Illinois residents, check out your sample ballot before the election on November 8th.
Within 11 minutes of Israel declaring statehood in 1948, the U.S. announced its support and recognition of the new Jewish state. Thus began a 70-year relationship that has endured despite changes in Congress, the Knesset, prime ministers and presidents. Today, Israel still remains one of the closet allies of the U.S. in the world.
While the victims' families struggle with the pain and heartbreak following the high school shooting, the entire country is debating an action plan. Many ask what can be done. It is clear that we need common sense gun laws such as expanded background checks, which would include gun shows and the internet, and a ban on assault weapons. But getting there is nearly impossible with the NRA standing in the way
by Andrea Grimes, Senior Political Reporter, RH Reality Check
A federal judge once again advised counsel to keep their arguments focused on legal reasoning, rather than emotional pleas, on the last day of arguments in Whole Woman’s Health v. Lakey, the latest challenge to a Texas’ omnibus anti-abortion law expected to shutter all but seven existing abortion providers in the state come September 1, barring judicial intervention.
Judge Lee Yeakel pushed lawyers both for the plaintiffs—a group of independent Texas abortion providers from across the state who say they have been forced to close clinic doors in the wake of HB 2‘s passage—and the State of Texas, which is defending the law, to answer the key question posed in practically every abortion case since Roe v. Wade: “Exactly what is an undue burden?”
"[T]he United States has an unshakable commitment to Israel’s security. No country has done more to support their security than the United States. Just last week, the President signed a bill providing Israel an additional $225 million in Iron Dome funding during the Gaza crisis. We will continue to provide additional security assistance to Israel going forward. And let me be clear: There has been no change in policy, period." Marie Harf, Deputy Spokesperson for US State Department.
Guttmacher Institute, September 19, 2014
The proportion of privately insured U.S. women who paid zero dollars out of pocket for oral contraceptive pills increased sharply, from 15% to 67%, between the fall of 2012 (before the ACA’s contraceptive coverage requirement took effect for most women) and the spring of 2014, according to a new Guttmacher study published in the journal Contraception. The study found that the proportion of women who paid nothing out of pocket also increased among those using the vaginal ring (from 20% to 74%) and among those using injectable contraceptives (from 27% to 59%). For women using the IUD, the proportion increased from 45% in the fall of 2012 to 62% in the three subsequent waves of the study combined.
"You Don't Own Me" PSA - Upworthy from The Department of Peace on Vimeo.
In 2013, there were more laws passed to limit women’s reproductive rights than in the entire previous DECADE.
Ten million more women than men voted in the last election. In fact 53% of voters were women. That is not a voting block it's a majority. Women have decided literally every election in our lifetimes, yet, midterm turnout is historically low. LET'S CHANGE THAT!
JEFFREY GOLDBERG, NOV 18 2014
One of the most shocking aspects of the murderous attack on a Jerusalem synagogue this morning by men with guns and axes is not the attack itself—we've seen, from time to time, this sort of sectarian barbarism take place in places like Jerusalem, and Hebron. The most shocking aspect is the wholesale endorsement of this slaughter by Hamas, a group that, during this summer's war in Gaza, half-succeeded in convincing the world that it wasn't what it actually is: a group with actual genocidal intentions.
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