11/2/17
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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.
The tax bill is scheduled to be rolled out today. Trump
announced yesterday that he wants an ACA repeal in the tax plan so the dollars
can be used for more tax cuts. Oh, he and
wants it all done by Friday. http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/358201-trump-suggests-repealing-obamacare-mandate-in-tax-bill The cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and to the
middle class are alone very troubling.
However, tax cuts to corporations do not make good sense for the
betterment of our citizens either. Former Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich
says, “Trump and Republicans in Congress are trying to pass a massive tax cut
for wealthy corporations. These companies are already hugely competitive, and
their after-tax profits are a higher share of the total economy than ever. If
anything, their taxes should be raised, not lowered.” Let’s watch this clip from Reich and use the
info with our MoCs why we don’t want these cuts for corporations: https://www.facebook.com/RBReich/videos/1750809868264935/
And it looks like we need to keep
telling our MoCs that we do not want the ACA repealed, we want it fixed!
2.
During the Senate hearings with representatives from
social media, two senators were concerned enough to formulate a bill to address
election security. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Senator Susan Collins
(R-ME) have introduced the Securing America’s Voting Equipment (SAVE) Act (S. 2035)
http://nmpoliticalreport.com/714603/heinrich-joins-forces-with-collins-over-russia-interference-and-election-security/ Let’s make sure our senators know that we
approve of this bipartisan effort to protect our elections. If they have not co-sponsored this bill,
let’s ask them why.
3.
The Trump administration has announced that it will be
repealing the Clean Power Plan, but the EPA must have an open comment period for
the proposal to repeal. Let's check out this helpful Q&A from Stanford
legal and economic experts on what the Clean Power Plan is, as well as possible
outcomes of a CPP repeal http://stanford.io/2z5qrue Then, let's be sure to
leave a comment on proposed repeal at the EPA's website http://bit.ly/2gjIqsV We
can check out a sample letter from the National Resources Defense Council
(NRDC) to help us with talking points http://on.nrdc.org/2iQvawV
4.
While bipartisan legislation was introduced earlier
this year to help protect Special Counsel Mueller from arbitrary firing from
Trump, Senate Republicans are now saying that legislation to protect Mueller is
unnecessary http://politi.co/2gQMIF2 Rather,
they seem to be of the mind that Trump would not fire Mueller because, as
Senator Hatch put it, "he knows that’d be a stupid move." One of the
most important roles of Congress is to play their part in our system of checks
and balances. This system does not simply function on trust, but rather by
taking legislative action to ensure the everyone is kept in check. Let's keep
calling our MoC to ensure that they support the Special Counsel Integrity Act
in both the House (H.R. 3771)
and Senate (S. 1741).
5.
It is being reported that Sam Clovis, Trump's nominee
to be USDA's Chief Scientist, was the one who encouraged George Papadopoulos to
set up a meeting with Russian government officials: http://bit.ly/2zXa96Q Clovis
was already a bad pick for the Chief Scientist position, for myriad reasons (http://n.pr/2xIzmBV). Let's
remind the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee that
they need to oppose this nomination, for the safety of our country. Chairman
Roberts: (202) 224-4774 Ranking
Member Stabenow: (202)
224-4822
6.
Medicare is the only government agency not allowed to
negotiate drug prices with Big Pharma, and this Bill would allow them to do so.
Other agencies, like the VA and Medicaid do and save as much as 73% on
drug prices. The yet-unnumbered bill,
introduced last week, has a good chance of passing since it's a popular
bipartisan idea, with 93% of Democrats and 74% of Republicans supporting it. http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/357099-frustrated-with-trump-dems-introduce-drug-pricing-bill This would be a much-needed legislative win
for both parties and, more importantly, a step toward better universal
healthcare for all of us. Click here to send a message to your Senators through
the Other98's site: https://other98.com/let-medicare-negotiate-lower-drug-prices/
7.
Let's remind ourselves not to normalize the many
unethical goings-on in the White House. For example, there's Trump's
"unusual" handling of his private assets. Even though he is the
wealthiest person to ever occupy the WH, he has shown little interest in
avoiding conflicts of interest regarding his personal finances. For one thing,
he has not liquidated most of his assets and put them into a so-called
"blind trust," as many previous Presidents have. Watch this quick primer
on how Trump has not in any real way transferred his assets to a neutral party,
and why that's a problem: http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2017/03/16/heres-how-trumps-see-through-trust-works.cnn Let’s
contact our MoCs to let them know that this continues to concern us.
8.
From Audubon, "Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke
has initiated a formal comment period as part of a process to weaken or
eliminate landmark conservation plans that are helping to ensure the survival
of the Greater Sage-Grouse. [Let's] Tell him to let the plans do their
job. The conservation plans protect 67 million acres of the Greater
Sage-Grouse’s habitat, the result of years of collaborative work from many
stakeholders." The deadline to comment is November
27." Let's use this letter-writing tool at Audubon to submit our own
comments in support of the Greater Sage-Grouse habitat.
9.
Trump has nominated the head of a Kentucky engineering
firm to run the federal agency that regulates reclamation of surface mines.
Steve Gardner, president and chief executive officer of Lexington consulting
and engineering firm
ECSI, has been nominated for the top job at the Interior Department’s Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement. Environmental groups vowed to oppose
Gardner’s confirmation, arguing that Gardner is the wrong person to ride herd
on the coal industry’s reclamation practices because he has been such an ardent
supporter of the industry. We can read more at the Lexington-Herald
Leader. Let's send emails and postcards to our Senators letting them know
that we have concerns about someone (Gardner) with such close ties to the
mining industry regulating it.
10. It’s
been two months since Trump announced he’ll end the Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals program in March, and the White House continues to be disorganized and
misleading about their standards for a deal they’ll agree to protect
Dreamers: http://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Dream-Act-supporters-stepping-up-demands-to-12321764.php The Southern Border Communities Coalition is
working to continue building pressure on Congress to take action, instead of
letting time continue to tick away. Let’s join them in calling our reps and
demanding a clean, bipartisan Dream Act at this link: http://www.southernborder.org/real-dream.
Election 2017
1.
The Virginia election next Tuesday affects us all. Many are saying that Virginia 2017 will be
the test of the #resistance. Let’s watch this short clip and see why: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ0xJEioIyg&feature=youtu.be
Then, let’s check here to see how we can help no matter where we live: http://whyvamatters2017.com/vam-action-volunteer.php
2.
We’re less than a week away from Election Day in
Virginia, a critical test of our ability to turn out our voters in the Trump
era and of the Trump-Gillespie strategy of highly racialized appeals to the GOP
base: http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-virginia-election-race-20171101-story.html Let’s get our progressive candidates over the
top! We can sign up to text Virginia voters with NextGen America this weekend
at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSehwCdTQK6ze1DH-cqeDlnSmrbJRj2EYFnu-tnReVkIfV9pxw/viewform.
3.
November elections are almost here and whole country
will be watching to see if the tide is finally turning. With Trump's approval
down to 33%, this can be our big chance to send a message and to make change.
To encourage voters and raise awareness, Action Together Network is sponsoring
a three-day Twitter Blizzard, from Friday, November 3 to Sunday, November
5. Each Day has a different focus:
A) Friday: General Candidates, B)
Saturday: Virginia Candidates , and C) Sunday: Get Out the Vote, Participating is simple: Click on this link for prewritten
tweets: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P-pB5FuZfsR1D0guGQhvaPPHpDPksKagm0e1TN815Q8/edit#gid=2137189468
Then click on the tweet and it will tweet from your account. All storms
start at 8pm Eastern Standard Time.
Let’s get the #BlueWave going and turn #VABlue!
Let’s get the #BlueWave going and turn #VABlue!
4.
All States: Ballotpedia provides
a resource for us to find and review the local and state candidates and
measures that will be on our ballots next Tuesday. Let's check out
our own state to make sure we are aware of all the items that will be on our
ballots: Ballotpedia
Election resource. Let's share this resource on Facebook and other
social media as well as via email to help get this important information out to
all who need it.
State Actions
Other Actions
1.
November 1st marked the opening of the enrollment
period in Obamacare – something the Trump administration is not shouting from
the rooftops. Here is some straightforward information about the enrollment
period (which is shortened) including contact information for help at the
end: http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/358074-five-things-to-know-as-obamacare-enrollment-begins Let’s
share this information within our networks to help people get enrolled.
2.
We know that the budget for navigators (helpers) for
the ACA was cut way back, but they are still out there. If we, or someone we know, needs assistance,
here’s a tool we can use and share to find the help: https://connector.getcoveredamerica.org/en-us/widget/
3.
It seems that there is a former Afghan interpreter for
the US, who has the correct visa to come to the states, who is being detained
in Iceland. His destination is Rochester, NY. The Trump administration is
stopping refugees by not allowing them to board their connecting flight to the
US. Khan needs help in terms of a place
to stay temporarily while he is in Reykjavik, but also people who may be
willing to advocate for him. More
details listed here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wB37odnEVXrMWyNFT_lMIBFJXzEpiNLgq8lSDA9fadk
If we, or someone we know can help, let’s help!
The rest of us can call our MoCs to let them know this is happening and
ask for them to help. We can also
contact media sources in hopes of getting attention to this case that may be
one of many.
4.
One of the Obama Foundation's biggest priorities is
helping to develop our next generation of civic leaders (https://www.obama.org/mission/).
Grownups are fighting hard to preserve our democracy, but it will be the young
who must carry it forward, and organizations like this one are developing the
tools and training to help those future leaders. Many cities and towns have
grassroots efforts in this vein as well, so let's pick one or two to support
with our time, expertise, and/or money.
5.
Here's another example of a journalist being attacked
for doing their job. "Shareblue Media reporter Mike Stark has been
harassed, ejected from public events, and prevented from covering Republican Ed
Gillespie's campaign for governor of Virginia. Then he was thrown to the ground
and handcuffed by six police officers."
https://shareblue.com/shareblue-media-reporter-violently-arrested-while-covering-gop-nominee-for-virginia-governor This is inexcusable. We can contact Ed
Gillespie and ask him what he's going to do about this case, here: (804)
340-6154; or email: contact@edforvirginia.com We can
also contact the Chief of Police in Fairfax County Mason District , Colonel
Edwin C. Roessler Jr., to let him know that police should be protecting freedom
of press, not attacking it: 703-246-2195 or online:
6.
On Tuesday, the Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders
defended Kelly’s suggestion that slavery was a subject on which there could be
an acceptable compromise. Reporter April Ryan responded by asking “Does this
administration think that slavery is wrong?" Sanders left without
answering, but Ryan’s question demonstrated her ongoing commitment to hold this
administration accountable. http://thehill.com/homenews/media/358086-april-ryan-to-huckabee-sanders-does-administration-think-slavery-is-wrong and
http://www.newsweek.com/april-ryan-angela-rye-donald-trump-white-house-black-women-reporter-america-645702 Let’s
send Ryan our appreciation: @AprilDRyan or april@aprildryan.com.
7.
We hear about the issue of ocean plastic a lot,
but these new photographs demonstrate just how pervasive
the pollution is. Roatán-based photographer Caroline
Power shared these pictures taken near the Caribbean island
belonging to Honduras, revealing what she calls a “sea of plastic and
Styrofoam”. Power said, “This has to stop." Power wants people to
think about their own consumption of single-use plastic. She writes,
“Think about your daily lives. How did you take your food to go last time you
ate out? How was your last street food served? Chances are it was styrofoam and
served with a plastic fork and then put in a plastic bag. Do you still use
plastic garbage bags? Plastic soda bottles? Ziplock bags? Plastic wrap on your
food? Do you buy toilet paper that comes wrapped in plastic instead of paper?
Do you put your fruit and veggies in produce bags at the grocery?” Let's become
more aware of the ways we use single-use plastic and commit to replacing one of
uses with something eco-friendlier. Ideas: Bring your own grocery bag for
shopping, bring your own containers to restaurants for your take-out, say
"no" to straws in restaurants (Yes, there is an anti-straw movement!
Let's read about it at strawfree.org)
8.
Most of us are familiar with Postcards For America,
but here is another postcarding group we can join, Postcard Avalanche: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PostcardAvalanche/
9.
MomsRising.org
is inviting us to become #ACAdefenders to help spread the word about this
shortened ACA enrollment period. Let’s
help: http://action.momsrising.org/signup/acadefender-2017
Once we sign up, we will get a link to
an online toolkit that will have updates!
10. Put
this number in your contacts list: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). That’s the
toll-free hotline of Election Protection,
an initiative of the Lawyers’ Committee
for Civil Rights Under Law to help voters across the country exercise their
right to vote. If you run into hassles when you go to vote next Tuesday,
you’ll want this number at your fingertips. More here:
11. With
all the talk and concern of Russian bots on Twitter, two college students
decided to do something about it.
“ This week, the duo launched a Google Chrome browser extension that inserts a button
onto every Twitter profile and tweet that reads, snappily, “Botcheck.me.” Click it, and you
get a diagnosis of whether the account appears to be run by a person or by some
sort of automation…” https://www.wired.com/story/the-college-kids-doing-what-twitter-wont/ Let’s try it and see if it helps us stay
safe.
Petitions
1.
Let’s join Oxfam in telling Trump and Congress that
welcoming refugees is an American value:
https://secure3.oxfamamerica.org/page/s/americans-welcome-refugees
2.
Richard Spencer, the white supremacist who spoke at the
University of Florida last month, has requested to speak at the University of
Michigan. Let’s sign this petition to
the president of U of M and to the school’s regents asking them not to give
this movement an opportunity to share hate:
https://www.change.org/p/president-mark-schlissel-refuse-richard-spencer-s-request-to-speak-at-the-university-of-michigan
3.
Florida is one of only three states with a lifetime ban
on voting for those convicted of crimes.
Florida’s Voting Restoration Amendment would allow people who’ve paid
their debt to society to earn back their right to vote. Let’s learn more and
sign the petition to help move this forward:
https://www.floridiansforafairdemocracy.com/about2
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms
to attend/organize
1.
On January 20, 2018, youths across America will be
marching in the March for Our Future. This is from their mission
statement: “America’s diverse youth and their allies will march to protect the
future of this country. While facing issues like climate change and
discrimination we recognize that youth are the most vulnerable to violations of
human rights, yet our voices have not been heard….We recognize and call for
‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’ for immigrant, undocumented,
black, brown, LGBTQIA, and youth of all faiths, ethnicities, races, classes,
ages, and abilities.” http://www.marchforourfuture.com/about.html Let’s
help promote the event with the youths in our communities.
Reading/Watching
1.
“Both Campaigns Sought Russian Dirt. Clinton's Way Was
Legal” -- https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-10-30/both-campaigns-sought-russian-dirt-clinton-s-way-was-legal
2.
We can celebrate a little good environmental news: In
September, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the
Endangered Species Act designation for the Sonoyta mud turtle whose
numbers are believed to have dwindled to as low as 100. “The Sonoyta mud
turtle is clearly in danger of extinction,” Steve Spangle, a field supervisor
with Fish and Wildlife’s Arizona Ecological Services, said in a release
announcing the listing. “Protecting it under the Endangered Species Act
will marshal increased attention and the resources needed by our U.S. and
Mexican conservation partners to improve and expand its dwindling habitat and
populations,” Spangle said. We can read the full story at Tucson.com.
3.
Excellent piece of satire in the Washington Post by
Alexandra Petri about Gen. John Kelly’s comments about the Civil War being due
to lack of compromise: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2017/10/31/john-kelly-was-right-the-civil-war-was-all-about-compromise/?utm_term=.7868c7a2ee51
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