Can you sign on to this letter to Rep. Sarbanes?/Can you help deliver the letter on April 17 at 4:30 PM to the Towson office?

Rep. John Sarbanes


600 Baltimore Ave.

Suite 303

Baltimore, MD 21204

Re: Social Security, Tax, and Healthcare

May 15, 2013

Dear Congressperson Sarbanes:

Members of the Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore are voters, and supporters of Progressive Democrats of America. We're writing to urge you to oppose cuts to essential programs, as well as support common sense tax policies and job creation, as well as expanded, improved healthcare. Specifically, we ask you to:



Sign on to the Grayson/Takano "Line in the Sand" dear colleague letter pledging to vote against any cuts to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits.



Cosponsor H.R. 1579: The Inclusive Prosperity Act—also known as the Financial Speculation Tax (FST) or Robin Hood Tax (RHT)—which would generate hundreds of $billions to fund job creation, jumpstart the economy, and protect essential programs. The lead sponsor is Rep. Keith Ellison.



Cosponsor H.R. 676: The Expanded and Improved Medicare For All Act which would establish a non-profit universal single payer healthcare program, an improved "Medicare for all" program. Lead sponsor Rep. John Conyers.



Finally, we are seeking an end to the use of killer drone strikes, which we believe to be illegal and unconstitutional. On March 11, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, along with Reps. Conyers, Ellison, Grijalva, Edwards, Honda, Holt, and McGovern, sent a letter to the White House requesting the full, unclassified release of information surrounding the Administration’s done policy. Could you send a similar letter? See the letter here: http://lee.house.gov/sites/lee.house.gov/files/President%20Obama%20Drones%20Letter%203%2011%202013.pdf.

Rep. Lee, Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Peace and Security Task Force said of the letter, “It is far past time that the White House openly discuss the drones program. The President has full reign to protect the United States as Commander in Chief, but Congress has a vital oversight role in this issue, and we cannot shy away from those responsibilities. We have to protect the checks and balances that are at the heart of our democracy.”

The letter cites several concerning factors of the Administration’s drone policy including, “An unbounded geographic scope; unidentified ‘high-level; officials with authority to approve kill-lists; a vaguely defined definition of whether a capture is “feasible,” an overly broad definition of the phrase “imminent threat,” which re-defines the word in a way that strays significantly from its traditional and legal meaning.”

We look forward to your response. And when you are ready, we would like to meet with you, preferably in Baltimore. But if necessary, we will travel to your D.C. office. Thank you for your time and attention.

Peace,

Max Obuszewski, on behalf of Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore/Fund Our Communities

325 East 25th Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 410-366-1637

"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs