It’s almost Halloween, and Donald Trump needs no costume to scare people

John Nichols Washington correspondent The Nation needs your help to meet our $57,000 shortfall! Dear Friend, It’s almost Halloween, and Donald Trump needs no costume to scare people. Along with too many of his fellow contenders for the Republican presidential nomination, he has elevated crude and destructive fearmongering to the center of an already intense 2016 election contest. Trump and his crew stumble over one another to divide and distract Americans. They don’t want this country to pay attention to what is really scary—income inequality, wage stagnation, deindustrialization, the buying of elections by billionaires, mass incarceration, and, if all of this weren’t enough, climate change. Too much of today’s media lets its judgement be trumped by Trump, Ben Carson, and Republicans who out-Trump Trump. But The Nation doesn’t get distracted. Our readers expect us to call out tricksters for dressing up their greed and cruelty in the austerity fantasy that there is any kind of morality in tax cuts for the rich and food-stamp cuts for the hungry.We’re shaping an alternative and better media, but we cannot do it without your help.

That’s why we need your support to reach our goal of $57,000 before October 28. Without your fierce commitment to our independent reporting and principled analysis, this unique forum for serious journalism will not be able to challenge the lies and elevate the truths of the 2016 campaign.

Our team is in place. We have Joan Walsh, newly on board as a national-affairs writer. We have D.D. Guttenplan traveling the country to tell the human stories of the people backing the Bernie Sanders insurgency, and of the movements that are influencing Democratic and Republican contests. We have Julianne Hing covering the immigration debate. We have Katrina vanden Heuvel challenging right-wingers on the Sunday-morning shows. And I just got back from traveling with Ed Schultz through the factory towns of northern Ohio, where workers are demanding a bigger and bolder debate about trade policy. Everywhere I go, I hear from folks who share my faith that The Nation is building a community of engaged and inspired Americans who are not satisfied with tepid journalism or tepid politics. We do not all think alike, and we do not all support the same candidates. But we share values and ideals, and we reject the politics of cruelty and destruction that distracts America from the vital tasks at hand. This community of Nation readers is every bit as crucial as our reporting team to maintaining honest debate in America. You make The Nation possible. Your personal contributions sustain and strengthen The Nation. Subscription revenue covers less than 60 percent of our costs. Your support keeps the lights on in our offices and pays writers and editors. Every story in our magazine and on our website bears the philanthropic imprint of a Nationdonor like you! Your donation of $50 or more will help us to pay our current bills and commission the next round of hard-hitting articles you’ll be seeing in The Nation and on TheNation.com. The billionaire class may not approve, but we don’t write for the billionaires—we write for you. The Nation’s priorities for 2016 are clear:  • We will tell the whole story of campaigns for president, for Congress, for control of our state houses. And we will tell it from the bottom up, not the top down. • We will challenge outrageous orthodoxies, asking tough questions about war, climate change, inequality, and injustice. • We will conduct rigorous investigations and publish our revelations to over 500,000 readers each week through The Nation and TheNation.com. • We will respond to revelations with demands for fundamental change—linking the truth to the speak-truth-to-power activism of The Nation’s Take Action program. • We will publish over 3,500 articles a year in print and online. • We will produce a FREE weekly digital teaching guide and education e-mail newsletter based on material from The Nation. • We will support the future of journalism by inspiring, guiding, and teaching Nation interns. • We will provide FREE 6-month digital subscriptions to college students (over 6,000 student subscriptions since we started the program in 2013). • We will comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, holding the weak in the light and holding the powerful to account, as we have for 150 years!

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KPFK and Pacifica: A Quiet Coup

KPFK and Pacifica: A Quiet Coup Kim Kaufman: A private "shadow" corporation was recently uncovered as a method to privatize Pacifica for the benefit of a few rather than keep it as a public benefit for the many. READ MORE shared from

SUNDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2015 KPFK and Pacifica: A Quiet Coup Kim Kaufman: A private "shadow" corporation was recently uncovered as a method to privatize Pacifica for the benefit of a few rather than keep it as a public benefit for the many. READ MORE Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend Global Warming and Eating Meat Walter Moss: Cowspiracy's central message seems inescapably true: The single most important contribution people can make to lessen global warming and environmental degradation is to stop eating meat. READ MORE Hillary's Lies and the Benghazi Attack Janet Phelan: Clinton’s Benghazi testimony certainly confirmed suspicions that she knew that the September 11, 2012 attack on the US Consulate was not a spontaneous protest by individuals enraged by an anti-Muslim video. READ MORE Dubya Kept Us Safe* Tina Dupuy: Jeb’s “I’m my own man” is the comb-over of lies: Sure it might make you feel better to slick those greasy long strands over your chrome dome, but you’re not fooling anyone! READ MORE Refugee Crisis: To Find a Happy Day Cathy Breen: I am shamed by our indifference to the wave of refugees coming to Europe, as well as our inability to acknowledge our responsibility in unleashing the chaos and violence in the Middle East through our war making, READ HERE

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Tweet | Pinterest   | OCA Homepage | Donate  TOP NEWS OF THE WEEK Puppet Show Yesterday’s hearing on H.R. 1599 (passed in July by the U.S. House of Representatives) pretty much resembled a puppet show: conducted by politicians, attended by GMO apologists, with Monsanto and Big Food pulling the strings. Seven out of eight of the witnesses allowed to testify at the hearing, held by the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry​, were nothing more than industry mouthpieces spouting corporate propaganda. Witnesses included a Vermont dairy farmer who falsely claimed that the genetically engineered crops she uses to feed her dairy herd have reduced the amount of pesticides poisoning Vermont’s soil and waterways. We know the reverse is true. Joanna Lidback, representing the Farm at Wheeler Mountain in Barton, Vt., also used the same old Cornell University study, funded by (and the intellectual property of) the biotech industry, to claim that labels on GMO foods will cost consumers $500 a year. Another claim we know to be false, based on numerous, independent studies. And then there was the panel’s “consensus” that GMO foods are safe. Of course, no such consensus exists in the real world. So far, thanks to all of you who have called your Senators, met with your Senators and written to your Senators, a Senate version of H.R. 1599 has yet to be introduced. But that doesn’t mean a Senate version isn’t coming. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) told PoliticoPro (a paywalled site) that she is “working with Republicans” on a Senate bill, because we “need a federal solution by the end of the year.” Sen. Stabenow said she doesn't support H.R. 1599 (the DARK-Deny Americans the Right to Know Act). But she isn't signed on to the S.511 (The Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act, sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) either. So we're not sure what she has in mind. Will Stabenow's “federal solution” require GMO foods be labeled? Or will it just be another lukewarm, loophole-riddled, voluntary labeling scheme? Clearly, we still have our work cut out for us between now and December 31. And as always, we appreciate your support. Donate to the Organic Consumers Association (tax-deductible, helps support our work on behalf of organic standards, fair trade and public education) Donate to the Organic Consumers Fund (non-tax-deductible, but necessary for our GMO labeling legislative efforts) Read OCA’s press release on the Senate hearing Watch the Senate hearing BLOG POST OF THE WEEK Game On! There’s big money in celebrity endorsements of brand-name products. So what’s an anti-endorsement worth? Priceless, if you’re the parent (or grandparent) of an aspiring young athlete who prefers junk food over fresh veggies and green smoothies. Imagine this dialogue taking place in grocery store aisles across America: Kid: “Can we get the Frosted Flakes?” Mom: “If you want to grow up to be a star athlete, Tom Brady says you shouldn’t eat Frosted Flakes or drink Coca-Cola.” Disclaimer: I’m not endorsing the National Football League here. And I believe people like Tom Brady are highly skilled, more-than-well-compensated athletes, not “heroes.” I also live in New England, where the media hangs on Brady’s every word. I seldom pay much attention because, I’ve never been too interested in what the players have to say (no offense). Until last week. Read the blog post ACTION ALERT Nice Play! Star quarterback Tom Brady recently made headlines when he said Coke is “poison for kids” and that, thanks to the advertising world, “We believe that Frosted Flakes is a food.” Brady attacked Coke and (Kellogg’s) Frosted Flakes during an interview in which he defended his friend, advisor and trainer, Alex Guerrero, against an unflattering Boston magazine report. You may not be a sports fan in general, or a Tom Brady fan in particular, but you’ve got to love that when a celebrity athlete speaks out about a product, people listen. Better yet, kids—at least those who dream of becoming star athletes themselves— listen. Intently. TAKE ACTION: Tell Quarterback Tom Brady: Thank You for Taking on Junk Food! Or text the word "brady" to 97779 Post a "Thank You" on Brady's Facebook page ACTION ALERT Promises, Promises Up until yesterday, it appeared that Monsanto had struck out in its attempt to find a Senate Democrat willing to co-sponsor H.R. 1599, the Gene Giant’s dream bill. But that’s about to change. Yesterday, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) told the media she wants a “federal labeling solution” by year’s end. From the sound of things, she isn’t willing to rubber-stamp the DARK Act, at least as it’s written. But Sen. Stabenow very well could introduce a Senate bill that would preempt mandatory GMO labeling laws, at the state and federal level, by creating a federal voluntary labeling law. We need to ramp up the pressure on President Obama to pledge to veto any federal law that would preempt states, or the FDA, from requiring labels on GMO foods. After all, in 2007, then-candidate Obama promised to support labeling of GMOs. It’s time for President Obama to make good on that promise, by threatening right now to veto H.R. 1599, or any other federal bill that would preempt state or federal GMO labeling laws. Last weekend we staged a symbolic delivery of our petition, with over 101,000 signatures, to President Obama. Soon, we will make it more official. If you haven’t signed yet, please do. And please share with your friends. TAKE ACTION: Ask President Obama to Pledge to Veto the DARK Act! NEW REPORT No Small Matter We protect our kids from so many things. Moving traffic. Angry dogs. Strangers. But there are still a lot of parents out there who don’t realize that their kids need protection from this silent threat: toxins in their food. The Cornucopia Institute wants to change that. And make it easy for parents to understand why, and how, to protect their kids from toxic chemicals. The Institute's new report, “Protecting Children’s Health: Choosing Organic Food to Avoid GMOs and Agricultural Chemicals," cites scientific data from numerous peer-reviewed, published studies, all pointing to the importance of protecting children from pesticide exposure. How best to protect kids? By feeding them organic foods. In talking about the report, Dr. Victoria Maizes, executive director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, said: "Children are uniquely sensitive to environmental chemicals, including pesticides, for several reasons. Their neurological system is still developing. Their immune system is not fully developed, limiting its ability to protect itself. Their detoxification systems have not fully matured, so they are less able to metabolize and excrete chemicals.” Learn more Read the report VIDEO OF THE WEEK It All Comes Down to the Soil One bad decision—industrial agriculture—has affected countries all across the world. One good decision—regenerative agriculture—can turn everything around. Precious Phiri, a holistic management educator and trainer, grew up in rural Zimbabwe. As a child, she wondered why they had no food when there was so much land around them. Why did they have to depend on food from other countries? Speaking at the National Press Club on World Food Day, Phiri explains that it all comes down to the soil. Watch the video LITTLE BYTES Essential Reading for the Week Most Common Nutrient Deficiencies U.S. Lawsuits Build against Monsanto over Alleged Roundup Cancer Link FTC Declines to Probe Whether Ads for 'Diet' Products Are Deceptive Leader of USDA Organic Program Subject of Ethics Investigation 10 of the Most Common Ways World Hunger Is Misunderstood 3 Companies Say 'No' to GMO Arctic Apples

follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | OCA on Pinterest  Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on web sites, print it, duplicate it and post it freely. Knowledge is power! Organic Bytes is a publication of Organic Consumers Association 6771 South Silver Hill Drive - Finland, MN 55603 - Phone: 218-226-4164 - Fax: 218-353-7652

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The Resources Agency needs to hear from you about why Governor Brown's tunnels are bad for California.

Dear Friend, A bad project by any other name is still a bad project. The "California WaterFix" is just the latest name for the giant twin tunnels that will lead to the collapse of the San Francisco Bay Delta. There is a comment period open now for environmental documents for the "California WaterFix." The Resources Agency needs to hear from you about why Governor Brown's tunnels are bad for California. Voters defeated the Peripheral Canal in 1982. The previous iteration of the tunnels, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, was supposed to help Delta habitat, but stalled when the Federal Government wouldn't provide the permits. The newest concoction to take Delta water away is the "California WaterFix," which abandons all habitat conservation. This plan is for two giant tunnels to suck water from the Sacramento River and send it South, bypassing the Delta where water is sorely needed for numerous species found only in California. The Tunnels will only succeed in destroying the Delta. They won't provide any new water, but will take funds away from worthy projects that do, such as conservation programs and helping people upgrade to more efficient appliances. Email the Resources Agency today to let them know you too oppose the Tunnels. Take Action Today! Thank you for your support. Sincerely, Kyle Jones Policy Advocate

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THE 4 BIG LIES ABOUT IMMIGRANTS – AND THE TRUTH

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2015

THE 4 BIG LIES ABOUT IMMIGRANTS – AND THE TRUTH

Donald Trump has opened the floodgates to lies about immigration. Here are the myths, and the facts

MYTH:  Immigrants take away American jobs. 

Wrong. Immigrants add to economic demand, and thereby push firms to create more jobs. 

MYTH: We don’t need any more immigrants. 

Baloney. The U.S. population is aging. Twenty-five years ago, each retiree in America was matched by 5 workers. Now for each retiree there are only 3 workers. Without more immigration, in 15 years the ratio will fall to 2 workers for every retiree, not nearly enough to sustain our retiree population. 

MYTH: Immigrants are a drain on public budgets. 

Bull. Immigrants pay taxes! The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy released a report this year showing undocumented immigrants paid $11.8 billion in state and local taxes in 2012 and their combined nationwide state and local tax contributions would increase by $2.2 billion under comprehensive immigration reform. MYTH: Legal and illegal immigration is increasing. 

Wrong again. The net rate of illegal immigration into the U.S. is less than zero. The number of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. has declined from 12.2 million in 2007 to 11.3 million now, according to Pew Research Center.  

Don’t listen to the demagogues who want to blame the economic problems of the middle class and poor on new immigrants, whether here legally or illegally. The real problem is the economic game is rigged in favor of a handful at the top, who are doing the rigging.

We need to pass comprehensive immigration reform, giving those who are undocumented a path to citizenship.

Scapegoating them and other immigrants is shameful.

And it’s just plain wrong.

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Published on October 21st, 2015 | by The Maharlikan

24

President Aquino visits wake of Ombudsman Morales’ late son

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President Benigno Aquino III has paid his last respects at the wake of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales’ son on October 12 at the Heritage Park in Taguig.

A picture of the president visiting the wake of Morales’ youngest son, Umberto, was uploaded on the government website Official Gazette but there were no other details provided.

It was captioned: “Earlier this evening, President Benigno S. Aquino III paid his respects to the late Umberto Morales, son of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, at the Heritage Park in Taguig.”

Umberto worked as chief of staff to her mother at the Office of the Ombudsman. He was also the team manager of the Ombudsman Graft Busters, a basketball team participating on the UNTV Cup.

Ombudsman Morales seems to have chosen to keep her son’s death very private as there were no reports in the media except for the photo that was uploaded on Official Gazette.

This is despite the anti-graft body chief being in the news recently over the Ombudsman’s decision to dismiss Makati Mayor Junjun Binay and slapped him with ‘perpetual disqualification’ from holding public office and forfeiture of retirement benefits.

On Monday, she also announced Vice president Jejomar Binay, son Junjun and 22 other respondents will be indicted in criminal charges over the alleged overpriced Makati parking building.

A professional to the hilt, Morales managed to keep her private life away from public eye.

Apparently now, she is putting up a brave face in front of the media and her critics while, as a mother, is secretly grieving in sorrow over her son’s untimely demise.

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Congress Adds Insult to 9/11 Injuries

Congress Adds Insult to 9/11 Injuries Congress lets funding for 9/11 medical assistance for first responders expire, which is just the latest in a series of poor government actions around health and safety issues surrounding the 9/11 attacks. Read more

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Bringing Back Retired Military Voices Supporters of real military reform recently gathered to celebrate two new efforts by the Project On Government Oversight’s Center for Defense Information (CDI). Read more Watch the video FDA Approves Antidote for Pradaxa, Calls It “Necessary” Five years after approving the blood thinner Pradaxa without an antidote, the FDA approved an antidote and said it was “medically necessary” when bleeding “can’t be controlled.” Read more The 100-Hour Workday Is the New $435 Hammer Why have there been so many federal contractor labor fraud cases in the news lately? Read more Lt. Gen. Bogdan Hedges on Operational Testing Air Force officials are reluctant to subject the F-35 to realistic close air support testing because they admit it will not perform as well as the A-10. Read more Congress Adds Insult to 9/11 Injuries Congress lets funding for 9/11 medical assistance for first responders expire, which is just the latest in a series of poor government actions around health and safety issues surrounding the 9/11 attacks. Read more United Nations: Whistleblowers Need Protection The United Nations’ Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression has weighed in on whistleblower protections, highlighting especially the need to provide protections to employees in the national security field. Read more From the World of POGO President Obama Vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)! In his veto statement, the President rejected the use of budget gimmicks and the lack of reform measures in the bill. Thank you to everyone who participated in our action to the President!

POGO :: 1100 G Street, NW, Suite 500 :: Washington, DC 20005 :: (202) 347-1122

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