Sunday, April 24, 2016

April Clipboard: Protests, Ending Campaign Finance Corruption, Citizens United, Ben & Jerry Arrested, Etc.

Ben and Jerry (ice cream guys) got arrested with many others at the Capitol here

This group helped set up the protests http://democracyawakening.org

And this group http://www.democracyspring.org/kainewkirk  

http://www.democracynow.org/2016/4/12/democracy_spring_over_400_arrested_at

"AMY GOODMAN: The Democracy Spring action comes in a presidential election cycle in which campaign finance reform, super PACs and dark money have made headlines. The Washington Post reports, through the end of January, 680 corporations had given nearly $68 million to super PACs in this election cycle—12 percent of the $549 million raised by such groups. This figure does not include the untold amounts of dark money contributions to other groups that are not disclosed by the donor or the recipient."

"KAI NEWKIRK There are many steps that Congress could take. We’re calling on them to take immediate action to end the corruption of big money in politics and ensure free and fair elections that give us all an equal voice. And there are four bills, in particular, that we’ve identified—two that deal with big money in politics and two that will protect and expand the right to vote and voter access. One would set up public finance, a citizen funding of elections, so that anyone can run for office without raising money from billionaires. Another is an amendment that would overturn Citizens United. The third would restore the damage that was done to the Voting Rights Act by the Supreme Court, the Voting Rights Advancement Act. And the fourth, the Voter Empowerment Act, would do many positive things to make it easier for people to get to the polls and to be able to vote. And in the wake of Justice Scalia’s death, there’s a fifth step that we’re calling on Congress to take, which is to confirm a nominee to the Supreme Court who will vote to uphold the principle of political equality, to end this corruption of big money in politics and ensure that all have the right to vote.
And what we’re saying is that even though the conventional wisdom is that Congress won’t do anything with Republican leadership, we don’t accept that. You know, we feel that conscience demands that we ask what is right, what is just, what is consistent with our principles as a country. And the vast majority of the American people—Republican, Democrat, independent—want change on this. And we’re saying to Congress, "You can’t just hide. You can’t just be resigned. You can’t just pretend that we don’t know that you could solve this problem right now. We’re going to demand that you do so. And if you don’t, you’re going to have to send hundreds of people to jail, day after day, and expose this problem and shine a spotlight on it and force yourselves to take a stand and make a decision." And those who don’t stand with the people, and stand on the side of corruption, we believe that there will be a growing political price to pay.
AMY GOODMAN: Kai, have any presidential candidates endorsed Democracy Spring?..."


New York Blocks New Fossil Fuel Pipelines on Earth Day 

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2016/0424/Why-New-York-blocked-a-major-natural-gas-pipeline

"The Earth Day announcement by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration marks a second win for environmentalists in the Northeast. Earlier this week, the Kinder Morgan Northeast Direct Pipeline, a $3.1-billion northeastern natural gas project, was put on hold because of “insufficient contractual commitments” in the New England market."

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Sunset, Venice 12/20/2012

Sunset, Venice 12/20/2012
I've been thinking some about the Winter Solstice, the Mayan end of the 30,000-year-cycle on 12/21/12.

What if in fact the world did end? Even though this probably will not happen, to live consciously it is honest for us to take a bit of an inventory.

Am I happy with how I've lived my life? (Yesterday, I thought mostly yes, with some areas for improvement, as below.) Are there changes I would make?
Would I have tried to forgive those that were hostile or disappointing to me?
Would I spend more time with those I loved the most, telling them that, feeling that more?
Would I be happier, grateful for what I have, what I've experienced, the joy, the beauty in this world?

Maybe the answer is yes to all of the above.
So this time can serve as a point of rebirth for all of us. If we think about it.

Because somewhere along the line I realized I think maybe mankind deserves it. !
The way we are killing each other, killing the planet.
How selfish we are, and snotty to those around us. Petty, competitive. Why is this? Do we have to behave this way? (I say no, it greatly detracts and misdirects energy from the full-time celebration in which we could engage, the great multi-cultural, multi-rhythmic dance we can sustain here.)

Maybe God or the Great Universe is fed up, and will pull the rug out from under us.
Don't think I can say we could blame Him/Her/It.

But it probably won't happen. (Probably not! This time.)

Still we are finite on this ride.

It is a time to think, am I happy with how I've lived my life?
Hopefully most of us can say yes.

For the part of us that have a little worry, a little sadness....
This is the time to be present.
This is the time to be the person you want to be, that can die at peace, that can hope to every day be able to look yourself and the Universe in the eye and say, how beautiful, smiling, and thank you. Let's do that.

Antidotes to Violence, a.k.a., Take Charge of Where Your Head's At - here

Tell Congress to Strengthen Gun Control Laws NOW - here

Good News & Brain Food News -
Christians & Muslims Gather, for Peace here
Good News - Top RIO+20 Summit Posts here
The 'Busy' Trap - NYTimes.com
here