Rogan's List

1/4/18

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

and Senate: https://faxzero.com/fax_senate.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.       On Tuesday night on Twitter, the Trump said this: ‘North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.” Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!’http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/367149-trump-i-have-a-much-bigger-button-than-kim-jong-un Trump is shouting his unfitness from the rooftops and is playing with nuclear fire. Let’s contact the Cabinet to express our concern:  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1inpBNLNGs7RGHtZDBsHQQoRo8HVY_SYU

2.      Admonishing Trump for sending out tweets that threaten nuclear war is not enough; our MoC need to put their ire into legislative action http://bit.ly/2AbcZ7W Right now, the constitutionality of the president performing a first strike with nuclear weapons is a little fuzzy http://bit.ly/2uNo1O3 However, nearly a year ago, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced legislation (H.R. 669/S. 200) that "would prohibit the President from launching a nuclear first strike without a declaration of war by Congress."  https://lieu.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-lieu-senator-markey-introduce-restricting-first-use-0  Let's let our MoCs know that it is past time to get behind this legislation, and that we want Congress to assert its power to restrain Trump -- now.

3.      Thomas Brunell, a Texas professor who has testified in the support of Republican-engineered gerrymandering schemes and written a book entitled “Redistricting and Representation: Why Competitive Elections are Bad for America” is poised to be appointed as deputy director of the U.S. Census Bureau. Because the 2020 Census count will determine the allocation of representatives and affect how political districts are drawn, Brunell's leadership of the Bureau could undermine democracy for decades https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/21/trump-census-pick-causes-alarm-252571  Let’s contact our senators and let them know we want them to oppose Trump’s extremist picks and Brunell in particular. We can find a script from 5 Calls here: https://5calls.org/issue/oppose-thomas-brunell-for-census-bureau.

4.      Yesterday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that it is changing longstanding policy in order to allow the government to use taxpayer money to rebuild houses of worship damaged in disasters. This is a change that should concern us all. Although we all want to help those who have suffered major damage during hurricanes, wild fires and other natural disasters, that does not mean we can – or should – ignore fundamental principles of religious freedom that protect us all. Last month, a federal district court ruled that the Texas churches did not have a right to federal funding to rebuild their facilities used for religious activities. The court explained: “The government has a historical and justifiable interest in avoiding an establishment of religion and using public funds to support religion.” Congress has also been in the mix. In December, the House passed H.R. 4667, the House Emergency Disaster Aid Package, which would force FEMA to provide the grants to houses of worship. (The Senate is still drafting its version of the bill.) We can read more at Americans United. We need to let our Senators know that we oppose HR4667 and that we oppose the new FEMA guidelines. Public outcry could make a difference here. We support the separation of church and state. We can also write to William "Brock" Long, Administrator, FEMA, Dept of Homeland Security, Washington DC 20472.

5.      “States seeking help from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to guard election systems from hackers could be waiting up to nine months for an advanced screening from the department.” But “Primary elections in some states occur as early as March of 2018. [And] DHS reported earlier this year that as many as 21 states were hit by Russian hackers in 2016.” http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/366763-election-hacking-help-a-nine-month-wait-for-some-states-report Let’s contact our MoCs to ask them what they’re doing to ensure this is expedited.

6.      “Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee may publish a report detailing ways panel Republicans attempted to hinder the Russia probe, according to a senior Democrat on the committee.” http://thehill.com/homenews/house/367062-intel-dem-minority-may-publish-report-on-ways-panel-republicans-hindered If our Congressman is on this committee (https://intelligence.house.gov/about/hpsci-minority-members.htm), let’s ask him/her to move forward with sharing this report.

7.      On December 12, the Department of Justice asked that the 2020 Census include a question about citizenship status.  The DOJ argued that such a question would better enable the DOJ to enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits the dilution of the voting power of minority groups through redistricting. 

https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-justice-department-pushes-for-citizenship-question-on-census-alarming-experts  No one, it seems, is buying this rationale.  Terri Ann Lowenthal, a leading expert on census issues, is quoted as saying “I can think of no action the administration could take that would be more damaging to the accuracy of the 2020 census than to add a question on citizenship”;  “The first effect, of course, is on reapportionment,” said Tom Saenz, the president of the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund,  “And that seems to be the overarching goal — to stop the shifting of representation from non-Latino states to heavily Latino states”; “This is a recipe for sabotaging the census,” said Arturo Vargas, of the National Advisory Committee of the Census and executive director of NALEO Educational Fund, a Latino advocacy group:  http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/01/furor-greets-request-add-citizenship-question-2020-us-census  We must tell Dr. Ron Jarmin, acting head of the Census Bureau (301-763-4636 or 800-923-8282 or U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233) and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who decides what Census questions go to Congress, (202-482-2000 or U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20230) what we think of this thinly-disguised effort to skew the 2020 Census, particularly against Latino/as.

8.     “Colonias”—hundreds of thousands of US citizens in Texas along the Mexico border—are living in deplorable conditions—no running water, no electricity, no sewage infrastructure, dirt roads, in unsafe, dirt-floor shanties, victims of illnesses cause by environmental injustices and lack of adequate health care. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/theres-a-third-world-america-that-no-one-notices/2017/11/21/640c4c1a-c499-11e7-aae0-cb18a8c29c65_story.html?utm_term=.866749a6d477  Let’s contact the following and demand that they take action to provide for the basic needs of the Colonias: A) Texas Senators John Cornyn, 202-224-2934, and Ted Cruz, 202-224-5922, B) Speaker of the House of the Texas State Legislature Joe Straus, 512-463-1000, C) President of the Texas State Senate (also Texas Lt. Governor) Dan Patrick, 512-463-5342.  Let’s also contact CBS’s 60 Minutes and demand coverage of the plight of the Colonias: 60 Minutes, 524 West 57^th St, New York, NY 10019; 60m@cbsnews.com; 212-975-3247.

9.      Trump is set to name Geoffrey Berman as the next U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, to replace Preet Bharara who Trump fired.  Rarely do presidents do this.  “What's most alarming about the President interviewing these particular candidates for US attorney positions is that these chief federal prosecutors are going to decide whether to indict Trump campaign advisers or staff if there's collusion between the Trump campaign and Russians proven and possibly consider criminal charges against the President himself."  http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/19/politics/trump-us-attorney-interviews/index.html and http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/19/politics/trump-us-attorney-interviews/index.html  Let’s let the Senate Judiciary Committee members know that we feel this procedure does not warrant their approval:  https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/about/members  Then, let’s tell our senators the same.

Election 2018

1.       If we know a progressive woman running for office, let’s make sure she knows about Get Her Elected, “an initiative where people from all over the world offer their skills pro bono to progressive women candidates running for office at all levels of U.S. government. Skill sets from our current volunteers include everything from writing, editing, and graphic design to web design, data analysis, and fundraising strategy—and that’s just the start.”  Link here:  https://www.getherelected.com/

2.      SC:  Special election on January 16, 2018 - Democrat Cindy Boatwright is running against Republican Nancy Mace in a Special Election for South Carolina House of Representatives District 99. Let’s sign up to help elect Boatwright, https://www.cindyboatwrightforsc.com/ , and if we’re in this district, let’s be Boatwright voters on January 16.

3.      WI:  Special elections on January 16, 2018 -A) Democrat Patty Schachtner is running against Adam Jarchow (R) and Brian Corriea (L) in a Special Election for Wisconsin State Senate District 10. Let’s sign up to help elect Schachtner https://www.pattyforsenate.com/  , and if we’re in this district, let’s be Schachtner voters on January 16. Voter info here:

 https://www.pattyforsenate.com/vote/, and B) Democrat Dennis Degenhardt is running against Republican Rick Gundrum in a Special Election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 58. Let’s sign up to help elect Degenhardt 

https://www.degenhardtforassembly.com/ , and if we’re in this district, let’s be Degenhardt voters on January 16.

4.      CA: Code Blue is calling, texting, and canvassing to get voters registered, informed, and ready to flip their districts blue!  We can join them in contacting voters in CA-10 (Denham), CA-21(Valadao), CA-25 (Knight), CA- 39 (Royce), CA-45 (Walters), CA-48 (Rohrbacher) and CA-49 (Issa).  We can help by signing up to join a phone bank.  If we are phone bank leaders, organizers who want to start NEW phone banks or want to volunteer from home, we can  sign up and stay connected. We can also ask for training or help starting a phone bank. After signing up, we’ll get Virtual Phone Bank Links (VPBs) and other details to get started:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfKFWswJ_v4LaLkFwxPwWZiXVOqDAE8yxdq8o2p7Jo4CNO6TA/viewform  We can learn more in this Conference Call Training, Today, January  4TH - 7pm PST -  sign up here:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZ12uG5yl-lGZraoDaqbK56MhvXCJuvuNzmVDFo2U8oSMU6Q/viewform  Code Blue also has a California Daily Action Page we can check out here: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CRJFzTgvtmof0vMWYHU-ceGfig1hWweh4qhIoEjgr0w/edit

5.      UT:  Senator Orrin Hatch has announced that he will not seek re-election to his Senate seat for Utah: http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/367082-hatch-to-retire This leaves the door open for Mitt Romney to run for Senate which may cause rift in the GOP:  https://apnews.com/dc614250bdb746b589656f0267add35a/Opportunity-in-Utah:-Mitt-Romney-eyes-political-resurgence  Good news – there is a viable Democratic contender for this seat and Alabama shows us that we should be running in all races. Let’s help Ms. Wilson if we are able: https://wilsonforsenate.com

Other Actions

1.       From Sleeping Giants:  Last year, Breitbart quietly replaced Taboola ads with another provider: Revcontent. Revcontent's terms & conditions prohibit "hate-related or otherwise violent in content," so this *must* be an oversight. Today, we're going to bring this matter to the attention of CEO John Lemp and Revcontent's PR team.  Email addresses are:  john@revcontent.com pr@revcontent.com  Sample text:  Hi John, I wanted to alert you that Revcontent is currently monetizing Breitbart, a site that distributes racist, misogynist and white supremacist speech.  As a member of the Sleeping Giants community, I would like to urge you to reconsider your partnership with them.  Over 3600 advertisers have blacklisted Breitbart because of its hateful content and neo-Nazi ties. It seems inappropriate for you to stand by and profit from hate.  You've made it clear that your business holds high standards and values diversity. Please do right by your customers and employees by cutting ties with this website.  Thanks, [Your Name]

2.      Last September it was reported that Motel 6 in Arizona was sending guest lists to ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to check on documentation status.  Such transfer of information is against federal law.  Shortly thereafter, corporate Motel 6 indicated their employees would stop this practice.  It seems it is a much larger picture than just Arizona, as Washington state is now suing the company for sharing guest data with the immigration agents for over 9,000 people so ICE could look for Latino-sounding names to investigate.  https://www.reuters.com/article/us-blackstone-motel6-lawsuit/washington-state-sues-motel-6-for-sharing-guest-data-with-immigration-agents-idUSKBN1ES273  No one should fear this when they check into a motel/hotel.  Let’s let Motel 6 corporate headquarters know how we feel about this:  G6 Hospitality, 4001 International Parkway, Carrollton, Texas 75007 / 972-360-9000.  Motel 6 also accepts feedback here: guestrelations@g6hospitality.com Let’s also contact Motel 6 spokesperson, Tom Bodett and his ad agency to ask him to terminate his association with this organization; to turn the lights off and leave:  http://www.bodett.com/contact/

3.      If we are not yet on Twitter, this might be just the time to give it a try.  It is easy to sign up, then all we need to do to start with is to follow a news source we like, a journalist we like, a friend we like, and slowly increase those we follow.  Sign up here:  https://twitter.com/   

4.      More and more, people are combining social activity and resisting. Here is another example of how one of our own conducts postcarding gatherings:  My group meets once a month. During the month, I save links to news items that may make good postcard topics. Then as the postcarding date approaches, I go back through the links, choose the ones that are still current and write them up. Then I do a little searching to figure out who the postcards should go to. I usually go with the Senate committee chair and ranking member on whatever committee has jurisdiction, the House as well sometimes. I look up legislation and see what committee it's before and again go with chair and ranking member of that committee. If one of my local reps is on a committee I add them to the list. Then I look up other addresses: cabinet positions, CEOs, state Attorneys General, etc., as needed. I have a lot of the addresses already from previous postcard get-togethers, so I can often just cut and paste from an earlier list. We meet on a Saturday or Sunday once a month (it varies) at a local art gallery whose owner likes what we're doing. We're a small group, usually 6-8 people, occasionally more, which is why I like sharing the research I've done here and on my blog. I want my work to be used. I invite people to join us for postcarding through Facebook or via email about 2-3 weeks before we meet and invite them to pass the invitation on to friends. Most months we get between 80 and 140 cards written. I'm also collecting email addresses for out-of-area people who want me to send them my monthly list once it's assembled. 

Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to attend/organize

1.       On Saturday and Sunday, January 20^th and 21^st , Women's March chapters across the U.S. will be hosting anniversary marches, rallies, and actions, in commemoration of the 2017 Women's March. Let's check to see where our nearest march is, then show up and help kick off 2018's “Power to the Polls” agenda:  http://www.powertothepolls.com/anniversary.html  And if you can’t find one in your state, use this tool to host one!

2.      Research published Monday indicates that over a quarter of the world’s land could become significantly drier if global warming reaches two degrees above pre-industrial temperatures – and holding warming to 1.5 degrees would dramatically reduce the amount of Earth so badly damaged: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180101144751.htm  This is of course only the latest reminder of how dangerous Trump’s roadblocks to climate action are to our future, and how important it is for us to fight back in 2018.  Leading climate activists and Senator Bernie Sanders will announce their plans for achieving progress in 2018 on January 31^st, and 350.org is holding watch parties across the country to organize volunteers in their own communities. We can find watch parties near us (or organize one if there is not yet one scheduled!) at this link: https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/fossil-free-fast/.

States

1.       CA: “The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation formally served notice it would begin looking at changing the operation of the massive California water project to maximize water deliveries. Spokeswoman Erin Curtis called it the first step in what would likely be an 18-month analysis. Doug Obegi, a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council environmental group, contended in an email Friday the move represented "the latest attempt by the Trump administration to roll back protections for salmon and other endangered native fisheries ... in order to increase water supplies" for the state's agricultural water agencies. Curtis, the Reclamation spokeswoman, called the effort a priority for the current administration.”  http://www.kcra.com/article/fed-could-increase-water-delivery-to-farmers-from-california-valley-deltas/14514824   This is a gift to Republican farmers, dairy and ranchers in the Central Valley from trump. (By the way, Nunes is a dairy farmer in Fresno district). We need to protect our wildlife and make sure our water resources are being shared fairly by all Californians. It appears written comments only are being taken right now, here’s the address. Thank you to Indivisible of California for the lead on this.  The lead agency is the Bureau of Land Reclamation, Public NEPA scoping meetings in the Central Valley will be announced in January. Written comments are due by close of business February 1, 2018, by US Mail. Contact:  Katrina Harrison, Project Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, Bay-Delta Office, 801 I Street, Suite 140, Sacramento, CA 95814-2536

2.      FL:  On week one of Session, Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran (R) is determined to pass a bill, HB9, that would penalize local officials who support the passage of so-called “sanctuary city” policies. HB9 states that police chiefs, sheriff or mayors in communities that honor these policies — currently there are none in Florida — are to be fined or removed from office. Corcoran, who is very likely to run for governor and is expected to announce once Session is over, is in support of hard-line immigration policies. He has vowed to pass the sanctuary city bill and praised Trump for ending protections for Dreamers. Let's read the full story at Florida Politics. Because of the expedited time-frame, we need to call, not write, our Florida House representatives to let them know we oppose HB9.  We can also call Speaker Corcoran at Phone: (850) 717-5000.

3.      MD:  Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) is promising to offer a bill to the state General Assembly to protect Marylanders from being “negatively affected” by Congress's newly-passed GOP tax bill. Hogan did not provide specific details about the plan, but said that it would aim to return the extra millions of dollars in revenue generated by the tax bill to Marylanders who may lose federal deductions and exemptions. Let's read more at The Hill.  Let's contact our Maryland General Assembly members.  We can also let Gov. Hogan know that we support this effort and we're looking for that bill now. Gov. Larry Hogan, 100 State Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401-1925; phone (410) 974-3901; or his website contact form.

4.      MA:  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 15 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/65115-massachusetts-enrollment-alert  Find out more about how Thunderclap helps grassroots organizing here:  https://www.socialworkhelper.com/2013/10/02/thunderclap-can-help-grassroots-organizing/amp/

5.      NY: 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 22 days to get 42 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/65573-new-york-enrollment-alert  Find out more about how Thunderclap helps grassroots organizing here:

https://www.socialworkhelper.com/2013/10/02/thunderclap-can-help-grassroots-organizing/amp/

Reading/Watching

1.       “Seven Habits of Highly Effective Resisters” - https://www.creators.com/read/froma-harrop/01/18/seven-habits-of-highly-effective-resisters

2.      While visions of sugarplums danced in some of our heads, the Trump administration had a different vision—of a country unbound by rules that protect people, places, wildlife and the climate. Over the last two weeks of the year, the administration has proposed or finalized changes to how the government and the industries it regulates respond to climate change, migratory birds, clean energy, pesticides and toxic chemicals.  Let's read more at EcoWatch.  We need to stay vigilant in watching the Republican regime and the EPA as they dismantle critical protections.

3.      If we want to understand the ins and outs of budget appropriations and especially the pay-as-you-go demands that could result in substantial cuts in social spending, we can find a detailed account of the budget processes at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget website http://www.crfb.org/blogs/appropriations-watch-fy-2018