Elderly and low income persons are routinely charged and help responsible for cases they are innocent for because they lack the legal knowledge or representation to defend themselves.

Two weeks ago, fifteen activists with Extinction Rebellion, some as young as 17, went on a hunger strike in Nancy Pelosi’s office in Washington DC. All they asked for was a one-hour recorded meeting to discuss climate action. They were all terrified for our futures and willing to risk their own health to prevent catastrophic warming. Each day her staffers watched as their conditions grew worse. Most of them would get dizzy when trying to stand. Many suffered hunger pangs that kept them from sleeping. But she wouldn’t even speak to them. After a few days, most of the hunger strikers could not continue. But two pushed on: Eric, 27, and Stephen, 28. On the sixth day, Eric’s mom called him crying and begged him to eat again, saying she couldn’t sleep anymore. They stayed hungry while Pelosi flew back to California. They skipped holiday dinners while she enjoyed Thanksgiving with her family. Their loved ones pleaded with them to eat. Multiple doctors advised them to eat. But they knew that everyone’s future was on the line, so they continued to sacrifice their bodies for the greater good. By day thirteen, Eric had lost 16 pounds and Stephen had lost 23. Finally on December 1st, under immense pressure from friends, family, and doctors, they agreed to eat. They hadn’t received so much as a word from Pelosi. Eric and Stephen are in recovery now. We believe that Pelosi has a moral responsibility to meet with the young people whose futures she is deciding. Please ask her to honor their sacrifice and sit down with them for one hour. It’s the least she can do. Thank you.

Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) produces a weekly radio show (Counterspin), which began decades ago. KPFA Radio was regularly airing CounterSpin until Oct. 19, 2018, when it was abruptly taken off the air with no explanation to listeners. Please urge KPFA General Manager Quincy McCoy ([email protected]) and Program Director Kevin Cartright ([email protected]) to bring back CounterSpin to a regular slot on its program grid. FAIR, the national media watch group, was established in 1986 by co-founders Jeff Cohen, Martin Lee and others. It describes its mission as: “FAIR has been offering well-documented criticism of media bias and censorship since 1986. We work to invigorate the First Amendment by advocating for greater diversity in the press and by scrutinizing media practices that marginalize public interest, minority and dissenting viewpoints. As an anti-censorship organization, we expose neglected news stories and defend working journalists when they are muzzled. As a progressive group, we believe that structural reform is needed to break up the dominant media conglomerates, establish independent public broadcasting and promote strong non-profit sources of information.” In the past CounterSpin aired shows featuring guests as Marjorie Cohn on the Afghan unending war, Amit Harana on deregulation, Sasha Abramsky on Trump’s new attacks on immigration, and Corey Gillan under attack by Monsanto. CounterSpin is meticulously researched and exceptionally well documented and produced. CounterSpin is in keeping with KPFA’s mission statement: * “To promote cultural diversity and pluralistic community expression. * To contribute to a lasting understanding between individuals of all nations, races, creeds and colors. * To promote freedom of the press and serve as a forum for various viewpoints. * To maintain an independent funding base”. Please urge KPFA General Manager Quincy McCoy ([email protected]) and Program Director Kevin Cartright ([email protected]) to bring back CounterSpin to a regular slot on its program grid.

• There is an increasing need for municipal governments and state agencies to transition to sustainable alternatives requires accessible and affordable financing • There is an increasing need for small farmers to have access to affordable credit in the state, that is inaccessible through current day financial market conditions • There is a need to decrease overall costs for financially burdened municipalities and state agencies to better allocate resources to important aspects of each entity • There is a need to decrease financial risk municipalities and state agencies are exposed to by risky corporate lending behaviors

Spend money on helping Americans not involved in a war economy

Every year's newly registered voters enter into political life with greater zeal for dealing with the planet's burgeoning environmental crisis than the prior year's. With the Green New Deal (aka, the Green Dream) we finally have a comprehensive statement of a way forward that leaves no one behind, and puts the right to live in a clean world and the right to make a decent living on equal footing. H.Res. 109 - https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/109

We have minimum wage laws that most businesses can't get away with violating. But the government can, and does. They will say "Because benefits aren't wages". But that is dodging the question of WHY we have minimum wage laws: humaneness, simple morality. We have laws protecting animals. Humans need to be protected too! The fact that so many people receive unconscionably low benefits, IF THEY GET THEM AT ALL!- (Another problem!)- - is a significant factor creating poverty, homelessness, illness, and an EPIDEMIC OF SUICIDES. NEITHER PARTY HAS CARED TO ADDRESS THIS FOR DECADES! SHAME ON B O T H PARTIES! They will say "We can't afford it!" But we can always afford bogus wars, and rich people pay ZERO tax for Social Security on income above $128,400, as of 2018! Stop the Wars, and make the rich pay their fair share! It is up to the American people to hold "our representatives" ' feet to the fire, or REPLACE THEM!

The Constituents of California rely upon their Government and its Regulatory Agencies to provide legal and statutory protections against criminal wrongdoings of any kind, and to act with swift authority to prevent the recurrence of any exigency which threatens the safety of the public and the natural environment within the State of California. The Corporate Entity Pacific Gas and Electric Company, which has enjoyed a State sanctioned monopoly on energy production and distribution throughout Northern California, and which is expected by the Public in exchange to operate its business with the highest standards of safety and accountability, has repeatedly betrayed the public trust and demonstrated a chronic pattern of corporate negligence, fraud, regulatory obstruction, falsification of records, safety and code violations, and deliberate under-funding of safety programs to increase profit, as evidenced by: 1. $30 millions in fines and 739 counts of criminal negligence for deliberately under-funding required tree-trimming protocols and causing a power line blaze leading to the 1994 Trauner Fires, which destroyed 12 homes and burned over 500 acres of property; 2. $1.4 billion in fines and penalties and 6 felony convictions for obstruction and safety violations resulting in the 2010 San Bruno gas explosions which killed 8 people and destroyed 38 homes; 3. $8.3 million in fines for failing to maintain a power line that sparked the 2015 Butte Fires which killed 2 people, destroyed 549 homes and burned over 70,000 acres; 4. $14.5 billion in damages with multiple code violations for downed power lines causing 12 Northern California wildfires in October 2017 which killed 44 people, destroyed 8,900 homes and burned 245,000 acres; 5. Anticipated $30 billion in class action lawsuit for the 2018 Camp fire which killed 86 people, destroyed 13,900 homes and burned over 150,000 acres. The People of California have paid too much already to be expected to bail out — with their own tax dollars — a criminally negligent corporation which is now seeking bankruptcy protection in order to shield itself from its liabilities. To rescue PG&E from the failure it has brought upon itself would be an insult to those who have lost their homes, their loved ones, and their hopes for a better tomorrow because of pure corporate greed. No organization or corporation should ever be considered "too big to fail," as this will in effect place such an enterprise above the law. We the undersigned now petition our elected officials to take any and all actions pursuant to a legal buyout of the failing company using the following Eminent Domain justifications: A Public-Owned energy company will be more transparent and SAFER because, as a non-profit utility, it will no longer be incentivized to cut corners on safety in order to increase profits for investors and shareholders; A Public-Owned energy company will be MORE AFFORDABLE for California ratepayers as it will be legally bound to charge ratepayers based on actual costs, leading to the following savings annually, at a minimum: - $1 billion per year saved by not paying dividend payments to shareholders; - $25 million per year saved by not paying current level Executive salaries and bonuses; - $8 million per year saved by no longer lobbying State officials, which would constitute illegal activity for a public utility; - Additional $ millions saved by not funding ballot initiatives or propositions (such as Prop 16, on which PG&E spent $46 million,) which would constitute illegal activity for a public utility. And finally, a Public-Owned energy company will inherently be MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE, as it will no longer answer to profit-driven private investors and a Board of Directors, but to California taxpayers and elected officials who are ultimately interested in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, committing to more renewable energy production, and driving innovative solutions to the global crisis of climate deterioration.

Not only would this merger narrow choices for everybody, it would ultimately increase costs for those who can afford it least. Perhaps even more important is the hold that Crown Prince Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia would have on our population. He is a major shareholder in Softbank, an international holding company that already effectively controls 85 percent of Sprint. Should this occur, then, according to Trita Parsi, "Softbank will gain a 27 percent stake overall in what would become one of the largest US mobile providers in the United States. This would give the repressive Saudi dictatorship influence in the creation of America's first 5G network."

To stabilize the American economy and close the gap of income inequality

YES to Local Citizens for SMART Growth (LCSG) which was formed to raise awareness about sustainable growth for small towns and cities, including local biodiverse food systems, smart business and industry expansion, affordable housing, keeping our dollars local and supporting a fully inclusive democratic process for all citizens.
 FISH TANKS? NO THANKS! Like our FB page please: Local Citizens for SMART Growth https://www.facebook.com/localSMARTgrowth

While the groundbreaking Marriage Equality Act expanded marital protections for LGBTQ people in 2015, there is still much to be done to ensure non-discrimination protections and equal treatment under the law. Federal law and the majority of states lack explicit non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people at work, at school, and elsewhere, leaving them vulnerable to discrimination. In other words, a person can be fired from their job, evicted from their home, denied access to housing, credit, loans, hotel services, and even jury duty on the strict basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other key federal non-discrimination laws to provide clear, explicit federal protection against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing, credit, federally funded programs (including education), and federal jury service. The bill would provide clear, explicit federal protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the following six areas: ● Employment: The Equality Act would explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment and in the workplace. ● Federally funded programs and activities: Any program that receives federal funds would be prohibited from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. This provision would protect LGBTQ people from discrimination by institutions that receive federal funds – including schools, hospitals, domestic violence shelters, and police departments. ● Housing: The Equality Act provides explicit protections for LGBTQ people against housing discrimination. ● Public Spaces and Services: LGBTQ people would be protected from discrimination in “public accommodations,” including stores, restaurants, hotels, transportation, and healthcare services. ● Banks and Credit: The Equality Act would explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in credit, financing, and lending. ● Federal Jury Service: The Equality Act would explicitly prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people in selecting federal juries. All LGBTQ Americans deserve a fair chance to live, love and provide for their families without the burden of legalized discrimination. This bill will help ensure that no one is fired, evicted from their home, or denied basic services because of who they are or whom they love. Urge your members of Congress to support this critical piece of legislation. H.R. 2282, The Equality Act https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2282?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Equality+Act%22%5D%7D&r=1 Human Rights Campaign: Why the Equality Act? https://www.hrc.org/resources/why-the-equality-act