Dear Open Debates Supporters,
We have some exciting news. In direct response to an email and letter-writing campaign from our allies and supporters, three of the ten corporations that sponsor the Commission on Presidential Debates have withdrawn their sponsorship! Over the past week, advertising agency BBH New York, nonprofit women’s group YWCA and tech giant Philips North America have withdrawn their sponsorship of the Commission. YWCA explained its decision: “As a nonpartisan organization dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all, we have decided to withdraw our sponsorship effective immediately.”
Here is a good article on the events: http://t.co/1kBxVvhT
We want to keep the heat on and persuade the remaining seven sponsors to withdraw their support of their Commission. Please contact the following seven companies and foundations at the listed address and express your desire for them to withdraw sponsorship. Note that Anheuser-Busch remains, by far, the largest sponsor of the Commission on Presidential Debates; these debates are largely brought to you by Bud.
Crowell & Moring LLP
At Crowell – Moring LLC, the Chairman is Kent A. Gardiner and his email is
kgardiner@crowell.com
Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
One Busch Place
St. Louis, MO 63118
800-342-5283
E-mail Contact Form: http://contactus.anheuser-busch.com/Contactus/email.asp
Southwest Airlines
P.O. Box 36647-1CR
Dallas, Texas 75235
https://www.southwest.com/contact-us/contact-us.html
The Howard G. Buffet Foundation
158 W Prairie Ave, Suite 107
Decatur, IL 62523-1442
Also:
121 S 51st St
Omaha, NE 68132
402-556-6641
Sheldon S. Cohen, Esq.
Farr, Miller & Washington
1020 19th Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036
800-390-3277
202-530-5600
202-530-5508 Fax
Email: sscohen@farrmiller.com
International Bottled Water Association
1700 Diagonal Road
Suite 650
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-683-5213
703-683-4074 Fax
Email: ibwainfo@bottledwater.org
800-WATER-11 (Information Hotline)
http://bottledwater.org
The Kovler Fund
aka Marjorie Kovler Research Fellowship
c/o John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
Columbia Point
Boston, MA 02125
617-514-1624
617-514-1625 Fax
Email: kennedy.library@nara.gov
Thank you for your support!
- Open Debates Team
Monday, October 01, 2012
Presidential Debates with only the Ds and Rs suck
Friday, September 28, 2012
Fwd: South Side Cares: Paint-Out 13 October
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "South Side Community Council GRAFFITI WATCH Action Group" <graffitiwatch@gmail.com>
Date: Sep 28, 2012 9:32 AM
Subject: South Side Cares: Paint-Out 13 October
To: "Graffiti Watch" <graffitiwatch@gmail.com>
VOLUNTEER for the GRAFFITI WATCH PAINT-OUT
ON SATURDAY 13 October
ANY ONE INTERESTED IN PREVENTING AND REMOVING GRAFFITI ON THE SOUTH SIDE IS welcome. This work is ongoing and we need new volunteers.
GRAFFITI WATCH = WE CARE = WE DO = SOUTH SIDE CARES
From: "South Side Community Council GRAFFITI WATCH Action Group" <graffitiwatch@gmail.com>
Date: Sep 28, 2012 9:32 AM
Subject: South Side Cares: Paint-Out 13 October
To: "Graffiti Watch" <graffitiwatch@gmail.com>
ON SATURDAY 13 October
ANY ONE INTERESTED IN PREVENTING AND REMOVING GRAFFITI ON THE SOUTH SIDE IS welcome. This work is ongoing and we need new volunteers.
GRAFFITI WATCH = WE CARE = WE DO = SOUTH SIDE CARES
Date: SATURDAY 13 October
Time: 9:00 AM
WHERE: We will meet at 2132 Sarah St. Entrance behind building on Larkins Way
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Time: 9:00 AM
WHERE: We will meet at 2132 Sarah St. Entrance behind building on Larkins Way
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
South Side Community Council GRAFFITI WATCH
PREVENTING AND REMOVING GRAFFITI ON THE SOUTH SIDEFwd: Education Notebook - #12-19 - 9.28.12
-
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Education Policy and Leadership Center <robinson@eplc.org>
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From: The Education Policy and Leadership Center <robinson@eplc.org>
|
The Education Policy and Leadership Center | 800 N. 3rd St. | Suite 408 | Harrisburg | PA | 17102
|
Fwd: Pittsburgh Promise Goes For Broke
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: allegheny institute for public policy
Date: Friday, September 28, 2012
Subject: Pittsburgh Promise Goes For Broke
| | ||||
| | Policy Brief (Volume 12, Number 49) | | ||
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| Click to view this email in a browser If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please reply to this message with "Unsubscribe" |
| Allegheny Institute for Public Policy 305 Mt. Lebanon Blvd. Ste #208 Pittsburgh, PA 15234 US Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy. |
--
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Ta.
Mark Rauterkus Mark.Rauterkus@gmail.com
PPS Summer Dreamers' Swim and Water Polo Camp Head Coach
Pittsburgh Combined Water Polo Team
http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com
http://FixPA.wikia.com
http://CLOH.wikia.com
412 298 3432 = cell
Monday, September 24, 2012
Progress Report from Julian
PROGRESS REPORT OF SEPTEMBER 24, 2012 from Julian P. Heicklen
Jury Nullification On October 19, 2009, I started distributing fully informed jury information at the U. S. District Courthouse in Manhattan, NY. Antonio Musumeci (Bile) photographed the event. We were both given citations: Bile for photographing on federal property in violation of U. S. Regulation 41 C.F.R. Sec. 102-74.420, and me for distributing literature on federal property in violation of U. S. Regulation 41 CFR Sec. 102– 74.415(c). Bile contacted the ACLU which challenged his citation in court, his case was dismissed, and the U. S. government paid expenses and a punitive reward for violating Amendment I of the U. S. Constitution. I ignored my citation and did not make a court appearance. Instead I repeated my appearance 14 more times at the same courthouse, piled up 11 citations, and ignored them all. The U. S. attorney dismissed all the charges, thus negating the regulation. However, he filed a forged grand jury indictment against me for jury tampering. See http://www.personal.psu.edu/jph13/Wood_4_17_12.html for evidence of forgery. After 17 months of pretrial correspondence (http://www.personal.psu.edu/jph13/US._v._JPH_in_Manhattan_NY_04_17_12.html), the federal court dismissed the case in April, 2012, because the prosecution could produce no tampered juror, even though at least twice it sent an undercover agent to try to entrap me. Meanwhile, I had been distributing fully informed jury literature at 39 other federal courts and was cited at 3 of them. The citations were dismissed or ignored. Also I distributed the literature at 8 county courthouses. There was considerable publicity, and Tyranny Fighters was organized. Many other individuals joined me or ran their own distributions at courthouses in FL, NJ, PA, TX, NH, and probably elsewhere. In NH every county courthouse was targeted. In FL, James Cox and Mark Schmidter distributed continually and often. Likewise regular distributions occurred in PA. Jim Babb and George Donnelly accompanied me on the first visit to the federal district courthouse in Allentown, PA. George was arrested for photographing and resisting arrest. His case was settled in a plea bargain. Then George and his family moved to NH, the free state. There were no arrests nor interactions with the guards on several subsequent distributions in Allentown. In Orlando, FL Chief Judge Belvin Perry, Jr. issued court orders forbidding distributing literature on the Orange County courthouse property, except for two small free speech zones away from pedestrian traffic. The Fully Informed Jury Association (FIJA) disapproved of challenging the Orange County Court order by arrest, claimed it would hurt membership and fund raising, and asked us to obey the court order. I refused, so by mutual agreement I dropped my membership, and we discontinued our affiliation. Mark Schmidter and I continued to distribute FIJA literature at courthouses in FL. In Orlando, FL, both Mark Schmidter and I were arrested on separate occasions for distributing information at the Orange County (Orlando) Courthouse in defiance of court orders. Both of us were found guilty of contempt of court by Judge Belvin Perry, who issued the orders and was the judge and prosecutor for the cases where we were denied jury trials. These decisions now are on appeal in the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal in Daytona Beach, FL. Also, we have sued the judge in a civil suit in federal court under “42 USC § 1983 -Civil action for deprivation of rights” for violation of our First Amendment right of free speech. Recently the NH legislature passed a law allowing juries to be notified of the right to nullify the law. During these 3 years at least 3 jury nullification trials have occurred. Missoula MT District Court: Jury pool in marijuana case stages ‘mutiny’ A funny thing happened on the way to a trial in Missoula County District Court last week. Jurors – well, potential jurors , staged a revolt. They took the law into their own hands, as it were, and made it clear they weren’t about to convict anybody for having a couple of buds of marijuana. Never mind that the defendant in question also faced a felony charge of criminal distribution of dangerous drugs. The tiny amount of marijuana police found while searching Touray Cornell’s home on April 23 became a huge issue for some members of the jury panel. No, they said, one after the other. No way would they convict somebody for having a 16th of an ounce. Reported on December 19, 2010 5:20 pm by GWEN FLORIO of the Missoulian. Read more at: http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/missouladistrict-court-jury-pool-in-marijuana-case-stages-mutiny/article_d6b1aaca-edfc-527f-ad11f1691fdc6e3b.html#ixzz27HukgVVC New Hampshire Jury Acquits Pot-Growing Rastafarian A jury unanimously acquitted Doug Darrell, a 59-year-old Rastafarian charged with marijuana cultivation, after his lawyer, Mark Sisti, argued that a conviction would be unjust in light of the fact that Darrell was growing cannabis for his own religiousand medicinal use. More remarkably, Judge James O'Neill instructed the jury that "even if you find that the State hasproven each and every element of the offense charged beyond areasonable doubt, you may still find the defendant not guilty if you have a conscientious feeling that a not guilty verdict would be a fair result in this case." Full story reported by Jacob Sullum Sep. 14, 2012 1:00 pm at: http://reason.com/blog/2012/09/14/new-hampshire-juryacquits-pot-growing-r Minnesota farmer cleared in milk case A soft-spoken Minnesota farmer was cleared of violating state laws for distributing raw milk Thursday, a verdict advocates for such foods called their first major legal victory. After a three-day trial and more than four hours of deliberation, a Hennepin County jury found Alvin Schlangen not guilty of three misdemeanor counts of selling unpasteurized milk, operating without a food license and handling adulterated or misbranded food. The trial highlighted a deep national divide between raw milk advocates who contend unpasteurized dairy products can relieve allergies and prevent illness and public health officials who warn that raw milk can cause serious and sometimes fatal diseases, such as E. coli, salmonella and listeria. "It's a big step in the right direction," Schlangen, 54, said Thursday, flanked by celebrating supporters. "I have a hard time understanding how this basic freedom has been so hard to maintain." The raw milk debate emerged in Minnesota two years ago, when eight people were sickened by E. coli bacteria in raw milk that was linked to Minnesota producer Mike Hartmann. Hartmann faces similar charges as Schlangen did and is expected to be tried this fall. He also faces a lawsuit filed by the father of a boy who got sick from drinking raw milk. Schlangen, an organic egg farmer from Freeport, Minn., doesn't produce milk himself but operates Freedom Farms Coop, a private club with roughly 130 members who buy various farm products, including raw milk. Schlangen picks up the milk products from an Amish farm and delivers them to members. He was charged in 2010 after Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) inspectors discovered his products at Traditional Foods, a south Minneapolis natural foods outlet. Under Minnesota law, milk that hasn't been pasteurized (heattreated to kill harmful bacteria) can be sold only in limited amounts on the farm where it's produced. Schlangen, who testified on his own behalf, maintained that he was operating a private cooperative and not a business. He also noted that no one got sick from the milk he distributed. Assistant Minneapolis City Attorney Michelle Doffing Baynes argued at trial that food safety laws are in place to protect consumers, but declined to comment after the verdict. Reportred by Abby Simons, Star Tribune. Updated: September 20, 2012 -11:27 PM at: http://www.startribune.com/local/west/170521646.html?refer=y How all of this happened All of this did not happen overnight. It took 3 years of constant agitation to accomplish this. Plus I organized Tyranny Fighters to participate in the program and spread the word. I enlisted a legal advisory panel of over 30 attorneys and court buffs. I did everything I could to get as much publicity as possible, both on the internet and in the conventional press. I gave many speeches. Bile and I ran an internet radio program on LWRN for a year. I was the host. He was the producer and webmaster for the Tyranny Fighters web page and maintained it during and after we discontinued the broadcasts. Ultimately the NY Times ran an editorial and three full column stories on the first page of the second section about my jury tampering case. It listed this case as one of the 10 most important cases to watch in 2012. In just 3 years, we got hundreds of people distributing fully informed jury literature at courthouses, enormous publicity, the NH legislature to pass a law permitting the courts to notify the jury of its right to nullification, at least 3 jury nullifications in state courts, 2 federal regulations declared unconstitutional, a federal court to declare it legal and permissible to distribute jury information on federal property, especially at courthouses. And we still have 2 court cases pending in Florida regarding court orders infringing free speech rights. Occupy Wall Street It was not easy nor all fun. It required persistence, publicity, patience, and support from many other Tyranny Fighters. Which brings me to Occupy Wall Street. It has a much larger following, more demonstrations over about the same time period, much more publicity, and many more police abuses than we had. Yet it has not been successful in accomplishing much of anything except exposing police malpractice. The reason is that we had a one-issue project that we can sell. Occupy is a hodge-podge of many different complaints, but no reasonable solutions. What it really needs are jobs. Demanding more taxes from the rich is not a solution. If it could be effected, it should be used to reduce the national debt, not feed the unemployed. Meanwhile it just aggravates the rich. Blaming people for what went wrong will not lead to a solution. Occupy Wall Street can be very successful, if it sticks to its one main objective—jobs. In my opinion, there should be two goals: 1. Legalize drugs and release the 40% of prisoners with drug- related crimes. They will start legitimate businesses growing and selling drugs and pay taxes on their sales and income. Prison expenses will be reduced. Furthermore drug gangs will vanish and violent crime will be reduced. 2. Demand that the federal and state governments invest heavily in infrastructure repair, which is needed. This will put lots of people to work, remove them from government subsidies, and provide taxable income. A $100 billion yearly additional investment in infrastructure will produce about 1 million new jobs directly, plus many more as result of the additional 1 million employed and spending. This would reduce the unemployed from 12.5 million in August, 2012 to under 11 million. Recreational drug users could add several hundred thousand additional legitimate jobs, since there are an estimated 96 million people over the age of 18 in the United States who have smoked marijuana (http://www.cannabisculture.com/content/who-are-you-us-governmentstatistics-adult-marijuana-users). All the other issues such as the wars, foreign policy, police crime, trampling on the Constitution, abortion, gay rights, women’s rights, illegal immigration, the death penalty, ersatz money, irresponsible financial institutions, veteran benefits, etc are important, but, except for ersatz money, they are not going to destroy America immediately. The economy and the prison state will. Upcoming November election The two major political parties are completely out of touch with reality. Both of them support the war on drugs, the foreign wars, and increases in the national debt (the Democrats by increased spending, and the Republicans by reduced taxes). Vote against them in the upcoming election by voting for a third party or none of the above. Burning your ballot sends the message that you are inconsequential and can be ignored. If 10% of the vote goes to not Republocrat candidates, the major political parties will have to absorb your demands or lose in future elections. THE PRICE OF FREEDOM IS ETERNAL VIGILANCE THE PRICE OF JUSTICE IS ETERNAL PUBLICITY
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