finzleft's blog: "Political"

Time is running out, the 2013 legislative session is almost over. Last week the Connecticut Senate passed a heroic GMO labeling bill by a vote to 35 to 1. Tragically, in response, Governor Malloy (D-CT) and Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden) intentionally forced a weak amendment on a House version of the bill that gutted any serious labeling of GMOs in the state. It's outrageous that for the second year in a row that Gov. Malloy and Speaker Sharkey have worked together to stop serious efforts to get a strong GMO labeling bill passed in Connecticut.
For the past 2 years activists on the ground in Connecticut have been working to reach a compromise with Governor Malloy and negotiated with his office in good faith. Now, he has now shown us his true colors. Last Thursday, before any of the members of the House had a chance to read the Amendments to the GMO labeling bill provided by Governor Malloy’s office, Speaker Sharkey called the bill for a vote in the middle of the night when they thought no one was watching, and it passed.  But, we were watching!
Already the opposition is scrambling behind the scenes and we need your help today! If passed, Connecticut would become the first state in the U.S. to require mandatory labeling of GMOs in our food.

We need your help to change that! Join us to help make GMO labeling a reality in Connecticut!

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/gmo_labeling_in_CT_under_assault/?referring_akid=.629331.6mIMXq&source=taf

Tell the FDA to reject more aspartame in our milk! 

Aspartame has a long clouded history, with fraudulent science submitted during the original FDA approval process, links to mood alterations including anxiety, agitation, depression, headaches, insomnia, and memory, learning problems and seizures and brain tumors. And not surprising, the company that created by aspartame was bought by Monsanto in the 1985. In 1999, Monsanto admitted to using genetic engineering of bacteria to create aspartame, which is now used widely as an artificial sweetener in diet soft drinks, chewing gum and diet foods as a sugar substitute.

 

Tell the FDA not to cave to Big Dairy - Keep improperly labeled Aspartame out of our milk!

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/tell_the_fda_to_reject_unlabeled_aspartame_in_our_milk/?referring_akid=863.629331.zzg51f&source=taf

Hundreds of parents have spoken to us about the intrusion of truly adult content into a family program. In response, Common Sense Media has spent the last four months reviewing the ads and network promos broadcast during pro football games. We reviewed more than 50 games -- more than 160 hours of coverage -- and watched more than 5,000 commercials. Please join me by helping Click HERE to Help

Did you know that many baby bottles contain an unnecessary toxic chemical even though safer products are available? Sign this petition with me to tell the CEO's of the leading baby bottle manufacturers that consumers demand toxic-free baby bottles. Read on for more info: The evidence is mounting. After years of concern about the safety of baby bottles, children’s care products, and other food and beverage containers that contain the chemical bisphenol A (BPA), the verdict is in--and it’s not good. Yesterday the Canadian government announced it is planning to ban the use of BPA in baby bottles, and declared BPA dangerous.[1] And, earlier this week, the Los Angeles Times reported that the U.S. based National Institutes of Health (NIH) concluded that there is "some concern" that babies, fetuses, and children are in danger because BPA harms animals at the low levels found in nearly all human bodies.[2] Sadly, a recent study found this chemical in all five leading brands of American baby bottles. It's enough to sink any mother's stomach. Let's take a second to take a collective deep breath, and then mobilize for major action. Sign a petition calling for the CEOs of the leading manufacturers of baby bottles to stop the use of BPA in our baby bottles and other children’s products. TAKE ACTION: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1768/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1177 Sign on now and we’ll send the petition to the CEOs of Avent, Disney/First Years, Dr. Brown’s, Evenflo, Gerber, and Playtex in collaboration with Center for Health, Environment, & Justice and other organizations. Can you also send this petition to five of your friends? The more signatures, we have, the more the CEOs will get the message that consumers want healthy products, not toxins. With the current media attention on BPA, this is a critical moment to take advantage of that momentum and push these CEOs to stop using it in baby bottles. WHAT DOES IT DO? Growing children are especially at risk to chemicals as they face greater exposure per pound of body weight. Even fetuses are susceptible as chemicals, including BPA, cross the placenta in pregnant women. Over 130 studies suggest that BPA exposure, even at low doses, is linked to many health problems, including early puberty, breast and prostate cancer, obesity, attention and hyperactivity disorder, brain damage, altered immune system, and lower sperm counts.[3] This is a widespread issue which we need to address together. A 2007 study by the Environment California Research and Policy Center found that all five leading brands of baby bottles leached BPA at levels found to cause harm in numerous laboratory studies.[4] It is time for all parents to take action! *Click here to sign the petition: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1768/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1177 Thanks for your work on behalf of all children. P.S. For tips on how to limit exposure to BPA, see http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/15/AR2008041502161.html [1] http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2008/04/18/bisphenol-a.html?ref=rss [2] http://www.latimes.com/features/health/medicine/la-na-plastic16apr16,1,498138.story [3] http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/environmental-health/stop-toxic-toys/bisphenol-a-overview. [4] http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/reports/environmental-health/environmental-health-reports/toxic-baby-bottles

I just took two minutes to tell the Senate to take prompt action on legislation passed by the U.S. House that will make cars and products safer. The House passed two good bills right before the holidays, and we need the Senate to jump on them now while momentum is high. It will only take you a moment to learn about these good bills and send your quick message to your own Senators. http://cu.convio.net/NewYear2008