Monday, April 30, 2012

Grayson hits Romney hard



Our favorite Congressman, and yours, was on national TV again last Thursday. The subject was Mitt Romney and George W. Bush – what do they have in common?

REV. AL SHARPTON: Congressman, let me start with you. The similarities are striking. How is he going to be able to run on this?

FORMER REP. ALAN GRAYSON: Well, first of all, I think America doesn't need another President who's simply trying to one-up his daddy. It seems like Romney's main motivation is that he wants to be President because he father couldn't make it. And I think that America has just had a bad experience with people who run for office because they want to be something, instead of people who run for office because they want to do something.

But there's an additional problem here. The additional problem is that [Romney] was born with a silver spoon in some orifice, and he never was able to get it out. He acts like one of those out-of-touch rich people who has no way to relate to America's suffering.

And there are a lot of people in America who are suffering. If America consisted entirely of millionaires and billionaires, he might be the ideal president. But that's not where America is today, and for the rest of us, he is a horror. . . .

SHARPTON: It's basically been a [Romney] campaign so far just attacking President Obama, and really not laying out a plan, and involving some of the same players that brought us into a foreign policy that was disastrous. But it's also on the economic side, Congressman, let me show you this. If you look at the facts, Romney is further right than George Bush. Let me show you on the economy side, Bush passed a huge tax cut. Romney is proposing a cut four times larger. Bush enacted Medicare expansion, Romney wants to end Medicare as we know it. Bush signed an increase to minimum wage, Romney opposes increasing minimum wage. Bush says global warming is caused by humans. Romney says we don't know what causes global warming.

I mean, this guy is to the right of George Bush, which many of us thought was politically impossible.

GRAYSON: Well like George Bush, he thinks the only problem that's facing America today is that rich people don't have enough money. And he is bent on solving that problem with his tax cuts and tax giveaways for the rich, and for multinational corporations, at the expense of everyone else.

[Meanwhile,] the war against the poor continues, the war against the middle class continues, the war against women continues. It's like that old headlines in the New York Post. We are going to see it again. You remember the headline. "Ford to New York: Drop Dead." Well, we'll soon see the headline "Romney to America: Drop Dead." He'll only be happy when he can strap us to the top of his car. . . .

SHARPTON: Now one of the things interesting, Congressman, is that . . . many prominent members of the Bush family, but not George W. Bush, have endorsed Mr. Romney. George H. W. Bush has endorsed. Barbara Bush has endorsed. Jeb Bush has endorsed. No George W. Bush yet.

But Rolling Stone uncovered this sound of Bush endorsing Romney for governor back in 2002, so George W. Bush has supported Romney. Let's listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH: I strongly stand with Mitt Romney because I believe he is the best person for the job of governor of Massachusetts. He's got a record. He's done things in life. He started his own businesses. He's an entrepreneur.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: I wonder if we're going to hear echoes of that soon, since [Romney] is using all of [Bush's] advisors and some of his policies. Even though he is going to the right, maybe we will hear that voice resonating again, telling us about Mr. Romney's record and how Willard knows what to do with government.

GRAYSON: I don't know. But I will tell you this. According to polls that I have seen, George W. Bush is no more popular than venereal disease at this point. Maybe we will see him attack Romney because Bush attacking somebody would probably make him more popular than Bush endorsing him.

SHARPTON: Former Congressman Alan Grayson and David Corn. Thank you for coming on the show tonight.

Alan Grayson: our fearless voice on national TV. And come November, again in Washington – if all of us join together, and make it happen.
8419 Oak Park Road, Orlando, FL 32819
Paid for and Authorized by the Committee to Elect Alan Grayson

Friday, April 27, 2012

Social Justice Fellowship with Center for Policy Analysis


The Center for Policy Analysis is currently accepting applications for the Lisa Kernan Social Justice Fellows Program to honor the life and work of Lisa Devereux Kernan.  Fellowships will be provided for a four week Program in early Summer 2011 to one or two outstanding students with a demonstrated
commitment to social justice.   *Due date for application: May 4, 2012.*

Eligibility: Open to graduate students in law, public health, health care professions, public policy or related subjects, or to exceptional undergraduate Seniors and Juniors aspiring to these careers, and who are dedicated to improving the health of individuals and communities and promoting social justice in the United States and globally.

Fellows will receive a stipend of $1,000 for the Program.

* *

*The Lisa Kernan Social Justice Fellows Program is coordinated by the Center for Policy Analysis, a nonprofit research, education, and advocacy center *dedicated to protecting and improving health, promoting social justice, and sustaining access to health care and other vital human services, and located in the Presidio, in San Francisco, California.

Lisa Kernan Social Justice Fellows will participate in a four week Program in late Spring - early Summer 2012 that will involve work on a project for one of the programs listed below, Fellowship mentoring, and graduate level instruction.  Fellows will work directly on projects of the Center for Policy Analysis, and may participate in conducting workshops and briefings with and for advocacy groups, health professionals, and legislators.

Examples of projects on which Kernan Fellows may work include the:

      Trust Women/Silver Ribbon Campaign strengthens the voice and
visibility of the pro-choice majority. Project will involve following up with Trust Women Week coalition partners  to observe the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade in Jan. 2013, including exploring regulations for publicly displaying pro-choice banners.

      Center for Policy Analysis on Trade and Health (CPATH) examines
proposals regarding access to essential medicines, tobacco control and related issues in pending trade agreements, including the Trans Pacific Partnership. www.cpath.org

      EQUAL *Health Care* brings a strong public voice for implementation
of national health care reform, including advocacy for reproductive health care and inclusion of immigrants, and single payer proposals.

If interested in applying, click here:

*to download the application, and submit with 1-2 letters of reference by May 4, 2012, by email to: ershaffer@gmail.com (subject: Lisa Kernan Social Justice Fellows Program), or mail to:*

**

*Center for Policy Analysis, PO Box 29586, San Francisco, CA 94129*

--
Ellen R. Shaffer, PhD MPH
Co-Director, Center for Policy Analysis
San Francisco Presidio
P.O. Box 29586
San Francisco, CA 94129-0586
Phone 415-922-6204
cell: 415-680-4603

Californians -- tune in to www.kpfa.org at 12:30 Pacific time -- important petition to stop rate hikes #hcr


Link to the Petition 

Sign the petition - and hear about it today on Livingroom, KPFA 94,1 FM, www.kpfa,org, 12:30-1 pm Pacific time. - Ellen Shaffer

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Carmen Balber, Consumer Watchdog Campaign
Date: Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 3:13 PM
Subject: 500,000 signatures! Blue Cross CEO Attacks



When an insurance company CEO criticizes your ballot measure to Wall Street
investors, you know they're worried about *our signature
gathering*
.

CEO Angela Braly, head of Blue Cross parent company WellPoint, told
investors yesterday that California already has plenty of oversight of
health insurance prices and doesn't need our ballot measure. Tell that to
the 600,000 customers of Anthem Blue Cross in California who will pay $100
million more when their health insurance premiums go up on May 1st.

These massive hikes come at the same time that WellPoint is reporting
profits of more than $800 million for just the first three months of the
year.

How can a company with that kind of profits justify raising rates on so
many vulnerable Californians? It doesn't have to justify anything! That's
the point of our ballot measure.

*Click here to join the 500,000 Californians who have already signed the
petition to stop these unjust and unfair rate
hikes.*

Our ballot initiative makes health insurance companies open their books and
prove why they're raising rates. If they can't, they'll be barred from
making excessive premium increases.

Help us show Ms. Braly and Blue Cross that we won't stand for year after
year of double-digit rate hikes -- *Click here to download and sign the
petition today!*

We already have the support of over 500,000 Californians for our
initiative. But we need your signature today to make sure we reach the
November ballot. *Download and sign the petition
today!*

We have two and a half weeks left to collect at least 250,000 more
signatures. *Will you join us by signing the
petitionor
spreading
the wordtoday?
*

Thanks for all you do,

Carmen Balber
Consumer Watchdog Campaign

PS. If you have already signed, please consider letting your friends know
about the movement on
*Facebook*,
*Twitter*and
*through email*
.

  ------------------------------

Paid for by Consumer Watchdog Campaign To Make Health Insurance Companies
Justify Their Rates, a committee of consumer advocates with major funding
by Consumer Watchdog Campaign Committee. Consumer Watchdog Campaign is a
nonprofit consumer protection organization. Your
contributionsare
not tax-deductible. Click
hereto
unsubscribe.

 [image: empowered by Salsa]
**
--
Ellen R. Shaffer, PhD MPH
Co-Director, Center for Policy Analysis
San Francisco Presidio
P.O. Box 29586
San Francisco, CA 94129-0586
Phone 415-922-6204
cell: 415-680-4603

Friday, April 20, 2012

Taking back Wisconsin #wirecall



Take Back Wisconsin


I know you’re probably getting countless political emails urgently telling you about the end of the reporting period and how important it is that you donate now, so I’ll keep this short:

There are 46 days until the fate of the State Senate is decided. If we don’t get serious now, it will be too late.
 Contribute
This movement began when the 14 brave senators left the state to stop Scott Walker and his cronies attack on workers’ rights. It’s time to finish the job on June 5th

Donate right now to show the Republicans how strong our people powered movement is. $25, $50, $100 or whatever you can afford will ensure that our message is heard from Racine to Eau Claire and everywhere in between.

You can be the difference. Together, we can take back the majority on June 5th. 
Sincerely,

Mark

Mark Miller
Senate Democratic Leader
Contribute

If you are a registered lobbyist, you have received this in error.  Please disregard.


Authorized and Paid for by the State Senate Democratic Committee, Jon Erpenbach, Treasurer

110 King St.
Madison, WI 53701

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Van Jones speaking in NYC this Saturday


Rebuild the Dream


Van Jones will be in New York City on Saturday, and I want to make sure you know about it. He will be giving a keynote speech at the New York Green Festival at 12:00pm, and will talk about his new book, Rebuild the Dream. He would be thrilled to see you! Tickets are still available online for $10, and at the door for $15. 

Here are details about the event:

April 21, 2012 at 12:00pm
New York Green Festival at Javits Center North
655 West 34th Street
New York, NY 10001
Click here to order tickets.

Hope to see you there!
Natalie and the Rebuild the Dream team
 



Rebuild the Dream is a platform for bottom-up, people-powered innovations to help fix the U.S. economy. You can follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.