By removing the word "limited" from in front of the phrase "missile defense" in the National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA], Congress is laying the groundwork for a costly effort to field space-based weaponry, the Los Angeles Times reports. Experts say the changes could aggravate tensions with Russia and China and prompt a renewed nuclear arms race. The bill awaits action by President Obama, who has not said what he will do. Leading defense scientists say the idea that a space-based system could provide security against nuclear attack is fantasy. [1] “It defies the laws of physics and is not based on science of any kind,” says David Montague, retired president of missile systems for Lockheed and co-chair of a National Academy of Sciences panel that studied missile defense technologies. “Even if we darken the sky with hundreds or thousands of satellites and interceptors, there’s no way to ensure against a dedicated attack. So it’s an opportunity to waste a prodigious amount of money.” He calls the provisions passed by Congress “insanity, pure and simple.” [2] Philip Coyle, former assistant secretary of Defense who headed the Pentagon office responsible for testing and evaluating weapon systems, describes the notion of a space-based nuclear shield as a sham. “To do this would cost just gazillions and gazillions,” Coyle says. “The technology isn’t at hand - nor is the money…Both Russia and China will use it as an excuse to do something that they want to do.” [3] Press President Obama and Congress to oppose a new arms race in space by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-missile-defense-unlimited-20161221-snap-20161221-story.html 2. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-missile-defense-unlimited-20161221-snap-20161221-story.html 3. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-missile-defense-unlimited-20161221-snap-20161221-story.html

The Democratic Party is embarrassingly out of touch with the American public. This election was the final straw. However, there has been a decade-long highway of failures leading up to Election 2016: Republicans hold 68 of the 99 state legislative chambers in our country, we have lost 14 governorships and 13 Democratic U.S. Senate seats. Following the November election, many of us felt certain the party would wake up and eagerly reorganize. Unfortunately, that has not happened. Instead the party establishment is hunkering down and recommitting to the choices of its past. We our calling on Sen. Bernie Sanders and his group "Our Revolution" to establish a new political party. If you agree, please sign and share.

Many people are still in shock that, defying all the predictions, Trump and the Republicans won the White House, the Senate and the House. At least one can hope for some relief in two or four years if Democrats, Independents and disillusioned Trump supporters ‘throw some of the bums out’. The much bigger threat lies with the Supreme Court where Trump will certainly nominate an extreme right judge to fill the Scalia vacancy. This and a likely Ginsburg replacement during Trump’s term will drastically alter the Court for decades to come. We can expect this Court to repeal Roe v. Wade; weaken the rights of women, immigrants and the LGBTQ community; further disenfranchise blacks, Hispanics and all minorities; favor big business over workers and unions; continue Citizens United and facilitate the buying of elections by the rich; support fossil fuels, hinder alternate energy and ignore the threat of climate change…. to name a few! This threat should not have happened. Antonin Scalia died on Feb 13, 2016 at the age of 79. In March President Obama nominated Merrick Garland, the Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals, to fill the vacancy. However, Republican Senate leaders, in an unprecedented move, refused to hold a vote on the nominee until a new president was elected. Mitch McConnell said, "The American people are perfectly capable of having their say on this issue, so let's give them a voice. Let's let the American people decide.” Republican control of the Senate means that, unlike Garland's nomination, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold hearings and the Republican-controlled Senate will schedule a vote. As long as Republican senators remain loyal to the party, the thin majority they hold should be able to confirm Trump's nominees. That leaves Democrats with one alternative - a filibuster. If the Democrats do resort to this parliamentary tactic, which hasn't been employed against a Court nominee since 1968, they will be able to block a nomination, again assuming that they have the party discipline to hold on to their members and prevent the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster. We must urge Democratic senators to immediately state their intention to block, by filibuster if necessary, any right wing Trump appointment to the Supreme Court. This stance is easy to explain using the very logic the Republicans used to block Obama’s appointment. While Trump garnered the most Electoral College votes, he did not win the support of the majority of Americans. He lost to Clinton by almost 3 million votes (48% to 46%). Americans have spoken, and Trump’s support does not meet Mitch McConnell's and the GOP’s standard. Note that at the time the Republicans said Obama lacked popular support to make the appointment, he had beaten Romney by 5 million votes (51% to 47%) and had an approval rating of 55%. We call on Democratic senators to immediately state their intention to block, by filibuster if necessary, any right wing Trump appointment to the Supreme Court. We have your back. We will strongly support you in this critically important action.

It is time for MSNBC to bring Fernand Amandi to television not as a guest but as a host. MSNBC has been the network offering all views and no one does that better than Fernand Amandi. It is time he is brought to a national home.

Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) recently investigated a large pig breeding farm in North America and discovered horrifying conditions. The investigators found dozens of dead and rotting piglets. Each of the mother pigs was confined to a crate so small she could not turn around or move her head. At pig breeding facilities, piglets are taken away from their mothers at just 17 days, well before they are weaned. Many become sick and injured and die slow, painful deaths. In the course of the investigation, DxE rescued a young piglet and named her Madison. Watch Madison’s video at www.TakenAt17Days.com Companies like Costco claim to be progressive yet they sell products from farms just like the one DxE investigated. Sign the petition and ask Costco to cut ties with all animal-abusing companies.

To get Farrah off the show

When Twitter suspended white supremacist Richard Spencer’s account, in defense of its actions the company issued the following statement, "The Twitter Rules prohibit targeted abuse and harassment, and we will suspend accounts that violate this policy." With his attack on United Steelworkers Local 1999 president, President-elect Trump has crossed the line. He has attacked an individual for speaking out and as a result, this individual has now become subject to the wrath of Trump’s loyalist’s. This from USA Today November 16, 2016 with regard to Richard Spencer: As a private company, Twitter has no obligation to provide a forum for white nationalist views and "can do what it wants," said James Grimmelmann, a law professor who studies social networks at Cornell University. "The case for saying Twitter ought to leave these accounts up is that free speech has purposes and those purposes would be served by having private companies be compelled to be more neutral platforms," Grimmelmann said. "This is not a constituency in imminent danger of having its viewpoints shut down by the powers that be in the United States. We just had an election that proved that there are really ample chances for people espousing strong right-wing racist views to get their views heard." This observation can be carried one step further to apply to the president-elect who is about to step up to the ultimate bully pulpit. We the undersigned request that Twitter suspend the account of Donald J. Trump

No internet service provider (ISP) shall not discriminate the flow of traffic to any and all websites. We ask for the internet to remain open and free from censorship and pay to play systems that benefit the wealthiest of online companies while hindering the competitive market that the internet currently is. Moreover, Net Neutrality should be protected like water rights for the internet is the largest collection of knowleged ever gathered together. A persons thirst for knowleged can not be quenched when they are limited to taking in the biased avenues of information forced upon them by profit driven coporations.

If a private citizen's fire alarm goes off, we are sent a bill, if a paramedic is called we are sent a bill. Donald Drumpf is still a private citizen. Why should taxpayers or the city of New York be responsible for paying for his security? The cost is over $1 million dollars a day! He is NOT a public servant...yet. Even big celebrities, Including the POPE, have their own security details. The public should not foot the bill for his outlandish lifestyle. Let him be responsible for that. He has even admitted to NOT paying ANY taxes! Let Taxpayer money go towards Taxpayer services, not 1 private citizen and his entourage. There should also be a cap on how much is spent on other services he uses and/or curtails others from receiving, and let him budget himself accordingly.

The original design and intent of the Colonnade Apartments is not to be fenced in. The grounds surrounding perimeter of the building is filthy and has needed industrial cleaning for several years. Security problems, maintenance and cleanliness of the building need to be addressed and resolved from the inside out. A fence in the front is contrary to the interests of the tenants.

NOTHING DOING! will demonstrate the quiet power that is at our command whenever we want it. Business needs us. Let’s show Businessman Trump that we mean business. We boycott ourselves and it sends a simple, peaceful but powerful message: We are the ones in charge. Sign this petition, and then please share and spread the concept. Find out more and make a pledge to contribute nothing to change everything at the website. www.nothingdoingday.com Can we, the American Majority (64 million and counting) and the rest of the world, stop this minority-elected president and his crew from driving us backwards, or even worse, off a cliff? We can change the course of history. How? Maybe we do nothing. Maybe doing absolutely nothing could change everything. In the past, Gandhi defied British colonialism, Mandela broke a century of apartheid, and King inspired a civil rights revolution. Maybe it can work here and now.

The recent election has spurred the fears of many Americans for an assortment of reasons, whether fear for personal safety, for the continued defense of the Constitution, or for the position of Americans abroad. In recent days even outspoken Trump supporters have professed concerns with some of President-elect Trump's actions and appointments. While activism is vital, we must not forget that Congress is the first and most powerful check against the Executive Branch. We must continue to remind Congress that we hold them to their responsibilities towards the American people, regardless of partisanship or party affiliation. Congressional leadership must be reminded that we the people are watching, and we the people expect them to act for the wellbeing of all Americans.