Fossil Free Stanford on the Issues

 
A discussion of divestment and climate change with spokespeople from Fossil Free Stanford, recorded from the Old Union building on the Stanford campus, near Palo Alto, California, shortly after 3:00 pm PDT on Wednesday, May 21, 2014.  Participating are:

 

Michael Peñuelas - Junior, majoring in Earth Systems

Mikaela Osler - Freshman, undeclared

Graham Provost - Masters student in Atmosphere and Energy

Marc Strassman – host

Stanford does not expect coal divestment “to impact our endowment returns”

A query from Etopia News to Lisa Lapin, Associate Vice President, University Communications, Stanford University, this morning, asking about the names of the coal companies whose stock will be divested by the University, as recounted here, brought this reply:

“We are not expecting to release a list at any point. Our policies prohibit disclosure of specific investments. The dollar amount will be small and is not expected to impact our endowment returns.”

For more on coal divestment at Stanford, watch three spokespersons for Fossil Free Stanford here.

Patric Verrone is endorsed by the California Nurses Association

The California Nurses Association just endorsed Patric Verrone in his 26^th District California State Senate race, saying:

 

“Patric Verrone knows that high quality healthcare for all, as well as good jobs and safe staffing for the nurses who provide it, are fundamental for the well-being of California’s working families,” said CNA Co-President Malinda Markowitz, RN. “Patric shares our nurses’ commitment to improve educational opportunities for all our children, provide seniors with the services they need and make sure big corporations provide good jobs and pay their fair share in taxes. That's why CNA’s members are proud to endorse Patric, and why we’ll support his campaign with all of our strength and our skills.”

The district’s official designation is “SD-26.”

Verrone is the only comedy writer and labor leader in the race.

You can watch a lengthy interview with him at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r03Yz7lUwO4&feature=youtu.be

Representative Waxman waxes eloquent on the need to address climate change

U.S Representative Henry Waxman (D-33^rd, CA) today issued the following statement about the National Climate Assessment:

“The National Climate Assessment shows that climate change is real, it’s happening now, and the impacts will be severe if we don’t act.  We are at a crossroads.  We can protect our environment by investing in the clean energy economy of the future, or we can deny the science and watch our coastlines flood, our forests burn, and our crops wither.  The special interests led by the Koch brothers and the fossil fuel industry have blocked action in Congress.  That’s why the President needs to use his administrative authority to cut the dangerous carbon pollution that is endangering the future of our children and grandchildren.”

Senator Leland Yee conditionally endorses e-initiatives

California Secretary of State candidate and incumbent State Senator Leland Yee has conditionally endorsed e-initiatives (online signature-gathering), citing their ability to “empower grassroots organizers and help protect the initiative process from being dominated by moneyed interests.”

In a statement issued today, the San Francisco/San Mateo County-based Democrat told Etopia News:

 

“First, I would need to have proof that signatures were collected honestly. Online Voter Registration checks signatures against DMV records, and I would want a similar assurance that individuals could not abuse the system by signing up people without their knowledge. But provided such a system could be proven safe, secure, and free of fraud, I would support the electronic gathering of signatures. This innovative use of technology could empower grassroots organizers and help protect the initiative process from being dominated by moneyed interests.”

Senator Yee is the second of the six candidates for Secretary of State to endorse, even conditionally, the concept of letting eligible California voters sign official initiative, referendum, recall, in lieu and nomination petitions online, using an extension and expansion of the existing Online Voter Registration system that uses properly- and securely-accessed digitized signatures from the DMV database to authenticate online voter registration forms, as advocated by the non-partisan Coalition for an E-Initiative.

Secretary of State candidate David Curtis, who’s been endorsed by the Green Party of California, endorsed e-initiatives in an Etopia News interview recorded on February 27, 2014, and viewable here.

Dan Schnur, a third (decline-to-state) candidate for this office, has said that if he is elected, he will “convene a discussion” of this reform.

Republican candidate for Secretary of State Pete Peterson has gone so far on this issue as to say he supports “exploring e-signatures in ballot initiatives.”

The two remaining Democratic candidates, California State Senator Alex Padilla, and former Common Cause vice president for state operations Derek Cressman, have not taken public positions on e-initiatives, although Senator Alex Padilla declined earlier this year to “carry” a bill implementing e-initiatives in the current session of the California State Legislature.