The Stonewalling of Democracy

Amelia was born four years ago during the toxic algal bloom on Lake Erie that caused a three day water ban crisis. She and her mommy don't want to experience another similar incident in their lifetimes. Would you? (Photo by Crystal Jankowski)

Why can't citizens protect their water supply--and those of 11 million of their fellow human beings? Why are short-term profits for private industry more important than safe and healthy water for all? If corporations have "personhood" under the law, why can't bodies of water and rivers? (Watch this great short video on Rights of Nature to see what we mean: https://www.wgrz.com/video/news/world/natures-law-the-rights-of-nature-to-exist/71-8245916) Read on to discover how saving the planet from further environmental harm can actually save the government institutions we hold near and dear.

The Stonewalling of Democracy by Coast Watcher (LEBOR press conference photos by A. J. Matthews)

The American Establishment has never met a democratic movement it didn’t hate. It will do anything and everything to prevent such movements from affecting the vast amount of money pouring into its offshore accounts. It will undertake measures ranging from interference – subversive and overt – in other countries’ affairs to union busting within the United States. The latest manifestation of this ugly phenomenon has surfaced in Ohio where citizens initiatives to get measures demanding clean water on the ballot have met with immediate resistance from The Establishment. 

Two bills, the Lake Erie Bill of Rights and the Community Bill of Rights for Water, Soil, and Air Protection, follow examples in setting out the rights of natural features to be preserved and protected from pollution and exploitation. In essence, any person or business that pollutes lakes, rivers and creeks that supply the public with water can be required by law to clean up their mess or face heavy fines and/or jail. We the People essentially become We the Guardians of our natural resources. Simple enough. Rights of Nature laws are aimed at preventing  ongoing crises like Flint, Michigan or the now-annual toxic algal bloom on Lake Erie, which caused the ban on municipal drinking water supplies that affected Toledo, Ohio and its surrounding communities in August 2014. 

Over the course of many months, the Lake Erie Bill of Rights petitioners gathered 10,000+ signatures to put the measure before the voters of Toledo, requesting inclusion on the city ballot this November. The petition was accepted, the signatures verified as being more than sufficient, and it was duly approved and forwarded to the Lucas County Board of Elections as procedure dictates to be included on the city ballot as a charter amendment. 

And that's when the trouble began.

The Lucas County Board of Elections is made up of four people, appointed – note that, appointed not elected – by the Ohio Secretary of State. It is made up of two Democrats and two Republicans. Note that no other political affiliations or independents are represented. On Tuesday, August 28, 2018, this body flatly refused to include the Lake Erie Bill of Rights on the ballot, citing (erroneously) that the city charter couldn't be amended. 

In other words, the Board of Elections (BoE) exceeded the scope of its authority when it took the powers of the judiciary upon itself to keep the initiative off the ballot. They denied the people of Toledo the chance to decide for themselves if they wanted clean drinking water or not. In a similar episode in Columbus, Ohio a week previous, the Franklin County Board of Elections did exactly the same thing in denying the Community Bill of Rights for Water, Soil, and Air Protection and to Prohibit Gas and Oil Extraction and Related Activities and Projects Ordinance. 

It must be stated that the proposed measures were framed in the correct legal manner by a team of environmental lawyers for the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF). There is nothing about the intiatives that can be subject to doubt, especially by an appointed body which has no right to assign judicial powers to itself. In the same raucous meeting that Tuesday, the Lucas County BoE also denied another citizens initiative measure protesting the relocation of the downtown jail in Toledo.

CELDF launched an immediate Writ of Mandamus in the Ohio Supreme Court against the Lucas County Board of Elections, namely Chairperson Brenda Hill, Dr. Bruce Saferin, Joshua Hughes, and David Karmol, stating the board exceeded its authority in denying the petition and requesting the court compel the respondents to obey the law. 

In response to this writ, we see the bloated maggots of capitalism emerging into the light. The following organizations issued a Writ of Amicus (friendship and support) to help the Board of Elections defend itself against the will of the people:

Affiliated Construction Trades of Ohio Foundation, The Ohio Chamber of Commerce, The Ohio Oil and Gas Association, The Ohio Chemistry Technology Council, The American Petroleum Institute, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Lucas County Farm Bureau, Ohio Soybean Association, Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association, Ohio Poultry Association, Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, Ohio Dairy Producers Association, Ohio Pork Council, Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, and Ohio Agribusiness Association.

All of the above are polluters of Ohio’s waterways. They are determined to stonewall the people of Ohio from proposing and passing legislation that will compel polluters to clean up any and all pollution they cause. At present the public not only has to draw water supplies from polluted sources – a process that requires heavy and expensive filtration in order to make drinkable – it also has to pay to clean up industry's wastes that can cause toxic algal blooms.

I cannot emphasize this enough: This is The Establishment in action, coming out in direct opposition to the democratic rights of the American people. The stonewalling action by the Lucas County and Franklin County Boards of Elections is the first defense the status quo takes against those who suffer the most from The Establishment's corporate paymasters’ polluting ways.

It remains to be seen whether the Supreme Court of Ohio will find in favor of the petitioners. There is legal precedence for it, but courts of law are chancy things. In any case, those of us who love democracy and want to see the will of the ordinary people enforced have cause to be concerned about this outright and flagrant opposition from The Establishment.

https://celdf.org/2018/08/press-release-lake-erie-bill-of-rights-blocked-from-november-ballot/

https://columbusfreepress.com/article/enemies-people-franklin-county-board-elections-denies-residents-right-vote

BIO: Coast Watcher isn't surprised by The Establishment's profits over people stance. He wants voters to be aware how they're chipping away at the few democratic institutions we have left. Share this information with others who mistakenly believe paid-off politicians only want what's best for the people--and not their offshore bank accounts.

 www.lakeerieaction.org Press Release from TSW

Corporate lobbyists attack the people’s right to vote  on the Lake Erie Bill of Rights initiative

On Friday, several corporate lobbyist groups filed amicus briefs in the fast-moving lawsuit brought by Toledoans for Safe Water to have the Lake Erie Bill of Rights (LEBOR) put to a public vote. The identified supporters include the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, affiliates of the Construction Trades Ohio Foundation, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Ohio Oil and Gas Association, Ohio Chemistry Technology Council, and the American Petroleum Institute.
(http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/Clerk/ecms/#/caseinfo/2018/1238)

Markie Miller, organizer for Toledoans for Safe Water (TSW), “These groups, who represent some of Ohio's worst polluters, routinely oppose environmental protections, and now we can see that they oppose letting any amount of democracy question their iron grip on public policy. They can't bear to let voters decide -- they prefer to strangle it before it reaches the ballot in order to protect their ability to not only pollute our air and water, but to control our politics.”

The supplemental support offered to the Lucas County BOE by these industry lobbyists reveal the problem LEBOR seeks to remedy. Crystal Jankowski, organizer for TSW added, “the range of profiteers opposing LEBOR is telling of some real nervousness in corporate boardrooms. We hope voters will take a critical look at this list of opponents and feel compelled to stand with us in recognizing the inalienable rights of Lake Erie and the right of the people to protect our drinking water.”

***
 

  Let there be peace on earth.  
The future of the military draft in the United States will be determined, and we can have an impact.

The U.S. National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service is accepting comments until September 30th. 

Here are some ideas for useful comments you might make in your own words:

1. End required selective service (draft) registration for men.
2. Do not begin requiring that women register.
3. If not ended, allow the choice of registering as a conscientious objector.
4. If there must be non-military service, make sure that its pay and benefits are at least equal to those of military "service."

Submit your comments online.

Or email national.commission.on.service.info@mail.mil
Or mail National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service, Attn RFI Comment - Docket 05-2018-01, 2530 Crystal Drive Suite 1000 Room 1029 Arlington VA 22202.

Consider making submission of comments part of any event you're involved in planning in the coming days. Here are other event resources.

---

World BEYOND War is a global network of volunteers, activists, and allied organizations advocating for the abolition of the very institution of war. Our success is driven by a people-powered movement

***

From Friends of the Earth:

Donald Trump nominated Scott Hutchins as chief scientist for the USDA. Hutchins spent over 30 years of his career working at Dow AgroSciences, with a focus on pesticides.

Hutchins clearly has deep ties to the pesticide industry. But if he got this USDA job, he’d be responsible for regulating this same industry. This conflict of interest makes him unfit to serve.

The Senate can reject Hutchins' nomination. But we need your help to convince it to act!

Tell your Senator: Stop a Dow employee from running USDA’s science division!

If confirmed, Hutchins would be setting the agenda for USDA’s $2.9 billion research budget. He’d be in charge of setting research priorities for nutrition, food safety, crop production and protection, natural resources and sustainable agricultural systems.

As a pesticide industry crony, he could use the agency’s infrastructure and grant making to advance his harmful vision of chemical-intensive agriculture under the guise of ecologically sustainable practices.

Hutchins would be the third member of Dow AgroSciences’ Pesticide and Seed Division to hold a high-level position in Trump’s USDA. In short, Trump is trying to hand over our food system to Big Ag.

We can’t depend on a lifetime chemical industry employee to put the best interests of farmers and public health over the profits of pesticide corporations.

Tell the Senate: Reject Scott Hutchins’ nomination!

Hutchins’ nomination is just the latest example of Trump’s giveaways to Dow. One of his first acts as President was to appoint Dow’s CEO to head up his now-defunct American Manufacturing Council. And his former EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, overturned a ban on Dow’s nerve gas pesticide chlorpyrifos after meeting with Dow executives.

Why is Trump so interested in helping Dow? Maybe because the company donated $1 million to his inaugural committee.

Together, we can stop this dangerous nominee. The last person Trump nominated for this job was Sam Clovis -- a racist, anti-environment extremist with no background in science. And Friends of the Earth members like you played a key role in forcing him to withdraw his nomination.

This shows that if we put enough pressure on the Senate, we can do the same with Scott Hutchins. But his nomination is advancing quickly. So it’s critical that you speak up NOW.

Contact your Senator NOW: Don’t let Trump put a Dow Chemical employee in charge of science and research at USDA.

Standing with you,
Tiffany Finck-Haynes,
Senior food futures campaigner,
Friends of the Earth

*** 

Lee shows us how simple it would be to solve the problems of world hunger, homelessness, health care, adequate education for all. Just two words explain why these terrible travesties exist. Can you guess what they are?

How does it happen that the wealthiest man in the history of the world, Jeff Bezos, is also one of the largest welfare recipients in America?

It is quite simple, really.

Jeff Bezos and his company, Amazon, make huge profits by paying their employees wages that are so inadequate that many of them need public assistance just to get by. Today in America, thousands of Amazon workers are forced to rely on food stamps, Medicaid and public housing because they can't survive on the wages they receive. Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos is now worth $158 billion, and his wealth increases by $260 million - every single day. How absurd is that?

And who pays for the public assistance subsidizing Mr. Bezos’ wealth? You do. The middle class subsidizes the wealthiest person in the world, while his workers struggle to put food on the table. That is what the rigged economy is all about. And in my view, that has got to end.

That is why I introduced a piece of legislation that aims to end corporate welfare by establishing a 100 percent tax on corporations with 500 or more employees equal to the amount of federal benefits received by their low-wage workers.

So, if a worker at Amazon receives $1,000 in food stamps, Amazon would be taxed $1,000 to cover that cost.

The bill gives large, profitable employers a choice: pay your workers a living wage or pay for the public assistance they need to get by. It’s common sense. Now I want you to send a message to my colleagues that it has your support, as well:

Add your name as an original Citizen Co-Sponsor of my Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies (BEZOS) Act and send a message that taxpayers should not have to expend huge sums of money subsidizing profitable corporations owned by some of the wealthiest people in America.

ADD YOUR NAME

Make no mistake about it, Jeff Bezos is not alone in this regard. Some of the most profitable businesses in America sustain their wealth through this kind of corporate welfare.

According to one report, in 2014, Walmart employees received at least $6.2 billion in public aid every year. Walmart is owned by the Walton family, the wealthiest family in the country.

More than half of employees in the fast food industry rely on some kind of public assistance.

McDonald’s workers are actually encouraged to sign up for assistance, and the co-owner of Burger King has a net worth of $25 billion, while his workers receive an estimated $356 million in subsidies each year.

According to a study from the University of California, low wages cost American taxpayers $150 billion every single year.

So let me be as clear as I can be: The government has a moral responsibility to make certain that every man, woman and child in this country has a decent standard of living and that we provide for the vulnerable in this country — our kids, the sick, the elderly and the disabled. It is not acceptable, however, that the American taxpayer is being asked to subsidize the wealth of some of the wealthiest people in the history of the world.

And it must end.

Please add your name as an original Citizen Co-Sponsor of my Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies (BEZOS) Act and send a message that taxpayers should not have to expend huge sums of money subsidizing profitable corporations owned by some of the wealthiest people in America.

ADD YOUR NAME

The economic and political systems of this country are stacked against ordinary Americans and in the favor of the most powerful among us.

The rich get richer and use their wealth to buy elections — just recently, it was announced that Jeff Bezos made a $10 million donation to a Super PAC that in one place is running ads supporting a candidate who will “work with President Trump to fight for Florida’s conservative values.”

For the rest of us, who don’t have the wealth it takes to buy the legislative outcomes they want, it’s survival of the fittest.

That is not democracy. That is oligarchy. Let's work together to end it.

In solidarity,

Bernie Sanders

ADD YOUR NAME

Please Stand By--Fake Outrage Is Next!

Our good friend Bern Notice returns to the blogosphere with an excellent piece this week. I'll admit that I don't keep up too well with the news on the Trump front because some days it's just too painful, and I've got much better things to do, like fighting for democracy and The Lake Erie Bill of Rights (update below).

But Bern's excellent analysis of recent media happenings is something worth spending time on--and so is this short video below which sums up what is really happening in our society. Watch and learn a lot from Carly as she explains this tough topic that needs to be addressed before more lives are lost.

https://youtu.be/WEZ7qbeG_I8

Dog-Whistles, The Republican Party 

and Fake Outrage

by Bern Notice

https://wordpress.com/read/blogs/132394988/posts/1564

If you have followed recent news at all, you are likely aware of the death toll in Puerto Rico. (For those that somehow don’t know, it’s a US territory.) You're also familiar with Ron DeSantis’ “monkey this up” comment on Fox News, and how Republicans are exploiting the murder of Mollie Tibbetts.

If for some reason you don’t know, or you are pretending that you don’t know, see the links below:

References:
Donald Trump says gov’t did ‘fantastic job in Puerto Rico’ despite deaths of 3,000 people after Hurricane Maria

‘Don’t monkey this up’: Republican hopeful for Florida governor accused of using racial slur – video

Mollie Tibbetts Murder: Family Members Push Back on ‘Racist, False Narrative‘

Republicans using dog-whistles and trying to use a murder for their personal political gain is not new. The latter (exploiting tragedy) is also used by Democrats. What is rather odd is hearing right-leaning pundits, politicians and “journalists” acting as though this is a new phenomenon.

Let’s not kid each other--it isn’t. The dog-whistles of prejudice and manipulation of an event to push an “anti-other” policy has been around for a very long time. The only difference between now and twenty years ago is that the Republicans and the current POTUS are more blunt and upfront about where they stand and are less likely to care about the consequences of it.

The Right has long appealed to the angry white male as a key part of its base. Trump is a direct representative of that demographic. Fox News, for all intents and purposes, is their official “news” source. If you want a comparison of how true this is, compare their treatment of Donald Trump whom they vigorously defend against any and everything...

Reference:
Hannity says Trump criticism is fake, until Fox reports it

…vs. Barrack Obama whom they chastised for being a smoker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouKJixL--ms

The hypocrisy is quite plain to anyone who isn’t biased. And for what it’s worth, I was not Obama’s biggest fan. Nonetheless, the dog-whistles and outright persecution of any minute thing he did was clear to see.

The Mollie Tibbetts murder is also being exploited by Republicans to try to gin up the vote. They are doing so unabashedly, and without hesitation, to try to appeal to the anti-immigrant crowd and white nationalists. Trump is typically first in these forays: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcfCHl4jE7k

Chuck Grassley uses the opportunity to do exactly the same thing with a picture of her behind him, which he later moves to bring up charts about immigration and gang arrests: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WdzOrShXAA

In short, Mollie Tibbetts is killed by a Hispanic person who is here illegally, and the Republicans pounce with a policy to point to for “a solution." Yet, when it comes to repeated mass shootings in schools across America and  young lives being extinguished, it’s always too soon to broach the subject of gun control. How convenient is that?

Reference:
Marco Rubio: Now Not The Time to Talk Gun Control Because ‘People Don’t Know How This Happened’

We can even see it in voter suppression tactics used by Republicans. An example of it is what happened in Georgia this year where a predominantly black town was potentially going to lose seven of it’s nine polling stations under the guise of “not being disabled person friendly.” The logical means of fixing this problem is to hire contractors to bring it into compliance, but not close the polling station. That does not benefit Republicans, and again, it’s not new. Paul Weyrich explains why in 1980: https://youtu.be/pN7IB-d7Hfw

This tactic is still being deployed via voter ID. An example of this is this comment by Pennsylvania Republican House Leader Mike Turzai ahead of the 2012 election: https://youtu.be/EuOT1bRYdK8

Let’s think about a quote from Weyrich: “Our leverage in election goes up as the voting population goes down.” Why does this matter? Because the nation as a whole is becoming more diversified. According to Brookings, white people will make up less than fifty percent of the total population by 2045. If you separate women from that total, it’s even smaller. So if your mentality supports White Christian Male Dominance, this presents a real threat to you.

Reference: The US will become ‘minority white’ in 2045, Census projects

This is why it makes sense for Trump to deny people of Hispanic origin their citizenship. As I write this, Hispanic people who are American citizens and hold valid passports are being deported according to multiple news outlets.

References:
http://fortune.com/2018/08/30/trump-administration-passports-immigration/

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/08/trump-administration-questioning-citizenship-of-hispanics.html

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/30/politics/us-denying-passports-to-american-citizens/index.html

Until 2017, Hispanics were the fastest growing demographic in America. The current fastest growing demographics are Asian and mixed race individuals. In any event, whether you perceive it to be racially motivated or not, the pattern of Republicans wanting to reduce the number of voters for their individual gain is as plain as the nose on your face.

It's mildly amusing to see people who call themselves “moderate conservative Republicans” act so shocked about all that is going on. This isn’t to say that the Democrats have never done it, so don’t bother with that argument. The Democrats are not in power. The Republicans are. The lack of desire to truly call out the antics of the “Alt-Right” are a direct result of playing a low-key version of the very same game for decades.

This is not the extreme right-wing. This is the right wing. It always has been. And until the Republican Party grows a spine and actually shows policy and the will to change who they cater to, you can spare us the apologies. Most importantly, understand that when the expected “blue wave” comes, it won’t be because everyone likes the Democrats necessarily. It’s because of Trumpism and the Republicans' outright refusal to truly fight it. It's the first nail in their political coffin.

BIO: Bern Notice's blog is appropriately titled Seeing through the B.S.  Please leave him a comment here or there and let him know how much you appreciate his fine political analysis. It's better than you'll get on any mainstream media outlet.

***

www.lakeerieaction.org

On Thursday, August 30, Toledoans For Safe Water filed suit in the Ohio Supreme Court against the Lucas County Board of Elections for denying ?their initiative, the Lake Erie Bill of Rights, ballot access. The bipartisan board voted 4-0 to deny all Toledoans the right to vote on a proposed local law that would have empowered citizens to protect Lake Erie.

Petitioners gathered some 10,000 signatures, of which 6,438 were validated, 1,200 more than needed to satisfy the requirements to put the charter amendment before the voters in November. “The Board of Elections exceeded their authority in stripping away the rights of Toledo voters,” said John Michael Durback from Toledoans for Safe Water. He continued, “clearly we can no longer expect progress to come from the top down. The reactionary and illegal actions taken by the Board of Elections prove that the corporate powers, to which our government is beholden, are frightened and encourages me that we are on the right path to empowering Toledoans with direct democracy and protecting the Lake Erie Ecosystem.”

The complaint for a writ of mandamus was submitted by the group’s attorney, Terry Lodge, who observed, “The law is clear that boards of elections cannot deny an initiative from the ballot based on their opinion of its contents. Jon Husted’s ill-informed appointees are censoring public dialogue and stripping the people of their constitutional right to initiative.”

“It is eye opening to realize that it is ‘legal’ for polluters to continue to harm the Lake, but it is ‘illegal’ for the people to propose a law to protect the Lake. We’re not just facing a perpetual threat to our water; the board’s illegal veto is a threat to our democratic rights,” said Markie Miller of TSW. The Lake Erie Bill of Rights campaign will continue as planned in anticipation of rightful ballot access."

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2018/08/31/Toledoans-for-Safe-Water-sues-Lucas-County-Board-of-Elections-in-Ohio-Supreme-Court/stories/20180831153 

SUPPORTERS OF THE LAKE ERIE BILL OF RIGHTS: We need your help!

1) Please make a donation in whatever amount you can afford to our campaign at www.paypal.me/safewatertoledo. We're a grassroots effort going up against big money, and we need every donation we can get to get the word out about the Lake Erie Bill of Rights.

2) Please join the Lake Erie Bill of Rights Volunteers! group on Facebook, where we will be coordinating support between now and election day - including phone calls, canvassing, fundraising, and other campaign efforts.

***

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You can donate via Paypal at http://paypal.me/camatthews
Power to the people and not the corporations!   

  *** 

It’s been eight months since Donald Trump signed his tax scam into law. Since then, corporate profits have skyrocketed while working people have actually seen a decline in their wages (after accounting for inflation).  Nowhere have we found evidence of this mythical $4,000 pay raise that Trump promised working families. In fact, Americans for Tax Fairness research shows that corporations are spending 100 times more on stock buybacks, which benefit CEOs and wealthy shareholders, than they’re spending on pay increases for their employees. [1] A new report from our friends at the Economic Policy Institute shows that CEO pay at the 350 largest U.S. firms is 312 times more than the average worker―$19 million vs. $62,000. [2] On this Labor Day, we’re shining a spotlight on the inequalities resulting from Donald Trump’s tax scam for the rich and corporations.  Senator Bernie Sanders just produced this new video with ATF Executive Director Frank Clemente, which shows how the tax scam is benefiting CEOs and wealthy corporations at the expense of working people. Click here to watch this video and share it on Facebook. This video is part of ATF’s campaign demanding answers from members of Congress. We demand to know how corporations are using their tax-cut windfall. Are these newfound profits trickling down to working people or padding the pockets of CEOs and wealthy shareholders? Thank you for standing with working people as we demand an economy and a tax system that works for everyone, not just the wealthy few.  In solidarity, Craig Johnson Digital Director Americans for Tax Fairness [1] ATF, “How Corporations Are Spending Their Trump Tax Cuts,” Aug. 29, 2018 [2] "CEO compensation surged in 2017," by Lawrence Mishel and Jessica Schieder, Aug. 16, 2018 ***

From the League of Conservation Voters:

Trump and the Republican leadership are attempting to take over the Supreme Court, and the outcome could affect our country for generations.
Trump’s pick, Brett Kavanaugh, is an extremist who has consistently voted against the EPA and basic public health protections. If confirmed, he could radicalize our nation’s high court to the far right for a generation. With him on the Supreme Court, our most basic environmental, health, and civil rights protections could come under siege.

Even worse, the vast majority of Kavanaugh’s records during his years working in the Bush administration have not been released. The people deserve to know his complete history. That’s why we’re giving this fight all we’ve got. There’s a clear path ahead of us — if enough senators take a stand against Brett Kavanaugh, we can save the Court. But we all have to speak out -- and we have to do it now.

We cannot let Trump take over the Supreme Court. A century of environmental and civil rights progress is on the line. Tell your senators to reject Brett Kavanaugh before 9/4 »

We can’t overstate this: There has never been a more serious threat to our environment, public health, and civil rights. Trump is attempting to weaponize the Supreme Court to undo fundamental protections that we have fought so hard to establish.

Brett Kavanaugh’s record shows he will side with the wealthy and powerful over the public interest. In just the past six years, Kavanaugh has:

• Rejected the EPA's authority to regulate any air pollutant
• Put thousands at risk for health problems linked to dirtier air
• Chose polluters' bottom lines over public health and safety
• Voted to allow mining companies to pollute our waterways
• Ordered the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to move forward with storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain
• Upheld a restrictive voting law that disenfranchised tens of thousands of people of color.

These are more than enough reasons to keep Kavanaugh off the bench. But also take into account that since he took office, Trump and his administration have waged a war on public health. Now, there are dozens of active court cases challenging the legality of Trump's moves to dismantle protections for clean air and clean water. Many of these cases may end up before the Supreme Court. If Kavanaugh is confirmed to the Court, our ability to protect the health of future generations will be at risk.

We should all be deeply concerned that another Trump Supreme Court justice could codify this administration’s attacks on our health, our welfare, and our democratic system for decades to come. That’s why we cannot afford to sit idly by during this process. The Senate CAN block this extreme nominee, but only if they hear from enough of their constituents now. We need you to stand up for a Supreme Court that will uphold our laws and values. Will you speak out today?

Make sure your senators hear from you. Please, take action today for the Supreme Court before it's too late »

This is no time to feel defeated. There is so much that's worth fighting for — and so much of it depends on the Supreme Court. Please, take action today.

Thank you,

Brooke Still
Director of Digital Strategy
League of Conservation Voters