Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Tell The Washington Post: Fire George Will

Dear MoveOn member,

We're Nita Chaudhary and Shaunna Thomas of the organization UltraViolet, and we started a petition to The Washington Post, which says:

"Rape is real. No one wants to be a victim. Fire George Will."

The Washington Post actually just published an opinion piece mocking sexual assault survivors and saying that women want to be raped. 

The author, conservative columnist George Will, goes so far as to write that colleges are making "victimhood a coveted status" by taking public steps to curb sexual assaults on campus.  

He even implies that nonconsensual sex is not rape, when in fact it's the very definition of rape! 

Tell The Washington Post that rape is real, and demand that George Will be fired.

George Will makes his living writing columns that many people disagree with. But his latest column has gone too far. Rape is a serious crime—accusing women of making it up and arguing schools shouldn't be addressing sexual assault puts both women and men at risk. By publishing George Will's piece, The Washington Post is amplifying some of the most insidious lies that perpetuate rape culture. It's not just wrong—it's dangerous.

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

Thanks!

–Nita Chaudhary and Shaunna Thomas 

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

Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 10, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Monday, June 9, 2014

Help me end the student debt crisis

Dear MoveOn member,

Last year, Congress lowered interest rates for new student loans but didn't help people stuck with older student loans at 6, 8, even 10% interest rates or higher. Please pass the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act. People should be able to refinance their student loans to today's lower rates. 

Student loan debt is crushing young people. Total debt is now $1.2 trillion, more than all outstanding credit card debt in America. The overwhelming burden of student debt keeps young people from buying homes, buying cars, starting small businesses, saving for retirement, and making purchases that strengthen our economy. 

Last year, Republicans and Democrats came together to lower the interest rates on new undergraduate loans to 3.8%. But nothing was done for the millions of people who have older student loans at 6%, 8%, 10%, and even higher interest rates. They were just stuck paying—and paying and paying. 

Tell the Senate to allow people to refinance their student loans!

My bill, the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act, lets people refinance older student loans down to those lower interest rates that new students receive. 

It would put hundreds, even thousands, of dollars back into the pockets of people struggling with their student loan debt. 

The Senate could vote on this as early as Wednesday. The sooner we pass this bill, the sooner people will get a little bit of relief. Please, add your name today.

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

Thanks!

–Senator Elizabeth Warren


This petition was started by Senator Elizabeth Warren on MoveOn Petitions Political Action Edition, which is licensed to and paid for by MoveOn.org Political Action. Senator Warren 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. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 9, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Saturday, June 7, 2014

This podcast will blow your mind

Dear MoveOn member,

Turns out, there's a way to change how the Electoral College works and choose the president through a national popular vote, without amending the Constitution. And advocates are on track to actually do it, maybe within the next decade.

It's a mind-blowing story. If you've ever wondered if there's a better way to pick our presidents, you've got to check out this podcast. 

Listen now!

Once you hear this story, you won't be able to stop talking about it. As one listener tweeted after listening, "The Good Fight just blew my mind."

It's not every day that there's a shot at reforming one of the basic structures of our democracy. But when you hear the whole story (featuring Hendrik Hertzberg of The New Yorker), you'll realize that this is one of those days. And you'll never look at a red state/blue state map the same way again.

Thanks for all you do.

–Ben Wikler

P.S. Don't use iTunes? No problem. You can listen to the podcast on the Web, tune in via Stitcher (an Android and iOS app), or subscribe via RSS. And if you do use iTunes and you like the show, be sure to subscribe on iTunes... and post a review!

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 8 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 7, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Elizabeth Warren & Thomas Piketty: a winning combination

Dear MoveOn member, 

It was a resounding hit! On Monday, more than 10,000 MoveOn members across the country gathered online to watch Senator Elizabeth Warren and acclaimed economist Thomas Piketty discuss income inequality. 

If you missed it or want to watch it again, check out the replay here—along with Sen. Warren and Dr. Piketty's shout-out to MoveOn members and Sen. Warren's special message at the end to MoveOn members.

Dr. Piketty and Sen. Warren

Dr. Piketty, who authored Capital in the Twenty-First Century, and Sen. Warren, who authored A Fighting Chance, are two of our leading thinkers on economic inequality today. The pairing of these leaders was a moment whose time had come—and MoveOn members joined the watch party in droves to witness their conversation on our website. Throughout the discussion, Sen. Warren and Dr. Piketty answered questions from MoveOn members to compelling effect. 

They included questions like how the costs of climate change will interplay with inequality, submitted by Diane W. in Florida, and how to deal with the growing problem of student loans, submitted by Barbara A. in Arkansas and Robert B. in Oregon. 

In all, more than 3,300 members submitted questions, sparking a wide-ranging discussion with quotes like these: 

"The problem is rising inequality, the fact that top wealth-holders have been rising three times faster than the size of the economy."—Dr. Piketty 

"The game right now in America is rigged . . . The rules don't get better for America's middle class. The rules are getting better for those who are a thin slice at the top. And that is the profound danger that we see from great inequality."—Sen. Warren 

Another very common thread in MoveOn members' questions was what they can do to fight back. As Irma in California asked, "What can I do as an ordinary citizen to make a difference?"

At the end of the interview, Sen. Warren gave this reminder: "[I]t's a set of rules by which we govern ourselves, and here in America, we the people get to decide what the rules are. So I get how hard this is. This is about concentrated money and power on one side, but it's about our values, our voices and our votes on our side. I believe we can fight back. I believe we can win."

This much was also clear from MoveOn members' submitted questions and the enthusiastic response to Sen. Warren and Dr. Piketty's ideas: There is a tremendous hunger and energy to tackle the corrosive causes of—and the challenges posed byincome inequality in America. It's a drive that Sen. Warren recognized at the end of her message to you: "I'm so grateful to everybody at MoveOn. We make each other stronger, so let's get out there." 

In the weeks and months ahead, that's exactly what MoveOn members will be doing. As a first step, can you help spread the word and lift up Sen. Warren and Dr. Piketty's ideas?  

Thanks for all you do.

Ilya, Kyle, Justin, Kate, and the rest of the team

P.S.  Thanks again to the event host, The Huffington Post; moderator Ryan Grim; and event sponsor the Patriotic Millionaires.

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 8 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 4, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Breaking: Obama tackles global warming. Add your name.

Dear MoveOn member,

President Obama just announced what the New York Times is calling "the strongest action taken by an American president to tackle climate change."1

This may be the best hope to tackle the climate crisis during the Obama presidency—and it wouldn't have happened without the tireless advocacy of millions of MoveOn members like you. 

If the plan takes effect, this could be the single most important thing he does as president, the thing that our grandkids remember him for. 

But that's a big if—because giant polluters will do everything in their power to make Obama's climate policy dead on arrival, with waves of misleading TV ads and bogus reports. 

So it's incredibly important that we make our voices heard this week. The EPA is now accepting public comments on the proposed plan. Let's send a powerful statement of support for climate action. We'll give reporters a running tally this week as thousands of people sign on, and we'll share MoveOn members' powerful personal appeals with them—so they know the President is not alone.

Click below to share your comment with the EPA and then share with everyone you know. We'll deliver your comment, along with thousands of others, to the EPA headquarters in Washington next month.

#actonclimate

Share your comment about why you support bold action to address climate change.

Climate change is the challenge of our generation—and if we don't meet it, it will become the nightmare of generations to come. Today's announcement was a long overdue step in the right direction. But if we want to win, we've got to double our efforts. Today, the fight is on.

Thanks for all you do.

–Anna, Joan, Matt B., Garlin, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "The Politics of Obama's Climate Move,"The New York Times, June 2nd, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=298592&id=96635-10220574-AtSrWWx&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. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 2, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Less than an hour away: online debut of Warren & Piketty!

Dear MoveOn member,

It's less than an hour away: the online premiere of the special conversation between Senator Elizabeth Warren and best-selling author and economist Professor Thomas Piketty. 

Here's a reminder on how to watch and to participate:

What: A Conversation with Sen. Elizabeth Warren & Prof. Thomas Piketty
When: TONIGHT, Monday, June 2, at 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 CT/6:30 MT/5:30 PT)
Where: A few minutes before 8:30 p.m. ET, visit this webpage:

http://pol.moveon.org/warrenpiketty/watch.html?id=96633-10220574-ueDZ_nx&t=1

If you're on Twitter, join the conversation online with the hashtags #WarrenPiketty and #inequality. 

More than 10,000 people have signed up to watch the online premiere of this joint interview. Tune in tonight and invite your friends and family to join: 

Click here to invite your friends on Twitter.

See you online soon!

Ilya, Justin, Maria, Manny, 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. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 2, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

TONIGHT: Watch Elizabeth Warren & Thomas Piketty talk inequality in America

Dear MoveOn member,

Thanks for RSVP'ing for tonight's one-of-a-kind online conversation between Senator Elizabeth Warren and Professor Thomas Piketty, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling book Capital in the Twenty-First Century.

Here's everything you'll need to watch and participate in tonight's conversation:

What: Senator Elizabeth Warren and economist Thomas Piketty in conversation
When: TONIGHT, Monday, June 2, at 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 CT/6:30 MT/5:30 PT)
How to join: A few minutes before 8:30 p.m. ET, visit this webpage to get ready for the broadcast to begin:

http://pol.moveon.org/warrenpiketty/watch.html?id=96589-10220574-94xUTNx&t=1

If you're on Twitter, you can tweet using the hashtag #WarrenPiketty to join the conversation online.

More than 10,000 people have already signed up to participate in tonight's debut broadcast moderated by The Huffington Post's Ryan Grim and featuring questions from MoveOn members. Can you help spread the word even further by inviting your friends and family to join the conversation?
Click here to invite your friends on Facebook.

Click here to invite your friends on Twitter.

Or forward this email to your friends and family.

Senator Warren and Professor Piketty are two of the leading voices on economic inequality. The more people who join this conversation, the better equipped we'll be to fight for an economy that works for everyone, not just the 1%.

See you online tonight!

Thanks for all you do.

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

P.S. In the online broadcast, you'll see Sen. Warren and Prof. Piketty respond to questions submitted by MoveOn members—like this question from Diane W. of Gulfport, FL: "How will the costs of climate change interplay with economic inequality?" They answered a question from Lars F. of Marietta, GA about what it would take for the 1% to pay their fair share of taxes, and from Robert B. of Portland, OR about alleviating the burden of student debt. Tune in tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET to watch the whole conversation: http://pol.moveon.org/warrenpiketty/watch.html?id=96589-10220574-94xUTNx&t=4

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 8 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 2, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.