The Keystone XL Pipeline

I don't support the Keystone Pipeline for a variety of reasons.  I never have.  As much as I'd like to write out my own opinion on the issue today as the time for a decision from President Obama is needed very soon, I am quite ill and don't believe that I could do the issue justice.  Instead, I urge anyone on the fence about the issue to watch this segment from The Ed Show on MSNBC today.  Ed Schulz, the host, was a supporter of the pipeline until he spoke to the people that would truly be affected by oil spills.  Basically, the benefits of the pipeline would not even come close to comparing to the potential risks.



If you care about the environment, climate change, and the general well-being of American citizens that would face the risk of water contamination, please take a moment to sign this petition to Secretary of State John Kerry created by the League of Conservation Voters.  This issue is too important to ignore.

Reasons to always Vote, and always vote Democrat

Politics can be frustrating, controversial, and childish.  The commercials are frequent, confusing and paid for by groups with innocuous names that start with "Freedom," "Liberty," or "Citizens."  Sometimes it can feel like all politicians are bought and paid for by special interest groups and corporations.  Congress has such a low approval rating, because they are too divided to get anything done. I've heard all of these reasons and more from people that claim to be too disillusioned to vote.

True or not, forget about all of that.  Politics and governing are VERY different things.  These three truths about politics are unlikely to change anytime soon: campaigns are the only way that politicians can get elected, negative campaigning surprisingly works very well on undecided voters, and the candidate with the campaign with the most money nearly always wins.

So why vote and why vote Democrat?  First off, elected Republicans are actively legislating to suppress the vote of people that do not typically support their candidates.  In short, they are realizing that they can't win on the issues and rather than change their policies to be more in line with today's societal realities, they have instead decided to choose the people that can vote to guarantee their own reelections.  The mantra of voter fraud is a statistical red herring.  It happens so rarely because it is a felony, and not too many people are willing to go to jail in order to vote 2 ballots.  Is this a valid reason to make it harder for any American citizen to vote?

Graphic taken from The Plain Dealer.

Republican policies are not based in the best interest of the majority of Americans and are not based on research, statistics or scientific evidence.  More guns in the hands of more people do not make us safer, they actually increase murder and suicide rates.  Raising the minimum wage to the proposed $10.10 an hour will not either increase unemployment nor drastically raise purchase prices; throughout history, raising wages results in less poverty and would allow people working full-time to not have to get food stamps paid for by tax dollars.  Obamacare is not remotely close to a socialist policy and likewise, it is not raising unemployment.  The job losses that are cited as results of Obamacare are actually reflective of elderly people finally being able to retire because their health insurance is no longer tied to their employment, and this actually opens up positions for people that are unemployed and looking for work.

Raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans does not kill jobs.  The tax rates of the richest among us are at their lowest rate ever and yet we have high unemployment.  There are so many tax loopholes that the largest corporations are often subsidized by the government rather than paying any taxes at all.  Those corporations then repay us by shipping jobs overseas, increasing the salaries of their CEO's and paying their American workers such low wages that they have to rely on food stamps to survive. They bemoan too many regulations, claiming that the free market will manage itself, and yet we have had several environmental disasters resulting in fires and contaminated public water due to being under-regulated and much more concerned about profits than they are about their workers or the environment around them.

In short, VOTE!  Vote in every election even if it seems like it doesn't matter to your life, because it does.  The government provides us with roads, highways, libraries, schools, police, firemen and more.  It is the only institution that can make and enforce laws for people, animals, parks, and the environment.  The government is our only protection from corporate interests, and corporations are neither chosen by our votes nor beholden to the best interest of the public.

These are all my sincerely held opinions, but they are based on facts, and I am more than willing to provide documentation on any of my assertions to anyone that asks.

How a Young Republican Switched Parties

I remember when then-President George H.W. Bush visited my hometown.  I was in elementary school and as the product of a conservative family environment, very much a fan of the president.  He visited the center of town during his reelection campaign, and the area was so crowded and congested that we could not park to see him, so I cried from disappointment at not getting to see the president.  I cried again when he lost his reelection bid as I had been convinced that Bill Clinton would be a terrible leader.

As a child, I viewed political affiliation and religion as unchangeable characteristics not unlike my Italian or German heritage.  Unquestioned and never talked about in polite conversation.  If I knew any Democrats, I certainly did not know of their party preference and when I was taught in middle school that Catholicism was not the primary religion of the United States, I was nothing short of shocked.  I simply never knew anything else.

I respect the views of my family members and now know and understand their reasons for the way that they choose to vote.  As a child, however, I accepted that I was a Republican because I knew nothing about the policies of any political party.  This changed when I had a liberal teacher in the tenth grade that explained the main differences between the Republican and Democratic parties.  To this day, there are people that blame this teacher for my political epiphany as if his ideology was forever imprinted in my brain, rather than accept that I would have inevitably learned that my values were closely aligned with the Democratic party once I learned what the parties stood for.

As a teenager, my understanding of the parties simply came to fairness.  In an economics class, the question was posed "If a parent did not purchase health insurance for their child, and their child developed a life-threatening illness, should the government pay for the life-saving treatment of that child."  I immediately said "Absolutely," and was appalled that any of my classmates disagreed.  In another class, I had to debate the issue of gun control, and upon research was convinced that gun control was necessary to save lives.  Still another class had us debate the merits of immigration, and as the granddaughter of immigrants was shocked that classmates would suggest building a "wall around America" to prevent immigration.  The only issue I ever struggled with was abortion, because of my Catholic upbringing.  I was staunchly pro-Choice by the time of my high school graduation, but throughout high school was only presented with a singular anti-Choice viewpoint that made it very difficult for me to fully grasp the complexities of the issue.

Statistically, most children do end up adopting the political views of their parents and community.  Watching old episodes of the show "Family Ties" from the eighties causes me to oddly identify with Alex P. Keaton in that I once felt like a political outsider in my family, but still knew that I had the love of my family regardless of my views.  I hope that the children of today that may be questioning or coming to terms with their ideology, religion, and sexuality experience that same unconditional love from their own families. I think that it is important for every person to regularly question their own beliefs and actions in order to have a true understanding of their identity, and always make a point to learn and study the arguments of the people on the other side of any issue that I am passionate about.  Usually, this more strongly affirms my beliefs, but it also allows me to anticipate and properly refute the arguments of the other side prior to any debate or discussion that I may encounter.

I think that debate is necessary in a democracy, and I wish that all politicians would take the time to understand the views of their colleagues on the other side of the aisle even if they wholeheartedly disagree. The current political environment has allowed the two sides to debate an issue without either side ever responding to the arguments of the other side.  Instead of yelling over one another or writing articles demonizing members of the other party or dismissing their arguments without ever listening to them, I would love to see thoughtful debate and discussion much more prevalent in our media outlets.

If cats and dogs can tolerate each other and live together peacefully, why can't humans do the same?

My Activist Pets

I love my pets so much that I decided to use their unique personalities and characteristics to help promote causes and spread important information on pet adoption and care.

Kita, a Siberian Husky, is a sweet, playful dog that loves every animal and human he meets.  His page has more information on him and other huskies, along with details on dog adoption.

Pearl, a mixed breed puppy, has had some challenges to overcome.  Her page provides helpful sites for puppy owners and a list of sites that can be used to learn more about dogs and ways to be an animal activist.

Seph, a senior tuxedo cat, is the leader of our household.  He keeps all of the other pets in line and is always quick to offer help and support.  His site promotes cat rescue and adoption, some ways to help animals in need, and sites that pet owners can use to find important information on their health and welfare.

Zoey, an orange and white long-haired cat, is very shy and sweet.  He was a troublemaker for the first few years of her life, but he has matured into a great family member.  He is my right-hand man so his site is dedicated to on ways to become an activist for humanitarian causes.

Please take a moment to visit each of their pages; you can find links to each page to the right side of my blog.  Each page will be updated regularly and I welcome any suggested links that I can add to any of the pages or any notices of any dead links.

It's Time to Talk About the U.S. "Budget"

The debt ceiling being raised is not supposed to be a bargaining tool or even a topic of discussion. When we reach our credit limit, we can't just simply stop all government spending at once.  If we really want to use the family comparison, would you tell the credit card companies that you just now decided to be fiscally responsible and don't intend to use your credit cards anymore nor intend to pay any of your bills? That'd be convenient, but impractical and illegal.  When the U.S. credit rating dropped a couple of years ago, it was due to the world being concerned that we would default on our loans.  We are only as credible as our word and cannot simply make a decision to no longer pay other countries back the money that they have loaned us, and the fact that the option is even discussed each year makes us a credit risk.  Simply put, this isn't optional, and the Republican party has no right to use this as a bargaining chip in their fight to defund anything that helps the average taxpayer.

Kita is very sad to hear about more budget fights

Unchecked capitalism would no doubt be disastrous, because an economy entirely based on greed does not help anyone but the most rich among us.  If we managed the economy in the way that the Republicans would like us to, there would not be any social safety nets, so retirement would be impossible for the middle class.  There would not be a minimum wage or child labor laws.  All schools would be privately funded, creating a vast education gap between the haves and have-nots.  Companies would be able to cut costs, cut corners and pollute the environment as much as they would like.  Don't believe in global warming?  Well, it is your choice to ignore scientific facts, but you won't be able to ignore toxic waste, water that is black and can cause cancer, and smog so thick that you can't see 5 feet in front of you. Government regulations aren't around just to annoy rich people; they are around to save lives and maintain some level of fairness in our society.  

This economy is actually beneficial to corporations.  People are so desperate to find work that they will take jobs below their education level for low wages and no benefits.  Those that complain about how they are treated can simply be replaced by the currently unemployed.  You can go to work every day, do everything right, be a leader or the best person at your job, and you likely will never get a single promotion or wage increase.  People are simply expendable.  Without labor standards, the workplace can be so unsafe that people can die on the job and their employers have no cause to pay their families or take any responsibility for their death.

I think that some voters hear what Republicans have to say about individual issues and think that their arguments make a lot of sense,and on the most basic level they often do seem logical.  However, as voters it is our job to think through their policy ideas to their logical conclusion and figure out which direction is most beneficial to us as humans and citizens.  It is time for us to realize that policies have very real implications and that their effects can be disastrous.  Just something to think about as we prepare for another fight over the budget.

Fact-Checking Forwards

I strongly dislike forwarded emails such as this, but sometimes they need to be debunked. This is an email that I was forwarded today coupled with my email in response...

Joe Legal vs. Jose Illegal

Here is an example of why hiring illegal aliens is not economically
productive for the State of California ...

You have 2 families..."Joe Legal" and "Jose Illegal". Both families have 2
parents, 2 children and live in California. "Joe Legal" works in
construction, has a Social Security Number, and makes $25.00 per hour with
payroll taxes deducted...."Jose Illegal" also works in construction, has
"NO" Social Security Number, and gets paid $15.00 cash "under the table".

Joe Legal...$25.00 per hour x 40 hours $1000.00 per week, $52,000 per
year.

Now take 30% away for state federal tax, Joe Legal now has $31,231.00

Jose Illegal...$15.00 per hour x 40 hours $600.00 per week, $31,200.00 per
year. Jose Illegal pays no taxes... Jose Illegal now has $31,200.00

Joe Legal pays Medical and Dental Insurance with limited coverage $1000.00
per month, $12,000.00 per year. Joe Legal now has $19,231.00

Jose Illegal has full Medical and Dental coverage through the state and
local clinics at a cost of $0.00 per year. Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00

Joe Legal makes too much money is not eligible for Food Stamps or welfare.
Joe Legal pays for food $1,000.00 per month, $12,000.00 per year. Joe
Legal now has $7,231.00

Jose Illegal has no documented income and is eligible for Food Stamps and
Welfare. Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00.

Joe Legal pays rent of $1,000.00 per month. $12,000.00 per year. Joe Legal
is now in the hole minus (-) $4,769.00

Jose Illegal receives a $500 per month Federal rent subsidy. Jose Illegal
pays rent. $500.00 per month. $6,000.00 per year Jose Illegal still has
$31,200.00

Joe Legal now works overtime on Saturdays or gets a part time job after
work.

Jose Illegal has nights and weekends off to enjoy with his family.

Joe Legal's and Jose Illegal's children both attend the same school. Joe
Legal pays for his children's lunches while Jose Illegal's children get a 
government sponsored lunch. Jose Illegal's children have an after school 
ESL program. Joe Legal's children go home.

Joe Legal and Jose Illegal both enjoy the same Police and Fire Services,
but Joe paid for them and Jose did not pay.

Don't vote/support any politician that supports illegal aliens...Its PAST
time to take a stand for America and Americans!

My Response:

First off, this email is not directed at anyone that either ignored it or found it untruthful in the first place, but let's examine the facts:

This "story" has been around since January 2009, circulating within social media circles and emails, so it is nothing new.

Labor: It is unlawful to hire someone who is not authorized to work in the United States. If you think that someone getting paid "under the table"  is given fair treatment, standard work hours, and that high of a wage, you vastly misjudge the labor market and the companies that are knowingly hiring these workers illegally.  They choose to hire "Jose" over "Joe" because it costs them a lot less money and "Jose" has no ability to complain as he would then be found out and potentially deported.

Healthcare: People that are receiving "free" healthcare are hardly getting proper medical treatment. They don't get yearly check-ups and dentist visits, x-rays, elective procedures or most pills.  Rather, they go to the emergency room when they are seriously injured or ill.  Yes, this may seem "unfair" in financial terms, but if you think that with this "free" healthcare that they would be able to identify an illness such as cancer when the illness is new and still treatable, you are mistaken.

Food: Food stamp programs have strict eligibility guidelines which someone like Jose would not meet.  Even if he did meet the guidelines, the actual amount is so little per day, that to eat healthy or to sustain growing children would require someone like Jose to still spend a portion of his income on food for his family.  Here is more information on SNAP eligibility: http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/applicant_recipients/eligibility

Housing: An undocumented person making this much money illegally would not be able to obtain housing voucher.  Here are the requirements for a Housing Voucher directly from the U.S. Dept of Housing & Urban Development: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/hcv/about/fact_sheet#2 

Obviously, immigrant families still need to pay for utilities, gas, etc. or choose to live without those services, but this was conveniently left out of Jose's costs in the email.

Anyone that gets pulled over is required to show their ID and insurance, both of which undocumented immigrants wouldn't be eligible to obtain at all under federal law.  If they are lucky enough to obtain a car with cash, getting pulled over could expose them and potentially get them deported. Most likely, they are paying for public transportation.

Being at "the head of the class" is a term that is no longer used, but let's assume the email is referring to class rankings.  They are based entirely on GPA and can't be changed based on immigration status or race.  Undocumented immigrant children often don't require for financial aid, but even if they did, they would be accepted to a university using the same standards that they use for everyone else.  Since the family would likely have difficulty even getting a bank account or obtain a loan, its likely they aren't able to pay tuition in cash and would not be able to pay any costs not covered by financial aid.

Finally, the term "illegal alien" is offensive; the acceptable term is "undocumented worker."  Calling someone an alien purposely dehumanizes them and makes people feel okay about treating them the way that this email does.  In addition, the word "illegal" means "not legal."  They are not "illegal" people any more than you would call someone that committed theft years ago would have to forever identify as "illegal."  They committed one illegal act, crossing the border.  Likewise, you can not blame children that cross the border with their parents.  They have no power to decide to stay behind, yet you still unfairly refer to them as "illegal."

Fact is, as U.S. citizens we have more rights and opportunities than undocumented immigrants.  If you don't think this is the case, try getting rid of your social security number and pretending to be undocumented.  You will not require for any of the programs already discussed, but you will also not be able to receive social security checks or medicare as a senior.

Please, check the facts before forwarding these types of emails without any sources. It is not to the benefit of anyone to receive an email like this full of false information and only perpetuates cultural stereotypes.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Angela Tombazzi

How to Shop in a Socially Responsible Manner

Many people use the internet to find out about events or decide where they want to spend their money and what they want to spend it on.  This offers a few opportunities for activists.  We can boycott companies that utilize child labor or unfair labor practices, and we can find companies that treat their employees well and contribute to society in positive ways.  Another tactic that has proven successful to change policy is online petitions.  Petitions can be very localized and specific or very broad in their goals.   They certainly don't always work, but even when they don't, it is bringing attention to issues that otherwise might be ignored.

Kita thinks unethical companies stink!

Step 1: Identify the very worst corporations.  While I linked to Oxfam, you can also do your own searches and investigations.  These are the most likely to pay their employees terrible wages while bringing in millions of dollars of benefits for their top executives.  Do you give your money to them in any way?  Try completely eliminating your purchases from one of the companies on this list first.  This can be particularly tough in a rough economy, but even if everyone makes only a few concessions in their buying habits, a huge difference can be made in corporate policies.

Step 2:  Check to see if there are any current petitions circulating to change the business practices of any of the corporation's that you identified.  Two places to begin are at Change.org and at Care2's petition site.  You can type in the name of the companies on each site and see if there are any petitions for you to sign.  If an issue is particularly important to you, start your own petition and share it with all of your social networks (and ask them to share it with their networks too).

Step 3: Identify the most socially responsible and successful companies.  These companies will likely pay their employees above minimum wage, not have their labor overseas in sweatshops, and make large donations to charities that are also socially responsible.  Is one company on this list a sufficient replacement for the corporation that you decided to eliminate?  If you are particularly supportive of any of the companies' business practices, you can share their website with your social networks to help them generate business, and you can let your friends and family know why you would prefer to give them business over other businesses.

This is only one example of a way to be an activist that requires little time and effort, but can still make you feel good about your actions.  Let me know if you succeed; I'd love to hear your stories and any suggestions that you have to make this list better!

Causes I Support

This is a Pinterest Board dedicated to promoting the websites of nonprofits, charities and causes that I support.  Please visit the sites that interest you and help out if you can!  Also take a second to follow my Pinterest boards to keep up with new causes that I add, people I admire and photos of the animals that I love.

Nonprofits are doing some great work

Here are some causes dear to my heart....



This will be updated often as there are so many nonprofits doing wonderful work for people, animals, and the environment all over the world.