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Contact Federal Government Officials

Find senator’s contact info here: https://goo.gl/RLiotu

Find representative’s contact info here: https://goo.gl/5i7SXC

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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.       Last evening, the House of Representatives passed a bill. H.R. 38, known as the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, in a 231-98 vote that would required states to recognize the concealed gun carry permits of visitors from other states.  “A resident of Kansas, for example, which lets people carry concealed guns without any permits, could travel with a gun to New York City, where gun laws are much stricter, if this bill passes the Senate and is signed into law.”  http://www.newsweek.com/gun-laws-looser-concealed-carry-reciprocity-740469  Time to work on our senators to get this bill stopped.  The number of gun deaths in this country is already unacceptable.  This law will certainly cause even more. 

2.      While we’ve managed to win a number of legislative victories over Trump’s agenda, there is one area where the reactionary right has quietly made a great deal of progress: getting the Senate to confirm extremist judges. Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley is pushing for votes on a set of TEN nominees for lifetime appointments in a committee meeting tomorrow. These include a number of judges hand-picked by the hyper-conservative Federalist Society, like Don Willett (http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/28/politics/fifth-circuit-nominees-willett/index.html). Let’s contact our senators and let them know that we are paying attention and we want them to do everything they can to stop Trump’s judicial nominees. And for those of us represented by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, let’s tell them we want them to stop the rush to judgment and give the people enough time to get a full sense of just how outrageous these picks are. (We can find talking points on four key nominees from People for the American Way here.)

3.      There has still been no legislation protecting DACA recipients. Democrats have refused some suggestions for bundled bills from Republicans, because they are pushing for a Clean Dream Act: a bill protecting Dreamers that does not use them as bargaining chips for other measures to harm immigrant communities. https://www.nilc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Clean-Dream-Act-1pg-2017.pdf While they may not agree with Democrats on how the legislation should look, there were nevertheless 34 House Republicans who sent a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan yesterday saying that “We must pass legislation that protects DACA recipients from deportation and gives them the opportunity to apply for a more secured status in our country as soon as possible...Reaching across the aisle to protect DACA recipients before the holidays is the right thing to do.”   https://rodneydavis.house.gov/uploadedfiles/20171205110110668.pdf We couldn't agree more. Why don't we call our Republican House Reps, particularly those in swing districts, and ask them why they won't sign onto this letter, if they haven't already?

4.      Have our MoC taken the Dreamer Pledge, vowing to only vote for the spending bill if it has a clean DREAM Act? We need to make it clear to our MoC that voting for the spending bill, without the DREAM Act, is a vote to deport MoC. It's that simple. Let's check the list of Dream Killers, and if our MoC is on there, let's give them a call and urge them to take the Dreamer Pledge and become a Dream Hero https://www.dreamerpledge.org/dream-killers-1/

5.      With the resignation of long-serving senator John Conyers, we have entered a new phase of the struggle against sexual harassment/misconduct. Social norms are finally shifting, and many good people are trying to find the way forward, to examine how best to think about the victims, the offenders, and the harms inflicted on society https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/29/upshot/sexual-harassment-response-legal-system-guidelines.html As the article suggests, a blend of the criminal and civil legal viewpoints could be a useful way to frame the issue, but really what we need to do is start having the tough conversation about it. Congress, because it is currently in the sexual misconduct spotlight and because it creates the rules of its own governance, could actually help us by debating/devising a code of sexual conduct for itself. Such a code could become a model for other workplaces (or at least serve as a goofy prototype), so let's tell our MoCs to start acting on this through the House Committee on Ethics and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics.

6.      Now that experts have had time to look over the pending tax bill in all its complexities, there are many issues that will be trouble for many if not resolved.  https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/06/tax-plan-glitches-mistakes-republicans-208049  After reading this, let’s let our MoCs know that we are counting on them to make this tax reform a good deal for workers, too.

7.      In the midst of all the tax issues and its providing cuts for large corporations and the wealthy, “House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Wednesday said House Republicans will aim to cut spending on Medicare, Medicaid and welfare programs next year as a way to trim the federal deficit.”   http://thehill.com/homenews/house/363642-ryan-pledges-entitlement-reform-in-2018  It is time to tell Mr. Ryan and ALL our MoCs that we do not want the federal deficit to be on the backs of our most vulnerable, particularly when there are so many tax loopholes for the rich and large corporations are still unfixed.

8.     In July, Trump warned that he wouldn’t be happy if Mueller looked into his personal banking records. Now that Mueller has subpoenaed Trump’s records from Deutsche Bank, Trump has all the more reason to try to fire Mueller. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-05/deutsche-bank-is-said-to-have-received-subpoena-on-client-trump and https://nypost.com/2017/07/19/trump-warns-mueller-not-to-probe-into-his-finances/ Let’s contact our MoC to ask them to proactively protect Mueller’s investigation and then make plans for demonstrating should Mueller be dismissed (https://act.moveon.org/event/mueller-firing-rapid-response-events/search/).

9.      “Facing a surge of pressure from his fellow Democrats, Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) stepped down from Congress on Tuesday over mounting allegations of sexual harassment.” http://thehill.com/homenews/house/363282-conyers-announces-retirement-amid-sexual-misconduct-allegations  And, it appears that Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) will also. So why is Blake Farenthold (R, TX) still in the House after costing taxpayers $84,000 in taxpayer money? 

10.  The Minnesota's Economic Rights (MINER) Act, H.R. 3905, passed 216-204 last week, with nearly all Republicans in support and nearly all Democrats opposed. The Obama administration’s decision, made the day before former President Obama left office, blocked mining for two years in an area of the forest near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, in an effort to protect those waters from potential mine waste output. The bill would also require the Forest Service to renew two-decades-old mining leases for sulfide ore in the forest that had gone unused before Obama declined to renew them in 2016. “This bill undermines bedrock environmental and public land management laws in order to create a perpetual lease for a foreign-owned, toxic mine,” said Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.). We can read the story at The Hill.  If our Senator is a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, let's call them to tell them to protect Minnesota's boundary waters by opposing H.R. 3905.  If our Senators are not on the committee, let's send emails and postcards of opposition to the MINER Act, H. R. 3905.

11.   An Ohio State professor is taking a stand against the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, after he banned scientists who receive EPA funding from serving on any of the agency’s 22 advisory boards. Despite receiving an email Nov. 3 implying her resignation, Robyn Wilson, an associate professor in the School of Environment and Natural Resources, has refused to give up her EPA funding and her membership on the Science Advisory Board, a position she began in 2015 during the Obama administration. Wilson is defying Pruitt’s new policy because she doesn’t believe it’s legal to stop a member from serving on the board if they receive funding. We can read more at The Lantern.  Let's thank Robyn Wilson for taking a stand.  Robyn Wilson, The Ohio State University, School of Environment and Natural Resources, 210 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Rd, Columbus OH 43210. Everglades National Park in Florida remains the most endangered natural world heritage site in the United States, a new report says. According to a World Heritage Outlook released last month by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, the outlook for the Everglades is "critical" and is the only site of 11 sites assessed in the United States to be designated as such.  "Natural resources protected by Everglades National Park provide key ecosystem services to the regional human population including water storage and recharging of the aquifer, buffering against the impacts of tropical storms and hurricanes, as well as economic benefits associated with tourism, including recreational fishing, and the commercial fishing industry," the report says. Let's read more at The Weather Channel.  The Everglades for the Next Generation Act, House bill HR2691/Senate bill S1234, amends the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 to provide for expedited project implementation relating to the comprehensive Everglades restoration plan.   House bill HR2691 is currently with the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.  Senate bill S1234 is currently with the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.  Let's check the members of both committees for our own MoC's. If they are members, let's tell them we support the Everglades for the Next Generation Act and want to see them keep moving it through committee. Let's work together to restore the Everglades.

12.  When the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created its goal was to what its name implied:  protect consumers in financial matters and has returned nearly $12 billion to 29 million people wronged by financial institutions.  But, once again, Trump has named someone, Mick Mulvaney, who is trying to undo the good.  In fact, Mulvaney is already pulling back on some cases in progress.  https://www.bna.com/mulvaney-puts-early-n73014472800/  Let’s remind our MoCs to safeguard this bureau that is designed to protect us and not allow corporations to bilk us.

Election 2017/2018

1.       Republican Senator Jeff Flake made a donation to Doug Jones’ Senate campaign in Alabama and wrote “country over party” on the memo line of the check:

2.      The Alabama Senate is still too close to call, so we must make sure that Democratic voters make it to the polls. Just this week, the Atlanta mayoral election was won by 759 votes, so we know how much each vote matters. It is vital to get the vote out. To do that, we can join Red2Blue in texting voters in Alabama on behalf of their local, trusted elected officials. We'll be letting voters know these officials are voting for Doug Jones -- and encouraging them to do the same. The official launch is Friday, but if they can start sooner, they will!  We can sign up here http://bit.ly/R2B-Alabama and then join the Open Progress Texting Slack, #red2blue channel.  And we can still help the NAACP phone bank to turn out African-American voters at http://ppldemand.nationbuilder.com/phonebanks

State Actions

1.       States along the Ohio River: Climate change will push the Ohio River and its tributaries into uncharted waters, setting off economic and environmental crises like never before across a 13-state region. That's the conclusion of a new U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report.  It found that flooding, drought and power failures could become more frequent in Kentucky and Indiana — and the rest of the Ohio River basin.The study makes the case that a healthy Ohio River is essential to the United States for industrial manufacturing, power generation, drinking water supplies, transportation of goods through a network of locks and dams, recreation and maintenance of the natural world. The document is intended to help the 27 million people who live in 2,400 urban and rural communities across 204,000 square miles understand that the Ohio River and its tributaries will not escape climate disruption. Let's read the full story at the Courier-Journal.  If we are among the 27 million people affected, let's contact our state and local representatives to find out what they are doing to mitigate climate change disruptions in our communities.  

Other Actions

1.       The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is a far-right, corporate-funded political group, which is, according to their website, "dedicated to the principles of limited government, free markets and federalism." ALEC has consistently pushed back against environmental protections and legislation, and even caused Google to stop funding the organization because of ALEC's consistent climate change denial  
http://bit.ly/2nwX2Ie Senators Warren and Whitehouse have written a great op-ed in the Washington Post, explaining how ALEC works, and calling out UPS and Pfizer for funding such a dangerous organization http://wapo.st/2jlRw6T While UPS has publicly acknowledged the dangers of carbon emissions, and committed to reducing carbon pollution within the company, their support for ALEC runs completely contrary to this stance. Let's contact UPS and let them know that they cannot claim to care for the environment, yet use their money to support a political group that works to end environmental protections. We can reach UPS via Twitter @UPS, via mail: UPS World Headquarters 55 Glenlake Parkway NE Atlanta, GA 30328, the corporate office by phone: 404-828-6000 or CEO David Abney via e-mail:  dabney@ups.com

2.      Part of fighting back against a culture that fosters sexual harassment and abuse, is relying on allies to call out misbehavior when they see it. John Oliver did exactly this during the Tribeca Film Festival, against Dustin Hoffman, who has a long history of sexual misconduct http://wapo.st/2ARsZk9 http://bit.ly/2AdwMsq Oliver did more than simply call out the behavior, he called Hoffman out for inadequate responses and Oliver was clear in his support of believing victims. Let's give John Oliver a huge thank you and a shout out for his considerable support, and for being a true ally. We can send a tweet to @iamjohnoliver or on Facebook     https://www.facebook.com/iamjohnoliver/

4.      We should celebrate and cherish the freedom of press and speech we still enjoy in the US, and here's a great way to do it. Why not reach out to a writer or journalist in another country who has been imprisoned for expressing points of view regarded as controversial by their government? "This December, PEN America is collecting messages of solidarity to be delivered to a writer of your choosing by mail, email, or through our extensive network of contacts. This annual PEN America tradition has for decades brought hope to writers at risk, many of whom keep and share the notes they receive long after they’ve been released, or the threat is over." We can find out more here: https://pen.org/you-are-not-alone-2017/

5.      We all remember the Pulse nightclub tragedy in Orlando last June when 49 people were killed while enjoying themselves.  The hero of that day, Officer Omar Delgado, who was credited with saving lives, is being dismissed from his job at the end of the month due to his on-going PTSD which he has suffered from since the event.  This is six months short of the time he would have been vested in his job and to qualify for a pension.  http://abcnews.go.com/US/pulse-nightclub-hero-dismissed-police-department/story?id=51613661  Let’s write and ask that this decision be reconsidered:  Eatonville Police Department, 11 People Street A, Maitland, FL 32751 or http://www.townofeatonville.org/police_contact/   Let’s also contact the Eatonville Town Council:  http://www.townofeatonville.org/council/   We can also contribute to a GoFund me effort on Delgado’s behalf:  https://www.gofundme.com/2gv6zp8c

Petitions

1.       Let’s sign our name to this Petition to Senate Democrats:  "Do not collaborate with Donald Trump and Trump Republicans to deregulate big banks. We need to finish the job of Wall Street reform and end a dangerous and rigged system that puts our economy at risk, not roll back the reforms already in place."  https://act.credoaction.com/sign/warren_sanders_dodd_frank

Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to attend/organize

1.       Today is the day that the Net Neutrality protests are taking place at Verizon stores across the country: http://verizonprotests.com  We can check out this handy guide on how the protest should go http://bit.ly/2AYN4oR  Here is why it is so important to keep Net Neutrality:  https://www.facebook.com/janayafuturekhan/videos/10155905474878119/ Let’s join in if we are able and let’s also take 15 seconds to call the office of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to say that we support Net Neutrality (if voicemail: just leave name, city, state, and very brief statement stating support for Net Neutrality): 202-418-1000

Reading/Watching

1.       The #metoo movement has been selected as Time Magazine’s Person of the Year: http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2017-silence-breakers-choice/

2.      What everybody gets wrong about misogyny:  Sexism and misogyny are not the same — and the difference matters:  https://www.vox.com/identities/2017/12/5/16705284/misogyny-trump-sexism-patriarchy-weinstein

3.      We can learn about the science of climate change–from what greenhouse gases are to how they warm the Earth–and hear from people whose work helps us understand our changing planet. The PBS Learning Media collection "Clue Into Climate" explores the causes of climate change, its impacts on freshwater and ecosystems, and strategies for curbing and adapting to climate change. Let's check out the educational videos available to us.


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