Special Announcement
Rogan’s List is thrilled to announce a new
partnership with RISE Stronger whose “mission is to build a
dynamic, strategic movement of politically engaged communities that demand a
responsible and accountable government which serves the interests of the
people. RISE Stronger is made up of
passionate people from all walks of life who are committed to protecting and
advancing freedom, equality, and justice, and ensuring a transparent, responsible
and accountable government for all.”
Just like us. Stay tuned in the days and weeks to come for some tweaks and changes, but Rogan’s List will continue to be the quality source of daily calls-to-action you rely on, but as part of the RISE Stronger organization. In the meantime, if you are not already a member of RISE Stronger, sign up here and join this wonderful organization: https://risestronger.org/sign_up
Contact Federal Government Officials
Find
your legislators here: https://www.theloyalopposition.net/rep-finder/
OR
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OR
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Accounts here:
Find representatives on Twitter
here:
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If
your senators and reps aren't saved in your phone yet,
text
your US postal address to (520) 200-2223 and get a text back with your
STATE
& FEDERAL legislative rep phone numbers.
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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. Senators Lamar Alexander(R-TN) and Patty
Murray (D-WA) say they have “reached an agreement on a bipartisan Obamacare
deal to fund a key insurance subsidy program and provide states flexibility to
skirt some requirements of the health care law.” http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/17/alexander-and-murray-say-theyve-struck-bipartisan-obamacare-deal-243872. Andy Slavitt, who ran the ACA for Obama and
has been working hard to save it, tweeted this statement in approval: https://twitter.com/ASlavitt/status/920401437598683136 Let’
call our 3 MoCs and ask them to support the Murray-Alexander ACA stabilization
compromise as currently negotiated and ask that it be brought up for a vote
ASAP! If we tweet, we can use this
Click-2-Tweetsheet (from @planetscape) to tell GOP senators to support it:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CKz9Xqv53Lorvovm2kU_kgcQd8O9kfAQCTcl44aIAYo/htmlview#gid=0
2. On Monday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) received
the 2017 Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Center. His acceptance speech (text here: https://medium.com/@SenatorJohnMcCain/remarks-at-the-2017-liberty-medal-ceremony-8d69751a5ac1) was
gracious, but he also warned against the US turning toward "half-baked,
spurious nationalism". “President
Donald Trump on Tuesday slapped at Sen. John McCain's condemnation the previous
night of “spurious nationalism,” warning the Arizona Republican that "at
some point I fight back and it won’t be pretty.” http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/17/trump-to-mccain-i-fight-back-243861
We don’t always agree with McCain but he is Veteran, a POW
survivor and helped the WOMEN in the SENATE save ACA. Let’s thank him for
his service to this country: https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form or tweet:
@SenJohnMcCain
3. The Dream Act (in both houses of Congress) is
still languishing, yet so many people feel that these young people need our support,
the support that is being pulled from under them. http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/guest-commentary/2017-10-15/sunday-extra-dream-act-deserves-support.html There
are currently 200 cosponsors of H.R. 3440: Dream Act of 2017, which would give young
people brought to this country as children the right to stay and keep their
families intact, but the House Subcommittee on Immigration and Border
Security has taken no action to get the Dream Act out of committee. If your
Representative is listed as a co-sponsor, thank them and ask them to tell the subcommittee
chair to take a vote on the bill. If he or she is not listed, ask them to
cosponsor the bill. Meanwhile, the Senate version of the Dream Act only
has 9 cosponsors. Check to see if either of your senators have cosponsored S. 1615, and thank them if they have. If they haven’t, call and tell them they
need to cosponsor and support the Dream Act now.
4. The proposed Health and Human Services
Strategic Plan, which is updated
every four years, contains some concerning elements. While it is no surprise that it is more
conservative in nature than the current plan, this one states that it will
protect lives from conception to natural death and has references to over 40
faith or faith-based organizations, compared to Obama’s three, obviously
pandering to and using the language of the religious right. https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/10/13/16449724/trump-hhs-abortion-pro-life-conception The concerns over how this will play out and
what it will mean are troubling, at best.
Let’s take advantage of the opportunity while public comments are being
accepted by HHS. Here how we can do that
until Oct. 27: 1) using the comment box
shown at the bottom of each page of the draft strategic plan (link above), 2)
emailing HHSPlan@hhs.gov, 3) faxing to (202) 690-5882, or 4) sending mail to: U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and
Evaluation, Strategic Planning Team, Attn: Strategic Plan Comments, 200
Independence Avenue, SW, Room 415F, Washington, DC 20201.
5. The National Chicken Council and Republican
lawmakers are “lobbying to speed up poultry inspection lines.” Not only would
this increase the risk of food contamination, but it would also put plant employees—often
immigrants and refugees—at greater risk for on-the-job injury. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/another-obama-decision-reversed-now-it-s-about-food-safety-n810296 Let’s contact Agriculture
Secretary Sonny Perdue asking him to refuse requests to speed up poultry
inspection lines: Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, DC 20250
6. Wilbur Ross, the Commerce Secretary, has
given contradictory reports about $2 billion that he left off of his financial
disclosure report, raising questions about whether he “violated federal rules and
whether his family owns billions in holdings that could create the appearance
of conflicts of interest.”https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2017/10/16/the-mystery-of-wilbur-ross-missing-billions/#3a5e5f11c90a Let’s contact our MoC as well as the US
Office of Government Ethics (ContactOGE@oge.gov)
to request an investigation into whether Ross lied on his financial disclosure
report and whether he is really taking the appropriate steps to avoid conflicts
of interest.
7. Democrats are working to stop Education
Secretary Betsy DeVos from
rescinding Obama-era guidance on how colleges should handle sexual assaults on
campus. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) introduced legislation, HR4030, Title IX Protection Act, to codify into law
guidance on sexual violence DeVos withdrew last month while the agency takes
its first steps to write new guidance." http://thehill.com/regulation/355179-dems-unveil-bill-to-write-campus-sexual-assault-guidance-into-law . Right now, the bill has 27 Democratic
co-sponsors. Let's check here to see if our Democratic representatives
are among them. Let’s send thanks if they are; if not, let's ask them to
support HR4030.
8. A bipartisan team in the United States
Congress – in both the House of Representatives and the Senate – has introduced
legislation to protect transgender troops and prohibit the Department of
Defense from kicking out members of the military because they are transgender (http://thehill.com/homenews/house/355324-lawmakers-offer-house-bill-to-block-transgender-troop-ban). We need all Representatives and Senators
to support this effort immediately—because transgender troops who have had
their lives upended by this reckless change in policy can't wait any longer.
Let’s join Freedom for All Americans in contacting our reps and asking them to
get behind this measure at this link: http://action.forallusa.org/page/speakout/collins-gillibrand-bill.
9. Trump’s Department of Health and Human
Services released a disturbing new plan that redefines life as beginning at
conception and removes all references to LGBTQ people and their health needs –
while heavily emphasizing the role of religiously affiliated organizations. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/article177486081.html This is yet another case of this
administration treating religion as a license to discriminate against women and
LGBTQ people, and an example of why it’s more important than ever to throw our
full support behind the Do No Harm Act (H.R.3222). This bill would stop the misuse of the
Religious Freedom Restoration Act to ensure that protections of our First
Amendment rights can’t be used as an excuse to attack Americans. Let’s contact
our reps and tell them we want to see them supporting this measure. (We can
also sign this petition from the ACLU: https://action.aclu.org/secure/DoNoHarmAct2017).
State Actions
1.
MI: Energy
Transfer Partners' Rover Pipeline, LLC. has been issued a violation for
discharging water contaminated with petroleum http://bit.ly/2gexpph There
have already been concerns raised by local citizens, as well as U.S. Senators
Peters and Stabenow, regarding how the construction of the pipeline negatively
affects the environment and drainage systems http://bit.ly/2yvtb77 This
is the same pipeline that spilled over 2 million gallons of drilling fluid into
Ohio's wetlands http://to.pbs.org/2pIpLa1 It
is clear by now that violation notices are not sufficient; action needs to be
taken to stop this pipeline, before it does more damage. Let's join the folks
at Over With Rover and contact the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC),
and ask that they put a halt to the Rover Pipeline. Over With Rover has
step-by-step instructions on how to file an official e-comment with FERC, as
well as contact information for our state and federal representatives
here: https://sites.google.com/view/overwithrover/complain-to-ferc-and-congress
2.
MO: Huge budget
cuts crippled outreach that lets people know when, how and where to sign
up for the ACA, so Indivisible ACA
Signup Project is spreading the word through social media. They have only 2 days to get 45 more
supporters. Help them reach their goal by October 21 to set off
a Thunderclap, a social media flash mob message blast. Please click, add
your social media support on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. THEN cut,
paste and share – thanks! https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/62916-dc-projects/62916-dc-
3.
FL: Clean-up drivers and crews are leaving their
current firms to work for MCM and Community Asphalt "because they can make
a lot more money thanks to a never-before seen contract put out by the [Florida
Governor Rick] Scott Administration immediately after Hurricane Irma. The
emergency contract, uncovered by CBS4 News, dramatically raises the cost of cleaning up the
Florida Keys. And it came at a time when Governor Scott was publicly claiming
his Administration was holding the line on costs and demanding debris removal
firms not raise their rates. Under the emergency contract awarded through
the Florida Department of Transportation, MCM and Community Asphalt are being
paid anywhere from three to 10 times more to do the same work that another firm
is doing under a separate agreement the firm has with Monroe County." If
we are Floridians, we can contact Governor Scott to express our displeasure at his
lack of transparency and the extra costs to our state. Let's remember
this clean-up debacle when Rick Scott decides to run for Senate when he leaves
the Governorship next year.
4.
NC: North Carolina Republicans, who have been
reprimanded by federal courts for targeting minorities with voter ID
restrictions and gerrymandering, passed legislation last week to eliminate
primary elections for state judges next year in what critics say is a blatant
and brazen attempt to take control of the state’s courts. http://www.themountaineer.com/news/nc-lawmakers-expected-to-make-big-changes-to-election-law/article_9d4ff502-b351-11e7-b8b4-53fcfb107146.html
If we are North Carolinians, let's
contact our NC
state legislators about this issue to let them know we oppose a GOP
takeover of the state's courts.
Other Actions
1.
Resistbot can now
contact the White House on our behalf. Text president to 50409 or Facebook
Messenger and we can
write a letter to Trump or any of our members of Congress. Resistbot has just
rolled out v. 3. Messages now first go
to email, then to fax if email fails, then to letter if the fax fails. Let’s learn more: https://resistbot.news/resist-the-white-house-880b59a7fce5
2.
Now let’s take a moment to appreciate something good:
the World Central Kitchen and chef José Andrés have been rivaling (and
shaming!) FEMA by preparing and delivering thousands of meals to
hurricane-stricken Puerto Ricans for 3 weeks now:
https://www.eater.com/2017/10/16/16481720/jose-andres-100000-meals-daily-puerto-rico-hurricane-maria.
While the White House wallows in its own ineptitude, WCK just keeps getting it
done, even expanding out into less accessible regions and exemplifying a
determination to do the right thing that we all need to show. Let’s help them
carry on! https://www.worldcentralkitchen.org/donate
3.
Flip Virginia Blue! Join Today's Action Together
Network's Twitterstorm for Democratic candidates for the Virginia House of
Delegates. Virginia's off year election results often predict how the
next national midterm election will go, so their elections matter to us all. If
Virginia has a strong Democratic showing, things look up for 2018 and we can
make that happen. You'll be tweeting for: 1) Joshua Cole: African-American
and youngest candidate to ever win the Dem nomination for this seat, 2) Science
teacher Cheryl Turpin: 362 votes shy of flipping a 30-year Red District Blue,
and 3) Lee J. Carter: Former Marine and IT specialist. 2018 victories
start here. Let's make it work! Tweetstorm
Link with instructions here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1943005329297657
4.
Americans for Responsible Solutions has changed its
name to Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence.
Let’s watch their new video about this exciting new chapter for the
organization and then add our name to recommit ourselves to the fight against
gun violence: http://act.giffords.org/page/s/giffords-launch-video
5.
5calls.org has
launched a new tool that allows us to phone bank to help get progressive
candidates elected. The first candidate they're focusing on is Danica Roem, who
is running for Virginia's House of Delegates for District 13. We can learn more
about her background, experience, and platform, then make some calls https://5calls.org/team/danicaroem
6.
Indiana State Representative Jim Lucas has drafted
legislation which would require journalists to obtain licenses from police,
stating “If you’re OK licensing my Second Amendment right, what’s wrong
with licensing your First Amendment right?” http://bit.ly/2ylYCRl This false equivalence, while
ridiculous, should also be called out. We can contact his office by
phone: 1-800-382-9841 or
e-mail: h69@iga.in.gov
Petitions
1. "Sign this petition to all NFL team
owners and the league. Call on them to stand in solidarity with protesting
athletes and to take substantive action in support of their efforts."
https://petitions.signforgood.com/DefendNFLPlayers/
2. Over 42,000 people have already signed the UltraViolet petition to bring back ESPN anchor Jemele Hill after Trump and his
racist followers got her suspended...for supporting anti-racist protests. Let’s
join in: https://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/ESPN_Jemele_Hill/
Marches/events/teleconferences/Twitterstorms
to attend/organize
1. Tune in tonight with Indivisible
and Senator Chris Murphy to learn more about the Iran Deal and how we as
citizens can take action. Senator Murphy is also happy to answer your questions
about the topic. 8:30 p.m. ET on Facebook Live:
Reading/Watching
1.
“Colin Kaepernick and a Landmark Supreme Court Case” - https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/colin-kaepernick-and-a-landmark-supreme-court-case
2.
We hear a lot about Thunderclaps lately. Find out more about how Thunderclap helps
grassroots organizing here: https://www.socialworkhelper.com/2013/10/02/thunderclap-can-help-grassroots-organizing/amp/
3.
RISE Stronger’s Week in Science and Technology: https://risestronger.org/newsroom/week-38-science-technology
4.
Trump’s third travel ban blocked in court: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-17/trump-s-third-try-at-travel-ban-is-blocked-by-u-s-judge
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