Contact Federal Government Officials
Find senator’s contact info here: https://goo.gl/RLiotu
Find representative’s contact info here: https://goo.gl/5i7SXC
********************************
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.
It was a strange weekend of toggling between the news in Syria and the
waiting and wondering about whether or not Trump will fire Deputy Attorney
General Rod Rosenstein as a means to undercut the Mueller investigation (https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/16/if-trump-axes-rosenstein-heres-who-could-be-asked-to-fire-mueller.html). Let’s make sure we are ready to
mobilize should this eventuality come to pass: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/apr/14/resistance-now-trump-protests-rosenstein-mueller and https://www.trumpisnotabovethelaw.org.
2. The Special Counsel Protection Act, HR3654, now has 153 co-sponsors, all Democrats (http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/383120-partisan-tensions-rise-as-mueller-bill-delayed). Let's check to see if our own representatives are among them here. If they are not, let's contact them to let them know we'd
like them to become co-sponsors. Let's work together to protect the special
counsel!
3. It’s not only Democrats who are worried by Trump’s military strikes
against Syria. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA)
said his committee would hold a hearing in the coming days to examine U.S.
policy in Syria, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) quipped on Twitter that he could not
recall the Constitution giving the president the authority to strike Syria, and
Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) warned that “it is vitally important that the Trump
administration honors the Constitution by working with Congress on further
military action” (https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/some-gop-call-clearer-syria-strategy-while-expressing-support-strikes-n866051). Likewise, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to reopen debate on a
new authorization of military force (AUMF) this month. We can tell both the Senate and House committees and all our reps that
Trump must be stopped before any threatened "second strike" and must
clarify both U.S. strategy and the constitutionality of his orders.
4. The Government Accountability Office has reported that EPA administrator
Scott Pruitt’s $43,000 soundproof telephone booth violated federal spending
laws (https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/epa-chief-scott-pruitt-s-43k-soundproof-phone-booth-violated-n866391). This is only one among many scandals for Pruitt. Let’s call our MoCs
and ask them if they’ve publicly demanded Pruitt be removed yet – and if not,
what they are waiting for.
5. The Senate voted a few weeks ago to roll back some of the protections
enacted in Dodd Frank. The House is trying to pass a much more damaging roll
back. If the House passes its version, the House and Senate will then negotiate
a compromise bill (https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-04-11/elizabeth-warren-don-t-make-bank-deregulation-bill-worse ). We want to make sure the
compromise is as close to the Senate as possible. Let's call our Representative
and ask them to vote against any changes to Dodd Frank. Let's also
call our senators. If they voted against the bill thank them. If they
voted for it, tell them you are deeply concerned and ask them to tell
leadership that the final bill can go no further then the Senate bill. We can
find their vote here: https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=115&session=2&vote=00054.
6. Trump has issued an executive order
to remake social safety net programs significantly, making it much harder for
them to help people (http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/383106-trump-order-targets-wide-swathe-of-public-assistance-programs). There is so much going on along
many fronts and this is the kind of news that flies under the radar. Let’s let
our MoC know that we expect a thoughtful process for the systems that protect
our most vulnerable citizens.
7. Congress has until April
23 to use the Congressional Review Act to pass a
"resolution of disapproval" reversing the FCC's vote to undo net
neutrality protections. (http://www.kpbs.org/news/2018/apr/06/big-city-mayors-sign-letter-supporting-net-neutral/). Let’s
let our MoCs know that we have not forgotten about this and want them to get
this rollback overturned.
8. Several
anti-LGBTQ and anti-civil rights judges are waiting to be confirmed by the
Senate. They include Thomas Farr, Howard Nielson,
Gordon Giampetro, Michael Brennan, and
Wendy Vitter. Vitter was recently
called out for her refusal to say whether she supported desegregated schools.
Neilsen has been cited for his ties to the NRA. Farr is known for his defense
of gerrymandering, and the others have equally troubling positions on basic
human rights. Let’s tell our MoCs to oppose all these nominations. 5calls.org
has links and a script for Farr,
Neilsen, and Brennan.
9. Now
that Congress has “clarified” that the CDC can conduct research into gun
violence, let’s tell Health & Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to get
started (https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/03/23/596413510/proposed-budget-allows-cdc-to-study-gun-violence-researchers-skeptical).
Let’s also tell Azar that we expect the CDC’s research to include gun violence
and women, low-income communities, and people of color—and to account for
personal and societal biases in its research. (https://blog.ucsusa.org/charise-johnson/tell-secretary-alex-azar-we-need-to-demand-equitable-gun-violence-research-and-reform) Contact: secretary@hhs.gov;
202-690-7000; Secretary Alex Azar, US Department of Health & Human
Services, 200 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20201.
Election 2018 – General
1.
We’re
just a week away from the next special election for Congress, and national
Republicans are pouring money into a deep red district in Arizona. After their
last embarrassment in PA-18, they’re trying to drown out ER doc Hiral
Tipirneni’s pro-universal health care, anti-tax scam message (https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/04/12/lesko-tipirneni-contrast-views-health-taxes-and-guns-final-cd-8-joint-appearance/511322002/). Let’s help her get the word
out by phonebanking voters for her! We can sign up at this link.
2. Millennials are now
the largest voting bloc, with 6 out of every 10 voting Democrat. But young
voters turnout at the lowest rate and cannot be reached as effectively through
TV ads and phone calls." But guess what? They check their texts. (https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2018/04/16/teen-voters-targeted-technology-and-drivers-licenses/508461002/) So:
"volunteer for Text The Vote and send free texts to unregistered young
voters in swing states to encourage them to register!" It's easy. We can
find out more here: https://www.textthevote.com.
Election 2018 – By State
Other Actions
1. Last week, Bank of
America announced plans to stop lending to companies that make assault weapons
for non-military purposes. ( http://time.com/5235598/bank-of-america-loans-military-assault-weapon-gun-manufacturers). Now it’s time for
other financial institutions to follow suit. Let’s join Newtown
Action Alliance in calling on leaders in the industry to stop financing
gunmakers who make weapons of war for civilian use. We can contact 1) BlackRock
at contact.us@blackrock.com, on Twitter @BlackRock, or by calling the
office nearest us;
2) Vanguard Group by calling 877-662-7447
or on Twitter @Vanguard_Group; 3) Voya through their website, by calling
855-663-8692, or on Twitter @Voya; 4) Invesco through their
website or on Twitter @InvescoUS; 5) State Street through their website, by calling
617-786-3000 or on Twitter @StateStreet; and 6) Fidelity through their
website, by phone at 800-972-2155 or on Twitter @Fidelity.
2. We knew
that Dick’s Sporting Goods had decided to stop selling assault-style weapons at
their Field and Stream stores, but now we know that they are destroying their
inventory rather than returning them to the manufacturer which is remarkable
news: http://www.post-gazette.com/business/money/2018/04/09/Dicks-Sporting-Goods-Pittsburgh-destroy-dispose-assault-rifles-guns-pulled-off-shelves/stories/201804060151. Let’s extend our gratitude to
Dick’s leadership for this bold move: Dick’s Sporting Goods Headquarters, 345 Court St, Coraopolis, PA 15108.
3. The presence of border patrol agents on Greyhound buses has sharply
increased in the last year. According to the ACLU, this is a violation of bus
riders’ Constitutional rights, and leads to racial profiling and intrusive
questioning on people’s citizenship and immigration status (https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2018/03/22/immigration-advocates-protest-greyhound-bus-searches/449756002/). Ten ACLU affiliates have sent Greyhound a letter asking the company to stop allowing ICE to board their buses and conduct
searches without a warrant. We can add to the pressure by contacting Greyhound
(214-849-8966) or writing to Dave Leach, President and Chief Executive Officer
Greyhound Lines, Inc. 350 N. St. Paul Street Dallas, TX 75201.
4. An almost 100% volunteer group is
collecting signatures to put a Medicaid expansion proposal before the voters…
in Idaho, a deep red state with high barriers to getting citizen initiatives on
the ballot. And yet, with the April 30th deadline closing in they are closing
in on their goals (http://www.idahostatesman.com/opinion/bill-manny/article208784784.html). If we’re in Idaho, let’s make sure
we’ve signed and consider volunteering to help them get signatures here. For
everyone, we can donate to support this effort here, and follow Reclaim Idaho and Medicaid for Idaho on Twitter.
5. Black
Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors shares how abuse in the jailing and
police systems of Los Angeles has touched her family, and why it's essential to
get the Reform Jails and Community Reinvestment Initiative on the 2018 ballot
in L.A. County (http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-cullors-los-angeles-sheriff-jail-reform-20180413-story.html). Let's
all read more about the ballot proposal here. Then, if
we are registered to vote in L.A. County, we can sign the
petition and volunteer to collect signatures. For
those of us outside of Los Angeles, we can help by contributing to their campaign and
sharing their Facebook page with our friends and family.
6. If we are
tired of working so hard to elect candidates who then disappoint us with their
inability to create change and are looking for a new ways to elect Progressive
Slates that can truly represent our communities and create new policies to help
us, we can check out The Incorruptibles. This group has successfully taken over
their own corrupt local governments and replaced them with Progressives and now
train people to do the same.We can find out more about them, sign up for
trainings and download their guide here: http://www.theincorruptibles.us/. We can
get an introduction to their strategies in this shareable Webinar link
here: bit.ly/IncorruptiblesWebinar.
7. If we are lawyers, or know others who
are, Lawyers for Good
Government (L4GG) is
seeking our assistance. Like us, this organization is concerned about Trump's
threats against the Mueller investigation. They are looking for as many
signatures as possible from attorneys before they put out a press release and
raise awareness about preserving the rule of law. Click here: https://www.lawyersforgoodgovernment.org/protect-the-rule-of-law.
8. Gun violence survivors may be
eligible for crime-victim compensation to cover medical bills, mental health
counseling, lost wages, funeral expenses, and more. Every state has a crime
victim compensation program. Let’s learn how to apply here: https://www.thetrace.org/2018/04/gunshot-survivors-crime-victims-compensation-how-to/.
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to attend/organize
States
1.
VT/ALL:
State governments are doing what Congress won’t do. Vermont Gov. Phil
Scott last week signed
sweeping gun control measures which included limits on the size of magazines, raising
the minimum age for gun buyers to 21, limiting rifle magazines to 10 rounds and
banning bump stocks. (https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/11/us/vermont-gun-control/index.html?sr=fbCNN041218vermont-gun-control0749AMStory). If Phil Scott is your Governor, send him a note of thanks. If not,
pressure your own governor to move forward on sensible gun laws.
2. MANY: For good
reason, the New York Times considered this article on the conditions of
teaching in public schools from Boston to Texas sufficiently important that it
will not count toward your monthly free article limit: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/
3. KY: State Rep. Chris Harris (R)
has given up his 'A' rating from the NRA to sponsor
three common-sense gun safety bills. 1) HB409 bans
the sale of ‘bump stocks,’ 2) HB411 changes
the law to require guns confiscated in the commission of a crime be destroyed
if they are not kept for official use by law enforcement. Current Kentucky law
requires that guns confiscated in the use of a crime be resold at public
auction. 3) HB498 raises
the age in Kentucky to purchase military-style semi-automatic rifles, like the
AR-15, from 18 to 21, while making an exception for active military personnel
and law enforcement officers. We can read more at the Courier-Journal. Let's
contact our own KY House representatives to
ask them to support these important gun safety bills.
4. MI: Republicans are pushing to repeal the
Prevailing Wage Act of 1965, which provides a healthy minimum wage, safety
protections, and helps pay for job training for construction workers. They are attempting
to use a ballot proposal called “Protect Michigan Tax Payers” to repeal it (https://www.bridgemi.com/public-sector/prevailing-wage-law-repeal-petition-will-undergo-second-signature-review).
This proposal has been referred to as “Right to Work 2.0,” as it would
eliminate the current law requiring contractors to pay union wages and benefits
for projects financed or sponsored by the state." We can use their call
script as we contact our state representatives about this proposal: "Hi,
I’m calling to urge Representative ____ to not act on the “Protect Michigan Tax
Payers” ballot measure. Instead, let Michigan voters decide in November.
Repealing the Prevailing Wage Act will hurt Michigan’s economy and labor force.
Our workers depend on a prevailing wage to provide stability and security for
their families. Without the Prevailing Wage Act, we will lose workers who help
keep our state and the economy running." (Via Michigan Resistance)
5. TX: Get to know some of the
Democratic women running for office in Texas: “They are running for U.S.
Congress and for seats in the Texas state legislature. They range in age from
their mid-30s to late 60s. About a third of the women are Hispanic. One woman
is transgender.” Read about them here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/wendysachs/2018/04/13/how-these-first-time-candidates-plan-to-turn-texas-blue/#399ce6266121.
Reading/Watching
1.
This is an excellent
piece from Adam Davidson in The New Yorker “Michael Cohen and the End Stage of
the Trump Presidency”: https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/michael-cohen-and-the-end-stage-of-the-trump-presidency
2.
Thanks to stagnant incomes and
inequality, US eviction rates are sky-high—causing homelessness and community
instability. Let’s read more here: https://www.npr.org/2018/04/12/601783346/first-ever-evictions-database-shows-were-in-the-middle-of-a-housing-crisis.
3.
“Abortion foes seize on chance to overturn Roe,”
- https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/15/abortion-trump-supreme-court-roe-wade-473601.
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