Talking Points

Iran Elections Resources

2009-06-15T16:20:00.000-07:00

U.S. Government Documents Trend of Severe Human Rights Abuse Against LGBT People"Top Ten" list of countries where the U.S. should do moreFebruary 2009(FROM THE COUNCIL FOR GLOBAL EQUALITY)On February 25, 2009, the State Department released a report to Congress that examines the human rights record of every country around the world. In terms similar

U.S. in Africa: Fanning the Flames or Putting Out the Fire?

2009-02-19T11:29:00.000-08:00

87% of Sub-Saharan Africans make less than $2/day. 30-40% unemployment rates in many countries.The global food crisis has hit Africa hard and is deepening many conflictsPoverty in Africa must be addressed in order to address conflict and security.SudanThe International Criminal Court has issued a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on 10 counts including war crimes, crimes

Global Gag Rule Rescinded!

2009-01-23T14:53:00.000-08:00

Below are articles by our featured guests and other web resources for more information on the Global Gag Rule and today's Executive Order signed by President Obama which rescinded the rule. Mexico City Policy WikiPopulation Action International’s Fact Sheet: “How the Global Gag Rule Undermines U.S. Foreign Policy & Harms Women’s Health” “Bush, Our Ex-Boyfriend” (by Cristina Page, 1/18/09,

Between a Rock and a Hard Place in Gaza

2009-01-08T13:08:00.001-08:00

Historical Background of Israel/Palestine and the current Gaza Attacks 1922: After the Ottoman Empire is defeated in Word War I, the League of Nations confirms British mandates over Iraq and Palestine, and a French mandate over Syria and Lebanon. Transjordan is separated from the Palestine Mandate and becomes an autonomous kingdom. 1936: Palestinian Arabs demand a halt to Jewish immigration and

Life, Liberty and Security of Person

2008-12-08T10:57:00.000-08:00

60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights About the Universal Declaration of Human RightsThe Declaration was drafted by Eleanor Roosevelt and others after World War II and was adopted by the United Nations on December 10th, 1948.The Declaration has 30 Articles that spell out human rights, including Article 3 which states, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and

Women's Reproductive Health in 2008 Election

2008-10-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

Individual Life Decisions and Reproductive Health Questions about Reproductive Health for candidates: Do you support couples having access to safe and effective birth control options, including emergency contraception?Do you agree that for women to achieve equality, they must have access to family planning services, including birth control and contraception?Do you

Talking Points: Population

2008-09-18T14:29:00.001-07:00

The Numbers: Approximately 350,000 people are born each day and 150,000 die each day, resulting in about 200,000 additional humans on the planet each day. There are currently more than 6.7 billion people on earth, but the United Nations projects that world population will exceed 9.2 billion by 2050. The agency points out that the increase alone is equivalent to the total size of the world

Talking Points: Population

2008-09-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

Fixing Our Broken Energy Policy

2008-08-14T14:58:00.001-07:00

THE PROBLEM Americans are hurting because of the high cost of gas. But drilling for lower gas prices is a fraud. It’s a fake solution, and a scam being sold to the American public desperate for relief. More drilling is the one thing we could do that is guaranteed to keep prices high.

2008-08-14T14:58:00.000-07:00

Talking Points: Olympolitics 2008 - Beijing

2008-08-07T13:23:00.000-07:00

Democracy in China? The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) survived pro-democracy movement in 1989 and has been in power in China for over 50 years. It is the world’s largest political party with more than 70 million members, but that figure represents only 5.5% of the Chinese population. Some feel prospects have never been better for democracy in China. There were 87,000 protests in China

Talking Points: Afghanistan and Pakistan

2008-07-23T12:20:00.000-07:00

AFGHANISTAN Violence is increasing in Afghanistan: - There were 0 suicide bombings in Afghanistan between 1983 and 2001. There were 160 in 2007, a steady increase - There were 1,931 roadside bombings in 2006 and 2,615 in 2007 The Taliban is gaining strength: -

Recapture the Flag!

2008-07-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

Recapture the Flag Talking Points What is this campaign about? This campaign is about restoring public faith in the core values of American democracy – freedom from tyranny, respect for individual liberty and human rights, and government based on the rule of law. “Recapture the Flag” is a forward looking campaign to stake out the principles that expect the next president and Congress to

Talking Points: Lessons From Iraq

2008-07-02T15:47:00.000-07:00

IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM IRAQ: Preventive war. In place of the idea that wars should be started only as a last resort, our current national security doctrine is based on the theory that they should be fought to prevent future enemies from developing. They are the means to create the conditions of peace. Our Iraq experience has been the test case for this theory. We know now how well it has

Drilling Ourselves into a Hole

2008-06-24T11:18:00.000-07:00

TALKING POINTS: Drilling Ourselves into a Hole Oily Lingo: “Peak Oil” - Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum production is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline. If global consumption is not mitigated before the peak, a world energy crisis may develop because the availability of conventional oil will drop and prices will rise,

Talking Points: Iran, Can We Talk?

2008-06-06T14:51:00.000-07:00

EVENTS: Time to Talk to Iran, June 10th, 2008 As rhetoric continues to escalate and tensions mount between the U.S. and Iran, the transpartisan Campaign for a New American Policy on Iran will hold an event on Capitol Hill to underscore the need for new, responsible and effective U.S. policies and leadership to reduce the likelihood of a conflict that would have disastrous consequences.

Talking Points: Turning Off Code Red

2008-05-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

COMPLEX TRANSFORMATION The Department of Energy recently proposed a plan that would dramatically increase the U.S.’s ability to produce new nuclear weapons, called “Complex Transformation” What will be the environmental impacts of resumption of testing nuclear warheads? What will the global security impacts of the U.S. building more nuclear weapons and testing them be? Sunshine Week is March 16-22, 2008 Open Government: On Monday, Dec. 31, 2007, President Bush signed into law the first major FOIA reform in decades; however, the 2009 budget, released in early 2008, stripped the legislation of funding for key components, including an ombudsman that would be housed under the National

Homeland Insecurity

2008-02-25T14:24:00.000-08:00

Are we winning the "War on Terror" The July 2007 National Intelligence Estimate Statement showed that Al Qaeda has fully reconstituted itself in Pakistan's northern border region. Only one person has been convicted of engaging in a terrorist act since 9/11, Richard Reid the shoe bomber. Tom and Nancy Kubbany were

Lame Duck President - lame duck war?

2008-01-31T15:01:00.000-08:00

Is Bush’s surge working? Will it provide long-term stability in Iraq? State of the Union Address: Bush claimed that the surge is working to quell violence in Iraq, largely due to the 30,000 troops added to the forces already in Iraq in the beginning of 2007 Bush urged Americans to stay the course in Iraq, that there has been progress.Senior U.S. military commanders in Baghdad want to

Candidates on Foreign Policy

2008-01-11T13:44:00.000-08:00

Guides to Candidates’ Views: Nuclear Age Foundation 2008 Presidential Candidate Quotes: http://www.wagingpeace.org/menu/resources/surveys/2008_pres_cand/cand_quotes_page.php Friends Committee on National Legislation’s “Eyes on the Prize: Presidential Candidates on Iraq, Iran and Nuclear Weapons” (December 2007): http://fcnl.org/pdfs/nuclear/Eyes_on_the_Prize.pdf Friends Committee on

TALKING POINTS: RACIAL WEALTH GAP

2007-12-17T14:34:00.000-08:00

Incomes have increased among both black and white families in the past three decades, mainly because more women are in the workforce. Incomes among black men have actually declined in the past three decades, but these declines were offset by gains among black women. Generational transfer of wealth: Nearly half of African Americans born to middle-income parents in the late 1960s plunged

TALKING POINTS: Dangerous Double Standard?

2007-11-21T11:29:00.000-08:00

What happened in Pakistan? On November 3rd, 2007, Gen. and President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan suspended the Constitution of the country and installed emergency rule and martial law.Musharraf feared a ruling on 6 charges against him by the Supreme Court about his being the Head of the Army and the President of the country.Musharraf shut down all television

Talking Points: Green With Energy?

2007-11-07T11:45:00.000-08:00

Global Warming in the West At Glacier National Park this summer, scientists found that Gem Glacier was entirely snow-free for the first time in 100 years.At Glacier National Park, scientists found that they were about eight and a half years ahead of schedule for their projections about glacier melt due to global warming "Warming Climate Shrinking Glacier Park's

Talking Points: Is Iran the Next Iraq?

2007-10-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

World Public Opinion Polling Data, January 2007 A majority of Iranians reject the idea that a conflict between Islamic and Western cultures is inevitable. A majority of Iranians believe it is possible for Islamic and Western cultures to find common ground.A substantially larger minority of Americans than Iranians believe that conflict between Islam and the West is

Talking Points: School Lunch Programs

2007-09-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

Talking Points: What’s for Lunch? 40% of elementary schools, ¾ of middle/junior high schools and virtually all senior high schools have vending machines, school stores or snack bars which most commonly carry soft drinks, sport drinks, imitation fruit drinks, chips, and candy. School Food Environment: Healthy Schools Campaign What is the National School Lunch Program?a federally assisted

Talking Points: Getting A Grip

2007-09-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

Getting a Grip - Introduction from Author:"I’ve finally figured it out. I am not overwhelmed, depressed, confused, or bewildered by our world gone mad. I’m ready. I’m past ready. I just want to go for it. Why can’t we have a nation - why can’t we have a world we’re proud of? Why can’t we stop wringing our hands over poverty, hunger, species decimation, genocide, and death from curable disease

Talking Points: Status in Iraq

2007-09-10T14:33:00.000-07:00

QUICK IRAQ STATS: US Troop Levels · August 2007: 164,000 · January 2007: 137,000 Casualties · Confirmed U.S. military deaths as of Sept. 4, 2007: 3,739 · Confirmed U.S. military wounded as of Sept. 4,

TALKING POINTS: Katrina Amnesia

2007-08-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

Center for Social Inclusion’s June 2007 Report Card on New Orleans Recovery Race and Rebuilding More than 105,000 city dwellers did not have a car during Hurricane Katrina evacuation. Nearly 2/3 of Black New Orleanians had no car to evacuate, compared to less than 10% of White New Orleanians.Almost half (44%) of those harmed by the broken levees were Black.Nearly

Man Versus Wild

2007-08-09T15:40:00.000-07:00

“Once our last wildlands are paved, logged and polluted, they can never be replaced.” Sierra Club Wildlands CampaignIn 1964, Congress passed the Wilderness Act, but 319 million acres of wilderness remains unprotected under the law.Just 4.7% of our nation’s landmass is protected by law. PROTECTING WILDERNESS AREAS Alaska: Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and Wildnerness is threatened

TALKING POINTS: Farm Bill Update

2007-07-25T10:03:00.000-07:00

TALKING POINTS: FARM BILL UPDATE Conservation Security Program (CSP): CSP was first authorized in Farm Bill 2002.CSP provides financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers who develop and maintain conservation systems that protect natural resources and address environmental concerns.CSP provides incentives to farmers who invest labor, management and capital aimed at preserving and

Talking Points: Islamophobia

2007-07-16T15:36:00.000-07:00

Talking Points: Islam/West Relations Defining Islamophobia: Islamophobia is defined by FAIR (Forum Against Islamophobia and Racism) as the fear, hatred or hostility directed towards Islam and Muslims. Islamophobia includes attacks, abuse and violence against Muslims; attacks on mosques, Islamic centers and Muslim cemeteries; discrimination in education, employment, housing and delivery of good

TALKING POINTS: Diversity in Schools

2007-06-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

History of School Desegregation cases up to date from the Los Angeles Times Background on two Supreme Court voluntary school desegregation cases: Louisville - Meredith v. Jefferson County Board of Education, 05-915)30 years ago a federal judge ordered that Jefferson County impose a desegregation program, dissolving the order in 2000 after a judge ruled that integration

TALKING POINTS: "Grand Bargain" or "Bad Deal"?, Immigration Reform

2007-06-22T16:01:00.000-07:00

Details of the Senate Immigration Reform Bill, titled “Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007”: New Worker Provisions: Title IV of the Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 (S. 1639) would create a nonimmigrant Y visa program to allow new workers to enter the U.S. on a temporary basis. Business Immigration Provisions:

Eat at your own risk? TALKING POINTS

2007-06-04T14:44:00.000-07:00

Food Safety Concerns Unsafe foods cause an estimated 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. In 2006, E-coli from bagged fresh spinach sickened 205 people and killed at least 3 in a national food illness outbreak. E-Coli sickened 152 people who ate at chain restaurants Taco Bell and Taco John in 2006. Center for Science in the Public

TALKING POINTS: Oil - Good to the Last Drop?

2007-05-18T11:18:00.000-07:00

Oil Shale Development The federal government is encouraging new oil shale and tar sands development for oil in some our most wild areas, specifically eastern Utah, western Colorado and southern Wyoming. Oil shale development requires bulldozing natural areas. Traditional methods included strip mines and pollution of ground water. In the 1980’s, oil shale development failed. After

TALKING POINTS: Does Peace Have a Chance?

2007-05-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

What is Peacebuilding?Peacebuilding is a whole system approach to making, keeping and sustaining peace. It includes building governance structures that protect peace through justice and human rights protections. Peacebuilding requires careful and participatory planning by various groups, within government and the community. It is a long-term commitment to a process

Talking Points: The Long Road to Tolerance

2007-04-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

Will we work toward understanding or build walls? Muslim views on Americans: Gallup Survey:From 10 predominantly Muslim Countries, representing more than 80% of the Muslim population worldwide When asked what they admire most about the West, Muslims frequently mention political freedom, liberty, fair judicial systems and freedom of speech.In critiquing their own

Talking Points: Looking Up from the Table

2007-04-11T14:52:00.000-07:00

Where does my food come from?Currently, 1.2 million acres of farmland are lost every year (about 2 acres/minute) Commodity subsidy programs only supported about 39% of farms in the U.S. in 2003. The bulk of commodity money goes to a small number of large farms that do not grow a diversity of crops. This encourages consolidation of farms instead of diversification and support of medium

TALKING POINTS: Support our Troops

2007-03-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

Talking Points 76% OF AMERICANS THINK THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION HAS NOT DONE ENOUGH TO CARE FOR IRAQ WAR VETERANS Troops are being overworked and not getting proper time off.Is this a “backdoor draft”? 31 Army combat brigades have served two or more tours in Iraq or Afghanistan, out of 44 total.420,000 troops have deployed more than once. The Army’s policy calls for a soldier to return home

Talking Points: Sunshine Week 2007

2007-03-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

What is Sunshine Week? How did it start and why? Sunshine Week is a national week to raise public discussion about the importance of open government, the Freedom of Information Act and Sunshine Laws. Sunshine Week is rooted in an event that originally took place in Florida, called “Sunshine Sunday” in 2002. Prompted by concern among the public and the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors

Talking Points: Energy in the West, A Call to Action

2007-03-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

Climate Change: Potential Disaster for the West? Health: Increased risk of some infectious diseases, especially those spread by mosquitoes and other insects Water Quality: Climate Change may cause severe flooding in some areas and droughts in others. Less snowpack due to changing climate will mean less water in the summer months in some areas, which is a threat to civilization in areas of the

TALKING POINTS: Sustainable Agriculture

2007-02-07T14:23:00.001-08:00

What are the effects of industrial food production? In the U.S., approximately 40% of all chemical fertilizers applied to fields eventually changes into ammonia and is released into the atmosphere.ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUESNitrogen that runs off croplands into the Mississippi River and its tributaries has been implicated as a major cause of a "dead zone" in the Gulf of

Talking Points: Tapped out in the West

2007-01-05T16:08:00.000-08:00

EPA’s water siteWater use trendsLargest demand for water withdrawals is for thermoelectric generation, followed by irrigation, public supply, industrial, mining, livestock, domestic and commercial uses.Per capita public water use is about 50 percent higher in the West than the East, mostly due to the amount of landscape irrigation in the West.Over irrigating crops

TALKING POINTS: Childhood Obesity

2006-12-13T17:01:00.000-08:00

Childhood Obesity Definition: A child’s weight status is determined based on an age- and sex-specific percentile for BMI rather than by the BMI categories used for adults. For children and adolescents (aged 2–19 years), overweight is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex. This definition is based on the 2000 CDC Growth Charts for the United

TALKING POINTS: School Desegregation

2006-11-27T16:54:00.000-08:00

In its upcoming term the United States Supreme Court will consider what efforts local school systems may voluntarily take to promote diverse schools and avoid racial segregation. In deciding these cases, from Louisville, Kentucky, and Seattle, Washington, the Court will determine whether these communities’ efforts promote the goals of the Constitution’s equal protection clause, or violate that

Talking Points, Iran and US

2006-11-10T16:50:00.000-08:00

Is Iran’s nuclear program legal and for power generation, or is Iran’s program shrouded in secrecy and duplicity? Under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran can have a nuclear program but cannot create or maintain a nuclear arsenal. Iran would like to build 15 nuclear power plants and 2 nuclear research plants. During the Iran/Iraq war, two nuclear power plants that Iran was building were

Talking Points: Threats and Opportunities

2006-10-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

Threats and Opportunities: Crafting Realistic Foreign Policy Alternatives in an Era of Mass Casualty TerrorismWorld Policy Institute at the New School October 2006 Introduction Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; veiled military threats against Iran; North Korea’s nuclear test; continuing terrorist threats; and record military budgets – these are challenging times for U.S. security

TALKING POINTS: Immigrant Labor in the US

2006-09-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

Is Immigrant Labor Straining or Stimulating the U.S. Economy? What are some of the myths associated with immigration? Are they true? Take this test on Immigration in the US, see how much you know. Immigration Policy Reform: How can immigration policy be reformed to support the US economy yet limit illegal immigration? How can the immigrant workforce be encouraged and aided to be

TALKING POINTS: 9/11 5 year anniversary

2006-09-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

Talking Points - 9/11: Five Years and Billions LaterCarl ConettaThe various costs and risks undertaken as part of America's three post-9/11 wars are considerable, and many are deferred.The potentials for new and broader confrontations are growing as a direct consequence of current missions.While the potential for broader confrontation increases, America's capacity to win

TALKING POINTS: Katrina One Year Anniversary

2006-08-25T14:34:00.000-07:00

Discriminatory policies have made it difficult for Katrina Evacuees to have equal access to opportunity.Only 5.4% of the $3.7 billion in FEMA funds have been spent on contracts with Louisiana companies, taking many of the jobs and much of the economic boom associated with opportunity out of the hands of Katrina Survivors. Minority owned businesses experienced exceptional

TALKING POINTS: Industrialized Meat Production

2006-08-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

What are CAFOs? Confined or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations abbreviated as CAFOs are larger, specialized meat production operations. CAFOs produce meat en masse through confinement animals in a concentrated, crowded environment and have been thus known to have poor health consequences for the animals, humans who consume their products and the environment. CAFOs have been known to produce

TALKING POINTS: Global Warming

2006-08-25T14:23:00.000-07:00

Is human society accelerating global warming? There is a discernible human impact on global warming through deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels. Greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere by industry and our everyday lives. It seems difficult for science to discern the exact amount of global warming acceleration attributable to human societies, but there is evidence that the

TALKING POINTS: Iraq Talking Points

2006-03-14T14:35:00.000-08:00

Talking Points for Iraq War AnniversaryPresident Bush’s State of the Union Address Full Text:Latest Public Opinion Polls“Though the Bush administration has framed the intervention in Iraq as a means of fighting terrorism, all around the world—including in the US—most people view it as having increased the likelihood of terrorist attacks. The near unanimity of this assessment among countries is

Endangered Species Act

2006-03-07T16:36:00.000-08:00

Talking Points for ESAWhat is the Endangered Species Act? The Endangered Species Act (ESA), enacted in 1973, is the nation's primary tool for conserving imperiled plants and animals. Currently over 1,200 U.S. species and over 550 foreign species are listed as either threatened or endangered. Endangered species: In imminent risk of going extinct. Threatened species: In imminent risk of

Media Reform

2006-03-01T16:55:00.000-08:00

Media Reform Talking Points Media Consolidation and Sound bites As of September 30, 2003 – 13,450 broadcast radio stations are listed as licensed by the FCC (“State of the News Media- Ethnic/Alternative” www.Journalism.org) Five corporations (Disney, Viacom, GE/Vivendi, Newscorp/Liberty and AOL-Time

Immigration Talking Points

2006-02-07T14:55:00.000-08:00

Reform There are 10.3 million undocumented people in the United States. Any reform must acknowledge that these newcomers are integral to our communities and interwoven into the economic, cultural, and political fabric of our society. It must also acknowledge that as a nation of immigrants and of laws we must be

Promise and Uncertainty in the Middle East--Talking Points

2006-01-24T11:46:00.000-08:00

Israel: Changing of the Guard, March 28th 2006 Elections without Sharon Kadima · The party is made up of prominent defectors from both sides of Israel's traditional left-right divide, forming a new centrist movement that could win wide electoral support. · The key question is: Without the

The Education of Arnold Schwarzenegger

2006-01-12T11:51:00.000-08:00

How is the education allotment determined? · Every summer the California Legislature and governor decide how much money will go to kindergarten through 12th grade (K–12) public education and how it will be divided among school districts, county offices of education, and the California Department of Education. Although some changes occur each year,

Justice for All: The Supreme Court

2006-01-06T13:02:00.000-08:00

Alito Talking Points Samuel Alito, Supreme Court Nominee · Alito worked for the solicitor general's office in 1981-1985, and also as deputy assistant U.S. attorney general from 1985-1987 before becoming a federal prosecutor and judge. President Bush picked him for the Supreme Court in October · · Although the United States still leads the world in overall prosperity and productivity, the American way of organizing work and rewarding workers no longer provides many hardworking families a piece of the American dream. · Today, one out of four workers in

Energy Costs

2005-10-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

Energy Prices According to the Energy Information Administration of the US Department of Energy, a rise in energy costs will look as follows: · This winter, residential space‐heating expenditures are projected to increase for all fuel types compared to year‐ago levels. On average, households heating primarily with natural gas are

What’s Next for Iraq –Talking Points

2005-10-03T10:35:00.000-07:00

On the Road to Democracy: Iraq constitution and election processCONSTITUTION SCHEDULE· 15 August deadline extended twice· National referendum on constitution by mid-October· Full government elections by mid-DecemberReferendum vote· The draft constitution will be put to the popular vote in a referendum in October (15th). Under the electoral mechanism to be used, it only needs

Health Care Talking Points

2005-08-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

Medicaid/Medicare What is Medicaid? Who benefits from it? Title XIX of the Social Security Act is a Federal/State entitlement program that pays for medical assistance for certain individuals and families with low incomes and resources. This program, known as Medicaid, became law in 1965 as a cooperative venture jointly funded by the Federal and State governments (including the District

Shaping the Court—Talking Points

2005-07-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

What’s at Stake?A Woman’s Access to Birth ControlAvailabilityWidespread use of birth control continues to be a critical component of basic preventive health care for women and has been the driving force in reducing national rates of unintended pregnancies, STDs and abortion. Women who want two children will spend five years pregnant or trying to get pregnant, and nearly three decades trying to

Energy Gone Wild in the West—talking points

2005-06-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

Uranium Extraction· The sparsely populated high-desert land in the west end of San Miguel and Montrose counties is designated "Multiple Purpose Public Domain" by the Bureau of Land Management. And while there's little "public" to be found on these lonely sandy soils, the area plays host to cattle grazing and mining.· Since the uranium bust in 1979, following the near meltdown of a nuclear reactor

Can We Be a Global ‘Good Neighbor?’—Talking Points

2005-06-14T10:58:00.000-07:00

Global Debt· The main challenges to the world economy are persistent global imbalances, high and volatile oil prices and the need for a more balanced distribution of the benefits of globalisation...· Vigorous action is needed to ensure more balanced growth between the main economies. The key priorities remain continued fiscal consolidation in the US, further structural reforms in Europe and

Class Crash- Talking Points

2005-05-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

Long Term JoblessnessAccording to the Economic Policy Institute’s National Employment Law Project, There has been a significant rise in long-term joblessness (6 months and more), especially among women.Three and a half years into this recovery, one in five unemployed Americans has been out of work for six months or more – marking the first time ever that so many jobless have been out of work for

Iraq: More Casualties, Who Cares?—Talking Points

2005-05-13T11:38:00.000-07:00

Terrorism on the Rise· The U.S. count of major world terrorist attacks more than tripled in 2004…· The number of "significant" international terrorist attacks rose to about 650 last year from about 175 in 2003· The State Department last year initially released erroneous figures that understated the attacks, fatalities and casualties in 2003 and used the figures to claim the Bush administration

The Nuclear Option – Talking points

2005-05-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

How American’s Feel· Most Americans surveyed in a poll by AP-Ipsos Public Affais say they do not think any country, including the United States, should have nuclear weapons. That sentiment is at odds with current efforts by some nations that are trying to develop the weapons and by terrorists seeking to add them to their arsenal.· North Korea claims it has nuclear weapons now and is making more.

Energy at the Crossroads - Talking Points

2005-04-18T16:30:00.000-07:00

The National Energy Bill · The bill is still tilted heavily toward helping traditional energy industries including coal, oil and natural gas companies with little to encourage energy efficiency. Less than $500 million in tax incentives are directed at renewable energy and efficiency programs. It does not address improvements in automobile fuel

US Arms Race - Against Ourselves?--Talking Points

2005-04-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

Arms Sales and TransfersCountries worldwide agreed to nearly $26 billion in new arms purchases last year and made actual transfers worth almost $29 billion.The United States accounted for more than half of all new arms sales agreements in 2003, as global arms sales declined for the third year in a row, while U.S. sales rose for the second year running.According to the Congressional Research

The Nuclear Option

2005-03-31T11:43:00.000-08:00

“Owning” Our Own Society -Talking Points

2005-03-21T09:29:00.000-08:00

“To give every American a stake in the promise and future of our country, we will bring the highest standards to our schools, and build an ownership society. We will widen the ownership of homes and businesses, retirement savings and health insurance - preparing our people for the challenges of life in a free society. By making every citizen an agent of his or her own destiny, we will give our

Weighing Iraq: Costs of War, Price of Freedom--Talking Points

2005-03-07T16:37:00.000-08:00

Total Number of Fatalities and Wounded in Iraq: The mystifying numbers of the fallen Iraqi soldiers and civilians: who is keeping count? US and coalition forces death toll and wounded. When is enough, enough? http://www.antiwar.com/casualties/ http://icasualties.org/oif/ Iraqi Body Count: http://www.iraqbodycount.net/database/ Bringing Saddam to

“Crisis” or “Genocide” in Sudan?

2005-02-12T11:29:00.000-08:00

“As Africa, at the start of a new century, struggles to make itself a success, resolving conflicts is at the top of its agenda. To find answers, the continent's leaders are sorting through deeply rooted cultural traditions, colonial-era legacies and the new demands of a globalized world, searching for African solutions to Africa's problems.Nowhere is that struggle more evident than in Darfur,

We the People: Bridging the Great Divide

2005-02-07T11:36:00.000-08:00

The “Great Divide?”Taken from the PIPA/Knowledge Networks Poll at: http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/mandatepoll/Press01_18_05.pdfMajorities of both parties polled agreed that on the following stances regarding US Foreign Policy in the second Bush term:Make preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and the combating international terrorism the top priorities in US foreign policyStrengthen the

Fitting In or Standing Out: The US Role in the World

2005-01-24T10:25:00.000-08:00

President Bush’s Inaugural Address Full Text: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/inaugural-address.htmlBipartisan public consensus on US Foreign Policy?Taken from the PIPA/Knowledge Networks Poll at: http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/mandatepoll/Press01_18_05.pdfMajorities of both parties polled agreed that on the following stances when it comes to US Foreign Policy in the second Bush term:Make

Counting On Our Future -Talking Points

2005-01-10T10:21:00.000-08:00

The State of Social Security from “America Beyond Capitalism” by Gar Alperovitz· Although Social Security provides substantial support for some retirees, in many ways it is best understood as a bottom line guarantee against true disaster for the elderly. The maximum monthly benefit in 2001 was $1,538; half of those on Social Security received less than $900 a month.· A traditional pension once

The Human Face Of War- Talking Points

2004-12-12T14:13:00.000-08:00

Wounds of war · According to a study done by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research found that over 15 percent of Marines and soldiers surveyed suffered major depression, generalized anxiety or post traumatic stress disorder – this study did not look at reservists, who tend to suffer a higher rate of psychological injury than career soldiers. (“These Unseen Wounds Cut Deep” LA

Framing Our Future

2004-11-22T14:03:00.000-08:00

Framing Our Future Talking Points “Elections 2004: Comparing 2004 with 2000” State By State Analysis: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/elections/2004/2000-2004_comparison.html “Maps and Cartograms of the 2004 US Presidential Election Results” (full color diagrams and maps of election results, University of Michigan) : http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

2004-11-05T14:02:00.000-08:00

Care for Land, Sea and Air – Talking Points Artic Indicator: Climate Change at the Poles (Taken from Impacts of a Warming Artic, published by Cambridge University, www.cambridge.org ) · The Artic is extremely vulnerable to observed and projected climate change and its impacts – it is now experiencing the most rapid and severe climate change on earth. With anticipated acceleration

2004-10-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

Life After November 2 Economy Talking Points Discretionary Spending- President Bush’s plan · A 0.5% cap on growth of non security discretionary spending will cut domestic programs and represent the lowest growth since 1993. · A total discretionary spending increase of only 3.9% is less than the increase in the average family income. Deficit · Last year the

2004-10-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

Election 2004 Talking Points and Useful Reference Article Links The Right to Vote? · The phrase “The right of all ‘qualified’ citizens to vote,” in the constitution has been interpreted by the current Supreme Court very literally – we the people have only the voting privileges granted to us by the states – there is no federal constitutional or universal “right to vote.” Other

2004-09-30T13:48:00.000-07:00

Facing Our Fears Talking Points “October Surprise” speculation abounds… · In December 2003, New York Times columnist William Safire predicted a major terrorist attack in the US which would affect the November elections. In November 2003, General Tommy Franks speculated that a major terrorist attack would likely result in suspension of the US Constitution and the installation of a

2004-09-14T10:33:00.000-07:00

Shifty Tax Cuts: Passing the Buck?Talking PointsEffects of Tax Cuts· According to the Congressional Budget Office, tax cuts will exacerbate income inequality by raising the after tax incomes by a much greater percentage for the top 1% of households than for any other income group.· Tax cuts are a poorly designed economic stimulus: each $1 of tax cuts has produced only 74 cents of added economic

2004-09-07T13:46:00.000-07:00

Defining Victory Talking Points Public Opinion: · 7 out of 10 Americans now say the UN should take the lead in Iraq reconstruction · 66% say the US should commit itself to a stable democracy in Iraq · 70% say war has not reduced the threat of terrorism · Three quarters say pursuit of Osama Bin Ladin and al Qaeda is more important that Iraq Poll by the PIPKA/

2004-08-20T13:37:00.000-07:00

The Elephant in the Room: Republicans Gather in NYC Talking Points Demonstrations and Protestors · Although Anarchy is often associated with a political philosophy that many attribute with violence. Many protestors are embracing the original spirit of the word which has little to do with violence, from the Greek: “arkhos” (ruler) and the prefix “a” (the absence of) to develop

2004-08-11T13:40:00.000-07:00

Voices That Must Be Heard Talking Points Prisons – Do punishments fit the crimes? · By 2001, two million adult citizens were in prison and jail. · By the End of 1999, more prisoners were added to America’s prisons and jails than any other decade in history – 25% more than those added in the 80’s and 16 times as many as the average number added during the five decades before