California NOW

What are our priorities?

Next week, leaders from across the world will gather at the G8 Summit in Ireland. One of the discussions will be whether to plug a gigantic $1 trillion per year corporate tax loophole - enough money to end poverty, put every child in school, and double green investment!  $1 trillion is more than every country combined spends on their military. It's bigger than the budgets of 176 nations. It's $1,000 for every family on this planet.

$1 trillion is also the amount that our largest corporations and wealthiest individuals evade each year in taxes.

Apple, one of the world's wealthiest companies (headquartered right here in California), paid basically $0 in tax on $78 billion they made in recent years by setting up shell corporations in low-tax countries and posting profits abroad. Ironically, Ireland is one of those countries.

California NOW has been talking about this problem for more than a year. Finally, at the G8 summit next week, world leaders will consider a plan that would make it harder for companies like Apple to evade taxes by hiding their money offshore and in tax shelters. The plan would require countries to share information to expose where the money is hidden and require "fake" companies to reveal who's really behind them.

Seems like a no-brainer, right? So who's the holdout? The United States and Canada. Both countries are considering siding with corruption over this momentous step forward.

We can't let that happen. That's why we're supporting a petition to get 1 million signatures asking President Obama to sign on to this plan. We've already crossed the 500,000 mark - let's get the full million signatures so that the media has to pay attention and spotlight this demand. Click here to sign the petition NOW!

When governments everywhere are cutting spending on vital social priorities (that disproportionately impact women and girls), it's particularly galling that the wealthiest get a free pass from paying their fair share. It's even more disgusting when you consider the fact that the hard times were caused by massive government handouts to bailout banks owned by the same people who continue to evade taxes.

World leaders finally want to get serious about plugging these holes and they want powerful multinationals to pay their fair share in taxes. Unfortunately, President Obama has not signed on to supporting this action. We need him to feel the pressure of a million Americans demanding he stand with us - not with the 1%. Please sign the petition NOW and share it via social media asking everyone you know to sign it.

Together, our million voices are stronger and more powerful than the lobbyists. We just have to use them. Please join me in standing up for the other 99% on this planet.

For Equality & In Solidarity,

Patricia Bellasalma
President, California NOW

Huffington Post isn't exactly cutting edge when it comes to women

California NOW Action VP, Linda Long

Ok Huff Post…you really need to “lean in” on women’s issues!

Why does nearly every article on the Women’s Voices page have to do with relationships, beauty, weight or “Girls”? Really? I get that women will only eat Haagen-Das if that is all that is offered, but it doesn’t mean that is all we want or need!

The Black Voices page offers articles on the politics of being black, the problems of being black in America, and solutions to the problems. The Latino Voices page more of the same. But, holy cow, if you believe the voices on the Women’s page, we are a shallow bunch of white 1%ers.

There’s nothing on the UN Commission on the Status of Women and the problems with passing the Violence Against Women resolution because of the Vatican’s opposition citing tradition and religion? Considering how the issue of rape has been on every woman’s Facebook page every day this week, seems like someone would have mentioned that the Vatican is more worried about controlling women than protecting them.

There’s nothing on the ongoing problems with health care implementation in states which are doing everything to exclude women because we are “expensive.” I mean, really - those darn women who want to have the children to guarantee our future. The gall of them!

There’s nothing on raising the minimum wage (that was on the Latino Voices page) even though the majority of minimum wage earners are women and a huge bunch of them are home health care workers, none of whom is protected under National Labor Relations Act! No, just the stupid “Lean In” crap which probably makes the majority of women who struggle every day to afford child care and food on their tables want to “LEAN ON” a few of the 1%er women who don’t pay their fair share of taxes, or offer their child care workers a decent salary, overtime or even health care.

Frankly, I can’t imagine how much more leaning without falling over a woman for whom one sick day can make the difference between eating at the end of the week or not can do!

There are lots of articles on makeup…most of which is toxic and can’t even be sold in Europe where the standards are much higher than in America (darn those socialists…always thinking of women’s health)!

There are articles on stay-at-home moms which fail to talk about advocating for social security to be paid into the system by the society which supposedly “values” them so much. We forget to tell those stay-at-home moms that they will get nothing for their retirement. Their work has so much “value” it’s free! Bet that is going to help them eat in 50 years.

Let’s face it, women are complex. We do care about relationships and the way we look but all of that is the Haagen Das and we only eat that after getting out of a really bad relationship. What we need is a real meal (steak, vegetables, salad and maybe some wine) and we want the media to stop trying to make us only eat the ice cream and, instead, offer us up some nutrition because that is something we can “lean in” to.

International Women's Day!

Today is International Women's Day.  In commemoration, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet spoke today at the United Nations.

Here is a portion of what she said....

"We cannot move backwards, we must keep moving forward. It is what we owe to millions of women fighting for their rights around the world.

We find ourselves at a tipping point in history. Never before have we witnessed such global momentum and mobilization by men and women, girls and boys, demanding an end to violence against women and girls.

Never before have we witnessed such open, widespread public outrage and calls for change and action.

Never before have we had the instant and global outreach that new technologies afford—to record in mere seconds, and communicate in real time, the atrocities and horrors of violence committed against women and girls.

Violence against women is pervasive and knows no borders. It does not discriminate according to nationality, ethnicity, social class, culture or religion.

This is why women, men and young people have raised their voices in every region to say one thing: enough is enough.

People demand an immediate end to impunity. They insist on the protection of the rights of women and girls to live in dignity, free of violence and discrimination.

And let me say this: There can be no peace, no progress, no equality without women’s full and equal rights and participation. And there can be no gender equality without women’s realization. Women’s realization of their full reproductive rights, their right to sexual and reproductive health, are essential to the empowerment of women and to gender equality.

As social transformations in attitudes, beliefs, and values are happening, we must keep pace with the aspirations of people everywhere in the world. Their hope, our hope is to see gender equality become reality in this, our 21st century."

Click here to read Michelle Bachelet's full remarks.

 

 

Monday's Action Checklist

International Women's Day is this Thursday, March 8th. If you're in the San Francisco area, plan to rock out with your favorite musicians and feminists at a fundraiser being held at Yoshi's San Francisco Jazz Club. The proceeds of this event will help to fund two free rallies being held later in the year - Peace Day San Francisco and Earth Day San Francisco. And even if you cannot make the event, you can purchase tickets for young feminists to attend in your place. We really need everyone to step up and help out at this important fundraiser.  Take Action NOW: Click here to learn more about this exciting music event and to purchase tickets. 

Boycott Rush!!  After his disgusting commentary aimed at college student Sandra Fluke for three straight days last week, it's time for Rush Limbaugh's sponsors to stop supporting his hate speech through their advertising dollars.  After some sponsors pulled their ads, Rush issued a weak apology on Saturday, but it was too little too late.  Let's make it clear that he has to go once and for all and let's send the message through his sponsors who pay for his speech.  Take Action NOW:  Click here to sign the petition urging his sponsors to pull their ads.

Paid Family Leave.  The arrival of a new child should mean a time of celebration and bonding.  Unfortunately, for millions of working families without paid leave, it's instead a time of stress and concern when new parents are forced to make the difficult choice between taking the first few critical weeks off to bond with their child and the economic fallout that might occur.  Take Action NOW:  Tell Congress to pass legislation ensuring all working parents have access to paid leave when a new child arrives.

 

Monday's Action Checklist

Prevent Fake Advertising - Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) advertise abortion services, yet offer none and misinform their patients about the risks of birth control and abortions. They operate under deceptive public health practices. According to a Congressional study, 87% of these fake clinics provide inaccurate and misleading information by claiming that abortion increases the risk of breast cancer, infertility, drug addiction and mental illnesses - including suicide.  San Francisco Supervisor Malia Cohen has introduced a bill that makes it illegal for CPCs to falsely advertise pregnancy-related services as abortion services to lure in women and manipulate them. This is a bill about consumer protection and truth-in-advertising.  When passed, this legislation will clarify the services CPCs provide. Women will no longer be tricked into going to these fake clinics nor subject to delayed essential medical care.  Take Action NOW:  Sign this petition to tell the SF Supervisors to stop fake advertising by fake clinics!  And if you love in San Francisco, please go to City Hall tomorrow at 10:00 AM where public comments are being heard on this bill.  We KNOW that the opposition to this legislation will be there in force so we need you to show up and lend your support.

Keep College Students Safe - Did you know that fall semester of freshmen year is the most likely time to be sexually assaulted? Did you know only 5% of women raped in college ever report? One in four college women face extreme sexual violence on campus, as well as high risks of stalking or intimate partner violence.  Take Action NOW:  Urge your Senators and Representatives to tell universities to take these crimes seriously by co-sponsoring the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE) Act, S.834, H.R. 2016!

Stop Gutting the EPA - Even though the U.S. House has already taken over 100 anti-environment votes this year alone, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor recently outlined a so-called "jobs agenda" that is nothing more than a continuation of the pro-polluter policies the House Republican leadership has pushed all year.  Dirty Energy's congressional allies have already tried to slash the EPA's budget and strip it of its ability to curb mercury, arsenic, and global warming pollution. Now, Majority Leader Cantor seems to think eliminating protections for public health and the environment is a silver bullet for job creation, as the vast majority of the legislative targets for repeal are clean air and clean water safeguards.  We simply cannot allow Dirty Coal and Big Oil – and their allies in Congress – dismantle the EPA.  Take Action NOW:  Tell Majority Leader Cantor to keep their dirty hands off the EPA

Support Online Voter Registration - We have an opportunity to give eligible voters here in California the option of registering online by passing SB 397. In this age of busy schedules, online voter registration is a choice that just makes sense. Secretary of State Debra Bowen has joined the coalition of concerned citizens around the state calling for online voter registration.  People can still register by mail, but they can also save time and money by registering online if they choose.  Take Action NOW:  Click here to urge Governor Jerry Brown to sign SB 397 and boost voter registration in California.

Tell J.C. Penney to Keep Their Pledge - Last December, 30 Bangladeshi factory workers were burned alive when an easily preventable fire broke out in the unsafe, multi-story sweatshop in which they were working.  Earlier this year, J.C. Penney joined the other US brands that were having apparel made at that factory by signing a commitment to ensure fair compensation for the injured workers and surviving family members of the workers who died and to take meaningful steps to stop the epidemic of workplace deaths at US brands’ apparel factories in Bangladesh. Now J.C. Penney has shamefully broken this pledge. Today, six of the eight brands continue negotiating in good faith to establish an adequate worker compensation fund and sustainable fire safety initiatives.  J.C. Penney, however, has dropped out.  Take Action NOW:  Demand that J.C. Penney provides the full promised compensation.