#senate bill 8

[study-of-happiness]

"There's fifty senetors right now who refuse to vote on HR-8, which is a background check rule that the house passed a couple of years ago, it's been sitting there for two years. And there is a reason they won't vote on it:

To hold onto power."

Steve Kerr speech following school shooting in Uvalde, Texas leaving 19 children and 2 teachers dead.

#steve kerr #golden state warriors #steve kerr speech #gun violence #uvalde #powerful speech #politics #us politics #gun control #us gun control #us gun laws #us gun violence #HR 8 bill #news #news tw #us congress #US senetors #Senetors #texas gun control #us senate #us laws #united states gun violence #united states congress #united states senate #end gun violence #united states politics and government #united states #american politics #american news #my posts

[wilwheaton]

The GOP wonders why young people (and others) don't want to vote for them. Some wise scribe assembled this list.

1.) Your Reagan-era “trickle-down economics” strategy of tax breaks for billionaires that you continue to employ to this day has widened the gap between rich and poor so much that most of them will never be able to own a home, much less earn a living wage.

2.) You refuse to increase the federal minimum wage, which is still $7.25 an hour (since 2009). Even if it had just kept up with inflation, it would be $27 now. You’re forcing people of all ages but especially young people to work multiple jobs just to afford basic necessities.

3.) You fundamentally oppose and want to kill democracy; have done everything in your power to restrict access to the ballot box, particularly in areas with demographics that tend to vote Democratic (like young people and POC). You staged a fucking coup the last time you lost.

4.) You have abused your disproportionate senate control over the last three decades to pack the courts with religious extremists and idealogues, including SCOTUS—which has rolled back rights for women in ways that do nothing but kill more women and children and expand poverty.

5.) You refuse to enact common sense gun control laws to curb mass shootings like universal background checks and banning assault weapons; subjecting their entire generation to school shootings and drills that are traumatizing in and of themselves. You are owned by the NRA.

6.) You are unequivocally against combatting climate change to the extent that it’s as if you’ve made it your personal mission to ensure they inherit a planet that is beyond the point of no return in terms of remaining habitable for the human race beyond the next few generations.

7.) You oppose all programs that provide assistance to those who need it most. Your governors refused to expand Medicaid even during A PANDEMIC. You are against free school lunches, despite it being the only meal that millions of children can count on to actually receive each day

8.) You are banning books, defunding libraries, barring subject matter, and whitewashing history even more in a fascistic attempt to keep them ignorant of the systemic racism that this nation was literally founded upon and continues to this day in every action your party takes.

9.) You oppose universal healthcare and are still trying to repeal the ACA and rip healthcare from tens of millions of Americans and replace it with nothing. You are against lowering the cost of insulin and prescription drugs that millions need simply to LIVE/FUNCTION in society.

10.) You embrace white nationalists, Neo-Nazis, and other groups that are defined by their intractable racism, xenophobia, bigotry, and intolerance. You conspired with these groups on January 6th to try to overthrow the U.S. government via domestic terrorism that KILLED PEOPLE.

11.) You oppose every bill aimed at making life better for our nation’s youth; from education to extracurricular and financial/nutritional assistance programs. You say you want to “protect the children” while you elect/nominate pedophiles and attack trans youth and drag queens.

12.) You pretend to be offended by “anti-semitism” while literally supporting, electing, and speaking at events organized by Nazis. You pretend to hate “cancel culture” despite the fact that you invented it and it’s basically all you do.

13.) Every word you utter is a lie. You are the party of treason, hypocrisy, crime, and authoritarianism. You want to entrench rule by your aging minority because you know that you have nothing to offer young voters and they will never support you for all these reasons and more.

14.) You’re so hostile to even the notion of helping us overcome the mountain of debt that millions of us are forced to take on just to pay for our post K-12 education that you are suing to try to prevent a small fraction of us from getting even $10,000 in loan forgiveness.

15.) You opened the floodgates of money into politics via Citizens United; allowing our entire system of government to become a cesspool of corruption, crime, and greed. You are supposed to represent the American people whose taxes pay your salary but instead cater to rich donors.

16.) You respond to elected representatives standing in solidarity with their constituents to protest the ONGOING SLAUGHTER of children in schools via shootings by EXPELLING THEM FROM OFFICE & respond to your lack of popularity among young people by trying to raise the voting age.

17.) You impeach Democratic presidents over lying about a BJ but refuse to impeach (then vote twice to acquit) a guy whose entire “administration” was an international crime syndicate being run out of the WH who incited an insurrection to have you killed.

18.) You steal Supreme Court seats from democrats to prevent the only black POTUS we’ve ever had from appointing one and invent fake precedents that you later ignore all to take fundamental rights from Americans; and even your “legitimate” appointments consist of people like THIS (sub-thread refuting CJ Roberts criticisms of people attacking SCOTUS' legitimacy).

19.) You support mass incarceration even for innocuous offenses or execution by cop for POC while doing nothing but protect rich white criminals who engage in such things as tax fraud, money laundering, sex trafficking, rape/sexual assault, falsifying business records, etc.

20.) You are the reason we can’t pass:—Universal background checks—An assault weapons ban—The ‘For the People/Freedom to vote’ Act or John Lewis Voting Rights Act—The ERA & Equality Act—The Climate Action Now Act—The (Stopping) Violence Against Women Act—SCOTUS expansion.

21.) You do not seek office to govern, represent, or serve the American people. You seek power solely for its own sake so you can impose your narrow-minded puritanical will on others at the expense of their most fundamental rights and freedoms like voting and bodily autonomy.

22.) Ok, last one. You are trying to eliminate social security and Medicare that tens of millions of our parents rely on and paid into their entire lives. And you did everything to maximize preventable deaths from COVID leaving millions of us in mourning.

Source: https://imgur.com/gallery/e8DBZLH

#republicans are garbage #uspol

[reasonsforhope]

"France became the first country in the world to make abortion a constitutional right Monday [March 4, 2024], with French lawmakers adopting the bill in a 780-72 vote in a move inspired by the U.S. reversal of Roe vs. Wade.

The law gives women a "guaranteed freedom" to choose for themselves if an abortion is the right choice to make.

The amendment won the support of the three-fifths of the 925 National Assembly and Senate members required to pass in an extraordinary afternoon session at the Palace of Versailles just outside Paris in a move that was overwhelmingly supported by the public.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said to those assembled in Congress Hall that "we owe a moral debt" to the women who had to suffer through illegal abortions in the past.

After the vote to approve the constitutional change, Paris' Eiffel Tower was lit with the words in French "my body my choice" in the country where abortion was first legalized in 1975, two years after the United States' first ruling on Roe vs. Wade...

While limiting abortion ranked very low on France's political agenda, lawmakers were prompted to take action to protect abortion rights in 2022 following the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of the 1973 Roe ruling that legalized abortion. Subsequently, several American states have passed laws to restrict or outlaw the procedure.

"I say to all women within our borders and beyond, that today, the era of a world of hope begins," said Attal, who at 34 became the country's youngest prime minister.

This was the first time since 2008 that France took steps to change its constitution. There will be a ceremony to finalize the amendment on Friday [March 8, 2024], which is also International Women's Day."

-via UPI (United Press International), March 4, 2024

--

Note: It may be the first, but I am confident that it will not be the last!

#abortion #bodily autonomy #abortion is healthcare #pro abortion #reproductive freedom #abortion rights #pro choice #france #europe #hope #hope posting #women's rights #trans rights #abortion is a trans issue too #abortion access #abortion is a human right #good news #march 8th #international women's day

[opencommunion]

The Stop Cop City movement has sought to prevent the expropriation of part of the Welaunee Forest for the development of an 85-acre police mega training center: a model town to prepare the state’s repressive arms for the urban warfare that will ensue when the contradictions of their exploitation and extraction become uncontainable, as they did in 2020 after the APD murdered Rayshard Brooks.  That murder, and all those that came before, were the lodestars of the Black-led movement during the George Floyd uprisings; their demands were no less than the dismantlement of the entire carceral system. Unable to effectively manage or quell the popular street movements, the Atlanta Police Foundation set out to consolidate and expand their capabilities for surveillance, repression, imprisonment, armed violence, and forced disappearance. One result is Cop City, which has been racked by militant sabotage, land occupation, arson, and popular mobilizations, in an attempt to end the construction and return Atlanta to its people.  As the Atlanta Police Foundation was unable to contain the 2020 Black rebellion, so too have they been unable to quell the resistance against Cop City. The press reports that the project is hemorrhaging money and is mired in delays and difficulties. For their part, the city, the state, and the federal government, have in turn employed every tool in their power to destroy the movement. Last week, the Georgia State Senate passed a bill to effectively criminalize bail funds in the state; RICO charges have been contorted to target networks of support and care that surround the fighters; and last January, APD assassinated the comrade Tortuguita in cold blood while they rested in their tent in the forest. It is clear that Stop Cop City represents one of the conjunctural spear tips for expanding the existing systems of counterinsurgency that span Africa, Asia, and the Arab world.  Today the system’s belly rests atop Gaza, whose rumblings shake the earth upon which we walk. Through its Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE) program, the APD has sent hundreds of police to train with the Zionist occupation forces. And in October 2023, after Tufan al-Aqsa, the Atlanta Police Department engaged in hostage training inside abandoned hotels, putatively intended to “defeat Hamas,” in an advancement of tactics for the targeting of Black people. With every such expansion, the ability of counterinsurgency doctrines to counteract people’s liberation struggles grows. The purpose of counterinsurgency is to marshal state and para-state power into political, social, economic, psychological, and military warfare to overwhelm both militants and the popular cradle—the people—who support them. Its aim is to render us hopeless; to isolate and dispossess us and to break our will to resist it by any and all means necessary. This will continue apace, unless we fight to end it. Stop Cop City remains undeterred: on Friday, an APD cop car was burnt overnight in response to the police operation on February 8; yesterday, two trucks and trailers loaded with lumber were burnt to the ground. An anonymous statement claiming credit for the former, stated: “We wish to dispel any notion that people will take this latest wave of repression lying down, or that arresting alleged arsonists will deter future arsons.”  As the U.S. government and Zionist entity set their sights on the Palestinian people sheltering in Rafah, as they continue their relentless genocide of our people in Khan Younis, Jabalia, Shuja’iyya, and Gaza City, the Stop Cop City movement has clearly articulated its solidarity with the Palestinian struggle. They have done so with consistency and discipline, and we have heard them. Our vision of freedom in this life and the next requires us to confront and challenge the entangled forces of oppression in Palestine and in Turtle Island, and to identify the sites of tension upon which these systems distill their forces. This week, as with the last three years, the forest defenders have presented us one such crucible.

(11 Feb 24)

National Lawyers Guild, Stop All Cop Cities: Lessons For a National Struggle (video, 1 hr 45 min)

#turtle island #palestine #colonialism #imperialism #library #action

[govtshutdown]

A week to go, and the two leading Senators are both on their way out the door. This is getting interesting.

#Congress #budget negotiations #Federal Budget #FY2023 #omnibus spending bill #8 days left #holidays #Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) #Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) #U.S. Congress #continuing resolution #appropriations #turkey #Government Shutdown?

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #4

Feb 2-9 2024

The White House announced that a landmark 23 million Americans, 1 in 6 households, have been connected to affordable high speed internet with the help of the Affordable Connectivity Program, saving Americans between $30 and $75 every month on their internet bill. 4 Million ACP users are seniors, 1/4th of households on the program are African American and 1/4th are Latino, and it supports 320,000 households on Tribal lands. Sadly the program will be forced to end if Republicans in Congress continue to block new funding

The White House announced $5 billion for a National Semiconductor Technology Center, focusing on research and development as well as workforce needs. This is part of an effort under the CHIPS and Science Act to make America a world leader in science and grow jobs for the 21st century. This will include hundreds of millions of dollars of investment in workforce development

The EPA announced finalized rules that will strength air quality standard around fine particle pollution, AKA soot. The new stronger rules are projected to prevent 4,200 premature deaths and save Americans $46 billion in health costs by 2032. Soot is particularly harmful to those with lung and heart illnesses, children and those with asthma. Industrial soot is more common in low income communities

The Department of Transportation announced $1.5 Billion investment in America's bus systems. The bulk of the money will go helping local transport authorities buy low or no emission buses. There will also be investment in bus facilities.

President Biden signed a memorandum directing a strengthening of human rights safe guards around weapons transferred from US stockpiles to allied nations. The directive seeks to guarantee no arms are transferred that might be used to violate human rights.

HHS and HUD announced a join program partnering with 8 states and DC to help streamline an all of government response to homelessness. This is an off shoot of the $3.16 billion dollar investment amounted by HUD last week to end homelessness in America

The Department of Energy and FEMA released the findings of a two year study that projections Puerto Rico will be able to be 100% renewable energy by 2050. DoE also announced that by the end of the 30,000 low income Puerto Ricans will be able to apply for a solar power program, the first investments in a billion dollar DoE program for the island's renewable energy future

Department of Transportation announced $417 million dollar loan to the North Carolina Turnpike Authority to complete a major transportation overhaul in the greater Raleigh area

The EPA and Department of Energy announced a joint plan to invest federal funds to help measure and reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas production. Methane is the second largest green house gas after CO2 and is responsible for 30% of global warming in the last 200 years. This comes after the EPA pushed new rules to fine oil and gas manufacturers for excess methane emissions.

The Senate confirmed 2 more Biden nominated federal judges. This brings the total number of Biden judges to 177 For the first time in history a majority of a President's judicial nominees are not white men, Biden has nominated a majority women and people of color Biden also nominated 4 more federal judges, including two LGBT candidates. If they are confirmed it'll bring Biden's LGBT judge total to 11 tying with President Obama for the most LGBT people put on the federal bench

#Joe Biden #Thanks Biden #democrats #good news #politics #us politics #climate change #climate crisis #public transport #buses #puerto rico #clean energy

[fullhalalalchemist]

🚨🚨🚨Congress hiding behind "protecting" LGBTQ+ to push for censorship bills that would harm us

May 8, 2023

The EARN IT Act isn't the only bill Congress is rushing through this session that's secret goal is to censor and surveil Americans, especially queer ones.

KOSA (s.1409), or the Kid's Online Safety Act, is being hailed across the mainstream media and congress as the best bill to "protect children online from algorithmic harm" by essentially, blocking content that gives minors anxiety, depression, eating and substance abuse disorders, online bullying and harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, suicidal behaviors, and addiction. It's gives the FTC, who are politically appointed by the president, and all 50 state attorney generals enforcement power to do this. As long as they can justify a website 'harmed' a minor by having content that leads to 'anxiety, sexual exploitation, and suicidal behaviors', they will push lawsuit over lawsuit to that site until it censors that content for the minor.

Oh, but that's not it, either. HOW will websites determine who is and isn't a minor? Well don't worry, because the bill says "age verification isn't required". That however does nothing to stop websites from pushing age verification. When they're about to be held liable and sued for millions, when there's an age verification lobby that has pushed these bills successfully in half the states, when websites should know "reasonably" that theres a minor, they are GOING to go for age verification. Multiple experts agree that this would happen.

Last year, nearly 100+ LGBT and human rights orgs sent a letter opposing KOSA. They were ignored and Senator Blumenthal (same guy who is pushing the EARN IT Act) met with different orgs to "update the language". Except nothing in the update language changes any of it's impact. Sure, they removed "grooming" from being a target of this bill and instead are focusing on "mental health". Except, the Missouri Attorneys General, in his emergency order banning gender affirming care, cited a number of medical studies effectively claiming that access to gender affirming care is causing young people to experience mental health issues. They will use ANY excuse to censor content.

This is the tumblr purge 2.0 but for the entire internet. It's just as bad as the EARN IT Act. And it has IMMENSE levels of support. You have the national Eating Disorder Coalition, child advocacy orgs, the freaking American Psychological Association, LIZZO!!!! supporting this. It needs IMMENSE levels of backlash from us, the grassroots, the people.

The best way to fight back is to CALL YOUR SENATORS. It's now going to go to the commerce committee for markup, after it will head to a vote. This is going to be fasttracked and most likely voted on this month or June. It's all hands on deck.

Link to call script to read off alongside numbers to call:

A bunch of petitions you can sign (takes less than 5 min)

Open Letter Against KOSA

Petition 1

Petition 2

Petition 3

Petition 4

Resistbot: Text PHJDYH to 50409

And more information here: Linktree

This is a great TLDR article to read: Vox Article

TLDR; Congress's new bill KOSA that has an immense amount of bipartisan support will lead to internet censorship by giving all state attorney generals, even the ones in Texas and Florida, power to sue websites for "harmful" content and decide what is "dangerous" for minors, force websites to make you upload your govt ID online, and lead to widespread abuse of queer youth. We have to fight back NOW or else we will see an internet-wide purge of any adult and queer content online, globally.

#earn it act #KOSA #kids online safety bill #internet censorship #restrict act

[geekforhorror]

hot in here

description: you're getting ready to meet your friend, but something... or someone, stands in your way.

warnings: SMUT (DNI IF YOU’RE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH IT!), dom!anakin, sub!reader, unprotected p in v sex, hickeys, praise, pet names, fingering, creampie, etc.

It was a normal Friday night and you had nothing else to do besides watch episodes of your favorite holodrama. To your surprise, you had gotten a holocall while doing so. It was your friend, Padme. You guys had been friends ever since you met through Anakin. You pick up without any hesitation and hear her start talking.

"Hey girl! How are you doing?" Padme asks you, sounding happy.

"I'm doing just fine. How's the senate treating you?" you ask her.

"It's going pretty well except for all these new bills being introduced," she says sounding annoyed at the situation.

"I feel you girl. The order is absolutely exhausting with all the new Padawans," you say with a light laugh.

"Aren't you going to ask why I called you?" she asks.

"Fine, why did you call me?" you ask her mockingly.

"I just wanted to see if you wanted to come to Rosie's Bar with me," Padme said.

It didn't take you long to come up with answer because if you were being honest, you needed a break from the recent stress.

"Yay! Does 8:00 sound good?" she says to you.

"Yes!" you say, sounding enthusiastic.

"See you there! Love ya!" your best friend says before hanging up.

You looked at the time on the bedside clock and the numbers read 7:15. Shit. You only had about 45 minutes before you were expected there.

Not wasting anymore time, you quickly walk to your closet and open the doors to it. You suddenly felt overwhelmed by the amount of clothes hung in there. There were arrays of clothes for different occasions, along with jewelry, shoes, and accessories, but right now you were focused on finding the best attire for your girls night out.

You finally decide on wearing a short red dress made of satin, with a slit running down the side of the dress. It had always been one of your favorites. To go with the dress, you chose some simple black heels. Once the material is on your figure, you rush over to the bathroom to do your makeup. You decided to do a simple but quite elegant makeup look consisting of pale red eyeshadow to go with the beautiful dress you were wearing and added eyeliner to the final look. Once you had finished your makeup routine, you grab a small black purse containing everything that you may need for tonight.

You once again check the time on the phone and this time it says 7:40. Not wasting any more time, you make your way to the apartment door while fumbling with your keys, trying to prepare to lock the door for obvious reasons. Your boyfriend, Anakin, wouldn't be home until later. You open the front door, but a familiar figure is standing in front of it. The figure had lucious locks and a set of beautiful blue eyes that were now staring at you with curiosity.

"Going somewhere, love?" he asks you, tilting his head to the side.

"I'm just going out to the bar with Padme, that's all," you say.

"In that dress, baby?" he asks.

"What's wrong with this dress?" you ask him with a raised voice.

"Nothing at all. It's just you look so fucking beautiful,” he says in a loving but also knowing tone.

"Thank you, but I’m gonna be late," you say to him, making your way towards the door. He gets ahold of your wrists and holds them firmly with his hands. "You're not going anywhere, love," he says.

"Please," you plead.

"Oh I'll be doing no such thing, darling," he says with a stupid smirk on his face. “I’m gonna ravish you like the goddess you are.”

Before you can say anything more, his hands trail to the back of your dress before ripping the fabric off your body in one swift motion, leaving it in tatters as it rests on the floor. You now have to get used to the rush of cold air that's now running over your partly naked body.

"What a waste of such a beautiful dress… especially since I bought it for you,” he coos into your ear. He pulls your legs around his hips as you guys make your way over to the black couch in the living room. He sets you down on the leather couch and pushes your body a bit back so that there's room for him. He then towers over your body and starts peppering your neck with rough and hot kisses. Before you even get the chance to take off his upper garments, it's as if he reads your mind and does it himself. His tunic was already gone and hits the floor along with yours. He unzips his black pants, now pooling at his ankles, before taking them off completely. You could see the outline of his erected bulge through his briefs and it was huge.

You frowned at him for what he had done to your dress, but you wanted him to fuck you so badly. You could feel the ache starting to form in between your thighs as your desperation for him increased by the second. While still sucking away at your somewhat exposed chest, he makes sure that he has access to every part of your skin. He reaches for the clasp of your lacy bra, which was one of his favorites, and undoes the hook before discarding it to the floor. He does the same thing with your panties with one swift motion of his large hand. Even though he's only sucking at your fully exposed chest, it has such an powerful effect on you.

He slowly takes his swollen lips off of your upper body before moving on. He then aligns himself in your pussy and immediately starts pounding his huge length into you.

"Fuck! An- Anakin!" you let out in pleasure.

"Yes?" he says teasingly, knowing exactly what he's doing to you.

He continues taking his hardened cock into your pussy and you can feel everything. His pace doesn't give out at all and you can feel ecstasy washing over your body.

"Harder-" you whimper, sounding so desperate.

"Will you be a good girl and obey me? "he asks with his voice sounding like pure velvet as those words slip off his pink tongue.

"Yes I promise," you say, needing him to stretch out your whole damn body.

"That's what I like to hear, angel"

His hips collide with yours, providing more friction for the both of you. As he goes deeper inside you, you feel your inner walls loosen up to make room for his hard cock. You had boyfriends before him but none of them could make you feel this good.

He takes one of your nipples into his mouth and sucks on it like there is no tomorrow. You knew his sucking would leave you with bruises, but you didn't care at all. All you wanted was for him to fill you up and fuck you until you couldn't walk.

He lets out deep grunts before he finally hits the spot where you need him the most.

"You feel so good around me, you know that right?" he says in between raggedy breaths.

"Just keep going, Ani," you demanded of him, sounding desperate as ever. He nods his head ever so slightly and begins thrusting into you again.

You have the need to dig your nails into his shoulder blades and you know he fucking loves it when you squirm underneath his touch. He loved reminding himself that he's the one making you feel this good and it makes him even more turned on at the thought of it. You can tell your climax is approaching with each additional movement he makes while still inside you.

"I'm- I'm gonna cum," you let out.

"Then cum around me. I know you want to," he says.

"I need something more- please."

He knows exactly what you need.

He slowly traces two of his slender, long fingers along your inner thighs before they reach your unclothed pussy. He then inserts them into your cunt, making your breathing more hitched than it already was. As he fingers you more roughly, you can feel your arousal starting to form even more.

You finally reach your orgasm as your arousal splashes around your lower thighs. Anakin groans at the sight of it. He always loved when you came before he did. He came right after you and you can feel his seed spilling into you.

“I love you, baby,” he whispers lovingly.

"I know you do Ani" you say to him with a smirk plastered on your face.

Your mind wandered off for a second and wondered how you would explain to Padme why you never showed up. He noticed your eyelids starting to get heavier and knew you were starting to become more tired by each passing second.

"Come on baby. You should get some rest," he suggests.

Before you could get a single word out of your mouth, you heard your holopad start to ring. Your accept the call. It was Padme.

"Hey, where are you? I'm at the bar."

"I'm sorry Padme. I-," you start to say before you see your boyfriend give you a knowing look. "I'm sick. I came down with a fever just as I was ready to leave the apartment," you lie.

"Oh I'm sorry to hear that,” she says.

"Relax, it's not your fault. I should've called you about it sooner before you went all the way out there," you say trying to keep up with your obvious lies.

"I love you and I hope you feel better soon," she says to you.

"Thank you Padme. I really appreciate it,”

"Of course. Now do me a favor and get some rest." she replies.

"Will do!" you say with a little chuckle. The call finally disconnects and look back at Anakin.

"I feel bad lying to her, but I would never pass up our time together."

"I'm glad to hear that, darling," he says with a foolish smile.

You really did feel something for Anakin and it was definitely real. Both of you knew it and he felt the exact same way about you.

"Alright let's get you to bed,” Anakin says to you.

You give him an approving nod and he gets up from his position on the couch and lifts you up by your waist. You walk over to pick your clothing up from the floor and hold his hand as he leads you upstairs. You finally reach your guys’ bedroom and start getting ready for bed.

You pick out a black bralette and your favorite silky black pajama shirt which was a bit oversized but you didn’t mind at all. Anakin, who was on the other side of the bedroom, was changing into his signature grey sweatpants that just hung off of his hips. He rarely wore anything on his defined upper body and you weren’t complaining about it at all.

Once the both of you finished changing, you guys went to the bathroom to brush your guys’ teeth. After finishing your night time routine, you guys laid yourself onto the silky bed sheets covering your guys’ bed.

“Anakin.”

“Yes, my love?” he said, now looking at you with his soft ocean eyes that you adored so much.

“I just wanted to thank you for this evening,” you say with a smile.

“Of course, baby,” he replies.

“I will always be here with you, no matter what,” he continues. His words always seemed to comfort you, no matter how small they were.

“I love you Ani,” you mumble as you place your head on his chest.

He looks over at your face this time just to see your eyes closed and peacefully resting by his side.

He would never get tired of this.

#anakin skywalker #anakin skywalker smut #anakin smut #star wars #anakin imagine #anakin skywalker x reader #star wars fanfiction #anakin star wars #star wars fandom #hayden christensen #anakin fanfiction #anakin x reader #anakin x you #star wars fanart #star wars anakin

[probablyasocialecologist]

The 370-page border bill that Democrats signed off on reads like a GOP wish list. Perhaps that’s because Republicans helped write the bill (though many of them promptly turned around and helped tank it after Donald Trump announced his opposition). Among its provisions: $8 billion in emergency funding for ICE, including $3 billion to increase detentions; a mechanism to “shut down” the border if a certain number of people cross; $7 billion in emergency funding for Customs and Border Protection; and a continuation of Trump’s border wall. A few progressive-sounding add-ons aside, like freeing up a limited number of new visas and hiring some more lawyers, the legislation is a complete concession to the worst aspects of Trumpism that Biden and Democrats purportedly ran against in 2020. How do Democrats justify this lurch toward increased brutality at the border? Some appear to view it as a clever maneuver to beat the GOP at their own game. By adopting Republican framing and policy on immigration, and still getting rebuffed, this thinking goes, Democrats will show voters that Trump-driven hysteria is to blame for the supposed “crisis” at the border. It’s a confounding and amoral “gotcha” strategy, in which people seeking to move across the border in pursuit of safety, work, and a new home amount to little more than a mechanism for media narrative point-scoring.

[...]

Do Democrats now agree with the Republican party on immigration, ideologically? Their outward messaging appears to accept the premise that this hard-right bill will “fix the border” (whatever this means), so it seems they do. Top Democratic senators are proudly boosting an endorsement of the bill by the Border Patrol union, a far-right union with a history of promoting white nationalism and avidly backing Trump. MSNBC personality Al Sharpton, much to the right-wing media’s gratification, said in an interview with Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) Tuesday that “we’re looking every day at the invasion of migrants”—positively Trumpian rhetoric. This seems like quite a pivot after Democratic party messaging ran in 2020 on criticizing Trump’s border policies and rhetoric as akin to Nazism. If so, do the Democrats now owe the GOP an apology? Or, do Democrats not really think these far-right policies are good, but are simply “calling Republicans’ bluff” to prove some broader meta-point? And if so, isn’t it quite a gamble to risk the immigration status of millions and stoke nativist fears to get some cutesy hypocrisy gotcha over on the Republicans? If Democrats can, seemingly overnight, radically alter their position on immigration from one that at least pretended to pay lip service to the humanity of those seeking a better life in the US to nonstop tough-guy posturing about “harsh,” “strict,” “tough” “border security,” then what message does this send to other vulnerable groups?

#democrats #republicans #immigration #borders #ICE #us mexico border

[beardedmrbean]

California became just the third state in the nation to pass a "right to repair" consumer protection law on Tuesday, following Minnesota and New York, when Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 244. The California Right to Repair bill had originally been introduced in 2019. It passed, nearly unanimously, through the state legislature in September.

“This is a victory for consumers and the planet, and it just makes sense,” Jenn Engstrom, state director of CALPIRG, told iFixit(which was also one of SB244's co-sponsors). “Right now, we mine the planet’s precious minerals, use them to make amazing phones and other electronics, ship these products across the world, and then toss them away after just a few years’ use ... We should make stuff that lasts and be able to fix our stuff when it breaks, and now thanks to years of advocacy, Californians will finally be able to, with the Right to Repair.”

Turns out Google isn't offering seven years of replacement parts and software updates to the Pixel 8 out of the goodness of its un-beating corporate heart. The new law directly stipulates that all electronics and appliances costing $50 or more, and sold within the state after July 1, 2021 (yup, two years ago), will be covered under the legislation once it goes into effect next year, on July 1, 2024. For gear and gadgets that cost between $50 and $99, device makers will have to stock replacement parts and tools, and maintain documentation for three years. Anything over $100 in value gets covered for the full seven-year term. Companies that fail to do so will be fined $1,000 per day on the first violation, $2,000 a day for the second and $5,000 per day per violation thereafter.

There are, of course, carve outs and exceptions to the rules. No, your PS5 is not covered. Not even that new skinny one. None of the game consoles are, neither are alarm systems or heavy industrial equipment that "vitally affects the general economy of the state, the public interest, and the public welfare."

“I’m thrilled that the Governor has signed the Right to Repair Act into law," State Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman, one of the bill's co-sponsors, said. "As I’ve said all along, I’m so grateful to the advocates fueling this movement with us for the past six years, and the manufacturers that have come along to support Californians’ Right to Repair. This is a common sense bill that will help small repair shops, give choice to consumers, and protect the environment.”

The bill even received support from Apple, of all companies. The tech giant famous for its "walled garden" product ecosystem had railed against the idea when it was previously proposed in Nebraska, claiming the state would become "a mecca for hackers." However, the company changed its tune when SB 244 was being debated, writing a letter of support reportedly stating, "We support 'SB 244' because it includes requirements that protect individual users' safety and security as well as product manufacturers' intellectual property."

#nunyas news #interesting

[bignosebaby]

Good news for animals in captivity in Canada!

The Jane Goodall act was introduced to the Canadian senate originally in 2020 and again in 2022. It represents some of the strongest legislation for animal protection in the world for species and contains new legal protections for captive big cats, bears, wolves, seals, sea lions, walruses, certain primates, and dangerous reptiles, such as crocodiles and giant pythons. If it passes, the bill will:

Phase out elephant captivity in Canada. Elephants are complex and intelligent animals that require large social groups and often do poorly in captivity, so this would mean an effective end to the practice nation wide.

Ban new captivity at roadside zoos for big cats, bears, wolves, seals, sea lions, walruses, certain primates, and dangerous reptiles. No more private owners profiting off of wild animals kept in unethical conditions!

Require permits for individuals and organizations to acquire or breed big cats and other species.

Create a new designation for Jane Goodall Act ‘animal care organizations,’ including zoos, aquariums and sanctuaries. An effective form of accreditation to make it easier to support appropriate care for captive animals.

It would also support action against wildlife trafficking and improving the conditions of animals currently in captivity. Read more about the act here.

As of June 8, 2023 the bill has passed its first vote in the Senate.

#zoos #jane goodall #cdnpoli #animal welfare #animals #good news #canadian politics

[reasonsforhope]

do you have any good queer news? I'm a queer person and hearing all the shit thats happening across the world is making me bummed out

I do! All of this is from LGBTQ Nation's excellent good news tag

^Article date: July 6, 2023

"Only two months after its formation, the “No SB 180” initiative had succeeded at making the city of Lawrence, Kansas a sanctuary city for LGBTQ+ people. Last week, in a unanimous vote, Lawrence became the first city in the state to declare itself as such.

Ordinance 9999 bans the city and all of its employees from collecting or releasing information on a person’s “biological sex, either male or female, at birth” and from helping with any investigation, detention, arrest, or surveillance “conducted by a jurisdiction with the authority to enforce Senate Bill 180, as enacted.”"

^Article date: July 28, 2023

"A federal judge has told a group of anti-trans parents to mind their own business after the group filed a lawsuit challenging an Ohio school district’s bathroom policy.

The attempts to meddle do not “pass legal muster,” he wrote in his ruling, saying that the group has no reason to sue.

“Not every contentious debate concerning matters of public importance presents a cognizable federal lawsuit,” Judge Michael Newman wrote, denying their petition to stop the Bethel Local School District’s policy that allows a single transgender middle school student to use the restroom that aligns with her gender identity."

^Article date: August 8, 2023

"The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the independent federal agency responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance, has released its first-ever “LGBTQI+-inclusive” policy since its founding in 1961.

The four-point policy is meant to serve as a blueprint for USAID staff and partners around the world to champion LGBTQ+ and intersex development and the human rights of all queer people through the agency’s work, said Jay Gilliam, USAID’s senior LGBTQI+ coordinator, in a video explaining the policy...

In simpler terms, the U.S. will try to improve diplomatic relationships with other countries by investing in locally-led LGBTQ+-inclusive programs that are shown to positively impact communities in need."

^Article date: August 3, 2023

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has ruled in favor of three transgender students who were forbidden by their schools from using bathrooms matching their gender identities. The circuit court upheld a lower court’s preliminary injunction that said the schools have to let trans students use facilities associated with their genders...

The case involves three trans boys in Martinsville, Indiana and Terre Haute, Indiana, who need access to the boys’ room at their middle and high schools...

The court took into account the fact that Title IX bans discrimination on the basis of sex in schools that receive federal money, which is most of them. Citing the 2020 Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton Co. that found that job discrimination against LGBTQ+ people necessarily takes sex into account and is therefore prohibited under Title VII, the appeals court ruled that the trans boys are likely to succeed in their case and that preventing them from using the correct bathroom while the case works its way through the court system could cause irreparable harm.

^Article date: August 2, 2023

^Article date: June 21, 2023

"A federal judge has ruled on the side of trans rights after a conservative group tried to overturn an Ohio school district’s anti-bullying policy.

The national conservative group Parents Defending Education (PDE) tried to get a preliminary injunction passed on the Olentangy Local School District’s prohibition on misgendering trans students. The policy includes students, teachers, and parents and it applies to out-of-school hours and social media as well."

^Article date: August 2, 2023

There's literally a bunch more I wanted to include, by the way! Tumblr just stopped being able to load them. Going back to add a few more in the reblogs now.

I know it feels like everything is against us right now. But I promise you: that is not true. The bigots and bastards may usually be the ones moving faster (in large part because they suck and don't care about democracy or due process at all),

But in the end, we are going to win. I promise.

#bitch-what-in-the-ass #ask #transgender #trans issues #trans rights #lgbtq issues #lgbtq rights #gender affirming care #bullying #united states #us politics #arkansas #indiana #ohio #michigan #kansas #lawrence kansas #gretchen whitmer #sanctuary city #homophobia #transphobia #misgendering #good news #hope

[monarchisms]

so for those unaware, rooster teeth's annual extra life stream this year (2023) will be on november 11th at 10 am central time. the stream is back to being 24 hours long, and the schedule has recently been posted on rt's social media accounts. with this context, this post is going to carry a more somber tone than the usual extra life posts i used to make. this is because of the hospital that rt gives their donation money to: dell children's medical center. most of the links going forward are to articles from news sites i read through to gather and cross-reference any public information i can find to make sure what i'm sharing is accurate. general content warning for transphobia ahead.

in late april and early may, news started coming out that ken paxton, a texas attorney general, announced an investigation to "determine whether it [dell children's] is "unlawfully" providing certain gender-affirming medical care to minors." he made a statement about it on the 5th of may, and allegedly, said investigation was sparked by a video in mid-april shared by far-right activist group project veritas. i'm not linking the video directly because the group has a history of video manipulation and general disinformation throughout its existence, and i'm not a fan of, frankly speaking, spreading their bullshit, but it's linked in the nbc article for further context.

anyways, an alleged employee in that video claimed that patients at the hospital were provided gender-affirming treatment, and started to medically transition around the ages of 8 or 9 years old. dell children's official statement was shared around a week after the project veritas video was published, basically refuting the claim and explicitly stating that the hospital "prohibits surgery and prescribing hormone therapy for the treatment of gender dysphoria for children". they also note that they were "conducting a thorough review of this situation." as a result, many patients and their parents "began hearing that appointments with the hospital’s adolescent medicine specialists had been canceled and that their providers no longer worked at the hospital", leaving families to find another health provider in the state or consider looking into out-of-state resources and doctors for a better chance at receiving care. i didn't find a source that specified if those whose were no longer at dell children's chose to quit or were involuntarily fired, but it's still unfortunate either way.

keep in mind that like rooster teeth, dell children's is based in austin, texas, and the state of texas (especially within the last year) has a history of transphobia and general lgbtphobia with laws that have been proposed and/or put into effect. one of those laws that went into effect was senate bill sb 14, which went into effect on september 1st, and outlaws minors (those under 18 years old) from receiving hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and general gender-affirming care from medical professionals, as well as disallowing said professionals from prescribing care or performing surgeries to the patients.

now, the reason i typed all of this in the first place is that as far as i know (please tell me if i'm wrong here), rt hasn't made a public statement about this whole thing, nor has it been stated that they decided to give money to another hospital, or keep everything as is. i saw no one here on tumblr talking about it, and i didn't want to keep quiet myself, so i tried to make this as thorough as possible. i made a post last year noting that you can donate your money to your local hospital or donate through another individual or organization other that rt on the official extra life website. that also applies to this year's event.

whatever you decide to do or not do, always make sure to do your research on reputable, verified organizations. if you're donating your well-earned money somewhere, be confident that it's somewhere you can trust.

#rooster teeth #roosterteeth #rt extra life #achievement hunter #dogbark #and any other related tags i may have forgotten #repeating alleged/allegedly partially to save my ass lol #man…. 🌊 🐴 #long post

[1americanconservative]

These 28 GOP Senators voted for continued funding to Ukraine, even though we are $33 Trillion in debt, and face a Gov shutdown. Some real shockers in this group!

1. John Barrasso (WY)

2. John Boozman (AR)

3. Shelly Capito (WV)

4. Bill Cassidy (LA)

5. Susan Collins (ME)

6. John Cornyn (TX)

7. Tom Cotton (AR)

8. Kevin Cramer (ND)

9. Mike Crapo (ID)

10. Joni Ernst (IA)

11. Lindsey Graham (SC)

12. Chuck Grassley (IA)

13. John Hoeven (ND)

14. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R)

15. John Kennedy (LA)

16. James Lankford (OK)

17. Mitch McConnell (KY)

18. Jerry Moran (KS)

19. Markwayne Mullin (OK)

20. Lisa Murkowski (AK)

21. Mitt Romney (UT)

22. Mike Rounds (SD)

23. Marco Rubio (FL)

24. Dan Sullivan (AK)

25. John Thune (SD)

26. Thom Tillis (NC)

27. Roger Wicker (MS)

28. Todd Young (IN)

[todaysdocument]

Senate Report 1619 to Accompany a Bill Granting a Pension to Harriet Tubman Davis

Record Group 233: Records of the U.S. House of RepresentativesSeries: Accompanying PapersFile Unit: Accompanying Papers of the 55th Congress

55th Congress, 3d Session. Senate Report No. 1619. HARRIET TUBMAN DAVIS. FEBRUARY 7, 1899. - Ordered to be printed. Mr. SHOUP, from the Committee on Pensions, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 4982.] The Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 4892) granting a pension to Harriet Tubman Davis, have examined the same and report: The report of the Committee on Invalid Pensions of the House of Representatives is as follows: The effect of this bill is to increase from $8 to $25 per month the pension of the beneficiary, Harriet T. Davis, of Auburn, N. Y. Mrs. Davis is the widow of Nelson Davis, who served under the name of Nelson Charles as a private in Company G, Eighth United States Colored Infantry, from September 25, 1863, to November 10, 1865, and was honorably discharged. She also served long and faithfully as an army nurse. Soldier died October 14, 1888, and the widow filed a claim as such July 24, 1890, under the act of June 27, 1890, and is now pensioned under said act at $8 per month. It is not shown that the soldier's death was due to his military service. It is shown, however, by evidence filed with this committee, that the claimant was sent to the front by Governor Andrew, and acted as a nurse, cook in hospital, and spy during nearly the whole period of the war. The following is a copy of the letter from Secretary Seward: WASHINGTON, D. C., July 25, 1865. MY DEAR SIR: Harriet Tubman, a colored woman, has been nursing our soldiers during nearly all the war. She believes she has claims for faithful service to the command in South Carolina with which you are connected, and she believes you would be disposed to see her claim justly settled. I have known her long as a noble high spirit, as true as seldom dwells in the human form. I commend her, therefore, to your kind attention. Faithfully, your friend, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Major-General HUNTER. Gen. Rufus Saxton, in a letter referring to Mrs. Tubman, says: "She was employed by General Hunter, and I think both by General Stephens and Sherman, and is as deserving of a pension from the Government for her service as any other of its faithful servants." In a letter to Brigadier-General Gilmore, from Headquarters Colored Brigade, St. Helena Island, South Carolina, July 6, 1863, Col. James Montgomery, commanding brigade, said: "I would respectfully recommend to your attention Mrs. Harriet Tubman, a most remarkable women, invaluable as a scout."2 HARRIET TUBMAN DAVIS. These testimonials sufficiently show the character and value of the service rendered by Mrs, Davis during the war. She now is about 75 years of age, physically broken down, and poor. This woman has a double claim on the Government. She went into the field and hospitals and cared for the sick and wounded. She saved lives. In her old age and poverty a pension of $25 per month is none too much. The bill is reported back with the recommendation that it pass. The papers in this case show that a claim for this woman was once presented to the House of Representatives and referred to the Committee on War Claims. Manifestly that would be the better way to reimburse her for her alleged services to the Government, but her advanced years and necessitous condition lead your committee to give the matter consideration. There is, however, a strong objection to the bill in its present form. The number of nurses on the pension roll at a rate higher than $12 per month is very few indeed, and there are no valid reasons why this claimant should receive a pension of $25 per month as a nurse, thus opening a new avenue for pension increases. She is now drawing pension at the rate of $8 per month as the widow of a soldier, and in view of her personal services to the Government Congress is amply justified in increasing that pension. [full transcription at link]

#archivesgov #February 7 #1899 #19th century #harriet tubman #civil war

[geekforhorror]

making out with ani after you ate something sweet he bought for u

this is so fluffy i love it also i changed it up a tiny bit!

sweet tooth

pairing: rots!anakin x fem!reader

warning(s): fluff, make out session, implied smut at the end

word count: 887

a/n: i think i genuinely forgot how to write bc what the fuck is this?

Maker, you had a long day today. It was filled with loads of paperwork to sign a new bill into the Senate even though a minority of senators didn’t agree with it. There had been bickering among them before you developed a minor headache from the squabbling. You just wanted to go home and unwind from the hectic workday you just had. That’s why you were relieved when it hit 8 PM on the dot and you could finally leave the senator building without looking back. Usually, you would say goodbye to your fellow colleagues, but you just didn’t have the energy to do so tonight. Plus, they had given you no reason to do so after all their disagreements about the bill.

Thank the maker your apartment was just a short walking distance away from the senator building.

When you walked outside, you noticed how cold the air had gotten and the way the stars gleamed on the horizon above the tall skyscrapers. It was a pleasant sight and you needed to remind yourself how beautiful the outside world was when you were cooped up with numerous bickering politicians. Taking a shallow breath, you start to walk toward the apartment complex, still appreciating your surroundings. Maybe things were looking up after all.

Several minutes had passed since you started making your way back to what you called home and you reach your apartment complex before you know it. Your cheeks were a pretty shade of pink after being exposed to the cold night air even after waltzing in the main floor of the complex. You head towards the elevator before hitting the up button. A few seconds pass by before the doors finally glide open for you and you step into the elevator without missing a beat. You scan for the 13 button on the elevator control panel, seeming to find it without much struggle. The doors shut completely before shooting you up towards the highest floor which was where you lived. You saw more glimpses of the sky despite the elevator going at a fast speed, which made you appreciate the beauty of the outdoors even more. You didn’t even realize the doors had been standing open for a few passing seconds before snapping out of your wandering thoughts. You didn’t even notice Anakin at first.

“Are you just going to stand there or are you going to kiss me?” he says with a playful smile. You sprint towards him in an attempt to hug him before wrapping your arms around him and kissing him feverishly on his lips.

“Missed you so much, Ani,” you softly mumble against him.

“I missed you too my love,” he replies before breaking the kiss.

“I’m honestly surprised you got home before I did,” you say in all seriousness.

“All I had to do today was help the council with a few pressing matters,” he says.

“Lucky… I had to deal with about 10 bickering politicians… your favorite,” you say sarcastically, knowing he hated them.

“I can think of one politician in particular that I like,” he says with a smile.

“Oh yeah? Who is it?” you ask out of wonder even though you knew what his answer was.

“You know her pretty well,” he says with a smirk.

“I’m sure I do,” you respond in a knowing voice. He laughs at your remark and you know it’s a genuine one.

“Speaking of favorites, I got one of your favorite things,” he says before walking over to the fridge in your kitchen. He pulls out something you recognize as a type of dessert before gently closing the door of the fridge. Once he got closer to you, you realized what he was holding. It was your favorite mini chocolate cake from the bakery you absolutely adored.

“Ani, you didn’t have to!” you say with the fattest smile on your face.

“I knew how much you like it and you weren’t back yet, so I decided to make a trip to the bakery,” he says to you.

“I love you so much, Ani,” you say to him out of pure gratitude. It was true. You loved him for a multitude of reasons. You loved him for remembering the small things, how he comforted you, the way he looked at you. Everything.

“I love you more, baby,” he says. You press your lips onto his, the two of you now relishing in the emotions that surged through it. It was soft yet so…passionate. Like it was meant to be. Anakin brings his hand to your face before entangling his slender fingers through your hair, which only made the kiss more intimate. A few long seconds pass by before you gently pull away, leaving him flustered.

“So do you wanna eat that cake now or what?” he asks jokingly.

“I choose ‘or what’,” you reply cunningly.

“What do you have in mind?” he asks with a lifted eyebrow.

“Let’s both get some dessert,” you hint, hoping he knows what you were getting at.

“That sounds like a great idea, sweetheart,” he says to you. He pounces himself onto you including his lips before the two of you head towards your bedroom, now slamming the door behind you guys.

It was safe to say that both of you had a sweet tooth.

#anakin skywalker #anakin skywalker x reader #anakin fluff #anakin x reader #anakin skywalker smut #anakin smut #anakin imagine #anakin star wars #star wars anakin #star wars #hayden christensen