Join Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly in Tucson to Save Our Care!

As this administration continues to push their disastrous effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Drive for Our Lives speakers will join the Tucson community in rejecting careless and cruel attempts to take health insurance away from millions of families.

We just announced really exciting news about our upcoming Drive for Our Lives stop in Tucson. This Saturday, we'll be joined by former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, and Captain Mark Kelly!

Here are the details. RSVP below. 

What: Drive for Our Lives Tucson stop with Gabby Giffords, Mark Kelly, Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, and Topher Spiro
When: Saturday, August 5, 10:00am
Where: Planned Parenthood 2255 N Wyatt Drive Tucson, AZ 85712

We hope you'll join us to make your own voice heard! 


- Drive for Our Lives, Save our Care

Billionaire Nick Hanauer advocates for 0% in tax cuts for the 1%

My name is Nick Hanauer and I’m filthy rich. I’m not a 1%’er. I’m a 0.001%’er. If you read the business section of the paper, you’ve probably seen my name: I was one of the first investors in Amazon.com. I’ve sold other companies for billions of dollars, and now my friends and I own a bank. I’m a proud and unapologetic capitalist.

So you might be surprised to learn that I’m starting a petition to say that it would be criminally stupid for Congress to give rich guys like me another tax cut.

In fact, I believe that not one penny in tax cuts should go to millionaires, billionaires and wealthy corporations. Everyone knows that the biggest lie in economics is that tax cuts for the rich create growth and jobs. When Republicans talk about tax reform, they’re really talking about trickle down nonsense. The truth is, taxes on the rich don’t need to be “reformed”—they need to be raised, because it’s investments in the middle class that make our economy grow.

Our democracy and our economy are being ripped apart by growing inequality. Tax cuts for the rich masquerading as reform will only make it worse. I need you to help me fight for a tax code that puts working families back at the center of the economy.Another round of tax breaks for people like me will undermine our commitment to what really makes our country stronger: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, public education, investments in infrastructure and R&D, and more -- and make it impossible for the middle class to fulfill their function as the true job creators.

Join me and pledge to oppose any effort to cut taxes for the wealthy and well-connected. Not one penny in tax cuts should go to millionaires, billionaires and wealthy corporations.

Add your name if you agree:

ADD YOUR NAME >>

http://go.civicaction.com/Not-One-Penny

- Nick Hanauer of the 0.001%

Al Gore offers hope by speaking "Truth to Power" and supporting the court case, "People vs. Arctic Oil"

A decade after An Inconvenient Truth brought the climate crisis into the heart of popular culture, comes the riveting and rousing follow-up that shows just how close we are to a real energy revolution. Former Vice President Al Gore continues his tireless fight, traveling around the world training an army of climate champions and influencing international climate policy. Cameras follow him behind the scenes — in moments both private and public, funny and poignant — as he pursues the inspirational idea that while the stakes have never been higher, the perils of climate change can be overcome with human ingenuity and passion. Learn more about An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power here.

Here are Al Gore's thoughts on how things are going in the fight against global warming:

The environmental movement has made such great strides in recent years. We’ve developed new, cleaner energy sources, and lots of people are now taking action to stop the worst of global warming. I've always believed we can turn this thing around, but it's going to take us all pulling together.

Having been through presidential elections, both as a candidate and as a concerned citizen, this last one was the worst yet for the climate. Donald Trump is doing everything he can to undo the progress we’ve made together in recent years, even pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement. We’re seeing extreme weather events every night on the news. Sadly, we only have to look around at what’s happening with damaging flooding caused by global warming induced storms, record breaking temperatures around the globe, wildfires, and the melting ice caps in the Arctic to know this is not theory — this is reality.

But I'm not giving up and neither should you. I've been working hard on my new movie, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power. In the movie, we share inspiring stories about the renewable energy revolution that’s already under way. I hope everyone who comes to see it will leave knowing that while the stakes have never been higher, the perils of climate change can still be overcome when we combine brain power with people power.

There’s a lot we can do, and must do. I know it can seem overwhelming. So please, just commit to doing these two things right now and we’ll go from there.

1. Greenpeace and a lot of other good folks in the growing global environmental movement are coming together in the court case “People vs. Arctic Oil.” They’re taking the Norwegian government to court because it’s opening up new areas of the Arctic for oil drilling — for the first time in 20 years — while burning oil is a primary cause of climate change. What happens in the Arctic affects us all. Please use your voice and take a stand on climate change by clicking here to add your name to the movement against Arctic oil. Your signature will be presented as evidence in the Greenpeace case.

2. You may know someone who’s on the fence about climate change. In this era of “fake news” it’s hard for people to know what to believe. Instead of dismissing that person, why not reach out to them and offer to go see An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, together? Maybe even share your popcorn with them. For a limited time, Greenpeace supporters can bring a friend for free. Go to Fandango.com and enter the promo code CLIMATEBOGO at check out and share the film with someone who needs to see it.*

I hope you’ll join us by signing the petition and bringing a friend to see An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power.

- Al Gore

Time to legalize marijuana in the U.S. Support the Marijuana Justice Act of 2017

For decades, the failed War on Drugs has locked up millions of nonviolent drug offenders, especially for marijuana-related offenses. This has wasted human potential, torn apart families and communities, and squandered massive sums of taxpayer dollars.

Currently, over half of all drug arrests in the United States are due to marijuana—the majority for simple possession. Police now arrest more Americans for simple possession of marijuana than for all violent crimes—murder, sexual assault, and armed robbery—combined.

It’s time the federal government follow the lead of many of our states and our nation’s capital, and begin to take meaningful steps to reverse mass incarceration and address the gross injustices of the failed War on Drugs. It’s time to legalize marijuana in the United States of America.

That’s why I’ve introduced the Marijuana Justice Act of 2017, a bill that if passed will legalize marijuana at the federal level, and incentivize states to legalize it at the state level. The bill would also retroactively apply to those serving time in federal prison for marijuana-related offenses, providing for a judge’s review of their marijuana sentence.

Our federal marijuana laws have not made our country safer—in fact, by enforcing our existing marijuana laws on predominantly low-level, nonviolent offenders, police are forced to take away precious resources from fighting violent crime in our communities.

Marijuana-related offenses are also not enforced equally across race and class. It’s a disturbing fact that while blacks and whites use marijuana at similar rates, African Americans are almost 4 times more likely to be arrested for possession of marijuana.

The War on Drugs has failed all Americans, and has had a disproportionately devastating impact on Americans of color and the poor. Legalizing marijuana across our country is the right thing to do for public safety, and will reduce our overflowing prison population.

If you agree that our marijuana laws have been ineffective and that we can make our criminal justice system more just by legalizing marijuana, please join me in supporting the Marijuana Justice Act of 2017.

- Cory Booker

EPA accepting public comment on delaying regulation of methane from oil and natural gas development - until August 9th

Under Administrator Scott Pruitt, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is failing to uphold its mission to protect humane and environmental health. In fact, the EPA is being used to undermine important protections for people and the planet, like the Clean Air Act.

From now until August 9th, the EPA is accepting public comment on its proposal to delay implementation of parts of an important rule on protecting public health, and the climate, from methane pollution from oil and natural gas projects.

The EPA needs to hear from concerned citizens across the country. Any delay or weakening of the methane emission standards for the oil and natural gas sector is absolutely unacceptable.

Sign the statement below today to urge the EPA to withdraw its proposed delay in regulating methane from oil and natural gas development.


Statement:

Environmental Protection Agency, Docket: EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0505

Public Comment on the Emission Standards for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources for the Oil and Natural Gas Sector

As Americans concerned about human and environmental health, we strongly urge the EPA to withdraw the proposed two-year stay of key portions of the Emission Standards for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources for the Oil and Natural Gas Sector. We oppose any delay or weakening of regulations requiring oil and gas wells to prevent the leakage of methane that pollutes the air and contributes to the climate crisis.

Human and environmental health are closely intertwined. The EPA’s mandate is to protect both – not to thwart regulations that protect the environment and have a positive impact on the well-being of our communities. People who live near oil and gas extraction and development sites, especially children, are in great danger from leaking methane and related toxins. According to the Clean Air Task Force, more than 750,000 summertime asthma attacks in children are attributable to ozone smog from oil and gas pollution.

In addition, methane emissions have 80 times the heat-trapping capability of carbon dioxide, making it a major contributor to the climate crisis. As NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report, the planet continues to experience record-breaking increases in temperature. Preventing the leakage of methane is a cost-effective and practical step to help mitigate climate change.

It is therefore imperative that already-approved regulations, pursuant to the Clean Air Act , be fully implemented without any delay whatsoever for the sake of people and the planet.

Signed:

(Your name here.)

Sign the petition: Tell Ben Carson to stop Trump's housing cuts!

Next month, Congress will debate and likely vote on Donald Trump’s first budget as president. Included in his proposed budget is $7 billion (not million, BILLION) in cuts for important programs at the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD).

HUD Secretary Ben Carson can stand up to Donald Trump and push back on these budget cuts that will destabilize our communities and only provide more tax cuts for the rich.

Tell HUD Secretary Carson: don’t let HUD get cut, call for full funding of federal housing programs!

Trump’s budget is, to use his favorite terminology, a “total disaster.” First, it slashes spending on affordable housing programs like Section 8. It also cuts the budget for community development resources, like the 42-year-old program that provides funding for improvements to parks and child care facilities. The proposal also eliminates the Housing Trust Fund, a program financed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac profits.

Fortunately, Trump’s budget has hit many setbacks along the way. When first presented to Congress in June, it was met with bipartisan disapproval. Even Republicans weren’t convinced the huge cuts to domestic programs in Trump’s budget would be enough to offset the increase in military spending and tax breaks for the wealthy.

But that doesn’t mean HUD is safe. If Trump gets his way, thousands of families who rely on essential housing programs like Section 8 and community development grants will be left out in the cold — quite literally.

Sign the petition to get Secretary Carson to fight for his department and those who rely on HUD programs to survive!

Dianne Enriquez, CPD Actions

Message to Ben Carson, Secretary of HUD :

The Trump administration’s cuts of over $7 billion to federal housing programs is completely unjust. Hundreds of thousands of Americans rely on HUD programs to provide a roof over their heads.

Without funding for these programs, low-income communities will be left without resources for housing, leading to increased homelessness.

You must show the necessary leadership to stop these immoral cuts to housing and call for full funding of HUD. Stop Trump’s cuts to HUD and demand full funding for federal housing programs.

Sign petition: Don’t rescind regulations that protect drinking water for Americans.

Photo Credit: Joshua Doubek

Waterways could soon face an increased threat from the damaging and possibly deadly effects of fracking due to a new Trump Administration attempt to scrap Obama-era laws. Like so much else, Trump’s only goal with this policy is to simply erase any trace of President Obama, even if that means potentially killing Americans in the process.

The Obama regulations hold fracking companies to higher construction standards and require that chemicals in fracking be publicly disclosed. However, the Trump administration says the regulations on fracking are “burdensome.”

To scrap these regulations would give giant gas companies the ability to knowingly pollute the drinking water of millions of Americans. They knowingly can leak toxic chemicals into waterways without alerting property owners. This destruction will be irreversible and deadly. Demand that the protections remain in place.

Target: Michael D. Nedd, Acting Director, Bureau of Land Management

Goal: Don’t rescind regulations that protect drinking water for millions of Americans.

SIGN PETITION LETTER:

Dear Mr. Nedd,

The Trump Administration is proposing to put millions of Americans at risk by removing regulations that protect drinking water from the effects of fracking. Donald Trump wants nothing more than to erase President Obama’s legacy, even if that means harming Americans.

The American people deserve to have access to clean and safe drinking water. Should the Trump Administration scrap these regulations, Trump will have cemented a legacy- one in which he’ll be remembered as the man who sent the environment and Americans to their death. I demand that your department not allow these regulations to be scrapped.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

- Forcechange.com