Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
How to Expand the Voter Rolls - NYTimes.com
How to Expand the Voter Rolls - NYTimes.com
"Florida, for example, has put stringent restrictions on voter registration drives, imposing fines and even criminal penalties for the slightest infraction of complex rules. Groups like the League of Women Voters and Rock the Vote say they won’t participate in such a system. Election officials say the rules limiting these drives are a significant reason that new registrations are lower than they were four years ago.
Since President Obama was elected with help from a surge of support from new voters, similar laws have been passed or introduced in South Carolina, Michigan, Illinois, and several other states as part of a Republican effort to restrict voting by groups that tend to vote Democratic."
Are The Public Employee Unions Set To Self-Destruct In Wisconsin Walker Recall? - Forbes
Are The Public Employee Unions Set To Self-Destruct In Wisconsin Walker Recall? - Forbes
"So, a big two thumbs down to AFSCME for losing its ability to see the forest for the trees and walking into so grave an unforced error.
The coming recall election is going to be close —very close. Why the leading public employee union would take such a step when it can only help Governor Walker hold onto his seat is simply beyond any reasonable comprehension.
The union should remember that while they will surely benefit from a Walker recall, this is not all about them. But for the efforts of the many people in Wisconsin—union and non-union— who have stood up against the Governor’s policies and agenda, there would be no recall. The least AFSCME, and the other public employee unions, can do is keep faith with all of those who have had their back. That means a little less selfishness and a lot more judgment than what they displayed this past week." Rick Unger Read Full Article Here | Forbes
"So, a big two thumbs down to AFSCME for losing its ability to see the forest for the trees and walking into so grave an unforced error.
The coming recall election is going to be close —very close. Why the leading public employee union would take such a step when it can only help Governor Walker hold onto his seat is simply beyond any reasonable comprehension.
The union should remember that while they will surely benefit from a Walker recall, this is not all about them. But for the efforts of the many people in Wisconsin—union and non-union— who have stood up against the Governor’s policies and agenda, there would be no recall. The least AFSCME, and the other public employee unions, can do is keep faith with all of those who have had their back. That means a little less selfishness and a lot more judgment than what they displayed this past week." Rick Unger Read Full Article Here | Forbes
Monday, April 9, 2012
Don't Just Pressure ALEC's Sponsors, Name and Shame ALEC Legislators | The Nation
Don't Just Pressure ALEC's Sponsors, Name and Shame ALEC Legislators | The Nation
The Maine’s Majority movement has asked legislators in that state to give up their American Legislative Exchange Council memberships: “Given what we now know about ALEC and its detrimental effect on Maine’s public policy, there’s no excuse for Maine legislators to continue their involvement in the organization,” says Maine’s Majority executive director Chris Korzen. “The fact that Coke, Pepsi and Kraft have left ALEC speaks volumes to how toxic the group has become. It’s time for Maine’s ALEC members to follow suit.”
Maine Majority is naming and shaming Maine legislators who are allied with ALEC—identifying “known ALEC members” and urging them to “terminate their ALEC memberships.”
Activists in other states can be just as bold.
The ALEC Exposed project maintains a list of legislators who are allied with ALEC. Here’s the link.
The Maine’s Majority movement has asked legislators in that state to give up their American Legislative Exchange Council memberships: “Given what we now know about ALEC and its detrimental effect on Maine’s public policy, there’s no excuse for Maine legislators to continue their involvement in the organization,” says Maine’s Majority executive director Chris Korzen. “The fact that Coke, Pepsi and Kraft have left ALEC speaks volumes to how toxic the group has become. It’s time for Maine’s ALEC members to follow suit.”
Maine Majority is naming and shaming Maine legislators who are allied with ALEC—identifying “known ALEC members” and urging them to “terminate their ALEC memberships.”
Activists in other states can be just as bold.
The ALEC Exposed project maintains a list of legislators who are allied with ALEC. Here’s the link.
Hoodie Rally Remembers Bo Morrison and Trayvon Martin | Wisconsin Citizens Media Co-op
Hoodie Rally Remembers Bo Morrison and Trayvon Martin | Wisconsin Citizens Media Co-op
“So let’s name what’s terribly wrong in America, and in Wisconsin, today. One obvious thing is racism. It has not gone away. We are not living in the mythical post-racial society. It’s with us like a virus that we just can’t kick, and it flares up in lethal forms. But it’s not just racism we’re dealing with here. There’s another afflicting this country. It’s a virus that hasn’t been here as long as slavery, but almost half as long. It’s called oligarchy. It’s called plutocracy. It’s rule by the rich and by the corporations and by the special interests.” Matthew Rothschild | Read Full Article Here | Wisconsin Citizens Media Co-op
“So let’s name what’s terribly wrong in America, and in Wisconsin, today. One obvious thing is racism. It has not gone away. We are not living in the mythical post-racial society. It’s with us like a virus that we just can’t kick, and it flares up in lethal forms. But it’s not just racism we’re dealing with here. There’s another afflicting this country. It’s a virus that hasn’t been here as long as slavery, but almost half as long. It’s called oligarchy. It’s called plutocracy. It’s rule by the rich and by the corporations and by the special interests.” Matthew Rothschild | Read Full Article Here | Wisconsin Citizens Media Co-op
Not Just the NRA: Former ALEC Leader, the Head of Gun Owners of America, Sides With Shooter of Trayvon Martin | Center for Media and Democracy
Not Just the NRA: Former ALEC Leader, the Head of Gun Owners of America, Sides With Shooter of Trayvon Martin | Center for Media and Democracy
CMD has reported on how the corporations and state legislators on the ALEC Criminal Justice Task Force in 2005 approved the NRA-sponsored "Castle Doctrine Act" as an ALEC model, which was then introduced in statehouses across the country (and has been cited to allow Trayvon Martin's killer to walk free). The ALEC model bill expands the common-law castle doctrine beyond the home to give criminal and civil immunity to a person who uses deadly force "anywhere they have a right to be," whenever they believe themselves to feel threatened. Read More Here | Center for Media and Democracy
Many ALEC Bills Disparately Impact People of Color
Given Pratt's history, ALEC may wish to further distance itself from the Gun Owners of America director. But bills more recently approved at the behest of the NRA or with the NRA in a leadership role on ALEC's Criminal Justice Task Force have been shown to have a racially disparate impact.CMD has reported on how the corporations and state legislators on the ALEC Criminal Justice Task Force in 2005 approved the NRA-sponsored "Castle Doctrine Act" as an ALEC model, which was then introduced in statehouses across the country (and has been cited to allow Trayvon Martin's killer to walk free). The ALEC model bill expands the common-law castle doctrine beyond the home to give criminal and civil immunity to a person who uses deadly force "anywhere they have a right to be," whenever they believe themselves to feel threatened. Read More Here | Center for Media and Democracy
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Demand That Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus Resign!
Demand That Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus Resign!
We demand that Kathy Nickolaus resigns from her position, effective immediately! She has consistently shown time and time again that she is not qualified for the position. We will be visiting Kathy Nickolaus on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. to make this demand in person. Please come and join us in making this call for her resignation and stand up for fair elections in Wisconsin!
Occupy Riverwest will be providing a free bus to and from the demonstration. This bus will be leaving the Riverwest Public House (815 E. Locust Street) at 4:00 p.m. on April 11th and leaving to return back to the Public House at 7:00 p.m. If interested in taking the free bus to this event please try and confirm on the wall of the Facebook event page so we have an idea of what our numbers look like.
We demand that Kathy Nickolaus resigns from her position, effective immediately! She has consistently shown time and time again that she is not qualified for the position. We will be visiting Kathy Nickolaus on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. to make this demand in person. Please come and join us in making this call for her resignation and stand up for fair elections in Wisconsin!
Occupy Riverwest will be providing a free bus to and from the demonstration. This bus will be leaving the Riverwest Public House (815 E. Locust Street) at 4:00 p.m. on April 11th and leaving to return back to the Public House at 7:00 p.m. If interested in taking the free bus to this event please try and confirm on the wall of the Facebook event page so we have an idea of what our numbers look like.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Police Draw Guns On African-American Baseball Player Outside His Home | ThinkProgress
Police Draw Guns On African-American Baseball Player Outside His Home | ThinkProgress
Torii Hunter, an All-Star centerfielder for Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Angels, had an awkward run-in with local police officers outside his Newport, California home Wednesday night after his home security system malfunctioned. Twenty minutes after the alarm went off, Hunter saw police outside his house and walked outside, only to see police draw their weapons and ask him for his ID because “they didn’t believe” he lived there, Hunter tweeted: Read Full Article Here | ThinkProgress
Torii Hunter, an All-Star centerfielder for Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Angels, had an awkward run-in with local police officers outside his Newport, California home Wednesday night after his home security system malfunctioned. Twenty minutes after the alarm went off, Hunter saw police outside his house and walked outside, only to see police draw their weapons and ask him for his ID because “they didn’t believe” he lived there, Hunter tweeted: Read Full Article Here | ThinkProgress
Thursday, April 5, 2012
The Center for Media and Democracy's PR Watch
The Center for Media and Democracy's PR Watch
SPREAD THE WORD. Share information about ALEC through Facebook, e-mail and Twitter. Concerned groups and people in every state need this to investigate how ALEC corporations are rewriting laws for their own advantage. And, please join the conversation on Facebook!
EXPOSE ALEC LEGISLATORS. Demand the truth about which politicians in your state are in ALEC. Uncover whether YOUR tax dollars are paying ALEC "dues." Expose politicians who accept “scholarships” from ALEC's corporate-funded coffers for fancy trips.
EXPOSE ALEC'S ROLE IN YOUR STATE HOUSE. Read these corporate-backed "model bills" NOW and cross-check them with bills in your state legislature. Ask your local media to report on what you have found and write your local newspaper.
Thank you for urging the corporate leadership of ALEC to do what’s right for our democracy!
Your voice will be added to the many others who feel the same way. If you’re looking for more to do you can:
Wisconsin County's Election-Count Meltdown Raises Concerns For Recall | The Nation
Wisconsin County's Election-Count Meltdown Raises Concerns For Recall | The Nation
After Wisconsinites voted Tuesday in presidential primary elections and contests for local posts, other countries across the state reported their returns so quickly that winners were being declared well before 10 pm.
Except in Waukesha County.
Nickolaus, who has frequently been criticized over the years for maintaining convoluted systems for vote counting, was in the middle of another massive screw up.
A new reporting program she had set up—along with a complicated set of procedures that required municipal clerks to deliver voting-machine memory packs and paper tapes with results to her—failed. As a result, according to media reports, "data collectors for election reporting services resorted to tabulating contested races from yards of paper tapes hanging on walls around a meeting room. The process was akin to reading a long grocery receipt where, in some cases, the tape stretched down the wall and onto the floor in a heap."
"Well into Wednesday," long after Republican presidential primary winner Mitt Romney (whose 44–37 victory over Rick Santorum relied on a big boost from Waukesha County), local media reported, "county staffers were entering every vote total for every candidate in every race and every municipality by hand, and then proofed them against the voting machine tapes before posting totals online." Full Article Here | The Nation
PepsiCo Ends Partnership With Right-Wing Front Group ALEC | ThinkProgress
PepsiCo Ends Partnership With Right-Wing Front Group ALEC | ThinkProgress
PepsiCo, the world’s second largest beverage company, has ended its partnership with ALEC, the controversial right-wing group that lobbies for voter suppression efforts. Pepsi’s move, which actually came in January but was first reported this morning by NPR, may also have had a role in compelling Coca-Cola to drop its support for ALEC.
Yesterday, progressive advocacy group Color of Change announced a boycott effort targeting several other corporations that are still members of the group, which for years has partnered with elected officials at a state level to draft and pass controversial, far-right legislation. Just a few hours later, Coke announced that they too are severing ties with the ALEC. As NPR reported today: Read Full Article Here | ThinkProgress
PepsiCo, the world’s second largest beverage company, has ended its partnership with ALEC, the controversial right-wing group that lobbies for voter suppression efforts. Pepsi’s move, which actually came in January but was first reported this morning by NPR, may also have had a role in compelling Coca-Cola to drop its support for ALEC.Yesterday, progressive advocacy group Color of Change announced a boycott effort targeting several other corporations that are still members of the group, which for years has partnered with elected officials at a state level to draft and pass controversial, far-right legislation. Just a few hours later, Coke announced that they too are severing ties with the ALEC. As NPR reported today: Read Full Article Here | ThinkProgress
Waukesha County clerk needs to step down - JSOnline
Waukesha County clerk needs to step down - JSOnline
"In the end, the full results were counted and reported, just as they were last spring. But how can the citizens of Waukesha have any confidence that something else won't go wrong in the next election; something that will call into question the results?
They can't as long as Nickolaus remains in office. She needs to step down or at the very least step aside and ask for the help her office so obviously needs from other county officials or from the state to ensure that questions don't arise about the next election."
"In the end, the full results were counted and reported, just as they were last spring. But how can the citizens of Waukesha have any confidence that something else won't go wrong in the next election; something that will call into question the results?
They can't as long as Nickolaus remains in office. She needs to step down or at the very least step aside and ask for the help her office so obviously needs from other county officials or from the state to ensure that questions don't arise about the next election."
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