Yesterday we got the news that Obama’s EPA would block a coal plant. Just breaking from the NYTimes. On Monday among other things President Obama (!) will direct federal regulators to move swiftly to grant 14 states the right to set stricter emissions and efficiency standards then the feds. The Bush EPA rejected this request in December of 07. California and other states have sued over this and now Obama will be taking one more step to reverse yet another bad legacy left by the Bush Administration.

The California standards will reduce overall greenhouse gas emission from passenger cars 18 percent by 2020 and 27 percent by 2030. They will (I believe) go into effect later this year in California, Arizona, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Connecticut, Oregon, Maine, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Vermont, Washington and Massachusetts. In addition Colorado, North Carolina, Florida, Minnesota Iowa and Utah are considering implementing the standards.  

Note: I originally posted this last year but the problem is still the same so I thought I’d post it again. Some of the dates are wrong and some links may not work but it should still give you a overview of this pressing moral crises and how we can help.

“None of us is truly free while others remain enslaved. –Archbishop Desmond Tutu

This Christmas people around the world celebrate. But take some time to think about the problems of the world. For example. Think about this.

27 Million People Live in Slavery.

Even today our fellow humans live enslaved. That’s why I am a abolitionist. And despite being Jewish. I am making a Christmas wish and goal to end slavery. 2007 marks the 200 year anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade in Britain so what a better year to make a commitment to end slavery? Thankfully we can take simple steps to help end slavery. Keep on reading to learn how.

If you are not a member of Avaaz.org you should be. There are on the forefront of the global fight for justice and make it easy to help out in big or small ways.

There latest campaign is about one of the most pressing issues in the world right now. The situation in Zimbabwe. Generally the people on this site are well informed so I will assume you are up to date with what has been happening. Essentially Robert Mugabe’s government has withheld the results of the national elections–and threatens to use violence and fraud to hold on to power. They want immunity for there criminal acts before they hand over power (sound familiar?) but if they don’t get it they are willing to go on with their repressive regime that is crippling the people of Zimbabwe.

Mugabe has resisted international pressure so far–but South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki, who is a close freind of Mugabe’s, might listen. A global outcry is needed to ensure that Mbeki knows his status as a global and regional leader is on the line: the world is turning to him to help bring justice for the people of Zimbabwe.

So Avaaz has launched a petition that reads as follows:

Petition to Robert Mugabe, Thabo Mbeki, and world leaders:

We sign to support the democratic and human rights of the people of Zimbabwe. Election results must be released immediately, verified independently, and–if approved as legitimate–accepted by all parties. If a run-off is required, it should be monitored by international observers and be kept free of violence, fraud, and intimidation. World leaders, including South African President Thabo Mbeki, should do all they can to ensure a just result.

We must stand with the people of Zimbabwe. We must take action. So far 88,234 people have signed and they are trying to get to 100,000 or even more. Every voice counts.

Take a stand for justice. Take action.

Peace.

Today Tom Hayden, Bill Fletcher, Jr., Barbara Ehrenreich and Danny Glover published a open letter to American progressives urging them to join them and support Barack Obama. Why? Because Obama’s campaign is a movement.

We intend to join and engage with our brothers and sisters in the vast rainbow of social movements to come together in support of Obama’s unprecedented campaign and candidacy. Even though it is candidate-centered, there is no doubt that the campaign is a social movement, one greater than the candidate himself ever imagined

I think this is a very important letter and I’ll take a deeper look at it in this essay.

8 weeks ago today in a blog on DailyKos and many other sites I posted a proposal for a Obamathon fundraising drive to help Barack Obama win in the first Super Tuesday (February 5th). Since then 896 people have donated $48,771 dollars via that page and Obama has gone from a underdog to a clear front runner within reach of the nomination.

But there is still work to do to get there. Obama has to run two campaigns at once. He still has to win the Democratic nomination and also he has to run against Senator McCain. He is facing a two front battle. It is still a uphill fight but it can be won.

So I’m relaunching the Obamathon as the Obamathon 2.0 (real original name I know) and setting a new goal of $100,000 by April 22, the day of the next primary.

David Sirota has a very interesting article in the February edition of In These Times. It is also available for viewing online.

While I don’t agree with everything he says in it I think it is a good point to bring up and a fascinating article. In it he talks about why “Empowering Capitol Hill progressives is just as important as presidental campaign platforms.”

It is a good start to the broader discussion of what the end results of each canidate would be. A discussion that should not only include congress and platforms but also electoral coattails and working style among other things. But those will have to later. In this essay I will just be focusing on the arguments Sirota makes.  

Over three weeks ago in a posting on DailyKos and other political blogs I launched the Obamathon. A drive to help Barack Obama win on February 5th. Twenty-two states voted that day so it is hard to firmly say who won and who lost but when this campaign started over a year ago I never would have dreamed that we would do so well. Since then eight states have voted and every single one has handed Obama a victory. Now we are hearing that Obama will win Wisconsin, we will see how that plays out. Later tonight the polls will close in Hawai’i and we will see how Obama does there.

But no matter what the final results of those states are one thing is clear. We must March 4th Together for Barack Obama. What does this mean? It means on March 4th four states will vote. Rhode Island, Vermont, Ohio and Texas. It means whatever happens tonight and until then we must keep it going, we must March 4th. And we must do it together. That’s why I’m relaunching the Obamathon as the March 4th Together for Obama fundraising drive.