Halloween’s almost here, and we’re asking bold pipeline fighters to Trick or Vote to Reroute the Pipeline. It’s perfect timing since the special session starts the next day! Here’s your Roundup:
Vigils Across America: Occupy Oakland was the scene of a tragedy when Scott Olsen, a former marine and two-time Iraq war veteran was shot in the head with a police projectile while joining the other peaceful protesters. Vigils were held last night, and Olson remains in the hospital with a fractured skull and impaired speech. Read details here, and donations to the Scott Olson Support Fund go here
Crony Capitalism: There is the misconception in the media that the Occupy movement is about anarchy, abolition of banks, and destruction of capitalism. This couldn’t be further from the truth. It is the Occupiers that are fighting for the American Dream. In a NY Times op-ed, Nicholas Kristof says the Occupy Movement is a chance to save capitalism from crony capitalism. Read here
A Sense of Community: Hope, passion, love, fairness, protection, acceptance, respect, and rights are concepts we grow up learning to embrace and fight for–and they should apply to everyone. The Nebraska LGBT community identified their basic wants for the upcoming years, and although there has been some movement forward, there is still a long way to go for equal rights. Read the stories of Nebraskans here
Green Growth Denial: Key points in a blog calling out those nay-sayers of the green economy in the U.K. can easily be applied to the U.S. Three myths about the green energy sector that pervade anti-renewables discourse are debunked, and a clear picture is painted of why green growth is important. “Rebuilding the…energy infrastructure is a national investment in our future prosperity, and choosing anything other than clean, secure and inexhaustible sources would be madness.” Amen. Read here
Thursday, October 27th
We’re hosting a press conference in the Capitol Rotunda at 1pm to discuss our next moves for the pipeline. Join us if you can, but no signs. Here’s your Roundup:
The 1% : The Congressional Budget office came out with a new report finding that the wealthiest 1% more than doubled their share of the nation’s income over the last three decades. On top of that, the government has become less redistributive. This is no news to the 99% occupying America and serves as yet another legitimization to the movement that only needs the facts. Read here
He Knows We’re Here: President Obama finally recognized the KXL at a rally on Wednesday. In responding to protesters at a speech at the University of Colorado, he said “We’re looking at it,” and acknowledged concern over the project. It wasn’t an in-depth response, but it was the first time he has said anything about it in public. Read here
The Epic CornFinger: Creator Cody Butler says it best, “CornFinger helps Nebraskans because it enables anti-pipeline supporters (the vast majority of Nebraskans & Husker fans) to compete on TransCanada’s level for a fraction of the cost but with even more reach. It garners press. It enhances unity among Husker fans, instead of dividing people.” (And it’s been in lots of cool places too!) Read here
Calling out the State: In light of the brewing corruption scandal surrounding TransCanada’s relationship with the State Department, members of Congress sent a request to the Inspector General to launch an investigation into the noticeable conflicts of interest that have existed in this process. This is another step in the right direction not only to ensure the most thorough review of a dangerous project but also to call out the integrity of the State. Read here
Wednesday, October 26th
Matt Taibbi has a great blog up on Rolling Stone this morning about Occupy Wall Street. Their beef isn’t with Wall Street winning–it’s with Wall Street cheating. Sounds familiar. Here’s your daily Roundup:
Not Until He Stands with Us: Some large donors are telling President Obama that they will not contribute unless he denies the Keystone XL. Asking the President to Stand with Randy as opposed to Big Oil is just one of the ways many of his 2008 campaign supporters are asking that he fulfills his campaign promises. At Bold, we agree. President Obama was a visionary candidate who told us he takes the issue of climate change seriously. We believe he can still be that leader. Read here
Gotta Start Somewhere: The fight to stop a planned coal terminal is gaining momentum on the local level while federal policy is lacking. Sound familiar? The fight is against a coal shipping plant in Bellingham, Washington. Residents say it doesn’t make sense for the forward-thinking college town to invest in such a polluting industry. They also worry about the dangers of increased train traffic and the noise pollution and possible delays to emergency vehicles. Dust from the plant would enter into the community’s air constantly, with the microscopic particles getting into the lungs of residents. We can only hope that those in Bellingham are successful. If Nebraskans are proving anything, its that you should never stop fighting even when the fight seems hopeless. Read or Listen here
Looming Crisis: Leaders from the Eurozone nations are meeting in Brussels to decide on comprehensive actions to stave off a spreading debt crisis that threats to move from Greece to Italy and Spain. There is skepticism that countries like Germany will pledge the appropriate funds, but the consequences of not doing so are great enough that Germany’s Parliament is calling for Chancellor Merkel to do just that. You can bet the eyes of the world’s leaders will be on Brussels as they hope for a sign that would shore up the EU market. Read here
Where’s the Money Go: Many Americans have cut back during the recession and subsequent recovery. A report from The Economist shows just how American spending has changed. Many expenditures have gone down, while a couple of categories saw an increase in the real percentage consumer spending change. Read here
Still lagging after that first cup of joe? Go ahead, grab another, the benefits to coffee keep rolling in. Read here
Tuesday, October 25th
We did it! Two days after we stood outside his mansion demanding a special session, Governor Heineman announced that he is calling the legislature back on November 1st to consider pipeline routing regulation. Here’s your Roundup:
Fights on the New Frontiers for Drilling: The pattern of drilling for oil in costlier and unconventional places has been spreading–and the heartland is a prime example. North Dakota was once a wheat state but is now teaming with oil rigs. Colorado has become the new frontier, and county commissioners are scrambling to make regulations on an industry they have no experience dealing with. This is new territory for many Coloradans and reminds us of our ongoing battle with TransCanada. We are not an oil state either. Across the US, elected officials are recognizing the need for new regulations, and Governor Heinemann has just taken us on an important step in the right direction. We need him to use his leadership position to keep pushing TransCanada out of the Sandhills, away from the heart of the Ogallala Aquifer.
The Glomar Denial: The U.S. Justice Department has suggested a rule change to the Freedom of Information Act that would allow the government to deny the existence of a requested record that does exist. Currently, the government can withhold the release of a document and issue what is called the “Glomar Denial,” which basically says it can neither confirm nor deny the existence of requested records. Citizens are able to sue as a last resort to get documents. Changing the rule to the Justice Department’s proposal would cause this recourse to be lost, because groups would likely not spend the resources on a document they are told doesn’t exist. This would be a major step backward from the transparency President Obama promised on the campaign trail. Read here
Hope for Homeowners: President Obama has issued another plan to help out struggling Americans. Although the plan gives breaks to the banking industry, which as we know played a part in the economic collapse, it was necessary to get them on board to pass along the benefit to people whose homes are underwater. Although it has been stated that the plan doesn’t do enough, at least Obama is doing what he can do when nothing will get past Republicans in Congress bent on foiling his every move. Read here
OccupyMarines: The Marines have shown up to fight for American freedoms and values once again, joining the Occupy Wall Street movement. Check out the OccupyMarines page here, where every post is signed: Keep Pushing Forward America, We Support You. Thank you for your work throughout the years, Marines.
Cash Poor & Land Rich: So often in the pipeline debate, people try to frame the issue as the environment vs. economic growth, but Nebraskans know better. Just because you can’t put a pricetag on the Ogallala Aquifer, doesn’t mean it isn’t valuable. Bill Chameides of Duke argues that being good environmentalists and conservationists just makes good economic sense. We know Nebraskans agree. Read here
Monday, October 24th
Disaster strikes Turkey, and violence continues in Syria resulting in the U.S. pulling our ambassador from Damascus. Here in Nebraska we would like to thank everyone who came to the Pumpkins Against the Pipeline Event. It was a great success and sent the appropriate eerie message to Gov. Heineman. Here’s your Roundup:
Search for Survivors: The 7.2 earthquake that hit Turkey toppled buildings killing at least 265 and trapping hundreds more. Crews in Turkey continue to search for survivors. The rescuers are yet to make it out of the town of Erics, the worst hit city. This is worrisome as the mud brick houses of the exterior of the city and the small towns are more likely to collapsing. Read here
In Their Own Words: A YouTube video, made by the Alberta tar sands producers, was probably meant to build support for the industry. If anything, it confirmed fears. They admit to it all, from quartz in the tarsands degrading a steel spoon–imagine that pumping through steel pipes–to the consistency of unheated bitumen, a molasses like product. Watching the video, you can understand why the Embridge spill in Michigan is still a disaster. This is a significant video and worth watching. Even when trying to slant the message in their favor, the production and shipment is so dirty, tarsands tycoons can’t hide it in their own presentation. Watch here
Too Dirty to Fail: That’s the message that House Republicans are basically touting in their assault against EPA regulations, according the an LA Times op-ed. Lisa Jackson, the current EPA Administrator, describes how nearly every vote taken up by the House seeks to scale back protective measures, allowing companies to dump harmful chemicals into our water supply. The argument they pose is that regulations kill jobs. That couldn’t be further than the truth. Regulations save lives; deregulation poisons people. Read here and sign CREDO’s Keystone XL-related petition to Ms. Jackson
The End is Now: The troops are heading home from Iraq because Obama has declared the end of the Iraq War. This isn’t a Bush-style declaration. Obama is serious, and he is withdrawing the 40,000 American troops in Iraq, not retaining a fighting force in the country. The end of the war means the fulfillment of an Obama campaign promise. Expect the troops home by the end of the year. Read here
