Contact Federal Government Officials
Find senator’s contact info here: https://goo.gl/RLiotu
Find representative’s contact info here: https://goo.gl/5i7SXC
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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.
Tuesday was
a big day in the United States with a lot of positive news for the Resistance: A) Sen. Dianne Feinstein released the
transcript of the Glenn Simpson testimony before the Senate Judiciary
Committee: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/368119-feinstein-posts-testimony-of-fusion-gps-co-founder B) A
Federal judge blocked (temporarily) the Trump administration’s effort to end
the DACA program: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/368246-judge-blocks-trump-admin-from-ending-daca-program C) Steve
Bannon stepped down from Breibart: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-book-bannon/bannon-steps-down-from-breitbart-news-after-drawing-fire-from-trump-idUSKBN1EY2LY D) a
Federal judge ordered North Carolina to end their gerrymandering ways: https://apnews.com/fdc11ee8cb304ea5a490ff1c25539f51/North-Carolina-ordered-to-redraw-voting-maps-set-by-GOP There
have been plenty of very bad days this past year and probably many more to come
but let’s just pause and take this particular day in: a Senator did a brave and
very right thing, a horrid white supremacist is falling from grace, and the
judiciary is holding the line for our republic. Cheers!
2.
Today is
Protect Mueller National Call-In Day – let’s all take part and call our MoCs to
ask them to do their part to protect him.
#ProtectMueller and #TrumpRussia
3.
Our
children’s lives are at stake and that should be enough motivation to
reauthorize Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides low-cost
health coverage to children in families that earn too much money to qualify for
Medicaid, but a recent study shows that the costs involved to do so are less
than earlier stated and may be even lower once more newer details are included. https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/cbo-cost-of-chip-renewal-smaller-than-projected We
can learn from American Academy of Pediatrics how CHIP works in each state. https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/federal-advocacy/Pages/Childrens-Health-Care-Coverage-Fact-Sheets.aspx The extension is running out faster than
anticipated, so this legislation is needed to save little lives. Let’s call our MoCs and remind them that we
value these nearly nine million kids and their health and want them protected. We can sign a petition here: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/congress-chip
4.
After
the release of the Fusion GPS testimony, Trump tweeted that he wants the
Republicans to “finally take control” of the Russian investigation. http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-unloads-on-feinstein-glenn-simpson-fusion-gps-steele-dossier-transcript-2018-1 Let’s
remind our GOP MoCs that we’ve been asking for this for ages.
5.
In the
meantime, the Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee want Trump to
be more proactive against the Russian infiltrations: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-cardin-russian-20180109-story.html Let’s
remind Trump that we’ve been asking for this, too: https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/white-house
6.
This
year, the EPA will be focusing on finding a replacement for the Clean Power
Plan. First though, they will have to successfully repeal it, thereby
deregulating power plants and slashing environmental protections http://reut.rs/2mmdqsc Let's make sure that we post a comment
to the EPA's proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0355
7.
Senator
Ed Markey's bill to overturn the FCC's net neutrality ruling has acquired over
40 cosponsors http://bit.ly/2Eqzfxe http://wapo.st/2CMrVMe Let's call our senators to see if they
are among the cosponsors, and if so, thank them. If they have not cosponsored
the joint resolution yet, let's ask them to do so. Then, let's call our
representative in the House to make sure they they will support the use of the
Congressional Review Act to overturn the FCC ruling.
8.
On
Tuesday, a federal judge ruled that DREAMers who were not able to file for
renewal by last year's deadline will still be able to submit applications for
renewal as litigation continues over Trump's decision to end DACA http://bit.ly/2ALwFzM Let's continue to stand up for DREAMers,
and remind our MoC that we expect them to pass this year's funding bill only if
it includes a clean Dream Act.
9.
From
Actions to Withstand: Over the holidays,
instead of your true love bringing you partridges, turtle doves and a lot of
other weird gifts, Trump executed (at least) 12 different actions that will
likely negatively impact the environment. Check out our latest episode to learn
what they were. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKe9hMb9gJk For
more information on each act: http://bit.ly/2CQakUj Leave
a comment to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement to keep
offshore drilling safety practices as they are: http://bit.ly/2EtgJV2 Learn
more about the Environmental Justice Act (S.
1996)
10. The FCC plans to vote in early February to
change the definition of “broadband internet” to include cellular data
packages, basically pretending that the restrictive and expensive data package
attached to a cell phone provides the same level of access to the internet as a
true broadband connection (like the network in your home or office). As
technology regulation this reclassification makes no sense, but it makes
perfect sense as part of the GOP’s assault on lower-income Americans, many of
whom have only their phones to access digital information. This regulatory
trick renders their disadvantage invisible, likely blunting efforts to equalize
information access for lower-income users. Meanwhile, mobile access providers
(like Ajit Pai’s former employer Verizon) would probably love the chance to
sell costlier cellular data packages to customers. https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/mbpezp/fcc-smartphone-data-reclassification Let’s
tell our MoCs to counter this attempt to reverse Robin Hood the public, by
cosponsoring a Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn any such
reclassification.
11.
Secretary
of the Interior Ryan Zinke took to Twitter to share his very faulty reasoning
about off-shore drilling:
https://mobile.twitter.com/SecretaryZinke/status/950876846698180608If we are on Twitter, let’s take a moment to
share our perspective with the Secretary: @SecretaryZinke
12. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
decried the Democratic obstruction of judicial nominees: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/mcconnell-decries-obstruction-judicial-nominees-irony-weeps Let’s get in touch with Senator
McConnell to say: “Obstruction? We remember Merrick Garland.”
https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactform or on Twitter: @SenateMajLdr
13. Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-PA) “is
unveiling a bill called the "Stable Genius Act" that would require
all presidential candidates to undergo a medical exam and publicly disclose the
results before the election.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/democratic-congressman-introduces-stable-genius-act/ Let’s contact our Congressmen asking
them to co-sponsor H.R.
4742
14. According to the recent issue of Scientific American, “Thousands of webpages with climate change
information have been removed or buried at agencies including U.S. EPA, the
Interior and Energy departments and elsewhere across the government, according
to a new report.” https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/climate-web-pages-erased-and-obscured-under-trump/ Let’s
implore to our MoCs that this information can be restored for us all and
protected in the future. Let’s also ask
our state legislators to do the same.
15. The EPA had been in the process
of restricting the use of the three commonly available chemicals, but
the Republican administration’s latest update on its effort to roll
back regulation puts the proposed rules on the back burner. The three
chemicals, TCE, NMP, and methylene chloride, are used to strip
furniture, remove grease, and dry clean clothes. All three are clearly
dangerous: The EPA has deemed TCE a carcinogen “by all routes of exposure...”
Let's read more at The Intercept. Let's become more informed consumers about
the cleaning products we use by checking out the Environmental Working Group
(EWG) Guide
to Healthy Cleaning.
Let's share this guide with our friends and family, then ask our MoCs if they
think this is a good idea.
16. Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Ruben
Gallego (D-AZ) have called on the American Hotel & Lodging Association
(AHLA) to enact standards to prevent the sort of abuses that led to Motel 6
allegedly profiling immigrants in Washington and Arizona and handing “their
names over to ICE, violating consumer privacy and basic standards of decency.” https://twitter.com/RepJayapal/status/950797400318214145 Let’s join the Congressmen in urging
the AHLA to enact these standards (Twitter: @AHLA, Phone: (202) 289-3100, Mail: American Hotel & Lodging
Association, 1250 Eye Street, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, D.C.
20005).
17.
Sen. Mazie
Hirono (D-HA), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, stated on Twitter
yesterday that, “Starting today, I'm asking nominees to our courts, under oath,
whether or not they have a history of sexual assault or harassment. Like in
other industries, our judges are in positions of power & #times up.“ https://twitter.com/maziehirono/status/951130467239161856 Let’s
thank her: https://www.hirono.senate.gov/contact
18. Unqualified climate change denier Kathleen
Hartnett White has been renominated by the regime to lead the White House
Council on Environmental Quality after her nomination was returned to the
President when the Senate closed the first session of the 115th Congress. We
may recall that Hartnett White had a disastrous hearing last year. (Source: Moyers&Co and video of the hearing: The
Guardian via YouTube)
Let's read what Delaware Senator Tom Carper(D) has to say about this
nominee at the Dover Post. Let's contact our Senators again to
express our opposition to this inappropriate nominee Kathleen Hartnett White.
Election 2018 -
General
1.
Most of
us are at a loss of where to start to help turn seats blue while we are sitting
at home. Here are some ways offered by
someone with experience: A) become a
Democrat, B) join the DNC. Pay the dues, C) sign up with local Dem
party organization as volunteers and when we are contacted - go join in their initiatives: door knock, phone
call, which are the most effective ways to turnout votes, D) sign up with
candidates and do whatever you can to assist them. Let’s start doing these things now. We have a lot of work to do!
2.
Among
the groups responsible for the blue wave that hit Virginia in November 2017 was
Postcards for Virginia, https://postcards4va.com/. This scrappy team of five got 136,000 handwritten
get-out-the-vote postcards into the hands of Democratic voters, and in the
process built a grassroots network of dedicated Virginia citizens who would not
have otherwise been involved in campaigning. Now, Postcards for Virginia is
creating guidelines to share with the rest of us so we can launch postcard
campaigns of our own for November 2018. Let’s ask them for their
guidelines: participate@postcards4va.com.
3.
Ballotpedia will be an extra helpful resource this year
that we will refer to often. Let’s check
now to make sure that we know and understand our state’s voting laws so that we
will be prepared for upcoming 2018 elections:
https://ballotpedia.org/Voter_identification_laws_by_state
4.
Get
Her Elected is
looking for volunteers to help women candidates in races across the country.
They are looking for a wide range of support skills, including just the desire
to help. Current requests include help with Accounting, Campaign Finance,
PR, Graphic Design, Event Planning and more. We can find many ways to get
involved, adjusted to the time we have to give when we click on this link and
sign up: lhttps://www.getherelected.com/contact
Election 2018 –
By State
1.
FL: We
have the harshest voting laws in the country, leaving 21% of African American
adults in the state ineligible to vote. But right now, we have a chance to
restore voting rights to 1.6 million Floridians. Here's how we can help out: A) Sign & mail the petition
if we live in Florida, or share with friends and family there, and B) Sign
up to phone bank in key Florida districts. Let’s flip the script on voter
suppression—and restore our country’s democracy!
2.
IL: Here is the rundown on Dems who are running
in primaries this year: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12JRkw65VNn7ELnMCjaxnU7kWDyHvclfn/view
(Thanks, Postcards
for America) Now, let’s find a candidate to help get
elected!
Other Actions
1.
From Postcards from Kate: Last
night, federal judges ruled that NC's redistricting plan drawn in 2016 by
republican lawmakers for partisan gain was unconstitutional, violating
citizens’ rights under the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, the First
Amendment, and Article I of the Constitution. This is huge, and it's the first
time a federal court has ever struck down a redistricting plan as an
unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. As Former AG Eric Holder said,
"citizens should be able to pick their representatives, instead of
politicians picking their voters.” We couldn't agree more. Read more here. Common
Cause and the League of Women Voters in North Carolina both challenged the law
and won! Let's send them postcards of thanks for their incredible work. Common Cause North Carolina, 907 Glenwood Ave.,
Raleigh, NC 27605 and League of Women Voters of Wake County, 7474
Creedmoor Road, #138, Raleigh, NC 27613
2.
Republican
Kansas State Rep. Steve Alford said that African-Americans "responded the
worst" to marijuana because of their "genetics" and
"character makeup." and that Jim Crow-era policies banning
drugs such as pot were to protect other citizens from the drug use
of black Americans. Let's read this article at The Hill. Let's send some shame to Rep. Alford for
his uninformed racist remarks: 4179
East Road 19, Ulysses,
KS 67880; Phone: 620-356-1361, Email:j.stephenalford@yahoo.com
3.
Let’s
join in the resolution to protect public media:
https://protectmypublicmedia.org/resolve-2018/
4.
Shep
Smith, FOX News host fact-checked Trump’s claims that the Russian investigation
is a hoax by the Democrats and stated, ““The president again calling the Russia
investigation a ‘Democratic hoax’,” Smith said. “It is not. Fox News has been
reporting and will continue to report that two people have pleaded guilty.” http://thehill.com/homenews/media/368374-foxs-shep-smith-fact-checks-trump-on-air-after-russia-comments
Thanks thank Shep Smith for speaking truth at Fox: 211 Avenue Of The Americas, New York,
NY, 10036
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to
attend/organize
States
Reading/Watching
1.
“There is a wave of Republicans leaving
Congress” - http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/10/politics/house-retirement-tracker/index.html
2.
“How
Actual Smart People Talk About Themselves” - https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/01/how-actual-smart-people-talk-about-themselves/549878/
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