Governor Jan Brewer and Arizona Republicans have devastated the state education system, passed “birther” laws, and legalized racial profiling.

Arizona needs a change. Our citizens should not have to live in fear or feel shame for the actions of our state government.

Support the Arizona Democratic Party to help remove these Republicans and put an end to their regressive policies.

ActBlue provides a unique way for you to make your voice echo in the corridors of power. Please support them with a 10% tip when you contribute.

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Organized by the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, HeadCount and the NRDC Action Fund, the Best of Bonnaroo collaboration marks the first time free music has been used to prompt Americans to contact their elected officials.

The Best of Bonnaroo compilation of 17 different live performances from the festival is available for free at www.Musicforaction.org. Before downloading the music, visitors are asked to email their Senators, the President, or their local newspapers about climate change.

“This generation has an opportunity to be remembered as one that confronted environmental challenges and took responsibility for the future,” said Jack Johnson, whose song “Inaudible Melodies” can be heard on the compilation. “With that opportunity comes the responsibility to speak out.”

America is closer than ever to passing its first federal climate change-related legislation, but many hurdles remain. The House of Representatives approved an energy bill last June that would reduce emissions of heat-trapping gases and encourage the development of green jobs. President Barack Obama then told world leaders that the U.S. will reduce carbon emissions by 17 percent over the next 10 years (compared to 2005 levels). However, there has been little movement in the Senate, leaving one crucial step incomplete. Literally the whole planet is waiting to see what the U.S. will decide, as India and China are not likely to act without the U.S. doing the same.

With climate change legislation now at a critical juncture, several organizations teamed up to use the gift of music to inspire citizens into action. HeadCount – a nonpartisan civic engagement organization best known for registering voters at concerts – conceived the idea as a way to point new voters toward being informed and active citizens. The NRDC Action Fund – an advocacy group committed to passing legislation that jump-starts the clean energy economy and reduces pollution – stepped in with resources, research, strategic guidance and a base of 250,000 supporters.

“The musicians we work with are very passionate about this topic and have great power to drive change,” said HeadCount’s Executive Director Andy Bernstein. “Their music will serve as a soundtrack for action.”

“Forging a clean energy future means healthier kids, a safer world, and more jobs,” said Heather Taylor-Miesle, director of the NRDC Action Fund. “This is our moment to demand that Congress put us on the path to a clean energy future by beginning to address climate change. We are excited about the opportunity to work with musicians and new activists throughout the country to make it happen.”

Here is the full track list for the Best of Bonnaroo download compilation:

Wilco – Bull Black Nova
Pearl Jam – Animal
Jack Johnson – Inaudible Melodies
Dave Mathews Band – Rapunzel
Death Cab for Cutie – Cath…
Ani DiFranco – Fuel
Phish – Kill Devil Falls
Gov’t Mule – Banks of the Deep End
O.A.R. – Delicate Few
moe. – Not Coming Down
Raphael Saadiq -100 Yard Dash
Bob Weir & RatDog – Throwing Stones
The Disco Biscuits – And The Ladies Were the Rest of the Night
The Decemberists – The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid
My Morning Jacket – Oh! Sweet Nuthin’
Guster – Happier
Phil Lesh and Friends – Box of Rain

Visit Musicforaction.org to take action for climate change and download the free compilation!

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The League of Young Voters has launched a new online action that enables young Americans who support reproductive rights to contact their Senators in opposition to anti-choice clauses in the final bill.

“It was extremely painful for me to feel compelled to vote for a bill that contained that kind of restriction on a woman’s ability to make her own reproductive choices.”
-Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.)

The Stupak Amendment prohibits the funding of abortion by the new federal insurance program – the “public option” – and prohibits the use of federal subsidies to purchase other insurance that covers abortion. It’s as anti-choice as you get.

With the Stupak Amendment in the House Health Care Reform Bill (HR 3962), American women will be worse off after Health Care Reform passes.

We can’t let our Senators make the same mistake.

If we can block the addition of anti-choice clauses to the Senate Bill, we have a good chance of keeping it out of the final Health Care legislation. If the Stupak Amendment ends up in both Congressional bills, it will be extremely difficult to keep it out of the final Legislation.

With youth support now, pro-Choice Democrats can squelch the Stupak Amendment.

Go check out action.theleague.com/stupak and contact your Senator. Youth efforts made a big difference in passing HR 3962 in the House, now it’s time to keep up the fight and ensure that health insurance reform doesn’t come at the expense of women’s rights.

Also, spread the word via Twitter here.

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The campaign in Virginia is in its final two weeks and YDA is working hard to turn out volunteers between now and Election Day. We are organizing a special campaign invasion on the weekend of October 24 – 25 in Loudon and Prince William Counties. Our efforts will not only benefit Creigh Deeds gubernatorial bid but also John Bell for House of Delegates, a key legislative race that could help tip the balance of power in Richmond.

What’s different about this YDA campaign invasion is that we’ve scheduled some “fall fun” activities for Saturday night in Virginia and neighboring West Virginia. After canvassing and phone banking throughout the day, we will head over to a corn maze, ghost tour and bonfire to round out the night. Overnight accommodations for volunteers are available. We will resume canvassing in Virginia on Sunday.

To RSVP for this event, please visit the following link and respond to which activities during the weekend you plan to attend:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dERHeG0wQlRCdHFuak9vaERHcTBnT1E6MA

If you can’t make the trip to Virginia but would like to phone bank remotely, we are also making that option available. Please visit the RSVP link and indicate your willingness to phone bank from the comfort of your own home, and we will send you a voter contact list with instructions.

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On October 17th my brother Scott will be participating in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night Walk in honor of his friend Heather. Scott is raising money for the Society to help others that have this disease.

Please consider making a contribution to sponsor my brother in his walk dedicated to the memory of his friend.

http://pages.lightthenight.org/dm/Phoenix09/SBondelli

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Last night, President Obama answered the call from young Americans and took a strong stance on health insurance reform in his address to Congress. The President came armed with details and a clearly outlined plan for health insurance reform, and he is now counting on us to make sure that plan turns into action.

Well over a thousand of you have signed the pledge and taken several actions in support of reform-contacting Senators, sending letters to local papers, attending town halls, and donating to keep the effort moving forward-and we must continue this fight. As the President said last night, “The time for games has passed, now is the season to act.”

Stand with President Obama and pledge to take action

Real health insurance reform must accomplish three goals:

President Obama has now asked us all to contact our elected officials in the House of Representatives. We have added this as a new action in our pledge with a tool that will let you easily contact your Representative.

Take action and help make our generation is the last to have to take up this cause

The President needs our help to improve the lives of millions of Americans. Young Americans have the power to make the dream a reality and fight to pass real health insurance reform. Thank you for the work you have already done and continue to do.

Best,

Crystal Strait
President
Young Democrats of America

P.S. If you have already signed the pledge you can take our new action here.

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Last week Rod Snyder, YDA Executive Vice President, and Hailey Snow, YDA Political Director, participated in a meeting at the White House about health care and young Americans.

Two things became clear. First, our generation is at the most risk of being uninsured without health insurance reform, and second, that passing a bill that provides quality affordable health care to all Americans will require Millennials to take action supporting it.

The Young Democrats of America launched yda.org/healthpledge, where young Americans from across the country can pledge to take action in support of health insurance reform. Once someone signs the pledge, they are redirected to a page where they can take one or more of the following actions:

• Write a letter to a local paper
• Write to your Senators
• Call your Senators
• Attend a town hall meeting
• Call in to talk radio
• Make a donation

Everyone that signs the pledge by Wednesday night will be invited to participate on YDA’s Health Insurance Reform update conference call with Democratic leaders and elected officials.

YDA Blog – Our Visit to the White House to Talk About Health Care
YDA Blog – Pledge to Fight for Health Insurance Reform

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Yesterday, in the wake of losing our biggest health insurance reform advocate, Senator Ted Kennedy, YDA Executive Vice President Rod Snyder and Political Director Hailey Snow met at the White House with the Administration to learn about the impact the health care epidemic is having on young Americans. YDA pledged to take action to fight for health insurance reform.

During the meeting Rod texted me: “White House staffer just said November 4th was just the election day. Our victories meant nothing unless we are able to mobilize young people around meaningful reform that will help all Americans.”

It’s as simple as that. We can’t afford to wait on health reform. The question is, what are you doing to make sure Congress hears that young Americans are demanding health insurance reform now? We need to be at the Congressional town hall meetings, writing our legislators, sending letters to our local papers and talking to anyone that will listen about the importance of quality affordable health care. Can you pledge to take at least one action to help fight for health care?

The White House explained today that health insurance reform is the building block to obtain momentum for all future issues on the President’s agenda. This is the first major test of our ability to bring about real change.

Will you do your part by taking the pledge?

14,000 Americans lose their health insurance on a daily basis and those fortunate enough to have health insurance have seen their premiums double. President Obama has asked for our help. So, the question is: What are you doing to make sure Congress hears that young Americans are demanding health insurance reform now?

We need to be writing our legislators, sending letters to our local papers, showing our presence at the town hall meetings, and talking to anyone that will listen about the importance of quality affordable health care. Can you pledge to take at least one action to help fight for health care?

This is our first major test. Let’s not fail President Obama, the Americans that voted for change, and most importantly let’s not let ourselves down. Don’t sit idly by and live the rest of your life knowing that you didn’t take the time to do something important for yourself and your entire generation.

Help pass health insurance reform today. Take the pledge.

Best,

Crystal Strait
YDA President

P.S. Please encourage your friends and family to visit yda.org/healthpledge and join you in taking this important action.

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Chris Bowers at Open Left posted a list of five Senators that can get the whip count for health insurance reform to 50.

The campaign to reach 50 ramps up today. You can participate by sending a fax to each of these five Senators, asking them five specific questions on where they stand on a public option. It is quick, it is easy, it is supported by a range of other actions, and it is important

• Send a fax to Mark Begich, asking him if he supports the public option!
• Send a fax to Tom Carper, asking him if he supports the public option!
• Send a fax to Jon Tester, asking him if he supports the public option!
• Send a fax to Mark Warner, asking him if he supports the public option!
• Send a fax to Ron Wyden, asking him if he supports the public option!

Your actions are layered by media requests to each Senator from local bloggers, new field staff from Democracy for America, and mass emails to Stand with Dr. Dean members in each of these five states.

We can win this, changing not only health care, but the whole country in the process. Please, no matter where you are and what time you are reading this, send out faxes to these five Senators now.

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