What the American Public Voted For

Here’s some of what GOP leaders have said they would do to America:

Block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from limiting dangerous carbon pollution from power plants—the most important step we can take to curb climate-changing carbon pollution.
Stop an EPA proposal to restore protections to streams and wetlands that feed into the drinking water supplies of 117 million Americans.
Prevent the EPA from even proposing new safeguards for smog-causing ozone; scientists have found current standards are too lax, forcing people to breathe air that is unhealthy and even fatal for children and adults with asthma and other lung problems.

Take away the ability of scientists and experts to set health and environmental standards and give politicians the power to decide what is safe for our families using the so-called REINS Act—a law that would require Congressional approval for every new standard and gut our nation’s time-tested method of review.

There are many more: forcing approval of the disastrous Keystone XL pipeline, opening our coastal waters and the Arctic Refuge to risky oil drilling, blocking federal efforts to protect drinking water from oil and gas “fracking” activity, and opening our national forests to loggers, to name just a few.

These extreme actions would put people and places at risk. They would also endanger an entire system of environmental protection that generations of Americans have relied upon.http://ecowatch.com/2014/11/05/gop-trash-planet

Homeless Woman Fined: Building Home on "TREATY" Land She Grew Up On

A First Nations woman in Northern Ontario faces thousands of dollars in fines and a stop-work order on the cabin she is attempting to build in the place where she grew up.

Darlene Necan is a member of the Ojibways of Saugeen First Nation, but she's been unable to acquire housing in that community, about 400 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay, since the reserve was created in the late 1990s.

Last year, Necan began building with donated materials on land where her family home once stood, 20 kilometres south of her reserve, in the unorganized township of Savant Lake, Ont.

"This is my castle and I'm so proud to have it, even though it's not done yet," Necan said during a recent visit to the one-room, plywood house she is not allowed to live in.

Public Lands Act that carry fines of up to $10,000, and up to an additional $1,000 fine each time she is caught continuing to build. Necan believes it is because somehow the place she grew up has become Crown land. The ministry did not respond to questions from CBC News about this story.

Inside Darlene Necan's 'illegal' cabin. (Jody Porter/CBC)

'A lot of times I cry'

As an unorganized township, Savant Lake doesn't have a municipal leader. Denis Mousseau owns the only store, across the street from his hotel, on one of the community's two main roads.

"It's a common thing for First Nations people to do, is build their own house without title to the land," Mousseau said. "First Nations people have the right to do that and I don't see why [the Ministry of] Natural Resources should be hassling her over this."

Necan has boarded up the unfinished doorway to her cabin for the winter, and said she feels "shattered" by the charges against her. Her next court date is Nov. 20.

"I still keep going with this fight no matter how awful it makes me feel for trying to house myself and help people, because a lot of people don't believe in themselves or that things can change if you fight hard enough," Necan said, her voice cracking.

"It's what I try to believe. I try to be hopeful. That's hard too and a lot of times I cry by myself here. But I talk to my [late] mom and my [late] dad and it keeps me going because I keep thinking of them."

Some of the donated building supplies Darlene Necan was unable to use

before a stop-work order was issued. (Jody Porter/CBC)

'Not any better in the city'

Necan has spent much of her adult life couch-surfing among relatives and camping out on the family trap line when the weather allows.The 55-year-old was looking forward to a different life, living in her own home and offering shelter to family members.

"This is exactly the same spot where we lived," Necan said. "We slowly started moving to the cities because we didn't have anything after my dad got hurt and we were pretty well desperate."

Necan's father was injured while working for the railway.

"My family... they're not any better in the city than they were here," she says. "Here, at least they were free to roam around in the bush and go hunting and all that, but in the city you need at least five, 10 bucks to even live for the day."

'Aren't we under treaty?'

Fewer than 100 people live on the reserve up the road. Edward Machimity has been chief for nearly two decades, since the reserve was created. Necan said he refuses to help her, or even answer her questions.

"He has said that he has to be careful about how he helps the off-reserve people and that really got me confused because I thought, aren't we on Anishinaabe land right now? Aren't we under treaty?" Necan said.

"Isn't this why we elected him for, is to help all people, not only the people inside reserve? That is so crap because natives are scattered all over Canada. How can they say only the people on reserve have rights?"

Machimity did not return repeated calls from CBC News

Why America is No Longer the Greatest Country in the World

World Leaders STOP Tar Sands

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/World_leaders_Stop_Canadas_Tar_Sands/?eqFoxab

World leaders: Stop Canada's Tar Sands

This petition is awaiting approval by the Avaaz Community

20,000

359

359 signers. Let's reach 20,000

Why this is important to me

We, citizens of the world, ask our respective leaders not to implement policies that promote the expansion of Canada's oil sands. This includes support to national and international companies involved directly or indirectly in the extraction, transportation and refining of petroleum products derived from Canada's oil sands.

We, citizens of the world refuse to support an industry that strongly worsens the climate crisis underway and compromises the quality of life of future generations.

We, citizens of the world refuse to let an industry affect the health and quality of life for Aboriginal people living near mining facilities of Canada's tar sands.

We, citizens of the world refuse to depend on an industry that affect our health and the health of our children and declare our right to live in a healthy environment. This includes protecting our air and our water.

We, citizens of the world refuse to let Canada's tar sands sector participate in the destruction of biodiversity, either directly in Canada or indirectly on the planet by the huge emissions of greenhouse gases responsible for climate change.

We, citizens of the world, urge our leaders to listen to the call to action from the international scientific community towards the ongoing climate crisis.

We, citizens of the world, urge our respective leaders to make policy decisions to incrementally wean us off our reliance on fossil fuels. We also ask them to take strong policy decisions to promote renewable energy and the advent of a low carbon economy. We also ask them to stop subsidizing the fossil fuel sector.

Finally, we, citizens of the world, reaffirm our commitment to sanction by our right to vote and in a democratic way the present or future leaders who refuse to hear our common call.