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.
If there
is a government shutdown this week, Trump believes that most people will blame Democrats. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/17/republicans-government-shutdown-midterms-343091 Let’s
remind our GOP MoCs that it is their unwillingness to address the funding of A)
CHIP, B) DACA, C) Federally Qualified Health Centers, and D) Puerto Rico
recovery that will cause any shutdown.
2.
Secretary
of the Department of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen degraded herself, her
office, and our nation on Tuesday in her appearance before the Senate
regarding immigration and Trump’s s***hole comments:
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/16/trump-shithole-dhs-secretary-kirstjen-nielsen-testify-341179 Let’s let her know that we expect more:
https://www.dhs.gov/contact-us And if we are stumped for words, we can quote conservative columnist
Jennifer Rubin from The Washington Post: “In a nutshell, this is why you cannot serve a president who is
racist, dishonest or personally corrupt. You inevitably wind up enabling
racism, dishonesty and corruption. If you thought you could remain untainted,
you were wrong. And now, you need to either quit or face the legal and personal
consequences.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2018/01/16/secretary-nielsen-look-in-the-mirror-and-ask-yourself-these-questions/?utm_term=.5fe22a39b95a
3. During DHS
Secretary Nielsen’s appearance before the Senate, New Jersey Senator Cory
Booker gave an impassioned speech about her silence and complicity:
http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/16/politics/cory-booker-kirstjen-nielsen/index.html Let’s
thank Senator Booker for showing a much-needed form of leadership in these difficult
times: https://www.booker.senate.gov/
4.
The
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) has issued new guidance, allowing
states to implement work requirements in order for people to receive Medicaid
benefits http://bit.ly/2CVjYEc While
CMS director Seema Verma states that this move is an attempt "to help
people in achieving greater well-being and self-sufficiency," there is no
evidence that a work requirement would in fact do this. Rather, many Medicaid
recipients are unable to work for a variety of reasons (including age, or
physical impairment), and those who would be able to work may then be
financially ineligible to receive Medicaid benefits, though still not have
enough means to support themselves or their families. We can read more about
the work requirements, as well as the concerns over coverage, at the Kaiser
Family Foundation
http://kaiserf.am/2DnnsDK Then, let's use the call script
available at 5Calls to contact our MoC and state governor, and ask that they
oppose these work requirements:
5.
From Postcards
for America: The
Interior Department this month proposed opening up virtually all U.S. coastline
to drillers as part of Republican President Donald Trump’s plan to “boost
domestic energy production.” The 5-year leasing program, set for 2019-2024, is
getting strong support from gas companies and loud opposition from
environmentalists. The new plan would make "more than 98%" of
the waters off the United States available for oil and gas leasing over the
next five years. Shores bordering 88 protected areas could all be sold off. The
last offshore oil sales on either coast of the continental US occurred in the
1980s. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AMkji7zTG3ErRQlJ7jgmBtb_TRK0dFZYKHaDehmmxUQ/edit
6.
The US
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), a branch of the Dept. of
Interior, declared the Canadian lynx recovered last week and said the wild
cats no longer need special protections. The FWS said it will begin
drafting a rule to revoke the lynx’s threatened listing across the Lower 48
states under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Let's read more at the Denver Post and iflscience.com. We
contact Principal Deputy Director Greg Sheehan at the FWS.
Let's also tell our senators and representatives that the Canadian lynx should
remain on the ESA because of climate change, just like the wolverine a few
years ago.
7.
The
Republican administration has rolled back decades of food policy progress,
including efforts to make food safer and healthier, feed hungry
Americans, reduce farm pollution, and make food production more
transparent. Now they want so-called regulatory reforms that
would forever block agencies like the Department of Agriculture from adopting
new protections designed to keep food safe, update food labels, protect workers
and provide students with healthier meal options in schools. Let's read more at
the Environmental Working Group's (EWG's) AgMag.
Let's contact our Senators to tell them that we want and care about food
safety, pollution control and worker safety. Let's ask what they are doing
specifically to ensure our food remains safe.
8.
Dr.
Elinore McCance-Katz, the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance
Abuse, has ended a national medical registry created “to help people, agencies
and organizations identify and implement evidence-based programs and practices
in their communities.” http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/369327-dems-question-administrations-decision-to-end-national-registry-for Let’s
contact our MoC to ask for legislation to re-implement the National Registry of
Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) or a comparable system.
9.
“United
States border patrol agents routinely vandalise containers of water and other
supplies left in the Arizona desert
for migrants, condemning people to die of thirst in baking temperatures,
according to two humanitarian groups.”https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/17/us-border-patrol-sabotage-aid-migrants-mexico-arizona Going
well and beyond the call of duty, this is putting lives at stake. Let’s contact
our MoC asking them to look into reports that US border patrol agents are
“vandalising food and blankets and harassing volunteers” meant to save the
lives of migrants.
10. It was refreshing to see/hear a Republican
senator uphold freedom of the press yesterday on the floor of the Senate. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/17/full-text-jeff-flake-on-trump-speech-transcript-343246 While we may not like how he votes, he was
spot-on with this speech. Let’s thank
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ): https://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-jeff
11.
The
Department of Labor is continuing its assault on Obama-era worker protections,
drafting a new rule that will force restaurant workers to pool their tips.
Workers’ rights groups like the National Employment Law Project have said this
will leave many who work at restaurants, hotels and bars with lower pay: http://money.cnn.com/2017/12/05/news/tip-rule-trump-labor-department/index.html They’re seeking comments on this proposal.
Let’s let them know that tips belong to the workers who have earned them, and
we don’t want to see a pathway for employers to keep the tips for themselves at
this link: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/12/05/2017-25802/tip-regulations-under-the-fair-labor-standards-act-flsa#open-comment.
12. We’re just a single vote from being able to
save the free and open Internet, with all 49 Democratic senators and Senator
Susan Collins (R-ME) planning to vote to restore net neutrality rules (https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/01/50-senators-will-vote-for-net-neutrality-but-they-need-one-more-republican/). We’re on the verge of a big victory! Those
of us represented by Republican senators can call them to push for their
support at https://www.battleforthenet.com. Those of us whose senators are already on
board can thank them for standing with us.
Election 2018 -
General
1.
Good
advice on what we can do now to help prepare us for the midterm elections: http://www.shondaland.com/act/a14765925/helping-with-2018-midterm-elections/ Let’s start!
Election 2018 –
By State
Other Actions
1.
Fox News
reportedly sat on the Stormy Daniels payout story before the election:
http://money.cnn.com/2018/01/16/media/fox-news-stormy-daniels-trump/index.html We
know this would not have been the case had the candidate involved been
Democratic. Let’s let Fox News know that their role as
propaganda machine for Trump is neither fair nor balanced: Fox
News Channel, 1211 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10036
2.
We were
all sickened and appalled at the sex scandal that rocked Penn State’s world. There is a similar situation at Michigan
State University with Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics and Michigan
State University sports doctor who plead guilty to sexually abusing 140 young
gymnasts under the guise of treatment.
Once again, a university administration is balking at its responsibility
in the matter. http://michiganradio.org/post/3-things-know-about-what-msu-just-did-nassar-case and http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/22046031/michigan-state-university-doctor-larry-nassar-surrounded-enablers-abused-athletes-espn The Michigan attorney general is planning to
investigate MSU in this matter. Too many
adults knew what was happening and did not help. The USA Gymnastics CEO Steve Penny rightfully
resigned the position in December 2017 amid the scandal. It is time for anyone else who knew
anything, at any level, to step down. MSU
did not protect its students. Let’s ask
the MSU Board of Trustees to start with the university president, Lou Anna
Simons, and athletics director, Mark Hollis:
https://trustees.msu.edu/contact.html
3.
It is important
to make sure we keep our biases in check when we consult various sources. All Sides helps us do that by showing us
current affairs issues and how they are portrayed in left, center, and right
sources. Let’s check it out: https://www.allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-news
4.
Organizing
for America (OFA)
is accepting applications for its Fellows programs. People from varied
backgrounds and skill levels are welcome to apply. This Fellowship is
entry point for people looking to act and make a difference. It can teach us how to
identify the root problems affecting our communities, find strategic ways
to have an impact on them and become transformative organizers. If we
become Fellows Leaders, we will learn how to train a group of fellows from our
communities. We will learn about leadership, emotional intelligence and
agility, managing for equity, group dynamics, and conflict resolution. We
will receive an intensive weekly curriculum designed to provide us with the
skills we need to be community leaders- whether that is doing issue
advocacy or working with electoral campaigns — we will get a strong foundation
for that work. Even if we are not
interested in managing others, we can still audit the course. For more information, we can check out the
following link: https://my.ofa.us/page/s/join-the-movement-become-an-ofa-fellow
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to
attend/organize
1. Just
a few days left before the upcoming Women's March in your area, and here is a
handy guide for creating the perfect protest sign: http://blog.credomobile.com/how-to-make-a-fiery-furious-and-fabulous-protest-sign-for-the-womens-march. What, you haven't planned to participate
yet? Then get to this webpage and RSVP right now:
https://www.womensmarch.com/.
Last year's marches broke all records for mass action and initiated our furious
first year of resistance, so let's kick off year two right by making the
anniversary marches bigger and louder than ever!
2.
ACLU is sponsoring a series of conference
calls/webinars on a variety of topics as part of their People Power program.
We can find more information and how to sign up here: https://go.peoplepower.org/survey/upcoming-aclu-webinars
States
Reading/Watching
1.
Columnist
Elizabeth Kolbert of the New Yorker sums up Ryan Zinke's Interior Department in
this article "The Damage Done by
Trump’s Department of the Interior." She writes, "Under Ryan Zinke, the Secretary of the
Interior, it’s a sell-off from sea to shining sea." Let's read this so we
can remember the ways that Zinke is destroying America’s pristine public
lands.
2.
Letter
to family and friends on why I am a liberal: https://www.facebook.com/lallen/posts/10212749688391893
3.
A NY
district court ruled that CREW, Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington,
does not have legal standing to sue Trump over his “vast, complicated and
secret” business interests. Two similar cases are still pending, one
brought by the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia, the other by
nearly 200 Democratic lawmakers. In the meantime, CREW has issued a detailed
report on Trump’s “swamp”-- https://www.citizensforethics.org/trump-inc-ethics-crisis-trumps-first-100-days/ --and
Richard Painter and Norman Eisen, respectively ethics lawyers for GW Bush and
Obama, are speaking publicly about the disregard for the Constitution that
brought about these suits against Trump-- https://www.npr.org/2018/01/16/578247224/report-trump-administrations-first-year-has-been-unethical.
As Trump continues insisting that he is above the law and can act with
impunity, we should pay close attention to these lawsuits.
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