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Tell Detroit to Turn On the Taps: Water is a Human RightIt's a crisis. The city of Detroit has unjustly shut off the water of thousands of low-income Black and brown Detroit residents, threatening their health, safety, and livelihood. And matters are only set to get worse.(1) Residents who owe as little as $33 are having their water shut off with no warning. Seniors, the sick and injured, and families with special needs are left without running water and working toilets. People recovering from surgery cannot wash and change bandages. Children cannot bathe and parents cannot cook. And while the people suffer, the corporations are protected. The city of Detroit provides water at wholesale price to the wealthy suburbs; however city residents pay retail price for the water they receive. The city of Detroit provides water at wholesale price to the wealthy suburbs; however city residents pay retail price for the water they receive. Palmer Park Golf Course owes $422,000 the VA Hospitial $131,000, yet they continue to have water.(2) As well, Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr gave Gov. Snyder a pass on the Michigan's $4.5 million unpaid water bill of by reducing the state's debt to $113,000. Only $19,000 has been paid to date. Entire families and their livelihoods are on the line. If parents cannot afford to restore water service within 60 days they are at risk of having Social Services remove their children from the home.(3) If water bills remain unpaid a lien can be placed on the home and the home can be sold. (4) This must stop NOW! The plan to cut off water to 150,000 households by the end of the summer is part of efforts sell off and privatize Detroit’s water system for corporate profits.(5) In order to make the utility attractive to investors, lower-income households are being forced to pay exorbitant rates for their water and sewer services, or see their access cut. Water rates have risen in Detroit by 119% in the last decade.(6) With unemployment rates at a record high, and the poverty rate at about 40%, Detroit water bills are unaffordable to a massive portion of the community. (7) Hundreds of thousands of low-income Black families are at risk. The city's water shut offs are in line with decades of racially discriminatory policies targeting Black and brown Detroiters, which have resulted in unjust home seizures, the separation of children from their parents, and the creation of serious health risks to entire neighborhoods.(8) By allowing thousands of people to be denied access to water and sanitation services, the U.S. government is violating the United Nations resolution codifying the human right to water and sanitation. Show your solidarity with the people in Detroit and join Progressive Democrats for America, National Nurses United, NetRoots attendees, and local Detroit activists for a rally at Hart Plaza at 1pm on Friday, July 18th where we will make send our message loud and clear to Gov. Synder and Emergency Manager Orr. References: 1. "We the People of Detroit," Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wethepeopleofdetroit/posts/764130140275688 2. "Detroit Water Shutoffs," Politics Progressive 07-11-2014 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/svs/2014/07/11/detroit-water-shutoffs 3. See reference 1. 4. "Detroit's Water War: a tap shut-off that could impact 300,000 people," The Guardian 06-24-2014 http://www.theguardian.com/environment/true-north/2014/jun/25/detroits-water-war-a-tap-shut-off-that-could-impact-300000-people 5. "Important Tax Lien Information," Detroit Water and Sewage Department http://www.dwsd.org/pages_n/billpay.html 6. "What Happens When Detroit Shuts Off the Water of 100,000 People," The Atlantic 07-17-2014 http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/07/what-happens-when-detroit-shuts-off-the-water-of-100000-people/374548/ 7. See reference 3. 8. See reference 5. 9. See reference 3. 10."Against Austerity in Detroit: 'Water Is a Human Right'" The Nation 07-11-2014 http://www.thenation.com/blog/180625/against-austerity-detroit-water-human-right#4 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Rashad Robinson
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Princeton University, Divest from Fossil Fuels and Professor HapperYou can review the sources referenced in the petition by following the links below: Professor Happer's appearance on Squawk Box: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/15/carbon-dioxide-demonization-jews_n_5589098.html Media Matters' coverage, including figure on ExxonMobil's donations to the Marshall Institute: http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/07/15/cnbcs-climate-expert-demonization-of-carbon-dio/200107 The Princetonian's piece on fossil fuel investments: http://dailyprincetonian.com/news/2014/04/in-light-of-changes-and-unrest-princeton-monitoring-investment-policies-across-the-ivy-league/ Please sign this petition and share it with your friends.16 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Karen Feridun
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Cory Gardner stop lying about Keystone XL JobsWe must elect honest politicians who genuinely care about the health of our planet and us.5,173 of 6,000 SignaturesCreated by Robert Parker
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Tell @NBCNews, @deborahturness: Send Your Reporter Back to #GazaAs Glenn Greenwald reported at The Intercept on July 17 [1], Ayman Mohyeldin, the NBC News correspondent who has received widespread praise [2] for his brave coverage of the Israel/Palestine conflict, was told by NBC executives to leave Gaza. NBC executives claimed the decision was motivated by “security concerns.” But then NBC sent another correspondent into Gaza to cover the ongoing Israeli assault. Jordan Chariton reported at MediaBistro [3] that the NBC News decision to remove Ayman Mohyeldin from the story angered NBC News staffers. Michael Calderone at Huffington Post noted speculation that NBC News pulled Mohyeldin because of a tweet critical of the State Department. [4] Urge NBC News to reinstate Ayman Mohyeldin as a correspondent in Gaza and publicly explain its decision to remove him from reporting on Gaza by signing our petition. References: 1. “NBC News Pulls Veteran Reporter from Gaza After Witnessing Israeli Attack on Children,” Glenn Greenwald, First Look/The Intercept, 17 Jul 2014, https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/07/17/nbc-removes-ayman-mohyeldin-gaza-coverage-witnesses-israeli-beach-killing-four-boys/ 2. “A few words of praise for some of the reporters covering Israeli-Palestinian violence,” David Zurawik, Baltimore Sun, July 17, 2014 http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-tv-reporters-gaza-israel-warfare-20140716,0,5445863.story 3. “Ayman Mohyeldin Witnesses Gaza Airstrike, but Richard Engel Reports for ‘Nightly News’,” Jordan Chariton, MediaBistro, July 16, 2014 http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ayman-mohyeldin-witnesses-gaza-airstrike-but-richard-engel-reports-on-nightly-news_b232276 4. “Questions Surround NBC's Removal Of Ayman Mohyeldin From Gaza,” Michael Calderone, Huffington Post, 7/17/2014, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/17/nbc-news-ayman-mohyeldin-gaza_n_5596268.html9,358 of 10,000 SignaturesCreated by Robert Naiman
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Sean McCann and Tonya Schuitmaker Repeal the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act of 2011For several reasons this law is a net loss for the state: Innocent bystanders getting hurt, some of whom don't have health insurance, which results in higher premiums for everybody; the unfunded mandate to our local jurisdictions from: increased police/fire/ems calls; administration of licenses, inspection and enforcement of regulations for fireworks businesses; this law cannot be enforced because of budget cuts to police departments across the state. This allows fireworks to be used for weeks around the holiday instead of days resulting in serious degradation of our quality of life, THIS LAW SHOULD BE REPEALED.91 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Jim Ferner
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Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi: Please don't challenge judicial rulings allowing...The law against same sex marriage is being challenged in Florida and I would like my marriage from New York State to be recognized in my home state of Florida. I don't believe it's fair to deny this right to a certain part of the residents of this state.101 of 200 SignaturesCreated by Simon Beachley
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ALTERNATIVE Redistricting SOLUTIONThe people of Florida deserve to vote in districts not tainted by a flawed and unlawful process. Convenience MUST NOT be a reason to allow voting to proceed with those UNLAWFUL congressional maps.38 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Mike Trout
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President Obama Please Help the War to End in The GazaPeace on Earth. No more children, being killed. No more pain, and loss. It can be done. God is our Father, and he will judge us all 1 day. Be faithful. America can help in the right way's, not the wrong.16 of 100 SignaturesCreated by zarifa sabah
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Tell Taskrabbit.com to switch back to a bidding/quick assign formatIn the past week, thousands of people have seen their income come to a complete halt or be significantly reduced by this change, a change forced on the workers without their input. The ability of workers to choose what jobs they accept and where and when they work embodied the brilliance and appeal of this employment platform, and that is all gone due to these changes.115 of 200 SignaturesCreated by Jennifer Chambless
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Students for Intellectual Property RightsWith your help we can strengthen our movement to promote the legislation nationwide. Ask congress to help remove this roadblock preventing millions of students from generating IP, starting companies and creating jobs. Our goal is to reach to the most influential policy makers. Require our nation's public institutions to implement student-friendly IP policies in the upcoming Higher Education Reauthorization Act.145 of 200 SignaturesCreated by University Innovation Fellows
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John Cornyn, Stop Accepting Money from the Koch BrothersThe Koch Brothers have put their fingers and $$$ into almost every aspect of our country. If you accept their contributions, you are no longer representing us, the people. Government run by corporations is not democracy, it's Fascism.481 of 500 SignaturesCreated by Bill Hamm
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Speak up for the PalestiniansIt was wrong what the Germans did to the Jews, wrong what South Africa did with apartheid and equally wrong what is being done to the Palestinians.2 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Tony Solis