Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• The Obama Administration announced this week that it is dropping its appeal of a judge’s decision which allowed the morning-after pill to be sold over the counter. The FDA says it will allow over-the-counter sales of a one-pill product “without age or point of sales restrictions.” “Today’s move by the administration means the safety and effectiveness of Plan B, not politics, will dictate access,” said Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington state. (CNN)

• The long-talked about major immigration reform bill cleared its first key hurdle this week when on Tuesday, a strong Senate majority voted to open debate on it. The vote was 82-15, with many Republicans joining Democrats to support it. The bill would increase spending on border security and allow undocumented immigrants to pursue an eventual citizenship in a 13-year plan. President Obama said of the bill, “You have to pass background checks, you have to learn English, you have to pay taxes and a penalty and then you have to go to the back of the line behind everybody who has done things the right way and have tried to come here legally.” While the bill was put together by the “gang of eight” senators, (four Republicans and four Democrats) there is a strong feeling that the bill will have trouble passing in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, even if it passes the Senate with bipartisan support. (CNN)

• On Thursday night, the White House said that they now believe that Syria used chemical weapons against rebels trying to overthrow him, and President Obama has decided to supply military support to the rebels. According to CBS News, “President Obama has repeatedly said that the use of chemical weapons is a ‘red line; that, if crossed, would be a ‘game changer’ for more U.S. involvement in the Syrian civil war.”  “The president has made a decision about providing more support to the opposition that will involve providing direct support to the Supreme Military Council. That includes military support,” said Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communication, Ben Rhodes. He also said that Congress and the international community would be consulted on what to do. Republican Sen. John McCain, who has expressed support for the rebels, said in a joint statement with fellow GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, “We appreciate the President’s finding that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons on several occasions. We also agree with the President that this fact must affect U.S. policy toward Syria. The President’s red line has been crossed. U.S. credibility is on the line. Now is not the time to merely take the next incremental step. Now is the time for more decisive actions.”

• Finally, on Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that companies cannot patent parts of naturally-occurring human genes. The unanimous decision will have a large effect on the medical and biotechnology industries. “We hold that a naturally occurring DNA segment is a product of nature and not patent eligible merely because it has been isolated,” said Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. We are still waiting on the Court’s decisions on affirmative action, same-sex marriage, and the Voting Rights Act, all believed to be coming sometime this month.

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg passed away Monday at the age of 89 from viral pneumonia. He served five terms in the U.S. Senate since 1982 and was the last surviving World War II veteran in the Senate. “Senator Lautenberg improved the lives of countless Americans with his commitment to our nation’s health and safety. From improving our public transportation to protecting citizens from gun violence to ensuring that members of our military and their families get the care they deserve,” said President Obama of the late senator. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has announced a special election in October to fill the seat through 2014. The Governor also announced that Jeffrey Chiesa, the state’s Attorney General, will serve as Senator until the special election.

• The Supreme Court this week ruled in a 5-4 decision that criminals can now be subjected to a police DNA test after arrest, before trial and conviction. The court compared it to fingerprinting someone who was arrested. “When officers make an arrest supported by probable cause to hold for a serious offense and they bring the suspect to the station to be detained in custody, taking and analyzing a cheek swab of the arrestee’s DNA is, like fingerprinting and photographing, a legitimate police booking procedure that is reasonable under the Fourth Amendment,” the majority wrote. More major Supreme Court rulings will be coming by the end of June including marriage equality, affirmative action, and voting rights.

• Susan Rice, U.N. Ambassador and once a candidate to be secretary of state, was named by President Barack Obama on Wednesday as his next national security adviser.“I am absolutely thrilled that she’ll be back at my side leading my national security team in my second term,” President Obama said. According to NBC Politics, “Obama also nominated Samantha Power, longtime foreign policy adviser, to take over Rice’s position at the United Nations.“

• The IRS came under more scrutiny this week as an audit of the agency showed the agency spent millions of dollars on a conference. The IRS has placed two employees on administrative leave in connection with a 2010 conference in Anaheim, California, which cost millions of taxpayer dollars. “Effective cost management is especially important given the current economic environment and focus on government efficiency. Certain of the IRS’s expenses associated with the Anaheim conference do not appear to be a good use of taxpayer funds,” Inspector General J. Russell George said.

• Finally, the UK-based newspaper The Guardian reported on Wednesday that the U.S. government has a top-secret court order that requires Verizon to turn over their telephone records of millions of Americans to the National Security Agency on an “ongoing daily basis.” The court order only sought out metadata which consists of information like numbers called, times of call, and how long the calls were. The order does not seek the actual audio of calls. The order is allowed under the Patriot Act, and it is not the first time that this has happened – something similar happened in 2006. The Patriot Act was established in 2001 shortly after 9/11 by President George W. Bush. However, in 2011, Congress passed and President Obama signed a four-year extension of key provisions in the law. Jameel Jaffer, the American Civil Liberties Union deputy legal director said of this newest story, “It’s a program in which some untold number of innocent people have been put under the constant surveillance of government agents. It is beyond Orwellian, and it provides further evidence of the extent to which basic democratic rights are being surrendered in secret to the demands of unaccountable intelligence agencies.”

The Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs are now set to face each other in this year’s NBA Finals. Game 1 is Thursday at 9 p.m. During the regular season, these teams played each other twice, with the Heat winning both by scores of 105-100 and 88-86. However, during both match-ups, each team was missing key players and both teams haven’t played each other at full strength since 2011. This Final is a battle between an aging Spurs dynasty seeking one more championship and a Heat team looking to be crowned the NBA’s newest dynasty. So which team will ultimately win the NBA championship?
Miami Heat: 

History: The Heat, making their third straight NBA Finals appearance, are 12-4 this post-season. Since the Big Three (LeBron, D Wade, & Bosh) got together in South Beach, they’ve been in the finals every season. The Heat lost in the 2011 NBA finals to the Dallas Mavericks but won the title last year – beating the Oklahoma City Thunder. Miami also won the NBA Championship in 2006 and two players on that roster still remain with the team today (Wade and Haslem).

Head Coach: Erik Spoelstra         

Projected starting line-up:  PG Mario Chalmers, SG Dwyane Wade, SF LeBron James, PF Udonis Haslem,  C Chris Bosh.

Notable reserves:  Chris Birdman Andersen,  Norris Cole, Ray Allen, Mike Miller

Our take: The Heat were pretty much on a roll until they ran into the Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers pushed the Heat to seven games, but in game 7, the dominant Heat team showed up again. LeBron has had a great playoff run so far and is going to have a huge NBA finals, but the their title hopes rest on his shoulders. Dwyane Wade has been surprisingly awful this post-season. At times, Wade looks like he is either hurt or has suddenly turned into an average (at best) NBA player. Chris Bosh also has had a pretty disappointing playoffs season so far, given that he is still considered a superstar to many. As long as LeBron continues to play as well as he has, the Heat don’t need Bosh and Wade to be superstars, they just need them to produce a little bit better than they have been this postseason. Wade will have a great series, because as I’ve said, something just seems off with his health or his game at the moment. However, Bosh should have his best series of the playoffs since the bigs for the Spurs aren’t as physical and intimidating as the Pacers were. If the Miami Heat win the NBA finals this year, there is no doubt that LeBron James will be named the MVP.

Since you can’t expect Wade and Bosh to improve that dramatically this series, the bench play of the Heat will be their main key to success outside of LeBron. Birdman needs to keep his cool and stay in the game, because the Heat really benefit from the energy and inside offensive he brings off the bench. At times, Norris Cole this post-season has looked like the second best player for the Heat and he comes to play every game. Ray Allen looks old and probably should retire soon, but Allen and Mike Miller will still be relied upon to hit a couple big three-point shots this series. Shane Battier, once a role player off the bench, was benched for game 7 vs Indiana. The Heat struggled against the size of the Pacers and while the Spurs have a strong inside tandem, they don’t have the length, athleticism, and physicality across the board that Indiana had. This series will be physical, but it will be nowhere near as physical as the Pacer series – which will be to the benefit of LeBron and the Heat.

San Antonio Spurs:

History: The Spurs, making their fourth NBA Finals appearance in the last 11 years, are 12-2 so far this post-season. Their Big Three, Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili are seeking their fourth NBA title as a group – the others coming in 2003, 2005, and 2007. Coach Gregg Popovich’s first title with the Spurs came in 1999 and Tim Duncan is the lone holdover from that team. Going back to 1999, Coach Pop’s Spurs have a perfect 4-0 record in the NBA Finals.

Head Coach: Gregg Popovich       

Projected starting line-up:  PG Tony Parker, SG Danny Green, SF Kawhi Leonard, PF Tim Duncan, C Tiago Splitter

Notable reserves: Manu Ginobili, Boris Diaw, Matt Bonner, Gary Neal

Our take: The Spurs were the #2 seed in the West but became the favorite once Russell Westbrook went down with an injury for OKC. The Spurs swept a talented Grizzlies team in the Western Conference Finals but because their series finished up so quickly. They are coming off of a 10-day layoff. How much will the layoff hurt the Spurs is unknown, but expect them to be a bit rusty most of game one. Tim Duncan is one of the greatest to ever play the game of basketball. He had a great season, especially since some started to write him off a few years ago. This could be Duncan’s last chance to win another title before he hangs it up. Duncan, with C Tiago Splitter, form a great front-court (especially defensively), however, they aren’t as athletic and physical as the Pacers big men of West and Hibbert. PG Tony Parker is one of the League’s best point guards and he can control a game. If you’re going to beat the Heat you need an elite level point guard, and it doesn’t get much better than Parker. Parker’s ability to drive to the basket usually opens up the three-point shot for the Spurs. Parker has been playing as good as basketball as anyone this post season, and if the Spurs win this series it will be with Parker as MVP.

All the talk surrounding Wade’s disappointment for the Heat has kind of masked the fact that Manu Ginobili has gotten old and just isn’t the player he once was either. The key to this series for the Spurs however is Kawhi Leonard. Leonard, only in his second year, is going to be an all-star for the Spurs in the future, and he will be in charge of attempting to slow down LeBron James this series. Leonard is a fierce defender but LeBron has worn down everyone else who has guarded him in these playoffs. If the Spurs win the NBA Finals, it will be because Kawhi Leonard took the next step in his NBA career. Danny Green can really shoot the 3 ball for the Spurs, something they like to do. So can Matt Bonner, who is a big man who steps out and shoots the three-pointer. Boris Diaw is another underrated talented big man for the Spurs who may also be asked to guard LeBron at times this series. Miami struggles sometimes to defend the three-point shot, which is something the Spurs do well. San Antonio has better depth, better shooting, and a big advantage at the point guard position. Combine that with the best coach in the NBA, and a veteran team who has been here before, the Spurs are just the type of team who have what it takes to beat the Heat.

Finals Prediction: Miami Heat in seven games. I’ve gone back and forth on this for a while and I will admit that I don’t predict this with much certainty. If you could guarantee me that the Heat team from game 7 of the ECF would show up the whole series, I could see Miami winning in five. However, if Bosh and Wade really continue to struggle, the Spurs are just the type of team who can beat the Heat. So what makes the difference in who wins and loses this series? LeBron James and Miami’s home-court advantage. LeBron is at the top of his game right now and if he’s as great as some people believe, he should will the Heat to back-to-back championships. Plus, if this does go all 7 games, it’s always smart to take the home team, which will be Miami. In sports, it usually takes three championships from the same core group to be considered a dynasty and the Heat really want to be considered one of those. Regardless of the outcome, this is a great finals match-up so make sure you tune in and enjoy!

NBA Finals Schedule: All games will be broadcasted on the ABC Network

• Game 1 Thursday, June 6, 9 p.m. ET
• Game 2 Sunday, June 9, 8 p.m. ET
• Game 3 Tuesday, June 11, 9 p.m. ET
• Game 4 Thursday, June 13, 9 p.m. ET
• Game 5 Sunday, June 16, 8 p.m. ET*
• Game 6 Tuesday, June 18, 9 p.m. ET*
• Game 7 Thursday, June 20, 9 p.m. ET*

*If necessary

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• President Obama last Thursday, announced plans to change our country’s counterterrorism policy. He outlined stricter rules in regards to our controversial usage of drone strikes and again brought up wanting to close Guantanamo Bay. “Our systematic effort to dismantle terrorist organizations must continue. But this war, like all wars, must end.That’s what history advises. That’s what our democracy demands.” President Obama said. He also asked Congress to loosen restrictions to move Gitmo prisoners to the United States.

• Sen. John McCain met with Syrian rebels this week while he was in the country for a few hours. McCain has been vocal about wanting a greater role for the U.S. in trying to help end the country’s civil war, which has been going on for more than two years. Leaders of the Syrian rebel forces asked the U.S. to provide them with weapons to continue their fight against President Bashar al Assad. It is estimated that more than 70,000 Syrians have been killed in this civil war.  However, support for the rebels may not be likely, as both Democrats and Republicans believe weapons given to Syrian rebels could eventually wind up in the hands of terrorists. “It was very important because one of the biggest arguments against supporting the opposition is not knowing who they are,” said McCain of his meeting with the rebels.

• A suspicious letter addressed to President Obama was intercepted on Thursday. It appears that it could be connected to poison-laced letters sent to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and an anti-illegal-gun group he founded. The letters, postmarked in Louisiana and sent to Bloomberg, were laced with the deadly poison ricin.”In terms of why they’ve done it, I don’t know,” said Mayor Bloomberg on Wednesday night. He continued, it “obviously referred to our anti-gun efforts, but there’s 12,000 people that are going to get killed this year with guns and 19,000 that are going to commit suicide with guns, and we’re not going to walk away from those efforts.”

• Finally, President Obama is prepared to nominate a former George W. Bush official to head up the FBI. James Comey, a former deputy attorney general who served under President Bush from 2003 to 2006, is expected to be nominated to take over for FBI Director Robert Mueller, who is stepping down in September. Comey has approval from both Republicans and Democrats. A former deputy director of the FBI, John Miller, called the likely nomination, “as perfect a choice as the White House could come up with, given the politics of it.”

As the weather warms up, we have been been bringing cultural organizing to neighborhoods nationwide – from the Midwest to the Deep South to the Northeast to the West Coast. Take a look at what’s happening on the inside at the League of Young Voters this summer…

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• Minnesota continued a recent trend by becoming the 12th state to legalize gay marriage on Tuesday when Governor Mark Dayton signed a recently passed marriage equality bill into law. “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness should certainly include the right to marry the person you love,” Dayton said. The bill passed in the senate on Monday by a 37-30 vote. Couples will be allowed to marry starting August 1, 2013. The other states that currently allow gay marriage are: CT, DE, IA, ME, MD, MA, NH, NY, RI, VT, WA, and also the District of Columbia.

• On Wednesday, the White House released more than 100 pages of e-mails in an attempt to quiet critics who think that President Barack Obama and his aides played politics with our national security following the deadly September 11, 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. The White House has always denied any type of cover-up. White House spokesman Eric Schultz said, “Collectively these emails make clear that the interagency process, including the White House’s interactions, were focused on providing the facts as we knew them based on the best information available at the time and protecting an ongoing investigation.”

• President Obama on Thursday said he had no knowledge of the recent IRS scandal until the media exposed it last Friday. The IRS is under heavy scrutiny for singling out groups, particularly those with Tea Party ties, that were seeking tax-exempt status. President Obama has since repeatedly denounced the discriminatory behavior at the IRS. President Obama said, “What I’m absolutely certain of is that the actions that were described in that I.G. report are unacceptable.” On Wednesday, the Obama administration called for the resignation of acting IRS commissioner Steven Miller and the Justice Department announced that they will be investigating the matter. It is not yet known whether or not any laws were broken and if any criminal charges will be filed.

• Finally, a bipartisan U.S house group has reached an agreement on immigration reform. The report says that the Democrats and Republicans involved will run it by their party leaders and colleagues and hopefully formal legislation will be introduced in June. “Filing a real bipartisan bill, a serious, enforceable commonsense bill is, I think, a huge step. But it’s the first step of the process, a very important step,” said Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, one of the members of the bipartisan group.

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• The Senate on Monday approved an internet sales tax proposal that could force shoppers to pay sales tax on the majority of their online purchases. The Marketplace Fairness Act would allow the 45 states that currently charge sales taxes to require large online retailers to collect tax on purchases made by their residents. The law would only apply to online sellers that have sales of at least $1 million outside of states where they have a physical store or warehouse. “Avoiding sales tax may not be a primary reason customers shop online, but it’s one of them,” said David French, senior vice president of government relations at the National Retail Federation.  The bill now goes to the House where Republicans are split on the idea. If passed in the house, it is believed President Obama will sign it into law.
• On Tuesday, former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford won the state’s special election for a congressional seat beating Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch, sister of comedian Stephen Colbert. Sanford was once considered a rising star in the Republican Party until 2009 when he admitted to having an extra marital affair. The Governor went missing, said he had been “hiking the Appalachian trail,” but then later admitted he was in Argentina with his mistress. “I have experienced how none of us go through life without mistakes, but in their wake we can learn a lot about grace, a God of second chances, and be the better for it,” Sanford told voters in one of his recent political ads.
• New Jersey Governor Chris Christie admitted this week to having Lap-Band weight loss surgery in February. Christie, who has previously poked fun at his weight, is believed to be one of the top contenders for the 2016 Republican party’s Presidential nomination. Some political insiders believed Christie’s weight would be an issue if he ran for president and the weight loss surgery was for political reasons. Christie has stated that was not the case and said, “I did not want to take the risk of becoming unhealthy and the ramifications that would have for Mary Pat and for my four kids. And as you know, I still have children that are in elementary school, so I got a long road here as a father and I don’t want to miss any of it.”
• And finally, Delaware officially became the 11th state to legalize same-sex marriage when the state senate passed a bill allowing it by a 12-9 vote. Governor Jack Markell almost immediately signed the bill into law. Same-sex couples will be able to begin getting married starting July 1st. During the debate before the vote on Tuesday Senator Karen Peterson, who has lived with her female partner for 24 years, said, “If my happiness somehow demeans or diminishes your marriage, then you need to work on your marriage.”

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• President Obama signed a bill that ends furloughs for air traffic controllers on Wednesday. The furloughs came from the automatic spending cuts from the sequester, which began in March. Millions of travelers have been affected recently by delayed flights across the country because of the furloughs. (Yahoo)

• A Mississippi man has been charged in connection with the recent ricin-tainted letters that were sent to President Obama and other legislators. James Everett Dutschke was charged with possession and use of a biological agent as a weapon just days after prosecutors dropped charges against their first suspect, Paul Kevin Curtis. No illnesses were reported from the incident but ricin is a toxin with no known antidote. (CNN)

• In Massachusetts, Democratic Rep. Ed Markey and Republican businessman and political newbie Gabriel Gomez will face each other in a special Senate election June 25th, after both won their respective primaries on Tuesday. They will be competing for the open Massachusetts senator position that has been left open since former Sen. John Kerry became Secretary of State. William “Mo” Cowan, appointed by Governor Deval Patrick, has been serving as interim senator until the election. (CNN)

• On Thursday, Maryland became the 18th state to end the death penalty. The death penalty has been replaced in the state with a sentence of life in prison without the ability of parole. (Reuters)

• Finally, on Thursday Rhode Island officially became the 10th state to legalize same-sex marriage when Governor Lincoln Chafee signed the bill into law. Weddings in the state can start taking place August 1st, when the law takes effect. (CBS News)

In celebration of Earth Day, the League partnered with Urban Grass Roots, I.N.C. to make a cleaner and greener Milwaukee for our residents. More than 50 volunteers, ranging from elders to young children, came out to support the community clean-up.

Those who participated during the Earth Day event received breakfast and lunch, a variety of flower seeds, pots of pansy or perennial flowers and a signed Certificate of Appreciation. Additionally, they walked away with the good feeling of helping to beautify our community and provide a healthier environment

This was an spectacular event, the weather didn’t affect our goal, we were successful in both the block and freeway clean ups and the beautification of the Eastside area. We witnessed the true meaning of the adage “it takes a village to raise a child.” Children learn best through their everyday experiences with the people they love and trust, and when the learning is fun. The ideal place for these learning experiences is outdoor in the garden where they can explore.

“Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most important events in their lives,” said Priscilla Coggs-Jones founder of Urban Grass Roots I.N.C.

By the end of day, I personally spoke to the volunteers we brought with us and they all said the same thing: When are we doing this again? This is so FUN!! So as a result of the high level of interest, we planned an Orchard Planting/Volunteer Appreciation Day on April 27, 2013. It will kick off at 11 a.m. CST at 8th and Concordia St.. Please come out and join us if you are in Milwaukee.

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• Paul Kevin Curtis, who last week was accused of sending ricin-laced letters to President Obama and two legislators, was released from jail this week and the charges have been dropped. U.S. Attorney Felicia Adams said this was done because “new information” became available. Authorities are investigating whether or not Curtis was framed by someone else. The letters had a Memphis, Tennessee, postmark and no return address. Ricin is a deadly toxin that comes from castor beans and has no known antidote. (CNN)

• Just how vulnerable are the stock markets? Well, a false tweet from the Associated Press’s Twitter account on Tuesday sent stocks tumbling in just a few minutes. The AP’s Twitter account was hacked and tweeted out a statement saying there had been explosions in the White House and President Obama was injured. The stocks then rebounded when news of the hoax quickly emerged. (CBS News)

• Now that Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been captured and is recovering from his injuries, more information is coming out. Tsarnaev is communicating with investigators while continuing to be treated in the hospital for the wounds he received during last week’s manhunt. On Wednesday, Tsarnaev said his brother and himself planned a second round of attacks in New York’s Time Square. He has been charged with use of a weapon of mass destruction, and he could get the death penalty. (CBS News)

• Rhode Island is on track to be the 10th state in the country to legalize same-sex marriage. The Rhode Island state senate this week passed same-sex marriage legislation by a 26-12 margin, which was following a House vote of approval in January. The bill now returns to the House for a vote that is expected to pass easily. Rhode Island’s Gov. Lincoln Chafee, an independent, said, “I’m very much looking forward to signing this.” (Huffington Post)

• Finally, President Obama joined the other four living former American presidents Thursday for a historic convergence which celebrated the opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Former presidents Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, and George H. Bush all said a few words about the former president. President Obama praised G.W. Bush for his program to fight AIDS in Africa, commitment to changing the immigration system, and his resolve after 9/11. President Obama called Bush a “good man”. (NY Times)

DJ Cavem (aka The O.G. – The Organic Gardner) is really changing the game by using his environmentally-conscious music as a platform to push the green movement. He emphasizes a simple message: if you want to be down with your hood, you should keep it beautiful too.

The O.G. has an upcoming record called, “Eco Twerk,” that is a genuine masterpiece! He gave us a sneak peek during his #EarthDayLive Interview.

Food justice, energy efficiency, clean air and water are critically important to youth populations and communities of color at large. On Earth Day, April 22, from 3-5 pm EDT, Green For All and The League of Young Voters Education Fund are hosting an #EarthDayLive broadcast to highlight how these issues affect communities and how young leaders of color are developing solutions to address them.

The two-hour livestream will include enviromental call to actions from Common, Drake, Anthony Mackie, Wyclef Jean, Will.i.am and Wiz Khalifa., as well as in-depth interviews with industry leaders.

WATCH THE #EARTHDAYLIVE BROADCAST.

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• The story is developing with the two bombing suspects from the Boston Marathon bombing. One of the suspects died last night after a shootout in Watertown, Massachusetts. His younger brother, 19, is still on the run. Law enforcement have surrounded their home, and the story is developing live in Boston right now. The bombing left three dead and nearly 200 people injured with more than 60 still in the hospital and 13 of them still in critical condition. President Obama spoke at an interfaith service on Thursday saying, “Yes, we will find you. And yes, you will face justice. We will hold you accountable. But more than that, our fidelity to our way of life will only grow stronger, for God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but one of power and love and self-discipline.” 
  

• The Senate defeated amendments to expand background checks and a proposal to ban some semi-automatic weapons modeled after military assault weapons on Wednesday. The final tally was 54-46 in favor of it, but 60 votes is what was needed to break the filibuster. A recent CNN poll showed 86 percent of Americans support expanded background checks but many now feel the gun lobby’s money and power now trumps public opinion. President Obama called it a “pretty shameful day in Washington” and he blamed the defeat on “the gun lobby and its allies,” and said those who were against the legislation “willfully lied” about its provisions. It was announced on Thursday that Sen. Harry Reid is shelving the proposed bill after its defeat. Even in light of the Newtown tragedy, we will likely not be seeing any new gun laws. (CNN)

• Paul Kevin Curtis, a Mississippi resident, was arrested this week for sending letters to President Obama and Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi that were tainted with ricin, a toxic substance that comes from castor oil that doesn’t have an antidote that is deadly when inhaled. The letters were intercepted before they reached their targets and no one was hurt. Curtis claims that he figured out a “conspiracy to sell human body parts on the black market and claimed various parties within the government were trying to ruin his reputation.” (CBS News)

•  After months of negotiations, the “Gang of Eight” bipartisan group of senators, finally released their immigration bill on Wednesday. The 844-page bill allows our country’s 11 million undocumented immigrants to apply for U.S. citizenship and also tightens security along our southwest border. The senate judiciary committee has scheduled hearings on Friday and Monday to address the bill and the senators are hoping a vote can happen sometime in May or June. President Obama called on quick action and said, “This bill is clearly a compromise, and no one will get everything they wanted, including me. But it is largely consistent with the principles that I have repeatedly laid out for comprehensive reform.” (USA Today)

• Finally, Earth Day is Monday and the League is having an online discussion on all things green. Check out #EarthDayLive on 4/22 at 3pm EST on YoungVoterLive.com.

Have you or someone you know been impacted by gun violence? We’re collecting powerful stories for a series we are producing on the effect of gun violence on young people.

Submit your art here

Get creative – share your videos, photos, or writing and we’ll feature as many as we can in our upcoming #NoGunsAllowed webisode series.

The League of Young Voters Education Fund has launched a grassroots non-violence campaign inspired by entertainment icon, Snoop Lion aka Snoop Dogg’s song “No Guns Allowed” ft. Drake and his daughter Cori B. As the country faces the reality that a child or teen dies or is injured from guns every 30 minutes, the primary goal of the campaign is to decrease violence by advocating for youth violence prevention programs and background checks on firearm purchases.

During a recent appearance on CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight, Snoop explained how a rash of tragic school shootings motivated him to write “No Guns Allowed.”

“I wanted to make some music to try to help the next person who was thinking about loading a gun, going to a school and shooting. Maybe it would help him put that gun down and think about what he was doing before they [acted],” Snoop told Morgan.

In an open letter to Snoop, which garnered national media attention from leading outlets, such as Politico and BET, Rob “Biko” Baker, Executive Director of the League of Young Voters Education Fund said “I am so inspired that you are using your platform to speak up about the nation’s violence issue. I want you to know that the League of Young Voters Education Fund is committed to spreading your anti-violence message to prevent future tragedies.”

The buzz surrounding the open letter caught Snoop’s attention and prompted him to responded publicly via his Twitter account, which quickly led to a meeting between the superstar and leaders from the League.

Check out what Snoop Lion tweeted to @TheLeague99

Snoop is now publically aligning himself with the League of Young Voters Education Fund and their “No Guns Allowed” initiative.

“‘No Guns Allowed’ is a really important song to me,” Snoop Lion said. “I’m humbled that an organization like the League of Young Voters Education Fund supports what I’m saying in it and is taking action. Especially since they have been doing work for a long time to spread an anti-violence message in our communities.”

Spreading this peaceful message is exactly what the League is doing with the announcement of their “No Guns Allowed” campaign which will include:

• A non-violence pledge
• A Causes petition supporting universal background checks and funding for violence prevention programs
• Opportunities for people to share personal stories about how they’ve been affected by gun violence
• An informative celebrity PSA series
• A live streaming round-table discussion with key influencers and other special events

The League’s “No Guns Allowed” PSA series will use the power of storytelling to heal communities and develop innovative ways to stop violence. The videos will inform viewers about issues related to gun violence and feature celebrities, political figures, grassroots organizers and community members sharing their thoughts and personal experiences related to gun violence.

As part of a widespread social media push launching today, League of Young Voters Education Fund is also asking people across the country to submit personal stories and photos via Tumblr and share messages using the hashtag #NoGunsAllowed on Twitter and Instagram, expressing how they’ve been affected by gun violence.

“No Guns Allowed” themed events, including interactive live streams, and a round-table discussion with celebrities, community activists and political figures, will also take place. The League has been producing non-violence events, such as their Put the Guns Down rallies, for more than 10 years.

“The League is excited and honored by Snoop’s support for our ‘No Guns Allowed’ campaign,” Baker said. “We’re looking forward to collaborating with him in the near future to reach even more people and bring some much-needed attention to the work we’ve been doing for some time to make urban communities safer.”

Join the No Guns Allowed movement now by taking a pledge against violence, signing a petition in support of universal background checks and violence prevention programs, submitting personal stories today about how you’ve been affected by gun violence, and sharing photos and messages using the #NoGunsAllowed hashtag.

Visit Causes.com/NoGunsAllowed for updates on additional “No Guns Allowed” activities from the League of Young Voters Education Fund.

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• March’s job report was released last Friday, and the news was mixed. Hiring slowed with only 88,000 jobs added, which is the lowest monthly gain since last June. While the unemployment rate dropped to 7.6 percent, it’s estimated that nearly 500,000 people dropped out of the job market. (USA Today)

• Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of Britain and first woman to hold that position, passed away at the age of 87 on Monday, due to a stroke. Thatcher, nicknamed The Iron Lady, served as PM from 1979 to 1990 as leader of the Conservative Party. President Obama said of her passing,”the world has lost one of the great champions of freedom and liberty, and America has lost a true friend.” and that “she stands as an example to our daughters that there is no glass ceiling that can’t be shattered.” (Huffington Post)

• President Obama gave his budget proposal for next year on Wednesday. In his proposal, he would raise taxes on millionaires, trim Social Security and Medicare, and keep the national debt at a little more than 70 percent share of the economy. President Obama is hoping to get Republicans to agree to raising taxes on the wealthy by  allowing cuts in Social Security and Medicare. His proposal was hit with immediate criticism from both parties. (Yahoo)

• Jay-Z and Beyonce were criticized this week for their recent vacation to Cuba. There has been a Cuban embargo, which bans most tourism, since 1960. Jay and Bey’s trip has been heavily criticized and questioned especially by three Cuban-American members of Congress, all Republicans who are still for a strong Cuban embargo against the Castro Regime. Jay-Z released a song “Open Letter,” saying he got clearance from the White House, something White House spokesman Jay Carney denies. Carney said the White House had no knowledge of the trip beforehand, and that the Treasury Department approved the trip as part of cultural exchange program. About 90,000 Americans visited the island on approved cultural visits last year, according to Cuban officials. (Reuters)

• Finally, on Thursday, the Senate agreed to finally move forward with a part of President Obama’s new gun safety proposals. The Senate voted 68-31 to finally begin debating on a bill that would expand background checks for gun sales, a small but positive step forward for those who want stronger gun laws. Sixteen Republicans voted to open up debate on the bill and two democrats voted against it. After a final vote in the Senate next week, it will move to the House where its future is uncertain. SIGN THE PETITION AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE HERE.
  

Every 30 minutes, a child or teen is shot in this country. From the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut to the senseless killings in Chicago, our culture of violence is taking a tragic toll on our youth. 

We have to work on innovative solutions to chip away at our culture of violence, but now is the time for Congress to act on behalf of thousands of families who lose loved ones to gun violence each year. Today, the U.S. Senate may vote to end the discussion on responsible gun ownership. Do we really need more innocent victims to lose their lives before we act? 

Tell Congress to stop with the political cowardice.