Petitions and Such

A long time ago, when I first started a blog, my intent was to use it as a clearing house for petitions and other action items that were found in my inbox.

This was at a time before the 2006 elections when we all felt absolutely powerless and we were watching our entire country go down the tubes. We were angry, frustrated and terrified.

My contention was that even doing a little action – taking that anger and turning it into something productive – would help us to feel as though we were doing something, anything, to save our country.

The situation is different now. We are at the helm and we are driving this ship. Why worry about petitions and crap right now?

For one thing, we still have 58 long days of watching helplessly as this Administration pushes through last minute “fuck you” rules and regulations (or removes rules and regulations.) Right now it is imperative that we are paying attention. It is imperative that we are making noise.

Take, for instance Senator Feingold’s call for all of us to come forward and speak out now against possible Presidential pardons. Possible bullshit blanket Presidential pardons. We have to make noise now.

However, we also have to make noise once Obama and the Democratic Congress take office. Obama needs a movement. It will be impossible for him to implement Progressive change unless he has a movement behind him, unless the people back him, unless our Representatives hear from us – demanding what we want. It is more important now, than ever, to “sing louder.”

Click “read more” for a list of petitions to sign and action items that require our assistance.


Petitions and Active Campaigns

(Note: Many of these orgs have several active petition campaigns; I have linked to their petition pages rather than linking to individual petitions.)

• Support Representative Nadler’s bill, HR 1531, against Bush pardons.

• Democrats dot com list of petitions and active campaigns.

• Sign up to make calls to GOTV for Georgia’s special election.

• Courage Campaign’s active campaigns

• Tell President-Elect Obama to “go for it” and shoot big!

• Vote on how CREDO will spend their money! (This one is too fun.)

• CREDO Campaigns

• True Majority Campaigns

• Save America’s Wolves

• Use this easy form to submit letters to the editor against Bush pardons for himself and his criminal Administration and for Impeachment.

• California residents – please write letters to the editor against your GOP legislature’s severe budget cuts.

• Impeach Bush to stop pardons.

• Choose Obama’s top priorities.

• Support the Apollo Alliance.


Donations Requested:

I know that most people are financially fucked (it is true in my neck of the woods) and I know that we all contributed massively to the recent elections. Unfortunately, because the economy is so bad, the orgs most hurt are those organizations who do good works in our communities. It is a catch 22 – they are needed most right now to feed our hungry and house our homeless and they are normally the first to suffer from the belt tightening that is being done everywhere.

A couple of things to consider:
a) Most of the below requests for donation are tax deductible and it is almost year-end.
b) Why not give donations for Holiday presents or request that donations are given in your name for Holiday gifts that you receive? Or, give gift subscriptions to Progressive publications as presents?

• Truthout has been sending out a desperate call for donations.

• Franken needs donations for the recount. (Remember, Romney is paying Coleman’s fees.)

• Hillary is still trying to pay off her campaign debt. (DNC is offering a DVD of Hillary’s Denver speech for a donation of $50.)

• The Progressive needs donations. (Or, better yet, subscribe!)

• Courage Campaign needs funds to Repeal Prop 8

• Shop the Free Press store (Again, gift time is coming!)

• Join the Progressive Book Club

• Wildlife Adoption and Gift Center

• True Majority gift center (Get your free pie lapel pin, too.)

• Support NARAL; support Martin

Cross posted at Progressive Action Spot.