Sign the petition to DSCC Chairman Charles Schumer for no PAC or lobbyist campaign contributions

Image by Getty Images via Daylife Change Congress is asking us to sign a petition to US Senator Charles Schumer. Sen. Schumer is head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC); it accepts campaign contributions from Political Action Committees (PAC's) and lobbyists. The Democratic National Committee (DNC), Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama and DNC Chairman Howard Dean do not.

Let us heal the schism within the Democratic Party from this capitulation to unwarranted campaign donors. Let's lower the amount of unethical influence peddling by using no corporate and union big money contributions.

Please sign the petition now. Thank you

.
>All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear
.

Added to All Things Reform: Center for Progressive Reform

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: Center for Progressive Reform

About CPR

The Center for Progressive Reform (home page) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and educational organization with a network of Member Scholars working to protect health, safety, and the environment through analysis and commentary.

CPR’s core issue areas are health, safety and the environment. Member Scholars’ work in this area touches on such topics as:

• Protecting the environment (including climate change, clean air and water, enforcement issues, environmental justice, toxics, the next generation of environmental policies, natural resources, wildlife and nature);
• Defending clean science from political or corporate interference;
• Ensuring food and drug safety;
• Excessive secrecy in government (focused on areas affecting health, safety and the environment);
• Regulatory Policy (including cost-benefit analysis, risk assessment and various tools for weighing the merits of protective regulation); and
• Corporate accountability and tort reform (including federal preemption of state tort laws).

CPR has more than 50 Member Scholars around the nation, working academics teaching at colleges and universities. They represent diverse research agendas, areas of expertise, and geographic location. CPR Member Scholars do much of their work through CPR's Issue Groups.

All Things Reform includes CPR in its "Federal Government Ethics Orgs." list in the lefthand column of this blog.

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

Tell your members of Congress to stay away from big money at the conventions

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: Public Citizen

PUT VOTERS FIRST AT THE NATIONAL PARTY CONVENTIONS

ACTION UPDATE: Crash the Parties!

Every four years, corporations and other major donors exploit a loophole in campaign finance law and give millions to sponsor the national party conventions. During the conventions, they throw lavish parties for our representatives in Congress, making sure their interests are heard loud and clear.

They don't do this for nothing. In return for mega-donations, host committees for both parties offer corporations and other donors prime advertising space at the convention and exclusive access to influential politicians. The greater the contribution, the greater the advertising and access opportunities.

Elected officials are supposed to represent us, the people whose votes they depend on. We should be the ones talking to them at the 2008 conventions. Our voices are the ones they should hear loud and clear. We can make ourselves heard now by sending a clear message: members of Congress should put voters first, not big donors.




Go to Public Citizen's campaign web page now and take action! There are a few things you can do right now to help return the voice of the voter back to the actual voters-- we, the people. Thank you

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

Concord Coalition: 7 key questions for candidates on their federal budget policies

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: Concord Coalition

CONCORD COALITION RELEASES CONVENTION UPDATE FOR "KEY QUESTIONS"

WASHINGTON – The Concord Coalition today released the Convention Edition of its Election 2008 "Key Questions" brochure. Representatives of The Concord Coalition will distribute the brochure at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. The brochure proposes questions that citizens and the media should ask candidates about the federal budget and the nation's fiscal future. Each question features background information to provide context on these critical issues.

"The candidates we elect in 2008 will face crucial decisions about the path of our nation's fiscal policy. These decisions go well beyond what may be needed to balance the budget in the short-term. Campaigns are the best time for voters to find out how candidates plan to deal with the looming fiscal challenge, or whether they have even thought about it at all. It is crucial that voters be able to assess whether the candidates appreciate the magnitude of the looming fiscal challenge, the need for trade-offs, and the importance of acting sooner rather than later," said Concord Coalition Executive Director Robert L. Bixby.

"Some candidates will be tempted to tell the voters what they think they want to hear, rather than what they need to hear. It's up to the voters to make each campaign a 'pander-free' zone. For our part, we hope these questions will help in that effort. We also encourage candidates to show initiative by bringing up these issues themselves, without waiting for the voters to demand answers. That is what real leadership is about," said Concord Coalition Field Director Harry Zeeve.

The brochure includes these questions, with explanations:

• Do you believe that budget deficits matter?
• Do you have a plan to balance the federal budget?
• What specific spending cuts would you propose to help balance the budget?
• What assumptions do you make regarding the future of defense spending?
• How do you plan to deal with the budgetary consequences of extending some or all of the expiring tax cuts?
• Will you be as committed to slowing the growth of health costs as you are to expanding health care coverage?
• What steps would you take to close Social Security’s long-term funding gap?

Key Questions Convention Update (brochure in pdf format): http://www.concordcoalition.org/files/uploaded_for_nodes/docs/August08-Key_Questions.pdf. Shortened URL http://snurl.com/3jp7h-dw.

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

Black Box Voting: Temporary tech jobs are available for November 2008 election

Image by Getty Images via Daylife Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: Black Box Voting

Widest possible distribution needed. Please do spread this in blogs, etc:

This post will no doubt produce howls of objection for the vendors that read it. Black Box Voting is encouraging all individuals with a technical background to search and apply for temporary tech ELECTION SUPPORT jobs for the November 2008 election.

Hiring is underway for temporary technicians to help with voting machines this fall. Vendor dependence is undermining the structure of US elections, as described here in the new report by VotersUnite.org:

http://www.votersunite.org/info/ReclaimElections.pdf

We want to see You, the People, enter into the vendor mix directly.

HOW TO FIND TEMPORARY ELECTION TECH POSITIONS:

In a presidential election year, voting machine vendors will hire and train thousands of technicians staffed around the country. For example, anywhere thatElection Systems & Softwareftware has a machine, they are under contract to provide an on-site support tech. Hart Intercivic, Premier (Diebold), and Sequoia also use Election Day support technicians.

Temporary election tech support jobs have been spotted on hotjobs.com, rollouts.com, and local tech temp firms like (in 2006) DecisionOne. The tech services firm may be a subcontractor for the big four voting machine companies. Sometimes you'll find the positions advertised by your local county.

Sites like Rollouts.com have you register in their E-tech database. They search for techs based on skill set and area. There isn't much in the way of a skill set needed for the election projects.

QUIETLY APPLY FOR THE JOBS

Anyone with tech skills interested in safeguarding the November election is encouraged to register at technical recruiting sites and apply for any election-related projects.

CONSIDER ASKING FOR TIME OFF ON YOUR FULL TIME JOB TO DO THIS. This November, there may be no better way to watch the behind-the-scenes process than to be a stagehand, so to speak.

It is not the vendor, and not the government, that has the right to elections information, it is the PUBLIC. Citizens have inalienable rights to sovereignty over the government they created and pay for. These rights cannot be honored without mechanisms to see all information related to elections, and ultimately, to have control processes that honor citizen sovereignty.

That said, it ain't gonna happen this November. Therefore it is entirely appropriate, patriotic, and important, for citizens to apply for temporary positions as voting machine technicians to provide inside public oversight for the process.

There will be nondisclosure agreements, which are not appropriate at all for public elections, but it's a reality now that vendors are trespassing on citizen right to know. There may be issues that arise which the public clearly has a right to know. When that happens, a decision must be made.

YOU WON'T BE THE FIRST

We have already been in communications with other patriotic volunteers who have successfully obtained these positions in the past, and are doing this for November.

THERE ARE ALWAYS WAYS TO DEAL WITH IMPORTANT ISSUES IF THEY ENDANGER THE PUBLIC GOOD. You, the People, are needed on the inside of the elections industry this November.

This is a public service bulletin from Black Box Voting.

Black Box Voting Tool Kit 2008 - free download here: http://www.blackboxvoting.org/toolkit2008.pdf

Empower more election watchdog actions:
http://www.blackboxvoting.org/donate.html
Black Box Voting
330 SW 43rd St Suite K
PMB 547
Renton WA 98057

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi & Senate Leader Harry Reid honored as Porkers of the Month!

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: Citizens Against Government Waste

Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today named Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) its August Porkers of the Month for leading a do-nothing Congress into a five week vacation.

Congress left for its traditional August recess after accomplishing nothing. Of the 106 bills enacted since January, 94, or 89 percent were to name government buildings or lands, extend or make technical corrections to existing laws, or passed either by unanimous consent or with less than 10 dissenting votes. The accomplishments included "Frank Sinatra Day," National Plumbing Industry Week," and "National Day of the Cowboy."

The deadline for passing the 12 annual appropriations bills has been deliberately ignored. Only one of the bills has passed the House, and only four others have been approved by the House Appropriations Committee. In the Senate, nine have been approved by the Appropriations Committee but none have reached the floor.

[...]

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

Taxpayer research online advances for Tax Freedom Day

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: Institución Futuro

I have the great pleasure of sharing with fellow American citizens Spain's excellent way to calculate annual "Tax Freedom Day". Here in the US, the nonpartisan tax research group Tax Foundation calculates each year what our own Tax Freedom Day is; but, Institucion Futuro goes one step further and provides an online calculator for more individualized results. Below is text from a letter from Ana Yerro; the links she provides are English-language web pages.

Dear David,

This is Ana Yerro, head of communications of the Spanish think tank Institución Futuro (www.ifuturo.org). I read your blog “All things reform” on regular basis and also we are friends in Facebook.

I am writing you to inform you about Institución Futuro (www.ifuturo.org) new initiative. We have launched the Tax Freedom Day campaign (www.diadelcontribuyente.org/en) in Spain. The official presentation took place on June 5^th and it was a full success in terms of media coverage and citizens participation. Our ‘best man’ was Pedro Schwartz, a renowned Spanish liberal economist who supports our cause. Until July 21st , over 2.000 citizens have calculated their own Tax Freedom Day with our taxes calculator, and the web site, which includes many resources, has obtained until now more than 5.000 sessions, and this is just the beginning!

The results are as follows: the Navarra Tax Freedom Day is April 26^th, while the Spanish Tax Freedom Day is May 21^st. (http://www.diadelcontribuyente.org/en/cifras.php).

The Instituto Futuro online Tax Freedom Day calculator helps the individual citizen; it takes advantage of the latest internet technology for taxpayer research in determining at what point in the year you stop paying for the government and start paying for yourself.

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

Party Time, a new database of federal candidate fundraisers

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: Party Time

The Sunlight Foundation has introduced Party Time, an online database of campaign fundraising parties, which occur in conventions, near the capitol or anywhere else, anytime of the year. The hundreds of parties for the candidates attending the upcoming Democratic and Republican conventions are already included.

You can search by several categories. A copy of the actual invitation is given for each party in the database. And, if you know of a party, please contribute it to Party Time; the database goes back many years.

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

Video: Electing a president in plain English

Internet explorer is required to view this video.



.
>All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear
.

Is your county elections needed on the Election Protection Watch List?

Image by Getty Images via Daylife Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: Black Box Voting

HOW TO RECOMMEND AN AREA FOR THE WATCH LIST:

Provide specifics from 2007 or later, with credible links, news articles, or documents for any of the CRITERIA below. Send your recommendation for Watch List location by e-mail to: crew@blackboxvoting.org. Or you can post what you have online here:
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/73/77633.html

We will add Watch List locations throughout the fall. The earlier you submit your recommendations, the better.

CRITERIA FOR BLACK BOX VOTING ELECTION PROTECTION WATCH LIST:

Counties and municipalities are assigned to the 2008 Black Box Voting election protection "Watch List" when we get reasonably recent specifics demonstrating any of the following:

- History of significant anomaly in election results
- History of ignoring election law
- History of election official lying to the public
- Impossible numbers or ballot/results reconciliations missing or significantly incorrect
- Significant obstruction of freedom of information requests
- History of corruption/indictments. Think it doesn't happen? Think again. Two of the Watch List election officials have been indicted for embezzlement in the past 90 days.

- This year, any place still using ES&S iVotronics. These voting machines are so demonstrably flawed and in most locations, so entirely vendor-dependent that any election using them should be repudiated as "void" by the public. Check your own state's Watch List if you want to know more.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITY IS PUT ON THE WATCH LIST?

1. Customized citizen watchdog assignments for volunteers

2. See Web site - Watch List locations displayed on colored maps on home page: http://www.blackboxvoting.org for media and the public to see

3. Press releases to local media at Watch List locations

4. Increased Freedom of Information requests to Watch List locations

5. Stepped-up daily monitoring by Black Box Voting

6. Sharing of Watch List locations with other election integrity groups. public interest groups, and whatever political group cares to know

If you want to get our Watch List bulletins, and you haven't already done this, you can get the latest bulletins sent by joining the list here: http://www.bbvforums.org/cgi-bin/forums/board-profile.cgi?action=register

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

Voters' Rights Protection Project is for election day voting troubles

Image via Wikipedia Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: Campaign Legal Center

Election Day Voter Protection Initiative Launched
Aug 13, 2008

The Campaign Legal Center today launched the Voters' Rights Protection Project, to provide generic drafts of potential court filings to individuals, organizations, and political parties who must resort to the courts to protect the fundamental rights of citizens to vote. In a letter today to both major parties and copies to the respective presidential campaigns, the Legal Center announced the project and said it would make the legal templates publicly available. Information announcing the project is also being sent to national, state, and local party committees, as well as third party organizations and numerous community and grassroots organizations from coast to coast.

"The legal documents being drafted by the Legal Center will facilitate and expedite the process of securing court orders against those state or local election officials or others who take actions harmful to the electorate," said J. Gerald Hebert, Executive Director and Director of Litigation for the Campaign Legal Center

The use of such legal templates, will allow individuals, as well as advocacy groups, political parties, and candidates to obtain pre-election or Election Day relief for a host of problems, including extension of polling hours, insufficient ballots, and prevention of voter harassment or intimidation.

[...] The legal template documents will be accessible on the Legal Center's website next month, and they will also be distributed via email to persons and groups across the country upon request. The Legal Center's work on this project is a direct result of the generous financial assistance from the JEHT Foundation.

.
>All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear
.

Voter registration drive guides for all 50 states and D.C.

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: National Campaign for Fair Elections

The Lawyers' Committee and its pro bono law firm partners have compiled comprehensive third-party voter registration guides for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These guides will help volunteers, organizers, and leaders navigate the complex rules that govern voter registration in each state. Please keep in mind, these guides are designed for informational purposes only.

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

Sign the petition against voter abuse to both of your US Senators

National Campaign for Fair Elections (NCFFE) is running an online petition in support of Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act (S.453). It has already passed the US House of Representatives and is waiting for a vote in the US Senate.

During the past few election cycles NCFFE has received countless examples – from more than 30 states – of nefarious tactics used to prevent low-income and minority voters from exercising their right to vote. The Deceptive Practices bill is a key step towards ensuring every eligible American voter has the opportunity to cast a meaningful ballot in 2008.

Please sign the petition asking both of your senators to vote YES to S.453. Thanks

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

Book Karl Rove for congressional hearings

Common Cause is campaigning to book Karl Rove for congressional hearings testimony.

Karl Rove refuses to comply with a congressional subpoena – but he's taking "booking requests" through his website. So let's book him.

Help us reach our goal of 20,000 signatures on our booking request.

To take action, just go to the campaign page and fill in your name and address. You may add a short comment. That's it! Thanks

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

Tell your congress members to support strong whistleblower rights for government employees

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: OpenTheGovernment.org

Congress must expand government whistleblower protections

OpenTheGovernment.org is working with the Government Accountability Project (GAP) and 110 other organizations in support of strong whistleblower rights for government employees.

The House and the Senate failed to come to a final agreement on a bill to protect public employees who speak out to defend the public. Tell your representatives to protect federal workers who alert the public to waste, fraud and abuse in government. Or, call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 (not toll-free). Thank you

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

See "Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections", an election integrity documentary

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: The BRAD BLOG

Election Integrity Doc 'Uncounted' to Premiere on National Cable Network!

Starz announced that David Earnhardt's seminal election integrity documentary, Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections will be premiering on several of the pay cable net's outlets beginning on August 28th.

"Think your vote counts? Think again," the announcement trumpets, before describing the film as "A searing indictment of the election process as it affected both the 2004 and 2006 Elections...And could affect the outcome of the 2008 Election."

The beautifully structured film will screen multiple times on both Starz Edge and Starz Cinema from August through early October (see currently scheduled showings here).

Also, Earnhardt has been kind enough to offer hand-signed DVD versions of the film available as a premium here only for The BRAD BLOG readers. So if you'd like your very own collectors' edition of Uncounted (and we think you'll want to share it with alot of folks once you see it!) we'll get one out to you right away in exchange for a contribution to The BRAD BLOG of $50 or more. Further purchasing details here.

.
>All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear
.

Call your two US Senators to vote NO on flawed voting reform bill S.3212

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: VoteTrustUSA

VoteTrustUSA is urging citizens and the US Senate to oppose passage of S.3212, the Bipartisan Electronic Voting Reform Act.

The bill contains some generally commendable provisions relating to election security (Section 4), voting system testing and certification (Section 5), and ballot layout design (Section 10), but the positive aspects of these provisions are outweighed by the problems created by many of the other sections of this bill. Despite its worthy motivations, the bill fails to carry out its objective.

However well-intentioned, S.3212, if enacted as written, would damage the transparency and reliability of Federal elections in the U.S. for decades to come. Please call your two US Senators at 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) and tell them to vote NO on S.3212. Thank you

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

Open up the presidential debates with Ralph Nader

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
All Things Reform is for opening up the presidential debates to more voices and choices for the American voter. Currently, the debates are controlled by only the two major parties.

From: VoteNader.org

Nader Super Rallies Set for Denver, Minneapolis for Open Debates

We are launching a campaign to Open the Debates.

In its first phase, the super rallies will rise again in Denver and Minneapolis during the Democratic and Republican conventions.

We call all of our supporters to action from every corner of the United States: come to our first rally in Denver on Wednesday, August 27, 2008.

Plan to make the trip to Denver - or Minneapolis - or both.

These rallies will be part of an massive outpouring of protest in Denver and Minneapolis against the two corporate controlled parties and their policies of perpetual militarism and war.

We'll be filling in the details on the two rallies in the days to come.

But for now, we need you to spread the word.

Nader/Gonzalez is aiming to bust open the presidential debates.

As Ralph says, if tens of millions of Americans can hear the Nader/Gonzalez message through the Presidential debates, it will be a three way race.

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

Free 2008 Voter's Self Defense Manuals from Project Vote Smart

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: Project Vote Smart

Free 2008 Voter's Self Defense Manuals

Project Vote Smart just got in the 2008 Voter's Self-Defense Manuals. They are loaded with the key votes, issue positions, campaign finances and competing special interest evaluations of every member of Congress. This wonderful 100 page booklet is sent automatically to all of PVS supporting members.

Remember you do not need to be a member, or even contribute to use Project Vote Smart services but if you can afford to, they could sure use your help.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR FREE MANUAL

Just fill out the Project Vote Smart membership form, even if you cannot afford to help them, and they will send your manual today.

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

"Death and Taxes: 2009" representational poster of the federal discretionary budget

Image via WikipediaGovernment reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: WALLSTATS.COM

Death and Taxes: 2009

"Death and Taxes:2009" is a representational poster of the federal discretionary budget; the amount of money that is spent at the discretion of your elected representatives in Congress. Basically, your federal income taxes. The data is from the President's budget request for 2009. It will be debated, amended, and approved by Congress by October 1st to begin the fiscal year.

The poster provides a uniquely revealing look at our national priorities, that fluctuate yearly, according to the wishes of the President, the power of Congress, and the will of the people. If you pay taxes, then you have paid for a small part of everything in the poster.




To order a printed copy of this poster, please go to WALLSTATS products page.

.
>All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear
.

A look at the SEIU, a very powerful national political organization

Image via Wikipedia
Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: Center for Investigative Reporting

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), besides representing 2 million workers, is one of the most active and powerful political organizations in the nation. Beyond its own direct efforts, which are vast, the union also helps create, lead and fund dozens of other organizations and coalitions that are influential in public policy debates and elections.

CIR graphically shows the union’s involvement in other advocacy groups this election cycle, showing the money it gives and the SEIU officials involved.

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

Visit the Federal Contractor Misconduct Database and leave your comments

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: Project on Government Oversight (POGO)

All Things Reform has POGO's Federal Contractor Misconduct Database in the lefthand column of this blog under "Federal Government Fiscal Databases: Contracts, Grants etc." Please visit it and leave any comments or questions you may have with POGO at their addresses below. Thank you

Dear [Friend],

Help us improve the Federal Contractor Misconduct Database!

As you may know, we've been busy updating and expanding our Federal Contractor Misconduct Database, which will soon include information on the misconduct history of the government's top 100 contractors.

But before we go any further, I wanted to give you an opportunity to share your thoughts on the database since we last overhauled it in July 2007. If you have a few minutes to spare, we'd love to hear your anecdotes, comments, critiques, and other reactions.

Please send your comments to me or POGO investigator Neil Gordon at ngordon@pogo.org. We will gladly keep your comments anonymous if you prefer. And you can always post an anonymous comment to our blog.

Thanks so much for your help!

Warm regards,

Danielle Brian
Executive Director
Project On Government Oversight

P.S. We're particularly interested in hearing examples of how you've been able to use the database in your own work. Has it influenced a contracting decision made by you or someone in your office? Has it helped you write a story, either as useful background info or as a central theme? Have you used it to find dirt on a competitor? Let us know!

.

>All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear
.

Tell your US Rep. and two US Senators NO to Big Oil tax breaks

Image via Wikipedia

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: Public Campaign Action Fund

US Congress must not work for Big Oil

Exxon Mobil announced last week that it recorded a record profit- $11.7 billion in just three months. Yet, according to a new study by Friends of the Earth, the oil industry can expect $33 billion in tax breaks and other handouts in the next five years.

Tell your members of Congress enough is enough. Stop working for Big Oil and start working for us.

Your elected officials are back home for August recess. Sign this petition and if you see them let them know that you want them to stand up to Big Oil money in our nation's capital.

.

>All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear

.

Ask your US Senators if they support filing of campaign contributions electronically

Image via Wikipedia

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise. From: Sunlight Foundation

The Sunlight Foundation launches Pass223.com

The Sunlight Foundation, with a coalition of other reform groups, wants us to pressure the Senate into increasing disclosure of campaign contributions with bill S. 223 - Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act; it requires senators to file their contribution reports electronically.

Please go to the campaign website Pass223.com and call your senators to find out where they stand on S. 223. The site has full instructions on who your senators are, how to call, what to say, and how to report back to them.

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .