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.
Link Correction: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives (ATF) is considering treating “bump stocks” like the ones used in
the mass shooting in Las Vegas as falling under the legal definition of machine
guns. Under laws already in place, the sale and manufacture of new machine guns
for civilian use is banned and those already in circulation are tightly
regulated: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/12/05/atf-and-other-federal-agencies-reviewing-whether-ban-bump-stocks/924347001/ Today is the LAST DAY we can submit comments
on this proposed rule. Let’s let the ATF know we think this would be a step in
the right direction: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/12/26/2017-27898/application-of-the-definition-of-machinegun-to-bump-fire-stocks-and-other-similar-devices#open-comment
2.
The
battle for DACA recipients rages on after the shutdown: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/24/16927834/daca-deal-blame-game Let’s
let our Republican MoC know we expect them to keep their promises and our Democratic
MoC know that we expect them to go to the mat. We want a clean DACA bill (no
wall or other strings) passed before a spending bill is discussed.
3.
Mick
Mulvaney received more than $50,000 in campaign contributions from the payday
lending industry over the course of his career, and as head of the Consumer
Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) he’s in a position to regulate his
benefactors. He’s already unwound several Obama/Cordray-era protections against
the industry. Now the International Business Times reports that the CFPB
quietly closed an nearly four-year-old investigation into a payday lender that
had financially backed Mulvaney: http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/cfpb-drops-investigation-payday-lender-contributed-mick-mulvaneys-campaigns We need to know whether the CFPB is
protecting consumers or donors. Let’s contact our members of Congress and ask
them to demand a hearing on why this investigation was closed and whether or
not Mulvaney’s conflict of interest interfered with justice. (Especially
important for those of us represented by members of the Senate Banking Committee and the House
Financial Services Committee.)
4.
As
someone quipped, “They might consider changing the name of the agency. With
Mulvaney heading it up, “Corporate Financial Protection Bureau” makes more
sense.” Mulvaney, the current acting
director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, is re-vamping the program
saying that “the agency’s days of routine, aggressive
regulatory and enforcement action “are over.” http://thehill.com/policy/finance/370361-acting-consumer-bureau-chief-declares-new-mission-in-rebuke-of-former-regime Let’s remind Mulvaney that “aggressive
regulatory and enforcement action” is the charge of his bureau and has already
saved millions of Americans billions of dollars: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/six-years-serving-you/ Let’s
also tell our MoCs that we want this bureau to do the job for which it was
intended.
5.
From
EcoWatch: 3 Reasons Why the Trump USDA’s School
Nutrition Rollbacks Should Worry You—and What You Can Do About It. Let's read the article then leave
our public comment on the Federal Register. We have until only January
29 (next Monday) to leave our comments.
6.
The
Trump administration has halted an oil and gas lease sale near
eastern Idaho’s Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge in response to protests
from conservation groups. The Center for Biological Diversity, Western
Watersheds Project and other groups filed formal protests to the 800-acre lease
sale, scheduled for March, because fracking and drilling would threaten the imperiled
greater sage grouse and violate federal conservation plans for the bird. Let's
read more at the Center for Biological Diversity. Let's contact the Interior's Bureau of Land
Management's National
Office and Idaho
Office to
voice our support for protecting the Refuge from fracking and drilling.
7.
The
Senate’s new bipartisan Commonsense Caucus is growing and is credited for
ending the government shutdown. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/23/16920060/susan-collins-talking-stick-senate-bipartisan-government-shutdown If they are already members, let’s encourage
our senators to consider joining these moderates who want to work together to
get things done.
8.
Reps. Bobby
Scott (D-Va.) Frank
Pallone Jr. (D-N.J),
Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Elijah
Cummings (D-Md.)
“are calling on the Justice Department to expand any planned investigation into
the hundreds of fake comments that appeared on the FCC’s net neutrality rule to
rulemakings from all agencies.” http://thehill.com/homenews/house/370534-house-dems-ask-doj-fbi-to-include-all-agencies-in-fake-comments-investigation Let’s contact our MoC to ask them to
join these Representatives in pushing for an investigation into the submission
of fake comments related to rulemaking in all government agencies.
9.
“Travel
to the U.S. has been on the decline ever since President Donald Trump took
office, and new data shows the slump translates to a cost of $4.6 billion in
lost spending and 40,000 jobs.” https://www.nbcnews.com/business/travel/tourism-u-s-down-trump-took-office-costing-4-6-n840326?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma Let’s contact our MoC to express our
concern about the very real cost that Trump is having on our economic
wellbeing, and our status in the world.
10. Any day now, the Senate will be voting on
lifetime appointments for seventeen Trump judicial nominees to the federal
courts. Let’s contact our Senators and tell them to vote against the following
five nominees: A) Holly Lou Teeter and
B) Charles Goodwin—both rated “not qualified” by the American Bar Association: www.abajournal.com/news/article/seventeen_judicial_nominees_advance_to_the_senate_including_two_rated_not_q, C )Kyle Duncan—opponent of civil rights for
LGBTQ, reproductive rights, voting rights; anti-immigrant, D) David Stras—ultra-conservative
and nominated despite being “blue slipped” by Minnesota senators, and E) Thomas
Farr—proponent of racial gerrymandering and racially motivated voter
suppression. https://www.suitupmaine.org/unqualified-and-extremist-judicial-appointments-demand-their-opposition/
Election 2018 -
General
Election 2018 –
By State
1.
NH: At a
time when Medicaid is under threat, we need more public officials in office who
can make the case for how important it is. Phil Spagnuolo knows the expansion
of Medicaid helped save him from addiction. He became a recovery coach, and now
he’s running as the Democratic nominee for state rep in a February
27th special election in New Hampshire:
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20170314/NEWS12/170319774 Let’s give him a hand! We can find
instructions on how to phone bank voters for him at:
2.
TN: From TN House Democrats: So far,
we’ve had 15 potential candidates contact us for more info on running for state
House, & 2 actually declared their intent to run. Incredible response! As a
reminder, the following districts are open w/o Dem candidate: HDs 19, 21, 23,
24, 30, 37, 45, 46, 47, 64, 72, 89. Interested or know someone who might
be? Contact TN House Democrats: tnhousedem@gmail.com or 615-741-1100 ext. 44866
Other Actions
1.
“In his
first year as president, Donald Trump has often used language and promoted
policies that critics describe as racist. From his travel ban against
predominantly Muslim nations to his criticism of NFL player protests of police
brutality to his response to a white supremacist’s deadly terrorist attack in
Charlottesville, Virginia, the president has come under fire. But have his actions
and words touched your life?” PBS
News Hour
wants to hear from us:
2.
Data
collection is underway for last weekend’s Women’s March events. Let’s take a look and see if we can help add
to the numbers: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vl1MlIZP2i87TFvSVDUY1zkRgmSfe-_-Ae_I3pr-cQA/htmlview?usp=gmail#gid=272855497
3.
From The Loyal Opposition: Most
people have heard about @IndivisibleTeam's practical guide for resisting the Trump
agenda. But have you read it yet? Indivisible is the expert guide on
constituent action and it's worth the time. https://www.indivisibleguide.com/
4.
Author
Debbie Macomber is sponsoring the “Warming Your Heart and Theirs” campaign. The
campaign is looking to send 2,500 gloves, scarves, and hats to children in the Middle
East by Valentine’s Day. We can help by knitting, crocheting, or buying items.
For more information, visit: https://debbiemacomber.com/about/knit-one-bless-two
5.
The NCAA
(The National Collegiate Athletic Association) is the first outside agency to
launch an investigation into Michigan State University and its response to
allegations against Larry Nassar, who served as the MSU gymnastics physician,
as well as for USA Gymnastics. He pled
guilty to sex abuse and was sentenced yesterday to 40 to 175 years in
prison. https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/after-its-penn-state-failures-ncaa-must-get-it-right-with-larry-nassar-michigan-state/ Let’s
contact the NCAA and thank them for this investigation into this matter and
that we hope they’ve learned from the Penn State case:
6.
“Having
a hard time staying on top of changes to federal science regulations and
actions? A new website launched today has you covered. The Silencing Science Tracker—a joint project from Columbia Law School's
Sabin Center for Climate Change Law and the Climate Science Legal Defense
Fund—has a running tally of federal government attempts to "restrict or
prohibit scientific research, education or discussion, or the publication or
use of scientific information," since President Donald Trump was elected
in November 2016.”
http://www.ehn.org/has-trump-hurt-environment-climate-2526886674.html Let’s
use this info when we are addressing these issues with our MoCs.
7.
Swing
Left
Valentines Online Fundraiser: Imagine if
50 people in your district got 50 friends to give just $10: You could raise
$25,000 to oust your GOP congress-critter. Fast. Instructions here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Fp037kz4UkOFxZGYKvP1w2gaK3GF_2RK
8.
With so
many shootings, it is easy to despair, but we can join the fight against gun
violence instead. We can make a difference with Gun Sense Action Network, a
volunteer group that takes weekly actions to prevent gun violence. GSAN
currently has two opportunities for us:
A) We can join the GSAN Voter Outreach Team and call voters about key
federal battles to resist the NRA’s “guns everywhere” agenda, and B) We can
join the GSAN Welcome Team, to call and welcome new volunteers, increasing
grassroots power to stand up to the gun lobby. We can click here to learn more
and to sign up: http://bit.ly/2DEHSYf
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to
attend/organize
1.
On January 31st, the day after Trump’s first
State of the Union, this new movement will come together in Washington D.C.
for Fossil Free Fast: The Climate Resistance. This inspiring event will be livestreamed at 8:00 PM ET -- and thousands
across the country will watch with their friends and family. Will you join
them? Sign up for a watch party near you
-- or if there isn’t one happening yet, sign up to host one: https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/fossil-free-fast/
States
1. CA: Governor Jerry Brown of California has been a
fierce critic of The White House's decision to open the state's coastal waters
to oil drilling, but he has been less resolute about opposing other oil
extraction projects. Now a group of 30 public interest groups has issued a plea
to him, asking that he take a stronger stand against the petroleum industry and
freeze all new oil well development in California, on land or sea, as well as
all existing coastal extraction projects. http://consumerwatchdog.org/energy/30-public-interest-groups-urge-governor-brown-freeze-state-oil-drilling Let's contact Governor Brown (916-445-2841, governor@governor.ca.gov) and help put a little extra starch into
his determination to "keep it in the ground," shall we?
2. KY: Governor Bevin has declared this week School
Choice Week, political speak for school charters privatizing education and
devastating public school budgets. While “school choice” supporters are
rallying to support their cause, we can make sure our legislators hear our
voices and know that we do not support the destruction of public education in
our state! Two bills have been filed to push the charter school movement
forward.- Senate Bill 36 and the
equivalent bill in the House Bill 134. These
bills represent the privatization of public schools in Kentucky by providing
tax credits for private school parents. These credits will further
strain our already strapped budget and will be devastating to public education
funding. Public education serves ALL kids. We must protect it! We can call our
legislators and tell them to Vote NO on SB36 and HB 134. We can call the KY
Legislative comment line at 800-372-7181 or
our legislators’ offices by calling 502-564-8100 and
ask for them by name.
3. MA:
URGENT! An immigrant protection bill known as the Safe Communities Act (S.1305,
H.3269) will expire if it is not reported out of committee and brought to a
vote by February 7. If we are in Massachusetts, let’s read about the
Act https://www.miracoalition.org/safe-communities .
Then, let’s contact the following and tell them that we want our state and
local police to keep our communities safe, not break up families, and that we
want the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security to let this
bill go for a vote before the deadline:
A) **MOST IMPORTANT**Our own senator and representative:
https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator,
B) Chairs, Vice-Chairs, and members of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and
Homeland Security:
https://malegislature.gov/Committees/Detail/J22/190,
and C) Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo, Robert.DeLeo@mahouse.gov or 617-722-2500
Reading/Watching
1.
“An open
letter to the judge presiding over Larry Nassar's sentencing hearing” - http://www.espn.com/espnw/voices/article/22135371/an-open-letter-judge-presiding-larry-nassar-sentencing-hearing
2.
“Trump Supporters Infuriated Me. But Then Van
Jones Changed My Mind” - http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/trump-supporters-infuriated-me-but-then-van-jones-changed-my-mind-20171209
3.
From Sean McElwee at The Nation: How the Right’s War on Unions Is Killing the
Democratic Party. “Right-to-work” laws have a measurable effect on voting
patterns. Let's become more informed about the hidden impact of
"Right-to-work" laws.
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