Please RSVP by April 4 to support this Breakthrough Commissioner

A Staunch Republican says "Get Covered". Only two days left.

GET COVERED ALREADY!!!! Good afternoon, I am a staunch Republican, a self-proclaimed Fox News addict, and I didn't vote for the President. And I'm here to tell you that Obamacare works. I'm living proof. I'm a chemotherapy patient, and was previously paying $428 a month for my health coverage. I was not thrilled when it was cancelled. Then I submitted an application at HealthCare.gov. I looked at my options. And I signed up for a plan for $62 a month. It's the best health care I have ever had. So right now, here's what I want to tell anyone who still needs health insurance, or knows someone who does: Sign up. Follow the instructions on the website. Apply, and look at your options. You still have time, and take it from me: This is something you want to do. I wrote a letter to President Obama this past February to tell him about my experience with the Health Insurance Marketplace. I hoped he'd read it, and he did. I may not be a supporter of the President. But now, I get mad when I see Obamacare dragged through the mud on television. And even though I regularly tune in to conservative pundits, I'd like to tell them they're getting it wrong. Obamacare works. So one more time: If you still need health insurance, you have just three days to get it. Do what I did. Go to HealthCare.gov, submit an application, and pick a plan that works for you. It just might change your life. Mark D. Bearden, Ph.D. Monroe, North Carolina Please do not reply to this email. Contact the White House We're updating the White House privacy policy on April 18. Learn more. The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

Get Covered Newsletter. Last Day for Enrollment. Yep, its Monday.

                           

MAR 15, 2014 Spread the Word about Coverage Options As we head toward the March 31 open enrollment closing date, it’s important that Get Covered Illinois continue its push to the finish line. Every day, the number of Illinoisans obtaining health coverage is growing.    GCI Hits the Road to Get Illinoisans Covered! GCI Videos Feature Locals, Celebrities Getting Coverage March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Join GCI during the Mobile Enrollment tour Even local celebrity chefs need health coverage March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month News You Can Use You've Got Questions & We've Got Answers Key Dates Enroll by March 15 to get coverage starting April 1 The last day to enroll in the Marketplace without being penalized is March 31. Coverage begins May 1. For more information about the Road 2 Coverage, check out the Get Covered Illinois social channels atwww.facebook.com/CoveredIllinois or www.twitter.com/CoveredIllinois. You can also call the Get Covered Illinois Help Desk at (866)311-1119 for help enrolling.                                  Click here to Subscribe to our email list. To stop receiving all of our emails, Click here to Unsubscribe. JRTC, 100 W. Randolph St., Suite 16-100 Chicago. IL 60601 © GetCoveredIllinois.gov. View our Privacy Policy or Report Fraud. Share this email:

Friday night. Good time for a Hip Hop Political caucus, right?

The Hip Hop Caucus 

 
The Hip Hop Caucus (HHC) is a national, non-profit organization in the United States, which aims to promote political activism for young U.S. voters using hip-hop music and culture.
The group's programs are intended to promote social and political equality in the areas of economics, education, health care, housing, theenvironment and social justice. The group is a member of the Black Leadership Forum and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Who We Are 
The Hip Hop Caucus is a civil and human rights organization for the 21st Century. Our movement began in 2004. Our vision is to create a more just and sustainable world by engaging more people, particularly young people and people of color in the civic and policy making process.

What We Do
We organize young people to be active in elections, policymaking, and service projects. We are an effective vehicle for working toward social change because we link people's cultural expression with their social and political experience.  READ MORE! 

Our Mission 

The mission of the Hip Hop Caucus is to organize young people to be active in elections, policymaking and service projects. We mobilize, educate, and engage young people, ages 14 to 40, on the social, issues that directly impact their lives and communities.

Our Community  
Our community is young, diverse, and large in numbers.There are 657,000 Hip Hop Caucus supporters across all 50 states and D.C. Among our supporters, 70% are under the age of 40 years-old; 60% are women; a majority are African American and Latino, with a large White contingent, as well as Asian American and Native American.

Empowerment  
The Hip Hop Caucus works to improve the conditions of our communities by empowering young leaders and linking them to policymakers. From getting out the vote to working with the White House, Congress, State Houses, Mayors and City Councils, we push to create a better future for our country.

Culture  
Arts, entertainment, sports, and cultural expression define our generation more than any previous generations. The Hip Hop Caucus harnesses the platforms of our celebrity, media, and entertainment partners to inform and move the urban community to action.

To learn more use website: http://www.hiphopcaucus.org  or following information.

Hip Hop Caucus | East Coast Office: 20 F St. NW Seventh Floor; Washington, DC 20001| West Coast Office: 5670 Wilshire Blvd Suite 1800; Los Angeles, California 90036 | contact@hiphopcaucus.org |(877) 822-7019 or (202) 293-5902 | For Press Inquiries: Press@hiphopcaucus.org

Now We're Cooking with Gas. Taxing Millionaires. Hmmmm

Illinois speaker proposes tax on millionaires    

By JOHN O'CONNOR 
AP Political Writer

 
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Two days after Illinois Republicans chose a multimillionaire as their candidate for governor, the powerful Chicago Democrat who controls the Illinois House proposed a tax on millionaires Thursday to fund the state's financially strapped education system.

House Speaker Michael Madigan introduced a constitutional amendment to tack a 3 percent surcharge onto incomes over $1 million, which he said would raise $1 billion a year for elementary and secondary education.

Madigan announced the idea in a state Capitol news conference just as one of the nation's most competitive governor races is heating up between Republican Bruce Rauner, a wealthy private-equity investor, and Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, who espouse starkly contrasting visions of how to fix the lagging economy of the Democratic stronghold.

The proposal by the speaker, who doubles as state Democratic Party chairman and has controlled the House for nearly all of the last 30 years, intensifies an ongoing debate over...

READ MORE: 

National Service Week is up and running. How can you participate this weekend?

Governor Quinn Proclaims National Service Week March 23 – 29 Encourages Residents to Volunteer in their Communities and Take Part in April 1, 2014 Day of Recognition

	CHICAGO – Governor Pat Quinn today proclaimed March 23 – 29 National Service Week in Illinois and encouraged people across Illinois to find ways to give back to their communities. Governor Quinn also reminded residents to take part in recognizing national service programs in their communities during the Mayors Day of Recognition of National Service on Tuesday, April 1. Today’s announcement is part of Governor Quinn’s commitment to encourage volunteerism in Illinois. “There is no better way to give back than to donate your time by volunteering,” Governor Quinn said. “Volunteers contribute a great deal to Illinois both locally and throughout the state at our historic sites, state parks, care facilities and institutions. I encourage everyone to participate in National Service Week and recognize the valuable gifts that volunteers provide.” “As John Maxwell once stated, ‘The bottom line in leadership isn’t how far we advance ourselves, but how far we advance others,’” Serve Illinois Commission Chair Frederick Nettles said. “In the line of service, our job is to empower others.” People across Illinois can find volunteer opportunities in their communities by visiting Serve.Illinois.gov. The website is run by the Serve Illinois Commission—a 40-member, bi-partisan board appointed by the Governor to improve Illinois communities by enhancing traditional volunteer activities and supporting national service programs. The Mayors Day of Recognition is a special initiative from the Corporation for National and Community Service to highlight the value and impact of volunteering and to encourage residents to participate. The second annual Mayors Day of Recognition will take place on April 1, 2014. Mayors across Illinois have registered to participate and those interested in signing up can visit NationalService.gov. AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and the Social Innovation Fund are the national service programs that will be recognized in numerous Illinois communities during Mayors Day of Recognition of National Service on April 1. Mayors and city and county managers will hold public events and use traditional and social media to highlight the value and impact of national service in their communities. Mayors who would like to participate should register through Serve.Illinois.gov. The Governor today also saluted the many service organizations that contribute daily to making Illinois a better place to live and work. AmeriCorps includes AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps State, AmeriCorps National and AmeriCorps NCCC. Together they provide opportunities for 80,000 citizens across the nation, including approximately 3,600 in Illinois, to give back to their communities, states and nation. AmeriCorps in Illinois last year recruited 53,600 volunteers and raised more than $4.7 million in in-kind resources. Senior Corps includes the Foster Grandparents Program, Senior Companions Program and Retired & Senior Volunteer Program. Each year the program places more than 14,000 volunteers in communities throughout Illinois. These volunteers have helped more than 7,000 Illinois children to read, assisted more than 18,000 seniors to stay in their homes, supported more than 5,800 veterans and 8,300 veteran family members, served more than 200 special needs children and supported more than 2,000 community organizations. Approximately 3.1 million Senior Corps hours contributed annually is valued at $70 million. The Social Innovation Fund mobilizes public and private sector resources to grow promising, innovative, community-based solutions in the areas of economic opportunity, healthy futures and youth development. The program has awarded $177.6 million in grants since 2010 that have yielded another $423 million in private commitments. Eleven Illinois organizations have received $1.3 million in grants.
http://www3.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=2&RecNum=12064

Is your Child a Budding Healthy Chef? Turn in a recipe to Michelle Obama by April 5th. Big Prize.

Calling all young chefs!
First Lady Michelle Obama is teaming up with Epicurious, the Department of Education, and the Department of Agriculture to host the third-annual Healthy Lunchtime Challenge recipe contest.
Kids ages 8-12, with the help of their parents, can take part in the challenge by sending in original lunch recipes that are healthy, affordable, and tasty!
Participating young chefs can use USDA's MyPlate as a resource to make sure that their recipes meet healthy standards. Each lunch recipe should represent all of the food groups, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy foods, with fruits and veggies making up about half of the plate or recipe.


***The creators of the best recipes will be invited to D.C. this summer, where they will have the opportunity to attend a Kids' "State Dinner," hosted by Mrs. Obama at the White House, where a selection of the winning healthy recipes will be served.


Just last week, the First Lady announced that cooking will be a new focus for Let's Move!, so start honing those skills and enter the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge.
The deadline to submit recipes is April 5 -- only two weeks away -- so if you're looking for something to do with your kids this weekend, get cooking!
Learn more about the challenge here, or visit recipechallenge.epicurious.com.

AFL-CIO President LiveStream Event 8:30 AM TOMORROW on why the TransPacific Partnership will contribute to job loss

Richard Trumka on the Trade Debate March 25, 2014, 9:30am ET - 10:30am ET RSVP to attend this event Streaming Video This event will be livestreamed. Please tune in at event time to access the live video feed. Bookmark this link to watch the live webcast    Featured speakers: Richard Trumka, President, AFL-CIO Introduction by: Neera Tanden, President, Center for American Progress Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO, will speak on the current trade debate. He will lay out the principles that should underlie trade policies that would reduce inequality and support rising wages in the U.S. and worldwide, and will discuss why recent proposals for fast tracking the TransPacific Partnership (TTP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will likely contribute to worsening inequality and job loss. March 25, 2014, 9:30am ET - 10:30am ET Space is extremely limited. RSVP required. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis and not guaranteed. Coffee will be served at 9:00 a.m. Center for American Progress 1333 H St. NW, 10th Floor Washington, DC 20005 Map & Directions Nearest Metro: Blue/Orange Line to McPherson Square or Red Line to Metro Center RSVP to attend this event For more information, call 202-682-1611.   Marlene Cooper Vasilic events@ americanprogress.org Vice President of Outreach and Special Events 1333 H Street, NW 10th Floor Washington, DC 20005 Tel: 202-682-1611 Fax: 202.682.1867 americanprogress.org

Only 7 Days left to Get Covered, DuPage.

Here is a HealthCare story to remind you to GET COVERED!!

Go to GET COVERED ILLINOIS (like, right now). 7 days left.

Last July, I entered my fourth half marathon. I didn't have health insurance. After the race, I began to have significant pain in my right knee. But I avoided going to the doctor -- I knew I couldn't afford the bill from the consultation, much less the X-ray and MRI that would likely follow. So I waited -- months went by before I had coverage, and could finally get it checked out. Now that I'm covered (and healed), I realize how lucky I am that it wasn't worse: An emergency could have landed me in debt for years. The point is, life happens -- be ready for it. Get started now by checking out your options on the health insurance marketplace. If you haven't shopped on the marketplace before, it's worth taking a look. You're able to compare plans and choose one that works best for you and your budget. For nearly six in 10 uninsured Americans, coverage can be available for less than $100 a month. There's nothing like having the peace of mind that comes with being covered. When you get hurt or sick, the last thing you should have to worry about is how you're going to afford to get better. The deadline to sign up for coverage this year is coming up fast on March 31st -- go check out your options today: https://my.barackobama.com/see-your-options-today Thanks, Beth Beth Kelly Deputy Health Care Campaign Manager Organizing for Action P.S. -- If you already have health insurance and don't need to continue receiving information on how to get covered, let us know today and we'll stop sending you enrollment emails.

Paid for by Organizing for Action

Contributions or gifts to Organizing for Action are not tax deductible.

This email was sent to: jmlindy422.robinandabby@blogger.com. If you'd like to stop receiving health care information updates, click here. Organizing for Action, P.O. Box 66732 Washington, D.C. 20035

Primary Wrap-up and On to the General.

You're receiving this email because of your relationship with Democratic Party of DuPage County. Please confirm your continued interest in receiving email from us.

 

You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive our emails.

A message from the Chair: Congratulations to our primary winners and our 2014 candidates. The turnout was unusually small but not unexpected. The robocalls encouraging Democrats to crossover also did not help our Democratic turnout. Nonetheless, we are ready for the challenges that lie ahead these next seven months. We hope to fill some vacancies after the county convention by nominating candidates for those open seats.  If you're interested in running for office, or know someone who is, call us as soon as possible (630-629-1125) and let us know which vacancy can be filled. We will prepare the necessary paperwork. We need to know, please, by April 10th.   Our 2014 DPDC budget has directed more than $20,000 to be used for campaigns, the majority of which will go directly to the candidates. This is more than we have ever budgeted for candidates. This is in addition to other resources that will be available (please watch for future emails from our Executive Director that will tell you how you can be involved and the tools we have to make your precinct bluer or your campaign more effective). A Campaign Strategy committee has been formed and will review the local races and make recommendations on levels of support. They will look for those races that will give us the best possibility of winning. Candidates are also raising money for their campaigns, so help out your favorite(s) by donating to their campaign and by offering to walk a precinct or two with them.   It's time for us to return to Howard Dean's 50 state strategy. Each small sector of the county that is touched by the Democratic message and information about the candidates that carry that message will bring us closer to creating a Democratic voice that is loud and clear in DuPage. Please, get on board so that we can make the most out of 2014 and parlay those wins and that experience into a DYNAMIC 2016. Let's bring home some winners. Bob Paid for by the Democratic Party of DuPage County. A copy of our report(s) filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections and DuPage County Clerk is available (or will be) for purchase from the DuPage County Clerk's office, 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL 60187.

Forward email This email was sent to dstafford1.800lbdonkey@blogger.com by info@dupagedemocrats.com |   Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Democratic Party of DuPage County 630-629-1125 | 1000-7 Rohlwing Rd | Lombard | IL | 60148

Pat Quinn: The Most Women and Child Friendly Governor in the US

With all due respect to the Governors of California and New York, Pat Quinn is the greatest champion of women and children of any sitting Governor. And Illinois voters should take note when voting in 2014.

The ongoing assaults in other states on women in health care, in the workplace and in government are escalating with each passing day. These attacks include: attempts to de-fund and shut down Planned Parenthood; forced ultrasounds before a woman can obtain an abortion; requiring insurance companies to refuse coverage for birth control and abortion; outright refusal to give rape victims information about emergency contraception in hospital emergency rooms following an assault; the lack of equal pay laws coupled with no family medical leave; and legislation to make abortion illegal, unsafe and unavailable to millions of women. These are just some of the horrible circumstances now a reality in other states where anti-woman Governors rule. Think of the nightmares that are Rick Perry's Texas or Scott Walker's Wisconsin and you'll get the picture.

Not in our Illinois. Not with our Governor Pat Quinn. In Governor Quinn's Illinois, women and children are treated with respect and dignity -- not attacked, denigrated and humiliated.

Governor Quinn's leadership across a board spectrum of initiatives and laws to READ MORE

Laramie Project coming April in Elmhurst

GreenMan Theatre's 2014 Showcase production is "The Laramie Project." Seven performances will take place April 4-13, 2014. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30 PM. Sunday shows begin at 2 PM. There is a Thursday 7:30 performance on April 10.

"The Laramie Project" is one of the most widely performed plays today, whether on high school, college, community or professional theatre stages. Time Magazine named the play one of the ten best plays of 2000, and The San Francisco Chronicle said of the play: “It portrays an American town with grace, truth, theatrical economy, compassion, wit, despair and love.”

Appearing in the production are Ben Armstrong, Valerie Meachum, Kate Mirsky, Duard Mosley, Cheryl Rice, Eric Scanlan, Lauren Scanlan, Frank Warpeha. Katie Monahan Soria is the assistant director. Karla Zapata is stage manager. Technical designs by James Ocasek and Chuck Erickson. David Soria directs the production.

"The Laramie Project" will be performed at GreenMan's theatre space in the First United Methodist Church at 232 S. York, Elmhurst. Reservations can be made at www.greenmantheatre.com or by calling 630-464-2646. Corporate funding for this production by BMO Harris Bank. GreenMan programs are partially funded by a grant by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Wooing the White Male Vote

Democrats Try Wooing Ones Who Got Away: White Men 
By JACKIE CALMES  MARCH 2, 2014
 
ROYAL OAK, Mich. — Frank Houston knows something about the longtime estrangement of white men from the Democratic Party. His family roots are in nearby Macomb County, the symbolic home of working-class Reagan Democrats who, distressed by economic and social tumult, decided a liberal Democratic Party had left them, not the other way around.

Mr. Houston grew up in the 1980s liking Ronald Reagan but idolizing Alex P. Keaton, the fictional Republican teenage son of former hippies who, played by Michael J. Fox on the television series "Family Ties," comically captured the nation’s conservative shift. But over time, Mr. Houston left the Republican Party because "I started to realize that the party doesn’t represent the people I grew up with."

Now, as chairman of the Democratic Party in Oakland County, Michigan’s second largest, Mr. Houston is finding out how difficult it can be to persuade other white men here to support Democrats, even among the 20 or so, mostly construction workers, who join him in  READ MORE

Peter Breen: Just another IRS hatemonger

 by Walt Zlotow , posted in the Glen Ellyn Patch

The 48th ain't ready for religious fanaticism

 

Peter Breen is running in the Republican Primary next Tuesday to replace Sandy Pihos as my Illinois Representative in the 48th District. Breen is Vice President and Senior Counsel for the Thomas More Society, which he claims, is a champion of First Amendment Rights.  In a post last month, "Breen last person I'd see about First Amendment rights", I took issue with Breen's wrapping himself and his candidacy in a phony mantle of First Amendment defender, pointing out Breen's Thomas More Society simply promotes opposition to gay marriage, the "right" of anti abortion fanatics to harass traumatized women entering abortion clinics, and the "right" of these same fanatics to shove their religious beliefs down our throats putting religious settings in the public square. I concluded with my title that if I had a First Amendment issue, Breen would be the last person I'd see for advice.

This month Breen raised the states in his phony First Amendment defender issue with his latest campaign mailer. Above his movie star handsome visage he has an even bigger photo of the Gipper himself, Ronald Reagan, next to the enigmatic title "WWRRD?". That is explained underneath as "What Would Ronald Reagan Do?" Then he imagines the Gipper would, like Breen, jump into the "Demonize the IRS" camp we know so well from our IRS hatemongering Congressman Peter Roskam. Breen tops even Roskam by linking the IRS to the trampling (his term) of First Amendment rights of anti abortion activists. Bunk. Breen makes this scurrilous charge simply because he believes it will play well in a Primary where the most bigoted and know-nothing Republicans are most energized to vote. If Breen was really concerned about the sanctity of life, he wouldn't invoke the Patron Saint of Tea Party Republicans, Ronald Reagan, who began the decline of the Middle Class in 1981, with his tax cuts, union busting, outsourcing frenzy, and his support for anti leftist forces throughout Central America responsible for tens of thousands of needless deaths.

Breen's mailer claims "In the Boy Scouts, we were always taught to leave a place better than we found it". When it comes to providing good governance in the 48th...Peter Breen should just leave.

Record Support for Gay Marriage; Half See it as a Constitutional Right

 By Gary Langer Mar 5, 2014 12:01am

An ABC News-Washington Post poll released last week found that a record 59 percent of Americans support gay marriage.

Record numbers of Americans in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll support gay marriage, say adoption by gay couples should be legal and see gays and lesbians as good parents. Most oppose a right to refuse service to gays, including on religious grounds. And, by a closer margin, more also accept than reject gay marriage as a constitutional right.

The results continue a dramatic transformation of public attitudes on the issue, led by political, legislative and court-ordered developments alike. Seventeen states now allow gay marriage, and federal courts in four others – most recently Texas and Virginia – have rejected laws banning it.

See PDF with full results and charts here.

Other changes in this survey, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates, are equally profound.

To continue reading: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/03/record-support-for-gay-marriage-half-see-it-as-a-constitutional-right/

A Better Illinois is a movement we need to get behind because they have our backs.

ABOUT A Better Illinois

THE CHANGE WE NEED

A QUESTION OF PRIORITIES

The current way of doing things in Illinois is simply not working.

We all know it.  We read about, we live it.

Every day.

Our long-term fiscal health is unsustainable.  Illinois cannot pay its bills.  

The middle class and small business owners suffer because our tax system stifles economic expansion.  People struggle to find good jobs, with employment growth in Illinois lagging behind the national average as the country climbs out of recession.

Nearly every day seems to bring bad news about harmful cuts—to public school funding, police and public safety, community colleges and universities, health services and more, with additional cuts on the horizon.

Why is this happening?  In part because Illinois politicians have had the wrong priorities-- continuing to pay for years of government mismanagement and waste, like expensive loopholes for rich corporations and corporate CEOs-- rather than protecting priorities like schools, public safety and health care.

It’s time for a new approach.

It’s time for a government with more accountability and less waste.

It’s time for A Better Illinois.

A FAIR APPROACH — THE RIGHT APPROACH

The tax system in Illinois is broken and needs to be fixed.  Too often, rich people and big corporations avoid paying their fair share.

The middle class pays about twice the rate that the rich pay in Illinois taxes—while Main Street small business owners who create millions of Illinois jobs pay a higher tax rate than big corporations and CEOs that use loopholes to avoid paying their fair share.

In fact, under our current system, small business owners get hit twice; once, because of the READ MORE

Don't risk it: March 31st Obamacare deadline ahead.

If you don't have health insurance, here's something you need to know: The median cost of a trip to the emergency room is $1,233. It could be as simple as a sprained ankle or a sudden illness that sends you there, but if you're not covered, it's going to set you back. In fact, the median ER visit costs more than the average American pays for rent each month. I can think of so many other things I'd rather do with that kind of cash -- can't you? No more hesitation -- head over to Healthcare.gov to check out your options in the health care marketplace and see the affordable options available to you. When you get covered, not only will you get peace of mind from knowing that an emergency won't devastate your finances -- but preventive care like immunizations and regular checkups can come at no cost to you. That sounds like a win-win. March 31st will be here before you know it, and you don't want to be left behind. There are still affordable plans available -- get started today: https://my.barackobama.com/see-your-options-today Thanks, Erin Erin Hannigan Health Care Campaign Manager Organizing for Action P.S. -- If you've already signed up for coverage through the new health insurance marketplace and don't need to continue receiving information on how to get covered, let us know today and we'll stop sending you enrollment emails.