Congress arrests anti-fracking activist
Posted by mcain on February 1st, 2012
This is a developing story, and we will update this page as we get more information.
This is shocking. And frankly, un-American.
Politico and the Huffington Post are reporting that this morning, House Republicans ordered Capitol Hill police to arrest Josh Fox, award-winning director of Gasland, and his crew. His crime? Filming a public hearing on hydrofracking. [1,2]
Let me say that again. The hearing was open to the public. But Republicans on the committee simply didn’t want him there. They also turned away an ABC News crew.
This is an unambiguous violation of the First Amendment. But why? What could they be discussing that they don’t want the world to know about? If fracking is so safe, there must not be any reason to hide the details, right?
Freedom of the press applies, even on Capitol Hill. Join me in calling on Committee Chair Rep. Andy Harris to apologize, and to allow journalists to cover the hearing.
Click here to sign our emergency petition:
http://action.workingfamiliesparty.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5377
Having journalists arrested at a public hearing is something you might expect to see in some third-world dictatorship — not here. This cannot be allowed to stand.
Join me in calling for the release of Josh Fox, and a formal apology from the Committee Chair. And please help us spread the word far and wide.
Thanks,
-Dan Cantor
Executive Director, Working Families Party
Sources:
1. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72298.html
2. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/house-republicans-order-j_n_1246971.html
UPDATE: Contrary to earlier reports, ABC News said it did not have a camera crew on Capitol Hill to film this morning’s hearing.
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WFP Leader Julie Kushner challenges Mitt Romney
Posted by mcain on January 13th, 2012
WFP Leader Julie Kushner, director of UAW Region 9A, challenged Mitt Romney on his suggestion that the U.S. auto industry should have been allowed to fail. She talked with Ed Schultz about the interaction and about Romney’s assault on workers.
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Last day to stop hydrofracking
Posted by mcain on January 11th, 2012
We’ve been fighting against fracking for two years. We’ve won a temporary moratorium. But now it’s coming down to the wire.
The Department of Environmental Conservation has written their draft environmental impact report. If approved, it would open the door to allow the frackers to start drilling. Once the drills start – and once those chemicals get into our ground water – that’s it.
The deadline to submit public comments on the DEC’s study is today, January 11. They have to read each and every comment – and they’ve already received more than 21,000.
There’s just one day left to make our voices heard at the DEC. It’s easy, and we’ll walk you through the process.
The DEC’s environmental impact study is full of holes, omissions, contradictions and loopholes. Here are a few:
- It prohibits drilling within 500 feet of a primary groundwater sources, but also reassures the gas industry that they would still be allowed to drill under such aquifers.
- It admits that it is state policy to prevent water pollution, but still allows a process that the EPA has found can contaminate groundwater in other parts of the country.
- The study fails to acknowledge that fracking chemicals can cause health problems — but it also concedes that the Department of Health “would incur costs from investigating possible public health issues.”
Momentum is on our side. Just this week, a group of prominent scientists called for a national fracking moratorium until the health effects have been fully studied. [1] And last month, celebrity chef Mario Batali joined bakers, farmers and vintners from across the state in opposition to fracking, because polluted water would make our food inedible.[2]
The underground natural gas isn’t going anywhere. So why the rush? The giant oil and gas corporations aren’t interested in what’s safe, they’re interested in what makes money.
This is our best chance to stop hydrofracking before it’s too late. But we need your help right now.
http://action.workingfamiliesparty.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5247
The DEC’s public comment period ends today. Please take three minutes to submit your comments. We’ll walk you through the process and provide sample comments and talking points for you.
Even if you’ve never submitted official public comment before, this is the time to do it.
Thanks for your support,
-Dan Cantor, WFP
Sources:
1. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-09/health-effects-of-fracking-need-study-says-cdc-scientist.html
2. http://www.thirteen.org/metrofocus/news/2012/01/nyc-chefs-dont-frack-with-our-ingredients/
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Thank you from the Progressive Caucus
Posted by mcain on January 7th, 2012
After Wednesday’s wonderful City Council resolution against corporate personhood, Councilmembers Melissa Mark-Viverito and Brad Lander, the co-chairs of the Progressive Caucus, sent us this thank you note for you.
It’s not every day we get validation that our online petitions and email campaigns actually matter. But clearly they do (check out the third paragraph of their letter if you don’t believe me!).
We’ve stood with the Progressive Caucus since it was founded, and we’ve never been more proud to do so than we are this week. Thanks to everyone who made this win possible.
-Dan Cantor, WFP
——————–
Dear friends,
This week, after an effort spearheaded by the Progressive Caucus and our allies, the New York City Council passed a resolution opposing the United States Supreme Court Citizens United decision, which gave corporations the same First Amendment rights as people. Progressive Caucus Members Brad Lander, Melissa Mark-Viverito and Steve Levin sponsored this resolution, with the entirety of the Progressive Caucus as co-sponsors. We thank Speaker Christine Quinn for her leadership on this important issue.
As our support of this resolution demonstrates, restoring confidence in government and strengthening democratic participation is a core principle of the Progressive Caucus. We believe that corporations should not share the same rights as people, that unlimited and unreported corporate donations meant to sway the electoral process should not be considered freedom of speech, and that the government should regulate the raising and spending of money by corporations intended to influence elections.
And we’re not alone. Thanks to all of you who signed the petition, helped spread the word, and joined us in person for today’s vote. We hope you’ll stay in touch.
As Justice John Paul Stevens recognized in his dissent in the Citizens United decision, “corporations have no consciences, no beliefs, no feelings, no thoughts, no desires. Corporations help facilitate and structure the activities of human beings, to be sure, and their ‘personhood’ often serves as a useful legal fiction. But they are not themselves members of ‘We the People’ by whom and for whom our Constitution was established.”
We’re proud that New York City took action today, and we urge cities and states nation-wide to join the call to reclaim our democracy from corporate control. You’ll be hearing from us soon about a national day of action against corporate personhood on January 21.
Sincerely,
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Raise N.Y.’s minimum wage
Posted by mcain on January 5th, 2012
This week, WFP executive director Dan Cantor and United N.Y. executive director Camille Rivera published an op-ed in the Albany Times-Union, calling for the state go give 700,000 people a raise. An increased minimum wage can help boost the economy and lift thousands of New Yorkers out of poverty.
———-
Imagine what it would be like to live on $300 per week.
That’s just about what nearly 700,000 New York state workers earn, according to the federal Census Bureau. That’s 8 percent of the statewide workforce.
More than a million minimum wage and near-minimum wage workers got raises on Jan. 1 that will help struggling families put food on the table, keep the heat on through the winter, and make ends meet.
None of those families live in New York, however.
The workers who will benefit from a little extra money in their pockets live in the eight states that have chosen to adjust their minimum wage rate annually to meet the rising cost of living. In states as disparate as Florida and Montana, Arizona and Vermont, minimum wage workers will get raises of up to 37 cents an hour, or $770 a year for full-time work. It doesn’t sound like much, but for a family relying on low-wage jobs, it could be a month’s rent.
New Yorkers deserve no less. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver deserves tremendous credit for announcing his support for raising the minimum wage at Wednesday’s State of the State speech. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the rest of the Legislature should act quickly to raise the minimum wage and tie it to inflation to jump-start the Main Street economy.
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Victory against corporate personhood!
Posted by mcain on January 4th, 2012
On January 4th, with your support, the New York City Council passed a resolution against Citizens United and opposing corporate control over our elections. Speaker Quinn, the Council’s Progressive Caucus leaders, Melissa Mark-Viverito, Brad Lander, and Steve Levin, and every WFP supporter in New York (you!) deserve enormous credit.
Last month, thousands of your messages emboldened progressives on the City Council to introduce their anti-Citizens United resolution. And then, an emergency petition yesterday (which got over 3,000 signatures in New York City in just three hours!) helped push the vote over the top.
But we need to do more than just make a stand – we need to actually end the corrupting influence of corporate money on our elections and get big money out of our government.
That’s why we’re launching a campaign for voter-owned, publicly financed elections in New York.
We could really win this. Just minutes after the City Council passed our resolution yesterday, Governor Cuomo called for something even bolder. During his State of the State address, the Governor announced his support for publicly-financed elections — based on the successful New York City system — which would put the power of democracy back into the hands of the people.
Momentum is growing. Cities across the country have started passing similar resolutions. In New York City, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio has been pressuring corporations like Goldman Sachs and Target not to spend corporate funds on elections. Last week, the Montana State Supreme Court upheld the right to limit corporate spending.
And just yesterday, New Yorkers sent the strongest message yet against corporate personhood. And we did it from the back yard of some of the world’s most powerful corporations.
It’s time for a new campaign for voter-owned, publicly financed elections. We’ll be pushing for local resolutions in smaller cities and towns across the state. We’ll be knocking on thousands of doors to build grassroots pressure on legislators. And of course, we’ll be calling on lots of help from you.
It won’t be easy. We’ll need your help.
Click here to join the fight. Just $5 a month will help us win.
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The three best moments of 2011
Posted by mcain on December 21st, 2011
2011 was something of a roller-coaster, wasn’t it? In January, the Tea Party seemed the most potent force in American politics and progressives were left scratching our heads. Thankfully, things change.
As I look back, three moments show the balance starting to tip back toward sanity, equality, freedom and democracy. The list is attached below and I hope you’ll read it.
If you value the work we’ve done this year, please pitch in for our holiday-season fundraiser. We spent every penny raised during the year to shift the momentum in New York and across America and we think it has paid off. But we’ve got to build toward more of these moments in 2012. Our work takes resources, and we need your help.
Click here to contribute $15 to keep the momentum going.
-Dan Cantor, WFP
————————–
The Three Best (WFP) Moments of 2011
May 24. It was Election Day in a Western New York special election. We were backing Kathy Hochul for Congress, running D-WF for a seriously Republican seat. Even though the national Democrats in Washington never thought she had a chance, we went all in. Our staff and volunteers — including many of you — knocked on tens of thousands of doors and turned the race into a referendum on Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan to dismantle Medicare. We won. It wasn’t even that close. The sweetest part? It put a nail in the coffin of the Tea Party/Ryan Medicare plan.
Oct 5. When a group of lively protesters showed up at a little concrete park in Lower Manhattan in mid-September, I’ll admit to not paying much attention at first. But three weeks later, I joined with tens of thousands of people in a solidarity march. It was an inspirational evening. And it was the moment everyone who was awake realized that this new movement might really matter. (Not sure if it has yet? Read the next one.)
Nov 29. The turnaround was stunning. The millionaires’ tax was scheduled to expire: a $5 billion tax cut that the wealthy did not need and society could not afford. Our side — education advocates, community groups, students, health care providers, faith leaders — held fast to the ideal of progressive taxation and called for the millionaires’ tax to be extended, but no one was terribly optimistic about our chances. All year, Governor Cuomo, State Senate leaders, and the Murdoch media were united in opposition. But then the script flipped. The rise of the 99% movement produced a solid (if imperfect) victory, providing some $2.6 billion in needed revenue. Spirit of Occupy – 1, Murdoch – 0.
There were other moments that were equally powerful: the uprising in Wisconsin and New York’s stunning marriage equality victory, to name a few.
But of course, we know that all is not right with the world. Our enemies are strong. The big banks still haven’t paid for the crisis they created. Inequality is still degrading and deforming life in America.
We have a hyperactive criminal justice system and mass incarceration society, except when it comes to Wall Street. Not one banker has been arrested, let alone convicted, for having swindled millions of people out of their homes and jobs and communities and futures.
There’s an unbelievable amount of work to do.
We’re only as strong as you make us. This year, the wind could be at our backs. We’re thinking big. Please give generously.
Click here to make your year-end contribution to WFP:
https://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/1306/p/salsa/donation/common/public/?donate_page_KEY=7482
Thank you, and happy holidays.
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The right direction, finally
Posted by mcain on December 7th, 2011
What a difference a few months makes.
Last summer, the Tea Party dominated every political discussion in the nation. The debt ceiling debate in Washington was fraudulent and job creation efforts in Albany were stalled.
Doesn’t that seem like a long time ago now?
Just yesterday, Governor Cuomo, the Speaker and the Majority Leader agreed on a package of taxes and stimulus spending. It’s a decent deal, not perfect, but quite substantial. It asks the exceedingly wealthy to pay more, and cuts taxes on middle-class and upper-middle-class taxpayers. The plan raises more than $2 billion for job creation and retention.
This might just be the first big legislative victory of the Occupy age.
To be clear, the tax deal is not a total win. To garner the support of Senate Republicans, the new rate doesn’t start until $2 million in annual income. (The plan we supported had new rates starting at $665k – the top 1% of earners – and also had higher rates at $1 million, $5 million and $10 million.) And again, the new tax rates come with a sunset date; they’ll expire in 2014.
But it is much, much better than what was about to happen: a $5 billion tax cut for millionaires that they do not need and we cannot afford. Next year will be tough enough as is, but this means less budget pressure on the social safety net for the poor and vulnerable and on our roads, libraries, schools, museums, nursing homes, water works and so on.
There’s certainly much more to do. People need jobs, and the state has a role to play in economic development policy. Governor Cuomo deserves real credit for crafting a plan that could pass in the Republican-controlled Senate. And Assembly Speaker Silver and the members of the Assembly never gave up, sounding the alarm and fighting back all year long against the planned expiration of the millionaires’ tax.
The economic inequality and insecurity that threaten America’s families has been getting worse for a long time. Since the crash, the Main Street economy has been in free-fall in many sectors. Meanwhile, the money-boys who collapsed the economy have gotten off scot-free, largely on the taxpayers’ dime.
But things change. The 99% movement isn’t just changing the debate – it’s changing the world.
The new movement breathed life and energy into a broad coalition of community groups, students, unions and faith leaders. The movement for fair taxes and job creation – led by our friends at Citizen Action, Strong for All, United NY, New York Communities for Change, the Alliance for Quality Education (and dozens more) has much to be proud of, even as there’s much more left to do.
Yesterday’s budget deal marks a major shift. And if our goal is genuine equality, economic opportunity and broadly shared prosperity, we haven’t won yet – but, if we can continue the momentum, perhaps we’re starting to turn around and head in the right direction.
And it’s not just in New York. Last night, President Obama gave a full-throated populist speech calling for higher taxes on the rich. Around the nation, a group of state Attorneys General is stepping up pressure on the big banks. And Occupy is moving foreclosed families back into their homes. The sense of movement is exciting.
The journey of a thousand miles really does start with a single step. It’s good to be walking in the right direction.
Will you walk with us? Please take a moment to sign up as a monthly donor to Working Families Party and help keep the momentum going. Or click here to make a one-time contribution.
Thanks for all your support. We’re stronger together.
-Dan Cantor
Executive Director, WFP
P.S. – We still think that the top 1%, those making more than $665,000 per year (whose average net worth is more than $14 million), can afford to pay a little bit more. If you agree, join our fight with a recurring donation.
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Get your 99% bumper sticker
Posted by mcain on November 22nd, 2011
You can tell the 99% movement is making waves because the 1% is trying to shut it down. Mayor Bloomberg and mayors around the country have ordered evictions. And on the UC Davis campus in California, peaceful protesters — sitting calmly — were pepper sprayed at point-blank range by the police. It’s awful to watch.
Now is the time for us to show the world the 99% movement is growing, not shrinking. We stand in solidarity.
You can evict every encampment, but you cannot evict an idea whose time has come.
That’s why we’re printing these ‘99%’ bumper stickers and giving them away to you:
Click here to get your 99% bumper sticker.
You can order one sticker for free, or we’ll send packs of 5, 20 or 99 for a donation to help cover the printing cost. If we raise any money over the printing cost, we’ll donate it to Occupy Wall Street.
We hope you’ll take a moment at the Thanksgiving dinner table to discuss the 99% movement with your friends and relatives. We should be thankful for the occupiers and their fight for a fair economy and a real democracy.
What else are we thankful for? Quite a lot, really. America is an amazing place full of people who still believe in the promise of democracy and equality. And who are willing to stand up for those bedrock beliefs. Meaning, we’re thankful for you, the committed activists who make all the work we do possible.
As a small token, we’ve made these bumper stickers for you. Please order one (or more), and display it proudly. On your car, on your bike, or anywhere.
Click here to order your sticker or stickers:
http://action.workingfamiliesparty.org/content_item/99bumperstickers
From ours to yours, Happy Thanksgiving. We are the 99%.
-Dan Cantor
Executive Director, WFP
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2011 Election Roundup
Posted by mcain on November 9th, 2011
by Mike Boland, WFP Organizing Director
Last night was a good one for the Democrats and a great one for the WFP.
In one of the two biggest, most talked about races in the state, a progressive Democrat who pioneered green energy policy as a town supervisor and played a critical role in helping advance our own green jobs bill has succeeded a right wing Republican as Suffolk County Executive. In the other must-watch campaign of the night, the son of a steel worker and nurse scored a surprise upset over a GOP “star” incumbent to become the new Erie County Executive – with his margin of victory on the Working Families ballot line.
In addition to those two big wins, we picked up two important mayor’s offices.
Here’s the city and county rundown, wins and losses:
- Nassau is still up in the air with the Republicans holding the majority of the legislature 10-9 at the moment. Eva Pearson’s race, managed by WFP organizers, is too close to call; we’re currently down 50 votes. However, we defeated Republican John Ciotti with WFP-backed Democrat Carriere Solanges.
- In Suffolk, the WFP provided the margin of victory (again) for county legislator Sara Anchor. Kate Browning won reelection, with 10% of the total vote coming in on the Working Families ballot line.
- Our candidates in Yonkers did very well, with Mike Spano taking the Mayors office and Michael Sabatino becoming the first openly gay councilmember in Yonkers. Sabatino went through our candidate trainings earlier this year and we provided staff to help manage the race. With Spano and Sabatino’s victories, we hope to see a new affordable housing law to replace the expired court ordered desegregation of Yonkers housing. We are changing the way that Yonkers is run.
- Another candidate who went through WFP’s training program is Virginia Perez. She went down in a heart breaking loss in 2009 for city council in Yonkers, but last night she was elected to the Westchester County Legislature.
- In Rockland County, we were sad to see Bob Milone lose his county legislator race by about 300 votes. It was a tough race.
- In Kingston, Shayne Gallo won the mayor’s office by a landslide after a razor thin victory in the primary, which he credited to the WFP’s work. In office, he’ll support living wages, green jobs and affordable housing ordinances and he’ll be a key ally in all of our work in the region.
- Also in Ulster County, we made efforts to help two strong progressive allies in races we knew would be uphill — Jon Sennet for District Attorney and Gerard Lyons for County Legislature. We’re sad they couldn’t pull out victories, but they should be proud of their races.
- Our other top priority race in the Hudson Valley was the Cora Edwards campaign for Sullivan County Legislator. She beat a multiple term incumbent in a very close race (in which a WFP field team ran the GOTV program), and she will be an excellent ally in office.
- In Binghamton a few years ago, we helped elect Citizen Action leader Lea Webb in her first bid for the City Council. Under normal circumstances, she’d have been a shoe-in for re-election, but Hurricane Irene intervened. Hundreds of families living in public housing projects were displaced and moved out of the district, and Republicans sought to exploit the diminished voter rolls to pick off Webb. But our efforts led by WFP Capital District leaders and organizers led us to victory once again, in what was a much closer race than it should have been. Lea retained her seat by less than a hundred votes.
- In Monroe County, we lost one of the two leading progressive voices from the County Legislature in Dick Beebe in a close race. Folks might remember four years ago, WFP field staff ran the operation that put Dick over the top with his margin coming on the WFP ballot line. Our GOTV effort this time around was valiant but not enough.
- In Erie County, as mentioned earlier, Mark Poloncarz – a solid progressive – has beaten right wing rising star Chris Collins – and WFP had its best year ever in Erie County. We consistently beat the Independence line and in some cases we beat the Conservative line too.
At the beginning of this year we set out to change the way we operate in elections. Instead of focusing only on Democratic Party priority races, we decided that it was time for us to chart a more independent course. While we still plan to work and help many Democrats in their efforts, we made an intentional plan to identify progressive candidates, build relationships, get those candidates the training they needed to be effective and place our staff in positions managing their campaigns.
Last night we went a long way towards succeeding in that goal and implementing that plan. We provided a road map for ourselves in how we can and will operate in the coming year when we will be working hard to elect progressives to the Assembly, Senate and Congress. We learned a lot, and while we didn’t execute perfectly, we did a lot of things right. Last night showed that what we do works and that there are no secrets here – only discipline and hard work.
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