Friday, September 02, 2016

I'm shocked--shocked, I tell you--but I like Hillary now better than ever

Greetings, fellow Dot Calm Readers, Freedom Fighters, and Truth Crusaders!

I've been reading a lot about both Hillary and Trump during my choo-choo rides to and from work...

I have to confess something, dear ones, that I never suspected I'd ever hear myself say: I've grown to like Hillary now more than I've ever liked her before.

That's not to say that I'm a huge fan, like Dot Calm was, or that I think she's completely ethical and trustworthy. I still have my doubts on those points. Then again, is she really that much worse than the rest of the politicians out there? Not a chance--I'd bet on that. Want to refresh your memory with some perspective on George W. Bush's checkered past for comparison? Just step into my "Democracy Now!" way-back machine and read this interview.

Bottom line up front: after careful analysis and consideration, I find that I can most definitely live with President Hillary Clinton for the next four or eight years, and I suspect that you can, too.

Let's dive into my thought process, shall we?

Is it possible that Hillary is completely ethical? Yes, it's possible. I'm not completely convinced, though. That's why you don't want to do things like have a personal e-mail server or not step away from your charitable foundation as Secretary of State. The e-mail server scandal is a big deal. While it's clearly not a jailable offense--and I speak as someone who works in national defense--it is something you'd definitely get your butt kicked over. You could lose your security clearance and your job--and you can't be president without a security clearance. Similarly, the Clinton Foundation is also a big deal--even though Hillary and Obama set ground rules by which I'm sure she abided. No one can be sure that donors bought access to Hillary when she was Secretary of State, but the problem is that it's possible that they did. And even when the Foundation did the right thing and tried not to mix Foundation donations with State business, which was reportedly the vast majority of the cases, it's still very possible that Hillary was influenced at least indirectly by awareness of the issues that those donors wanted her help with. The "liberal" media hounds routinely scour under every rock and in every pair of dirty knickers to dredge up dirt on Hillary. They routinely turned a blind eye to Republican scandals, like the 60 embassy deaths under baby Bush, the disappearing billions of dollars in Iraq, and countless other offenses committed by Bush, Cheney, and their minions. The media treat also Colin Powell's foundation and Hillary Clinton's very differently. Their double standards are just appalling.

Is it possible that Hillary is completely trustworthy? Yes, it's possible. My personal opinion is that, as president, she would definitely take care of herself...but she'd take care of Us the People, too. Throughout her career, she has shown herself to love children. I can't imagine that she wouldn't do everything in her power to help the children she loves so much.

I was also shocked that, according to PolitiFact (see this article, for example), Hillary is the most truthful candidate. Dear ones, I would never have called that one. Dot Calm did, though. I really admire her for that. Her who? Both of them...Hillary and Dot Calm...Hillary for being more truthful than even Bernie and Dot Calm for calling it.

This was one of the pieces of information that makes me more comfortable than I've ever been about Hillary.

Think about it...

Hillary's habit of being secretive makes perfect sense if you think about it: the Republicans have been out to kill her ever since she set foot on the political scene. It's enough to make anyone paranoid. Hell, I'd be paranoid, too, if the Republicans and the media were scrutinizing every fart I ever laid. Those assholes have been chewing chunks out of her butt for so many years now that it's no wonder she wears Teflon skivvies. Why? Because she wanted to do evil shit, like not staying home baking cookies (the horror!)...or like helping Ted Kennedy get Children's Health Insurance Program passed while Bill was president. I remember when she was pushing for national health care reform. The Republicans descended on her like a swarm of angry bees trying to tear her a new asshole. They were so relentless and vicious that, under their scorched earth attacks, a lesser woman would have ended up looking like Goldie Hawn in "Death Becomes Her."
Image result for goldie hawn hole death becomes her

Just the fact that Hillary survived to follow her passion to the Democratic Presidential nomination is extraordinary. She deserves some respect for that! As RuPaul said so eloquently, Hillary is a badass bitch who knows how to get shit done.

Hillary has also proven that she listens. She learns from her mistakes; she listens to her advisors; and she listens to us voters. She has done this consistently throughout her political career, culminating with rolling an impressive amount of goodness from Bernie's campaign into the Democratic Party platform, which is more liberal today than it's ever been. I dunno about you, but that means a lot to me. Maybe she ain't perfect--and she ain't, but which presidential candidate is?--but she is getting better. I find this to be unusual and refreshing in a politician. It gives me confidence in Hillary as president--it gives me hope for the future of an America under President Hillary Clinton. All presidents make mistakes, but we can be sure that Hillary would minimize hers and then analyze them to make sure she makes better decisions going forward.

Hillary is also a careful, deliberate thinker. She is detail-oriented, and she considers all aspects of every problem. I find that comforting.

I've also been finding out more about the Clinton Foundation. I was pleasantly surprised at how much good the Foundation is actually doing. I found that comforting, too.

Now, don't think I'm under any illusion that politicians of any stripe actually represent us. I'm not...they don't. But look at your history. Democrats at least know which side their bread is buttered on--they know better than to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. Being capable of things like nuance and long-term critical thought, they're at least willing to let us live. And I mean all of us--male, female, Black, brown, white, religious, atheist, LGBTQ+, straight, and anything and everything in between. Everyone is welcome in the Democratic tent. On the other hand, Republicans gleefully kill the golden goose and serve it up for themselves to feast on Sunday after meetin', fully confident that their base will continue to vote against their own interests and keep putting them back in office. I'm mystified that any woman, Black, brown, LGBTQ+, non-rich person, or non-Christian would ever vote for Republicans...but they do. Loyally. What's up with that?!

But I digress...

In other words, all I am doing--or suggesting--here is voting for the lesser evil.

Every poll I've seen shows that, at the rate things are going, Hillary is going to be our next president. I'm confident that Hillary won't do anything disastrous, like Bush did, and I'm reasonably confident that she will do us a lot of good, too. Here's crossing my fingers!

If all this is not enough for you, then listen to my dad's pearl of wisdom: Trump leaves us no option.

Don't forget to read Dot Calm's shadow's favorite independent sources of news and information:

Daily Kos
AlterNet

Peas, friends. Have a safe and happy weekend. I luvs ya madleh!
  
- Dot Calm's shadow

Consider the preemptive Blogger phuqued-up phormatting disclaimer to be in effect. Grrr.
-- Dot Calm's shadow

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 People like my Tea Party Christian friend
don't believe
in the separation of church and state.
They see nothing wrong
with state-sponsored religion
like Kentucky bestowed on the Ark Encounter

Here's a link to the article
 
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Headlines
   
Vox: Donald Trump introduced us to "angel moms." Here's why they matter.
...These are not AngelMoms.com--they are a made-up group with no affiliation with AngelMoms.com, and their only purpose seems to be to frighten Americans with tragic tales of how they (those filthy dirty "Mexican" immigrants) kill us (clean white bright perfect Americans). Meanwhile, let me introduce you to the real AngelMoms.com: "Angel Moms is a group of mothers who have lost children.  Through our pain, we have bonded together to offer each other love, support and understanding, something we need very much."
   
Vox: Donald Trump's immigration speech led at least one of his top Latino advisers to quit
  
Vox: Donald Trump just gave his immigration speech. White nationalists loved it.
...No wonder the Latino adviser quit.
   
Vox: Donald Trump's doing better in the polls. Here's what's going on.
...My take on it is that Hillary is still on course for the presidency, but she'd better not take it for granted, and the lower the margin she wins by, the less likely we are to retake the House. Boo.
  
Vox: Russia is massing thousands of troops on Ukraine's border. Here's why we shouldn't panic.
   
Vox: Democrats are embracing Black Lives Matter. But a leaked memo puts their motivations into question.
...Perhaps there were some cynics, but as the article says, BLM is IN the Democratic Party platform. So, no matter how it got in there, the Dems plan to support BLM. Like I said above, Dems know which side their bread is buttered on.
   
BuzzFeed: Trump CEO Denied Calling A Woman A "Bimbo” – But It Was Caught On Tape
...Bannon is a real lying, bullying piece of work. Just like Trump. No wonder they lurve each other!

BuzzFeed: Donald Trump's Campaign Manager Was Charged In A Domestic violence Case
...Like I said, Bannon is a real lying, bullying piece of work, just like Trump, who apparently attacked Ivana and who has been accused of raping one or more children.
   
Vox: Guess which candidate's foundation was caught in an illegal campaign funding scheme?
...Did you guess Ickle Donsie Wonsie? I knew you could!
   
Vox: The New York Times' latest Clinton Foundation "scandal" may be the dumbest one yet
...Maybe they're playing up fake scandals to show us that there's no "there" there?
   
Vox: Longtime Republican consultant: if black people voted Republican, voter ID laws wouldn't happen
...If it walks like a racist, smells like a racist, quacks like a racist...!
   
Vox: Trump surrogate warns of scary future with "taco trucks" on "every corner"
...Get ready for an early Halloween, boys 'n' girls--prepared to be terrified by seeing...a...a...a...taco truck on your corner! Srsly, repubes, is that all you got? Hellz, I'd love having a taco truck on every corner. Especially near my office! I hates having to walk three blocks to find the nearest food truck!
   
BuzzFeed: The FBI Charged A Man Who Allegedly Wanted To Kill Obama And Burn A Mosque
...Where is the Republican outrage? Why aren't they up in arms about this domestic terrorist? I know--it's because they created this terrorist with their hateful rhetoric and incitement to violence against our rightful President and against an entire religious group. If the FBI hadn't stepped in, Republicans would have blood on their hands again. Yay, FBI!
   
BuzzFeed: In Boost To Clinton, Spanish-Language Networks Team Up To Register Arizona Latinos
   
BuzzFeed: Clinton Signals For-Profit College Crackdown Will Continue Under Her Watch
...Good. Students deserve better than being ripped off when all they want is a good education.
   
BuzzFeed: Trump Campaign Chief Praised Clinton In 2011 As "Compelling Figure" In Troubling Times
...Apparently, Kellyanne Conway is just like Trump: both approve of Hillary except when it's politically convenient not to.
   
Vox: Colin Kaepernick joined by 49ers teammate Eric Reid in latest protest against racism
...and that asshole, Donald Trump, suggested that Colin find another country if this one isn't working for him. Hey, Donsie Wonsie Trumpty Dumpy--aren't you the one who says America isn't great? Maybe it's you who should find another country, since you're bitching about how awful this one is! I'm sure that, if you asked nicely, your bro Putin would lurve to have you!
   
Vox: Garrison Keillor's Donald Trump takedown is surprisingly brutal
...Oh, but is it? Is it really? I don't think it's brutal enough. Keillor gets it right in everything he says--including the fact that, when this is all over and the dust settles, Trump will have nothing he wants. And the rest of us will breathe sighs of infinite relief!
   
Vox: 2016 presidential debate moderators announced
...and FUX Noise's Chris Wallace gets to moderate last. Yuck. I hope Hillary makes him and Trump look like the chumps they are. Mop up the floor with 'em, girlfriend!
   
Vox: Georgetown's slavery announcement is remarkable. But it's not reparations.
...Baby steps, friends...baby steps. Starting with baby steps is better than not starting at all!
   
Vox: We can reduce extreme global poverty by three-fourths — right now
   
BuzzFeed: 7 Movie Moments That Made Us Love Gene Wilder
...Click through for some deliciously funny memories!
    
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Mailbag

CREDO action
Tell President Obama: Rein in EpiPen price-gouging
Petition to President Obama:
"Exercise the full weight of your executive authority to direct the Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health to stop pharmaceutical monopolies from price-gouging Americans for life-saving medications like the EpiPen."
Add your name:
Sign the petition ►
  
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Sean Patrick Maloney for Congress

I'm furious.

After the June attack on Pulse nightclub in Orlando, followed by Rep. John Lewis's courageous sit-in on the House floor and the Senate's bold filibuster, I thought we had reached a turning point.

But no. GOP leaders left Washington without doing a thing to stop gun violence.

This is about protecting kids: our own kids, kids out for a night of dancing, and kids playing on front porches. It's about ending the devastating epidemic of gun violence sweeping across America.

We can't let Congress stall while lives are at risk. Will you join me and demand Congress make stopping gun violence a top priority? Here's the petition: http://signforgood.com/address-gun-violence/

This is too important to wait. I'm not giving up, and I'm proud to know you're standing with me.

Thanks,

Sean
   
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Update from Public Citizen

$300 EpiPens. Volkswagen’s emission tests.

It seems there’s a new corporate scandal every week.

But what happens when the corporation ripping you off is anonymous?

In many states, getting a library card requires showing more ID than registering a business.

Tell Congress to end anonymous shell companies.

Anonymous shell companies allow people to hide unethical and illegal activity — including tax cheating, arms dealing and even human trafficking — from law enforcement.

Take action now if you agree criminals should not be able to hide their dirty deals through anonymous shell companies.

You deserve to know who you’re doing business with. Congress must act to make sure it’s possible to find out.

Thank you for taking a stand,

Bret Thompson
Public Citizen’s Online Action Team
   
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My niece just started college. FSM forbid anything like this should ever happen to her!
-- Dot Calm's shadow

Every year, thousands of young people are sexually assaulted on the campuses of America’s colleges and universities, only to face more painful trauma from schools that are unprepared to support them and institutional policies that fail to hold assailants accountable.

My younger sister is one of them. She was sexually assaulted on her college campus by another student. Like so many others, she faced an uphill battle to bring her assailant to justice. I was incredibly proud of her for reporting the assault and pressing charges, but her assailant wasn’t expelled, and even after he was convicted, she had to face him on campus. The college provided her with no accommodations to keep her safe from her rapist. I can’t imagine how she found the strength to continue going to school every day.

Nearly 20 years have passed since my little sister endured that torture, but conditions for survivors of campus sexual assault are no better today. As an adjunct instructor in gender studies, I talk to students almost every week about campus sexual violence. Many students confide their stories of sexual assault to me, looking for support.

It makes me furious that I can’t do better for my students today than my sister’s college did for her so many years ago. The truth is, there’s nowhere near enough enforcement to ensure colleges and universities comply with the law and help their students. Conditions are so bleak that as many as three-quarters of victims of sexual violence don’t even report their assaults. They have no faith that the system will help them.

That’s why I’m supporting Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D-N.Y.) Campus Accountability and Safety Act. The bill will help ensure that schools do more to prevent assaults and support victims. CASA would flip the current incentives for colleges to sweep sexual violence under the rug, increase cooperation with local law enforcement, provide real transparency and accountability for sexual violence on campus, and help establish a more professional and informed student disciplinary process that better serves both the survivor and the accused student.

No student should have to endure what my sister and so many others have, just to get an education. Help make sure our students can depend on their schools to protect them so they can focus on learning.

Please stand with those who have been victims of campus sexual assault, and urge your members of Congress to support the Campus Accountability and Safety Act.

In solidarity, 

Mara Conroy Hughes

Adjunct Instructor, United Academics of Philadelphia
   
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CREDO action
Tell Republican leaders: Stop playing politics with the Zika crisis
Tell Republican leaders:
"Stop playing politics with the health of women and children. Fully fund the Obama administration and Center for Disease Control’s plan to fight the Zika virus and ensure that all women have access to the full range of medical services they deserve in the face of this disease — affordable birth control, prenatal care and abortion."
Add your name:
Sign the petition ►
   
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Elizabeth Warren says Donald Trump can't STAND the fact that he's losing to a WOMAN. Let's donate to MoveOn and help more Republicans ride Trump's coat-tails down the drain!

The New York Times says that we have a 56% chance of taking back the Senate on Election Day.1 I’d call those roll-up-your-sleeves fighting odds, wouldn’t you?

If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves with me, can you chip in just $3 right now to expand MoveOn’s on-the-ground efforts in eight battleground states—including seven with key Senate races we can win?

MoveOn members were and remain a central force in my campaign for the Senate and in Bernie Sanders’ campaign. And it’s because of your grit—and your passion to fight for real and lasting change—that I know MoveOn and its members are critical to winning on Election Day.

In the end, there are really only two words (that are email-appropriate) that sum up Donald Trump: pathetic coward. Donald Trump can’t handle the fact that he’s losing to a woman. A woman with steady hands, thick skin, and a long commitment to children’s rights, women’s rights, and human rights. A woman who’s infinitely more qualified than he’ll ever hope to be. Boy, am I looking forward to our nation moving way beyond Trump’s divisive ugliness, once we hand him a resounding defeat on Election Day. 

Please chip in $3 now.

Sources:

1. "2016 Senate Election Forecast," The New York Times, accessed August 31, 2016
http://act.moveon.org/go/5411?t=39&akid=168977.1005254.vMETW1
        
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I am saddened to say that our campaign to unseat Debbie Wasserman Schultz from Congress has fallen short — but I refuse to give up on our political revolution and the fights ahead to bring Progress for All to our nation.
We started this movement with no name recognition and no political infrastructure. I had to loan the campaign $15,000 from my life savings to get started. But the grassroots of this nation rose to our aid time and again — and it was record breaking.
$3.8 million raised from more than 200,000 individual contributions. More small donations than any House candidate in history. We had a higher percentage of small donations (76%) than any other campaign in the country, including Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign.
It was YOU who closed the money gap and made this a real contested election — where we came back from down more than 50 points just ninety days ago to striking distance. We came close to winning; just 6,000 votes. And along the way, we raised the heat on Debbie Wasserman Schultz and we played a key role in forcing her resignation from the pinnacle of the Democratic national party.
Thanks to the historic challenge YOU made possible in this election — a challenge Wasserman Schultz had never faced before — our opponent was forced to flip and flop on such issues as clean water, fracking, payday lending, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Social Security expansion, medical marijuana, and even her ties to Big Sugar companies contributing to the poisoning of Florida’s waterways.
Our campaign changed the terms of debate in this election and Wasserman Schultz will be under more scrutiny in the future and will have only a more difficult time serving her corporate benefactors.
After her resignation in disgrace from the Democratic National Committee, our opponent was forced to turn to her billionaire friends to flood the district in negative ads. One Super PAC spent more than $700,000 and was bankrolled by a hedge fund manager from Maine — and a Big Sugar company also threw money into the final effort, with the Super PAC spending perhaps $1 million in a negative ad campaign. She also called in favors and leaned on the support of the President and Vice President and perhaps next President of the United States, along with a caravan of Washington political insiders.
Meanwhile, Wasserman Schultz also attacked all of YOU! Her ads denounced our campaign for taking so much money from outside the state. Of course, we have only taken money from real people, not corporate funded PACs and Super PACs. We built a historic campaign powered by the people, not corporate special interests. We have had more than 200,000 individual contributions from more than 80,000 donors, with an average donation of $17. I was always proud of our “outside” support. Those outsiders --- nurses, firefighters, teachers, students, seniors – have much the same concerns and problems as the vast majority of my neighbors here in South Florida. And we had far more individual donations from within Florida than did Wasserman Schultz. We were sustained by the grassroots everywhere!
I began this campaign some nine months ago. During that time, I have given it my all and so has everyone working on this campaign. This has been a constant trial of sacrifice and commitment for all of us. We built the largest field operation in the country, with dozens of field organizers and hundreds of volunteers. Many of those organizers who cut their teeth on this campaign will now bring their experience and passion to other campaigns around the country.
For me personally, my own interests have been put on hold during this campaign. My home is like a time warp from the beginning of the campaign. A broken closet door, a backyard canopy torn to shreds by the elements, a missing key on my keyboard, suits and shirts that are fraying from the campaign trail – all this and much more put on hold for the duration. I ran my life like the campaign, leaving nothing on the table.
But I have no complaints.
This was a labor of love, as well as an extreme physical and mental exertion. When I started this campaign, I was one man raging against a machine. I am forever grateful that I found strength and courage and inspiration in having so many supporters and volunteers step up to join me in this fight.
Thank you for coming to the aid of our campaign during difficult times. I am also particularly grateful for a number of endorsements, including three early supporters, the Communications Workers of America, the National Nurses United, and Blue America, and two valiant locals, the Transport Workers Union Local 568 and the Pipefitters Union Local 725. We are also grateful for Senator Bernie Sanders, Democracy for America, Progressive Democrats of America, Working Families Party, the National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws, the Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida, and the Climate Mobilization.
There are far too many other people and organizations for me to name individually. This is the nature of a grassroots movement like ours. We are of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Rest assured that I will continue our fight against corporate control and plutocracy. I will do all I can to help elect other progressive candidates to move us forward in our peaceful revolution for freedom and democracy.
In solidarity and forever yours,
Tim
P.S. I am asking for another small contribution from any who can help, not to repay what I put into the campaign, but to make sure we meet other existing obligations to our staff and vendors as we wind down the campaign. Please chip in here if you can. I am grateful for your continuing support.

   
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CREDO action
Tell the Treasury Department: Investigate Big Pharma tax-dodging
Petition to U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew:
"Immediately investigate Gilead Sciences for shifting billions of dollars in U.S. profits offshore in order to dodge taxes. If you find wrongdoing, force Gilead to pay the nearly $10 billion in taxes it owes to American taxpayers."
Add your name:
Sign the petition ► 
   
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From ColorOfChange--please sign Colin Kaepernick's card!

By refusing to stand during the national anthem, San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick is making an important, bold rebuke of police violence against Black people.
Kaepernick joins a long history of Black athletes using their platforms to advance racial and gender justice issues – like Tommie Smith and John Carlos giving the Black Power salute during the national anthem at the 1968 Olympics, Jackie Robinson writing that he could not salute the flag as “a Black man in a white world,” the women of the WNBA wearing black in protest of police brutality, or LeBron James leading the Miami Heat to pose in an evocative photo, all wearing hoodies to express grief and outrage at the murder of Trayvon Martin.
And last night, Kaepernick was joined in his protest by two more players - his teammate Eric Reid and Seattle Seahawk Jeremy Lane. After the game, Kaepernick went even further and pledged to give $1 million to communities in need.1
All of these Black athletes demand that America live up to its own ideals – and that takes a courage we should all strive for. We need to continue working to ensure that such brave stands aren't remembered as gestures, but as catalysts for positive change.
   
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From Change.org

Jared Fogle Sues Parents of His Victim in Civil Court via @marialametida @ladythriller69

Sep 02, 2016
SEP 2, 2016 — Jared Fogle is another example of why we must stand with survivors NOW! Somehow this man was allowed to sue the victim of his heinous crimes against children FROM PRISON. Not only is he allowed to sue the parents of the child he violated but he is also blaming the parents for the child becoming his victim. Much like the Brock Turner case this is another extreme example of a judicial system that cares very little for the actual victim and continues to empower the predator. Cases like these are the kinds of cases Judge Aaron Persky will be presiding over in Civil Court. This is why it is so important to impeach this judge right now. We cannot allow him to remain on the bench until November 2017.
According to TMZ
“Jared Fogle’s brass balls are rattling -- the child porn convict is actually suing the parents of one of his victims, blaming them for the teen's problems.
Fogle's suit targets the parents of a "Jane Doe" ... who earlier this year sued him and his ex-employee, Russell Taylor. In his lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Fogle says the girl's parents screwed her up when they got divorced.
He says they frequently fought and abused alcohol in front of "Jane Doe," which caused her to suffer major depression and engage in "destructive behaviors" -- including abuse of drugs and alcohol, self-mutilation and having suicidal thoughts.
You should recall, the victim says Fogle and Taylor shared nude videos and pics of her.
Fogle -- who's doing just over 15 and a half years in prison -- is trying to say the girl's parents should be partially or fully responsible for all the claims she's making against him.”
We began the #solidarity4surviviors campaign to show the assembly the faces of the survivors and those who support sexual assault survivors who are fighting for change.
We still would like your photos, we do not need a story attached just a show of support for the movement to end sexual violence and the system that silences victims through shame. We still would like you to contact the California state assembly in any way you see fit whether it be calls, tweets, Email or Facebook. They have already made it abundantly clear that signing the petition is simply not enough to be heard. You are free to use your own photo or one of our photos in your communications with the California State Assembly.
For Information on how to contact the Assembly Members being Targeted click the link below:
http://www.silencehelpsnoone.com/2016/09/how-to-contact-assembly-members.html
Love Always!
Maria Ruiz & Sharika Soal
Twitter: @MariaLaMetida
Facebook: www.facebook.com/impeachpersky
Blog: http://www.silencehelpsnoone.com/
GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/2mbbgrw
Photo credit: Getty Images Ben Gabbe
   
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From CPD Action--Get money out of politics!

I’m fed up with big money in politics — aren’t you?

When wealthy special interests and corporations dump money into politics to advance their business interests, we all pay the price. Our communities suffer by receiving lower wages, less workplace protections, and an economy that only benefits the wealthy.

Real solutions like publicly financed elections and full disclosure of campaign spending will give every citizen, not just wealthy special interests, a voice in the decisions that affect our lives and our communities. But Congress has refused to act despite the growing support for common sense solutions to put an end to big money in politics.

That’s why now is the time to make our voice heard! Our friends at Common Cause have developed a tool to help voters like you see where your local candidates stand on this important issue, and ask them to take on big money in politics.
   

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Democracy Now!

Stories


Could the signing of a historic peace accord in Colombia between the government and FARC rebels bring an end to Latin America's longest armed conflict? "There's a long way ... Read More →

A woman in Sherwood, Arkansas, just spent 35 days in a county jail after she accidentally bounced a $29 check five years ago. Nikki Petree was sentenced to jail last month by ... Read More →

A federal judge has denied a request from the former Black Panther and journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal for life-saving medication that could cure his hepatitis C. Last year, ... Read More →

We continue our look at what the ACLU calls an illegal debtors' prison in Arkansas by speaking with a former resident who wrote a check for $1.07 for a loaf of bread. ... Read More →

Headlines →

   

Stories


President Obama has appointed seven members to a federal control board that will run the finances of Puerto Rico's nearly bankrupt government for at least the next five ... Read More →

The Brazilian Senate has voted to impeach the country's democratically elected President Dilma Rousseff from office in what many are calling a coup. The vote was 61 to ... Read More →

Hours after traveling to Mexico City, Trump gave a major speech on immigration in Phoenix, Arizona, where Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump vowed to ... Read More →

On Wednesday, Donald Trump traveled to Mexico City to meet with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, who once compared Trump to Hitler and Mussolini. The Mexican ... Read More →

Headlines →

   
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Daily Kos

  • Judge who berated and jailed a domestic abuse victim gets her day in court—and it's not pretty
  • Garrison Keillor's pointed and brilliant Trump takedown
  • Dan Rather pens fierce and poignant assessment of Trump's speech: 'It was red meat for the crowd'
  • Stop Trump and his GOP lackeys up and down the ticket: Chip in $1 to Daily Kos-endorsed Democrats running for Senate.
  • New York Times obtains Trump's scripted responses for staged Q&A at black church
  • When the press tries normalizing Trump, bigger stories get missed. Here's one.
  • Principal of Chicago's #1 rated school writes be-all-end-all resignation letter to Rahm Emanuel
  • Donald Trump will require patriotism be taught in schools. 'We will stop apologizing for America'
  • Trump is all-in on fascism: Phoenix speech will be remembered as most important of campaign
  • Trump's immigration plan is so bad his own advisors are ditching him
  • Sign the petition: Stand with PFAW and tell Congress you support the reforms laid out in the "We the People Act" and want to see it passed! sponsored
  • Trump's immigration speech: 'Blood soaked white nationalist politics'
  • So is 'Make Mexico Great Again Also' a new Trump platform plank, or is it just the hat?
  • A new poll finds John McCain deadlocked with Democratic opponent going into the general election
  • Remember when Jackie Robinson said the same thing as Colin Kaepernick ... pretty much?
  • Pulse nightclub owner, LGBT journalist join Pride Fund to end gun violence
  • The C.E.O. of a cable company recently admitted they intentionally give inferior customer service to low-income customers, based on their low credit scores. Have you paid such a price for being poor? Log in or sign up for a Daily Kos account, and write a blog post about how corporations treated you differently for being poor. Please use the tag #emailprompt.

  • I couldn't resist clicking through the first link below and copying the image therein:

    cnn.jpg

  • Best CNN front page ever
  • Mexican president suggests Trump lied about their meeting
  • A doctor dissects Trump's doctors letter. It ain't pretty.
  • Sign if you agree with PFAW: Congress needs to pass the "We The People Act". sponsored
  • Woman who viciously beat her child with a coat hanger cites Indiana's religious freedom law
  • John Dingell says all that needs to be said about Trump's trip to Mexico
  • Actress Bea Arthur leaves LGBT youth a generous gift in her will
  • Mother weeps when she finds her son with autism did not have to sit alone at lunch on this day
  • Contrary to what you hear, Hillary is more popular than just about everyone except Obama
  • Former Imperial Wizard of the KKK and white supremacists line up to praise Trump's speech
  • Sign if you agree with Everytown: Congress should make it illegal for people convicted of violent hate crimes to buy or possess guns. sponsored
  • Trump's immigrant models were employed illegally
  • North Carolina vote suppressors denied by the Supreme Court
  • Moderate voters are OK with Clinton ... and absolutely loathe Trump
  • Donald Trump is still Vladimir Putin's man in America
  • It's nice that veterans support Colin Kaepernick, but it's really not necessary
  • More on how journalists cover this campaign
  •    
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    Let's be clear here:
     
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    AlterNet
    By Elizabeth Preza, AlterNet
    The network star reportedly spoke out against Ailes in 2012. So why wasn't anything done until 2016? READ MORE»

    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    "I will say I am very upset that they cancel a brother's show when all the best worse racial stuff started happening." READ MORE»

    By Sophia Tesfaye, Salon
    Victims sued Cinemark for not doing enough to prevent the shooting, but now they have to pay the chain's legal bill. READ MORE»

    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    "Everyone deserves some R&R on Labor Day, and at Cloud Nine, we'll be working round the clock to make sure you get it." READ MORE»

    By David Edwards, Raw Story
    GOP Hispanic backers are fleeing the candidate after his hate-filled immigration speech. READ MORE»

    By Michael Arria, AlterNet
    A U.S. district judge said the restaurant chain's actions have "an unsavory aroma." READ MORE»

    By Elizabeth Preza, AlterNet
    Convicted pedophile claims the divorce of his victim's parents impacted her emotional stability. READ MORE»

    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    Stranger things have happened. READ MORE»

    By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
    The closest historic parallel to round up and deport multi-millions. READ MORE»

    By Adele M. Stan, The American Prospect
    Progressives worry that she’s shored up more conventional Republican leaders when she's actually practicing wedge politics. READ MORE»

    By Sophia Tesfaye, Salon
    Larnell Malik Bruce had been running home after a brutal beating. READ MORE»

    By Adam Johnson, AlterNet
    Hedge funder uses private foundation to fund personal police project, circumventing democratic oversight.  READ MORE»

    By Aviva Stahl, AlterNet
    Siddique Abdullah Hasan is a key organizer for an upcoming labor strike in prisons across the country.  READ MORE»

    By Judith Lewis Mernit, Capital and Main
    Unfair labor conditions at the medical marijuana farm. READ MORE»

    By Harold Meyerson, Los Angeles Times
    In cities and states nationwide, centrist billionaires are working to unseat progressive Democrats.  READ MORE»

    By Gaius Publius, Down With Tyranny!
    Just another Big Pharma scam. READ MORE»

    By Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!
    A young girl who shot dead her abusive father now may face life in prison, sparking national outcry over the treatment of domestic violence survivors. READ MORE»

    By Jonathan Cook, AlterNet
    Avigdor Lieberman refuses to see the irony in his latest plan for stealth annexation of the West Bank.  READ MORE»

    By Stefanie Jones, AlterNet
    Anyone going out to a festival, concert, club or other party environment has a special need for this information. READ MORE»

    By Tom Tomorrow, AlterNet
    Our televisions, our friends, even our pets, are all saying the same thing. READ MORE»

    By Mark Weisbrot, CEPR
    A grim reminder that Brazil emerged from dictatorship just 30 years ago. READ MORE»

       
    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    Rep. John Lewis said the right to protest is protected by our Constitution. READ MORE»

    By Robert Reich, RobertReich.org
    We need a crackdown on mega corporate tax evaders. READ MORE»

    By Elizabeth Preza, AlterNet
    Judge in Arkansas insists his city doesn't run a debtors' prison. But it sure looks like one.  READ MORE»

    By Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!
    Hours after traveling to Mexico City, Trump gave a major speech on immigration in Phoenix, Arizona. READ MORE»

    By Walter Einenkel, DailyKos
    A much-needed takedown of education "reformers" in both parties.  READ MORE»

    By Elizabeth Preza, AlterNet
    No word yet what isn't considered an "act of God." READ MORE»

    By Bob Cesca, Salon
    When Trump goes face to face with Clinton, that should drive the final nails into his political coffin. READ MORE»

    By Dave Johnson, Blog for Our Future
    Courts so powerful, neither citizens nor governments can appeal the rulings. READ MORE»

    By Arturo Garcia, Raw Story
    She was trying to prevent her son from endangering his younger sister.  READ MORE»
       
    By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
    A batch of petitions launched by skeptics questions Our Revolution's agenda, inclusion of supporters and endorsements.  READ MORE»

    By Adele M. Stan, AlterNet
    In a speech designed to smear undocumented immigrants, Trump looked to the GOP's winning 1988 strategy. READ MORE»

    By Carl Messineo, AlterNet
    Just because our privacy can be violated does not mean we should expect or tolerate such violations. READ MORE»

    By Gary Legum, Salon
    Rumors of an anti-Ryan coup roil the Beltway, but the real story is a long war between moderates and the far right READ MORE»

    By Sarah Lazare, AlterNet
    Agency’s announcement sheds light on questionable composition of DHS Advisory Council. READ MORE»

    By Vijay Prashad, AlterNet
    Burkini bans in France, worker strikes in India are just some of the uprisings. READ MORE»

    By Robin Scher, AlterNet
    Believe it or not, there are alternatives—some risky, some inconvenient, and some worth the effort. READ MORE»

    By Adam Johnson, FAIR
    Glamorizing a military that levels daily humiliations and violence aimed at Palestinians. READ MORE»

    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    "If I kept my mouth shut just because I can make millions, then this ain't doin' nothing." READ MORE»

    By Joe Conason, AlterNet
    The so-called scandal is a right-wing scam. READ MORE»

    By Sue Sturgis, Facing South
    The Trump campaign's organizing of 'poll-watchers' and vigilante exit-pollers are just a couple of reasons civil rights leaders are nervous about Election Day problems. READ MORE»

    By Laura Bolt , Salon
    Followers of fruitarianism believe the key to health is a diet that's almost entirely fruit. Some nuts allowed. READ MORE»

    By Kelley Deetz, Alfred L. Brophy, The Conversation
    Universities benefited from slavery and enslaved labor. READ MORE»

    By Michael Arria, AlterNet
    Some legal scholars say the FBI committed serious crimes in an effort to bust criminals. READ MORE»

    By Travis Gettys, Raw Story
    “I do not want to get treated like that,” Taraji said. “I’m only six.” READ MORE»

    By Winona LaDuke, Yes! Magazine
    I am not sure how badly North Dakota wants this pipeline. If there is to be a battle over the Dakota Access, I would not bet against a people with nothing else left but a land and a river. READ MORE»
       
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    If that's not enough fun fer ye,
    here's another story from Slate:
     
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    Movies!

    O.M.FSM. These are Funny AF. Get ready for a little gallows humor...Dot Calm would have loved it. How do I know? For decades before she left us, she would say, "When I bite the dust, just put me in a shopping cart." Sick...but funny. These vids are kick-the-bed sick-but-funny.








    'Til next time, check out these great channels:
    ...or, if you just want something mindless and fun, try Tested
      
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    Wisdom?
    Trump?!??
    BA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
    Image result for obama laughing