How does the Healthcare Reform Bill affect your district?

The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce has produced a district-by-district review of how the pending legislation would affect people.

http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1924:benefits-of-health-care-reform-district-by-district-impact&catid=169:legislation&Itemid=55

WE WON! 75,000 emails in 24 hours convince Sen. Committee to kill anti-marriage equality bill

Thanks to you and your hard work the Pennsylvania State Senate Judiciary Committee just voted 8-6 to table SB 707! SB 707 is the bill to amend the PA Constitution to ban same sex marriage. This is a huge victory for us, since the vote effectively kills the bill.

This is your victory. We had over 120,000 emails sent to senators, over 75,000 in the last 24 hours! In addition, our allies and friends generated thousands more phone calls, emails and letters.

We should celebrate, but we need to remain vigilant. It is unlikely, but it is possible that the bill could come to life again. Especially if they think we aren't going to act again.

Please encourage your friends and family to join us at www.keystoneprogress.org

Also, help us maintain our network with your financial contribution. Any amount can help. You can donate at http://www.keystoneprogress.org/page/contribute/kspdonate

Congratulations on your incredible victory.

For Equality,

Michael Morrill
for the Keystone Progress Team

Stop PA from banning same sex marriage

The PA State Senate’s Judiciary Committee is voting on Tuesday to take away your rights! Anti-LGBT legislators plan to vote to put a ban on same sex marriage in the PA Constitution. If they succeed, it could take a generation before we LGBT people can have a chance to marry in Pennsylvania.

We can’t let this happen! Click here to send an email to all members of the Judiciary Committee NOW!

Anti-LGBT Senator John Eichelberger, who last year made headlines for saying that he is “allowing them (LGBT couples) to exist,” is the leader of this effort to put discrimination into the PA Constitution. If he wins, it will send a message throughout PA and across the nation that bigotry is acceptable and legal.

Take action now! Email the Judiciary Committee this simple message: “Vote NO on SB 707. Don't put bigotry in the PA Constitution.”

Then send this to everyone you know RIGHT NOW! We need thousands of emails TODAY to stop this bill.

I love Keystone Progress

I love Keystone Progress. There, I said it. After my family, it's the most important thing in my life right now. And it's not just because it provides my paycheck. I could work somewhere else and make more money for a lot less work. I love KP because I love Pennsylvania and I love my country. I love Keystone Progress because it is one of the organizations making a real difference.

KP is helping to build a permanent progressive political majority in Pennsylvania. And it's providing hope for progressives, when despair is as deep as the snowfall from a one-two blizzard punch. Republican obstructionism in Congress, the rise of the regressive Tea Party movement and the Supreme Court's recent decision to give corporations free rein to buy our elections are enough to cause many to throw up their hands in surrender.

But Keystone Progress, and our allies, have refused to quit. Instead, we are audacious enough to believe that we can still win healthcare for every American, equal rights for LGBT people, a growing economy that guarantees a living wage for all, a clean environment, and a society that includes everyone in its common wealth.

KP has accomplished much in its brief existence:

• Built on online progressive action list of over 220,000 subscribers.
• Organized the PA Progressive Summit, training nearly 600 activists
• Produced over 150,000 letters, emails and faxes to elected officials
• Generated over 3,000 news stories in media around PA and across the country.
• Exposed: "Joe" the "Plumber" as a paid shill for corporations; hatred and racism in the McCain/Palin campaign with our videos (over 2.5 million views); the bigotry of Sen. John Eichelberger and Rep. Daryl Metcalfe
• Assisted dozens of other progressive organizations in their communication needs

I love Keystone Progress, what it has done, and what it can do in 2010-if we have the funding. We rely on our friends for our support.

That's why I'm asking you to send a Valentine gift today. https://secure.keystoneprogress.org/page/contribute/paval Make a contribution to Keystone Progress today and we'll send an email letting your Valentine know that not only are you thinking of him/her, you are honoring your Valentine with a gift that will help make Pennsylvania a better place to live and to love. Or you can just make a contribution without the Valentine.

Your contribution will help us continue our work as the communication hub for PA's progressive community. We'll use every dollar to make a difference on the issues you care about.

Show your love. Make the most generous contribution you can afford to help us build a progressive future in PA.

In Solidarity (and love),

Michael Morrill, Executive Director
www.keystoneprogress.org

Even Fox News is reporting that ACORN has properly used its federal funding

Even Fox News is now reporting that ACORN has properly spent all of its Federal funding.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/22/acorn-properly-spent-federal-funds-congressional-study-says/?test=latestnews

How many people will die from lack of healthcare due to Republican inaction?

Congressional District	Incumbent	No. of Dead
Pennsylvania 5	Glenn Thompson	64
Pennsylvania 6	Jim Gerlach	49
Pennsylvania 9	Bill Shuster	83
Pennsylvania 15	Charles W. Dent	54
Pennsylvania 16	Joseph R. Pitts	77
Pennsylvania 18	Tim Murphy	40
Pennsylvania 19	Todd Russell Platts	51

While Republican Members of Congress oppose any meaningful healthcare reform, here are the numbers of people who will die in their districts this year.

Thanks to Rep. Alan Grayson (D,FL) for the list. To view the entire list, go to:

http://grayson.house.gov/Deaths%20by%20Congressional%20District.doc

ACME/Supervalu cuttings workers' hours to avoid paying for healthcare

Four months ago community organizations and health care advocates across the commonwealth stood side by side with the employees of ACME/Supervalu and their union, helping the parties to reach a fair agreement for both sides The agreement overwhelmingly supported by the 4,000 union members at ACME/ Supervalu gave the employer some economic relief and preserved health care benefits and pension rights for our union members.

Now ACME/Supervalu has reneged on their agreement and started to cut the hours of many part-time employees below the level required to earn benefits without regard to our long standing negotiated seniority provisions in our contract. Hundreds of workers would immediately lose their health care benefits if ACME has their way.

Local 1776 is fighting Acme on many fronts. However, we need your help and appreciate your efforts to tell Acme that you are not going to stand by while they deprive working Pennsylvanians’ of health insurance

At a time when we are so close to winning major health care reform for all Americans we cannot allow ACME/Supervalu to dump these hardworking women and men from our negotiated employer based health care plans.

You have helped these workers, your neighbors before, we are asking for your help again.

Please contact Judy Spires by email Judy.Spires@supervalu.com

by phone 610 889 4202, or write her; Judy Spires, President / Acme Markets Inc./ 75 valley Stream Parkway / Malvern PA 19355

We would also appreciate copies of your correspondence with Judy Spires or the staff at ACME Supervalu and if you could share this e-mail with your lists.

Thank you in advance for your help on behalf of the 4,000 members of UFCW 1776 working at ACME Markets and their President Wendell W. Young IV. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

John Meyerson

Director of Legislation & Political Action

United Food and Commercial Workers 1776

3031A Walton Rd

Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

610 940 1811

jmeyerson@ufcw1776.org