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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 yet, the Senate may vote on the budget
resolution which is the first step to the GOP tax reform plan. http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-tax-reform-plan-senate-budget-mcconnell-2017-10 This is the budget that will pave the way for
the tax cuts to the wealthy and to corporations at the expense of others. https://theintercept.com/2017/10/04/senate-budget-tax-cuts-medicare-medicaid-health-care/ We need to let our senators know that we are
counting on them to pass a budget that does not signal cuts in Medicare,
Medicaid, or any other program that is designed to help our most vulnerable
citizens whom we value more than corporations and the wealthy.
2.
Even though
critics would like to see Trump ousted from office, Pence as president would be
equally disturbing. “When the conversation turned to gay rights,
Trump motioned toward Pence and joked, “Don’t ask that guy—he wants to hang
them all!”” https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/23/the-danger-of-president-pence With such malicious
intent towards some of our citizens, even if jokingly, we need to let our MoCs
know that normalizing this kind of talk is wrong and that Pence would be
equally dangerous in the Oval Office.
3.
Yesterday, Trump said that American public is sick of
the Mueller investigation and that he would like it to end. http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-fire-robert-mueller-2017-10
While Trump claims to have even considered firing Mueller, let’s tell our
senators that we’d feel more confident about the investigation if they would support
S.1735 (The Special Counsel Independence Protection
Act) and S. 1741
(The Special Counsel Integrity Act).
4.
The Iran Deal was created to help keep in check a
country with nuclear capabilities by lifting economic sanctions in exchange for
Tehran giving up its nuclear weapons program https://usat.ly/2z5gqNF Unsurprisingly,
Trump has made numerous false claims about Iran and the agreement http://wapo.st/2yod9f6 If
the U.S. imposes sanctions against Iran, the deal would be terminated. As
Congress decides how it will respond to Trump's outspoken stance against the
Iran Deal, let's call our MoC and make sure that they are not considering
lifting sanctions as part of their solution.
5.
Attorney Thomas Farr is Trump's nominee to be District
Judge of North Carolina's Eastern District; a lifetime position. As an
attorney, Farr has defended racial gerrymandering, voter ID laws, and has
defended against workers' rights laws http://bit.ly/2yLPjec The Congressional Black Caucus,
North Carolina chapter of the NAACP and AFL-CIO have all come out against
Farr's nomination http://bit.ly/2xIAST9 The
Senate Judiciary Committee has already held their hearing, but they have not
yet taken a vote on the appointment. Let's contact Chairman Grassley and
Ranking Member Feinstein and ask that they oppose Thomas Farr for North
Carolina District Judge. Sen. Grassley: (202) 224-3744 Sen. Feinstein: (202) 224-3841
6.
“The Trump administration is taking steps to impose
"numeric performance standards" on federal immigration judges,
drawing a sharp rebuke from judges who say production quotas or similar
measures will threaten judicial independence, as well as their ability to
decide life-or-death deportation cases”:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/immigration/ct-immigration-judges-quotas-20171012-story.html
Not only will public trust in the immigration courts be compromised, but
judges will be under tremendous pressure to act quickly, without the kind of
deliberation these complex cases with their dramatic effects deserve. We
must let AG Jeff Sessions that these changes will turn the immigration courts
into a sham: 202-353-1555 or U.S.
Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001
7.
As Trump and the GOP continue their attacks on women's
rights, other members of Congress have introduced legislation to offer more
protection http://bit.ly/2ggVlfl Back
in January, Representative Barbara Lee introduced H.R. 771, or Equal
Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH Woman) Act of 2017. There
are 125 cosponsors, which amounts to about 29% of the House! Let's check to see
if our representative has cosponsored this legislation (pro-tip: if you have a
Republican rep, they didn't), and thank them if they have https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/771/cosponsorsOtherwise,
let's call our reps and ask them to support women's rights, and cosponsor H.R.
771. We can also become a citizen co-sponsor through Our Revolution: https://go.ourrevolution.com/page/s/each-woman-act
8.
Last year, Congress stripped many of the Drug
Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) powers to go after drug companies suspected
of oversupplying narcotics and contributing to the country’s opioid crisis.
Now, one of the leading advocates for the law, Rep. Tom Marino (R, PA), has
been nominated as Trump’s “drug czar,” to direct drug-control policies. This is
especially troubling given Trump’s lack of movement about the opioid
crisis. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/investigations/dea-drug-industry-congress/ and https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/10/us/politics/trump-opioid-emergency.html Let’s
1) contact our MoC asking them to take steps to strengthen the powers of the
DEA to go after drug companies that are spilling narcotics on the street and 2)
contact our Senators asking them to oppose Marino’s confirmation as drug czar.
9.
Congressional ethics investigators have indicated
there is “substantial reason to believe” Rep. Chris Collins (R, NY)—the
first Congressman to endorse Trump— “engaged in insider trading and either took
or requested official actions to benefit a company in which he’s the largest
shareholder…Those may violations of House rules, standards of conduct and
federal law.” Unfortunately, the House Ethics Committee that is reviewing these
charges is doing so “under a procedure that does not set deadlines for further
public announcements and rarely results in punishment.”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/10/12/ethics-investigators-suggest-rep-chris-collins-may-have-engaged-insider-trading/758304001/ We
can’t let this sort of corruption be normalized! If our Congressmen are on this
committee, let’s contact him/her directly, and if not, let’s contact the
committee itself https://ethics.house.gov/contact-us to express our
desire for a thorough investigation and the pursuit of appropriate disciplinary
action.
10. The
US is withdrawing from UNESCO, which helps to “improve access to education,
preserve cultural heritage, improve gender equality and promote scientific
advances and freedom of expression,” around the world. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/10/12/u-s-withdraws-from-unesco-the-u-n-s-cultural-organization-citing-anti-israel-bias/ At
a time when international landmarks are under increasing threat from extremists
(see for instance, this article about ISIS’ destruction of the Temple of Bel in
Palmyra https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/01/satellite-images-reveal-isis-destruction-of-palmyras-temple-of-bel)
the USA should be increasing its support for UNESCO, not withdrawing it. Let’s
contact Nikki Haley (https://usun.state.gov/contact)
to express our displeasure with the decision to withdraw from UNESCO.
11. While
Trump looks the other way, President Erdogan of Turkey has been taking
increasingly aggressive moves towards the United States and Americans, from
securing the lobbying services of Michael Flynn (Trump’s National Security
Advisor) to ignoring an attack upon protesters in the USA by Erdogan’s security
detail. Now a US consular official has been arrested in Turkey, in what may be
an attempt to gain leverage against the US with regard to the trial of an
accused money launderer later this month in New York. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/the-man-at-the-crux-the-of-us-turkey-dispute-is-about-to-go-on-trial/2017/10/12/92c4c7a2-af96-11e7-be94-fabb0f1e9ffb_story.html?utm_term=.ede64de09439 and https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/erdogan-is-risking-a-rupture-of-relations-with-the-united-states/2017/10/10/e1215d56-ad12-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html?utm_term=.2d45ba758f93 The
current US Ambassador to Turkey, John Bass, is departing from this position, so
let’s take our concerns straight to the State Department: https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform
12. Rep.
Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) is calling on the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) to look into a report that residents of Puerto Rico are
drinking water that may be contaminated. Thompson wrote a letter to acting
DHS Secretary Elaine Duke asking for an investigation, CNN reported per this article in The Hill. Let's add our own voices to the call for an
immediate investigation. We can call DHS at 1) Operator Number: 202-282-8000 and/or
2) Comment Line: 202-282-8495
13. Trump
"has nominated former Texas environmental lobbyist and regulator
Kathleen Hartnett White, a climate change skeptic, to head the Council on
Environmental Quality, a federal office that coordinates efforts between
agencies." Per this Dallas News article, "White is a fellow at
the right-leaning Texas Public Policy Foundation in Austin, which
receives funding from energy companies including Chevron and
Exxon Mobil. White was also an economic adviser to Trump during
his campaign and lobbied for the foundation until late last
year."..."The nomination of Kathleen Hartnett-White is the nightmare
scenario for anyone who wants clean air and clean water," Sierra Club
Executive Director Michael Brune said in a statement. "Her record makes
clear she is completely ready and willing to sell out the health of our kids to
corporate polluters." Based on our experiences with this administration
and the environment, we can safely stand with the Sierra Club on this one.
Let's tell our Senators to say "no" to science-denying polluter
Kathleen Harnett White for Council on Environmental Quality. Let's tell them that we care about environmental
quality, now and in the future.
14. A
joint 60 Minutes/Washington Post report reveals that Congress has exacerbated
the opioid crisis, which has claimed more than 200,000 lives, by passing by
unanimous consent—no debates—the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug
Enforcement Act.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ex-dea-agent-opioid-crisis-fueled-by-drug-industry-and-congress/ It
was signed into law by President Barack Obama. The culmination of a $106
million lobbying effort by Big Pharma, the law lets the pharmaceutical industry
ship “hundreds of millions of pills to rogue pharmacies and pain clinics,”
flooding our streets with these deadly drugs. The new law “makes it virtually
impossible for the DEA [Drug Enforcement Administration] to freeze suspicious
narcotic shipments from [drug companies].” https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/investigations/dea-drug-industry-congress/?utm_term=.770aedc220fd&wpisrc=al_alert-national&wpmk=1 Every
single Senator and Representative is complicit. Let’s tell them what we think
about what they have done and demand that they fix it.
15. #TheResistanceTweetsheets
has a new set of tweetsheets on Stop
#ACASabotage Part 2. We can find
them here: https://resistancetweetsheets.wordpress.com/2017/10/13/stop-acasabotage-part-2/
State Actions
1.
VA: This is a get-out-the-vote effort for the
gubernatorial race in Virginia on November 7th – can sign up to
get reminders from Democratic party there: https://iwillvote.com/commit/
2.
MA: Today is the Special Election to put Democratic
candidate Paul Feeney in the Bristol/Norfolk State Senate seat. If we’re in
Attleboro, Foxborough, Mansfield, Medfield, Norton, Rehoboth, Seekonk, Sharon,
or Walpole, we are needed at the polls to keep this seat Blue. Feeney’s
opponents, Republican Jacob Ventura and Independent Joe Shortsleeve are Trump
supporters. This is a tight election. Let’s vote and get friends, family, and
neighbors to vote for Feeney as well. More here: http://www.votefeeney.com/
3.
TX: Are you a Dallas resident or have family or friends
in Dallas.? The Dallas Morning News says VOTE YES on E and F. "Libraries
are not only indispensable suppliers of books, information and digital access,
but they increasingly double as community centers that serve seniors, children,
job-seekers and lifelong learners. The city owns 23 cultural facilities with a
backlog of maintenance needs in the $100 million range. Prop F makes only a
dent in that figure, but it's the right start." We recommend a 'yes' vote on Dallas Props E
and F — for libraries and cultural arts https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2017/10/16/recommend-yes-vote-dallas-props-e-f-libraries-cultural-arts VOTE
YES ON "E" and "F".
Just a reminder that Early voting starts: Oct. 23 and Early
voting ends: Nov. 3 and Election Day: Nov. 7
4.
KY: Republican state representative Regina Huff
(district 82 - Whitley, Laurel-partial) has pre-filed a bill for the 2018
General Assembly that would mandate that the governor annually proclaim the
last Wednesday in September as ‘A Day of Prayer for Kentucky’s
Students.’ (full article: Lexington Herald-Leader)The legislation, Huff said,
“doesn’t require students to pray.” But she said, “In my opinion, in
prayer there is hope.” We hope this bill doesn't come to fruition since it's
walking the fine line of the separation of church and state. We don't
think we need a bill for students that want to pray. If we are
Kentuckians, let's contact our own state representative to oppose this bill now. If
we are in Huff's district 82, let's make sure she knows that she is not
representing her constituents.
5.
NH: Special Election next week—New Hampshire State
House of Representatives,
October
24, 2017. Democrat Casey Conley
https://www.facebook.com/pg/conleyforhouse/about/?ref=page_internal is
running against Republican Guy J. Eaton and Libertarian Brian Shields. Conley
stands for, among other things, protecting NH’s Medicaid expansion, fighting
for a $15 minimum wage, and making state colleges more affordable. If we’re in
District Strafford 13, Dover ward 1, let’s get this election on our calendars,
plan to vote for Casey Conley, and urge our family, friends, and neighbors to
vote for him, too.
Other Actions
1.
Texas prisoners dug deep into their commissary funds
and raised $54,000 for Harvey recovery efforts: http://www.newsweek.com/texas-prison-inmates-raise-53000-donate-hurricane-harvey-relief-685115 Can
we dig any deeper into our own pockets to help those recovering from Harvey,
Irma, Maria, and now the wildfires in California? Here are leads on where we
can best help: http://www.businessinsider.com/best-charities-to-help-hurricane-victims-harvey-irma-maria-2017-9/#hurricanes-maria-and-irma-local-organizations-in-puerto-rico-1 andhttp://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-help-california-fires-20171014-story.html
2.
Today, Tuesday Oct. 17, is International Sawfish
Day! "Join The Deep, alongside aquariums all over the world as we
celebrate the very first International Sawfish Day; a day dedicated to
increasing awareness of these amazing animals in a bid to safeguard their
future. This annual event has been created in partnership with the Sawfish
Conservation Society (SCS), the European and American Associations of
Zoos and Aquariums to educate people on the threats they [sawfish] face as
well as developing conservation strategies that will protect them." Let's
read more at The Deep, a UK aquarium. Let's contact our own local
aquariums to find out if they are featuring a Sawfish event. We can let others
know about Sawfish Day using Thunderclap to share the word on social media. Let's
spend a few minutes to become more knowledgeable about the endangered sawfish.
3.
On November 16th, Ai Wei Wei’s new film about the
global refugee crisis, Human Flow, will
be released. Screenings are scheduled in just a handful of cities, with limited
dates. Let’s increase this film’s reach by requesting that Human Flow be made
available on iTunes https://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html and Netflix
https://help.netflix.com/en/titlerequest
With enough requests, we could spread
the word about the largest forced movement of populations since WWII a lot
farther.
4.
After one week and about 75,000 evacuations, it looks
like some progress is being made against Northern California's wildfires:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2017/10/15/one-week-later-firefighters-gain-ground-historic-california-fires/765986001/
As some of the residents are allowed to return to their homes, they face
the possibility of total devastation and considerable challenges ahead. For
those of us with the means, we can help those impacted by the wildfires and
support relief efforts by donating to the North Bay Fire Relief fund
5.
The opponents to sensible gun control are financially
backed by those for whom strong gun laws mean weak profits: gun manufacturers.
To help win this fight, we need to hit them in their pocketbooks, and that’s
not going to be easy. The stock prices of all four of the publicly traded gun
manufacturers actually rose after the tragedy in Las Vegas https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/02/gun-stocks-rise-after-deadly-las-vegas-shooting.html.
We can start pushing back at home with our own investments. Some of the largest
investors own considerable shares in these gun companies. We can check out
whether our investment portfolios include gun stocks using this website:
https://goodbyegunstocks.com/. Let’s do so, share it with
our financial advisers or whoever manages our retirement benefits, and ask them
how to get gun stocks out of our portfolios and commit to putting more into
socially responsible “ESG” investment funds.
6.
Zappos, the online shoe store based on Las Vegas, is
paying for the funerals for all of the Las Vegas Massacre victims as well as
travel costs for their families. They have also set up a fund and will match
donations up to one million dollars. Qw can contribute here: https://www.zappos.com/about/support, then thank
Zappos: 400 Stewart Ave., Las Vegas,
NV 89101, and then join Everytown for Gun Safety here: https://everytown.org/
The time to stop Gun Violence is now
7.
We’re closing in fast on Election Day 2017 in Virginia.
We have an opportunity to flip the House of Delegates, sending a message to
Trump and creating new opportunities to pass progressive legislation on the
state level http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/14/pence-biden-virginia-governor-race-243779
Red2Blue and Open Progress have set up
an easy way to help win seats from the comfort of our own phones. We can sign
up to help text voters to get out the vote at this link:
8.
From Postcards for
America: 114 Members of Congress
have written a letter to Secretary of Defense Mattis asking for some sort of
proof that 45 consulted with the military (as he claimed he did) prior to the
announcement of the #transmilitaryban. Check and see if your Representative signed
the letter (https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0k1qCMVpKZpRGtWckdCbE9oLXM
) and send them a thank you postcard. And then write General Mattis and ask him
to provide the information they requested:
Address: 1000 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-1000
Petitions
1. Let's let Mark Zuckerberg know that Facebook
needs to take much more responsibility for its role in the 2016 election.
"Facebook enabled Russian interference in the United States election in
2016, but refuses to provide a full account to the public. In fact, it has
recently removed data that allowed independent researchers to understand the
nature and scale of the problem. American citizens that use
Facebook deserve to know how they were exposed to Russian disinformation
and propaganda. Facebook should provide this data to users in an application
that makes it easy to understand." Sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/facebook-facebook-must-inform-users-how-they-were-exposed-to-russian-propaganda
2. Tell the Senate not to appoint voting rights
opponent Thomas Farr to a lifetime federal judgeship. Since many Obama nominees
were blocked, Trump has 108 judgeships to fill, and Farr is one of the worst so
far. For over 25 years, he has dedicated himself to suppressing the Black
vote in North Carolina, working with Jesse Helms to keep Black voters from the
polls, supporting gerrymandering and defending a voter suppression law that
would, according to a federal court, "target African Americans with almost
surgical suppression." Now Trump wants to appoint him to a lifetime
position. Show your support of Voting Rights and sign this petition to
stop this nominee. https://act.colorofchange.org/sign/oppose-thomas-farr-federal-judge
Marches/events/teleconferences/Twitterstorms
to attend/organize
Reading/Watching
1. “Inside the ‘adult day-care center’: How aides
try to control and coerce Trump” - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/inside-the-adult-day-care-center-how-aides-try-to-control-and-coerce-trump/2017/10/15/810b4296-b03d-11e7-99c6-46bdf7f6f8ba_story.html?utm_term=.4ca986f02af2
2. “Gov. Rick Scott on Monday declared a state
of emergency in advance of a white supremacist’s speech Thursday at the
University of Florida — an event that has led the school to spend
$500,000 to “enhance security on campus” and in Gainesville.” - http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/new-state-emergency-declared-ahead-white-nationalist-speech/A6AaSLfqyviYasB6i3GxEL/
3.
A little good news in case we missed it: The Supreme
Court denied a petition by private prison corporations seeking to block the
release of government documents about their immigration detention practices. “Today’s
decision by the Supreme Court has finally put an end to private prison
contractors’ relentless attempts to keep their secrets buried. Private prison
contractors have a long history of hiding profiteering schemes and covering up
deadly abuses in immigration detentions. With this decision, the Supreme Court
has signaled agreement that private prison contractors must not act with
impunity and dictate government secrecy. This victory is especially important
as we face a presidential administration committed to mass privatization as
well as mass detention and deportation,” said Mary Small, policy director of
Detention Watch Network." - https://ccrjustice.org/home/press-center/press-releases/supreme-court-rules-favor-government-transparency-against-private
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