We appreciate that President Obama has opened the door part way for travel to Cuba. His remarks in Miami in November suggest he is preparing to take the next step: “we have to be creative. And we have to be thoughtful. And we have to continue to update our policies” Ten days later Secretary of State Kerry, speaking to the Inter-American Dialog at the hall of the Organization of American States, added specificity: “We are committed to this human interchange, and in the United States we believe that our people are actually our best ambassadors. They are ambassadors of our ideals, of our values, of our beliefs.” One year ago Cuba gave greater freedom of travel to it citizens than Americans possess when it abolished rules requiring government authorization to come to the US. The President has the power by granting general licenses to enable non-tourist purposeful travel (with no application required) for every organization, travel agent and tour operator, as well as for individual Americans who cannot afford or do not like group tours or who wish to make additional trips independently for professional or personal reasons. This is the same freedom he has already given to Cuban Americans, universities and religious organizations. By extending it to the rest of us, President Obama will embrace the convictions of two-thirds of Americans, including a majority of Cuban Americans, and liberate US policy from control by a diminishing minority. [for further background: http://thehavananote.com/2013/12/maximizing_potential_travel ]

The New Jersey Coalition For Fair Elections in El Salvador was started by members of Pax Christi, several prominent Labor Unions and concerned citizens to advocate for neutrality in the upcoming Feb 2, 2014 elections in El Salvador.

Christians rejoicing in the streets and happy that gays are being imprisoned for life, beaten to death, burned in street and murdered. For no other reason but they are gay.

Our country has already spent way too much (in terms of money and lives) , we cannot afford another war in the Middle East. President Obama's deal with Iran is the best chance to avoid war. Do not force these sanctions and undermine a real chance for peace (or better understanding between our two countries).

I do not want Congress to give Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu a blank check to draw America into another senseless - and in this case unnecessary - war in the Middle East. America cannot afford another war and war with Iran would be far more disastrous than Iraq and Afghanistan combined with unforeseeable consequences.

After months of international negotiations and hard-fought diplomacy, Iran agreed to not only limit its uranium enrichment to 5 percent, the grade commonly used to power reactors, but to neutralize its stockpile of 20 percent enriched uranium, which could be used to create weapons-grade material. Additionally, Iran has agreed to open its doors to daily inspections by the international nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This unprecedented agreement will last for six months and lays the groundwork for a final deal that could permanently end the impasse. Right now, a misguided effort for harsh new sanctions -- led by Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) -- threatens to permanently derail the negotiations. These next six months are critical, laying the groundwork for a comprehensive plan that could verifiably end the nuclear crisis. With reckless disregard for the magnitude of the opportunity and the complexity of the diplomacy involved, Sen. Menendez is leading the Senate’s charge to needlessly expand sanctions and drive Iran from the negotiating table. If diplomacy fails, the likely alternatives are a nuclear-armed Iran or a march to war. Our voices matter in foreign policy issues. Now is your chance to tell the Senate to oppose the Nuclear Weapons Free Iran Act ( S.1881). We can’t afford to take diplomacy off the table.

Breaking news: House majority leader Eric Cantor is working on a hawkish bill that would torpedo President Obama's interim agreement with Iran by setting unrealistic goals for the final deal. A bill in the Senate would add sanctions now. The President is THE negotiator for the United States and needs space to work with his Secretary of State and staff. Iran is cooperating; let's exploit this opening for long-term peace.

The Huffington Post and other media have reported that House Democratic whip Steny Hoyer, the #2 House Democrat, has been in talks with House Republican Majority Leader Eric Cantor on introducing a bill that would sabotage President Obama's diplomatic engagement with Iran. As the White House, the Senate Democratic leadership, and the U.S. intelligence community have said, blowing up diplomacy with Iran would put the U.S. on a path to war. Steny Hoyer must answer the question: "Which side are you on?" Is he with the President and diplomacy, or is he with the Republicans and war?

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is nothing short of a disaster: It’s ruinous for our middle class, a huge step back for Internet freedom, and awful for human rights in the countries we trade with. Tragically, however, this new corporate "free" trade deal is a top priority for the White House and most Republicans. But here’s the thing: In order to pass the TPP, its supporters first need to pass "fast track" authority that would bypass the normal legislative process for trade deals like this one. According to the Huffington Post, Wisconsin’s own Congressman Ron Kind is the leading Democratic candidate to champion this horrible legislation.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has called Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid a "dictator" for not allowing a vote on an Iran sanctions bill that President Obama, Senate Democratic leaders and the U.S. intelligence community say would blow up U.S. diplomacy with Iran and put the U.S. on a path towards war. By helping President Obama prevent war with Iran, Majority Leader Reid is expressing the will of the majority of Democrats, which is whom he was elected to represent—not Republicans. Republicans attacking Majority Leader Reid for not calling a vote on Iran sanctions are hypocrites. Republican House Speaker John Boehner won't allow a vote on the Senate's immigration reform bill. Will Mitch McConnell say that Boehner is a "dictator"? Show your appreciation to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for helping prevent war with Iran by signing our petition.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Will Inevitably Hurt the Majority of the American People. The U.S. Will Lose More Jobs. The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a Win for Big Corporate Interests - Not 99% of Untied States Citizens

President Obama is selling our Democracy to the multinational corporations. If they pass the TPP, we will no longer be able to get generic medicines. They will extend the Pharma patents so that only the Brand Name will be available (at 10-15 times the price!) If they pass the TPP, even ordinary sharing of articles and pictures on the internet will be illegal with the new copyright laws. It will force ISPs to police us with a 3 strikes, and your off the internet. Our laws, both local and national will be superceded by the TPP rules that say that if our laws interfere with any corporate expected profits, the corporation can sue us, the citizens for their loss. This suit will be heard in a separate corporate tribunal manned with corporate lawyers, and their decisions will be final...no appeal. If the TPP passes, we will have to accept foodstuffs from all countries who sign without any trade barriers. This means that even if we have food safety laws, they will have no effect if the exporting country's laws don't live up to ours. Getting it now? The multinational corporations are racing to get global control even over our governments. Why are our governments selling us out? Ask them, but if you ask me, I think it's because they are mostly bought and paid for.