WFP and Sick Days For NYers

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Cecelia Morgan

It’s been along time since I enjoyed a job with benefits. But luckily, I have been fortunate enough to be fairly healthy. One day my luck will run out. And I will go to work sick, as there is no other option.

Is there hope for us workaday wage slaves with no health insurance, or sick time? According to this email, things are looking up!

Cecelia ,

Can you contribute $5 to help win the next big fight in New York City?

Getting sick should never mean getting fired. And because of you, at least in New York City, it will never mean that again.

This is huge. Because of your support, we’re on track to win paid sick days for a million working New Yorkers.[1]

This has been our top priority fight in New York City for three years, and it hasn’t been easy. Just a few months back, Continue reading →

Petition to Unrig the Game

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Cecelia Morgan

Once again, those wild and crazy guys in the GOP are doing what they like best; Refusing to nominate someone that would actually help Americans protect themselves from predatory financial companies.

Check out the email I received about the Senate minority’s quest to serve their real masters, and sign the petition if you’d like to send them a message.

Below is an email from James Lardner of Americans for Financial Reform, who created a petition on SignOn.org, the nonprofit site that allows anyone to start their own online petition. If you have concerns or feedback about this petition, click here.

Don’t let the Senate gut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau!

Sign the Petition!

Dear MoveOn member,

As Elizabeth Warren says, “Never before in American history has a minority in the Senate blocked a nominee to try to get changes in a law they don’t like and don’t have the votes to change.”

She’s talking about the 43 senators who have threatened to block Rich Cordray’s re-nomination as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). They don’t question his qualifications; their grievance is with the agency itself. They want changes that would undermine its funding, independence, and authority before they will allow a vote on any nominee for the job.

Tell your senators to confirm Rich Cordray and let the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau do its job. Continue reading →

Paul Ryan Still Hates Americorps

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Cecelia Morgan

Americorps is on the chopping block again, as part of our buffest ‘policy wonk’s’ perennial offering.

And the Ryan budget has no mercy; According to Paul Ryan, apparently helping victims of disasters, at risk youth, and feeding elderly shut-ins has no value. Check out this message from service nation.

Hi Cecelia,

We’re really frustrated by something. Let us explain.

Congressman Paul Ryan, in charge of writing the budget for the House, recently released his plan for the coming year. For the third year in a row he’s trying to completely eliminate the Corporation for National and Community Service. AmeriCorps …gone. Senior Corps …no more.

But it gets worse: His reason for wanting to eliminate service is an insult to the tens of thousands of Americans who sacrifice each year in service to their country. His budget report states:

“Eliminate the Corporation for National and Community Service. Programs administered out of this agency–which created the oxymoron `paid volunteer’–provide funding to students and others who work in certain areas of public service. Participation in these programs is not based on need. The federal government already has aid programs focused on low-income students, and paying volunteers is not a core federal responsibility…”

While Congressman Ryan accepts $174,000 of taxpayer money each year for his service, he believes the full-time service of AmeriCorps members isn’t worth a single cent. This double-standard comes from one of the most powerful members of Congress and needs to be exposed far and wide. Continue reading →

An End to DOMA Now

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Cecelia Morgan

The passage of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 was a gimme from President Bill Clinton and Congress to an increasingly panicked religious right portion of the conservative bases of both parties. In my opinion, it was also a thank you for looking the other way and/or for forgiving the indiscretions of many of the more prominent players of the day. Depending on how you look at it, it served a purpose at the time for certain members of Congress, and President Bill Clinton.

It’s no secret that I support marriage equality, as do most Americans my age and younger. Now in 2013, to know that the Supreme Court is finally questioning the constitutionality of the DOMA seems shamefully overdue. As someone who’s been married and divorced Continue reading →

Tattooed Angel

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Cecelia Morgan

This clip is really amazing because it highlights something rarely talked about these days, which is acting to correct harm done by others against our fellow Americans.

I was delighted to hear the story of how these two very different young men from Roanoke, Virginia met and interacted in a touching and heartwarming way.
I already knew that some angels have tattoos.

Good on Ellen DeGeneres and Covergirl for helping out two wonderful people.

Fun Voting Facts

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Cecelia Morgan

In most of the countries on Earth, governments don’t completely strip the rights of citizenship from people who have served prison sentences.

Convicted felons DO have the right to vote in all of the United States except Florida, Virginia, and Kentucky. Ex-cons who move Florida retain their right to vote. Many Americans, even those who work for county election boards would be surprised to learn this. Continue reading →

Brides for Inhuman Grooms

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Cecelia Morgan

Can you believe the Citizens United ruling has been over a year ago? Some very industrious gals have been thinking a lot about that. ‘In fact, very deeply, as evidenced by this very interesting video by Dennis Trainor, Jr. profiling the brides of corporations, symbolically marrying their super rich, newly vested with ‘personhood‘ grooms.
Of course, the brides accessorized with plenty of green!

I wonder why the corporate gender is assumed to be male?

Robert Reich On Why Raising The Minimum Wage Is One Of The Smartest Things We Can Do | MoveOn.Org

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Cecelia Morgan

It would help us all, if all were paid a fairer wage. Poorer people put most of their money right back into the economy. When they make more, they consume more products and services. They need less support from tax payers. It’s very simple, when you think about it. Only the very rich seem to object. How often will we, as a nation, ignore the right and fair policy to follow, just to benefit a privileged few? The same tendency to appease and ease the way of the rich and powerful is illustrated in so many great injustices and pushes to go to war through out our young country’s history. I’d like to see America break the stranglehold business interests have on national policies, just once. Continue reading →

Barely liberal, civil political commentary

Monthly Archives: March 2013