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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.
Contrary to the financial information derived from the
tax plan by others, Trump says that his accountant said that Trump would be a
“big loser” if the tax bill passes. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/conservatives-demand-changes-to-house-gop-tax-bill/2017/11/07/e70046a4-c3cb-11e7-afe9-4f60b5a6c4a0_story.html?utm_term=.a4ca745e9ab9 It
appears that once again, that those who surround Trump tell him what he wants
to hear. Let’s make sure that our MoCs
know that the numbers don’t add up and that too many people and small
businesses will be hurt by this bill that is designed to benefit the wealthy
and large corporations.
2.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is increasingly caught
up in a web of lies about his financial disclosures: https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2017/11/07/the-case-of-wilbur-ross-phantom-2-billion/#1ed633177515 and http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/358923-wilbur-ross-evil-to-say-i-didnt-disclose-russian-linked-investments Let’s let Secretary Ross know that we
expect honesty from Cabinet members and that it is time for him to
resign: https://www.commerce.gov/page/contact-us
3.
In response to the threat of Temporary Protected Status
(TPS) being revoked for thousands of individuals in the United States,
Representative Nydia Velazquez has introduced H.R. 4253: American Promise Act of 2017 http://bit.ly/2A7tQsR http://wapo.st/2zzCT9D This legislation would ensure that
individuals with TPS could remain in the United States, and pursue a path to
citizenship. Let's give our reps a call and make sure that they cosponsor and
support this bill.
4.
An alarming number of the recent mass shootings have
been carried out by men with histories of domestic assault. A person convicted
of domestic abuse cannot legally buy a firearm. But thanks to a loophole, this
legislation doesn’t apply unless the perpetrator is married to the victim, has
been living with the victim, or had a child with the victim.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/06/us/politics/domestic-abuse-guns-texas-air-force.html Senator Klobuchar (D-MN) “has
introduced legislation that would close that loophole, and would also prevent
stalkers from having guns.” Let’s see if our senators are cosponsors of S1539,
Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act of 2017: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1539/cosponsors and if not, let’s ask them to get on
board. A companion bill is also in the House, H.R. 2670 so let’s do the same with our reps.
5.
Let's not forget that the Democratic victories on
Tuesday were the result of hard, hard work. It's important to look behind
the scenes to see who made it happen, and how! One of the forces behind the
growing "blue wave" is Let America Vote, founded by Jason Kander. It
seems their "boots on the ground approach" has been very, very
successful: "Yesterday, we went 12 for 12 in our races: the candidates we
supported for Governor in Virginia and New Jersey both won, we helped turn
eight House of Delegate seats in Virginia from Republican to Democratic held,
we helped protect an incumbent Delegate in Virginia, and helped flip the
mayor’s office in Manchester, New Hampshire from Republican to Democratic for
the first time since 2005."
https://www.letamericavote.org/news/blog/2017/first-nine-months-shows-boots-ground-model-works/ Want
to help and get involved with this org so we can have similar success in 2018?
We can find out more here: https://www.letamericavote.org/action/
6.
Tuesday was a great night for progressives on a
host of issues, including gun control. Eight of the nine candidates endorsed by
the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence won their November elections, in
what should be a reminder to our elected officials that the NRA does not speak
for the overwhelming majority of Americans. Let’s keep up the momentum. Senator
Chris Murphy has once again introduced legislation to close the gun show
loophole and require background checks for all firearms sales (https://ctmirror.org/2017/10/25/murphy-introduces-background-check-gun-bill-in-long-haul-strategy/). Let’s contact our reps and let them know
we support the Background Check Expansion Act, (S. 2009) and we’d like them to do the same.
1.
The most recent info shows that Moore is in the lead in
the Alabama race to replace the Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions. . https://www.annistonstar.com/opinion/editorials/the-human-touch----it-s-easy-to/article_7fa3d54a-c4d7-11e7-bd68-f726b8cd3e40.html We
need to watch this one and help however we can to turn this seat blue by
electing Jones.
State Actions
1.
ALL: With backing from the right-wing American
Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) among others, twenty-eight state
legislatures (including Wisconsin, as of this week) have called for what is
called an “Article V convention.” Provided for by the US Constitution,
such a convention, required if 34 state legislatures petition, could rewrite or
propose new constitutional amendments. Article V has never been used; there are
no settled rules or procedures to govern an Article V convention and it cannot
be limited in scope; it is unclear how delegates to such a convention would be
chosen. While some see Article V as a way to get rid of Citizens United by
amendment, anything and everything would be up for grabs at a convention.
Common Cause warns “that the legal ambiguity around Article V, the financial
power of special and corporate interests in the post-Citizens United era, could
combine in a convention with today’s already hyper-partisan political
environment to pose a major threat to our constitutional system and
government”: http://www.commoncause.org/issues/more-democracy-reforms/constitutional-convention/ With petitions from only six more
states needed to force a convention, we need to alert all of our state
legislators that an Article V convention in the current political climate
carries an unacceptable risk and we oppose it.
Other Actions
1.
On Tuesday, Democrats made huge gains in the Virginia House
of Delegates, taking it from a 66-34 Republican majority to a 50-50 tie. We now
have a chance to hold an outright majority based on the results of recounts (https://wtop.com/virginia/2017/11/control-of-va-house-in-doubt-after-dem-wave-likely-headed-for-recounts/). Recounts in Virginia can be expensive, as
campaigns can be held responsible for all costs incurred by the state along
with extra attorney fees and staff needs. We can help by contributing to the
Virginia PAC Run Everywhere, which is raising money to directly support
candidates who will need help in recounts, at this link: https://www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/287304/virginias-state-house-hangs-in-the-balance-support-the-recount-fund
2.
Paul Ryan hopes we are too distracted to notice the
Trump Tax Scam, which is on track to pass the House next week. Ryan plans on
exploding the deficit with a huge giveaway to corporations and the 1 percent,
funded by gutting Medicare and Medicaid, gouging the mortgage deduction,
eliminating Sate and Local Tax deductions. Let's call out members of Congress
and tell them we won't allow this scam to continue. Then let's get the word out
on Twitter with #TheResistance's tweetsheet here. Many thanks if you tweeted
their first TaxScam sheet; this is a second one. https://resistancetweetsheets.wordpress.com/2017/11/08/no-to-trumptaxscam-2/
3.
While congress works on getting their act together to
pass bump stock legislation, Slide Fire, whose president invented Slide Fire
bump stocks, has announced that it will resume sales of this dangerous firearm
accessory http://n.pr/2zoLiKd The company is currently being sued in
a class action lawsuit by the Brady Center on behalf of the Las Vegas
victims http://cnnmon.ie/2yWnY54 We can contact Slide Fire via Twitter
to let them know how we feel about them manufacturing and selling such a
dangerous device @SlideFireSol, or by phone: 325-945-3800, or mail: Slide Fire PO Box 143 Moran, TX
76464. Let's also make sure that our MoC are supporting the Automatic
Gunfire Prevention Act (H.R. 3947/S.1916) to prohibit sales or ownership of bump stocks.
4.
A high school drama group in Camus, WA is performing
“The Laramie Project- the story of Matthew Shepard, a homosexual student
from the University of Wyoming, who was brutally murdered in 1998. [Earlier
this week], a few protesters gathered in front of Camas High School to protest
the current production of “The Laramie Project” by the school’s drama
department. Some students interacted with the protestors, and security was
called to the scene. Hate groups have been reawakened. Violence and
harassment have never gone away, but there has been an increase in violence
targeted at minorities and LGBTQ people. Opposition to prejudice should
not be a political issue. Opposition to those who would commit violence should
not be a political issue. We desperately need to start listening to one another.” https://lacamasmagazine.com/2017/11/protestors-provoke-camas-high-students.html. If we live in nearby in Portland, OR or in
Camas, WA, we can support these students, our next generation of VOTERS, by
attending this play this Friday at 7 pm,
and Saturday at 2 and 7 pm. If we can’t attend, we can send
cards of support to director Sean Kelly and his drama students at Camas High
School, 26900 SE 15th St, Camas, WA 98607 and school superintendent, Jeff
Snell, Camas School District, 841 NE 22nd Ave.,
Camas, WA 98607
5.
On Tuesday, every candidate endorsed by Everytown
for Gun Safety and Moms
Demand Action for Gun Sense in America won his or her race. If
we have not already done so, it is time to sign up and be part of these
groups:
6.
"314 Action, a nationwide pro-science non-profit with
nearly a quarter of a million members wants to shine a light on Scientific
wrongdoing within the Trump Administration. We're calling on U.S. Government
scientists to blow the whistle on malfeasance, science being silenced, or other
evidence of this administration's war on science through the Scientific Integrity Whistleblower Project (SpeakOutForScience.org), a
secure and anonymous method for U.S. Government scientists and others to speak
out and fight back...This initiative gives scientists and others with evidence
of censorship the means to relay information to our team of pro bono attorneys
without revealing their identities. If we or someone we know needs an secure
method to report government-silencing of science, let's contact SpeakOutForScience.org.
7.
Vanessa Otero has come out with the third edition of
her media bias chart. We can find it
here in a blog entry that describes it: http://www.allgeneralizationsarefalse.com/the-chart-version-3-0-what-exactly-are-we-reading/ Let’s print this out and use it to make sure
we are sharing quality, credible information sources.
8.
"Nestlé, Mars and Hershey have been accused of
breaking pledges to stop using “conflict palm oil” from deforested Indonesian
jungles. The Rainforest Action Network (RAN) says consumers have been
“deceived” by promises from the brands to clean up their supply chains which
were subsequently delayed, revised or watered down. Laurel Sutherlin, a
spokesman for the group, told the Guardian: “For too many years, Nestlé, Mars
and Hershey have cherry-picked their [palm oil] targets and then moved the
goalposts when they don’t achieve them. There’s just no further room for error
to prevent the extinction of tigers, orangutans and elephants.” Let's
read the full story at The Guardian. Let's contact these big candy manufacturers
to let them know we care about orangutan habitat and want them to achieve the
palm oil targets to which they have committed. 1) Nestlé - Nestle USA website contact form. 2) Mars - Mars website contact form. 3) Hershey - Hershey website
contact form. We can
also talk with our wallets by choosing not to buy these companies' products
while they are destroying wildlife habitat.
9.
"Balloons and wildlife don't mix: Please don't
release your balloons" the US Fish and Wildlife Service requests in this article. "...once they [balloons] get
loose, balloons can pose a threat to many animals. Birds, turtles
and other animals commonly mistake balloons for food, which can harm or even
kill them. In addition, many animals can become entangled in balloon
strings, which can strangle them or hurt their feet and hands." Let's be
environmentally conscious and find ways to celebrate that don't involve balloon
releases. Let's encourage our friends and family to join us in this commitment.
10. Flippable, which set out to build a data-driven,
people-powered movement to flip states blue and restore our democracy, also had
success last night. All five of of
Flippable’s priority candidates won their elections in Virginia on
Tuesday. https://blog.flippable.org/the-bluest-of-blue-waves-30e25f1b5588
Let’s see how we can help this group:
https://flippable.org/
11. From
Chop Wood/Carry Water: I
did a TON of text banking with Open Progress for yesterday's elections, and I
am convinced that this sort of voter outreach is extremely effective. I highly
recommend signing up with them to do text banking for future elections. It's
fun, easy, and less invasive than calling. Open Progress is organized,
smart, and disciplined. You'll have a blast, and really help turn out voters.
Yesterday is proof! Sign up here!
Petitions
1.
Let’s all become “citizen co-sponsors” of the
Background Check Expansion Act, (S. 2009) by signing this petition from the Brady campaign: https://secure.everyaction.com/MAMy2BbcEU2g2Cldyj-W9g2
2.
MomsRising wants us to join them in telling Congress to
put kids and families on the top of their priority list. Congress needs to
reinstate funds for Children’s Health Insurance and Maternal Infant Early
Childhood Home Visiting programs (CHIP and MIECHV).
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to
attend/organize
1.
Today, at noon EST, join in the Twitter Warriors
follow-back event with the theme of “Anniversary of the Rise of the
Resistance”. More info here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1996799327202479/
2.
From Indivisible:
Indivisible groups will be attending town halls, visiting district
offices, hosting rallies, and more. We'll be organizing around our Trump
Tax Scam Week of Action, November 6th to 10th, and the ACA Open Enrollment
period, November 1st to December 15th. Fine events here: http://act.indivisible.org/event/local-actions/search/
3.
“This November, Swing Left is releasing its
one-year-out plan to Take Back the House in 2018. The weekend of November
10th - 12th we’ll welcome people into our living rooms for a sneak preview
of the plan and to kick off the next phase of our campaign.” We can find a
party or sign up to host a party here: https://swingleft.org/take-back-the-house-parties
Reading/Watching
1.
Some good news about innovations that might help us in
the fight against climate change
2.
Interesting discussion in Politico of debate within
Democratic party about whether or not to pursue impeachment of Trump:https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/07/democrats-donald-trump-impeachment-244528
3.
“Gun Reform: Speaking Truth to Bullshit, Practicing
Civility, and Affecting Change” by Brene Brown:
http://brenebrown.com/blog/2017/11/08/gun-reform-speaking-truth-bullshit-practicing-civility-affecting-change/
4.
The National Resources Defense Council's article
"The Stone Cold Truth About Our Warming Planet" tells us about
the new federal report reveals just how uninhabitable the earth would
become if we don’t act on climate now. The most definitive overview yet of
the current hazards and mounting harm of the central environmental challenge of
our time, the US government's Climate Science
Special Report documents a world in grave peril. Let's read the
article and, if we can, the special report itself so we can talk
knowledgeably about the dangers our planet faces.
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