Oppose the Voinovich Proposal and Any Further Attempts to Destroy the Environment

Urgent Alert: Oppose the Voinovich Proposal

Senator George Voinovich (R-OH) proposed legislation that would postpone meaningful action on global warming pollution for at least twenty years.

In the meantime, the proposal would take away state authority to control global warming pollution, undermining efforts in dozens of states, including California, Florida, and the Northeast members of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which have set ambitious emissions reduction targets.

We need to do everything we can to defeat Senator Voinovich's sham proposal.

Email your Senators today.

http://action.environmentaldefense.org/campaign/oppose_voinovich_bill/

Senator George Voinovich recently proposed sham legislation that would ALLOW global warming pollution to INCREASE FOR DECADES.

Even though the proposal is being pitched as a way to address global warming, its real impact would be to block serious global warming action this year.

I urge you to oppose the Voinovich proposal.

The proposal calls for weak, non-binding emissions reduction benchmarks - current levels in 2020 and 1990 levels in 2030 - while providing taxpayer-funded subsidies for favored technologies.

The Environmental Protection Agency could establish a cap and trade system to reduce emissions - but it could suspend the cap on a whim, and it would come with an astonishingly low $5 per ton "safety valve" - an artificial price control on emissions reductions.

In the meantime, the proposal would take away state authority - confirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court in "Massachusetts v. EPA" - to control global warming pollution. Dozens of states across the country, including California, Florida, and the Northeast members of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, have set ambitious emissions reduction targets.

This so-called global warming proposal is nothing more than a detailed prescription for doing nothing -- or worse.

It's time to get serious about global warming. It is real, and it will destroy this planet.

The Bush administration, and their Republican Congressional supporters, will do everything in their power to continue to help corporations to add to the mess -- at the expense of the American people, our health, and our environment.

I strongly urge you to oppose the Voinovich bill. Further I strongly urge you to take any, and all, actions necessary to ensure that no such sham legislation is EVER passed.

We have run out of time to begin the actions necessary to save the planet.

Thank you.

Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) Urges Congress to Use Bush's Supplemental Request to Mandate Regional Diplomacy & End the Occupation

Bush is a lame duck president. Despite the numerous horrible things he has done to the USA and the world, and the crystal-clear message to end his Iraq "war" which the American voters sent in the 2006 elections, Congress is afraid to stand up to him. The United States of America continues to be the enemy of every sane country in the world, and we are a laughingstock, as well. Giving Bush a blank check is NOT the path America must take. We must act now to stop the Bush administration from doing further damage.

***By the way, Bush has set a new record low: 71% of Americans disapprove of how he is doing his job***

As Congress prepares to vote on over $108 billion dollars for war funding, FCNL urges members to vote against the supplemental funding. While there aren't enough votes in Congress to block the funding, we see that there are crucial steps that the 110th Congress can take to change US policy in Iraq. We urge members of Congress to vote against a blank check for war, and to use the supplemental as an opportunity to mandate regional diplomacy in Iraq and block the "strategic framework" agreement between the US and Iraq that could formalize a long term US occupation of Iraq.

********************
FCNL sent the following letter to every member of the House on April 29, 2008:



April 29, 2008

Dear Representative,

The upcoming vote on the administration’s request for more than $100 billion in additional funding for the Iraq war provides a good opportunity for Congress to insist on a new U.S. policy in Iraq. As a Quaker organization, we at FCNL oppose any new funding for war and we hope you will vote against this bill. At the same time, we recognize that there may not be enough votes in the 110th Congress to block new funding for war.

Whether you oppose new funding for war or support such funding, we at FCNL hope Congress will add bipartisan language to the Iraq war supplemental bill that encourages a fundamental shift in U.S. policy toward regional engagement and against the endless occupation of Iraq. Please support and vote for amendments to the war supplemental that would:

• Require the U.S. to engage in the inclusive regional diplomacy recommended by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group to stabilize Iraq and the region. Some sixty members of the House have signed H.R. 3797 that mandates diplomacy and new legislation providing an even more comprehensive diplomatic approach has been introduced in the last few weeks (H.Con.Res. 321). Five former secretaries of state have called for negotiations with Iraq’s neighbors and the former commander of U.S. Central Command, Admiral William Fallon, has said the U.S. needs the assistance of Iraq’s neighbors to solve Iraq’s problems. A timely mandate for diplomacy with Iraq’s neighbors, including Iran, can also reduce tensions and avert a wider war.

• Require congressional approval of any status of forces or strategic framework agreement between the U.S. and Iraq. The administration’s push to conclude bilateral agreements with Iraq before it leaves office requires the check and balance of Congress. Reps. Bill Delahunt and Rosa DeLauro have introduced legislation (H.R. 5626) that could be attached to the war supplemental. The administration has confirmed that it is seeking a new “authority to fight” in the agreements being negotiated with Iraq. This authority would permit the continuation of U.S. military action in Iraq and its expansion to any neighboring state deemed by the U.S. to pose a threat to Iraq. Congress should not accept the assertion of such authority without its consent. A U.S.-Iraq agreement could, moreover, narrow Iraq policy options for the next administration. Requiring congressional approval of any agreement affords the best guarantee against this possibility, as well.

We urge you to attach these important provisions to the Iraq supplemental funding bill.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Jim Fine
Legislative Secretary for Foreign Policy

Things to know about John McCain

In case you didn't get this, or weren't aware of his positions. Thanks to MoveOn.org!!

Dear MoveOn member,

For all the coverage this week of Senator John McCain's background, there are some important things you won't learn about him from the TV networks. His carefully crafted positive image relies on people not knowing this stuff—and you might be surprised by some of it.

Please check out the list below, and then forward it to your friends, family, and coworkers. We can't rely on the media to tell folks about the real John McCain—but if we all pass this along, we can reach as many people as CNN Headline News does on a good night.

Click here to tell us how many people you can pass it on to—and to see our progress nationally:

http://pol.moveon.org/mccain10/?id=12407-202185-5t4IOI&t=231

Things you should know about John McCain (but probably don't):

1. John McCain voted against establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now he says his position has "evolved," yet he's continued to oppose key civil rights laws.¹

2. According to Bloomberg News, McCain is more hawkish than Bush on Iraq, Russia and China. Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says McCain "will make Cheney look like Gandhi."²

3. His reputation is built on his opposition to torture, but McCain voted against a bill to ban waterboarding, and then applauded President Bush for vetoing that ban.³

4. McCain opposes a woman's right to choose. He said, "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned."⁴

5. The Children's Defense Fund rated McCain as the worst senator in Congress for children. He voted against the children's health care bill last year, then defended Bush's veto of the bill.⁵

6. He's one of the richest people in a Senate filled with millionaires. The Associated Press reports he and his wife own at least eight homes! Yet McCain says the solution to the housing crisis is for people facing foreclosure to get a "second job" and skip their vacations.⁶

7. Many of McCain's fellow Republican senators say he's too reckless to be commander in chief. One Republican senator said: "The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He's erratic. He's hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."⁷

8. McCain talks a lot about taking on special interests, but his campaign manager and top advisers are actually lobbyists. The government watchdog group Public Citizen says McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, more than any of the other presidential candidates.⁸

9. McCain has sought closer ties to the extreme religious right in recent years. The pastor McCain calls his "spiritual guide," Rod Parsley, believes America's founding mission is to destroy Islam, which he calls a "false religion." McCain sought the political support of right-wing preacher John Hagee, who believes Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment for gay rights and called the Catholic Church "the Antichrist" and a "false cult."⁹

10. He positions himself as pro-environment, but he scored a 0—yes, zero—from the League of Conservation Voters last year.¹⁰

John McCain is not who the Washington press corps make him out to be. Please help get the word out—forward this email to your personal network. And if you want us to keep you posted on MoveOn's work to get the truth out about John McCain, sign up here:

http://pol.moveon.org/mccaintruth/?id=12407-202185-5t4IOI&t=232

Thank you for all you do.

–Eli, Justin, Noah, Laura, and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Saturday, April 5th, 2008

Sources:
1. "The Complicated History of John McCain and MLK Day," ABC News, April 3, 2008
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/the-complicated.html

"McCain Facts," ColorOfChange.org, April 4, 2008
http://colorofchange.org/mccain_facts/

2. "McCain More Hawkish Than Bush on Russia, China, Iraq," Bloomberg News, March 12, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aF28rSCtk0ZM&refer=us

"Buchanan: John McCain 'Will Make Cheney Look Like Gandhi,'" ThinkProgress, February 6, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/06/buchanan-gandhi-mccain/

3. "McCain Sides With Bush On Torture Again, Supports Veto Of Anti-Waterboarding Bill," ThinkProgress, February 20, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/20/mccain-torture-veto/

4. "McCain says Roe v. Wade should be overturned," MSNBC, February 18, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17222147/

5. "2007 Children's Defense Fund Action Council^® Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard," February 2008
http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/PageServer?pagename=act_learn_scorecard2007

"McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion," CNN, October 3, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/03/mccain.interview/

6. "Beer Executive Could Be Next First Lady," Associated Press, April 3, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h-S1sWHm0tchtdMP5LcLywg5ZtMgD8VQ86M80

"McCain Says Bank Bailout Should End `Systemic Risk,'" Bloomberg News, March 25, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aHMiDVYaXZFM&refer=home

7. "Will McCain's Temper Be a Liability?," Associated Press, February 16, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4301022

"Famed McCain temper is tamed," Boston Globe, January 27, 2008
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/27/famed_mccain_temper_is_tamed/

8. "Black Claims McCain's Campaign Is Above Lobbyist Influence: 'I Don't Know What The Criticism Is,'" ThinkProgress, April 2, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/02/mccain-black-lobbyist/

"McCain's Lobbyist Friends Rally 'Round Their Man," ABC News, January 29, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4210251

9. "McCain's Spiritual Guide: Destroy Islam," Mother Jones Magazine, March 12, 2008
http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/03/john-mccain-rod-parsley-spiritual-guide.html

"Will McCain Specifically 'Repudiate' Hagee's Anti-Gay Comments?," ThinkProgress, March 12, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/12/mccain-hagee-anti-gay/

"McCain 'Very Honored' By Support Of Pastor Preaching 'End-Time Confrontation With Iran,'" ThinkProgress, February 28, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/28/hagee-mccain-endorsement/

10. "John McCain Gets a Zero Rating for His Environmental Record," Sierra Club, February 28, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/environment/77913/

Support Cindy Sheehan AND Our Troops

Mr. Bush hasn't even the decency to meet with Cindy while he takes a five week vacation?!!

He deserves impeachment, plain and simple.

Mr. Bush got the US and our allies into this mess using false pretenses. He and his administration do indeed bear the full responsibility for the abominable situation in Iraq, for the deaths of thousands of innocent people like Cindy's son, and for the shame they have brought on the United States.

Lest we forget, Osama bin Laden -- who DID attack us on our soil, resulting in the deaths of thousands of innocent Americans -- has NOT been pursued or caught by the George W. Bush administration -- almost four years after 9/11/01.

Enjoy yet another vacation, Mr. Bush. You've already been responsible for enough worldwide death and destruction due to your misplaced priorities and outright lies.

As a matter of fact, you, and your retread administration, should just take off the next three years. The USA can ill afford a moment more of your machinations. You and Mr. Cheney, and the rest of your administration, should just resign NOW.

The grounds for impeachment continue to grow.

We Will NOT Forget

Mr. Bush has again seen fit to give a middle finger salute to the world.

The British have actively pursued and captured many suspects in the horrific July 2005 terrorist attack on their subways.

On the other hand, the U.S. has attacked Iraq, at an ongoing cost of thousands of American and "coalition" lives, hundreds of thousands of Iraqui lives, and billions of dollars.

The impeachment of President Clinton for having consensual sex with an "of-age" young woman only cost about fifty million American taxpayer dollars -- and no lives -- clearly a comparative bargain.

If we begin impeachment proceedings of Mr. Bush for his KNOWN high crimes and misdemeanors, as soon as Congress returns in September, we'll save billions of dollars and thousands more lives. We'll probably never end his arrogance, but I think it will be a good tradeoff.

With Mr. Bush and his "mandate" out of office, we might even begin a real search for Osama bin Laden. In the process, we probably won't anger any more terrorists than Mr. Bush and his administration already have . . . and we might even save some lives.

You see, Mr. Bush, we haven't forgotten what you've perpetrated on your watch, and your middle finger salutes and other arrogance are not cute. They are juvenile, unstatesmanlike, and unseemly for an American president . . . and I'll bet you think they're funny. Real Americans know what kind of person you are, and that is, simply, the worst kind.

Here's a good tally of 9/11/01 and related costs, not including the Iraqui war. The source is:

http://www.newyorkmetro.com/news/articles/wtc/1year/numbers.htm .

9/11 by the Numbers Death, destruction, charity, salvation, war, money, real estate, spouses, babies, and other September 11 statistics.

The initial numbers are indelible: 8:46 a.m. and 9:02 a.m. Time the burning towers stood: 56 minutes and 102 minutes. Time they took to fall: 12 seconds. From there, they ripple out. Total number killed in attacks (official figure as of 9/5/02): 2,819 Number of firefighters and paramedics killed: 343 Number of NYPD officers: 23 Number of Port Authority police officers: 37 Number of WTC companies that lost people: 60 Number of employees who died in Tower One: 1,402 Number of employees who died in Tower Two: 614 Number of employees lost at Cantor Fitzgerald: 658 Number of U.S. troops killed in Operation Enduring Freedom: 22 Number of nations whose citizens were killed in attacks: 115 Ratio of men to women who died: 3:1 Age of the greatest number who died: between 35 and 39 Bodies found "intact": 289 Body parts found: 19,858 Number of families who got no remains: 1,717 Estimated units of blood donated to the New York Blood Center: 36,000 Total units of donated blood actually used: 258 Number of people who lost a spouse or partner in the attacks: 1,609 Estimated number of children who lost a parent: 3,051 Percentage of Americans who knew someone hurt or killed in the attacks: 20 FDNY retirements, January–July 2001: 274 FDNY retirements, January–July 2002: 661 Number of firefighters on leave for respiratory problems by January 2002: 300 Number of funerals attended by Rudy Giuliani in 2001: 200 Number of FDNY vehicles destroyed: 98 Tons of debris removed from site: 1,506,124 Days fires continued to burn after the attack: 99 Jobs lost in New York owing to the attacks: 146,100 Days the New York Stock Exchange was closed: 6 Point drop in the Dow Jones industrial average when the NYSE reopened: 684.81 Days after 9/11 that the U.S. began bombing Afghanistan: 26 Total number of hate crimes reported to the Council on American-Islamic Relations nationwide since 9/11: 1,714 Economic loss to New York in month following the attacks: $105 billion Estimated cost of cleanup: $600 million Total FEMA money spent on the emergency: $970 million Estimated amount donated to 9/11 charities: $1.4 billion Estimated amount of insurance paid worldwide related to 9/11: $40.2 billion Estimated amount of money needed to overhaul lower-Manhattan subways: $7.5 billion Amount of money recently granted by U.S. government to overhaul lower-Manhattan subways: $4.55 billion Estimated amount of money raised for funds dedicated to NYPD and FDNY families: $500 million Percentage of total charity money raised going to FDNY and NYPD families: 25 Average benefit already received by each FDNY and NYPD widow: $1 million Percentage increase in law-school applications from 2001 to 2002: 17.9 Percentage increase in Peace Corps applications from 2001 to 2002: 40 Percentage increase in CIA applications from 2001 to 2002: 50 Number of songs Clear Channel Radio considered "inappropriate" to play after 9/11: 150 Number of mentions of 9/11 at the Oscars: 26 Apartments in lower Manhattan eligible for asbestos cleanup: 30,000 Number of apartments whose residents have requested cleanup and testing: 4,110 Number of Americans who changed their 2001 holiday-travel plans from plane to train or car: 1.4 million Estimated number of New Yorkers suffering from post-traumatic-stress disorder as a result of 9/11: 422,000

"Mr. Bush, take down that wall!"

To paraphrase President Reagan: "Mr. Bush, take down that wall!"

Nancy Reagan has made her stand clearly known. We need stem cell research to try to find cures for many horrible diseases, including the Alzheimers which slowly killed her husband.

I have Multiple Sclerosis (MS). More than likely, it won't kill me, or shorten my life. It will just make daily living an ever-changing, major challenge.

Please visit this site for more information: http://www.stempac.com/.

I have worked since I was sixteen, paying into the system. My career included responsible positions in business, government and the non-profit sector. I put in long hours, many times reaching 65 to 70 per week. I was relatively asymptomatic for years. I could walk, drive, hike, camp and do all sorts of other "normal" activities with my wife, family and friends.

My MS attacked me badly in 2000. The attack was due in part to those long hours, but also due in large part to the stress of my job. I can no longer hold any kind of regular job. At 53, I am now 95% confined to an electric wheelchair.

My HMO, managing a fund for my employer, allowed me limited physical and occupational therapy following my 2000 attack. The retail price of my wheelchair was over $11,000, which would have paid for a LOT of physical and occupational therapy! Financially, a bad business decision for the HMO, but a worse decision for my wife and me. She has changed careers to allow her to spend more time at home, and getting me to appointments.

Due to my illness, I am extremely heat-sensitive, and prone to sudden bouts of fatigue. Due to my heightened immune system, I am more prone to allergies than before. I have not been able to work since the attack. Physical and occupational therapy, and exercise have helped.

Big business (my HMO and employer) is NOT taking very good care of me, but the current Washington administration has taken good care of my HMO, limiting litigation awards.

Currently, expensive medication (Copaxone) seems to hold off further MS progression. In April 2005, my now-former employer and the HMO decided they would no longer cover my wife and me. My wife and I can purchase the same coverage through COBRA for about $750/month --- for 18 months. After that, who knows.

The one injectable medication alone (Copaxone) would cost us about $800 monthly (Don't feel sorry for the HMO! Due to their purchasing power, they get everything cheaper).

We're not rich, and neither of us ever held elective office, so I will likely be forced into the Bush-administration-created Medicare boondoggle. At some point during EVERY year, I'll get to pay up to $2000 for my medications, plus the premiums for Medicare Parts A & B and the copays. If we can't afford the costs, I guess I won't be able to have my medication . . .

In addition, we may have to pay all of the cost of Copaxone, my primary MS medication, recommended by my neurologist, who is a specialist in treating MS.

Last I knew, it isn't on the Medicare approved list, made up by Washington bureaucrats. Copaxone is effective in treating MY symptoms; the 3 other MS injectables are not. There was much hope for a new medication, Tysabri, but it was pulled from the market after two months by the manufacturer.

We can barely afford the copays my prescription drug plan charges for the rest of my medication. All of them only treat symptoms. None will cure MS, my high blood pressure, or my allergies.

Life and politics are about priorities. Years ago, I worked in the World Trade Center. My wife and I were employed in and enjoyed lower Manhattan. On TV, I watched the 9/11 attacks in horror. Worse, I watched Mr. Bush's unbelievable non-response! I cannot forget.

Three years later, the Bush administration has NOT caught bin Laden. Using bad intelligence or now what looks like outright deception, instead they started an unprovoked war, making us all a bigger target for terrorists.

Worse, every day, this war is costing more lives. Americans and those from many countries are dying. No theological theory needs to be interpreted or applied here. These souls were unquestionably alive --- full-term children who grew up before they were killed, for no good reason.

Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney, and their administration, and their ilk, in Congress and elsewhere, are either morally bankrupt or wearing blinders. Creating the Iraq war and forcing such an ongoing loss of life, while promising/threatening to veto stem cell research is the height of unconscionable, blatant, moral hypocrisy.

Dead servicemen and servicewomen or civilians, from any country, are just as dead as aborted fetuses.

Stem cell research offers the only current, viable hope to cure MS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, spinal cord injuries, and a host of other maladies. There are never guarantees in life, but lack of stem cell research guarantees that we will not find such cures!

Splitting moral hairs, the Bush administration IS allowing limited stem cell research, but only on existing stem cell lines corrupted by animal DNA and God knows what else.

A very rational alternative proposal would use stem cells NOT from aborted fetuses, but from frozen "test-tube" embryos slated to be discarded anyway.

We need the research yesterday. Plain folks like myself, and role models like the late Christopher Reeve and Ronald Reagan deserve a fighting chance.

I do not want fetuses, babies, or anyone killed to help me. I just want my life back, so I can share it with my wife, kids and grandkids.

June 18, 2005

Some thoughts on Flag Day

Since today is Flag Day in the United States, I thought the following reflection was very appropriate. It was sent to me by a good friend for many years.

As Americans, we have a long history of embracing all people who want to live in freedom, and who will work hard to continue to preserve the rights and responsibilities which this country offers, shedding their sweat, their tears and even their blood.

Have you ever noticed the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the United States of America Flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day!

The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of life.

The 2nd fold is a symbol of the belief in eternal life.

The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans, departing the ranks, who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of the country to attain peace throughout the world.

The 4th fold represents the weaker nature, for as American citizens

trusting in God, for it is to Him we turn, in times of peace as well as in time

of war, for His divine guidance.

The 5th fold is a tribute to the country, for in the words of Stephen

Decatur, "Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be

right; but it is still our country . . ."

The 6th fold is for where people's hearts lie. It is with their heart that

they speak "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United! States Of America, and to

the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with

Liberty and Justice for All.."

The 7th fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces. The Armed

Forces protect their country and their flag against all her

enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of their

republic.

The 8th fold is a tribute to the ones who entered into the valley of the

shadow of death, that they might again see the light of day.

The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and mothers. For it has been

Through their faith, their love, and their loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.

The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons

and daughters for the defense of their country since they were first born.

The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and

King Solomon and glorifies the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies the Christian God --- the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.

With the 13th fold, when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of the heavens and our nation's motto, "In God We Trust."

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the sailors and marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for them the rights, privileges and freedoms they enjoy today.

There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning.

In the future, you'll see flags folded and now you will know why.

Share this with the children you love and all others who love what is

referred to, the symbol of "Liberty".

Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for the sum

of the numbers in the year 1776?