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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.
Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the US; its residents
are American citizens. But these citizens cannot vote in federal
elections and have no voting representative in Congress. Apparently,
their plight since being decimated by two hurricanes is of much less concern to
Congress than that of the voters in Texas and Florida. 60% of the island
is without water; all of it is without electricity; food is scarce.
The impending “humanitarian crisis” has not prompted Congress to act nor
has it garnered expressions of sympathy from Trump, who finally tweeted to
bemoan the condition of the island’s electric grid and blame PR’s “deep
trouble” on its Wall Street debts:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/sep/26/trump-puerto-rico-crisis-massive-debt
PR Gov. Ricardo Rosello predicts, understandably, a huge exodus to the mainland
if greater federal aid is not forthcoming. Given that our fellow citizens
have no voice, it is critical that we demand that our MoCs immediately provide
the resources Puerto Rico needs to avert a crisis.
2.
“In the United States, outdoor burning and detonation
is still the military’s leading method for dealing with munitions and the
associated hazardous waste….[There are at least] 51 active sites across the
country where the Department of Defense or its contractors are today burning or
detonating munitions or raw explosives in the open air, often in close
proximity to schools, homes, and water supplies….[T]he military’s open burn
program not only results in extensive contamination, but ‘staggering’ cleanup
costs that can reach more than half a billion dollars in a single site.” https://www.propublica.org/article/military-pollution-open-burns-radford-virginia Let’s
tell our MoCs that it’s long past time for the US to join its Western allies in
destroying aging weaponry without emitting toxic waste.
3.
"…during his speech at the United Nations,
President Trump said his government would “totally destroy North Korea” if
necessary to defend the United States or its allies. On Friday, Kim Jong
Un responded, saying North Korea “will consider with seriousness exercising of
a corresponding, highest level of hard-line countermeasure in history.” The
North Korean leader didn’t elaborate on the nature of this countermeasure, but
his foreign minister provided a hint: North Korea might test a hydrogen bomb in
the Pacific Ocean. Hydrogen bombs are far more powerful than atomic bombs,
capable of producing many times more explosive energy. The initial blast could kill most of
the life in the strike zone—scores of fish and other marine life—instantly. The
explosion would send radioactive particles flying through the air and into the
water. Wind could carry the dangerous particles over hundreds of
miles. The smoke from the blast site could block out sunlight and hinder life forms at sea that depend on photosynthesis
to survive. The exposure to radiation could cause severe health problems for nearby
marine life. Radioactivity is known to damage cells in humans, animals, and
plants by causing changes in their genes. The changes could lead to crippling
mutations in future generations. The eggs and larvae of marine organisms are
especially sensitive to radiation, according to experts. Affected animals could pass the
exposure up the food chain. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/09/north-korea-bomb-pacific-ocean/540825/ Let's ask the White House to come to the
table, stop the name calling and make peace. Our Planet can't afford the consequences.
4.
Our Revolution's People's Platform is focusing its
efforts on the Automatic Voter Registration Act (H.R. 2840), which would
automatically register anyone 18 years old or older who is eligible to vote and
who has provided their information to the state motor vehicle authority.
Although the bill has 130 cosponsors, it has been stuck in committee since
June. Let's make sure that our Representatives cosponsor and support H.R. 2840.
We can also contact the House Committee on House Administration, and tell them
that we support the Automatic Voter Registration Act and want to see it pass
out of committee: (202) 225-8281 1309 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515 We can learn more about the People's Platform
here: https://ourrevolution.com/press/60-members-congress-sign-peoples-platform/
5.
Next week, on October 3rd, the House will be
voting on Rep. Franks' Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 36),
which would outlaw abortions after 20 weeks gestation http://bit.ly/2hyc3XD Not
only does this infringe on women's bodily autonomy and reproductive rights, but
it presents a clear misunderstanding of why some women have abortions at or
beyond the twenty-week mark of a pregnancy
http://bit.ly/2ysugcp Further, according to the CDC,
only 1.3% of abortions in the U.S. in 2013 took place after a pregnancy reached
20 weeks http://bit.ly/2jvxyYd Let's
make sure to call our MoC and tell them that we expect them to support women's
bodily autonomy, and oppose H.R. 36.
6.
United We Dream has a helpful infographic that we can
share to help explain the DREAM Act (S. 1615 and H.R. 3440) and much more
conservative SUCCEED Act http://bit.ly/2xwcfNE Let's make sure that our MoC are
cosponsoring and supporting the DREAM Act. We can also check out United We
Dream's We Are Here to Stay website, which has a plethora of resources and
calls to action to help support and defend immigrants in the U.S. http://weareheretostay.org/
7.
Although waived for Florida, Louisiana, and Texas in
the aftermath of the hurricanes that hit those states, the Trump administration
took days in approving a waiver of the 100-year-old Jones Act that would help
ease ships getting to Puerto Rico to dealing with the humanitarian crisis
there: Public and Congressional pressure helped him move in this
direction, however the reason he cited for not doing it sooner was that a lot of
shippers did not want it. http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/Trump-Waives-Jones-Act-to-Help-Puerto-Rico-After-Criticism-448446173.html
Let’s remind Trump that in times of public crisis, the needs of people come
before the wants of industry. https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/write-or-call
8.
The Elder Abuse
Protection and Prosecution Act, bipartisan legislation to protect seniors from
neglect and financial exploitation has passed the Senate as part of the Court-Appointed
Guardian Accountability and Senior Protection Act that would help
crack down on elder abuse by strengthening oversight and accountability for
guardians and conservators. https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/8/klobuchar-cornyn-bipartisan-bill-to-protect-seniors-from-abuse-and-financial-exploitation-passes-senate
Let's contact our representative asking support of S178 as
it heads to the House for a vote.
9.
As the world sees an extraordinary number of
refugees—especially from war-torn areas like Iraq and Syria—Trump intends to
set the ceiling for refugees to the US at 45,000, the lowest number since the
signing of the 1980 US Refugee Act.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-refugees/trump-expected-to-set-u-s-refugee-cap-at-45000-sources-idUSKCN1C12RB
He will not relent on the Oct. 5th deadline for applying for DACA
renewal, and he has added Chad, North Korea, and government officials from
Venezuela to his now-indefinite travel ban, in hopes that we will be fooled
into thinking that it is not directed at Muslims: http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/24/politics/trump-travel-restrictions/index.html
Let’s let the White House and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson what we think of
these attacks on immigrants: 202-647-4000 or
U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20520
10. "President
Trump said Wednesday that he is “not happy” about revelations that Health and Human Services Secretary
Tom Price took numerous flights on government-funded private jets for work and
personal trips. Responding to questions from reporters, Trump said he is
“looking into” the situation and that “personally, I'm not happy about it, and
I let him know it.” Price has
been criticized for using public funds to pay for private flights
more than two dozen times, according to Politico, mixing in some personal travel with
business trips." https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/09/27/trump-not-happy-about-hhs-secretary-tom-prices-travel-on-private-jets/?utm_term=.b70290539c65
Let's ask Trump to practice what he preaches. Let’s ask him to stop his
excessive vacation trips paying his own properties and breaking the bank for
secret service paychecks while enriching his pocketbooks.
11. Now
more than ever, we are in need of broad-based change to our political
institutions, from campaign finance reform to redistricting reform to automatic
voter registration to formally requiring the President to put their assets in a
blind trust. That’s why Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and Representative David Price
(D-NC) have joined together with reform organizations to introduce the We The People Democracy Reform Act, which takes a
comprehensive approach to the systemic issues we face (https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-09-27/political-reformers-have-a-new-asset-trump).
Let’s show Congress that this is what Americans demand, not more attempts to
take away our health care, and ask them to co-sponsor and publicly declare
their support for this legislation.
12. Trump
has nominated Eric Dreiband, who has a long history of protecting companies
from being held accountable for violating civil rights, to be the assistant
attorney general in charge of enforcing our civil rights laws (http://www.npr.org/2017/09/06/548985268/civil-rights-division-nominee-eric-dreiband-appears-before-senate-panel).
The Trump Administration may not be committed to civil rights, but our country
is, and our senators need to know that before they vote on this nomination.
Let’s tell them to oppose Dreiband's confirmation and to ask the White House to
send them a nominee who we can trust with the Civil Rights Division.
13. While
Mueller is conducting his investigation we all know that more is needed. He is
bound by special counsel regulations.
“That is why we need a bipartisan commission to investigate the matter
and produce a comprehensive public report.”
http://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/352289-mueller-isnt-all-powerful-we-need-a-bipartisan-election-interference Let’s use this guide from Postcards for
America to understand the need so we can contact all our federal legislators
and ask for such a commission. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sHuQJGvbSwdOrweIk7m8dMoUsbS6fdIbpAi_8PLARik/edit
State Actions
1.
MI: The state
needs to hear from Michiganders who support clean energy and climate
action. http://www.miclimateaction.org/comment_on_energy_plan
Other Actions
1.
Again, this year, all fourth graders (or 10-year-olds)
have access to a free pass to them and their families to attend national parks,
monuments, forests, etc. Here’s a good explanation: http://allthemoms.com/2017/08/10/free-national-park-pass-fourth-grader/ Let’s sign up with our fourth-graders! https://www.nationalparks.org/our-work/campaigns-initiatives/every-kid-park
2.
On Tuesday night, Roy Moore won the Republican Senate
run-off in Alabama against Luther Strange to fill Jeff Sessions’ seat. It would
be difficult to overstate how repugnant Moore is (the fifth section of this
calls attention to his views about homosexuals and Muslims): http://thehill.com/homenews/the-memo/352614-five-takeaways-from-the-alabama-run-off Please
consider making a donation to his Democratic opponent Doug Jones for the
December election: http://bit.ly/2wkeGlh
3.
"Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban lent the team
plane to point guard J.J. Barea to fly food, water, and supplies to Puerto
Rico, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. Barea, who is from Puerto Rico, set up a
relief fund for Hurricane Maria victims with his wife, Puerto Rican actress and
model Viviana Ortiz. They have raised over $140,000, according to MacMahon.
Barea reportedly left Monday after communicating with his parents for
the first time Sunday and learning where help was most needed. He'll
reportedly return on the team plane Tuesday night. " http://www.businessinsider.com/mark-cuban-mavericks-plane-jj-barea-puerto-rico-relief-2017-9 Let’s thank Mark Cuban via Twitter @mcuban or
a message on his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markcuban/
or write to him in care of Dallas
Mavericks, The Pavilion, 2909 Taylor Street, Dallas, TX 75226. We can also thank J.J Barea via Twitter @jjbareapr or at the Dallas
Maverick’s address.
4.
From Chop
Wood/Carry Water: we flipped two
seats blue yesterday [Tuesday] --one in Florida and one in New
Hampshire--in what were both SUPER red districts. The Florida victor, Annette
Taddeo, was outspent her by opponent by over a million dollars! The
candidate in NH, first timer Kari Lerner, won by 39 votes! In a district Trump
won by 23 points. Guess what pushed them both over the edge? Canvassing and
POSTCARDING! That's right! So PLEASE consider doing some! It's so easy;
you don't have to talk to anyone, and just think: Kari Lerner won by
thirty-nine people. EVERY VOTE MATTERS. So Text HELLO to (484) ASK-ABBY
and Abby the Address Bot will help you immediately with instructions and
addresses!
Petitions
1.
“The Democratic opposition to Ajit Pai's
re-confirmation was launched today by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), who
accused the Federal Communications Commission chairman of abandoning the public
interest. Cantwell criticized Pai's in-progress attempt to eliminate net
neutrality rules and said he has taken other actions that hurt Americans.
“ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/09/senator-launches-opposition-to-ajit-pais-fcc-re-confirmation/ Let’s sign this petition to voice our
agreement: http://act.freepress.net/sign/internet_fire_pai
2. Let’s
join in the petition to the Dept. of Homeland Security and Trump to waive the
Jones Act to help our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico: https://www.change.org/p/department-of-homeland-security-waive-the-jones-act-for-all-cargo-at-ports-in-puerto-rico-to-aid-hurricane-maria-relief
Marches/events/teleconferences
to attend/organize
Reading/Watching
1. Here’s in insight into why getting ID for
some people is so problematic: http://www.bridgemi.com/detroit-journalism-cooperative/poor-michigan-no-id-i-am-somebody-i-just-cant-prove-it
2. Fox Sports commentator Nick Wright says,
"The protests have been hijacked by folks with an agenda. I tried to set
the record straight this morning. I think this is worth your time." https://www.facebook.com/NickWrightFS1/videos/1675829499156048/
3. Details of the Trump tax plan are still not
clear, but all indication points to this being a very good plan for the very
rich and businesses, not so much for the middle class or our country as a
whole. ““If this framework is all about
the middle class, then Trump Tower is middle-class housing,” said Senator Ron
Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-tax/trump-proposal-slashes-taxes-on-businesses-the-rich-fuels-deficit-worries-idUSKCN1C213M A
radio commentator offered that getting this legislation passed will make the
ACA repeal/replace effort look like a walk in the park.
Rogan’s
List is a participant in and strategic part ner of the Action Alliance,
a loosely-federated group of organizations that, in
the wake of the
2016 election, are sharing daily or weekly calls to
action.
Other
member sites are listed here: https://www.actionalliance.co/ --scroll down and click through and you'll
find many more opportunities to make a difference.
******
Rogan’s List is also part of RISE Stronger’s United States of
Resistance
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