Democrats are in charge of the Senate -- and they’re vowing to use their majority to make cannabis legal.1 When Mitch McConnell was Senate Majority Leader any cannabis legalization bill was dead on arrival. But guess who’s not running the Senate anymore? Now we have a clear and urgent pathway to legalize cannabis and pass restorative justice reforms to address the millions of people harmed by the disastrous “War on Drugs.” Sign the petition: Tell Congress to repeal the cannabis ban and pass restorative justice reforms now! Back in November, along with electing President Joe Biden, every cannabis legalization or decriminalization initiative won at the ballot box.2 That’s a clear mandate. Of course, legalization is only part of the process. Right now, even though cannabis is legal in 15 states and DC, an estimated 40,000 people are still in jail for cannabis offenses.3 Democrats in Congress have been introducing bills to legalize cannabis and restore justice for low-level drug offenders for years. But Senator Mitch McConnell blocked cannabis legalization in the Senate. But McConnell no longer runs the Senate, and Democrats control Congress and the White House -- for now. If we want to see an end to the “War on Drugs,” then Democrats need to act now. Sign the petition: Tell Congress to repeal the cannabis ban and pass restorative justice reforms now! Sources: 1. CNBC, “Democratic senators will push to pass pot reform bill this year,” February 1, 2021. 2. Ibid. 3. Forbes, “With 40,000 Americans Incarcerated For Marijuana Offenses, The Cannabis Industry Needs To Step Up, Activists Said This Week,” June 26, 2020.

Compromising with the southern states after the civil war only led to Jim Crow laws which lasted into the middle of the 20th century. Every time these ugly pockets of racism rear their ugly head we coddle them and compromise. Enough is enough. One thing the Confederate Army failed to do was storm the nation's capital and fly that flag in the Capital building. On January 6, 2021, a group of insurrectionists accomplished just that. They stormed the halls of the capital building with that flag held high. The time has come for our country to do the right and to begin the systematic eradication of this archaic ideology and ban the flying of that flag. Freedom of speech ends when it invokes traditions that oppress.

The process to hire a new Chief of Police for Prince George’s County must be fully transparent. As PG County residents we must be included in the hiring process in ways that go beyond a mere community survey. The role of the police chief is far too great and needs to be accountable to the members of the community with all police matters.

A nonprofit organization, COVAX, will help with distribution of more than 800,000 of the Astra Zeneca Covid vaccines to the Guatemalan government. These 800,000 vaccines will give priority to vaccinating healthcare workers. However, these 800,000 doses will only be enough to vaccinate approximately 2% of the Guatemalan population, given that two doses are required. Moreover, the efficacy of this vaccine after the 2nd dose is only 70%, which is a much lower efficacy than those vaccines being given in the U.S. Most of the population of Guatemala cannot expect to receive vaccines until at least the end of 2022.

Power bills for some TX residents are now $10,000 and climbing because of a faulty grid system that was not properly maintained and regulated.

There is not one single private company in the United States that would not have fired Ted Cruz immediately following his recent impromptu vacation to Mexico as millions of his constituents were without water and power; literally freezing - many of them to death. Instead of taking even the slightest of roles in doing something - ANYTHING - that might have been of help to any single Texas Citizen by using his substantial influence, connections, and power as a United States Senator, he disgracefully fled the country to a warmer climate, leaving his constituents to weather a historic winter storm on their own. Not to be outdone, Ted then disgracefully blamed his actions on "being a Dad," which was quickly packaged into a bold-faced and awkward public lie. When that blatant lie became clear, Ted finally offered up a weak apology in lieu of his resignation, thus ensuring that Ted is completely void of any and all remaining integrity that he might have once had. This all says nothing of Ted's shadowy role in the recent Capital insurrection, but together with his wasteful spending of time and money on fruitless election lawsuits and questionable insurrectionist support, shows a bold and repeating pattern that Ted Cruz is wholly unfit for one of the highest offices in the land and has forever crossed a line that demands he be removed from his post. To not recall Ted Cruz after these repeating actions would be illogical, unethical, very un-Texan, and wholly un-American. The entire State of Texas deserves better. Therefore, we call upon John Cornyn and every United States Senator to lobby one another such that proceedings that will lead to the expulsion of Ted Cruz can be started in earnest, and so that his successor is quickly chosen so Texas citizens will not have to suffer the dereliction of duty and morbid insubordination of Ted Cruz any longer. Thank you.

Early in February, President Biden formally issued a proclamation to end the fake “national emergency” Trump declared on the U.S.-Mexico border. But as of right now, 3,600 active duty troops are staying put. People seeking safety and asylum should be met with humanitarian aid and open arms. Instead, the U.S.-Mexico border is a place of chemical weapons, detention centers, barbed wire, walls, and active duty troops. While Biden is making positive moves, unless the U.S. southern border — and U.S. immigration policy — is fully demilitarized, there’s no way they’ll ever be enough to truly get us away from where we’ve been. We’ve got to start moving toward where our professed values push us to be. And we’ve got to do it fast. The militarization of the border has got to end. It will, but only if we show the Biden administration that there’s massive public support for them to do it.

Floridians, your right to assemble and your freedom of speech are under attack. The HB1/SB484 Combating Public Disorder bill currently making its way through the Florida legislature is nothing more than a power grab by Governor Ron DeSantis. The right to assemble and the freedom of speech are both protected under the First Amendment. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” If Congress cannot remove our rights, why does Governor Ron DeSantis think he can? It’s a power grab. It’s a dog whistle message intended to establish two separate paths of justice for Florida: Those with a badge or privilege will be allowed to use a gun or car to injure or kill a protestor with no liability. "This legislation would have legalized the murder of Heather Heyer in Charlottesville," Andrew Gillum tweeted, referring to the 2017 incident in which a white supremacist drove his car into a crowd of counter protesters during a Virginia "Unite the Right" rally. Those without a badge or privilege will not be afforded bail if they are arrested for peacefully protesting, and will see increased penalties and jail-time. “Peaceful protesters could be arrested and charged with a third-degree felony for ‘committing a riot’ even if they didn’t engage in any disorderly and violent conduct.” Dissent is patriotic. This nation was built upon dissent, as the injustices of the many required a new path forward. Dissent has always pushed this country forward toward progress. “This proposed legislation is completely unnecessary. There are already criminal laws — both state and federal — that address rioting, insurrection, treason, assault, and battery. In fact, if this legislation passes, it would have a chilling effect on exercising one’s right to to peaceably assemble.” Governor Ron DeSantis is afraid of accountability and progress and has chosen instead to silence dissent. This bill will further hinder police accountability and criminal justice reform, and serves only to embolden a military response to peaceful protesters. Reject the power grab by Governor Ron DeSantis by sending a message to Florida lawmakers that you oppose HB1/SB484 and reject his power grab by Governor Ron DeSantis. #DemandBetterFL Sources cited: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/guest-commentary/os-op-anti-protest-bill-brigham-quince-20210216-5qiil6vzfbakbj244bw6v54fi4-story.html https://www.aclufl.org/en/written-testimony-oppose-hb-1-and-sb-484-anti-protest-bill https://www.newsweek.com/florida-governor-proposes-law-that-could-allow-drivers-run-over-mob-1533401 https://www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/commentary/fl-op-com-desantis-anti-protest-bill-prosecutor-20210210-6n44w542xrdrlh6ujc67edille-story.html https://www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/commentary/fl-op-com-schultz-florida-legislature-20210209-anbbizpjxbh4tok26jpxq4zkse-story.html

If the filibuster is not eliminated, McConnell will use it to continue with his determination to block all legislation by Democrats that could possibly help our country and our people. This would enable the Republicans to cynically attack the Democrats for lack of accomplishment. This would empower them to recapture the government in 2022 and complete the demolition of our democracy that they continued so effectively under Trump, by energizing Neo-Nazis and the other domestic white supremacist terrorists who stormed the Capitol on 1/6. Though eliminating the filibuster could have adverse consequences in the future, the current situation is so dire that one must immediately proceed nevertheless. Urge Senators Feinstein and Manchin to support elimination of the filibuster

LNG is fracked methane gas that is extracted from shale formations and processed into a liquid state by cooling to minus 260 degrees F, reducing its volume by more than 600 times to facilitate storage and transport. LNG is classified as a hazardous material. When spilled, it becomes flammable and potentially explosive, posing significant and unmitigatable danger to public safety and health and to the environment. This threat to public safety accompanies every step of LNG’s supply chain including processing, handling, transloading, storage, and transporting. The risks of potential catastrophic damage to human life and the environment posed by a fire and/or explosion from a spill or breach of an LNG container outweigh any claimed benefits of this alternative fuel. Communities of color and those with low household incomes comprise about 38 percent of the people living within three miles of proposed LNG facilities. In addition to safety threats, public health is negatively impacted by air pollution from LNG processing, including particulate matter 2.5, total particulate matter, hazardous air pollutants such as benzene and mercury compounds, volatile organic compounds, ammonia, sulfuric acid, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxides. Those closest to the emission source receive the most harm from most pollutants. Furthermore, the enormous footprint of these emissions can cause damage to human health for up to 159 miles. Additionally, recent analyses show a disturbing relationship between COVID-19 and air pollution: the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increases as PM 2.5 increases and potential death rate from the virus also rises. Throughout gas and oil extraction, development, delivery, and end use, public health is harmed, especially for those on the frontlines. The history of disproportionate current and historic environmental burdens on black and brown communities and the poor is a pattern of gross environmental injustice that is intolerable. In your January 27th “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad Executive Order”, you commit your administration to centering environmental justice in a “whole of government” approach; stopping LNG export and its infrastructure is a priority to address these oppressive inequities. The full life cycle of greenhouse gas emissions from extraction and liquefaction to end use are so great that, depending on amounts leaked and vented, LNG can be as bad or worse than coal in terms of atmospheric warming, exacerbating climate change. Methane is the most powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to heating the atmosphere on the all-important 10 and 20-year time scale, adding to the emissions that we, as a nation, are supposed to be reducing (reducing greenhouse gases by 45% from 2010 levels by 2030) in order to do our part to combat the climate crisis. A recent report documents that from 2018 to 2019, the oil and gas sector experienced the largest year-to-year growth in reported greenhouse gas emissions, led by LNG, which reported a 52% emissions increase. Another new report found that producing, liquefying, and transporting the gas will generate up to 213 million metric tons of new greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. alone by 2030, equal to the annual emissions of up to 45 million cars. The export of LNG for use overseas further increases emissions as the gas travels by ship, is regasified and finally burned, discharging both methane (primarily from regasification) and carbon dioxide (primarily from combustion), contravening global climate goals. The expansion of LNG export capacity requires the proliferation of gas drilling and fracking to feed the demand created by the export market. This induces new and expanded fracking and its infrastructure such as pipelines and, with that, environmental destruction, public health harm, and climate damage. Economic analysts explain that increasing gas takeaway capacity induces the production of gas. The higher priced markets reached through exporting LNG overseas provide incentive that would not exist for domestic natural gas otherwise. But the externalized costs for the public rise exponentially as the industry profits. Investing in capital-intensive LNG export infrastructure incentivizes extraction, increased consumption of natural gas, and dependence on polluting fossil fuels for decades more, thus displacing clean renewables and disincentivizing efficient energy use. Additionally, there is an oversupply of U.S. LNG export capacity and the demand for LNG in today’s global market is in steady decline, threatening to turn LNG facilities into stranded assets. Policy decisions in France and Ireland in recent weeks are shutting out LNG imports, and the economic forecast for LNG is unstable at best. Furthermore, the growth of renewable non-fossil fuel energy sources and energy efficiencies are more economically beneficial, climate friendly, and provide more self-determination for communities. We need a secure green energy future worthy of public investment.

The Ku Klux Klan Act was passed in order to prevent White supremacists post-Civil War from harassing or even lynching newly elected Black officials. While the White supremacists of 2021 did not target Black officials specifically, their agenda was to maintain a racist demagogue, Trump, in power, even though he clearly lost the election. Bennie Thompson's lawsuit is now being heard in the US District Court in Washington DC. The defendants- Trump, Guiliani and the Proud Boys have all asked that it be dismissed. Trump claims that he had "absolute immunity" because he was still in office, Guiliani says he was just using rhetoric, and the Proud Boys claim that individual legislators have no standing. They are all trying to evade consequences for the upheaval they planned and executed. Derrick Johnson, NAACP President, puts it this way: “If you try to move forward without holding people accountable, you only set yourself up [for] future activity that could possibly be successful in toppling our democracy. For African Americans, we see a long history of people not being held accountable ... and if we don't hold people accountable, there becomes this entitlement that it's OK to cause harm and violate the law.” Trump has now become the Republican kingmaker, with the goal of installing White supremacists in power in the 2022 Congress, and throughout the states. All GOP candidates for office now seek Trump’s stamp of approval. His alt-right backers are increasingly radical and willing to use violence. https://www.virginiamercury.com/2021/03/16/after-the-insurrection-americas-far-right-groups-get-more-extreme/ The GOP has become a white supremacy party, racist, and anti-immigrant. It is a cult, built around a powerful man who believes he is destined to rule America. Rep. Thompson’s civil suit alleges trauma and seeks punitive damages. Witnesses can be subpoenaed. It will look into every aspect of planning, execution, and lack of prompt response to the insurrection of Jan 6th. The Ku Klux Klan Act makes it a Federal crime to take part in a seditious conspiracy. Therefore, the evidence that comes to light during this litigation can be used in criminal prosecutions of the defendants named in the civil suit. This lawsuit is a powerful tool to discredit Trump and his followers. It also may bankrupt them. The more Congresspeople join the suit, the more publicity it will get, the more damages the defendants will have to shell out, and the more likely it will be that white supremacy will be marginalized. Please call or write your Congresspeople and ask them to join Rep. Bennie Thompson’s lawsuit. You can find your Representative’s contact info at https://www.house.gov/representatives and your Senators at https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact And please spread this petition to everyone you know. https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/congresspeople-join-rep-bennie-thompson-s-lawsuit-vs-trump/ Peace, Carol Wolman

Inclusion and belonging are cornerstones of our community and it is the duty and the privilege of town administrators, police departments, and faith-based groups to make clear in no uncertain terms that all town residents throughout Hillsborough county are valued members of our community, that they will be treated with dignity and respect, and that acts of violence against them will be prosecuted. Additionally, it must be made explicitly clear to those responsible that these acts of vandalism and intolerance will not be tolerated by any of the abovementioned groups. That hate has no home in Hillsborough county. We urge the abovementioned groups to—in addition to their public statements addressing and condemning these acts of violence and expressing support for all residents in this community—make themselves resources on diversity, inclusion, and belonging by setting this as an important public priority within their own organizations.