LP Monday Message: List of presidenti​al candidates

Dear Friend of Liberty,

First I want to thank everyone who supported our 24-hour HURRICANE EARTHQUAKE L.P. (H.E.L.P.) Telethon here at the national Libertarian Party Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

From the start of the announcement Friday through noon on Sunday, we received $365 by phone and $2,797.76 online.

The hurricane caused significant damage in some places as well as loss of life, and we hope for a speedy recovery for those dealing with the aftermath. I was pleased that the hurricane did not cause more damage that it did.

Here in Washington, D.C., we did not lose power. Click here to see my attempt to deliver a Geraldo Rivera/Anderson Cooper-style 1:30 AM hurricane report.

A sampling of feedback from the event:

·         "I LOVED the hurricane telethon idea. Happy to donate today. We need more FUN ideas like this one, IMO."

·         "I called in last night and had a terrific conversation with Wes!"

·         "Makes the LP look like fools."

No matter what the topic, the conversation is always lively on our Facebook Wall, and opinions vary. If you haven't joined our Facebook page, you can do that.

Regarding the 2012 presidential race, a new Reason Foundation poll finds opportunity for a third party candidate.

Along those lines, here's a list of 2012 Libertarian Party candidates for president.

Sincerely,

Wes Benedict

Executive Director

Libertarian National Committee

P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

Weekly Update from Representative Denham

Dear Friend,

 

From California to Washington, D.C., we all learned the importance of emergency preparedness last week. From the earthquake in D.C., which I missed because I was back home in California, to Hurricane Irene, and the fire in Yosemite; all of these events devastated hundreds of thousands of families and homes and demonstrated the importance of coordination at all levels to save lives. 

 

While in Yosemite last Thursday, I had the honor of remembering the lives of a beloved doctor in the Merced community, Gregory Wayne Meyer, MD and his physician assistant, Richard Fox, who both served as examples of excellence to those in our community.  Both men were swept to their deaths while trying to cross a bridge at Wapama Falls, which was swollen by near-record ice melt and an unseasonably late thunder storm. 

 

I also had the privilege of extending my gratitude, and that of Greg's family, to Mark Alee, the California Conservation Corps professional who bravely risked his life trying to save Richard and Greg; Steve Yu, the lead investigator with the National Park Service; Rebecca Lund, the family liaison with the National Park Service; and the many men and women who searched tirelessly for Greg after the accident under extreme conditions. The heroism and strength of character each of these rescuers embody is something we will never forget. 

 

While in Yosemite, I drove through the fire that started that day, witnessing first-hand the devastation the fire has caused to the hundreds of families and homes.   While we cannot always predict fires or natural disasters, proper preparedness will save lives, minimize costs, and ensure our response and recovery efforts are coordinated and organized.  In a hearing I chaired in July on emergency preparedness, I stressed the importance of increased coordination between all levels of government.  This coordination is critical to streamlining emergency response efforts and ensuring common-sense risk assessments for the safety of California's residents.  

 

Each year, FEMA designates the month of September as National Preparedness Month to raise awareness about the importance of being prepared for all disasters and emergencies. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, I am honored to serve as Co-Chair of this year's National Preparedness Month and help turn awareness into education and action within our homes, businesses and communities.  The theme for the 2011 National Preparedness Month campaign is This September: A Time to Remember. A Time to Prepare. Visit http://www.ready.gov/ to learn more about the effort and how you can help make this the most successful and coordinated effort to date. 

 

This year, the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks,  we are honoring the first responders throughout the nation that keep us safe and support the many volunteer opportunities found on http://www.serve.gov/ that help us prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. Let this last week's natural disasters remind us once again of the men and women who help keep us safe on a daily basis and thank them for their service.  All risk some and some give all, so let's keep them in our thoughts and prayers. 

 

This week I will be back at home in the district and will look forward to seeing many of you.  I will be touring Kaplan College on Wednesday to see first-hand the quality education that career-oriented colleges provide.  Kaplan enrolls about 850 students each year, and I'm very interested to hear how Kaplan has prepared them for their career search.  I will also be at the Stanislaus Medical Society discussing recent developments with health care and Paul Ryan's Path To Prosperity to preserve Medicare for future generations.

 

For updates throughout the week, be sure to follow me on twitter and like my facebook page. Let your friends know they can sign up to receive this newsletter on my website as well.  

I hope to see you in the district this week!

US government intervenes against faculty at Youngstown State University

By Andre Damon

The US Department of Education instructed the administration of Youngstown State University in Ohio to withhold federal financial aid from students while the faculty threatened to strike, according to the university’s president.

On August 19, after negotiations between the university administration and faculty broke down, the university sent thousands of students a letter informing them that they would not receive financial aid until their faculty dropped their plans to strike on August 26.

YSU President Cynthia Anderson wrote a letter August 22 to students stating that the university made the move under the direction of the Department of Education, an agency of the Obama administration.

“The administration has been served an official strike notice from the faculty, which means we cannot with certainty ascertain when classes will start. Given such uncertainty, the US Department of Education—which regulates all financial aid—has directed us not to disburse financial aid and scholarship funds,” she wrote.

“If we ignored the directive and disbursed the funds anyway… (Read on)

Source: World Socialist Website. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Radiation and Strip Searches

Dear Liberty Activist,

In the past, I've written of abuses by the TSA, including its belief that you check your 4th Amendment rights the moment you purchase a plane ticket.

The TSA's invasive screening tactics shame passengers into their potentially harmful porno scanners with the horrific thought of being groped by an agent if you refuse.

As it turns out, while conducting tests on the radiation levels of these scanners, a number of them were coming back with higher levels than expected. "It would appear that the emissions are 10 times higher. We understand it as a calculation error," TSA spokesman Sarah Horowitz told Wired.

A "calculation error."  And yet, these are the people we are told are "keeping us safe?"

Nevertheless, without hesitation, the government continues to install these scanners in airports across the country.

If you thought virtual strip searches were a violation of your privacy, just wait until you hear the latest claim from the Department of Homeland Security.

During oral arguments in a lawsuit filed by EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center), the DHS counsel claimed they have authority to "strip search every air traveler. The agency also stated that it believed a mandatory strip search rule could be instituted without any public comment or rulemaking."

Have we given up enough of our liberties yet?

Just when you thought flying couldn't possibly get worse, union bosses are now trying to force union representation on TSA employees with a "vote" that is clearly stacked in the bosses' favor.

In other words, that creepy TSA agent that almost seemed to enjoy feeling up you and your child will now be virtually impossible to fire for inappropriate behavior. 

From now on, security and passenger rights will play a secondary role to the union bosses' demands for "screener's rights."

Remember when House Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica claimed the solution to TSA abuses was for airports to "opt-out" of the TSA?  Well, his "solution" turns out to be nothing more than a distraction to appease angry constituents.  In reality, it rings hollower than Jimmy Hoffa's coffin. 

The "private screeners" are required by law to follow the same screening procedures as the TSA; in other words, even if the airports opt-out, nothing will change except the names and faces.

The only viable solution here is to abolish the TSA.  Since 9/11, blue-shirted, rubber-gloved government agents have not thwarted the major terrorist attempts on our airlines.  In the real world, only alert passengers and flight crews stopped these attacks.

It's time to bring a halt to our government's security theater.  When the government claims to have a monopoly on keeping us safe, the chances of average people slipping into apathy are higher. 

Airlines have a responsibility to keep passengers protected and their planes safe and in the sky.  After the TSA is abolished, we must return the responsibility for security to where it belongs - the private sector.

Please consider chipping in $10 to help Campaign for Liberty continue to spread the message about the abuse of the American people's civil liberties by the TSA.

Before the TSA becomes a protected, public-sector union unlikely to ever be downsized or replaced, the American people must demand swift action to reign in the unaccountable, rogue agency.

In Liberty,

John Tate

President

P.S. C4L must expand its efforts if you and I are to stop the TSA and its assault on civil liberties. If you're able, please chip in just $10 to help my staff and me recruit even more Americans to this fight.

VIDEO: Weekly Tribute: Coming Together to Remember 9/11

President Obama pays tribute to the first responders, those who have served, and those who lost their lives ten years ago in the September 11th attacks. Visit Serve.gov for ways to commemorate the solemn anniversary in your community.

24-hr Hurricane Earthquake H.E.L.P. telethon

Dear Friend of Liberty,

This weekend, from noon Saturday to noon Sunday (Eastern Time), I'm conducting a 24-hour HURRICANE EARTHQUAKE L.P. TELETHON (H.E.L.P.) here at the national Libertarian Party headquarters in Washington, D.C.

I am not leaving the office! I will be here non-stop, including all night. I want your donations and renewals!

Just call 202-333-0008 x222 (don't forget to select extension 222 when the recording starts) and make a donation by credit card with me over the phone.

Or, visit LP.org and donate online.

Any time between noon Saturday and noon Sunday, call me. If you want to call at 3:00 a.m., go for it. I'll be happy to discuss anything you want about the LP for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, I'll immediately ask you to make a contribution by credit card over the phone. (I have to keep the lines open for the next person who calls!)

I'll try to have a live webcam set up at LP.org, so you can see what I'm up to, and if I'm on another call or not.

This is your chance to tell me anything you want, or ask me anything you want to about the LP. Feel free to make suggestions, complain about our platform, complain about our Facebook page, ask about the weather, or give us a compliment! Just keep it clean and civil.

If you get my voicemail, just leave a message with your name and phone number, and I will call you right back.

I'm pleased to report we suffered no damage here at LP Headquarters during Tuesday's earthquake. In fact, Chairman Mark Hinkle, Robert Kraus and I were in a taxi in Virginia when the quake hit so we didn't even feel it. We currently rent space in the infamous Watergate complex and we were out investigating other options for relocating the LP headquarters next year. But that's a story for another time.

Hurricane Irene is expected to be closest to Washington, D.C. at around 1:00 a.m. on Sunday. I grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, so I take hurricanes seriously. I do not expect serious danger in D.C. Also, I live two blocks from the office, so whether I'm at work or home doesn't make much difference safety-wise.

I figure, it's hard to be outside having fun when a hurricane is passing by, so I'll just stay in the office and take your phone calls and donations!

I'm not trying to be cavalier about hurricanes. Hurricanes can be very dangerous and I do encourage everyone to be prudent, take safety precautions, and remember those who find themselves in harm's way. This hurricane is likely to cause damage to life and property and I wish everyone affected by it a speedy recovery.

Last Sunday the Libertarian National Committee voted to give $50,000 to Ed Coleman's re-election campaign for Indianapolis City-County Council. Ed Coleman is currently the highest partisan elected Libertarian in America, and I'm very hopeful about his re-election. But now I've got a $50,000 hole to fill!

Please help me out!

Please call 202-333-0008 x222 and make a donation by credit card with me over the phone this weekend, between noon Saturday and noon Sunday, Eastern Time.

Or, visit LP.org and donate online.

Thanks and take care.

Sincerely,

Wes Benedict

Executive Director

Libertarian National Committee

P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

VIDEO: RNC Celebrates the 91st Anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment

By Michael Short

WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus and RNC Co-Chairman Sharon Day released the following joint statement marking the 91st anniversary of the certification of the Nineteenth Amendment which officially granted women the right to vote:

“91 years ago today, the 19th Amendment was ratified to the United States Constitution guaranteeing women a precious right that was hard earned and long overdue - the right to vote,” said RNC Co-Chairman Sharon Day. “The legacy of pioneers such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and countless others is fulfilled every time a woman casts her vote at the ballot box.”

“With a record number of Republican women currently holding public office, it is fitting to remember the Republican Party’s leading role in expanding voting rights to women,” added RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. “The suffrage movement found a home in our Party, which took on a Democrat Senate and President in order to finally grant women the right to vote. As we celebrate this important milestone in American history, I am grateful to the heroines who fought for suffrage and helped move our country forward.”

The RNC also produced a video commemorating the 91st anniversary of the 19th Amendment with former and current women members of the Republican National Committee paying tribute to the suffrage movement.

Note: Video was included in original press release

DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz's Statement Celebrating Women’s Equality Day

By DNC Press

Today is Women’s Equality Day, the anniversary of the 19th Amendment in 1920, which gave women the right to vote. In recognition of that occasion, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz issued the following statement:

“Today is Women's Equality Day, commemorating the passage of the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote. This was an historic achievement and a significant step forward for women, and it was something so many women and men fought to achieve for many years.  It was not, however, the final struggle for women’s equality. Even now, women continue to strive to break barriers and look toward a brighter future, just as our mothers and sisters who paved the way before us did. All of us must continue to work to make sure women and all Americans have the opportunities they need to succeed.

“Just as these efforts to give women the franchise were so important, we are seeing efforts to limit the right to vote. Recent laws in states around the country on early vote and voter registration are regressive and make it harder for far too many people to participate in the process. We cannot let this happen. The right to vote is core to our democracy and one that Americans have died fighting for. It’s something we must fight to protect. On this important anniversary, we must rededicate ourselves today and every day to protecting the right to vote.”

Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on Lawsuit Challenging the Voting Rights Act of 1965

WASHINGTON – Attorney General Eric Holder released the following statement regarding a lawsuit filed today by the State of Arizona challenging the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act of 1965:

“The Voting Rights Act plays a vital role in our society by ensuring that every American has the right to vote and to have that vote counted.  The Department of Justice will vigorously defend the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act in this case, as it has done successfully in the past.  The provisions challenged in this case, including the preclearance requirement, were reauthorized by Congress in 2006 with overwhelming and bipartisan support.  The Justice Department will continue to enforce the Voting Rights Act, including each of the provisions challenged today.”

Rand Paul Rocks Washington

Dear Patriot,

Rand Paul is taking the fight to the statists and rocking the Washington establishment.

During a Senate Energy Committee hearing last Thursday, Senator Paul laid into an Energy Department bureaucrat over the federal government's seemingly insatiable appetite for controlling our lives.

After you watch the video (guaranteed to make your day), come back to read the “not going to back down” letter Rand and seven other senators sent to Harry Reid that same day.

This isn't the first time Senator Paul has given voice to the American people's frustrations with out of control government.

Whether it's fighting for $500 billion in cuts to runaway spending, pushing a legitimate Balanced Budget Amendment, or preventing the establishment from ramming through its so-called “Patriot” Act, Rand Paul has followed his father's lead by clearly speaking his mind and championing freedom ever since he came to Washington.

Click here to read his letter to Harry Reid, and, if you can, please also chip in $10 to help Campaign for Liberty recruit more people into the movement to get the establishment out of our lives.

Only your continued support allows us to push back against an ever-growing, out of control state.

We know the federal government isn't going to let up.  So, together, let's remind President Obama and Congress that C4L will never surrender the fight.

In Liberty,

John Tate

President

P.S. Statists are planning new ways to extend their power over us even as I write this note. After you read Senator Rand Paul’s letter to Harry Reid, please chip in $10 today so C4L can not only defeat the establishment’s plans but stay on the offensive and take back our country.

Ron Paul Issues Statement on Libya

Yet another unconstitutional and costly adventure

LAKE JACKSON, Texas– Today, 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul issued a statement on the situation in Libya. See comments below.

“The current situation in Libya may be a short term victory for Empire, but it is a loss for our American Republic. And, I fear it may be devastating to the Libyan people.

“There is no doubt that Moammar Gadhafi is a bad guy, and that he has brought harm and misery to his country. However, our involvement in another country’s civil war is costly and unconstitutional.

“We have spent over $1 billion on a war that this administration has fought not with the consent of Congress but under a NATO flag and authorization from the United Nations.

“It is a serious thing for a President to engage us in a war. He is bound by our Constitution to seek authority from the People, through our Congress, prior to engaging in any military action unless that action is to address an imminent threat to our safety and security. The situation in Libya is a civil war contained within that country’s sovereign borders, and it presented no imminent threat to the United States.

“And so, our government continues to spend trillions of dollars in overseas foreign wars while we face unsustainable debt, a looming dollar crisis, and our Constitution seems to lose any meaning. These actions will sink our country if we do not reverse course.

“Meanwhile, we must beware of any ‘Mission Accomplished’ euphoria. The conflict in Libya is far from over, and there could very well be war in Libya for a long time to come.

“While I hope and pray that the hostility draws to a close and the people there find peace, I fear this is only wishful thinking. We face a situation where a rebel element we have been assisting may very well be radical jihadists, bent on our destruction, and placed in positions of power in a new government.

“Worse still, Gadhafi’s successor is likely to be just as bad, or worse, than Gadhafi himself.   Alternately, Libya may descend into anarchy like Somalia after the overthrow of dictator Siad Barre.  Much like when we removed Saddam Hussein, another thug in Iraq, the likelihood of either a new brutal dictatorship or tribal violence and a protracted insurgency are much more likely than the peaceful transition to democracy we are all hoping for.

“With all these problems and the predictable chaos that will likely ensue, we must ask why this administration was so eager to embark on this Libyan operation in the name of ‘humanitarianism.’ Governments in Bahrain and Yemen have this year used military force to put down democratic protestors. The Saudi regime, which practices Sharia Law, has also been repressive, yet we have not intervened there. These countries continue to sell us oil, while Libya had begun to turn their exports toward Russia, China, India, and Brazil. Could this war largely be about protecting our oil interests at the expense of our Constitution?

“This episode is all too familiar. We were already involved in two wars that have dragged on years longer than the people who led us into them initially predicted.  We can no longer afford to police the world, in terms of both dollars and American lives. We will destroy ourselves if we do not stop, build a strong national defense at home, and focus on trade and commerce with the world instead of Empire.”

You Decide: Job Creation or More of the Same?

Enough is enough. Year after year we're seeing more and more jobs lost. In the private sector, companies are sitting on trillions of dollars in cash and still not creating jobs while the Tea Party and Republicans refuse to close even the most egregious tax loopholes. Meanwhile, as you can see in the chart above, the public sector is hemorrhaging jobs due to austerity measures taken by state and local officials. If we are going to turn this around, we must be in the fight. Below are the two paths ahead of us. Please choose wisely.

Path #1 Jobs Creation

·         Rep. Jan Schakowski (D-IL) has written a jobs bill which aims to create over 2 million jobs to address the real problem facing America - the Jobs Crisis.  It would create emergency jobs for two years, to provide time to get the economy back up and running.  Here are more details:

·         School Improvement Corps – Creates 400,000 construction and 250,000 maintenance jobs through new funding to public school districts for needed school rehabilitation improvements ($100 billion)

·         Park Improvement Corps – Creates 100,000 jobs for youth between the ages of 16 and 25 through new funding to the Department of the Interior and the USDA Forest Service’s Public Lands Corps Act. Conservation projects on public lands include restoration and rehabilitation of natural, cultural, historic, archaeological, recreational and scenic resources. ($400 million)

·         Student Jobs Corps – Creates 250,000 more part-time, work study jobs for eligible college students through new funding for the Federal Work Study Program. ($850 million)  

·         Health Corps - Grants to hire at least 40,000 health care providers, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and health care workers to expand access in under-served rural and urban areas. ($8 billion)

·         Community Corps – Creation of a new Community Corps that will create 750,000 jobs to do needed work in our communities, including energy audits and conservation upgrades, recycling and reclamation of reusable materials, urban land reclamation and addressing blight, including foreclosure and disaster-affected areas, rural conservation work, public property maintenance and beautification, housing rehabilitation, and new housing construction modeled after Habitat for Humanity. ($60 billion) 

·         Neighborhood Heroes Corps

o   Teachers: Direct funding to states to hire, re-hire, and prevent lay-offs of 300,000 teachers. ($40 billion)

o   Cops: New funding to hire 40,000 police officers. ($10 billion)

o   Firefighters: New funding to hire 12,000 firefighters. ($2.4 billion) 

The cost is set at $221 Billion ($110.5 billion for each of fiscal years 2012 and 2013).  Which can be fully paid for through separate legislation such as Rep. Schakowsky’s Fairness in Taxation Act, which creates higher tax brackets for millionaires and billionaires, eliminating subsidies for Big Oil, and through eliminating tax loopholes for corporations that ship American jobs overseas.

The Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) has endorsed this bill. Please engage your organization to do the same.

Will it work?  Well, the "Texas Miracle" Rick Perry is trying to take credit for actually derives from a huge increase in public sector jobs. Luckily, we see the fight for jobs happening all over the country, such as in Connecticut, as Joelle Fishman reports.

Path #2 More of the Same

The latest jobs figures from Florida show that under Republican Gov. Scott, the state lost 22,100 jobs last month. If you look at this chart, you'll see that more than half of those were government jobs - 1,500 at the state level, 9,700 local. Another 3,800 jobs in education disappeared.

High unemployment is shattering the economic security of children in Michigan with one in every eight children living in a household struggling with job loss and one in every 20 kids affected by foreclosure, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s annual KIDS COUNT Data Book.

Gov. John Kasich and Republican state legislators have decided Ohio doesn't need $176 million in federal money to expand its unemployment insurance program. Monday 8/22/11 was the deadline to apply for the funding, but the state has not taken action to make the needed change.

You Decide

The choices are stark. Our country is losing more and more of its social safety net, jobs and infrastructure as each day goes by. If you want to see a change here are two quick actions you can take right now:

Tell Obama to Create Jobs; not more cuts!

Sign the petition to Tax The Rich by The Other 98%

Stop Discrimination Against the Unemployed by American Rights at Work

Please make sure to visit the People's World online for the best in worker's news!             

In solidarity,            

Scott Marshall

Labor Chair, CPUSA

Source: Letter from CPUSA

Statement on Libya

Hillary Rodham Clinton

The events in Libya this week have heartened the world. The situation remains fluid, but it is clear that the Qadhafi era is coming to an end, opening the way for a new era in Libya—one of liberty, justice, and peace.

We join the Libyan people in celebrating the courageous individuals who have stood up to a tyrant and defended their homes and communities against Qadhafi’s violence.

The United States and the international community have stood by the Libyan people during many difficult days in the last six months. Together, we prevented a massacre, and we supported the people’s efforts to gain their freedom. We will continue to support them as they take on the regime elements that still pose a threat to Libya’s future – and as they address their humanitarian needs and rebuild their nation. The Libyan people made this revolution and they will lead the way forward, but they deserve our help. Libya’s future is not guaranteed. Considerable work lies ahead.

The coming days and weeks will be critical. The United States and its partners are moving quickly and decisively on several fronts.

Earlier this week, I spoke by phone with the Chair of the Transitional National Council, Mustafa Mohammed Abdul Jalil, to express our support for the TNC’s efforts and to discuss next steps. I also hosted a conference call of foreign ministers of many of the member nations of Libya Contact Group, to coordinate our efforts – humanitarian, financial, diplomatic, and otherwise – on behalf of the Libyan people. Today, the Libya Contact Group held a meeting in Istanbul to demonstrate our continued commitment to Libya and to focus on the urgent financial needs of the TNC. The Contact Group called for an expedited process to lift sanctions on Libyan assets. The United States supports this call.

Today, we have secured the release of $1.5 billion in Libyan assets that had been frozen in the United States. This money will go toward meeting the needs of the people of Libya. We urge other nations to take similar measures. Many are already doing so.

As funds are released, we look to the Transitional National Council to fulfill its international responsibilities and the commitments it has made to build a tolerant, unified democratic state—one that protects the universal human rights of all its citizens. It is critical that the TNC engage swiftly with communities and leaders across Libya to ensure order, provide critical basic services to the people, and pave the way for a full democratic transition. Libya’s future will be peaceful only if the leaders and people of Libya reach out to each other in a spirit of peace. There can be no place in the new Libya for revenge attacks and reprisals.

The TNC also has obligations to the international community. We will look to them to ensure that Libya fulfills its treaty responsibilities, that it ensures that its weapons stockpiles do not threaten its neighbors or fall into the wrong hands, and that it takes a firm stand against violent extremism. At the same time, we call on Qadhafi, his family, and his supporters to bring an end to their continuing violence for the sake of the Libyan people and Libya’s future.

From the beginning, the United States has played a central role in marshalling the international response to the crisis in Libya. Together with our partners, we have saved thousands of lives and helped confront a ruthless, erratic dictator who was poised to slaughter his own people in order to hold on to power. The United States will stand with the Libyan people and our international partners in the weeks and months ahead, to help as Libyans write the next chapter of their history.

Syria: Attack on Ali Farzat and Persecution of Activists

Victoria Nuland

The Syrian government’s targeted, brutal attack on Ali Farzat, the most popular political cartoonist in the country and a long-time human rights advocate, is deplorable. The regime’s thugs focused their attention on Ferzat’s hands, beating them furiously and breaking one of them - a clear message that he should stop drawing. He was then reportedly dumped on the side of a road in Damascus, where passers-by stopped and took him to a Damascus hospital.

Many other moderate activists who oppose violence have been jailed for speaking out against the regime, including Walid al-Buni, Nawaf Basheer, Georges Sabra, Mohammed Ghaliyoun, and Abdullah al-Khalil. Some have been held for months incommunicado.

While making empty promises about dialogue with the Syrian people, the Assad regime continues to carry out brutal attacks against peaceful Syrians trying to exercise their universal right to free expression. We demand that the Assad regime immediately stop its campaign of terror through torture, illegal imprisonment, and murder.

Two-Week Ceasefire in Sudan

This week’s announcement by the Government of Sudan to establish a two-week unilateral ceasefire in Sudan’s Southern Kordofan state is a positive initial step toward bringing stability and relief to those affected by violence since early June. The United States strongly urges the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North to show the same leadership and declare a two week ceasefire as well.

While we are encouraged by this announcement of a unilateral ceasefire and renewed discussions between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, the parties must immediately return to talks to agree to a full cessation of hostilities and a resolution of the political future of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. The Framework Agreement signed on June 28 in Addis Ababa is a strong foundation for these talks.

The Government of Sudan must allow immediate and full access to humanitarian organizations so that they can provide much needed relief to the people of Southern Kordofan. We strongly urge both sides to refrain from using a ceasefire to strengthen any military positions.

The United States supports the call by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for a full investigation of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Southern Kordofan. Those responsible for attacks on civilians must be held accountable for their actions.

Women's Equality

According to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), beginning in the mid-19th century, several generations of woman suffrage supporters lectured, wrote, marched, lobbied, and practiced civil disobedience to achieve what many Americans considered a radical change in the U.S. Constitution. Militant suffragists used tactics such as parades, silent vigils, and hunger strikes.

Signed into law on August 26, 1920, the U.S. Constitution's 19th Amendment guarantees American women the right to vote. It was the culmination of a 72-year-long civil rights movement, which originated at the world's first women's rights convention. On August 26 each year, the United States celebrates this milestone through Women's Equality Day.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz Responds to Mitt Romney’s Call to Repeal Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Law

By DNC Press

Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney said he would repeal the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law if he were the President. In response, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement:

“It should come as no surprise that Mitt Romney wants to repeal the Dodd-Frank financial reform law and put middle class Americans on the hook for the mistakes of Wall Street. This is the same Mitt Romney who just two weeks ago said that ‘corporations are people.’ The fact of the matter is Dodd-Frank protects working Americans from having to foot the bill for Wall Street bankers' risky bets and makes sure consumers are no longer subject to the shady practices of predatory lenders.

It seems the impossible has finally happened. Mitt Romney has come down firmly on a belief -- and that belief is that the interests of the wealthiest Americans, large corporations, and the special interests come before the interests of middle class Americans. Voters shouldn't have any doubts which side Mitt Romney and his Republican presidential rivals are on--and it's not with the middle class.”

RNC Chairman Priebus Statement on the Passing of Ambassador Peter Terpeluk Jr.

By Matt Sauvage

WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee (RNC) released the following statement on the passing of Ambassador Peter Terpeluk Jr.:

“On behalf of the Republican National Committee, I want to extend my sincerest condolences to the Terpeluk family on the passing of a dedicated father and husband, Ambassador Peter Terpeluk Jr.

“Peter served his country and his Party with distinction, most recently as Finance Chairman of the Republican National Committee.  In addition to his work at the RNC, he served in multiple presidential administrations, in multiple presidential campaigns, as co-chairman of the Republican National Senatorial Committee and as Finance Co-Chairman of the Republican Governor’s Association.  From 2002-2005, he served as the United States Ambassador to Luxembourg.

“As a diplomat and Party leader, Peter served selflessly, and our nation and party are stronger for it.  While he will be sorely missed, he leaves behind many colleagues and friends grateful for his leadership and legacy.”

New Congress. New Fights

Dear Lover of Liberty,

2011 and the new Congress are here, and new fights will quickly be upon us.

I need your help. The grueling fights of 2010 have exhausted our treasury.

I will need your help if C4L is going to be ready to fire out of the gates loaded for bear in the new Congress.

Campaign for Liberty has proven effective because we engage in the battles most important to our membership.

That's why it's vital you fill out your Member's Directive and advise me on which fights you want to see C4L take up in 2011.

After you complete your Member's Directive, please make a generous contribution so C4L can mobilize liberty-minded Americans to take back our Republic.

Please take action to guarantee C4L continues to be a force to reckon with in the battle for freedom. See the member’s directive here.

In Liberty,

John Tate

President

Source: Letter from Campaign for Liberty