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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.
The
maternal mortality rate in the U.S. is not only higher than in other developed
nations, but it is also getting worse (https://n.pr/2t4NxCZ).
What's more is the large disparities in the maternal health and morbidity
rates of black women, as compared to white women (https://n.pr/2kDpjvW).
We've called our MoC before, asking them to support the Maternal Health
Accountability Act (H.R. 1318/S. 1112),
which would create and provide funding for maternal mortality review committees
in each state to examine and address the cause of maternal deaths (https://bit.ly/2JCz49r).
Now, let's ask them to also support the Maternal CARE Act (S. 3363),
in order to help reduce racial disparities in
maternal morbidity rates.
2.
The
deadline has long passed and there are still over 500 children who have not
been reunited with their families. As
time goes by more information is being revealed of what happened during these
family separations. It was not a process
of which we should be proud. Parents
were forced to sign their children away.
https://www.npr.org/2018/08/23/641315568/parents-were-coerced-to-waive-reunification-rights-with-children-complaint-says
3.
Senator
Jeff Flake has finally issued a clear warning to Trump that firing Attorney
General Jeff Sessions would be a "big mistake" (https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/26/jeff-flake-sessions-firing-big-mistake-797260).
This, along with Senator Ben Sasse's gentler warning to the same effect, are
good first steps to drawing a defense line around Special Counsel Robert
Mueller and his investigation, but much more is needed to really protect the
rule of law. Let's send our thanks to Senator Flake (202-224-4521), along with
our demand that he support the Senate bill crafted to prevent Mueller's firing
(which has already advanced out of the Judiciary Committee).
4.
The Farm
Bill, now passed in both chambers, will go into conference next week to
reconcile the differences before the Sept. 30 deadline. There are some major differences with special
mini-bill/amendments attached. http://netnebraska.org/article/news/1142478/table-farm-bill-politics-depart-tradition One such amendment that over 30 senators have
already asked the Senate Agriculture Committee leaders to reject is “the
King amendment [Protect Interstate Commerce Act (H.R.
4879)] in
the farm bill. The amendment, offered by Congressman Steve King (R-Iowa), would
force states to accept agriculture products that violate state and locals laws.” http://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/news/local-news/15094-thirty-two-senators-reject-harmful-steve-king-amendment-to-farm-bill Let’s make sure our MoCs are against this,
too.
5.
When
Obama bailed out the banks and the auto industry, it was to help the economy
recover from actions by bad players. Once
again, our tax dollars are being used for a bailout, but this time for a situation
caused by the Trump administration - the farm bailout caused by the trade
war. https://www.npr.org/2018/08/28/642525831/agriculture-dept-will-pay-4-7-billion-to-farmers-hit-in-trade-war This assistance is going to help big business
farming, not mom-and-pop farming which will also be hurt. Let’s let the White House and our MoCs know
that we do not like our money being spent to fix problems that are
self-created.
6.
At a
Monday evening meeting with evangelical leaders, Trump said, "Now one of
the things I'm most proud of is getting rid of the Johnson Amendment," the
president said. "That was a disaster for you." The Johnson Amendment prohibits all 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations,
including churches, from endorsing or opposing political candidates. It is still in place; only Congress can
repeal a law. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/trump-told-christian-leaders-he-got-rid-law-he-didn-n904471 Let’s remind Trump the law is still in
place and that church leaders should not scare their congregations into voting GOP.
Election
2018 – General
An election guide
from Postcards
for America: In
this Google doc (updated regularly), each State shows ALL Democratic Candidates
running for Congress, Governor, Lt Gov, Attorney General, Secretary of State
(if applicable) with links to their websites and Twitter. Each has a link to a
Twitter Thread, a Shareable Facebook Post and a Document. For most States,
there are also Info & Links for Voter Registrations, Absentee Ballots,
Early Voting & Voter ID, Age Requirements and being a Poll Worker. Let’s
check this out and use and share it:
1. Here’s a fun way we can use Facebook to urge
our friends, neighbors, and family to vote: we can “host” an Event and invite
them to it. Example: [what] Vote in the MA Primary, [when] Tuesday,
September 4, 7AM-8PM, [where] https://www.sec.state.ma.us/WhereDoIVoteMA/bal/MyElectionInfo.aspx [description--who’s on the
ballot]
https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/ele18/state_primary_candidates18.htm Let’s create an event for our state’s
primary, and let’s also create one for the general election on November 6,
2018.
2. Libraries are a
natural place to help people get ready to vote.
https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/successful-voter-outreach/ Let’s contact our local library and see how
we can help.
3.
From one of our own:
"I kept asking
myself HOW could I register more voters and encourage more nonvoters. While I
was asking myself that, I happened to look up. Suddenly, the clouds parted, the
sun shone, and in the distance a choir of angels starting singing. Before me
sat a coin laundry mat. Here was an audience with nothing but time on their
hands.”
Election
2018 – By State
1.
Upcoming
voting dates and deadlines:
September 1
|
New Hampshire
|
Voter Registration Deadline
|
Primary by mail: in person-same day
|
September 3
|
Alaska
|
Voter Registration Deadline
|
REAA
|
September 4
|
Massachusetts
|
Election date
|
Primary
|
September 6
|
Delaware
|
Election date
|
Primary
|
September 11
|
New Hampshire
|
Election date
|
Primary
|
September 12
|
Rhode Island
|
Election date
|
Primary
|
September 13
|
New York
|
Election date (State primary)
|
State Primary
|
September 17
|
Alaska
|
Early Voting begins
|
REAA
|
September 17
|
Illinois
|
Early Voting begins
|
General
|
September 21
|
Minnesota
|
In person absentee voting begins
|
General
|
September 21
|
South Dakota
|
In person absentee voting begins
|
General
|
September 21
|
Wyoming
|
In person absentee voting begins
|
General
|
September 22
|
Vermont
|
Early Voting begins
|
General
|
(source: by date:
https://goo.gl/gjFv2u / by state:
https://goo.gl/7gTzvE)
2.
Upcoming Primaries:
A) Tuesday, 9/4
B) Thursday, 9/6
C)
Tuesday, 9/11
D) Wednesday, 9/12
Other
Actions
1. The
ACLU has experienced a tremendous response to their call for voters like us to
write postcards to voters saying why we are going to the polls and why they
should join us. Now they have given us have a simple tool to find postcard
parties near us, so we can connect with fellow voters on the Issues we care
about, in a fun and friendly way. When we click on this link and enter our zip
code, we can find events near us: https://map.peoplepower.org If
we do not see an event near us that we like, we can sign up to host one of our
own here: https://go.peoplepower.org/signup/host_new
2. Negative,
misleading, inflammatory and often false Facebook ads, microtargeted to
specific demographic groups helped sway the 2016 election. Because the
audiences for these ads were so small, and the ads only lasted for a few hours,
it was extremely difficult to find out about the false claims and effectively
refute them. So, future elections, Pro Publica has come up with a project to
track political ads on Facebook, so that we can begin to address and fight the
onslaught of misinformation directed at voters. The project collected data
on targeted political advertising on Facebook by creating a browser
plugin that allows Facebook users to automatically send in the ads that
are displayed in their News Feeds, along with their targeting information. If
we are looking for information on who is targeted and how, we can use this
database to search for political ads based on who was meant to see them. We can
find the ads targeted to out own demographic as well as others here: https://projects.propublica.org/facebook-ads We
can also find out more about the project and, if we want, sign up to send our
ads into it here: https://www.propublica.org/article/help-us-monitor-political-ads-online
Marches/events/webinars/TwitterStorms to
attend/organize
1.
On September 8, the Peoples Climate
Movement will lead a
national mobilization for climate, jobs, and justice. We can find a Rise for Climate event near us here, or we can sign up to organize our own.
(Note: Rise for Climate,
Jobs, and Justice action in New York City will be held on THURSDAY,
SEPTEMBER 6 at 5:30 p.m. at Battery Park.)
2.
On September 22 there will be a
protest at Trump’s Mar-A-Lago in Florida in commemoration of the first
anniversary of Hurricane Maria:
http://thehill.com/latino/401578-trumps-mar-a-lago-to-be-greeted-with-massive-protest-on-hurricane-maria-anniversary Let’s put this on our calendars
if we will be nearby.
3.
The 2018 March
for Black Women will occur in
Washington, D.C. on September 29 and New York City on September 30,
with sister marches all over the country.
Let’s fine more information here:
https://www.blackwomensblueprint.org/march-for-black-women and here: https://www.facebook.com/events/187741818714062/ Let’s learn how to start a sister march/townhall
here: https://www.blackwomensblueprint.org/town-halls-sister-marches
States
1.
Great
Lakes States: On September 15th, the September Adopt-a-Beach program will take place as part of the International
Coastal Cleanup. We can find a
cleanup event at a beach nearby, or signup to host an event ourselves here. For the teachers among us, we can also arrange
field trips so that our students can help participate in the event, and
Alliance for the Great Lakes has lesson plans for different grade levels that
we can use before, during, and after the cleanup: https://greatlakes.org/get-involved/adopt-a-beach/for-your-classroom/adopt-beach-lesson-plans/
Reading/Watching
1.
What John McCain’s Death Means for Republican
Control of the Senate - https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/08/john-mccain-death-replacement-arizona-senate-gop/568675/
2.
More
Than 500 Children Are Still Separated. Here’s What Comes Next - https://www.aclu.org/blog/immigrants-rights/immigrants-rights-and-detention/more-500-children-are-still-separated-heres
3.
In
between responding to Rogan's List action items, we might all need a good
laugh. Tune in to Randy Rainbow's web page for musical satire, set to show
tunes and pop songs. His latest, "If you Ever Got Impeached," is a
new (slightly rude) take on the song from the Wizard of Oz, "If I Only Had
A Brain." Take a listen; call it self-care. https://www.randyrainbow.com/videos
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