Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Las Vegas Anti-War Rally In Solidarity
with January 27, 2007 March on Washington

United for Peace and Justice (1500 organizations) is teaming with over 500 additional groups to march on Congress to insist the U.S. get out of Iraq. Massive numbers are expected to rally and march around the Capital on January 27th at the start of a 3-day event.

This is a call for participation in an anti-war rally Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 1 pm in front of the Federal Building at 333 So. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, Nevada.

Nevada Workers Against the War will be joining with members of several progressive organizations including MoveOn and Democracy For America.

This march will coincide with a massive demonstration in Washington D.C., and other actions around the country.

There will be signs available, or you can make your own. Everyone is strongly encouraged to bring American flags, as we are exercising our great American right to publicly protest the stupidity of our elected officials. As usual, we will express our intention to support our troops by bringing them home.

For those who don't know, the Federal Building, officially known as the Lloyd George Federal Courthouse, is the huge modern building at 333 So. Las Vegas Blvd. just a few blocks south of Fremont Street.

Though the Federal building has no public parking, there is a City of Las Vegas public parking lot just south of the building, across Clark Street. It has parking meters that charge $1.00 per hour Mon.-Sat., so bring some quarters if you park there. The surrounding side streets also have a lot of parking meters, but most of them are not in use on Saturday. (Some are, so check.) Also, the Fremont Street Experience parking garage is up the street with ample parking for $1.00 per half-hour. Also, the Strip bus (the Deuce) passes by the Courthouse, and the 105 and 108 busses have stops within walking distance.

Bush has chosen to ignore the will of the people by calling for an escalation of the war in Iraq with threats of expanding the war to Iran and Syria. Las Vegas needs to be part of January 27th showing of people power. This war will never end until the people show threw massive and frequent demonstrations that the president cannot ignore what the people say. We cannot sit by while our GI's are called on to sacrifice for an illegal occupation and lost cause and tens of thousands of Iraqi's sufferings from a foreign occupation and the civil war it has caused.

STOP THE WAR NOW
NO ESCALATION
NO SABRE RATTLING


www.lasvegasantiwar.org

http://lasvegas.staughton.indypgh.org/news/2007/01/6500.php

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Amendment Protects Grassroots Organizing

Click here to listen to the audio of Senator Bennett's floor statement to strike section 220-The Disclosure of Paid Efforts to Stimulate Grassroots Lobbying- from the bill.

http://src.senate.gov/public/_files/radio/bennettlobbying01_17_07.mp3


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Sunday, January 21, 2007

Thanks to the efforts of Feminists for Life members and others, the Senate voted 55-43 to pass the amendment offered by Senator Robert Bennett. This amendment protects grassroots organizing within the Senate’s version of the Lobbying and Ethics Reform Bill (S.1).

The passed amendment strikes Section 220 of the bill, which would have for the first time restricted and regulated paid efforts to stimulate "grassroots lobbying."

Grassroots lobbying was defined as the "voluntary efforts of members of the general public to communicate their own views on an issue to Federal officials or to encourage other members of the general public to do the same."

We thank FFL activists who contacted their senators in support of the Bennett amendment so that we may continue to be a vital voice for women and children.

Because women deserve better, Serrin M. Foster, President
Feminists for Life of America www.feministsforlife.org

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January 19, 2007, 8:31 AM PST

The U.S. Senate has rejected a proposal that may have required some political bloggers to register as lobbyists or face prison time.

By Anne Broache
Staff Writer, CNET News.com


By a 55-43 http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00017 vote on Thursday evening, the senators approved an amendment that dropped a controversial section dictating such regulations from a massive piece of federal lobbying legislation.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:s.00001:

Seven Democrats joined 48 Republicans voting in favor of the amendment, which was proposed by Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah). http://bennett.senate.gov/ No Republicans voted against the measure.

http://news.com.com/Lobby+bill+spares+political+bloggers/2100-1028_3-6151519.html?tag=st.txt.caro

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January 18, 2007

The Hill, The Newspaper for and about the U.S. Congress

McCain does about-face on grassroots reform bill
By Alexander Bolton


Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has told conservative activists that he will vote to strip a key provision on grassroots lobbying from the reform package he previously supported.

The provision would require grassroots organizations to report on their fundraising activities and is strongly opposed by groups such as the National Right to Life Committee, Gun Owners of America, and the American Civil Liberties Union.

...“Under Section 220, anyone who is paid anything by an organization that spends any money at all to encourage more than 500 members of the general public to communicate with members of Congress, if he or she also has contacted congressional offices directly as few as two times, and has spent as little as 20 percent of his or her time on such direct lobbying and grassroots-motivating activities, would be required to register with Congress as a ‘lobbyist’ and file detailed quarterly reports,” wrote [Douglas]Johnson [director of legislative affairs for the National Right to Life Committee] in a letter to Senate offices, adding, “If enacted, it will disrupt the constitutionally protected activities of thousands of issue-oriented citizen groups from coast to coast. …”

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/011807/mccain.html

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Wednesday January 17, 2007 Highland, California

Highland Community News, WEB EDITION

Traditional Values Coalition opposes lobby bill


“The Traditional Values Coalition is deeply concerned about the grassroots lobbying requirements in Section 220 of S.1, Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act,” said TVC Chairman Rev. Louis P. Sheldon today. “Section 220 is a direct assault on the First Amendment and the right of citizens to freely petition their government for a redress of grievances!

http://www.highlandnews.net/articles/2007/01/17/opinion/06values.txt

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Jan 17, 2007 at 07:22 PM ET

Political Bloggers Could Be Required To Register Or Face Jail Time
By Mitch Wagner


"Section 220 of S. 1, the lobbying reform bill currently before the Senate, would require grassroots causes, even bloggers, who communicate to 500 or more members of the public on policy matters, to register and report quarterly to Congress the same as the big K Street lobbyists. Section 220 would amend existing lobbying reporting law by creating the most expansive intrusion on First Amendment rights ever. For the first time in history, critics of Congress will need to register and report with Congress itself," according to a statement from GrassRootsFreedom.com

http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2007/01/political_blogg.html

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January 17, 2007

The Chattanoogan.com

Alexander Co-Sponsors Amendment To Preserve Citizens


Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) announced Wednesday that he has co-sponsored an amendment by Senator Bob Bennett (R-UT) to preserve the rights of groups and citizens to petition the U.S. government.

“Thomas Paine, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Martin Luther King Jr. and countless others have rallied like-minded Americans to their causes. Our nation is better for it,” said Senator Alexander. “I will oppose any language that could hinder the next generation of civic leaders from encouraging Americans to petition their government and improve our nation.”

The Bennett amendment would strike Section 220 of the ethics bill now under consideration by the Senate. That section, if left intact, would require burdensome and expensive filing and reporting requirements for grassroots organizations that encourage their members to contact government representatives. This could discourage membership organizations from playing an active role in the democratic process, infringing on their members’ First Amendment rights.

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_99943.asp

S.1
Title: A bill to provide greater transparency in the legislative process.
Sponsor: Sen Reid, Harry [NV] (introduced 1/4/2007) Cosponsors (17)
Latest Major Action: 1/18/2007 Passed/agreed to in Senate. Status: Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 96 - 2. Record Vote Number: 19.

Saturday, January 06, 2007

- Stop Divine Strake 2007 -

Did you know that fallout is present everywhere in our living environment?

A U.S. government study, ordered by Congress in 1998 and released in 2002 stated: "Any person living in the contiguous United States since 1951 has been exposed to radioactive fallout and all organs and tissues of the body have received some radiation exposure."



For more: read 'Life in a Nuclear World'

http://www.stopdivinestrake.com/index2.html







- Stop Divine Strake 2007 -

Here We Go, Again!


The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has again announced plans to detonate a 700-pound test at the Nevada Test Site: Divine Strake Part II.

The DTRA completed a revised Environmental Assessment (EA)
http://www.nv.doe.gov/library/publications/environmental.aspx in the middle of the holiday season and are ready to "drop the bomb." This revised assesment ignores Governor Guinn's request for a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and the valid concerns many people have regarding the safety of the test.

We want to stop this test - because it will kick-up radioactive fallout from the Test Site floor, because it will help to develop a nuclear bunker-buster that will support more warmaking, and because it violates Western Shoshone
http://www.shundahai.org/divinestrakecomments.htm land rights.

The DTRA is holding "open houses" in select cities rather than having public hearings, contrary to what they told our elected officials last spring they would do.

This Tuesday you can help.

Join us for a Press Conference at Cashman Center before the DTRA open house. Bob Hager, the attorney from Reno who is representing some members of the Western Shoshone and Utah downwinders will be on hand to talk about his case in Federal Court. We will be video taping your comments and will submit them to the agency.

After the press conference, stay for the DTRA open house, ask questions, and submit your comments in writing. Let your voice be heard!

Date: January 9, 2007

Time: 5:30 pm (Press Conference), 6:30 - 9:00 pm (DTRA open house)

Location: Cashman Convention Center, 850 Las Vegas Blvd North, Las Vegas, NV 89101

Map:

http://www.mapblast.com/(pwvx1p45q5xqpw450wael0rt)/map.aspx?L=USA&C=36.17928%2c-115.13483&A=7.16667&P=|36.17928%2c-115.13483|1|850+Las+Vegas+Blvd+N%2c+Las+Vegas%2c+NV+89101-2062|L1|

The lack of respect and concern that our federal agencies are exhibiting compares to the heyday of nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site, when they assured us it was perfectly safe. It wasn't and it Divine Strake isn't!

After Tuesday we will be planning a follow-up educational community forum on Divine Strake and an organizing/strategy meeting. Please let us know if you are interested! For questions please contact NDE at (702) 646-4814.

Many thanks,
Nevada Desert Experience
Citizen Alert - http://www.citizenalert.org
The National Anti-Divine Strake Coalition

If you are not able to attend, you can submit your comments via these methods:

Due by 1/24/07

Mail:
NNSA/NSO
Divine Strake EA Comments
PO Box 98518
Las Vegas, NV 89193-8518

E-Mail:
divinestrake@nv.doe.gov

Fax:
702-295-0625

http://www.nevadadesertexperience.org/issues/2007/stopdivinestrake2007.htm

New report clears test blast

Public meetings set on 'Strake' test in Nevada

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,650217412,00.html

Divine Strake now set for the spring of 2007

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/01/05/18344300.php

Jan 6, 2007

Gov. Huntsman Plans Hearing On Divine Strake
SALT LAKE CITY Utah Gov. John Huntsman has directed the state’s environmental quality office to hold two public hearings on the proposed non-nuclear explosion planned for the Nevada Test Site near Las Vegas.

The 700-ton “Divine Strake” blast has raised concerns about the possible release of radioactive debris from Cold-War era nuclear tests at the site. The blast will send a 10,000-foot mushroom-shaped dust cloud over the Nevada desert.

http://kutv.com/southernutah/local_story_006193134.html

Learn more about Divine Strake

In late January 2007, based on public review of its environmental analysis, the Pentagon agency will make a decision to go down one of two paths: either go ahead with the test scheduled for mid-2007 or complete a full Environmental Impact Statement. That Environmental Impact Statement is the only way to ensure the safety to ourselves and our children. Please visit our action steps page http://www.stopdivinestrake.com/index3.html to learn about how you can help stop Divine Strake.

http://www.stopdivinestrake.com/

Friday, January 05, 2007

Wrapped Around a Bullet

Opinion/Editorial

Wrapped Around a Bullet

Kathy Kelly, Electronic Iraq, 2 January 2007


An Iraqi friend whom I've known for ten years looked worn and very weary yesterday when he came to visit me in my apartment here in Amman, Jordan. He hadn't slept the night before because he'd been on the phone with his wife who, throughout the night, was terrified by gunfire in the Iraqi village where she stays with their four small children. My friend longs to soothe and protect his wife and kids. But now he lives apart from them, in another country.

To read the full article:

http://electroniciraq.net/news/2785.shtml

Wrapped Around a Bullet
Kathy Kelly, Electronic Iraq ( 2 January 2007)


"It's hard to put your foot down over something called a 'supplemental spending bill' - over a piece of paper, a bit of writing that you didn't write yourself but are perhaps helping to deliver. My friend's life was ruined by such a piece of paper. Iraqis are leaving their homes in Iraq by the thousands every day, and prolonging this war will cause more to flee." Kathy Kelly, writing from Amman, Jordan, encourages civil disobedience in opposition to more spending on the war in Iraq and wraps her call in a story about a friend forced to flee the war and live separated from his family.

http://electroniciraq.net/news/opeds.shtml