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11/13/17
                  

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Many newspapers, including New York Times and Washington Post require subscriptions, but without one we can see a few articles each month.  We can also check with our local libraries to find out how to get online access through them.

1.      This week in Congress. Sixteen (16) bills will be coming to the House floor for a vote per the Majority Leader' Schedule.  We can also check out the House's scheduled committee activity.  Let's review the bills we expect to see this week. The Senate plans to covene on 4pm on Monday for a confirmation vote on Derek Kan to be Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy.  Last week the Senate advanced Kan from debate with a vote of 87-9. Among the Democrats who voted against cloture on Kan’s nomination were Minority Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.), Sen. Cory Booker (N.J.) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.). At issue is the Gateway Program, which is a top priority for Northeast-area lawmakers and would construct a tunnel under the Hudson River and add a platform and station capacity in New York's Penn Station. (Full story The HIll.)

2.      Using reasoning we can’t understand or accept, all the Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to approve the nomination of Brett Talley for federal district court position for the Middle District of Alabama, thereby moving the nomination to the full Senate.  This man has been a lawyer for only three years and has yet to argue a case.  He was openly anti-Hillary, openly pro-gun and was deemed unqualified by the American Bar Association (ABA). http://theweek.com/speedreads/736777/republicans-hand-federal-judgeship-36yearold-blogger-who-never-tried-case-before  Let’s tell our Senators that we want federal judges, who get lifetime appointments, to have significant experience and to be approved by the ABA, and not openly partisan.

3.      With full understanding of the probably backlash, two U.S. Senators, Mike Lee (R-UT) and Steve Daines (R-MT), have retracted their endorsements of Roy Moore who is running for senator from Alabama.  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senators-begin-rescinding-support-of-alabama-candidate-roy-moore/  Let’s thank them for putting decency and country before party. 

4.      The weekend brought a rough Tweet storm from Trump as he continues his Asia trip:

5.      As the tax bill looms with a House vote likely this week, the LA Times explains to us the five (5) major differences between the House and Senate tax plans in this article.  Politico shows us that GOP tax talks have not always been successful or helpful to them here. Let's stay informed and tell our MoCs that a real tax bill needs to be tweaked so it will be as advantageous to the middle class in the long run as it will be to the wealthy.  Let’s tell them, too, that tax loopholes for the wealthy and large corporations need to be fixed so that our country gets the money it is owed, for the betterment of all of us. 

6.      Nearly nine million children and pregnant women are covered by the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Trump and Congressional Republicans are abandoning them, having allowed funding to expire, and are showing no sense of urgency about getting it back in place. People will begin losing coverage within days (http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/359783-clinton-congress-playing-roulette-with-childrens-health-insurance-program). Let’s contact our members of Congress and let them know we demand action now, and we will hold them responsible for kids suffering because of their failures. 

7.      Congress resisted cutting the State Department budget by 30% as Trump wanted, but Rex Tillerson is inflicting the damage all by himself: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-diplomacy/top-ranks-of-career-u-s-diplomats-thin-under-tillerson-union-idUSKBN1D839F  Tillerson is systematically hollowing out the State Department: the number of career ambassadors has fallen to two from five; the next rung down, “career ministers,” has shrunk to 19 from 33; and the next, “minister-counselor,” has gone from 431 to 369 and continues to decline. Barbara Stephenson, head of the American Foreign Service Association, has written to Tillerson expressing her alarm. “Intake into the Foreign Service at State will drop,” she writes, “from 366 in 2016 to around 100 new entry-level officers joining . . . in 2018.”  Were the military faced with this kind of “decapitation of its leadership ranks,” Stephenson goes on, “I would expect a public outcry.”  Let’s make one!  We particularly need the diplomatic corps to stand between us and an ignorant, war-mongering president. Let’s contact the State Dept at 202-647-4000 or  U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20520, and let’s tell our MoCs that we expect them to ensure that the State Dept. is able to do its job.

8.      Because of a glitch by the US Post Office, a non-trivial number (dozens, perhaps thousands) of DACA applicants seeking to renew their permits to stay in the US have been rejected by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services agency and are at risk of deportation. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/10/nyregion/post-office-mail-delays-daca-applications.html?_r=0 The Agency is so far not budging from its harsh and unfair position. Let’s contact our MoCs and ask them what they plan to do about this. While we’re at it, let’s demand that they enact legislation to protect the Dreamers, something they must do by December 15 to save them.

9.      Given Trump’s recent visit to Vietnam, it’s high time to ask if we’re going to uphold our responsibility to clean up the Agent Orange contamination that’s causing birth defects in Vietnam   https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/will-u-s-stay-committed-to-toxic-agent-orange-cleanup-in-vietnam Let's contact our MoC to urge them to follow up on this clean-up effort.

10.  The more we learn about voting hacks and other problems, the notion of going back to paper ballots is gaining attention.  Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) has introduced the SAVE Act (S. 2035) which is designed “to provide increased security for the voting systems of the United States, to protect against intrusion, theft, manipulation, and deletion of voter registration data and ballots, or votes cast, and to prevent cyberattacks from malicious computer hackers, and for other purposes.” https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/12/guardian-of-the-vote/544155/   The bill is stuck in the Rules and Administration Committee.  Let’s ask our own senators to sign on as co-sponsors and let’s contact the members of the committee to help move it along in time to save the 2018 election.  Committee members: https://www.rules.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=CommitteeMembers

11.  Senator Feinstein has introduced legislation which would ban assault weapons, bump stocks, and high-capacity ammunition magazines http://bit.ly/2zu9PO9 The bill currently has 24 cosponsors. Let's check to see if our senator has signed on to the bill yet, and if so thank them:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/2095/cosponsors If not, let's be sure to give them a call and ask that they cosponsor and support S. 2095: "A bill to regulate assault weapons, to ensure that the right to keep and bear arms is not unlimited, and for other purposes."

Election 2017/2018

1.      Roy Moore has now added sexual predator to a resume that already included homophobia and contempt for the rule of law. It would be a disgrace to see him elected to the U.S. Senate in the December 12th special election in Alabama, especially against Democratic candidate Doug Jones, a former U.S. attorney who has brought KKK members and other domestic terrorists to justice. But it remains a real possibility.  https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/12/alabama-slow-to-condemn-roy-moore-senate-215819  We knew that Roy Moore did not belong in the US Senate prior to these allegations. No matter where we live we can help:  A) We can sign up to volunteer with the campaign here:  https://dougjones.bsd.net/page/s/volunteer  B) We can donate to the campaign here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/homepage-donate  C) participate in a phonebank here:  https://www.phonebank.io/c/dougjonesal, .  We can learn more about where Doug stands here: https://dougjonesforsenate.com/priorities/

2.      The Postcards to Voters campaign sent over 56,000 postcards sent in support of Doug Jones.  Want to help in this way?  We can either email join@tonythedemocrat.org or text HELLO to (484) ASK-ABBY (275-2229).  We will be given five addresses at a time to which we can send postcards encouraging registered Democrats to vote on Dec. 12.  We can get more addresses, if we want them!

3.      We can also support the upcoming special election in Alabama on December 12th, 2017 with handwritten postcards to help get out the vote in this critical Senate race! For $5, we can get 5 pre-stamped, pre-addressed postcards to critical voters in Alabama. After receiving our set of 5 cards in the mail, simply add our own personal message and put them right back in the mail. No need to get supplies or even leave home!   Follow the link to order: https://5calls.org/postcards

State Actions

1.      VA:  The Virginia House majority hangs in the balance. If you cast a provisional ballot, or if you know anyone who did, you need to submit your photo ID to your local registrar by Monday at noon to verify your vote so that it can be counted.  Voters may submit a copy of their ID via fax, email, in-person submission. Please share this message. If you live near one of these districts (or know someone that does) please volunteer to help track down provisional ballots and share this information. A) District 27 Larry Barnett https://barnett4delegate.com/, B) District 28 Joshua Cole http://www.jgcole.org/, C) District 40 Donte Tanner https://www.dontetanner.com/, D) District 68 Dawn Adams  http://adamsfordelegate.com/, E)  District 85 Cheryl Turpin https://cherylturpinforvb.com/, and F) District 94 Shelly Simonds https://www.simondsfordelegate.com/

2.      AL:  The voter registration deadline for the Dec. 12 election is Nov. 27.  If you, or someone you know, needs to register, change address, etc., click here:  http://sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes/voter/register-to-vote  Last day to make application for absentee ballot Thursday, December 07, 2017 and the ballot needs to be postmarked or delivered by December 11, the day before the election.  More info here: http://sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes/voter/absentee-voting  

3.      AL:  Indivisible Alabama is still looking for help with the Dec. 12 election.  Click here to see how to help:  http://indivisiblealabama.com/flipalabama/

4.      MA—Last week, the Massachusetts State Senate passed, by a vote of 33-6, S.2022, “An Act Furthering Health Empowerment and Affordability by Leveraging Transformative Health Care.” The measure now heads to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. It aims to:  A)  Reduce avoidable hospital re-admissions and use of emergency rooms through mobile-integrated health (that is, ambulance paramedics who can provide urgent care in people’s homes), telemedicine, and expanded access to behavioral healthcare, B) Keep costs in check by imposing fines on hospitals that exceed spending benchmarks, C) Lower costs of post-acute and long-term care by improving transition planning for patients and coordination between providers, D) Make medication more affordable through greater oversight and state bulk-buying arrangements.  http://cindyfriedman.org/friedman-joins-senate-passing-sweeping-healthcare-reform-bill/  If we’re in Massachusetts, let’s look up our State Rep https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator and tell him/her to support this sweeping, innovative health care bill.

5.      OK—Three special elections are being held Tuesday, Nov 14, 2017: A)  Oklahoma State Senate District 37. Let’s vote for Democrat Allison Ikley-Freeman, http://www.ally4ok.com/, B) Oklahoma State Senate District 45. Let’s vote for Democrat Steven Vincent, https://www.vincent4senate.com/, C) Oklahoma House of Representatives District 76. Let’s vote for Democrat Chris VanLandingham,  http://www.chrisforchange.com/  If we’re in these districts, let’s use this tool to find our polling place, https://services.okelections.us/voterSearch.aspx,  and let’s be sure to vote!

6.      VT: Let's Grow Kids is a campaign fighting to help Vermonters get the high-quality, affordable child care we need to support our children, families, communities and economy. Let’s sign the petition to prioritize children and increase “public investments in high-quality, affordable child care to ensure every Vermont child has a strong start” http://www.letsgrowkids.org/#pledge and learn about what else we can do at http://www.letsgrowkids.org

Other Actions

1.      Apparently, some GOP members think it is better to vote for a racist, child molester than a Democrat, or at least that seems how it looks in Alabama for the U.S. Senate race there. https://www.usnews.com/opinion/thomas-jefferson-street/articles/2017-11-10/the-sick-defenses-of-the-sexual-charges-against-alabamas-roy-moore Let’s let Alabama State Rep Ed Henry know what we think of his comment that charges should be brought against Roy Moore’s accusers:  ed.henry@alhouse.gov or (256) 260-2146.  Let’s also let Alabama State Auditor Jim Ziegler know that his comparison of Roy Moore and his underage “dates” to Mary and Joseph (parents of Jesus) is not at all appropriate:  Jim.Zeigler@auditor.alabama.gov or (334) 242-7010.  Fortunately, other GOP members can stand up for what is right, like Mitt Romney:  http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/359773-romney-roy-moore-is-unfit-for-office-and-should-step-aside  Let’s thank him:  https://www.mittromney.com/contact/

2.      It seems that the registrar of Stafford County, Virginia, Greg Riddlemoser, did not pick up the mail on time and consequently scores of ballots from military will not be counted in the Virginia election because they were not received on time.  http://www.wusa9.com/news/politics/elections/in-razor-close-election-military-ballots-tossed/490942366  Let’s contact the electoral board there and insist that the military ballots be counted.  The wrongdoing was not on the part of the voters, but on the county official:     https://staffordcountyva.gov/Directory.aspx?DID=107

3.      It’s working!  At least five companies have pulled their ads from Sean Hannity’s show on Fox due to his supportive coverage of Roy Moore following the sex misconduct allegations. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/11/12/keurig-others-pull-ads-fox-news-hannity-show-over-roy-moore-coverage/856424001/    In addition, Shannon Coulter said that she will add all Fox News advertisers to her Grab Your Wallet campaign with initial major areas of focus for boycott being Mitsubishi (@mitsucars), @SandalsResorts, @trivago, @CapitalOne, @ATT, and @Cigna.  Let’s continue to use our wallets to talk for us.  We can also follow Shannon on Twitter to keep up with her efforts:  https://twitter.com/shannoncoulter

4.      If we are interested in finding a new way to work with other civic-minded people around the country, let’s consider checking out RISE Stronger.  We could be part of our state's chapter to have impact on-the-ground impact in your community. We could support RISE policy working groups. We could learn more about RISE initiatives nationally.  Let’s take a look at the opportunities available, and fill out this brief member interest survey and RISE will get back in touch with us over the coming weeks. 

5.      It is unfortunate that Hannity defends a pedophile candidate, but do his advertisers agree? Use this click to tweet sheet to tell them to drop this enabler now. Public pressure drove O'Reilly off, we can do the same here. What did Hannity say that was so bad?  He said that it is okay for a 32-year-old man to kiss a 14-year-old child (Moore did more than that, but Hannity pretends that that was all he did), and the age of consent does not matter.  Click on this link to get started sending prewritten tweets to all Hannity advertisers:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zJ_QE2Ze2iuI4QA-UDUJ1CUM5BLFVpZ3BwwMZl0k-zo/pubhtml  We can also use  this to call, email advertisers: https://www.mediamatters.org/research/2017/05/23/these-are-sean-hannitys-advertisers/216607

6.      Here’s a new innovative CTA (call-to-action) site called #ActiontoWithstand that uses quick videos a few times a week to let us know an action we can do.  Check out Kristin Brey’s site:  https://www.youtube.com/user/kbrey10/featured

7.      Trey Ganem designs and builds beautiful custom caskets.  He has offered to build caskets for all the victims of the Texas church shooting, at no cost to the families.  https://www.npr.org/2017/11/10/563317122/with-shiny-pink-and-camo-casket-designer-honors-texas-shooting-victims  Let’s thank this generous artist/builder:  Trey Ganem Designs, 304 N. East Street, Edna, TX  77957

8.      A new toolkit from Women’s March EMPOWER teaches high school and college students to become effective activists for progressive change in their communities. “The goal isn’t to reach one certain goal or fight back against one certain policy,” explains an article in Teen Vogue: 
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/womens-march-toolkit , “it’s to empower young people with knowledge and know-how to achieve their own social justice goals.” Let’s check out the toolkit and share it with our high school and college friends, neighbors, students, and children: https://www.womensmarch.com/empower .

9.      After numerous e-mails, Facebook Marketing VP Carolyn Everson has still not responded to inquiries over whether Breitbart violates Facebook's Community Standards http://read.bi/2mfNNLY Meanwhile, Breitbart is still one of the websites where Facebook's Audience Network advertises for various companies, thereby allowing Facebook to profit off of the website's bigotry and hate speech. Sleeping Giants is asking that we e-mail Everson, with screen shots of content on Breitbart, to ask if she has reached a decision on whether Breitbart violates Facebook's Community Standards. Vice President of Marketing Carolyn Everson e-mail: carolyn@fb.comSample e-mail, via Sleeping Giants: "Hi Carolyn,
Have you had a chance to reconsider whether Breitbart is violating your monetization rules by demeaning or disparaging people, groups, or causes? If not, here are some examples to help you with your decision. Thanks, [Your Name]"

10.  The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has a new tool which tracks hate in the White House. The resource shows a monthly timeline of extremism in the Trump administration, bringing to light the many instances which fall out of the realm of normal. Let's check out October's roundup:  https://www.splcenter.org/hate-in-the-white-house-october

Petitions

1.      Let’s join Sum of Us in fighting the genocide of Rohingya Muslims by signing a petition asking Cartier to stop sourcing gems from Myanmar https://actions.sumofus.org/a/tell-cartier-to-stop-using-gems-sourced-from-myanmar

2.      “Trump vowed to put America first. Instead, his climate-destruction and polluter-first energy policies are putting us dead last.”  Let’s join the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in demanding that Trump restore America's leadership on climate change:  https://act.nrdc.org/sign/climate-action-restore-leadership/

Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to attend/organize

1.      December 14th will be the 5-year Anniversary of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School and Vigils are being held nationwide through the Newtown Foundation.  Let’s check here to see if there is one near us:  http://foundation.newtownaction.org/2017/11/01/2017-nationwide-vigils-events-endgunviolence/

Reading/Watching

1.      Experts in authoritarianism advise us to keep a list of things subtly changing around us, so we’ll remember.  Amy Siskind is keeping that list for us. Amy writes that, "This week started and ended in chaos, with a respite in-between as Trump traveled to Asia and stayed on script. The length of this week’s list is testament to how broad-based the attacks on, and erosion of norms and our democracy have become — well beyond Trump as the sole actor. The Resistance that started as Trump took office has grown in both impact and power, as evidenced by Tuesday’s elections, which were a wipe-out for Republicans and an amazing display of diversity. A revolution around sexual assault and harassment is gathering steam, with offenders being outed daily. All the while, the Mueller probe progresses. This week more ties between the Trump campaign and Russia were exposed, and questions surfaced as to the knowledge and engagement of senior people on the campaign, including Trump."  Let's review Amy Siskind's list week 52.  We can now find all Amy's lists at theweeklylist.org

2.      “The Resistance Helped Democrats Win on Tuesday. Now They're Turning to 2018” -- http://time.com/5017525/the-resistance-helped-democrats-win-on-tuesday-now-theyre-turning-to-2018/

3.      And as always, our weekly dose of Small Victorieshttp://mailchi.mp/peaceisloud/small-victories-hear-our-voice?e=86890239c4












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