Join Us on Saturday, April 29, in New York City

Too much is too wrong in this country. We have a foreign policy that is foreign to our core values, and domestic policies wreaking havoc at home. The times are urgent and we must act!
http://www.april29.org/

Next Saturday thousands of New Yorkers will take to the streets to stand up for what we believe in and voice our outrage at the disastrous policies enacted by a criminal administration and a complicit Congress.

The UFPJ March for Peace begins near Madison Square at noon and finishes near City Hall. The Tasini Team will be out in full force. Please join us. We'll meet at 23rd and 7th at 10:00 a.m. Call the office for details.

It's going to be a beautiful day!

Today's announcement that Scott McClellan is stepping down as press secretary and that Karl Rove will see a reduced role in terms of determining policy, is welcome news. After all, McClellan has spent the last 3 plus years trying to avoid answering any questions the press asks of him (and then not answering truthfully when actually taking a question), while Rove has brought playing dirty to a new art form. However as Howard Fineman notes, shuffling the deck isn't going to save this administration; only changing policy will, and if the last 6 years have taught us anything, it is that we won't be seeing a change in policy anytime soon.

An inspiring new film opened in New York City last night. Presented as a fundraiser for Iraq Veterans Against the War, the astonishing new documentary Sir! No Sir! traces the history of the anti-war movement within the American military during Vietnam. Beginning with simple acts of rebellion by conscientious individuals, resistance by soldiers grew as coffee houses flourished near military bases and underground newspapers appeared in the barracks. GI's overseas defied orders and refused to kill. Soldiers at home staged peace marches. All this before the moment we do remember, when the Vietnam Vets threw their medals on the steps of the Capital.

503,926 "incidents of desertion" occurred between 1966 and 1971. Who knew?

Compare the realities of two worlds. One world is that of Lee Raymond, the recently-retired CEO of Exxon Mobil. From 1993 to 2005, he received $686 million in pay and benefits. In his final year of work in 2005, he raked in more than $400 million, including a $98 million pension payout.

The other world is that of millions of workers in the country and in our state. Those folks--our family members, neighbors and co-workers--have seen their wages stand still, health care coverage dwindle, pensions disappear and personal debt reach an all time high. Not to mention having to pay more in gasoline prices, partly to finance Mr. Raymond's obscene paychecks.

On this Easter Sunday, our campaign would just like to take a moment to say thanks to all our friends and supporters for everything you do for our campaign. Your support continues to inspire and motivate us everyday and remind us why our campaign and the issues we're raising must continue to be pressed all across the state. Happy holidays to all!