing that corporate media would cover the real issues. We can do it ourselves.

We can create people-powered media. No advertisers to placate, no suits upstairs calling the shots—just the truth. 

And right now, in the lead-up to the 2016 election, it's never been more important. If we want a real "people's agenda" driving the debate for the next two years, we have to start building an informed citizenry now.

Can you chip in $3 to help us launch this media project?

Yes, I'll chip in to help bypass the corporate media—and reveal the truth about what's broken in our economy, and how to fix it.

Thanks for all you do.

–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, including the best-sellers "Aftershock" and "The Work of Nations." His latest, "Beyond Outrage," is now out in paperback. His new film, "Inequality for All," is now available on Netflix, iTunes, DVD, and On Demand.  

 Source:

1. "Majority of U.S. public school students are in poverty," The Washington Post, January 16, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=302988&id=108543-10220574-fuja8Kx&t=1

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. Start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation here.


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

Friday, February 13, 2015

Tell Congress: We can't afford to outsource more jobs

Dear MoveOn member,

I'm Larry Cohen, president of the Communications Workers of America, and I started a petition to the United States House of Representatives, which says:

I've had enough of bad trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership that trade U.S. jobs to the lowest bidder and increase the power of multinational corporations and Wall Street over our democracy. I urge you to stand up to this corporate power grab and vote no on fast-track authority for the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Corporate lobbyists have been pushing for special rules in order to rush the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal through Congress. If they succeed, it will mean a loss of U.S. jobs and pressure to hold wages down for those that remain.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is being negotiated in secret, but negotiators are making big claims about boosting U.S. exports. We've been down this road before. The reality is that deals like this make it easier for corporations to keep wages low by trading U.S. jobs to the lowest bidder.

Now corporate lobbyists want Congress to help speed things along by authorizing trade promotion authority, a special set of “fast-track” rules for the deal so that it can be pushed through without allowing time for close review, debate, or amendments, and guaranteed a quick vote in both the House and Senate.1

It̢۪s no wonder the corporate lobby doesn̢۪t want Congress to take a close look at what̢۪s been going on behind the closed door of the negotiations. The deal gives special rights and benefits to companies that offshore investment and jobs and allows multinational corporations to sue governments if they legislate improvements in environmental, labor, consumer, or health standards that might impact future corporate profits.

Please take action today and tell your member of Congress to stand up to this corporate power grab and vote NO on fast-track authorization for the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

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

Thanks!

–Larry Cohen, CWA President

Source:

1. "Fast Tracking Obama's Trade Agreements," The Huffington Post, February 2, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=303007&id=108454-10220574-p3JLlMx&t=1

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

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. Start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on February 13, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Painfully clear

We progressives have a problem. On issue after issue, the public is on our side. And yet, every one of these issues is completely and utterly gridlocked in Washington.
Dear MoveOn member,

Hello. This is former Labor Secretary Robert Reich. I'm writing to ask for your help with a groundbreaking new project I'm starting with MoveOn.

I'm going to explain it to you in depth, but just to cut to the chase, I'm also going to ask for money. So before I launch into this whole explanation, here's the link to donate, just so you have it handy.

OK, here's the deal: After the last election, it became painfully clear that we progressives have a problem.

On issue after issue, the public is on our side. Raising the minimum wage. Cracking down on Wall Street. Ending corporate welfare.

And yet, every one of these issues is completely and utterly gridlocked in Washington.

Why? That's a big question, and I know people who have written entire books on it. But one part of the problem is clear: We're losing the message war.

You see, when Republicans pick a message, they hammer on it over and over and over. Obamacare. Benghazi. Solyndra. It doesn't matter what the facts are—conservative thinktanks, the right-wing media, and Republican politicians pick one story and stick to it until it sinks in.

Progressives don't have anything like that kind of media support or message consistency. And that's what we're setting out to change.

Getting excited yet? If so, here again is that link to donate.

The way it's going to work is that we're putting together the most powerful and important proposals to improve the lives of the bottom 90 percent. Proposals that will impact tens of millions of Americans—and are supported by conservative voters and progressives alike.

But instead of waiting for CNN or the network news stations to give our ideas the attention they deserve, we're teaming up with the online experts at MoveOn to bypass the mainstream media and get our message in front of millions of Americans directly.

We know this can work. Because just last week, we created a video sounding the alarm about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a corporate-friendly trade deal that's been almost totally ignored by the corporate media.

In just a few days, the video was seen by THREE MILLION PEOPLE.

Do you know how much it costs to get millions of people to see a 60-second television ad? Our TPP video cost a fraction of that.

If we want to start making progress again on the big issues that matter, we need to change what we're doing. And I believe that together, with this plan, we can do it. Will you chip in $3 help us get this project off the ground?

Yes, I'll chip in today.

Thanks for all you do.

–Robert Reich

Robert Reich, Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley and Senior Fellow at the Blum Center for Developing Economies, was Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration. Time Magazine named him one of the ten most effective cabinet secretaries of the twentieth century. He has written thirteen books, including the best sellers "Aftershock" and "The Work of Nations." His latest, "Beyond Outrage," is now out in paperback. He is also a founding editor of the American Prospect magazine and chairman of Common Cause. His new film, "Inequality for All," is now available on Netflix, iTunes, DVD, and On Demand. 

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. Start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on February 12, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Saturday in Brooklyn: Join the Run Warren Run Presidents Day event

 
☆YOU'RE INVITED!☆
Run Warren Run Presidents Day Action in Brooklyn

Host: Delphina P.

Where: Grand Army plaza arch for the flash mob, Prospect park for the petitioning (in Brooklyn)

When: Saturday, Feb. 14, at 12:00 p.m.

What: MoveOn.org and Democracy for America members are coming together in communities across the country to share their support for the Run Warren Run campaign to draft Senator Elizabeth Warren to run for president. During this weekend's events, members will host teach-ins, flyering, marches, flash mobs, meetings, rallies, and "honk-and-waves" as cars and people pass by to sales, barbecues, and other traditional three-day-weekend activities. Can you join us at the Presidents Day action in Brooklyn to show support for the values and ideas Sen. Warren could bring to the presidential race?

Yes, I'll be there!

Sorry, I can't make it, but I'm interested in getting involved.

Join 18 neighbors including:
Steven R (Kew Gardens, NY)
Melissa Q (Brooklyn, NY)
Kay V (Sunnyside, NY)
.... and others.

 



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. Start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation 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 February 12, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.