4/23/18
Contact Federal Government Officials
Find senator’s contact info here: https://goo.gl/RLiotu
Find representative’s contact info here: https://goo.gl/5i7SXC
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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.
This
week in Congress: Nine (9) bills are scheduled for the floor
starting Tuesday on the House
Majority Leader's Schedule. Let's
be aware of what's coming up this week.
2.
The
Senate will convene on Monday at 3pm to resume
consideration of the nomination of Stuart Kyle Duncan, of Louisiana, to be
United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit. (Source: Senate floor schedule.) According to a report from the Alliance
For Justice (AFJ), Duncan has spent his career fighting reproductive
rights for women and civil rights for LGBTQ Americans, defending discriminatory
voting laws, and dismantling protections for immigrants. Let's read more about
Duncan at AFJ and then contact our Senators to let
them know we oppose this nominee with his "ideologically-driven
positions." Let's specify positions that we personally find particularly
disturbing.
3.
By Wednesday,
the Department of Homeland Security will decide the fate of thousands of
immigrants from Nepal who have Temporary Protected Status (TPS) following a
devastating earthquake in April 2015 (http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2018-04-03/grant-tps-status-to-nepalis-in-new-york-says-nyc-mayor.html, https://cliniclegal.org/resources/temporary-protected-status-nepal). So far, the Trump administration has shown
little compassion for folks given safe haven here, and we need to keep making
sure our MoCs know that’s unacceptable. Let’s call our reps and tell them we
want them to lobby DHS to preserve TPS for Nepalis. We can use the following
script: “I support the Nepali community and request that Representative/Senator
[NAME] support TPS for Nepal by sending a letter or calling DHS directly. DHS
will make a decision on Nepal TPS by April 25, so we need your office to tell
DHS to renew TPS for Nepal now. Thank you.” (Via the National Network for
Immigrant and Refugee Rights)
4.
March 31
began the 60-day comment period for a new State Department rule seeking to
require all non-immigrant visa applicants to turn over five years' worth of
social media history, including social media usernames on platforms like
Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, as well as previous email addresses, phone
numbers, and a record of international travel: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-set-request-years-social-media-history-visa/story Estimates are that this change will
affect 14.71 million applicants, including those who apply as students, for
business trips, or for vacation. Let’s be sure to tell the State
Department what we think of this new attempt to discourage foreign visitors:
Mike Pompeo, Secretary Designee, 202-647-4000 or 2201 C St. NW, Washington,
D.C. 20520 or the official website from which we can submit comments: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/03/30/2018-06496/60-day-notice-of-proposed-information-collection-application-for-nonimmigrant-visa
5.
The
devastation suffered by Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria is turning out to be
far worse than the government has said. Researchers say more than 1,000 people
died due to the Hurricane, as opposed to the official estimate of 64 (https://www.axios.com/puerto-rico-hurricane-maria-death-toll-underreported-lack-of-data-99fb8e1c-cd76-442f-bb8d-7b1c5daa9698.html). It is well beyond time for our country to
treat Maria like the catastrophe it really was and help Puerto Rico recover.
Let’s tell our MoC to move forward the Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Equitable
Rebuild Act (H.R.
4782/S.
2165) to
ensure folks get the assistance they need.
6.
The
ethics violations against EPA Chief Scott Pruitt continue to grow. Over the
weekend it was reported that he used a shell company to buy a home from a top
lobbyist in Oklahoma, whom he later sided with on a key deregulatory bill (http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/384279-nyt-pruitt-gave-top-epa-positions-to-oklahoma-business-partners). Let’s continue to insist to our MoCs, the
White House, and the EPA (202-564-4700) that Pruitt must resign. We can use
this 5calls script.
7.
Secretary
of Education, Betsy DeVos, has started a new protocol that has resulted in the
dismissal of 500 civil rights cases (http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/384235-education-dept-takes-steps-to-dismiss-hundreds-of-civil-rights, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/20/us/politics/devos-education-department-civil-rights.html). The provision allows the Department of
Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) to “throw out cases that signal
"a pattern of complaints previously filed with OCR by an individual or a
group against multiple recipients," or that place "an unreasonable
burden on OCR’s resources." http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/384235-education-dept-takes-steps-to-dismiss-hundreds-of-civil-rights. The new rules also eliminate some appeal
provisions. Let’s express our concerns to the DOE and our MoCs, and insist on
due process for all individuals who file civil rights cases: U.S. Department of
Education Office for Civil Rights Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education
Bldg 400
Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202-1100 Phone: 800-421-3481 Email: OCR@ed.gov
8.
The
current Farm Bill expires September 30th; the House Agriculture Committee
has just passed the new version of the bill, which includes stringent food
stamp eligibility and work requirements that anti-hunger groups and others say
will lead to 1.6 million people losing the essential but extremely modest
safety net that currently provides about $1.40 per person per meal (https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/Bay-Area-food-banks-say-2018-Farm-Bill-will-12846069.php). Close to two-thirds of SNAP participants
are children, elderly, or disabled, according to the Center on Budget and
Policy Priorities, while the remainder, mostly low-wage workers, are more
likely than other workers to experience periods of unemployment or see their
monthly earnings drop (https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/most-working-age-snap-participants-work-but-often-in-unstable-jobs). Whatever its possible virtues for
family farmers (http://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/383809-future-of-american-agriculture-depends-on-2018-farm-bill), food stamp benefits make up a majority of
spending under the Farm Bill, and the purpose of this version seems to be to
throw people off of SNAP, as some Democrats, like Rep. David Scott (D-GA), have
made clear. We need to tell Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue what we think
of this partisan scheme to make poor people poorer: 202-720-2791 or 1400
Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20250. Let’s also tell our Representatives to
demand a 2018 Farm Bill that maintains food security for those who need
assistance.
9.
The
Ammunition Background Check Act (S.
2627/H.R.
5383)
will “require instant background checks for the sale of bullets to prevent
criminals from illegally purchasing ammunition,” and potentially “reduce the
national firearm mortality rate by a staggering 81 percent,”( www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article208756199.html) (http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/380293-democrats-introduce-bill-to-require-background-checks-on-ammunition). Let’s read more about where our
current ammunition laws and policies stand at the Giffords
Law Center, then
let’s tell our MoCs to pass this law.
10. The Comprehensive Addiction Resources
Emergency (CARE) Act (S.
2700),
introduced by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representative Elijah E.
Cummings (D-MD), will provide $100 billion in federal funding over ten years to
fight the opioid epidemic. The funds will “support local decision-making and
federal research programs to prevent drug use while funding evidence-based
treatments and recovery support services.” (https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-cummings-introduce-comprehensive-legislation-to-combat-opioid-epidemic). Let’s tell our MoCs to support this
needed legislation.
11.
"Senate
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is reportedly looking to hold longer
workweeks as a way to keep vulnerable Democratic senators off the campaign
trail." (http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/383855-mcconnell-looks-at-longer-workweeks-for-senate-to-keep-dems-from-campaigning). Let's assure our Democratic incumbents
that we will keep up with them on social media and can communicate with them
that way.
Election 2018 – General
1.
This
Tuesday's special elections include six (6) campaigns for which Postcards
to Voters volunteers sent cards to get out the vote. 1) AZ -US House District
8: Campaign 60-Hiral Tipirneni. This US congressional race is expected to
be close. We can read more about this election at ABCNews. 2) NY -State Senate D37: Campaign 58-Shelley Mayer. 3) NY -State Assembly D102: Campaign 70-Aidan O'Connor Jr. 4) NY -State Assembly D10: Campaign 71-Steve Stern. 5) NY -State Assembly D74 (in
Manhattan): Campaign 73-Harvey Epstein. 6) NY -State Assembly D5: Campaign 75-Deb Slinkosky. If we are voters in any of these
districts, let's make a plan to vote on Tuesday. To write cards for
on-going and future campaigns, we can sign up as a Postcards to Voters' volunteer here.
2.
The
Arizona Eighth Congressional District is deep red, and Trump won it by more
than 20 points. And yet the Republicans are running scared ahead
of tomorrow’s special election (https://www.npr.org/2018/04/20/603632677/after-special-election-upsets-gop-takes-nothing-for-granted-in-arizona-race). ER doc and cancer research advocate Hiral
Tipirneni's message on protecting Medicare and Social Security has struck a
chord, and the national GOP is pouring money into the race to protect her
scandal-tarred opponent. Let’s help Dr. Tipirneni get out the vote. We can sign
up to text or call for her here: http://hiralforcongress.com/gotv
3.
Tomorrow’s special
election in New York’s 37th Senate District will be closely
contested, and the outcome could determine whether Democrats maintain their
newly established hold over the New York state senate (http://wamc.org/post/democrat-shelley-mayer-discusses-her-bid-nys-senate-seat). Let’s make sure we help Shelley Mayer win!
We can sign up to phonebank for her at this
link. (H/t Flippable)
4.
Founded
as Grandmothers for Obama in 2008, Grandmothers for a Brighter Future is
gearing up to flip the US Senate in the 2018 midterms with a two-step postcard
campaign. Let’s sign up: http://www.grandmothersforabrighterfuture.com/stories-from-grandmothers-2/
Election 2018 – By State
1.
NY: April
24 is a big day for state legislative special elections:
Let’s check out the Democratic candidates for
each district at Ballotpedia, then show up to the polls! We can find our
district numbers here: www.elections.ny.gov/district-map/district-map.html#/?radius=1
Other Actions
1.
A
brilliant and disturbing New York Times report has traced how riots and
lynchings around the world are linked to propaganda and hate speech being
spread on Facebook. Let’s a.) Read the report, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/21/world/asia/facebook-sri-lanka-riots.html, b.) Share
it far
and wide on Facebook, and c.) Tell Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg to get
this under control; this is the stuff that leads to genocide. Facebook Board of
Directors, Facebook Corporate Secretary, 1601
Willow Rd, Menlo Park, CA 94025.
2.
Another
seemingly innocent app, Relieve Stress Paint, has led to more Facebook hacks (http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/383964-malware-campaign-infects-thousands-of-facebook-accounts-researchers-say). More than 40,000 Facebook accounts had
their information harvested, including user credentials and stored payment
methods. If we’ve recently had our Facebook account hacked, or know some who
has, let’s read this
article
from Lifehacker about what steps we can take to secure our data and to prevent
future attacks. Even if we have not had our accounts breached, we can find ways
here to protect it.
3.
The AP
reports that the six largest banks in the U.S. have saved at least 3.6 billion
in one quarter, as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/20/the-associated-press-big-banks-saved-3-point-6b-in-taxes-last-quarter-under-new-law.html). Meanwhile, that same bill is adding an
estimated $1.5 trillion to the annual deficit (https://www.forbes.com/sites/beltway/2018/04/10/five-take-aways-from-cbos-budget-outlook/#7fe896646d93). As we head toward the midterms, and the
GOP continues to tout the tax bill, let's take note of the damage it is doing
and remember how our MoC voted in the House and Senate.
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to attend/organize
1.
"What if the first step to uniting as
Americans is simply having a real conversation? From April 20th to
28th, Americans from all over the country will connect with each
other." https://www.facebook.com/bridgealliance/ Let's learn
more and join Bridge Alliance and its
partners by signing up to be part of this national conversation: https://bridge.ivn.us/conversation
2.
Higher Heights, an organization
building political power and leadership among Black women, is offering the
webinar, “Campaign Budget & The Treasurer: The Mechanics of a Financially
Compliant Campaign,” April 24, 7pm-8pm ET. If we’re leaders in candidates’
campaigns for elected office, let’s sign up to learn the basics of handling
campaign funds: www.higherheightsforamerica.org/spring_2018_webinar_4
States
1.
All: "Enshrining
gender equality into the Constitution would close the legal loopholes and serve
as a systemic solution - not only for preventing sexual harassment in the
workplace, but also advocating for issues like equal pay and bodily safety. It
would give women the legal recourse to fight back against gender-based
discrimination and violence—and win. It is a signal to the courts and the
country that gender equality is a mandate." https://www.forbes.com/sites/break-the-future/2018/03/07/the-time-is-now-for-the-equal-rights-amendment/#4804d9665e71 Only two more states need to pass
the Equal Rights Amendment. Let's check out this site to see how we can
help make this happen: https://equalmeansequal.org/
2.
MA: The
House FY 2019 budget contains many anti-immigration amendments that must be
voted down (https://malegislature.gov/Budget/HouseDebate). We need to tell our legislators to vote NO
on Amendments 112, 113, 227, 347, and 508, which would extend police authority
in detaining immigrants, withhold aid to sanctuary cities, and prevent
immigrants from receiving public assistance. We should also encourage our
legislators to support Amendments 715, 867, 950, and 1282, which would increase
immigrant access to adult education, English and citizenship classes, legal
assistance, and in-state tuition. Let’s make sure our legislators receive a
loud and clear message that we want them to support our immigrant community. We
can contact them here.
3.
ID:
Idahoans are working to put Medicaid expansion on the ballot in 2018, but first
they need to get enough signatures (https://ballotpedia.org/Idaho_Medicaid_Expansion_Initiative_(2018)). Right now, they are 6,000 signatures shy. If
we are registered to vote in Idaho, let’s check out the Medicaid for Idaho website to find out where we can sign the petition. We can also check out the volunteer toolkit, and learn how we can help collect
signatures. For those of us who are not registered to vote in Idaho, we can
still help by spreading the word about the initiative, or by contributing to the Reclaim Idaho campaign.
Reading/Watching
1.
As usual, our weekly dose of Small
Victories: https://mailchi.mp/peaceisloud/small-victories-the-point-of-utopia?e=86890239c4
2.
Experts in authoritarianism advise us to keep a
list of things subtly changing around us, so we’ll remember. Amy Siskind
is keeping that list for us. Amy writes, "This week, Trump became
increasingly frantic about the fed raid on Michael Cohen, as innuendo
swirled that Cohen could cooperate with federal prosecutors if indicted." Let's
review Amy Siskind's list week 75.
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