To paraphrase Shakespeare, "Something is rotten in the White House." The President's soft stance, admiration, and pro-support of Putin and Russia--Syria, Crimea, interference in America's 2016 election, disavowing US intelligence reports, equating US actions with Putin's authoritarian regime--are highly suspect. Is there collusion? We need answers regarding the President's ties to Russia. NOW.

Veterans for Counteracting Russian/Putin interference in our freedoms.

The New York Times reports that an executive order is under discussion at the White House which would designate the Muslim Brotherhood, a mostly nonviolent Islamist political movement in the Middle East, as a terrorist organization. [1] Such a move would hamstring U.S. diplomats, who wouldn't be allowed to talk to the Brotherhood. Among Islamist groups in the Middle East, the Brotherhood has been relatively moderate in recent decades, a key reason the U.S. has maintained communication with them under longstanding bipartisan U.S. policy. Like the Smith Act during the McCarthy period, banning the Brotherhood would criminalize a political belief, regardless of behavior. It would unnecessarily classify a huge group of people as enemies of the U.S., though they had no dispute with the U.S. in the past. It would be spectacularly hypocritical, since the U.S., especially the CIA, maintains cozy relations with Saudi Arabia, whose government promotes and enforces, including with violence, a far more rigid and extreme form of Islam than most Brotherhood groups espouse. Such an overbroad designation would allow the executive branch to opportunistically and unaccountably target Islamists not based on whether they threaten the United States, but based on whether they support the imperial agendas of Saudi Arabia and the CIA. The ACLU says the move would "target and stigmatize American Muslims" and would "open the door to using overbroad and unfair laws" that "sweep up innocent individuals and organizations and lack due process safeguards ... it could have a tremendous effect on freedom of speech." [2] Urge President Trump and Members of Congress to oppose designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization by signing our petition. References: 1. "Trump Pushes Dark View of Islam to Center of U.S. Policy-Making," https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/01/us/politics/donald-trump-islam.html 2. "'Witch hunt' fears as US may outlaw Muslim Brotherhood," http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/02/hunt-fears-ban-muslim-brotherhood-170201014221892.html

Almost every single goal of the Trump administration is a direct attack on an already marginalized group of people, or the planet itself. That was most of his platform. He is making good on his promises, and many of his own supporters are turning against him. He and the billionaires he has installed can and will harm and kill innumerable human beings over time through these sociopathically irresponsible actions. They are waging war against us for their own benefit. We, the American people, are diverse and united. We do not subscribe to his rhetoric, and we do not intend to cooperate with his policies. We are strong, and will protect the most vulnerable among us. That does not mean we do not need allies. We will ask that other nations keep an eye on our leaders, and do what they can to curb their callousness. We will ask that they use rational, peaceful means against this machine of social and environmental destruction.

As Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy has warned, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn promoted dangerous escalation when he suggested that attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saudi forces could lead to war between the United States and Iran. As Sen. Murphy noted, Iran does not command nor control Houthi rebels fighting against U.S.-backed Saudi forces in Yemen. [1] Unfortunately, the New York Times editorial board has supported Flynn's dangerous claim that Houthi rebels in Yemen are Iran's proxies. "Flynn was right," the NYT said, "in highlighting Iran’s troubling behavior, including the recent attack on a Saudi Navy patrol boat by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen." [2] By characterizing the Houthi attack as "Iran's behavior," the NYT promoted the dangerous claim that Iran was responsible for the Houthis' action as if it were settled fact, while providing no evidence for the claim. By this standard of evidence, if the Houthis' intent were to attack a U.S. ship, as Fox News reported - or misreported - that the Pentagon believed [3], then it was Iran's intent to attack a U.S. ship. It's not wildly implausible that the Houthis might intend to attack a U.S. ship - it has happened before [4], and unlike Iran, the U.S. is a direct participant in Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen, even though U.S. participation in Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen has never been authorized by Congress [5], contrary to the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution. [6] Urge the New York Times to correct the record and urge the Times and Members of Congress to refrain from characterizing Yemen's Houthis as Iran's proxies in the future by signing our petition. References: 1. Sen. Chris Murphy, "A Reckless Slide Toward War With Iran," http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/5893ce89e4b02bbb1816b8d3 2. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/03/opinion/new-tensions-with-iran.html 3. https://theintercept.com/2017/02/02/press-secretary-sean-spicer-falsely-accuses-iran-of-attacking-u-s-navy-vessel-an-act-of-war/ 4. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-usa-ship-idUSKCN12A082 5. http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2016/08/16/senator-chris-murphy-on-yemen-saudi-arabia-conflict-the-lead-jake-tapper-interview.cnn; http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/21/politics/senate-arms-sale-saudi-arabia/ 6. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/warpower.asp

Using faulty intel, President Trump ordered a pointless raid against al-Qaeda in Yemen that left one US sailor and more than a dozen civilians dead. Now he and the Defense Department are threatening to involve America’s military in Yemen’s civil war, and even make it easier to put American boots on the ground in Yemen – with NO input from Congress. Yemen is already devastated from two years of civil war and constant bombardment by the Saudi-led coalition, with US support. Further military escalation could commit Americans to an outright war in a country whose civilians face constant violence and widespread malnutrition, and whose displaced can no longer seek refuge inside our borders. By invoking the War Powers Resolution, Congress can intervene and stop the Trump administration from escalating US military operations in Yemen into an all-out war that can't be won. We can't afford to sit by and let a trigger-happy Trump administration send American troops into conflict without so much as a public debate! Sign the petition: Demand Congress take action to stop Trump from going to war in Yemen!

Two Saudi sailors have been killed by Houthi rebels in Yemen in what Saudi Arabia has called a suicide boat attack and Houthis rebels have called a missile attack. [1] Fox News reported that the Pentagon believes the attack was meant for a US warship. [2] Trump Administration national security adviser Michael Flynn blamed Iran and threatened unspecified retaliation against Iran. [3] This dangerous situation was anticipated by Congress when it passed the War Powers Resolution during the Vietnam War. U.S. military forces are participating in the Saudi war in Yemen. There is a significant risk that U.S. forces will be drawn deeper into military conflict against Houthi rebels and possibly even against Iran. Yet Congress has never authorized the use of force against Houthi forces in Yemen, nor against Iran. Under the War Powers Resolution, a single Member of Congress can force a debate and vote on the deployment of U.S. forces to a conflict that has not been authorized by Congress. [4] Urge your Representative and Senators to invoke the War Powers Resolution to force a debate and vote on U.S. participation in the Saudi war in Yemen before further U.S. military escalation by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.yahoo.com/news/2-saudis-killed-yemen-rebel-sea-strike-coalition-060300258.html 2. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/31/exclusive-pentagon-believes-attack-on-saudi-frigate-meant-for-us-warship.html 3. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/01/iran-trump-michael-flynn-on-notice 4. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/warpower.asp

President Trump's anti-Muslim immigration executive order has sparked outrage worldwide. But one government has kept strangely silent: the government of Saudi Arabia. The New York Times reported: "King Salman of Saudi Arabia, home of Islam’s holiest sites, spoke to Mr. Trump by telephone on Sunday but made no public comment...Even the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a group of 57 nations that considers itself the collective voice of the Muslim world, kept quiet." The Times noted that in issuing is order, "Trump invoked the Sept. 11 attacks three times. Yet Saudi Arabia, which was home to 15 of the 19 attackers, was not included on the list of countries whose citizens would be shut out." [1] The Organization of Islamic Cooperation is based in Saudi Arabia, which might have something to do with the silence of this purported "collective voice of the Muslim world." The Saudi government markets itself in the Islamic world as "protector of the Muslims," even as it bombs and blockades Muslim civilians in Yemen with U.S. participation. Urge Members of Congress to demand the Saudi government end its silence on Trump's #MuslimBan by signing our petition. References 1. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/29/world/middleeast/donald-trump-muslims-reaction.html

We need the leaders of the world to stand up to, and not appease, a global bully and the architect of his hate-full policies.

Steve Bannon is a dangerous right-wing extremist, and Donald Trump just gave him a seat at the most powerful table in the world. The National Security Council is a group of the president's most senior military, diplomatic, and intelligence advisors, or at least it's supposed to be. Under a directive issued on Saturday by Donald Trump, Steve Bannon—the "alt-right," white-nationalist chief strategist to the president—has been appointed to the inner circle of the NSC, while the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the director of national intelligence have been relegated to attend NSC meetings on an "as needed" basis. This unprecedented move politicizes our national security far beyond what George W. Bush and Karl Rove did, and it opens the door to even more disastrous efforts like the Iraq War and the Patriot Act—or much worse. Thankfully, Congress has the power to stop this. Congress created the National Security Council and as recently as last year passed legislation regulating it. Right now, members of Congress are drafting legislation to keep Steve Bannon off the National Security Council and protect the independence of our national security from Donald Trump's political meddling. This isn't just about sending a message. Bannon is reportedly the driving force behind the extreme, un-American executive orders Trump has issued in his first week in office. In fact, according to CNN, Bannon personally spearheaded Trump's order banning all immigrants and visa holders from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S., and slamming America's door to all refugees indefinitely. Congress must immediately undo this politicization of America's national security. Bannon represents the worst of the Trump administration's hardliners. He has made a career out of facilitating the rise of white nationalism, argued that being perceived as evil is a source of political power, has been praised by the KKK and neo-Nazis, and more. All signs suggest that Bannon believes deeply in the so-called clash of civilizations and that the United States needs to be made into a hub for a new kind of right-wing populism centering on white identity politics. We cannot let this vision be the beating heart of our nation's national security policy. We know that this is terrifying. But the amazing mobilization of our movement over the past 10 days shows that we have the power to stop this. Millions of us have taken to the streets: from the unprecedented Women's March to the actions across the country at airports that helped reunite families torn apart by Trump's Muslim ban. Now it's time to keep the architect of Donald Trump's hateful and dangerous agenda away from America's national security. Take two minutes to make sure your members of Congress hear loudly and clearly that they must act.

We the people of the State of California herby request that you do everything in your collective and individual power not to allow construction of a wall along our border with Mexico. We also request that you come out and speak publicly denouncing any attempt at overreach from President Trump or any branch the Federal Government in construction of this wall. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency, 408,870 persons were caught crossing the California/Mexico Border in 2015. That same Agency reports that 1.1 million persons were caught crossing the California/Mexico Border, on annual average, between 1980 and 2008. The Pew Research Center reports that we are at a 50 year low in illegal border crossings. Let us state again, "A 50 YEAR LOW!" We thank you in advance for your leadership, courage, and good representation of the voters of our great State. It is also our ardent hope that the other U.S./Mexico Border States follow our lead in denying construction of this completely absurd and unnecessary wall along the border of our neighbors to the south.

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin has blocked a Senate resolution that would condemn UN Security Council Resolution 2334 against Israeli settlements in the West Bank. New Mexico Senator Tom Udall has said that if Senator Durbin were to lift his hold on Rubio-Cardin's S. Res. 6, Senator Udall would place his own hold. [1] Thank Senator Durbin and Senator Udall for standing up for peace by signing our petition. References: 1. http://forward.com/fast-forward/361245/dick-durbin-blocks-senate-move-to-condemn-un-resolution-on-israeli-settleme/