Contact Federal Government Officials
********************************
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.
The
support for DACA is strong. 87% of us
want Dreamers to stay: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/369487-poll-nearly-nine-in-10-favor-allowing-daca-recipients-to-stay Both houses
of Congress have a Dream Act of 2017 stuck in committee (S.
1615/H.R.
3440) Let’s ask our MoCs to sign on as cosponsors. Then, let’s the members of those committees
to vote it out of committee: The Senate Judiciary
Committee members: https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/about/members and the Subcommittee on Immigration and
Border Security members: https://judiciary.house.gov/subcommittee/subcommittee-on-immigration-and-border-security/ Then, let’s get on Sen.
Mitch McConnell
(R-KY) and Rep.
Paul Ryan
(R-WI) to get to their respective floors for a vote. The majority of Americans want this to
happen.
2.
Apparently,
FBI Director Christopher Wray pressured FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe to step
down sooner than he originally planned to do so. https://www.axios.com/mccabe-pressured-by-fbi-director-to-step-down-9746af2e-bd53-4476-ac09-9214a4b2b139.html With
McCabe out of the picture, it appears that Deputy Attorney General Rod
Rosenstein is in the crosshairs of the Trump/Russia investigation: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/29/rosenstein-in-spotlight-in-latest-russia-probe-fracas.html Our MoCs need to know that we want the
Mueller investigation to be played out without interference from the GOP or the
White House.
3.
The
Senate voted 98-2 for the Russia Sanctions bill. The House voted 419-3 for the Russia
Sanctions bill. Trump has now missed two
deadlines in implementing and enforcing these passed bills, which were to
punish Russia for past election meddling and to help stave off future meddling,
saying there is no longer a need. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/01/30/trump-administration-says-no-need-new-russia-sanctions-despite/ By not taking the voted-upon sanctions
seriously, Trump is aiding and abetting the Russian hack on our Democracy all
while the CIA has already said that Russia will interfere with our 2018
elections. Let’s tell our MoCs that we
need them to find a new way to help protect our upcoming elections.
4.
The
Senate may have blocked the unconstitutional 20-week time limit on a woman’s
right to choose, but 51, far too many, senators voted in favor. And those who
didn’t continue to confirm Trump’s judicial nominations. Trump has promised to
appoint Supreme Court justices who will overturn Roe v. Wade, and many of his
picks for the bench are a real threat to women’s rights (https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/01/22/579661047/in-trumps-first-year-anti-abortion-forces-make-strides). Let’s contact our senators and let them
know we are part of the majority of Americans who support Roe v. Wade, and we
will hold them responsible for confirming judges who curtail it.
5.
The
Senate is still one vote shy of securing the passage of a resolution to
overturn the FCC's ruling on net neutrality. While all Democrats are in favor
of the resolution, we need the support of one more Republican senator. If our
senator is Republican, let's make sure to call them and ask them to promise to
vote in support of the resolution. Then, let's all make sure we call our
Representative to ensure they are favor of restoring net neutrality. We can
check each Senator and Representative's stance at Battle for the Net: https://www.battleforthenet.com/scoreboard/
6.
While
the latest stopgap funding bill reauthorized funding for CHIP, it failed to
allocate money for the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) http://bit.ly/2E4E14C While having financial support for
healthcare is a essential, it must be combined with an assurance that each
individual will have access to that healthcare; this is where community health
centers come in http://bit.ly/2GrMS10 Let's be sure to tell our senators that
their CHIP victory is no victory at all, unless it comes with a Community
Health Center Fund renewal.
7.
Earlier
this month Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
introduced the “Defending Elections from Threats by Establishing Redlines (DETER)
Act,” S. 2313, which lays out specific foreign actions
against U.S. elections that would warrant penalties from the federal
government. Now, Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Brad
Schneider (D-IL) have now introduced the House version of the
bill, H.R.
4884.
(Source: The Hill) The Senate bill has already been
referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban
Affairs.
If either of our Senators is on this committee, let's contact them to urge them
to consider S2313 as soon as possible. Let's also contact our own
representatives in support of HR4884.
8.
Although
Trump thinks that polar ice caps are “setting records”, he has indicated a
potential willingness to rejoin the Paris Climate agreement:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-28/trump-hints-he-d-be-open-to-remaining-in-paris-climate-pact Let’s let him know that we do expect
the United States to rejoin this agreement (along with every other country on
the planet): The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20500
9.
The news
that Trump tried to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller in June should have us
fired up: http://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/371118-republican-lawmakers-consider-need-to-protect-mueller Let’s be very clear with our MoC that
we expect them to protect Mueller at this critical time.
10. Many have said that the courts will bear
Trump's most lasting legacy. That should scare us all because his nominees have
been qualified but right-wing at best and unqualified and extremist at worst.
"After public outcry, Trump withdrew two of his especially egregious
judicial nominees from consideration. Brett Talley and Jeff Mateer were highly
unqualified ideologues who
had no business serving lifetime federal appointments on the
courts. Unfortunately, several more of Trump’s extreme nominees have moved
forward. This has big ramifications. From civil rights to the environment and
beyond, federal judges wield tremendous power to decide issues that affect us
all." Here's a great guide from Indivisible about how our senators can
resist the latest wave of nominees: https://www.cnn.com/2017/12/20/politics/trump-judicial-nominations/index.html, especially if they are on the Senate
Judiciary Committee: https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/about/members. This link comes complete with a call script:
https://www.indivisible.org/resource/senators-can-stall-trumps-terrible-judicial-nominees-heres/
11.
Today,
let's channel a little bipartisan spirit and call on both our Democratic and
Republican representatives to return all money from Harvey Weinstein and Steve
Wynn. Or better yet, let's ask them to donate that money to #MeToo!
12. Although it sounds positive, the notion of
requiring work to keep/get Medicaid because it would help lead to self-sufficiency,
is not rooted in good research. “The
most inclusive, long-term research shows that requiring work in order to get
government benefits reduces the use of benefits and increases employment. It
does not, however, reliably produce enough income gains to lift people out of
poverty or free them from reliance on other government assistance.” http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2018/jan/26/heartland-institute/do-work-requirements-lead-self-sufficiency/ Let’s
remind our MoCs about this when we have them on the phone.
Election 2018 -
General
1.
Political Charge is a new website “where you can come to get
the information you need to take charge of your political activism. Our
democracy gets stronger when more people are actively engaging and shaping the
political process. I am inspired by YOUR desire to affect change and am here to
give you the tools and ideas you need. If you want to know how to take the
first step, read Getting
Started in Political Activism. This blog is also the home of the BlueWave Interview. I get so
energized when I speak with the everyday citizens who have made the choice to
be politically active in their communities and are affecting change right now.
You can read those interviews here.”
Election 2018 –
By State
Other Actions
1.
With FBI
Deputy Director Andrew McCabe out of the picture, it seems that the Trump
administration is posturing itself to go after Deputy Attorney General Rod
Rosenstein as a way to limit or stop the Mueller investigation. We need to #ProtectRosenstein! Firing #Rosenstein is a red line, just as firing Mueller is. We
need to be prepared to march if Rosenstein is fired. Sign up for rapid response
alerts here: https://www.trumpisnotabovethelaw.org/event/mueller-firing-rapid-response/search/
2.
Consumer
product company Kimberly-Clark said the savings it receives from the new
tax-cut law will help them pay for a restructuring program that includes
layoffs and plant shutdowns. The company claims it had been considering
the restructuring program before Congress approved the tax legislation.
(Source: The Hill.) If we are unhappy with Kimberly-Clark's
decision, we can choose not to buy their products and/or let them know how we feel by
contacting Kimberly-Clark's
corporate offices.
3.
From one
of our own: I saw the movie The
Post last night. It served as a reminder to me that resistance
matters, protecting freedom of the press matters, and that our nation has faced
crisis before and persevered. Today I feel more energy for my efforts.
4.
For
those of us planning to boycott Trump’s State of the Union Address tonight,
here are some constructive ways to use that time instead: A) Share this link to promote voter
registration: https://indivisible.turbovote.org/, and B) Choose an action or two (or three!)
from today’s Rogan’s List!
5.
“The
Cleveland Indians will no longer use the Chief Wahoo logo on team
uniforms starting in 2019….MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement to
the newspaper that the logo, which is a cartoon depiction of a Native American,
is ‘no longer appropriate for on-field use.’” http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/371224-cleveland-indians-to-drop-chief-wahoo-logo-from-uniforms Let’s thank Rob Manfred for this move
away from racist imagery. Twitter: @MLB. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlb/. Phone: 212-931-7800. Mail: Robert D. Manfred Jr.,
Commissioner, 245
Park Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10167.
6.
The FCC
has killed net neutrality at the federal level and overturning that decision
doesn't look realistic at this time. However, states and municipalities can
take steps to protect net neutrality on a smaller scale, using new incentives
and legislative changes. To find out quickly and easily what you can do to
promote innovative solutions in your area, check out Indivisible's cool
interactive map. https://www.indivisible.org/resource/protecting-net-neutrality-state-local-level/
7.
Manufacturing
divisions among Americans is a strategy of Trump and his GOP enablers. We can
resist by creating community. A new opportunity for doing this is “Now Read
This,” a national book club by the PBS News Hour and the New York Times. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/features/now-read-this/ Let’s read together and start talking
to each other! Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NowReadThisBookClub, or subscribe:
8.
Applications
are now open for the Spring 2018 Kairos Fellowship Equity Cohort, a
full-time paid eight-month fellowship for emerging civic tech and online
organizers of color. Including field organizers, writers, and media-makers who
want, to learn more about online organizing and tech skills. The deadline to apply is February 2,
2018. The Fellowship runs from May 7-December 2018. The Kairos Fellowship
is designed to address the racial and gender disparity within civic technology and
organizing by pairing robust recruitment with a training and mentorship program
to develop a new network of tech-savvy leaders of color. Kairos will match
and place up to 15 fellows with leading national and state organizations where
Fellows will work mostly on issue advocacy campaigns. Upon completion of the
eight-month program, fellows may be offered a permanent position with the
organization. The deadline to apply is February 2. Applications are
reviewed on a rolling basis. Some of the placements are virtual and others are
location based. We can find out more about the program and apply here: http://bit.ly/Kairosfellows18
9.
While
the NRA uses every excuse to promote its “Guns in Schools” agenda, Moms Demand Action, has successfully opposed many of their
bills to do so. Now, if we are educators, we can join Educators Demand Action
to keep our schools safe. If we believe schools are no places for guns, we
can sign up below. Teachers, principals, professors, deans, school board
members, athletic coaches, and all education professionals are needed to defeat
the gun lobby and keep guns out of our schools and campuses: https://everytown.ngpvanhost.com/?source=moms-campaign-educators-page If we are not educators, we can help by
asking ones we know to join the campaign. We can learn more about this movement
here: https://momsdemandaction.org/campaigns/educators/ We can see the latest victories here: https://momsdemandaction.org/campaigns/educators/victories/
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to
attend/organize
1.
Instead of watching Trump’s State of the Union this
evening, let’s join the many resistance organization and attend or watch online
The State of OUR Union at 8pm:
https://www.thestateofourunion.org/
2.
Let’s remember to watch the Democratic response to
the State of the Union, given by Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-MA).
3.
Another alternative to the State of the Union
address is to make a short video explaining your hopes and dreams for a
progressive, inclusive America. Post video TUES (1/30) at 9pm EST sharp on all
your platforms with the hashtag #StateOfTheDream. Then, retweet
all the videos you see with that hashtag.
4.
Tune in Wednesday, January 31 at
10PM ET for the BET News special “Angela
Rye’s State of the Union.”. The special will feature Rep. Maxine
Waters (D-CA) delivering an exclusive rebuttal to the president’s
state of the union address.
5.
The ACLU has been on the frontlines fighting Trump
since the first days of the administration, and they’re gaining steam with
their efforts to build a nationwide political force to counter the right and
push progressive policies (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-11-08/the-aclu-wants-to-be-the-nra-without-all-the-guns). As part of
their People Power program, they’re holding webinars on effective strategy and
tactics for activists starting on January 30th and running throughout
the month of February. We can check out the options and sign up at this
link.
States
1. KY:
State Senate bill SB71 the so-called "Abstinence before marriage
bill" just passed in the Kentucky state senate. The bill would
require sex education classes to contain content including this:
"Abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage is the expected
standard for all school-age children." Opponents fear that only
abstinence will be taught in some school districts if the bill becomes law.
(Source: WHAS11/ABC)
If we are Kentuckians, we need to contact our state representatives to
tell them that we oppose this narrow-minded bill that ignores today's
realities.
Reading/Watching
1.
Trump's
latest Muslim ban is still in effect, wreaking havoc on myriad lives. Let's
take a moment to read through the stories of those who have had to suffer the
painful consequences https://www.aclu.org/issues/immigrants-rights/living-muslim-ban
2.
“The
#Resistance Trump ignited will shape politics for a generation” - http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article195678009.html
3.
Poverty
in America, in photographs: http://time.com/poorest-states-america-photos/
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.