Courage's Top Ten WINS of 2014!
Check out what can happen when 900,000 people have the courage to care and fight for a more progressive California and country. (Hint: really awesome stuff.)
None of the remarkable wins below could have happened without individual donations from our members. If each of you donated today, we wouldn't need to send a single fundraising email in 2015! Please chip in and make 2015 even more courageous.
#1. Defeating Tea Party favorites Doug Ose and Carl DeMaio and reaching more than 250,000 voters with the Progressive Voter Guide -- Even in a tough year for progressive candidates nationwide, Courage Campaign SuperPAC helped defeat Tea Party representatives in two of the most hotly-contested races statewide: Doug Ose in Sacramento and Carl DeMaio in San Diego. Courage’s viral sharegraphics, anti-endorsement website, and email outreach helped secure the razor-thin margin in both races. At the same time, Courage’s bilingual voter guide -- which focuses on CA ballot propositions -- was viewed more than 250,000 times for the second straight election. Despite the dramatic decrease in voter enthusiasm from 2012, we matched our previous number of downloads for the Guide through increased partnerships and improved use of social media advertising.
#2. Stopping Walgreens from evading BILLIONS of dollars in US taxes -- As soon as news broke that Walgreens, the largest pharmacy chain in America, was planning to avoid paying its fair share of taxes by moving -- on paper -- to Switzerland, our members sprang into action to shine a light on this blatant example of corporate greed. Our successful organizing campaign now serves as an example to deter any potential “corporate deserters” from selling out American taxpayers in the future.
#3. Achieving LGBT workplace equality for 16 million Americans -- After years of pushing Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), we turned to President Obama and demanded he have the courage to sign an Executive Order. And we got it! This order will protect 16 MILLION federal workers -- making it the single largest expansion of LGBT workplace protections in our nation’s history -- but we won’t stop fighting until there is workplace equality for ALL workers in all 50 states.
#4. Making HUGE strides to end the “War on Drugs” and reform California’s prisons -- For years Courage Campaign has fought to reform our state’s deeply flawed criminal justice system. And this year, we brought home two groundbreaking victories -- ending the crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity (SB 1010) and helping pass Proposition 47. These new laws will provide smarter and more humane sentencing, help save millions of taxpayer dollars, reduce prison overcrowding, and invest in proven programs that stop the cycle of violence through education and rehabilitation.
#5. Leading the way to smarter, safer national gun policy through California -- Thanks to months of calls, emails, and organizing by our members and allies, California passed a first of its kind “Gun Violence Restraining Order” law that empowers the family and friends of a troubled individual to act when there are clear warning signs of potential violence. If such a law was in place at the time, the Isla Vista tragedy could have been prevented. As it was, the shooter’s mother was powerless to act. California now has the strongest gun laws in the nation, and we will continue to do everything in our power to bring these common-sense solutions to other states.
#6. Helping make California’s Obamacare exchange the nation’s most successful -- With Dr. Paul Song -- a leading national healthcare reform advocate and practicing oncologist -- now at the helm of Courage Campaign, we highlighted his expertise during the critical roll out of the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges. We mobilized over 115,000 members to confront the Koch Brother’s multimillion dollar anti-Obamacare propaganda campaign, as well as Whole Foods’ CEO John Mackey, for spreading lies about Obamacare. Our online education campaign featured innovative social media share graphics that incentivized Courage members to spread the word, and and we helped California EXCEED national enrollment projections. California led the nation with over 3.3 million new sign ups. Wherever the fight will take us, Courage will be there to defend affordable healthcare for all.
#7. Defeating Big Oil's attack on CA's landmark cap and trade law -- When oil companies tried to use their money and power to mislead the public and sway state legislators to GUT California’s landmark climate change legislation (AB 32), thousands of Courage members launched into action. We educated the public and demanded courage from our state leaders. Big Oil’s scheme was stopped in its tracks! Our state’s cap and trade program will now continue to serve as a model for the nation, perhaps the world.
#8. Supercharging the #ALECexodus by cranking up the heat on Big Tech -- Our members targeted Google with months of headline-making rallies, petitions, and public shaming, and the company finally cut its ties with the right-wing extremist group ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council). This spurred a mass exodus by Facebook, Yahoo, Yelp, and AOL. We’ve now turn our energy towards pressuring eBay and Expedia, while we will continue to unmask ALEC’s secret, corporate-friendly agenda.
#9. Higher minimum wages and paid sick leave for workers across California -- Courage members have been critical to the fight for workers’ rights both nationally and in California, and this year we earned significant victories. We helped win a $15.37/hour wage for LA hotel workers, pass minimum wage hikes in San Francisco and Oakland, and finally enact desperately-deserved paid sick days for most California workers.
#10. Winning marriage equality in 32 states and counting -- Through YEARS of work educating the public and waging various individual campaigns, Courage members have slowly turned the tide in favor of marriage equality. And now -- after the historic Supreme Court rulings that ended Prop 8 and DOMA last year -- the freedom to marry is SWEEPING the nation, even in some of our most conservative states. Our EqualityOnTrial blog team have been on the frontlines of every courthouse fight, and we will not rest until marriage equality is realized in all 50 states.
Check out what can happen when 900,000 people have the courage to care and fight for a more progressive California and country. (Hint: really awesome stuff.)
None of the remarkable wins below could have happened without individual donations from our members. If each of you donated today, we wouldn't need to send a single fundraising email in 2015! Please chip in and make 2015 even more courageous.
#1. Defeating Tea Party favorites Doug Ose and Carl DeMaio and reaching more than 250,000 voters with the Progressive Voter Guide -- Even in a tough year for progressive candidates nationwide, Courage Campaign SuperPAC helped defeat Tea Party representatives in two of the most hotly-contested races statewide: Doug Ose in Sacramento and Carl DeMaio in San Diego. Courage’s viral sharegraphics, anti-endorsement website, and email outreach helped secure the razor-thin margin in both races. At the same time, Courage’s bilingual voter guide -- which focuses on CA ballot propositions -- was viewed more than 250,000 times for the second straight election. Despite the dramatic decrease in voter enthusiasm from 2012, we matched our previous number of downloads for the Guide through increased partnerships and improved use of social media advertising.
#2. Stopping Walgreens from evading BILLIONS of dollars in US taxes -- As soon as news broke that Walgreens, the largest pharmacy chain in America, was planning to avoid paying its fair share of taxes by moving -- on paper -- to Switzerland, our members sprang into action to shine a light on this blatant example of corporate greed. Our successful organizing campaign now serves as an example to deter any potential “corporate deserters” from selling out American taxpayers in the future.
#3. Achieving LGBT workplace equality for 16 million Americans -- After years of pushing Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), we turned to President Obama and demanded he have the courage to sign an Executive Order. And we got it! This order will protect 16 MILLION federal workers -- making it the single largest expansion of LGBT workplace protections in our nation’s history -- but we won’t stop fighting until there is workplace equality for ALL workers in all 50 states.
#4. Making HUGE strides to end the “War on Drugs” and reform California’s prisons -- For years Courage Campaign has fought to reform our state’s deeply flawed criminal justice system. And this year, we brought home two groundbreaking victories -- ending the crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity (SB 1010) and helping pass Proposition 47. These new laws will provide smarter and more humane sentencing, help save millions of taxpayer dollars, reduce prison overcrowding, and invest in proven programs that stop the cycle of violence through education and rehabilitation.
#5. Leading the way to smarter, safer national gun policy through California -- Thanks to months of calls, emails, and organizing by our members and allies, California passed a first of its kind “Gun Violence Restraining Order” law that empowers the family and friends of a troubled individual to act when there are clear warning signs of potential violence. If such a law was in place at the time, the Isla Vista tragedy could have been prevented. As it was, the shooter’s mother was powerless to act. California now has the strongest gun laws in the nation, and we will continue to do everything in our power to bring these common-sense solutions to other states.
#6. Helping make California’s Obamacare exchange the nation’s most successful -- With Dr. Paul Song -- a leading national healthcare reform advocate and practicing oncologist -- now at the helm of Courage Campaign, we highlighted his expertise during the critical roll out of the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges. We mobilized over 115,000 members to confront the Koch Brother’s multimillion dollar anti-Obamacare propaganda campaign, as well as Whole Foods’ CEO John Mackey, for spreading lies about Obamacare. Our online education campaign featured innovative social media share graphics that incentivized Courage members to spread the word, and and we helped California EXCEED national enrollment projections. California led the nation with over 3.3 million new sign ups. Wherever the fight will take us, Courage will be there to defend affordable healthcare for all.
#7. Defeating Big Oil's attack on CA's landmark cap and trade law -- When oil companies tried to use their money and power to mislead the public and sway state legislators to GUT California’s landmark climate change legislation (AB 32), thousands of Courage members launched into action. We educated the public and demanded courage from our state leaders. Big Oil’s scheme was stopped in its tracks! Our state’s cap and trade program will now continue to serve as a model for the nation, perhaps the world.
#8. Supercharging the #ALECexodus by cranking up the heat on Big Tech -- Our members targeted Google with months of headline-making rallies, petitions, and public shaming, and the company finally cut its ties with the right-wing extremist group ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council). This spurred a mass exodus by Facebook, Yahoo, Yelp, and AOL. We’ve now turn our energy towards pressuring eBay and Expedia, while we will continue to unmask ALEC’s secret, corporate-friendly agenda.
#9. Higher minimum wages and paid sick leave for workers across California -- Courage members have been critical to the fight for workers’ rights both nationally and in California, and this year we earned significant victories. We helped win a $15.37/hour wage for LA hotel workers, pass minimum wage hikes in San Francisco and Oakland, and finally enact desperately-deserved paid sick days for most California workers.
#10. Winning marriage equality in 32 states and counting -- Through YEARS of work educating the public and waging various individual campaigns, Courage members have slowly turned the tide in favor of marriage equality. And now -- after the historic Supreme Court rulings that ended Prop 8 and DOMA last year -- the freedom to marry is SWEEPING the nation, even in some of our most conservative states. Our EqualityOnTrial blog team have been on the frontlines of every courthouse fight, and we will not rest until marriage equality is realized in all 50 states.
