4/24/19
Contact Federal Government Officials
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(Including Emails & Twitter)
Fax legislators for free:
Or use Resistbot: https://resist.bot/
Or use StampsLicked to have messages hand-delivered to our own
legislators: https://stampslicked.org/
White House contact:
https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/white-house
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1.
IMPEACHMENT: While the Mueller Report, even in its redacted version, has revealed
areas where the president likely obstructed justice, Democrats are divided on
whether to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump. https://www.npr.org/2019/04/23/716247955/more-democrats-call-for-impeachment-proceedings-against-president-trump Good arguments have been raised
on both sides of the issue, with those in favor of impeachment arguing that the
moral imperative and the need to save our democracy demands it, and those
against impeachment worrying about how this will play
out strategically for Democrats in the 2020 election, especially because it is likely
that even if the House impeaches Trump he will be acquitted by the Republican
Senate. Let’s change the messaging by telling our Democratic MoCs to
continue to publically call out Republicans who are putting party over country
and protecting a corrupt president, and let’s tell our Republican MoCs that
it’s their ethical duty to stop enabling Trump and join with Democrats in
preserving our democracy. For talking points, we can learn more about
Trump’s impeachable offenses here.
2.
FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT: Congresswoman Maxine Waters has taken an aggressive oversight
role as chair of the House Financial Services Committee, and her efforts have
been a factor in the Wells Fargo CEO’s resignation and Bank of America’s
decision to increase minimum wage to $20/hour by 2021. https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/440185-maxine-waters-is-the-wall-street-sheriff-the-people-deserve Let’s thank Congresswoman
Waters (202-225-2201) and ask our own Democratic MoCs to call on their
Committee Chairs to replicate Congresswoman Waters’ efforts in engaging in
strong oversight, which is especially needed to counteract the administration’s
tendencies toward deregulation.
3.
OFFSHORE
DRILLING: Public comment deadline is midnight this Friday,
April 25. This
proposed change concerns both coasts through revision to the Coastal Zone
Management Act. Trump is quietly laying the groundwork to weaken a
decades-old federal law that empowers California and other states to slow and
even stop offshore development in federal waters. It is a move to
support the fossil fuel industry at the expense of the environment. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/18/offshore-drilling-trump-administration-safety-oil-spills ID:
NOAA-NOS-2018-0107-0001. Let’s read it and comment here: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=NOAA-NOS-2018-0107-0001 .
4.
IMMIGRATION: Senator
Dick Durbin (D-IL) recently visited the dangerously overcrowded “icebox” where
border crossers stay until they are turned over to ICC and shared his findings:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-immigration-ice-detention-centers-border-patrol-durbin-20190418-story.html Let’s ask our MoCs what they are doing to address
this particularly inhumane portion of the process.
5.
UNITED NATIONS: Despite intensified white supremacist terrorism
and hate speech in the US but perfectly in keeping with his continuing
rejection of international cooperation, Trump has neither renewed nor replaced
human rights lawyer Gay McDougall, our current member of the U.N. Committee on
the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, leaving the US seat empty and,
according to an unidentified State Department official, "[cementing] the
narrative that the Americans just don’t care about these kinds of things
anymore.": https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/438795-trump-blocked-renomination-of-obama-era-un-racism-official-wont-pick Let’s make sure the White House knows
this narrative is false and that we want representation on this committee.
6.
IMMIGRATION: DETAINED CHILDREN: “The Homestead
shelter [in Florida] s the only for-profit child detention center in the
country, as well as the largest in the nation. According to HHS, as of earlier
this month, the average daily cost to care for one child at an influx facility
like Homestead is approximately $775 per day. The average daily cost at a
regular, non-temporary shelter, is about $256 per day, per child. . .As the
only temporary emergency shelter in the country, the Homestead center is exempt
from federal regulations limiting how long authorities can hold migrant
children, which normally is 20 days.”
Yet, instead of being closed as protesters would like, the facility is
adding children. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article229437719.html
Let’s tell our MoCs that
no facility should be working outside the law and most certainly not making
money off these unaccompanied children.
Then, let’s sign this asking the facility to be closed: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/sign-the-petition-close-the-homestead-child-detention-center
Election/Voting
1. NEW
POSTCARDING CAMPAIGN: Postcards To Voters Campaign 156:
Melanie Hughes for Allen TX City Council. Let's
help get out the Democratic vote for this Saturday, May 4 election by
requesting 5 addresses today.
2. ATTN:
POSTCARDS TO VOTERS VOLUNTEERS: If
we currently request addresses via text we can help the organization save money
by requesting addresses from "Facebook Abby" instead of via Text
Abby. Each text costs money while the Facebook version uses Facebook Messenger
at no cost to Postcards To Voters. If
we can, let's make the switch. We can get started with Facebook Abby here and even follow Facebook Abby on
Facebook. Let's request 5 addresses for the current
campaign from Facebook Abby.
3.
NC: SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION FOR THE 3RD
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: A special election
has been called to fill this Congressional seat following the death of Rep.
Walter Jones (R) in February. https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina%27s_3rd_Congressional_District_special_election,_2019 The primary is scheduled for April 30, 2019.
Six Democrats are on the ballot: Richard Bew https://www.richardbew.com/ , Gregory Humphrey https://gregoryhumphrey2019.com/ , Isaiah Johnson https://www.ike2019.com/ , Dana Outlaw https://www.outlawforcongress.com/ , Ernest Reeves https://www.ernestreeves.com/ , and Allen Thomas https://www.allenthomascongress.com/ . If we are in
the 3rd Congressional District (Currituck, Camden, Pasquotank,
Perquimans, Chowan, Tyrrell, Dare, Hyde, Beaufort, Pamlico, Carteret, Pitt,
Craven, Onslow, Jones, Lenoir, and Greene), lets check out these candidates and
make sure that we vote! Voter assistance here: https://www.voteriders.org/ufaqs/north-carolina-voter-id-information/
4.
WI: SPECIAL ELECTION FOR WISCONSIN STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
64: A
special election has been called to fill this state assembly seat that was
vacated when Assemblyman Peter Barca (D) was appointed to the state Department
of Revenue. The election is scheduled for
April 30, 2019. https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Assembly_District_64 Democrat Tip McGuire https://www.tip4wi.com/
is running against Republican Mark Stalker. If we are in the greater
Kenosha-Somers-Mt. Pleasant-Elmwood Park-Racine area in the 64th
District, let’s be sure to vote for Tip McGuire on April 30! Voter assistance
here: https://www.voteriders.org/ufaqs/wisconsin-voter-id-information/
5.
TX: GENERAL ELECTIONS ACROSS THE STATE MAY 4, 2019: There are elections
happening throughout the state on May 4.
https://ballotpedia.org/Elections_calendar#Upcoming_election_dates Let’s this sample ballot lookup tool to
check to see if we have an election coming up in Texas: https://ballotpedia.org/Sample_Ballot_Lookup , and let’s sign up
to receive election reminders and other voter assistance here: https://turbovote.org/ . And let’s vote!
Other Actions
1.
INTROVERT
ACTIVISTS: A
helpful Ted Talk for introverts, by an introvert. “How Can Introverts Be
Activists Too?” https://www.npr.org/2019/04/12/711196501/sarah-corbett-how-can-introverts-be-activists-too Let’s watch and listen to this, then check out the speaker’s outlet,
The Craftivist Collective: https://craftivist-collective.com/
2.
VOTER ENGAGEMENT: Vote
Forward makes it easy for us to send letters to encourage voter registration
and to remind voters to go to the polls. They have three campaigns going on
right now—to register likely Democratic voters in GA, to get out the vote in a
May 21, 2019, special election in PA’s 12th Congressional district,
and to get out the vote in an April 30, 2019, special election in WI’s 64th
State Assembly district. Let’s visit their website, https://votefwd.org/, sign up, and start sending letters. No time to send
letters right now? Consider a donation. Every dollar allows Vote Forward to
purchase about 55 addresses. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/voteforward
3.
RESOURCE FOR EXPLORING THE MUELLER REPORT: The day after the report was
released, folks at Axios took the entire document and coded it for over 400
distinct topics (everything from names to institutions to "Miss Universe
Pageant," believe it or not). We can read the redacted report in its
entirely AND quickly pull up searches for these
topics in this great interactive resource, here: https://www.axios.com/explore-a-detailed-version-of-the-mueller-report-5f7cab5b-9c53-46bc-abaa-bd6b7b3e6d66.html
4.
TIMELINE OF 2016 RUSSIAN ELECTION INTERFERENCE EVENTS: If we are trying to keep track of what happened
when in Russian attempts to influence the 2016 elections, we can check out PBS Newshour’s Russia Timeline, described as, “ a tool aimed at understanding
the growing number of dots and where they connect.” We can read PBS Newshour’s Russia Timeline explanation and guide here: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/features/russia-timeline/ We can read the spreadsheet here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1utamO_EzX9VMyTKqWGF4x2upqohYCRYIdzyrx6YEyyk
5.
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT: Even as the NRA is
encouraging the Senate to oppose the 2019 reauthorization of the Violence
Against Women Act, passed by the House with a clause depriving convicted
stalkers and those with restraining orders against them from buying guns: https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-congress-house-violence-against-women-act-20190404-story.html --the case of
Nicole Addimando is finally receiving attention. After a decade of physical and emotional abuse, Addimando killed
her partner in 2017 in order to protect herself and her young children and was
convicted of second-degree murder; her bail was set at $300,000 cash or
$600,000 bond (not far from Harvey Weinstein's), and she was represented by a
public defender so compromised that the judge ultimately removed him. To
support the struggle to pay Addimando’s staggering legal fees: https://fundrazr.com/WeStandWithNikki To learn more about the criminalization of
survivors of domestic, sexual, and other forms of gender violence: https://survivedandpunished.org To join the fight to end money bail, let’s
check out https://chicagobond.org, https://brooklynbailfund.org, or https://massbailfund.org). And, finally, here’s law professor
Leigh Goodmark’s critique of the VAWA,
which enables us to think about the real-life effects of the VAWA’s emphasis on
criminalization: https://theconversation.com/the-violence-against-women-act-is-unlikely-to-reduce-intimate-partner-violence-heres-why-103734
6.
CAMPAIGN
HELP: We are always looking for ways to help the campaigns we are
involved in do better at a good to low (or no!) cost. Let’s check these out:
Mapping can help campaign
and canvassing. Two free apps to look at:
https://thedemlabs.org/2019/03/19/two-free-mapping-apps-to-better-target-campaigns/and an
app to coordinate canvassers not using the Voter File: https://thedemlabs.org/2018/05/17/knock-knock-whos-there/
State Actions
1.
ALL: STATE
ELECTIONS 2020: The 2020 election is coming fast, and with so many important
races at the state level, it can be hard to know how to best use our energy and
money to get progressive legislators elected. One organization, Future
Now,
has both a record of success and the organizational capacity and vision to mount
a coordinated, nationwide network of campaigns. Even better is Future Now's
commitment to developing model legislation to help state legislators craft laws
that fulfill substantive progressive goals aligned with the larger national
agenda (https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/04/future-now-democrats-2020-state-legislatures/587314/). Let's have a look
at Future Now's pledge for would-be legislators (https://www.futurenow.org/pledge) and, if it embodies
the kind of legislative approach we'd like to see, support it!
2. KY: HUMAN
TRAFFICKING: The 2019 Kentucky Derby is a little over a week away, and
like the Super bowl, it is a prime opportunity for human traffickers to
purchase or sell human beings for sex and/or labor. Attorney General Andy
Beshear, state prosecutors, and victims advocates are asking that attendees
keep an eye out for signs of human trafficking, and to speak up if we see
something. Let's read through warning signs here, and call 877-KYSAFE1
if we see anything suspicious. Victims can also call the National Human
Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.
3. ME: SUPPORT
ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION—The Green New Deal for Maine would set state
environmental goals and foster economic growth. And the Act to Eliminate
Single-use Plastic Carry-out Bags would ban most single-use plastic bags in
Maine retail stores. https://www.suitupmaine.org/legislature-roundup/#LD1282 Let’s contact our
state legislators and ask them to co-sponsor the Green New Deal for Maine, LD
1282, and a ban on single-use plastic bags, LD 1532. https://www.maine.gov/portal/government/edemocracy/voter_lookup.php Bonus points if we
sign up with Suit Up Maine: https://www.suitupmaine.org/
4. MI: EDUCATION
STANDARDS: Last year, a draft for new social studies standards was
released, which would have cut references to gay rights, climate change, Roe v.
Wade, and downplayed the historic role of the NAACP, among
other changes. After public outcry and numerous meetings with the public,
the Michigan Department of Education has released a revised draft, though now
it is receiving blowback from a conservative member of the Board of
Education (https://bit.ly/2IMowTr). Let's read
through the proposed standards, then be sure to leave a comment about the new
standards, and if possible, show up to one of the public meetings that will be
held throughout the state: https://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-28753_64839_65510-339831--,00.html
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to
attend/organize
1.
IMPEACHMENT TWITTERSTORM TODAY: Trump wants nothing more than all talk of impeachment to go away, but with the Mueller
Report raising at least ten possible counts of Presidential obstruction of
justice, he needs to held accountable. As Charles Blow says in this New York
Times article, “An impeachment vote in the House has, to this point, been the
strongest rebuke America is willing to give a president. I can think of no
president who has earned this rebuke more than the current one.” https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/21/opinion/impeach-donald-trump.html To
raise awareness of this important
issues, we can join Action Together Network and The Blue Wave Report’s Impeachment Twitter storm, TODAY from 8-9pm
EST. When we click this link, we will get access to prewritten tweets we
can send out with just a few clicks: https://www.facebook.com/events/406620280159949/
Reading/Watching
1.
We Seem to be Ignoring the Women Running for President - https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/439045-we-seem-to-be-ignoring-the-women-running-for-president
2.
With a Green
New Deal, Here’s What the World Could Look Like for the Next Generation - https://theintercept.com/2018/12/05/green-new-deal-proposal-impacts/
3.
There’s a
Bigger Prize Than Impeachment: Keeping Trump in office will destroy the
Republican Party - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/22/opinion/theres-a-bigger-prize-than-impeachment.html
4.
Native
American activists: The fire at Notre Dame is devastating. So is the
destruction of our sacred lands. - https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/4/17/18412307/notre-dame-native-american-activists-sacred-lands
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