ABIT OF NEWS TO RATTLE YOUR EQUALIBRIUM

URBAN ARCHIPELAGO
John Nichols, The Nation
At a time when the federal government is dominated by right-wing Republicans, and when liberal state governments are rare, cities are electing a new generation of progressives.
http://www.alternet.org/story/22168/

THE RUSSERT WATCH
Arianna Huffington, AlterNet
During his 'Meet the Press' appearance, RNC chair Ken Mehlman was allowed to distort, twist, manipulate and obfuscate his way through every stop on the disinformation highway.
http://www.alternet.org/columnists/story/22178/
[Duchess Note ... It really boggles the mind how many Americans believe the lying crap that comes out of the corrupt, greedy, insensitive mouths of morons like Mehlman.]

A NATION OF WANNA-BE AUTHORS -- BUT WHERE ARE THE READERS?
Esther Cohen, Pacific News Service
In a recent survey, a vast majority of Americans reported wanting to write a book. But about 194,000 books were published last year, and nervous publishers hope the readers are out there.
http://www.alternet.org/story/22176/

OH, GIVE ME A HOME
Tim Wise, The Black Commentator
There are more than two million reported incidents of housing discrimination each year. Here's how the Right justifies housing inequality.
http://www.alternet.org/rights/22179/

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM "WORKING FAMILIES E-ACTIVIST" - Tell Schwab: Stop Social Security Double Talk
Charles Schwab is one of the few investment firms actively supporting President George W. Bush's plan to privatize Social Security, which would cut guaranteed retirement benefits drastically. But Schwab says it's not taking a position on privatization. That's double talk. Please take a minute to demand that Schwab's board of directors tell the truth about the firm's support for Social Security privatization. Click on the link be lowor keep reading:

http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/y7akW641APtK/

CEO Chuck Schwab claims his firm doesn't take a position on Social Security privatization--but Schwab is STILL a member of the group that is leading the attack on Social Security. Schwab's board is responsible for management oversight. The board should act now to prevent Chuck Schwab's Social Security double talk from damaging the firm's credibility. At this year's shareholder meeting, a majority of investors voted for more board accountability by demanding annual election of all directors. It's time the board takes action. Tell the Schwab board to stop Chuck Schwab's Social Security double talk. While Schwab makes millions handling retirement savings for working people, it's working directly against our interests by supporting Social Security privatization--which would slash guaranteed benefits and sentence millions of retired workers to poverty. The more people learn about privatized Social Security accounts, the less they like the idea. When you cut through the double talk, here are the facts about Social Security privatization and Charles Schwab:

1] Privatizing Social Security would slash guaranteed benefits and explode the federal debt--but financial services firms like Schwab could make billions in fees and commissions for managing privatized accounts.

2] Schwab is a member of the Alliance for Worker Retirement Security, the leading business-backed lobbying group supporting Social Security privatization.

3] Schwab has funded the Cato Institute, a longtime backer of Social Security privatization.

4] Schwab Executive Vice President William Atwell is on the board of the Securities Industry Association--another big supporter of privatizing Social Security.

5] Schwab executives have been players in strategy sessions with White House officials.

6] Schwab's chief investment strategist, Liz Ann Sonders, endorsed private accounts, and Chuck Schwab--the CEO--said, "Me personally, I think private accounts clearly are one of the very important things to be considered for the long-term solution of Social Security." (San Francisco Chronicle, May1, 2005)

7] Schwab cites its 2003 and 2004 support for the New Democratic Network (NDN) as evidence it backs both sides--but NDN says Schwab's contributions back then had nothing to do with Social Security. In fact, at that time NDN's founders and its website had supported private accounts.



POLITICAL ALERTS FROM CARE2 - Tell Pharmacies to Dispense Medication, Not Morality!

Yesterday, June 7th, was the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that recognized married couples' right to use birth control. This came about when the Supreme Court struck down a Connecticut statute that prohibited the use of birth control in the decision Griswold v.Connecticut. While in 1965 the high court ruled that the Connecticut statute violated the Constitutional right to marital privacy, today we are dangerously close to losing these hard won privacy rights. Take action:

http://www.care2.com/go/z/24486

Women across the country now face an alarming trend of anti-choice pharmacists denying them their legally prescribed medications due to personal objections to birth control. Some pharmacists even go so far as to lecture women, humiliate them, or refuse to hand back the prescription after they refuse to fill it. Yet most women don't even know this is happening, much less what they can do about it. Let's make sure that pharmacies provide women - indeed all of us - with our doctor-prescribed medication without delay or inconvenience.