4/05/18
Contact Federal Government Officials
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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.
Trump is
sending the National Guard to assist Border Patrol agents along the Mexico-U.S.
border https://n.pr/2q5e7rP https://wapo.st/2GymRB5 It looks as though this may be punishment
for not funding a border wall in the latest omnibus spending bill, and a tactic
to pressure Congress into closing loopholes and ending the “catch and release”
program in which immigrants are not detained as they await their immigration hearing.
Let’s be sure to contact our MoC and tell them that we do not want them passing
any immigration legislation, unless it is a clean Dream Act, or other similar bill
that offers protections for DACA recipients.
2.
The
White House is working behind the scenes with Republicans in Congress to try to
rescind spending on many of the programs that were recently passed in last month’s
bipartisan budget bill. (https://politi.co/2GwjrPc) According to the rules of the 1974 Budget
Act, these cuts can be passed by a simple Senate majority. The White House is
also considering a proposal that would allow a line-item veto. We must make
sure our MoCs know that we reject cuts in education, the arts, health care, and
any other programs that help elderly and low-income residents and we expect
them to speak loud and clear against this backhanded attack on an already
passed bipartisan agreement.
3.
Two
Republican Congresspeople, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Carlos Curbelo
(R-FL), have joined the call for EPA Chief Scott Pruitt’s resignation for
accepting a condo at significantly reduced rent from an energy lobbyist.
However, the White House is urging Pruitt to stay strong and fight back. (http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/381528-president-tells-embattled-epa-chief-to-stay-strong) Let’s tell our Republican MoCs to join
their colleagues and take an ethical stand, or risk damaging their own
reputations. If we have Democratic MoCs who have not yet spoken out in support
of Pruitt’s resignation, let’s ask them to do so.
4.
Faced
with a huge backlog in immigration cases, Jeff Sessions’ DoJ has set quotas for
immigration judges—700 cases cleared per year—on which their performance
evaluations will depend. Sessions is also expected to eliminate or cut
back on administrative closure, which allows judges to put cases on hold while
immigrants seek visas or other kinds of relief, and he wants to limit
asylum: https://www.npr.org/2018/04/03/599158232/justice-department-rolls-out-quotas-for-immigration-judges Only 1/3 of immigrants have lawyers—to
which they have no legal right—now, and Sessions wants to undermine judicial
independence and erode due process rights for immigrants. Let’s tell him this
is no way to treat the 700,000 immigrants awaiting "justice": 950
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20530 or 202-514-2000. We can also
contact our MoC and ask them to support legislation which would protect immigrants,
asylum-seekers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced
Departure (DED) recipients.
5.
In order
to prevent a citizenship question from being included on any future U.S.
Census, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), along with 13 other Democratic
senators, introduced S.
2580:
Every Person Counts Act. The bill would prohibit questions on citizenship and immigration
status for every decennial census. Let’s contact our senators and ask them to
cosponsor and support this important legislation if they have not already done
so. We can check out more information and use the call script at 5calls.
6.
Key
committees that advise the Occupational Safety & Health Administration
(OSHA) on protections for workers have gone dormant under Trump.
Recommendations that would prevent worker deaths, protect workers from toxins
and pathogens, and more, are dead-ended. (https://www.propublica.org/article/trumps-labor-department-eviscerates-workplace-safety-panels) Let’s contact the chairs and ranking
members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (202-224-5375),
and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, https://edworkforce.house.gov/contact/ and ask them what they plan to do about
this.
7.
A
bipartisan group of senators have introduced legislation (S.
2553:
Know the Lowest Price Act) which would ban “gag clauses,” which prohibit
pharmacists from informing customers if they can save money by paying
out-of-pocket for medication, rather than by paying through insurance https://bit.ly/2G3LPqC Let’s contact our senators and ask them to
cosponsor and support this common sense, bipartisan legislation.
8.
Together
with 42 other Democratic senators, Sen. Tammy Duckworth has written a letter to
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, vowing to block any effort to pass H.R.
620:
ADA Education and Reform Act, an attack on the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) https://bit.ly/2E6owra The coalition has enough members to
essentially kill the bill in the Senate https://bit.ly/2Ej2Yba Let’s check to see if our senators signed
the letter, and if they did, thank them. We can all send a huge “Thank you!” to
Senator Duckworth for taking decisive action to protect the ADA and support individuals
with disabilities. Mailing Address: 524 Hart Senate Office Building Washington,
DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-2854 E-mail: https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/connect/email-tammy
Election 2018 – General
1.
Labor
activist Lizette Escobedo is running for city council in Whittier, California,
where she would be the first Latina ever elected to that board – and she’s
#PostcardsToVoters’ next candidate! (https://www.whittierdailynews.com/2018/03/06/unions-are-throwing-money-into-whittier-city-council-elections/) Let’s get to writing – we can either
text JOIN to (484) 275-2229 or email Join@TonyTheDemocrat.org.
2.
Amy
McGrath, who is running for Congress in Kentucky, has pulled her campaign ads
from WDKY-TV, a Sinclair-owned station, and is calling on other Democratic
candidates to boycott Sinclair stations as well. (https://cjky.it/2EkjLdD https://bit.ly/2JfOwnU) Let’s thank McGrath by visiting her
campaign website and seeing how we can help get her elected. https://www.amymcgrathforcongress.com/#
3.
The only
way politics in our country are going to change is if we elect people who more
clearly reflect who we are. New American Leaders "is the only national,
nonpartisan organization focused on bringing New Americans into the political
process." (https://www.newamericanleaders.org/who-we-are/our-mission/)
1st
or 2nd generation immigrant? Want to run for office? NAL wants to help. Let's
sign up here to receive information on the trainings and events they run all
over the country: http://newamericanleaders.nationbuilder.com/run-for-office
Election 2018 – By State
1.
FL: There’s
another special election coming this Tuesday for a Florida state senate seat.
State rep. Lori Berman, who has a long record of fighting for equal pay and
equal rights for women and clean energy, will be the Democratic nominee (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-reg-senate-district-31-primary-special-election-20180129-story.html). We can help make calls to turn out voters
for her here.
2.
ID: Republican
candidate for lieutenant governor in Idaho, State Sen. Bob
Nonini, said that women who have abortions should face criminal
punishment, potentially including the death penalty, if the state decides to
criminalize the procedure. Let's read more at The Hill. Let's take a look at the candidates running
for Lt. Governor at Ballotpedia and choose a candidate to support who
is not an extremist like Nonini.
Other Actions
1.
The
Trump administration is continuing to try to wall us off from the rest of the
world, proposing that anyone seeking a visa to visit the United
States be required to allow the State Department to review their last five
years’ worth of social media posts (https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/03/trump-admin-wants-to-track-14-million-us-visitors-social-media-history/). This invasive step is likely to drive away
students, tourists and business from our country. We have until May 29th to
submit comments in opposition to this change. Let’s make sure we do so here.
2.
Seventeen
states are suing the Commerce Department and Census Bureau in order to remove
the citizenship question from the 2020 Census https://n.pr/2ImtmDl Let’s see if our state is one of them, and
if so, send a huge “Thank you!” to our Attorney General. If our state was not
named in the lawsuit, let’s contact our Attorney General and start a dialogue
about the importance of removing the citizenship question. For a refresher on the
potential consequences of a citizenship question, we can check out these
articles from Vox and Time.
3.
Sinclair
has become a propaganda tool. As such, Sinclair can be used to get out the vote
for Trump's reelection, in support of ultra-right candidates during the midterms.
Equally concerning is that they are using their network to create bias in favor
of Sinclair-owned stations. In order to maintain free and independent media, a
concerned citizen has created a Google Drive folder with step-by-step
instructions on how we can take a multi-pronged approach to fight back against
Sinclair. This includes asking advertisers to withdraw all ads from Sinclair-owned
stations, personally boycotting the stations, and contacting our MoC and the
FCC about the pending Sinclair-Tribune merger. Let’s check out the actions, and get to
work! https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LMJtnIWyQ9F-PyNW0iUdOlCXE0qDLIFv
4.
As outrage
about Sinclair’s takeover of local news stations to spread right wing
propaganda and misinformation spreads, Sinclair advertisers need to hear from
us and know we will not buy their products if they buy ad time from Sinclair. Proctor
and Gamble are already gathering comments from customers and re-evaluating
their advertising with Sinclair. We can email them, using or adapting this
sample letter: Email: pginvestor.im@pg.com Sample Letter: Because Sinclair
Broadcasting attempts to subvert freedom assured us through the 1st
Amendment of the US Constitution, I am boycotting all Proctor & Gamble
products and instructing my financial managers to relinquish holdings I have in
PG, and encouraging friends, associates and social media contacts to do
likewise until PG publicly states it is immediately canceling all
advertisements with Sinclair. We need our major corporations to stand
loudly in defense of Freedom of Speech since our departments of justice, governance,
and regulations are failing to do so. You can be one of our heroes now.
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to attend/organize
1.
The anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s
death has passed, but we still have plenty to do to continue his work.
Activists led by Reverend William Barber II are coming together to rekindle the
Poor People’s campaign that was interrupted by the assassin’s bullet ( https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2018-04-03/rekindling-of-kings-poor-peoples-campaign-takes-shape). They will kick
it off May 14 with 40 days of peaceful protests. Let’s learn more by
checking out their website here, and considering
signing up to take part.
2.
Trump's military parade is scheduled for Veterans
Day, November 11, 2018. (https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/03/09/592528659/trumps-military-parade-is-set-for-veterans-day) Many groups
around the country are working on alternate rallies the same day. One
such idea is to hold peace rallies and engage local Veterans for Peace chapters to
be part of the planning. Let's find a chapter near us and get this
started: https://www.veteransforpeace.org/files/8915/2183/7236/18.03.22.ChapterContacts.pdf
States
1.
ALL: In
Rhode Island, the Kent County Resisters are not happy with the Sinclair
ownership of their local NBC affliliate and have declared, "We believe
local news should be real news." To that end, they
have created a webpage: https://www.turnoff10.com/ and a Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/KentCountyHuddle Let's pull together our own local
resources, check out what this RI group is doing, and follow suit.
2.
VA: The
majority of Virginians want a Medicaid expansion, but state legislators cannot
seem to come to an agreement on whether it should be included in the next
budget proposal https://bit.ly/2DqhCN3 On April 11th, there will be a special
session to pass the state budget. We can use the days leading up to this to
contact our legislators, lobby in Richmond, write a letter to the editor of our
local newspaper, or canvas in swing districts. Indivisible has created a guide
to help us make sure that this budget gets us the Medicaid expansion that we
need https://www.indivisible.org/resource/expanding-medicaid-virginia/
3.
CA: The
FCC’s repeal of Net Neutrality is scheduled to take effect this month, but we
in California have a chance to protect free and open internet access for all of
our state, if we can pass Senate Bill 822. This bill is one of the strongest
protections against our Internet Service Providers (ISP) ruthless tactics of
blocking access, throttling, or slowing down speed, and giving preferential
treatment to certain sites. It restores all Net Neutrality from the Obama
Administration and adds protection against favoring sites by not countering
data used on them. If passed, this will be the strongest protection yet and
could set precedents for other states and inspire Congress to act as well. We
can read the full text of the bill here, then call our State Senators and urge them
to cosponsor and strongly support this bill. We can also read about how
passage of this bill could positively affect Net Neutrality for the rest of the
country. https://slate.com/technology/2018/03/could-california-effectively-restore-net-neutrality.html
4.
LA and
MN: Louisiana and Minnesota have introduced anti-protest bills amid fights over
Bayou Bridge and Enbridge pipelines. 1) LA: House bill HB727 is aimed at criminalizing the activities
of groups protesting the extraction, burning, and transport of oil and
gas. 2) MN: House bill HF3693 makes it a felony for anyone who
“recruits, trains, aids, advises, hires, counsels, or conspires with” an
individual who causes significant damage to critical infrastructure such as
pipelines. Let's read about these bill at The Intercept. Let's contact our state house
representatives to let them know we oppose these anti-protest bills. 1)
LA: Louisiana
State Representatives.
2) MN: Minnesota
State Representatives.
5.
IA: Legislators
calling for a “Convention of States,” not a “Constitutional Convention” are
actually asking for the same thing: a Koch and ALEC plan to eliminate agencies
like the EPA, Department of Education, gut Medicaid, Medicare and Social
Security under the guise of a “balanced budget” https://bit.ly/2GVo5pe They are dangerously close to the 34 states
needed to call this convention. Let’s stop Iowa from bringing the number any
closer. We can call our state senators and demand that they Vote NO on Joint Resolution
8 calling for an Article V Convention of States. We can read more about the
bill here: https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/SJR8/2017 We
read about this deceptive strategy here and get tips for talking to our
Representatives about the bill:
https://demwritepress.com/2018/04/04/iowa-america-needs-you-to-act-protect-the-constitution/amp/?__twitter_impression=true We can read about the dangers of this well-funded
movement here: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/965718456539652096.html
Reading/Watching
1.
Jill McCabe, wife of Andrew McCabe and candidate
for Virginia State Senate in 2015, found herself in the Trump swirl up to the
point of her husband’s recent firing. She has penned a strong op-ed in the
Washington Post to explain her side of the story: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/jill-mccabe-the-president-attacked-my-reputation-its-time-to-set-the-record-straight/2018/04/02/e6bbcf66-366b-11e8-8fd2-49fe3c675a89_story.html?utm_term=.314ab4a645c0
2.
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
doesn’t call Trump a fascist, but… Let’s listen to her pull-no-punches
interview with Fresh Air’s Terry Gross: https://www.npr.org/2018/04/03/599120190/madeleine-albright-warns-dont-let-fascism-go-unnoticed-until-its-too-late
3.
In the documentary, American Creed,
we can "Join former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, historian David
Kennedy and a diverse group of Americans to explore whether a unifying set of
beliefs, an American creed, can prove more powerful than the issues that divide
us." Let's watch it here: http://www.pbs.org/video/american-creed-ikwuqf/
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