NAFTA renegotiation drags on -- out of sight of the American people or their Representatives in Congress, naturally, since it's not like the people are the owners of government or anything. But regardless of what comes out, Congress will still have to vote on it if they want to, you know, enact it, so CREDO helps you tell your Congressfolk to ensure that any renegotiated NAFTA protects working families and protects our clean air and clean water. Previous "free" trade deals have represented a race to the bottom, as countries find themselves hamstrung from passing (or enforcing) laws protecting their people because some trade pact won't let them do it. Our President has talked a good game on trade, and has withdrawn us from the hated Trans-Pacific "Partnership," but that doesn't mean he won't make NAFTA even worse, as all the "free" traders he put in his cabinet "wield their influence." Fortunately, this is America, where the people always get a vote. And not just on Election Day.
Meanwhile, Sarah Clements, of Newtown, CT, has started a petition on Change.org, which helps you demand that Congress repeal the Dickey Amendment, which has effectively banned gun violence research for 20 years. The Dickey Amendment to the 1996 omnibus spending bill states that "none of the funds made available for injury prevention and control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may be used to advocate or promote gun control," but, really, facts are facts, and it doesn't really matter what those facts "advocate" or "promote," particularly since Congress would still be able to ignore the CDC's findings. And former Rep. Jay Dickey (R-AK) himself said in 2012 that we should absolutely research the causes of gun violence. But since the findings of such research might ultimately cost some gun corporation CEO the money to gild the plumbing in his 19th vacation home, I guess we can't have nice things. Unless we demand them, of course.
Finally, CREDO helps you tell your Congressfolk to pass a clean DREAM Act, without the kind of poison pill amendments that placate bigots. If you're of the mind, as I am, that corporations use foreign workers to drive down wages, you still shouldn't be so cruel as to demand that folks brought here as children, brought here without their consent, be deported to home countries they don't recognize after spending literally decades here and building a life here. Don't let two recent court decisions preventing the Administration from sending DACA recipients home next week, nor the Supreme Court's recent decision not to expedite the Administration's appeal of those courts' decisions, lull you into complacency. Congress still doesn't want to get this done, so afraid are Republicans of the President's supporters. But an obnoxious minority doesn't get all the say about anything. At least, not if this is America.
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