TODAY: Massive strike at Walmart

This. Is. Huge. Walmart workers are going on strike on Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year.

Dear MoveOn member,

Today is Black Friday, the largest shopping day of the year—and Walmart workers have launched a massive strike to demand better wages and reasonable pay.

This. Is. Huge.

For years, Walmart has paid wages so low that employees are forced to survive on food stamps.¹ The company has also been incredibly anti-union.² Many of the workers who participate in the walkout will lose wages. Some may get fired.

So to help make sure they have the resources to win, we're aiming to raise $100,000 by the end of today. 

We'll contribute some of the money to the Walmart workers' strike fund to make sure people who take part in the strike can still put food on the table for their families. We'll use the rest for organizing for workers' rights and social justice around the country. Can you chip in $3?

Yes, I'll chip in to stand with Walmart workers this Black Friday.

Let's face it. There's only one reason Walmart pays such low wages: Greed.

Walmart makes $16 billion a year in profits, and the Walton family is worth more than $150 billion, making them the richest family in America.³ And yet Walmart pays the majority of their associates less than $25,000 a year.⁴

There's another reason why this fight is so important. Walmart is the largest private employer in the world, and any concessions it makes will have a massive ripple effect across the economy.

So here's the plan: First, MoveOn has been using our huge online membership to help recruit people for the Walmart protests today, and elevating their stories through petitions.

And we'll make a donation to the Walmart strike fund to make sure these workers don't have to go hungry just because they stood up for their rights.

Will you chip in $3?

Yes, I'll chip in to stand with Walmart workers this Black Friday.

Thanks for all you do.

–Anna, Bobby, Jadzia, Stephen, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Report: Walmart Workers Cost Taxpayers $6.2 Billion In Public Assistance," Forbes, April 15, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301837&id=105231-10220574-rUGl1Sx&t=1

2. "Walmart Workers Get Organized—Just Don't Say the U-Word," Mother Jones, March/April 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301838&id=105231-10220574-rUGl1Sx&t=2

3. "Wal-Mart Stores Inc.," MarketWatch, accessed November 25, 2014
http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/wmt/financials

"America's richest families: 185 clans with billion dollar fortunes," Yahoo Finance, July 8, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301839&id=105231-10220574-rUGl1Sx&t=3

4. "More Than Half of Wal-Mart's Hourly Workers Make Less Than $25,000," Bloomberg, October 23, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301840&id=105231-10220574-rUGl1Sx&t=4

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

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Gov. O'Malley: Ban fracking in Maryland

The Washington Post just reported that Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley is going to allow fracking in Maryland.¹ There's still time for him to change course. Can you sign actor and activist Mark Ruffalo's petition to tell Gov. O'Malley to ban fracking? Click here to sign.

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Dear MoveOn member,

I'm actor and activist Mark Ruffalo, and, along with the organization Food & Water Watch, I started a petition to Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and Brigid Kenney of the Maryland Department of the Environment, which says:

Gov. O'Malley, the nation is watching. In your last two months as governor of Maryland, you have a unique opportunity to safeguard public health and the environment by keeping fracking out of the state.

A ban on fracking in Maryland would set a strong example for elected officials around the country, one that promotes informed choices based on sound, independent science and places constituent safety and well-being first. What happens in Maryland impacts all of us.

The time to ban fracking is now.

Several weeks ago, Gov. O'Malley's administration released the last report that will be used to make a decision about whether or not to allow fracking in Maryland.

The administration has already found that fracking poses high risks to public health. A health report commissioned by the O'Malley administration and conducted by the University of Maryland found that fracking will have significant negative impacts on air quality, drinking water, and other essential resources, and that it will ultimately threaten public health, particularly affecting children, the elderly, and the poor.

We know that Governor-elect Larry Hogan will move to frack in Maryland's five gas shale basins. Gov. O'Malley can still protect Maryland residents from a legacy of fracking by taking decisive action now. States like Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas that allow fracking have seen long-term damage to public health and the environment.

The only way to avoid these threats is to ban fracking in Maryland now.

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

Thanks!

–Mark Ruffalo

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

Source:

1. "O'Malley says he is ready to allow 'fracking' in Western Maryland, with strict safeguards," The Washington Post, November 25, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301873&id=105169-10220574-ngNkqWx&t=4

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

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Senate Democrats: Let diplomacy with Iran work

We're calling Congress to say: Let diplomacy with Iran work! Can you call Sens. Schumer and Gillibrand? Tell them: "Members of Congress must avoid any new sanctions or other measures that could undermine negotiations with Iran and put our nation on a path to another war. Let the negotiations work." Senator Charles Schumer District Office:     Syracuse: 315-423-5471 Senator Kirsten Gillibrand District Office:     Melville: 631-249-2825 Report Your Call!

Dear MoveOn member,

Important news broke Monday regarding the Obama administration's work to resolve a standoff over Iran's nuclear program—and we need to make sure all our senators hear a strong pro-diplomacy message right away.

Secretary of State John Kerry confirmed that negotiators working to find a peaceful resolution to the U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations have extended their deadline to July 2015.¹ Parties have also agreed to keep a November 2013 deal in place in the meantime, continuing to freeze Iran's nuclear program.²

If negotiators are successful, they will have prevented Iran from building nuclear weapons and locked in comprehensive and lasting safeguards.

The pending agreement has the potential to stand as a powerful example of an important U.S. foreign policy milestone—demonstrating the power of tough, principled diplomacy in lieu of a rush to use military force. An issue that's this important to all of our collective security is worth taking the time to get right.

Yet even as negotiators make plans to return to work in December, a small group of Democrats is poised to join reckless war hawks like Senator John McCain to undermine President Obama's diplomatic efforts, which could put our nation on the path to war.

So MoveOn is joining with our friends at CREDO Action to put all Democrats on notice. We support diplomacy and will oppose any attempt to derail the significant and hard-won progress made thus far.

Can you call Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand at one of their district offices?

Here's where to call:

Senator Charles Schumer
District Office:
    Syracuse: 315-423-5471

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
District Office:
    Melville: 631-249-2825

You can say:

Members of Congress must avoid any new sanctions or other measures that could undermine negotiations with Iran and put our nation on a path to another war. Let the negotiations work.

Then, please report your call by clicking here:

http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FSNY_1.FSNY_2&cp_id=2168&dofcs=1&id=105145-10220574-XtZZ5Ax&t=2

During a press briefing from Vienna, where the most recent talks were held, Secretary Kerry gave an impassioned plea for the international community to let diplomacy work, lifting up the progress made on painstaking efforts to date.³

We want all senators to hear a strong pro-diplomacy message from constituents right now—both our champions in the Senate, to ensure they know we have their backs, and those who may be inclined to join with Sen. McCain. Every single call is important.

Thanks for making sure our senators hear this pro-diplomacy message right now.

Thanks for all you do.

–Anna, Kristin, Nick, Justin R., and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "U.S. and Allies Extend Iran Nuclear Talks by 7 Months," The New York Times, November 24, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=301825&id=105145-10220574-XtZZ5Ax&t=3

2. "Iran nuclear talks extended seven months after failing to meet deadline," Reuters, November 24, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=301826&id=105145-10220574-XtZZ5Ax&t=5

3. "U.S. and Allies Extend Iran Nuclear Talks by 7 Months," The New York Times, November 24, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=301825&id=105145-10220574-XtZZ5Ax&t=6

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

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Justice for Mike Brown

Dear MoveOn member,

Last night, a St. Louis grand jury refused to indict Officer Darren Wilson for the brutal killing of 18-year-old Mike Brown.

Missouri's politicians and political system have failed to seek justice for Mike Brown. If the story ends here, the person responsible for Mike Brown's death, Officer Darren Wilson, may never be held accountable—and will never be tried in a court of law.

But the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Mike Brown's death, too, and has the power to arrest and prosecute Officer Darren Wilson under federal criminal charges. So our friends at the civil rights organization ColorOfChange.org have launched a petition calling for the Department of Justice to do exactly that.

President Obama and Attorney General Holder's actions in this moment will have a major impact—not just on Mike Brown's family, but for the broader cause of ending racial profiling, discriminatory policing, and police brutality in America. Will you sign ColorOfChange's petition demanding justice for Mike Brown now?

Click here to sign ColorOfChange's petition now.

–Corinne

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Dear MoveOn member,

I'm Rashad Robinson, Executive Director of ColorOfChange.org, and I started a petition to President Barack Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder, and the United States Department of Justice, which says: 

A St. Louis grand jury has refused to indict Officer Darren Wilson, who targeted and killed 18-year-old Black teenager Mike Brown more than three months ago. I urge you to do everything in your power to secure justice for Mike Brown and the people of Missouri. I call on you to arrest and prosecute Officer Darren Wilson to the fullest extent of federal law, and to defend protesters' First Amendment right to free speech.

As president and U.S. attorney general, you have both the power and responsibility to secure justice for Mike Brown and systemic reforms to law enforcement. I urge you to take definitive action to indict Officer Darren Wilson and to overhaul the policies and practices that led to Mike Brown's death, as well as those that perpetuate the nationwide crisis of discriminatory policing.

Yesterday, a St. Louis grand jury refused to indict Mike Brown's killer—police officer Darren Wilson. On August 9, the nation was horrified to learn that Mike Brown was targeted and killed by police as he walked down the street with a friend.

Now his killer may never be held accountable—unless President Obama and U.S. Attorney General Holder take action. The Department of Justice has the power to arrest and prosecute Officer Wilson under federal criminal charges. Raise your voice today to ensure our national leaders secure justice for Mike Brown immediately.

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

Thank you.

–Rashad Robinson

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

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

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Got an idea for a petition?

Got an idea for your own campaign? Click below to start a petition on MoveOn's petition website. Start your Petition

Dear MoveOn member,

Here's how it'll go:

You see something that needs a change, so you start a petition on MoveOn's website.

You recruit your friends to sign it and they, in turn, get their friends.

We send it out to some of our members and they get really excited about it, so we send it to everyone in your city, your state, or maybe even all 8 million MoveOn members.

Now that you have a bunch of people on board, you organize them. We give you the support you need. You use our email tool to have them call their representatives, get more signers, go to events.

MoveOn pays for you to print up copies of your petition, and you deliver it to the person you're petitioning. You get on TV and in the newspaper. 

And you win.

It's happened hundreds of times already. It could very easily happen to you. All you need is a good enough idea and the willingness to put in the time. Show us you mean business and we'll be with you every step of the way. You really can do this. How about it?

Click here to start your own petition right now.

Thanks for all you do.

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

P.S. If you get 10 signatures on your petition, we'll email it to at least 1,000 people in your area to help it grow (assuming, of course, that it's consistent with MoveOn members' progressive values).

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

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This email was sent to eddie alfaro on November 25, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Stand with Walmart workers on Black Friday

Hi there—We wanted to make sure you saw this message from Diana Tigon, a Walmart worker and Organization United for Respect at Walmart (OUR Walmart) member in Arlington, TX.

Too many Walmart workers like Diana are unable to provide dinner for their families—for Thanksgiving and year-round—because Walmart chooses to manipulate workers' hours and cap workers' pay to keep them in poverty. Will you stand with Diana and OUR Walmart members around the country to protest Walmart on Black Friday?—Maria

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Friends,

I'm working 40 hours a week for a company owned by America's wealthiest family, and I still make so little that I have to skip meals to pay my bills. On the toughest weeks, I go whole days without a meal. Sometimes I have to rely on friends in the neighborhood who share food with me. And I'm far from the only one of my coworkers falling back on donations: Walmart even organizes canned food drives for its own employees!

If Walmart wants to help struggling workers, it can start by paying us enough to eat. But when workers like me speak out about the company's hypocrisy, we're met with bullying, threats, and illegal retaliation. Now we're going on strike to stand up to Walmart's attempt to silence us on Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year, and we want you there with us.

Check out this website to find a Black Friday protest near you. If you can't find one, there are instructions on how to take action on your own.

Walmart rakes in $16 billion a year in profits. The Walton heirs are worth more than $150 billion, making them the wealthiest single family in the country. It's ridiculous and offensive for their company to tell us to turn to our coworkers for donated food. Walmart can easily pay all of us $15 an hour, enough to live with dignity and raise a family.

Last week, workers went on strike in Ohio, where Walmart was caught telling associates to donate food to their coworkers last year. Meanwhile, community supporters are holding their own food drive to shame Walmart and the Walton family for leaving their workers struggling to survive. And this is just the beginning: workers and our community allies are planning even bigger actions for Black Friday. Will you be there?

Can we count on you? Click here to sign up for an action.

Thanks for standing with us!
–Diana Tigon, Walmart worker and OUR Walmart member

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

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Republican insanity comes out

Republicans are going ballistic over President Obama's big immigration move. Will you help us get the President's back?

Dear MoveOn member,

Shouting about "ethnic cleansing." Predicting violence. Threatening impeachment—or even jail—for the president.

Republicans are going ballistic over President Obama's big immigration move. Will you chip in $3 and help us get the president's back? 

Yes, I'll chip in to help MoveOn take on Republican insanity and get the president's back.

Thursday night, President Obama announced that nearly 5 million parents of U.S. citizens and permanent legal residents no longer have to live in fear of deportation, and can now more fully contribute to our nation.

Here's what Republicans have to say about it:

• John Boehner's spokesperson called the president "Emperor Obama."¹
  
• Representative Michele Bachmann expressed fears of "illiterate, foreign nationals" committing widespread voter fraud.²
  
• Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn predicted the president's immigration reforms could lead to "violence."³   
• Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach warned of "ethnic cleansing."⁴
• Alabama Representative Mo Brooks—who suggested earlier this summer that President Obama is waging a "war on whites"—said Obama may have committed a felony with "a five-year in-jail penalty."⁵

Will you pitch in $3 to help us fight back against Republican insanity and get the president's back? 

Yes, I'll chip in.

President Obama's action acknowledges the contributions of people filling essential jobs in our economy and ensures that millions of families no longer have to face the fear of being torn apart.

This is a huge step that we can all be proud of.

But there's a big problem: Republicans aren't just trying to rile up anti-immigrant elements in their base—they're also trying to confuse ordinary Americans who support what the president is doing when they know the facts. 

We're already moving ahead with a big public education campaign to defend the president's actions and set the record straight—but we need your help to pay for it.

Will you pitch in $3 to help us promote and defend President Obama's big move on immigration?

Yes, I'll chip in to show that when President Obama fights for what's right, MoveOn members have his back.

Thanks for all you do.

–Anna, Erica, Alejandro, Corinne, and the rest of the team

P.S. As we stand behind the president's groundbreaking executive order on immigration, we also need to keep going on the offense, to ensure President Obama has the support he needs to move a progressive agenda forward—not just on immigration, but also on the Keystone XL pipeline, net neutrality, and other crucial issues.

With your help, we can do it all.

Click here to chip in $3 and help us keep fighting for President Obama to be bold.

Sources:

1. "The Meltdown Begins: Boehner Responds to Immigration Action By Calling Obama a Lawless Emperor," PoliticusUSA, November 19, 2014 
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301758&id=104987-10220574-2vtER5x&t=1

2. "Bachmann sees Obama helping 'illiterate' immigrants," MSNBC.com, November 20, 2014 
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301771&id=104987-10220574-2vtER5x&t=2

3. "GOP senator warns of violence after immigration order," USA Today, November 20, 2014 
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301760&id=104987-10220574-2vtER5x&t=3

4. "Kobach: Obama's Lawlessness Could Lead to 'Ethnic Cleansing' in America," Talking Points Memo, November 20, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301761&id=104987-10220574-2vtER5x&t=4

5. "Republican Rep. Mo Brooks Calls For President Obama to Be Sent To Prison for Five Years," PoliticusUSA, November 20, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301763&id=104987-10220574-2vtER5x&t=5

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

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This email was sent to eddie alfaro on November 22, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Obama's immigration action

Last night, President Obama outlined a series of executive actions that take meaningful, humane, and sensible steps to reform our nation's broken immigration system. Here are five things you should know—and share about the president's reforms.

Dear MoveOn member,

Last night, President Obama outlined a series of executive actions that will take meaningful, humane, and sensible steps to reform our nation's broken immigration system. This is a big deal: It recognizes the contributions of millions of people, Americans in all but paperwork, and keeps them from being torn from their families.

Republicans have, predictably, come out swinging—threatening impeachment, talking about jailing the president, and worse.¹ Over the next few weeks, you're very likely going to hear some misinformation and faulty assumptions.

We all need to be armed with correct information right now—to form our own opinions and to educate friends, colleagues, and even extended family members we may be sharing Thanksgiving with next week. So here are five things to know—and to pass along—about President Obama's immigration actions.

Five Things You Should Know—and Share—About President Obama's Immigration Actions:

1. This is a big deal. Providing a mechanism that allows people to live and work in the U.S. without fear makes our country stronger. And it's the right thing to do: We are a nation of immigrants—and we do well to live the values declared on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty.

2. This policy is a step forward, but it's only a partial fix. The struggle will continue until no family fears separation, and all of those living in the U.S. have a path to citizenship. The president's measures are temporary and leave too many at risk. So while we celebrate that millions of families can now more fully pursue the American dream, we need to keep the pressure on Congress to pass lasting, comprehensive reforms.

3. The president's announcements are big—but not unprecedented.² In fact, every president since Eisenhower—Republican and Democrat—has taken executive action on immigration. When President George H.W. Bush implemented the Family Fairness Program, it gave opportunities for deferred action and work authorization to 40% of America's undocumented population.

4. The American people want reform. Polls have shown a majority in favor of presidential action in the face of congressional inaction. Exit polls on Election Day two weeks ago showed that a majority also preferred finding a legal status for immigrants over deportation.³ You'll hear other polls quoted that cherry-pick information, but the fact is: Americans want change, and they will support executive action when Congress fails.

5. The president is acting because Congress hasn't. Leaders of both parties have said our immigration situation is a crisis—yet Republicans in the House have been unwilling or unable to take action. In the summer of 2013, a bipartisan bill passed in the Senate but was killed when House Speaker John Boehner yielded to pressure from his Tea Party members and refused to bring it for a vote. The president, immigration activists, and most Americans want Congress to act—but in the meantime, executive action provides some progress.

These actions are the result of tireless and courageous organizing by immigrants and their allies—a reminder that community-led activism can create change—and of President Obama's decision to go big despite virulent Republican opposition. In the days and weeks ahead, we'll continue to support meaningful reform, get the president's back on these forward-looking actions, and fight against the right-wing backlash.

For now, though, please review and share this email—forward it to friends, or click here to share a graphic with this information on Facebook—and start conversations ... with your neighbors, at your workplace, and even over your Thanksgiving meal.

Thanks for all you do.

–Anna, Bobby, Stephen, Jo, and the rest of the team

P.S. There will also be a lot of misinformation aimed at undocumented immigrants. Be sure to share this helpful website with any undocumented friends, family members, or neighbors—a useful site as more information becomes available about how to apply for this program.

Sources:

1. "Republican Rep. Mo Brooks Calls For President Obama to Be Sent To Prison for Five Years," PoliticusUSA, November 20, 2014  
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301763&id=&t=5&id=104955-10220574-mnuJLcx&t=4

"Kobach: Obama's Lawlessness Could Lead to 'Ethnic Cleansing' in America," Talking Points Memo, November 20, 2014 
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301761&id=104955-10220574-mnuJLcx&t=5

2. "Executive action on immigration has a long legal precedent," MSNBC, November 19, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301762&id=104955-10220574-mnuJLcx&t=6

3. "Public Polling on Immigration Reform" America's Voice, accessed November 21, 2014 
http://americasvoice.org/polling/

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

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Join me in thanking President Obama for doing the right thing on immigration

My husband, Cesar Chavez, and I decided to move back to Delano to begin organizing the United Farm Workers in 1962. Thousands came to work with our movement once the Delano Grape Strike started in 1965, 50 years ago in 2015. Millions of good people in North America supported us by boycotting grapes and other products.

Dear MoveOn member,

Please join me in thanking the President for keeping his promise by letting hardworking, taxpaying undocumented immigrants temporarily stay in the country they sustain with their sweat and sacrifice.

My husband, Cesar Chavez, and I decided to move back to Delano, CA to begin organizing the United Farm Workers in 1962. Thousands came to work with our movement once the Delano Grape Strike started in 1965—50 years ago this coming year. Millions of good people in North America supported us by boycotting grapes and other products.

All these years, I chose to stay in the background. I walked picket lines, managed our credit union, and cared for our eight children. Cesar respected my privacy. I never spoke in public or talked with reporters.

Unlike my husband, I never got very involved in politics until October 2012, when President Obama came to dedicate the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument at the Tehachapi Mountain town of Keene, CA. That's where Cesar lived and worked his last quarter century, and it's where he is buried. 

As we walked away from paying our respects at my husband's gravesite, with the President holding my arm, I asked, "Mr. President, will you promise you will do something on immigration reform?"

"Yes, Mrs. Chavez, I promise I will," he said.

Join me in thanking President Obama for keeping his promise and doing the right thing on immigration.

Tonight, President Obama kept his promise to me and to the American people by using his power to help many of the immigrants who toil in our fields, make beds, clean rooms, cook meals, work in construction and manufacturing, and care for our young and elderly. They serve our country in the military. I've known the farm workers all my life. Like other immigrants, they take jobs most other Americans won't take, for pay most other Americans won't accept, and under conditions most other Americans won't tolerate. Big parts of our economy can't survive without immigrants.

All President Obama did is what President Reagan and President George H.W. Bush did: allowing some immigrants to stay and work here. Most of the immigrants who qualify have been in this country for some time. They have clean records. What the President did is just temporary, and he acted only after Republicans in the House of Representatives repeatedly refused to pass a bipartisan bill that already passed the U.S. Senate. 

President Obama did the right thing on immigration. Please join me in thanking him for his leadership. At the same time, we should urge Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform that will solve this problem once and for all. 

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

Thanks!

–Helen F. Chavez, widow of Cesar Chavez

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

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

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Tell the networks: air the president's speech tonight

The executives of the big TV networks have decided not to air the president's speech on immigration tonight. This is unacceptable--but we still have time to change it.

Dear MoveOn member,

Tonight, the president of the United States will address the nation from the Oval Office—to discuss significant and long-anticipated reforms to our broken immigration system. But the network executives would rather not break for 15 minutes from their TV dramas and weight-loss reality programs.

By contrast, when President George W. Bush spoke about immigration in 2006, all the major networks aired his address live.

This is unacceptable—but we still have time to change it.

The CEOs of NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX need to hear from the public that it's shameful for them not to air this Oval Office address. Can you call their offices or call them out on Twitter—and let them know that Americans deserve to hear their president address the nation?

Their phone numbers and Twitter handles are:

• ABC: 212-456-7777; @abcnetwork
• CBS: 212-975-4321; @cbs
• NBC: 212-664-4444; @nbc
  
• FOX: 310-369-3553; @foxtv

If you call, tell them, "I believe it's the public duty that comes with public airwaves to air a presidential address on important issues—such as the speech on immigration tonight."

If you'd rather use Twitter, here's a sample tweet:

".@nbcnews, you're using our public airwaves. Please air the @BarackObama speech on #immigration tonight."

President Obama will speak briefly at 8 p.m. ET tonight about the critical issue of immigration reform. Clearly, the network execs don't think that this warrants public attention. But they are wrong. Here's why:

• President Obama will speak to an issue that affects millions of people directly, tens of millions of their family members, and all Americans in some way. This is exactly why we have public airwaves.


• The networks have a history of airing primetime Oval Office addresses by Republican and Democratic presidents. It is part of their public responsibility.


• We're talking about a 15-minute speech. Cut a few commercial breaks, and the networks wouldn't even have to change their programming schedule.

When our elected leader plans to speak to the nation live from the Oval Office, it should be our decision whether to tune in—not the decision of a few executives whose networks profit off of our public airwaves.

Their phone numbers and Twitter handles are: 

• ABC: 212-456-7777; @abcnetwork
• CBS: 212-975-4321; @cbs
• NBC: 212-664-4444; @nbc
  
• FOX: 310-369-3553; @foxtv

Call the networks now—or use Twitter to call them out—and demand that the networks push back their programming 15 minutes so Americans can listen to this message from their president.

Thanks for all you do.

–Anna, Maria, Matt, Nick, and the rest of the team

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

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This email was sent to eddie alfaro on November 20, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

President Obama: It's time to reject Keystone XL

Yesterday, approval of the Keystone XL pipeline lost narrowly in a Senate vote. Right after the vote, Senator Mitch McConnell vowed to make it one of the first orders of business for the Republican-controlled Senate in 2015.¹ That's why we're joining forces with our friends at 350.org and other progressive organizations to urge President Obama to veto the pipeline! Click here to sign the petition today.

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Dear MoveOn member,

I'm Sara Shor of the organization 350.org, and I started a petition to President Barack Obama, which says:

The Keystone XL pipeline will contribute to climate change and fails the climate test. Don't wait to make your mark on history. Stop the pipeline now.

Now is the time for leadership. The Keystone XL pipeline clearly fails the president's climate test—and we now know that Big Oil doesn't have the support needed to approve the pipeline.

President Obama has the support he needs—from science and from the people—to reject the pipeline.

An 830,000-barrel-per-day pipeline of the world's dirtiest oil will obviously contribute to climate change.

Send a message to President Obama to stop Keystone XL now!

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

Thanks!

–Sara Shor

Source:

1. "Senate Defeats Bill on Keyston XL Pipeline in Narrow Vote," The New York Times, November 18, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301748&id=104855-10220574-oPZdlix&t=1

This petition was created on MoveOn's online petition site, where anyone can start their own online petitions. 350.org didn't pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.

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

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This email was sent to eddie alfaro on November 19, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

This. Is. It. (Keystone XL)

Today's Senate vote could be "game over for the planet," in the words of leading climate scientists and environmentalists.

Dear MoveOn member,

In just hours, the Senate will vote on whether to push forward the Keystone XL pipeline—a disastrous and dangerous proposal that would, in the words of leading climate scientists and environmentalists, be "game over for the planet."¹

Either the Senate will send President Obama a Keystone pipeline bill TODAY—and we will need him to promise to veto it; or the Democrats will defeat the measure by one vote, which means that in just seven weeks, a new Republican majority will send him the pipeline—and we'll need him to veto it in January.

Either way, President Obama is our last line of defense. So we're joining with allies to mobilize grassroots support demanding that the president commit to vetoing the pipeline bill—today or early next year.

Will you chip in $3 to help stop the Keystone XL pipeline—and to push Democrats and President Obama to be bold in the fights ahead?

Yes, I'll chip in.

We've already begun fighting back. We're helping organize rallies outside wavering senators' offices. We're mobilizing calls to senators. And we're providing organizers on the ground with access to MoveOn tools and connections to MoveOn members.  

We're mobilizing because this is a hugely important fight on its own—and it'll set the stage for the next two years.

When the Republicans take control of the Senate in January, we can expect a rush of right-wing, anti-climate, anti-science bills: a rollback of President Obama's efforts to regulate carbon, bills to undermine his climate change agreement with China, and bills that give rein to the extractive practices of frackers, Big Coal, and Big Oil.

Following the midterms, some Democrats are feeling nervous—and they are hearing from the usual chorus of consultants and pundits who advise them that the way to win is to be more like Republicans. This is the kind of horrible advice that lost many Democrats their election—yet conservative Democrats continue to listen! And they won't stop unless they feel sustained, passionate pressure from their grassroots base—the folks who they need to inspire in order to win future elections.

Will you chip in $3 to help us make sure Democrats stop the Keystone XL pipeline, stop listening to big oil and bad consultants, and fight for progressive values?

Yes, I'll chip in to help stop Keystone XL and fight for progressive values.

This fight isn't just a preamble to other environmental attacks—it foreshadows the large range of issues that the right-wing Republican leadership intends to tackle. We'll face similar assaults on health care, women's rights, equality, decent wages, Social Security, and civil rights.

In fight after fight, Republicans will push forward a radical agenda and then attempt to pick off a few Democrats to give them the supermajority they need, as well as the veneer of "bipartisanship."

The only way to preserve affordable health care, see humane reforms in our immigration policy, ensure women make their own decisions about their health, and fully invest in Social Security is to make sure Democrats stand strong. And when the Democrats in the Senate falter, it will come to President Obama to be bold in the use of his veto pen.

Following the midterms, many Democrats are nervous. It's our job to make them realize that the path to a stronger America, and to future electoral victories, isn't through caving in—it's through standing up for our shared values.

Whatever happens in the Senate today, we know one thing for sure: We're going to need to be stubborn, strong, and stiff-spined for the next two years.

Can you chip in $3 to help us defeat the Keystone pipeline—and prepare for the fights ahead?

Yes, I'll chip in.

Thanks for all you do.

–Anna, Jo, Brian, Corinne, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Why I Got Arrested Over the Keystone XL Pipeline," Mother Jones, August 25, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301099&id=104811-10220574-NADLFtx&t=1

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

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This email was sent to eddie alfaro on November 18, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Add your name: Obama, be bold!

As The New York Times reports, "Mr. Obama has flexed his muscles on immigration, climate change and the Internet, demonstrating that he still aspires to enact sweeping policies that could help define his legacy."

Click here to sign our thank-you card to President Obama, applauding the bold moves he's made since the midterm election—and urging him to keep up the fight.

Dear MoveOn member,

After the midterm election, many of us wondered: How would President Obama respond?

So far, we've been happily surprised. As The New York Times reports, "Mr. Obama has flexed his muscles on immigration, climate change and the Internet, demonstrating that he still aspires to enact sweeping policies that could help define his legacy."¹

These are welcome moves. It appears the President is setting his own course instead of listening to corporate lobbyists and consultants. As I told the Times, "The president has seen what happens when he doesn't step forward and Democrats don't inspire the public or their base—we win on the issues, but lose at the polls—so we can't do worse. Let's try being bold."²

Click here to sign a thank-you card to the president for his actions and rhetoric since the midterms—and urge him to keep being bold.

There have been other promising signs from national Democrats this past week. Most excitingly: Senator Elizabeth Warren gained a leadership position in the Senate Democratic Caucus. From championing student loan reform to reining in Wall Street, Warren is one of the most passionate and effective voices for the little guy (and gal). Having her in leadership is a huge deal. 

But there's no getting around it: The president will be the last line of defense in the next two years, as the Republican-controlled Senate and House muscle through bad bills on a range of fronts. He'll be under tremendous pressure to make bad deals with obstructionists and extremists like Mitch McConnell and Ted Cruz. 

For the next two years, President Obama will have the power to deliver real change—if he has the confidence to follow through with executive actions on issues like immigration reform and climate change, and to stand up to the radical right.

So we need to show support when the president does the right thing—and then push hard to make sure he follows through.

Click here to add your name to the card we'll send the president. The card reads:

Dear Mr. President,

Thank you.

Since the midterm election, you've indicated that you're willing to show real leadership on tackling climate change, protecting a free and open Internet, and reforming immigration—pushing for bold steps in areas where Congress has failed to act.

You're not alone: Americans from all walks of life want and need you to follow through, and do even more. We need you to use the power of the presidency to make meaningful change on these and other critical issues—like expanding access to health care, pushing for a diplomatic solution to rein in Iran's nuclear program, raising wages, and building an economy that works for all of us, to name a few.

We urge you to act boldly, and promise to stand with you when you fight for all of us in the months ahead. (And yes, we'll let you know when we disagree, too!) 

We'll send President Obama this card, with the names of all the MoveOn members who have signed it—and a personal comment if you want to add one—so he knows that when he stands up for progressive values, we've got his back.

Add your name to the card—thank President Obama, urge him to be bold, and be a part of the movement to propel our shared agenda.

The president is showing the grit that inspired us to elect him. We need to get his back when he stands strong—and keep the heat on through the fights ahead.

Thanks for all you do.

–Anna, Alejandro, Nick, Justin K., and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Obama, Down but Not Out, Presses Ahead," The New York Times, November 13, 2014 
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301696&id=104749-10220574-3M2PnTx&t=6

2. Ibid.

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

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This email was sent to eddie alfaro on November 17, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Game on! Major news to save the Internet

Dear MoveOn member,

Perhaps you've heard the news by now—President Obama just made a game-changing announcement that could save the Internet.¹

Game. On.

One week after a pretty rough election, President Obama isn't backing down. He is making good on his campaign promise to protect the freedom and opportunity that the Internet provides—by calling on the Federal Communications Commission to treat the Web as a public utility, like phones or water. This is huge momentum, and it comes thanks to the steady activism of MoveOn members like you and our allies across the movement.

But now it looks as though FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler wants to delay acting on President Obama's plan—perhaps because he's under tremendous pressure from Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T.²

The best way to thank President Obama for making good on his promise to save the Internet is to help him get the job done.

We can do that by calling on Chairman Wheeler to act right away on the president's sound plan. Time is of the essence—there's no excuse for the FCC to delay action past this year.

Our friends at Demand Progress and Fight for the Future have built an awesome tool that floods every FCC phone line with calls all day long.

Can you make a quick call to the FCC right now to tell Chairman Wheeler that you demand action for Net Neutrality without delay?

Click here to use this great tool to call the FCC—a script of what you can say will be provided.

In the clearest possible terms, President Obama called on the FCC to preserve the open Internet—to stop Verizon, Comcast, and other Internet service providers from slowing down access to websites (like MoveOn.org, or your friend's blog) that can't afford the fees they'd charge for "priority" lanes. The FCC can do this by reclassifying broadband Internet as a telecommunications service—which it has the authority to do under Title II of the Telecommunications Act.

It comes as no surprise that Verizon, Comcast, and Republicans in Congress (financed heavily by the telecommunications lobby) were quick to attack President Obama's wildly, broadly popular call for rules that would protect an open Internet.

Senator Ted Cruz called it "Obamacare for the Internet." Earth to Ted Cruz! First, that's a bogus comparison. Second, millions of people love their Obamacare. And 99% of the record-breaking nearly 4 million comments the FCC received on Net Neutrality call for the kinds of protections President Obama is advocating.³

Ultimately, Chairman Wheeler is the decision-maker; he must propose a plan for the five FCC commissioners to vote on. The FCC has a meeting coming up on December 11, and Chairman Wheeler has the power to act on President Obama's plan then. We've got to let everyone at the FCC know that we won't accept delays when it comes to protecting the open Internet.

MoveOn members have been calling their members of Congress this week to shore up support for the president's plan. Now, we need up the pressure on Chairman Wheeler.

Click here to use Demand Progress and Fight for the Future's handy call tool to help flood the FCC with phone calls today.

It's become clear that this fight has every Internet user pitted against Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and a handful of Republicans in Washington.

We can win. Months ago, the FCC proposed a plan that ignored this obvious, popular solution. MoveOn members joined allies and called, commented, rallied, and shared. Our activism changed the playing field entirely—and now Internet freedom is in sight.

Game on!

Thanks for all you do.

–Victoria, Kristin, Manny, Ben W., and the rest of the team

P.S. President Obama knew he could come out strong on Net Neutrality because millions of Americans have spoken out—with millions of comments, tens of thousands of phone calls, and hundreds of protests in the streets, including in more than 30 cities last Thursday. Our friends at Fight for the Future are organizing another wave of visually stunning evening protests tonight. Click here to RSVP to attend a rally near you tonight, or to sign up to host your own!

Sources:

1. "Net Neutrality: President Obama's Plan for a Free and Open Internet," The White House, accessed November 12, 2014
http://www.whitehouse.gov/net-neutrality

2. "FCC 'to delay' US vote on net neutrality," BBC, November 12, 2014
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-30019413

3. "3.7 Million Comments Later, Here's Where Net Neutrality Stands," NPR, September 17, 2014 http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=301682&id=104586-10220574-1tK7gVx&t=1

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

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This email was sent to eddie alfaro on November 13, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.