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Contact Federal Government Officials

Find senator’s contact info here: https://goo.gl/RLiotu

Find representative’s contact info here: https://goo.gl/5i7SXC

Fax legislators for free:  Reps:  https://faxzero.com/fax_congress.php

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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 in Congress. Sixteen (16) bills are being considered in the House. Let's review the Majority Leader's Schedule so we know what is coming up this week. It looks as if the House will be voting on the tax bill on Tuesday.  The Senate will convene at 3pm on Monday to resume consideration of the nominations of J. Paul Compton, Jr. to be General Counsel of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Owen West to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense. Both the House and Senate will continue to move forward with the tax bill. It appears that the Senate will vote on the tax bill on Wednesday.

2.      We many not be someone who uses the ACA and we know it needs some fixing.  We may not be on Medicaid or Medicare for ourselves. We all know that corporate tax loopholes divert many dollars away from what those companies really owe and could benefit us all.  We all know that our infrastructure needs funds to perform needed updates.  This tax plan, the text of which was made public last Friday evening, and is to be voted on early this week does not address any of those issues. http://thehill.com/policy/finance/365177-republicans-release-final-version-of-tax-bill   In fact, it will make them worse.  We also know that the GOP plans to go after Medicare and Medicaid in order to offset the tax breaks to the wealthy. We cannot give up.  Keep contacting.  We can A) Use this handy call list from one of our own (tabs at the bottom):  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LgdtGmpTkWzogjsSjnhvaj7nYVR79COrBLADSh4XmqA/edit#gid=1537917689, B)  Co-sign the letter of Women of Wealth Speak Out against the tax bill: http://wowspeakout.org/, C) Reach out to five people we know who are passive allies in this fight and give them really concrete information (contact links, Twitter handles, etc.) and an invitation to reach out to their MoC about this bill and remind them that they can be brief if they are unnerved by the process.

3.      If we have friends and family who think that we are overreacting to the authoritarianism of this administration, this would be a good (though highly disturbing) piece of news to share with them: words the Trump administration is banning the Centers for Disease Control from using:  http://thehill.com/news-by-subject/healthcare/365204-trump-admin-bans-cdc-from-using-evidence-based-and-science-based and at other agencies:  http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/365292-words-banned-at-cdc-were-also-banned-at-other-hhs-agencies-report Let’s send a postcard to Trump with the words listed on it: evidence-based, science-based, vulnerable, entitlement, diversity, transgender, and fetus: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20500.  Let’s also let the CDC know that we are supporting them:  https://wwwn.cdc.gov/dcs/ContactUs/Form Let’s also join in this Facebook event, “Banned words should be heard! (Flood Washington with Post Cards)”.  More information and directions here:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1827622907308985/

4.      On Friday, seven DACA recipients were arrested on Capitol Hill demanding that Congress pass a clean Dream Act as part of the year-end spending bill. They are now in custody and are refusing to identify themselves — so as to remain in jail — until Congressional leaders confirm that they will block any spending bill without protection for DREAMers.  They are asking that we join them in actions in cities nationwide between now and December 22, when Congress will vote on the spending bill: https://fightforourdream.org/  If the bill as put forward does not include a clean Dream Act, let’s ask our Democratic legislators to vote against is.  Let’s contact our members of Congress and encourage them to take this opportunity to ensure we keep our promises to these young people.  Maybe only a government shutdown will convince both the Democrats and the GOP that we intend to protect these and other immigrants.

5.      Congress must approve a budget bill by the end of the year to fund the government and keep it running.  Republican leadership needs the support of Senate Democrats to make that happen.  If Senate Democrats form a united front on passing a clean DREAM Act and reauthorizing the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) during budget negotiations, they could force a vote on a must-pass spending package that would save millions of children’s lives and protect hundreds of thousands of Dreamers from deportation. https://fcw.com/articles/2017/12/14/shutdown-update-congress.aspx  Keep calling to say that these two important programs cannot be lost unless they are replaced with something that meets the needs of these two groups even better.

6.      Currently in the Senate, there is a bipartisan bill which would reform the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and authorize funding for three years
http://bit.ly/2CKIc4q However, the TSA Modernization Act (S. 1872) would also authorize the collection of biometric data through facial scans and other technology, in order to help cut down on security line wait times http://bit.ly/2AZVVXP Slate explores how dangerous this could be for citizens and immigrants in this country, especially when looking at how biometric data can be used against us to dampen free speech and increase surveillance http://slate.me/2hJrKeE Let's read through the article, then call our senators and ask them to only support the TSA Modernization Act if it no longer includes the utilization of biometric technology. 

7.      Due to a particular Senate rule, a Congressional Review Act resolution, Democrats will be able to force a vote about the FCC repeal of Net Neutrality:  https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-internet-vote/senate-democrats-to-force-vote-on-fcc-net-neutrality-repeal-idUSKBN1E92TC  Congressional Republicans have shown zero hesitance about using their Congressional Review Act powers to stop rule changes. Now they have an opportunity to actually do so for good reason. Let’s contact our reps and ask them to overturn this repeal as soon as possible.  Let’s take this as an opportunity to be clear with our MoC that the actions of the FCC do not in any way represent the will of the people. We can also fight back against the FCC's ruling by reaching out to other constituents in our area with Battle for the Net's Team Internet. Through Team Internet, we can help organize or find events to support net neutrality, like visiting our MoC district offices. Let's check it out and fight to save net neutrality! https://www.battleforthenet.com/jointeaminternet/

Election 2017/2018

1.       “Arizona has the 5th largest number of Latinos eligible to vote in the country. Yet only about half of the state’s 1 million eligible Latinos are registered to vote.
Spanish-speaking volunteers in CA will reach out via text message to unregistered Latinos in AZ to encourage them to register, and will provide the support to do so. We will conduct a pilot of 100,000 texts in December. Based on the results and how much funding we raise, we will grow the project into other critical states for the 2018 election cycle”  It we can donate to this cause, here is the link:  https://secure.actblue.com/donate/az-text-bank.

2.      Postcards to Voters Campaign #37 is for Margaret Good in Florida!  Let’s see how we can help:  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1T-dnfww03aCoN5YWsvhxn2JctR1mQHfEYDyIS7barIU

3.      We are also invited to participate in Postcards to Voters campaign #36 in support of Phyllis Hatcher in Georgia Senate District 17.  Let’s find more info and how we can help:   https://postcardstovoters.org/2017/12/14/postcards-to-voters-campaign-36-phyllis-hatcher-in-ga/  

4.      Doug Jones’ victory in Alabama was in no small part thanks to a massive effort to turn out African-American voters. This push demonstrated once again that when we get progressives to the polls, we win (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/the-months-long-campaign-that-drove-historic-black-turnout-in-alabama). Now as our attention turns towards 2018, let’s join the drive to make sure another group of reliable voters for the change we need come out: environmentalists. The Environmental Voter Project is doing outreach to make sure that green voters show up in 2018. We can sign up to take part in their efforts at http://www.environmentalvoter.org/.

 Other Actions

1.       The Alabama election was a reminder that we need to be supporting black women. Teen Vogue details concrete actions we can take to do this: Support black female candidates, amplify organizations led by black women, serving black women, fund black women and the groups they lead, trust black women, fund black women, listen to black women. Let's do more than pay lip service. We can check out Teen Vogue's "How to Support Black Women After the Alabama Senate Election," then let's get to work http://bit.ly/2jdvnY9

2.      From one of our own: [I’ve been prepping] resistance packages to help friends with a New Year’s resolution they may not know they were making. Included are A) 10 pre-addressed & stamped postcards to various representatives, B) a card to keep with rep's contact info and some great postcarding resources (including Postcards for America and Postcards to Voters, of course), and C) an explanatory card to encourage participation.  Hoping to expand the ranks of the resistance!  Let’s all do this for our somewhat-reluctant friends and family.

3.      For those of us writing postcards for Postcards to Voters, we can take a hint from one postcarder and write a similar letter to the editor of our local paper:  http://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/letter-locals-alabama-effortscan-be-easily-replicated,526971  Let’s make sure that after the primaries in our states that we get Postcards to Voters involved in our campaigns, too!  Let’s let them help us ‘pull an Alabama’!

4.      If we like Amy Siskind's weekly lists, we'll love that publisher Bloomsbury told The Associated Press last Thursday that Siskind's list-compilation book will be released in April.  (source: ABCNews/AP) Siskind began what she calls The Weekly List soon after Trump's election. Siskind is co-founder and president of the women's advocacy group The New Agenda and a former Wall Street executive. Amy says in a post on her Facebook page, "So many have expressed concern that the lists would get hacked and disappear, now they will be preserved as a historical document...Something that really drew me in to this project was the idea of opening a book on to Week 1, and being able to live back through the eroding norms that we experienced in real time, and remembering. It’s the ability to understand what we have lost which will allow us to trace our way back to normal when this is over. She plans to donate a portion of profits to charities involved in the anti-Trump resistance.  We can pre-order Siskind's book "The List: A Week-by-Week Reckoning of Trump's First Year" at our favorite bookstore.  Let's help preserve history.

Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to attend/organize

1.       ALERT to New Yorkers and Washingtonians: A big effort is being made to get people down to D.C. today to help stop the #GOPTaxScam;  if we can be there, let’s show the Republicans what the resistance looks like: https://www.facebook.com/events/171649466913533/  Many of us can’t go to Washington on such short notice, but if we’re in New York State—and probably elsewhere—and want to be involved, we can check out:  http://mailchi.mp/actiongroups/where-were-heading-229247   and find rallies throughout the state all week, many of them tomorrow.  Maybe if the Republicans who are so willing to enrich themselves and their friends and donors will take note if they are faced with opponents in the flesh rather than mere statistics showing we don’t want their tax bill.

2.      Senior Democratic Congressman on the Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, is sounding the alarm with concerns that Republicans will try to prematurely close the Russia investigation:  https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/dec/16/republicans-trying-to-kill-off-trump-russia-investigation-says-adam-schiff And former director of the Office of Government Ethics, Walter Shaub said on Twitter: “This weekend I’m stocking up on portable phone chargers, warm clothes, & gear needed for when we take the streets. I’m concerned the assault on the rule of law is coming over the holidays when we’re distracted. It’ll be a defining moment for the Republic.”  (https://twitter.com/waltshaub/status/941767481563254785) Others have also suggested that dramatic actions against Mueller during Christmastime would count on the distraction of the American people. There is a nationwide call from many of the logistical #resistance members for public rallies everywhere if it happens.  Let’s sign-up to be ready to respond as needed:  https://www.trumpisnotabovethelaw.org

3.      Let’s take part in the “Need to Impeach Trump” Thunderclap.  We can sign up here and fine more info: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/65998-need-to-impeach-trump

States

1.       Various:  The ACLU has responded to a new report from the Office of the Inspector General to ICE--https://www.oig.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/assets/2017-12/OIG-18-32-Dec17.pdf—detailing the serious problems it found in immigrant detention facilities.  The OIG concluded that these problems “undermine the protection of detainees’ rights, their humane treatment, and the provision of a safe and healthy environment.” Disregarding this report, the Trump administration has stated its intention to roll back existing detention standards and has moved to further expand immigration detention. ICE has already requested proposals for detention facilities in the Midwest and south Texas, which would expand the system by up to 3,000 beds:  https://www.aclu.org/blog/immigrants-rights/ice-and-border-patrol-abuses/watchdog-agency-issues-report-ice-abuse-agency  We need to tell our local officials they will lose our votes unless they oppose proposals to build new detention facilities in their jurisdictions. And we need to demand that Congress not spend one more taxpayer dime to expand a system of suffering and misery.

2.      CO:  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 8 days to get 21 more supporters.  We can them reach their goal to set off a Thunderclap, a social media flash mob message blast. First, we can click, add our social media support on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr.  THEN cut, paste and share:  https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/64859-colorado-enrollment-alert  Find out more about how Thunderclap helps grassroots organizing here:

3.      RI:  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 8 days to get 48 more supporters.  We can them reach their goal to set off a Thunderclap, a social media flash mob message blast. First, we can click, add our social media support on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr.  THEN cut, paste and share:  https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/64554-rhode-island-enrollment-alert  Find out more about how Thunderclap helps grassroots organizing here:

Reading/Watching

1.       “Alabama Election Confirms What Now Counts for White Evangelicals in Politics” - http://billmoyers.com/story/alabama-election-confirms-what-now-counts-for-white-evangelicals-in-politics/

2.      Experts in authoritarianism advise us to keep a list of things subtly changing around us, so we’ll remember.  Amy Siskind is keeping that list for us. Amy writes, "This week the country braced for radical actions by Trump relating to the Mueller investigation. Trump, his regime members, elected Republicans and conservative media turned up the rhetoric and attacked the credibility of Mueller, the FBI and the DOJ. In the seven months since Mueller was appointed, his special counsel has already charged four Trump regime members, with more expected from Trump’s inner circle. Also of note this week is the broad-scale attacks on norms in our fragile democracy. Trump’s regime is actively deconstructing the agencies they run, stripping away rights and regulations, and making science and educational information disappear."  Let's review Amy Siskind's list week 57.

3.      And, as always, our weekly dose of Small Victories:  http://mailchi.mp/peaceisloud/small-victories-when-we-fight-we-win?e=86890239c4



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