Tag Archives: Grassroots Democracy

Tell Rep. Ashford to Vote NO on KXL

Action Alerts,

From BOLD Nebraska:

Nebraskans saw an opportunity to change the status quo in November when they elected Brad Ashford to represent them in Washington, giving the boot to Republican Rep. Lee Terry — who had served as the top cheerleader for the Keystone XL pipeline in Congress.

Farmers and ranchers who live in the proposed path of Keystone XL have shared with us the many trite “form letters” they have received from Rep. Terry, Senators Deb Fischer and Mike Johanns, and the rest of Nebraska’s all-Republican Congressional delegation, demonstrating that their very real and valid concerns about protecting our land and water from the risky Keystone XL pipeline fell on deaf ears of their elected representatives.

We now call on Rep. Ashford to provide leadership and bring common sense to Nebraska’s Congressional delegation, and vote against the bill to fast-track Keystone XL.

Read more and sign the petition.

Legal analysis: Nebraska and Oklahoma take Colorado to the Supreme Court over legalized marijuana

News,

From Patients for Medical Cannabis:

Earlier this month, the Attorneys General of Nebraska and Oklahoma filed a lawsuit on behalf of their respective states, naming the state of Colorado as the defendant. Nebraska and Oklahoma allege that Colorado’s legalization of marijuana undermines their ability to maintain their own prohibitions of marijuana because Colorado takes inadequate measures to prevent legal intrastate marijuana from crossing state borders, where it enters the illegal market. Taking advantage of a provision of the Constitution covering cases “in which a State shall be Party,” Nebraska and Oklahoma filed their complaint in the Supreme Court of the United States.

Nebraska and Oklahoma v. Colorado raises a number of important procedural and substantive questions, including these: Does Colorado’s marijuana legalization violate federal law or does it merely fail to enforce federal law? And given the essential role that the federal marijuana prohibition plays in the plaintiff states’ case, should the lawsuit be dismissed on the ground that their real complaint lies with the federal government, not Colorado?

Read full analysis.

Nebraska’s Lonely Progressives

News,

From The New York Times:

When I travel to the East or West Coasts, people sometimes ask me, “Why do you live in Nebraska?” Or even, “Have you considered moving?” Outsiders often believe Nebraska is a nondescript state with little to recommend it in culture, politics or landscape. But I reply that Nebraska is my home and that I love its people and its geography. To me there is nothing more beautiful than the muddy Platte River or the vast undulating Sand Hills. Of course, our state can be blistering in the summer, arctic in the winter. It’s a windswept, spare place designed to toughen up its inhabitants.

I also explain that Nebraska needs progressives.

Read the full story.

TransCanada has its application to the PSC ready

News,

From the Omaha World-Herald:

The company seeking to build the Keystone XL pipeline says it has no intention of walking away if the Nebraska Supreme Court deals the project a setback in coming weeks.
TransCanada Corp. has already prepared an application to the Nebraska Public Service Commission, said Corey Goulet, president of the Keystone project for the company. Whether the company submits it depends on how the Nebraska Supreme Court settles a constitutional dispute over a law used to route the pipeline, which would carry Canadian crude through the state and to refineries on the Gulf Coast.

A lower court judge struck down the 2012 law, saying the Legislature improperly gave the governor authority to approve the pipeline route. Lancaster County District Judge Stephanie Stacy ruled that regulatory power over pipelines rests with the five independently elected members of the Public Service Commission.

Read more.

Take action on net neutrality

Action Alerts,

From callthefcc.com:

There’s some great news and some terrible news: President Obama has answered our calls, and just made a strong statement urging the FCC to adopt real Net Neutrality rules under “Title II reclassification” — the strongest authority possible.

But FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is dug in: He’s trying to delay and still considering passing rules weaker than what we and Obama want — but are great for the cable companies for which Wheeler used to lobby.

What can you do? Call the FCC, sign the petition, or join a protest.

RSN: We Actually Don’t Need Congress Anymore

News

From Reader Supported News:

American voters proved this week that when Congress fails to get something done, the people have the means to do it themselves. Direct democracy through statewide ballot initiatives has proven to be much more effective and more satisfying than waiting for a deadlocked Congress to catch up to the will of the people.

When Americans overwhelmingly supported increased background checks on gun purchases in the wake of almost two dozen children getting massacred in school, Congressional Republicans wouldn’t agree to anything. When 70 percent of Americans polled supported an increase in the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, Congressional Republicans refused to take action. When most Americans supported a “Buffett Rule” stating that billionaires should never pay a lower tax rate than working people by a 2 to 1 margin, Congressional Republicans dug in their heels and filibustered. Neither Democrats nor Republicans in Congress would dare to rein in the prison-industrial complex, much less even utter the phrase in the first place. And legalizing marijuana at the federal level? Forget about it.

However, ballot initiatives passed Nov. 4 accomplished all of those things in multiple states.

Read the full story.

Pipeline Fighters Give Lee Terry the Boot

News,

From BOLD Nebraska:

Omaha, NE — Nebraskans stood up to TransCanada by voting out Rep. Lee Terry, the top cheerleader in Congress for the foreign company’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline. While a national wave gave wins to the GOP across the country, Nebraskans who have fought the Keystone XL pipeline from day one marched in a different direction, sending Lee Terry back home to his “nice house” (“Dang straight!”).

Read more.

Citizens Climate Lobby in Omaha Nov. 1

Action Alerts,

From Frances Mendenhall via Progressive Omaha:

The Citizens Climate Lobby meets Saturday, Nov. 1, at 11:45 a.m. at Augustana Lutheran Church, 3647 Lafayette Avenue. The Climate Lobby’s goal is to get a tax on carbon that is entirely returned to households. “Tax Carbon, Pay People,” is the shorthand way to say it. We are starting to make a difference, but we need you to help make this happen. Also useful, there are still 12 days to buy a TAX CARBON shirt, the shirt that fights climate change. This shirt spreads our message, and its price supports our work. Get the shirt.

Yard Sale to support ballot access Oct. 18

Action Alerts,

Nebraska Greens Yard Sale

Don’t forget about the Nebraska Greens Yard Sale Saturday, Oct. 18, at 22nd and Sumner in Lincoln. Bring those treasures you no longer need or stop by to hunt for bargains. Revenue will support the Nebraska Greens’ ongoing effort to regain ballot status in 2016.

You can also pick up petitions at the yard sale, but to get started collecting signatures now, please contact Naomi in Lincoln and Mark in Omaha. If you have things for the sale, call Naomi and Mark to arrange collection. Here’s their contact information:

  • Mark Zimmermann in Omaha: (markalanzimmermann (at) gmail.com or 402-250-5235)
  • Naomi Solomon in Lincoln: (nsolomyn (at) gmail.com or 402-890-3173)