Source: MoveOn.org political action email update
Target, the retail giant, just became one of the very first companies to take advantage of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision allowing unlimited corporate cash in elections.
Target has spent over $150,000 in the Minnesota Governor’s race backing state Rep. Tom Emmer, a far-right Republican who supports Arizona’s draconian immigration law, wants to abolish the minimum wage and even gave money to a fringe group that condoned the execution of gay people.
Target must think customers won’t care. They’re wrong: We do care, and we need to let them know that we want Target—and all corporations—out of our elections.
Will you send a message to Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel telling him that you’re not going to shop at Target unless they stop trying to buy elections? Click here to add your name to the petition:
http://pol.moveon.org/state/target/?id=22226-17967198-g1jaqFx&t=2
Once we get 150,000 signatures, MoveOn members in Minnesota will hand deliver the petition to Target headquarters.
The stakes are much higher than one candidate and one company. Other CEOs are in “wait-and-see” mode following the Citizens United decision, according to a former Federal Trade Commission counsel quoted on NPR.3 If we don’t push back hard, this will just be the tip of the iceberg. Other corporations will learn that they can pour money into elections to buy the outcome they want—without paying a price with their customers or shareholders.
We all knew Citizens United would benefit candidates who stand up for corporate CEOs instead of everyday people. But you wouldn’t expect a company like Target to jump in and try to buy an election so quickly. After all, Target made its name by being thought of as the more progressive store in the wake of numerous WalMart scandals.
That’s why MoveOn members are following up on actions of groups like Human Rights Campaign and the Alliance for a Better Minnesota by telling Target that we won’t shop there unless they stop trying to buy elections.
Please add your voice now:
http://pol.moveon.org/state/target/?id=22226-17967198-g1jaqFx&t=3
Governor to sign the Autism Insurance Legislation
Please join Representative L’Italien & Senator Berry
Tuesday August 3rd at 2:30pm @ Fenway Park
Please enter through GATE E SECTION 32
Parking lots around the park are as follows:
The Trilogy parking garage on Kilmarnock St.
The Landmark Center garage on Fullerton Street.
The 1330 Boylston Garage on Boylston Street (on the Jersey Street side.)
There are also a number of open-air lots on Boylston Street.
Please forward the updated gate and parking information to whomever you feel will be attending
In the meantime should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Jen Barrelle at Jennifer.Barrelle@state.ma.us or X 7793
In light of the recent discovery of the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) in Jamaicaway, Boston, on Thursday, July 15th Senator Chandler and Representative O’Day of Worcester organized an information briefing to help legislators learn more about and spread the word about the Asian Longhorned Beetle.
Since the ALB was discovered in Worcester in August 2008, entire neighborhood landscapes have been transformed as 25,000 trees have been removed over a short amount of time to fight the spread of the beetle. Thus far, the city of Worchester has started the re-planting process, but there is a great amount of work yet to be done.
Now that we have learned that the beetle has spread, we would like to make sure that everyone in our community is aware of the issue in the hopes of keeping this environmental epidemic to a minimum. As a state, we’re in for a long protracted battle against the ALB, and we all must be as informed as possible in order to best protect our communities, our Commonwealth, and New England at large.
Together with Commissioner Rick Sullivan of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and Commissioner Scott Soares of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, you can acquire free materials to place in town halls, libraries, schools, and distribute to community groups that summarize the dangers and the successful eradication efforts of the ALB, and most importantly how to immediately report any sightings.
For order requests of free materials including the DVD, Lurking in the Trees, which presents Worcester as a town that could be anywhere in America, filled with people who are seeing the devastation of forest pests on a personal level and rising to the challenge of protecting the entire region’s vital natural resources, email info@lurkinginthetrees.org .
You can also visit the site http://www.mass.gov/agr/alb.htm and print and post copies of the information below:
Asian Longhorned Beetle Information
Contact: Jennifer Forman Orth, Jennifer.Forman-Orth@state.ma.us – 617.626.1735
The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), discovered in Worcester, MA in August 2008, is an invasive pest of hardwood trees, including maple, birch and elm. The spread of this pest would cause serious negative impacts to the maple sugaring, nursery, tourism and forest product industries, as well as to our state’s forest, park and street trees. The Division of Crop and Pest Services, through the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) Program, provides public outreach and screening of potential Asian longhorned beetle sightings in order to prevent the further spread of this invasive pest.
The following Asian longhorned beetle information resources are available:
• Report a potential Asian longhorned beetle sighting (or call toll-free: 1-866-702-9938)
• Massachusetts Asian Longhorned Beetle Cooperative Eradication Program website (Latest Regulated Area maps, host lists, etc.)
• ALB Outreach Tools (printable fact sheets, Powerpoint presentation, photos and graphics)
• ALB Newsletter
As always, please be in touch with any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
CORY ATKINS
14th Middlesex
617-722-2692
Rep.CoryAtkins@hou.state.ma.us
Supporters of an expansion of the state's bottle bill gather to push for late-session action on the proposals (Grand Staircase, July 7, 2010)
Please Join Us at a Press Event to Call for Passage of the Updated Bottle Bill!
The Updated Bottle Bill proponents are asking you to join in a strong show of support for this important bill and to help build momentum for its passage!
WHO: Anyone interested in the Updated Bottle Bill legislation
WHAT: A press event to call for passage of the Updated Bottle Bill; several guest speakers invited
Wednesday, July 7, 2010, 10:30am
State House, Beacon Hill, Boston
Grand Staircase, Second Floor
To RSVP or for questions, please contact Kathleen Hornby in Rep. Wolf’s office at 617-722-2810 or email her at Kathleen.Hornby@state.ma.us.
Dear Constituent,
Thank you again for contacting my office about expanded gambling.
I write to follow up with a letter I sent you in the mail. The State Senate has announced that they will be holding a public hearing about gambling on Tuesday, June 8 at the State House in Boston. I would encourage you to attend and voice your opinion. The Senate has not yet announced the time or room location of the hearing, and so I will email you again when they do. As always, please do not hesitate to email me or call my office at 617-722-2692 if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Cory Atkins
