TOP NEWS: 'This Is People Power': Michigan Groups Submit Signatures to Put Abortion Rights on the Ballot

July 11, 2022 Top News 'We Have to Do More Than That!' Father of School Shooting Victim Interrupts Biden Speech "There's nothing to celebrate," Manuel Oliver said of the newly enacted bipartisan gun measure. by Jake Johnson Climate-Intensified Yosemite Fire Threatens Hundreds of Ancient Sequoias "We can only expect as we get later in the summer, that the fires will get bigger," one expert recently warned. by Kenny Stancil 'This Is People Power': Michigan Groups Submit Signatures to Put Abortion Rights on the Ballot Advocates turned in a record-shattering 753,759 signatures to place on the November ballot a proposal to enshrine abortion rights in the Michigan state constitution. by Jake Johnson More Top News • In Earnings Call, Pfizer Celebrated Chance to Profit Off End of Public Health Measures • 'Good. Now Declare It,' Says Pressley as Biden Mulls Health Emergency for Abortion Rights • Survey Shows US Voters Want Congress to Expand—Not Cut or Privatize—Social Security • Outrage as Biden Reportedly Considers Lifting Ban on 'Offensive' Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia • Authoritarian Viktor Orbán to Speak at US Conservatives' Annual Summit • 64% of Democratic Voters Don't Want Biden to Be the Party's 2024 Nominee: Poll VIEW ALL NEWS Opinion US China Policy: A Perilous Arms Race Instead of Waging Critical Cooperation The forces for muscular peace and cooperation must show there is an alternative path to secure the common interests of the two nations. by Ralph Nader More Drilling Won't Lower Gas Prices—Price Controls and Renewables Will Some people assume more drilling will lower skyrocketing gas prices. Surprise—the U.S. drills plenty, but that won't save us at the pump. by Mia DiFelice Organized Labor and the Crisis of Democracy There is one glimmer of hope for democracy, and it comes from a source that might initially, to many people, seem rather unrelated: a renascent labor movement. by Chris Wright VIEW ALL OPINION Call 207.775.0488 to donate by phone or mail a check to: Common Dreams, PO Box 443, Portland, ME 04112, United States Common Dreams is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your contribution is tax-deductible. EIN: 20-3368194

The Army charged $90.2 million for printers 😭

 

Rep. Barbara Lee and other Democrats are championing an amendment that will reverse Congress’s attempt to add $37 BILLION in unnecessary Pentagon spending to next year’s budget.

This week, Congress is debating next year’s Pentagon budget. Every weapons contractor wants a piece of the pie, and they’re shamelessly lobbying for it. And many members of Congress are listening to those lobbyists. When all is said and done, next year’s Pentagon budget could be a whopping $850 billion. 

President Biden already proposed to give more money to the Pentagon, but the war hawks in Congress voted to add BILLIONS MORE to the budget. Every year, the Pentagon keeps getting more and more money. That is — unless you take action to stop it. 

This amendment will undo a reckless spending increase and bring the budget back down to the level that President Biden submitted. A vote on this amendment could happen any day now. This is a fight we can win, especially because we’re on the same side as the White House. But it won’t happen unless we show up to give back to the Democrats in Congress pushing this forward.

We’re sending a letter to Congress to urge them to pass Rep. Lee’s amendment, which will reverse a reckless $37 billion increase to the Pentagon budget. Add your name here!

There is zero financial accountability for the Pentagon. The Department of Defense has NEVER passed an audit. And yet members of Congress are trying to pour more money into that black hole. 

A recent investigation by the Defense Department’s Inspector General revealed a colossal disaster in the Pentagon’s bookkeeping. The Army recorded 82 printers costing a whopping $1.1 million each when in reality it was only $412 per printer. That’s $90.2 million on printers. 

With these kinds of egregious violations, it is time for Congress to stop pouring money into the Pentagon, and this amendment is a good first step to achieving that goal.

So what are you waiting for? Add your name to the letter we’re sending to Congress, and let’s cut the Pentagon’s budget.

Thank you for working for peace,

Sam, Shayna, Yint, and the Win Without War team

 

 

 

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there are only two countries where this is legal

 

There are only two countries on Earth where pharmaceutical companies are allowed to advertise directly to consumers.

One is New Zealand.

The other is the United States.

You know the ads.

A detached, disinterested voice — someone who sounds like they’d rather be having a root canal — rushes through a list of serious or even deadly side effects. But the visuals depict a breathtaking sunset, an old-timey carnival, or frollicking puppies. And it’s all set to a cheery soundtrack.

• Congress passed a law in 2007 directing the Food and Drug Administration to develop a rule that would require these ads to present a drug’s major risks in a clear and fair manner.

• In 2010, the FDA proposed a rule that would have prevented these ads from containing “distracting representations” — including text, images, or sounds — that detract from communicating information about a drug’s risk of serious adverse effects.

• But that was 12 years ago — and the FDA *still* hasn’t acted on behalf of American consumers and finalized its rule!

As Michael Carome — the director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group — told the national media:

“For more than a decade, the FDA has flouted the will of Congress by failing to finalize a rule requiring that direct-to-consumer prescription drug ads provide clear and balanced descriptions of the medicines’ major risks.”

Legislation just introduced in Congress — the Banning Misleading Drug Ads Act of 2022 — would rectify the FDA’s inaction and ensure that consumers are not misled by ads that cleverly downplay the risks of prescription medications.

Tell Congress:

The Food and Drug Administration has failed to protect American consumers from Big Pharma’s misleading TV and radio advertising. Pass the Banning Misleading Drug Ads Act of 2022 without delay.

Add your name now.

Thanks taking action.

For progress,

- Robert Weissman, President of Public Citizen
 
 

Public Citizen | 1600 20th Street NW | Washington DC 20009

we’re SURGING

 

This is serious: After GOP super PACs spent millions to flood the airwaves with nasty attack ads, polling showed Rev. Warnock BEHIND Trump's handpicked candidate, Herschel Walker.

But then, we launched TV ads and kicked our on-the-ground efforts into high gear – and now, the latest polls show that this race is NECK AND NECK.

Our momentum is incredible, but we can’t afford to take our foot off of the gas now. GOP donors have already poured more than $16 MILLION into Walker’s campaign – and you can bet they’ll spend millions more to retake Senate control.

That's why we're doubling down on our efforts to fight back, but at this critical moment, we’re falling $12,342 short of what we need to keep our TV ads live and reach voters with Rev. Warnock’s bold message. So please, Rev. Warnock is counting on you: Will you give $5 or more right now to help keep our ads live, win in Georgia, and defend our Democratic Senate majority?

Thank you for fighting back with us. – Team Warnock   Please read on for a personal message from Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock:  – thank you. I’m grateful to have grassroots folks like you standing alongside me in our critical fights for justice. Our midterm elections are taking place this November, and I need your help. With Democrats’ razor-thin majority in the Senate, Republicans have to flip just one seat to retake control – and experts say that I’m the most vulnerable Democratic senator up for reelection. Mitch McConnell and his GOP allies are flooding Georgia with millions to defeat me, and GOP super PACs are smearing me with attack ads. We need to fight back now – but I don't take a dime from corporate PACs, so I'm fully relying on your grassroots support to power this campaign to victory. If you’re with me in this fight, please donate now to win in Georgia and defend our Democratic Senate majority. If you’d like to become one of my TOP supporters and receive exclusive updates from our campaign team, text “GEORGIA” to 52005. Thank you! – Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock Text GEORGIA to 52005 • Visit our Team Warnock Store