Iraq/Iran
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The Peace Movement's Progress
05 July 2010 14:59
The peace movement has made significant progress in the United States since its low point of late 2008, and just about everything anyone in it has done has been a contribution. If everyone keeps...
05 July 2010 14:59
The peace movement has made significant progress in the United States since its low point of late 2008, and just about everything anyone in it has done has been a contribution. If everyone keeps...- 25 September 2009 15:20 Where is the Defund Blackwater Act?
- 17 September 2009 02:10 Blackwater Founder Implicated in Murder
- 17 July 2009 15:24 Cost of War
- 05 July 2009 15:50 Thoughts for the 4th of July: Talking the Talk and Walking the Walk for Peace
Veterans
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VA relaxes application process for benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder
13 July 2010 13:24
The Department of Veterans Affairs is encouraging military veterans previously denied benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder to start reapplying Tuesday as the agency's tedious claims process...
13 July 2010 13:24
The Department of Veterans Affairs is encouraging military veterans previously denied benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder to start reapplying Tuesday as the agency's tedious claims process...- 09 July 2010 12:06 Rules Eased for Filing PTSD Claims
- 24 December 2009 00:51 Army General Who Implemented Pregnancy Policy Responds to Truthout Report
- 18 September 2009 13:32 Easing From Combat to Classroom GI Bill's Growth Fuels a Rush of On-Campus Advisory, Advocacy Services
- 17 September 2009 03:16 Civil Rights Veterans
Middle East
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Help Elect Marleine Bastien (FL-17)
20 August 2010 14:59
Marleine Bastien’s campaign for Congress to replace Kendrick Meek representing District 17 first came to my attention when she was being considered for endorsement by the Miami chapter of...
20 August 2010 14:59
Marleine Bastien’s campaign for Congress to replace Kendrick Meek representing District 17 first came to my attention when she was being considered for endorsement by the Miami chapter of...- 17 August 2010 00:00 Senator Jim Webb On The “Myth” Of White Privilege
- 01 August 2010 22:36 Curbing Supporters Enthusiasm
- 22 July 2010 09:19 Breitbart & Co. trash the truth
- 21 July 2010 22:43 Black Caucus Slams Vilsack 'Overreaction'
More in: Latest
Regional
Latest News Plus Date 4
Help Elect Marleine Bastien (FL-17)
20 August 2010 14:59
Marleine Bastien’s campaign for Congress to replace Kendrick Meek representing District 17 first came to my attention when she was being considered for endorsement by the Miami chapter of...
20 August 2010 14:59
Marleine Bastien’s campaign for Congress to replace Kendrick Meek representing District 17 first came to my attention when she was being considered for endorsement by the Miami chapter of...- 17 August 2010 00:00 Senator Jim Webb On The “Myth” Of White Privilege
- 01 August 2010 22:36 Curbing Supporters Enthusiasm
- 22 July 2010 09:19 Breitbart & Co. trash the truth
- 21 July 2010 22:43 Black Caucus Slams Vilsack 'Overreaction'
More in: Latest
| White House Comments on Voting Rights |
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| Issues - Civil Rights/Civil Justice |
| Written by Nicole Kief |
| Friday, 19 February 2010 22:13 |
  Nicole Kief at the ACLU discovered a recent, interesting development re: the Democracy Restoration Act and other voting issues that we wanted to let you know about. During an online chat last week, Heather Higginbottom, from the White House Domestic Policy Council, was asked about felony disenfranchisement by a disenfranchised citizen in Virginia. Ms. Higgenbottom responded that "[This is an issue] that many legislators, and President Obama is among them, was in the Senate and is now as President, believes we should address at the federal level."Ms. Higginbottom did not mention the DRA by name, and (like a lot of people who don't live and breath this stuff) she doesn't make a clear distinction between restoring voting rights to people who are out of prison and to those who have completed their entire sentence. But she goes on to say, "What we need to do is find more ways to encourage people to participate in the political process. We have talked about ways of doing that across the board. This is an area where we want more people to vote, we want to make it easier to vote. And the President's position and many others legislators' position is that, for felons, once you've served your sentence and you've done your time and you've completed that, you should have your voting rights restored.” It is very exciting to hear the White House weigh in on this issue in such a positive way, and to clearly state that this is an issue that should be addressed at the federal level. We should work to clarify the administration's position on post-incarceration vs. post-sentence restoration, but in the meantime I think we should use these comments in our advocacy. Of course we cannot say that the White House supports the DRA (yet) but we can certainly say that the administration thinks this is an issue that should be addressed at the federal level. You can hear Ms. Higginbottom's comments here, at about minute 16:45. Thanks to Nicole for discovering this major development!
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