The Washington Post claims that Hillary Clinton won't be able to fulfill her promise to increase domestic infrastructure spending, because House Republicans will insist on cuts elsewhere to pay for it. [1] But that would only be the end of the story if we assumed - as the Washington Post apparently does - that the bloated Pentagon budget is sacrosanct. Not every House Republican votes in lock-step with the Pentagon. Forty House Republicans - many of them members of the House Liberty Caucus - voted with the overwhelming majority of House Democrats to stop the transfer of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia. [2] Urge Democrats and Republicans in Washington to put cuts to the bloated Pentagon budget on the table to pay for domestic infrastructure spending by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2016/08/11/daily-202-hillary-clinton-s-agenda-would-flounder-in-congress-here-are-seven-reasons-why/57abd94bcd249a2fe363ba11/ 2. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/obama-heeding-close-house_b_10516480.html

Last Sunday, in an op-ed in the New York Times, environmental leader Bill McKibben shared the haunting experience of being hunted by the fossil fuel companies he's made himself an enemy of. A group of fossil fuel giants, in their effort to discredit McKibben and the movement he is part of, have sent trackers to follow up around his everyday life—snapping photographs, documenting his every move, and invading his privacy. Their goal is to embarrass him publicly—but also, likely, to send a warning to other activists what they can expect if they dare to stand up to the fossil fuel industry. As McKibben noted in his article, it's not as harrowing as the activists who have been killed in other countries for defending the environment. But this behavior by the fossil fuel companies is above the pale. The executives of these companies need to call off their attack dogs, respect the rights of a citizen to both have political beliefs and a private life, and stop using such tactics to intimidate and silence their critics.

Today, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) finally publicized the decision that they will not reclassify marijuana. It remains a Schedule I drug alongside heroine and LSD. This restriction also remains in place for medical marijuana use.[1] Already, 42 states allow the use of marijuana in some medical instances. The cultural consensus has shifted and more and more Americans don't consider marijuana as a social threat. The DEA has taken a step backwards in rejecting to loosen restrictions on the federal level and refusing to accept that there is ample evidence for marijuana to be used in medical instances. [2] Besides medical usage, however, one of the most catastrophic impacts of the classification of marijuana has been the leeway it gives to law enforcement and the justice system to incarcerate individuals. In 2014 alone, over 700,000 individuals were arrested on marijuana law violations. 88% of those arrests were for possession alone. [3] Research also shows that there is significant racial bias in marijuana arrests—with Black communities more likely to be targeted for arrests despite equal usage within Black and white communities. States also waste over $3.6 billion dollars in enforcing marijuana laws. [4] It's time for Congress to heed medicine, science, and the growing national consensus to put the breaks on the failed war on drugs and move to decriminalize marijuana now. Sources: 1. "U.S. affirms its prohibition on medical marijuana," The Washington Post, August 11, 2016 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/08/10/u-s-affirms-its-prohibition-on-medical-marijuana/ 2. "DEA Rejects Attempt To Loosen Federal Restrictions On Marijuana," NPR, August 10, 2016 http://www.npr.org/2016/08/10/489509471/dea-rejects-attempt-to-loosen-federal-restrictions-on-marijuana 3. "Drug War Statistics," Drug Policy Alliance, accessed August 11, 2016 http://www.drugpolicy.org/drug-war-statistics 4. "Marijuana Arrests by the Numbers," ACLU, accessed August 11, 2016 https://www.aclu.org/gallery/marijuana-arrests-numbers

President Obama is still pushing for a vote on the corporate power-grabbing Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement in a "lame duck" session of Congress after the election. If Obama gets his way, the presidential election wouldn't count - the TPP would be approved before the next president takes office. As Michigan Rep. John Conyers recently wrote in The Hill, "even those lawmakers and officials who support the deal should recognize that lame duck consideration of such a highly controversial deal would create a crisis of legitimacy in American politics." [1] Six House Republicans who like Rodney Davis voted for "Fast Track" authority to negotiate the TPP last year recently urged President Obama not to push for a lame duck vote on the TPP. They wrote: "A 'lame duck' Congress should not vote on an agreement of this consequence – it would be an end-run around the American people immediately following an election." [2] Urge Rodney Davis to join these House Republicans in publicly opposing a lame duck vote on the TPP by signing our petition. References: 1. http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-budget/290791-lame-duck-tpp-vote-could-be-disastrous-for-dems-and 2. https://candicemiller.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/miller-trott-urge-president-against-forcing-lame-duck-tpp-vote

John Podesta, Hillary Clinton's campaign chair, says Clinton "opposes TPP BEFORE and AFTER the election. Period. Full stop." [1] But Obama is still pushing for a vote on the corporate power grabbing Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement in a "lame duck" session of Congress after the election. If Obama gets his way, the TPP would be passed before Hillary Clinton could take office. As Michigan Rep. John Conyers recently wrote in The Hill, "even those lawmakers and officials who support the deal should recognize that lame duck consideration of such a highly controversial deal would create a crisis of legitimacy in American politics." [2] Urge Senate Democrats to press Hillary Clinton to advocate against a lame duck vote on the TPP by signing our petition. References: 1. http://thehill.com/policy/finance/289369-podesta-says-mcauliffe-wrong-about-clinton-and-tpp 2. http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-budget/290791-lame-duck-tpp-vote-could-be-disastrous-for-dems-and

Facebook just took away one of the most important tools we have to help hold police accountable – social media. Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook, at the request of police, deactivated the social media accounts of Korryn Gaines, a 23-year old Black woman shot to death by Baltimore County police last Monday. She was broadcasting the standoff on Facebook that led to police shooting her 5-year-old son and killing her. Social media and shareable videos have been crucial not just for raising awareness about the injustices Black folks like Korryn and her son face every day from police, but in allowing us to control our own stories and narratives. Without access to social media, the police control the narrative. And when police control that narrative we’re always portrayed as people who deserved to die. This is a dangerous precedent. To keep our message from getting out, police are going to keep taking our social media out. Demand Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg stop censoring users at the request of the police.

I am concerned that Hillary Clinton will be assassinated by someone inspired by Donald Trump's call to use violence against her. The threat should be taken seriously not simply "investigated" and dismissed by the Secret Service. Donald Trump should not be allowed to incite violence.

We the undersigned petition to the US Secret Service to arrest and incarcerate Donald J. Trump for advocating assassination of his Democratic opponent. His language, though veiled, is clear enough to rational Americans that he is advocating that someone commit assassination. Signed, John L. Casey, Whitehouse Station, NJ

Last week, Korryn Gaines was shot and killed in Baltimore County, Md., home after police arrived at her house to arrest her on traffic charges. Her 5-year-old son, who was in the home with her, was also shot. During the seven-hour standoff with police, Korryn continuously uploaded videos to Facebook and Instagram so that she could communicate with friends, family, and the public about what has happening to her and her child. But after police requested that Facebook, which also owns the media network Instagram, remove the videos, Korynn's account was deactivated and all her previous videos and posts were removed. Because anyone can document and expose police violence by uploading a video, social media has become one of the most powerful tools we have to fight police violence. Body cameras often fail, so video taken from eyewitnesses and victims is sometimes the only available record of what happened. This isn't the first time Facebook has censored victims—and as our country grapples with issues of systemic racism and police violence, silencing and censoring the communities impacted directly is a dangerous regression.

I am a commercial fisherman, port commissioner , and city councilman in an Oregon fishing community .I understand how critically important navigation devices are. I am taking action for my safety,the safety of my constituents, and for all others who depend on the sea.

This year, the International Olympic Committee made history by announcing the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team. These ten athletes are worldwide heroes, and have captured the world’s attention and admiration during the Olympic games. These athletes have each faced incredible odds. Yusra Mardini, who fled the violence in Syria, risked her life to save the lives of 19 others—diving into the treacherous waters of the Aegean Sea and using her Olympic swimming skill to push a sinking boat to land. She swam in freezing waters for more than three hours—and surviving the sea was just one small part of her journey to safety. Just like Yusra, 34,000 people are forcibly displaced every day—and those fleeing violence in their home countries need our compassion and support now. Right-wing politicians want to limit the number of families fleeing violence that the United States helps—some have even called on the U.S. to stop accepting refugees all together, a policy radically out of line with American values. Secretary of State Kerry has the authority to restore the United States refugee acceptance rate back to 200,000 people, as it was when the Refugee Act of 1980 was passed. Kerry announced that the U.S. would accept 100,000 refugees a year starting in 2017–but surely the United States can offer a safe haven for so many more–as we have in the past.

All over the country and throughout the Americas, cities and towns are ending the celebration of Columbus. He was certainly not a hero, nor did he “discover” a continent that was already inhabited by many millions of Indigenous Peoples. Columbus and his men were responsible for the rape, murder and enslavement of countless Native people. It’s time for Boston to join Cambridge, Seattle, Denver, Albuquerque and many other cities and recognize Indigenous Peoples Day! Since the 1970s, Indigenous Peoples from throughout the Americas have sought to have Indigenous Peoples Day declared in October in place of Columbus Day. We consider it a first step in recognizing the genocide of millions of Indigenous people and the theft of their lands that began with the arrival of Columbus. Indigenous Peoples Day is much more than a name change. It is a refusal to allow the genocide of Indigenous Peoples to go unremembered. It is also an initial step in honoring and reconciling with present-day Native Peoples who live in and near Boston. Commemorating Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday in October is a recognition that we need to stop honoring false heroes such as Columbus and start honoring the Native Peoples on whose land we live and walk. For more information and the draft resolution visit: http://www.indigenouspeoplesdayma.org/boston/resolution/