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10/19/18 

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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 president is threatening military action against Mexico if they can’t stop people from crossing the border. https://thehill.com/latino/411990-trump-threatens-military-action-at-border-if-mexico-doesnt-stop-immigration-onslaught. Let’s make sure our MoCs know our opposition to this rash and dangerous response, and let’s remind them that they have the power to decide on military action, not the president.

2.      Freedom Caucus leaders Mark Meadows is calling on Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to resign:  https://thehill.com/homenews/house/412077-meadows-calls-on-rosenstein-to-resign-immediately  This is a good reminder of why taking back the House and Senate are imperative but let’s also let our MoC know once again that we expect the Mueller investigation to be thoroughly protected.

3.      In Trump’s latest tantrum over immigration, he has threatened to cut off aid to Honduras—and other Central American countries—unless they stop a large group of migrants heading north to Mexico or the US: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45880621;  he has, moreover, threatened to call out the army to “defend” the southern border: https://www.vox.com/2018/10/18/17994148/trump-border-immigrant-military-mexico-honduras  It seems Trump and friends refuse to acknowledge the truth that Rep. Adriano Espaillat noted on Wednesday: “Guatemalans migrate to Mexico, Mexicans migrate to the United States, Africans migrate to Spain and Italy, Libyans migrate to Italy, Middle Easterners migrate to Germany and Britain, so this is a global issue of the have and have nots”:  
https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/411852-trumps-threats-to-cut-aid-from-honduras-is-not-going-to-work-says-dem  Let’s remind the White House that migration is a not a personal affront, and make sure our MoCs do not play along with Trump’s hysteria.

4.      A point made by the New York Times journalists whose thorough reporting burst the myth that Trump is a self-made millionaire is that the IRS lacks the resources to hold the rich and powerful accountable for the taxes that they owe to the people of our nation. https://www.npr.org/2018/10/18/658442355/times-journalists-puncture-myth-of-trump-as-self-made-billionaire Let’s tell our MoCs that everyone should be paying the taxes that they legally owe so that our schools, roads, bridges, consumer protections, safety net, etc., are adequately funded, and that we therefore want them to strengthen the ability of the IRS to go after tax cheats like Trump and his cohort.

5.      As expected, the Republican tax bill has resulted in the deficit rising by nearly 17% https://www.npr.org/2018/10/16/657790901/federal-deficit-jumps-17-percent-as-tax-cuts-eat-into-government-revenue, , and the Republicans’ plan for addressing the issue is to cut Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. Let’s make sure to tell our MoCs not to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and the elderly. And perhaps the first step in reining in the deficit is to go after people like the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who reportedly hasn’t paid taxes in years.  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/13/business/jared-kushner-taxes.html.

6.      The Trump administration is attempting to amend the Flores Agreement, so they may be allowed to detain children indefinitely. In order to do so legally, they have proposed the rule change at the Federal Register, where we can submit comments until November 6th. We can learn more about the proposal, and submit a comment at  www.stopfamilydetention.org Then, let's keep up to date one what is happening, and find more ways to help at Families Belong Together. For those of us who prefer to submit comments directly through the Federal Register, we can do so here.

Election 2018 – General

1.       Do we want to help in the midterms but need some guidance on how? Let’s use this cool tool—it will customize a plan for us!  

2.      With the midterms nearly upon us, we citizens are now democracy's best defense, because we are about to choose the people who will embody our next government. Historically, though, one group of us has not shown up at the polls for midterms: young voters. Progressive/liberal issues and candidates do better when 18- to 24-year-olds vote in force, so let's each find at least one young voter to help to the polls, whether that means guilt-tripping them into registering or giving them a ride on November 6th. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/young-voters-might-actually-show-up-at-the-polls-this-year

3.      One now-avid phone banker shares with us how she came to love phone banking after disliking it. She says,” One excuse that I had made for myself (to justify non-involvement), was that phone banking didn’t really do that much. Only, that’s not true. Studies show that, outside of face-to-face canvassing, phone banking is the most effective way to get out the vote. “It’s an inspiring tale, with practical tips for the rest of us. Want to at least give it a try? It's free, we can do it from home, and scripts are included. Let’s try volunteering with grassroots organizations she links to at the end of her article.  https://whystatesmatter.sisterdistrict.com/phone-banking-conquering-your-fears-making-a-difference-c2d475f99a86

4.      Postcards To Voters just added Campaign 122: Mike Revis for Missouri State House.  In February, thousands of Postcards to Voters volunteers like us wrote to every Democratic voter in his district for a special election. On that election night, Mike won by 108 votes! Let's help Mike get re-elected by writing 5 postcards today.  If we are new, we can email JOIN@TonyTheDemocrat.org to get started.  Multiple campaigns are currently open.

5.      Minority ranking Judiciary Committee member, Dianne Feinstein said she would absolutely re-open the Kavanaugh investigation if the Democrats win the Senate. Let’s make sure we do everything we can to help Democratic incumbents and challengers in tight political races including Heidi Heitkamp, Beto O’Rourke, Jon Tester, Jacky Rosen, Claire McCaskill, Philip Bredesen, Kyrsten Sinema, Bill Nelson, Joe Donnelly. We can read more about these races here.

6.      Reform of our criminal justice system is another issue on the November ballot. Want to know how candidates rate in that department? Let's use this interactive tool just released by the ACLU. Input a zip code and get an instant comparison: https://www.votesmartjustice.org

7.      From one of our own:  Friends!!!! I've been tasked with organizing 100 Second Chances Florida call parties on *Sat, Oct 27* to pass Amendment 4 and restore the vote to 1.4 million people in Florida with past convictions. We also need people to host call parties day or evening during GOTV *Nov 2 - Nov 6*. I'm up to 70 parties - CAN YOU HOST A CALL PARTY AND HELP ME SET A RECORD?  *And oh yeah, also help pass the largest voter enfranchisement since Women's Suffrage in 1920 and the largest expansion in access since the Voting Rights Act of 1965?  Sign up here:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1DkOY1b9nv4UvJHihq99Q51q4Z1PckTemqp_n1Ap33Bo/viewform?edit_requested=true

Election 2018 – By State

1.       ALL:  Upcoming voting dates and deadlines:  by date:  https://goo.gl/gjFv2u   by state:  https://goo.gl/7gTzvE

2.      ALL:  If we are not sure where to start looking for information about candidates, issues, etc., we can check this out:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NCYjsm3xKb79z19Gx7PWt5Zs9lkLiTqglHBHYs9mlX8/edit

3.      GA -Georgia voters whose names were removed from the rolls because of the state’s list-purging efforts will not be able to cast a ballot. Voters whose registrations are on hold can still vote if they bring one of the six accepted government-issued photo IDs. If we are Georgians, let's read more at ProPublica so we are prepared when we go to the polls.

4.      ND:  If we live on a reservation or know those who do, let’s get the word out that the ND state election officials are asking tribal members who don’t have a street address needed to vote in next month's election to contact local authorities for a solution. For more information we can check out Native American Rights Fund’s link:   https://www.narf.org/north-dakota-2018-election/  We can also donate, if we are able, to a fund to help folks get the needed documentation:   https://secure.actblue.com/donate/dkndnativevote

5.      NYC: 400,000 voters in NYC received letters inaccurately informing them that their voter registration was “inactive.” The NYC Board of Elections disclaims responsibility; Mayor Bill de Blasio disclaims responsibility; everyone blames Civis Analytics, a business and political consultant that buys raw voter data from elections boards and sorts and analyzes it for their clients:   
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/16/nyregion/inactive-voter-letter-nyc.html  But someone was their “client” and we should demand to know who: Mayor Bill de Blasio, City Hall, New York, NY 10007 or 311 or 212-NEW-YORK outside NYC.  And we should spread the word that these letters may be incorrect; recipients should contact the Board of Elections: Executive Office, 32 - 42 Broadway, 7 Fl, New York, NY 10004 or 212.487.5400 or ElectionInfo@boe.nyc.ny.us.

Other Actions

1.       “Some of these activists call themselves “the Resistance.” Trump and his allies call them an “angry mob.” On the ground it’s just called participatory democracy. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers, allied with thousands of autonomous groups, are doing the grunt work of propelling their neighbors to the polls, using tactics tailored to their communities. Suburban moms are knocking on doors in North Carolina battlegrounds; racial-justice organizers in Georgia are mobilizing black voters in churches and restaurants; college students in Pennsylvania are using social media to reach new voters. In Texas, immigrant-rights activists are helping Latino voters get their paperwork in order. Teenage gun-safety advocates from Florida are on bus tours to register other newly eligible voters.”  http://time.com/longform/democrat-midterm-strategy/  This is us.  Let’s find more like-minded people to join in and become active.

 Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to attend/organize

1.       The time has come to turn the Senate Blue.With Healthcare, Medicare and SocialoneSecurity and the results of the Mueller Investigation all on the line, we must elect a Democratic Majority this November and now we have a chance to help three Democratic Candidates in need of a boost: According  to the latest polls, Jacky Rosen in Nevada is now behind in the polls, while Phil Breseden is deadlocked and Jon Tester is clinging to a small lead  We can help all of them when we join Action Together Network’s  Twitter Warriors for a  Twitter storm this Sunday, October 21 at 8pm EDT. When we click on this link, we will find prewritten tweets that we can send out with just a few clicks. Working together, we can turn the tide! https://www.facebook.com/events/1939862122746392/

2.      Conditions in Rukban Refugee Camp are desperate. Syrian Refugees, mainly children and the elderly, on the brink of starvation as 65,000 of them are trapped without food, medicine or water. Even as a glimmer of hope appears, with a chance of some aid being allowed to try and reach the camp, political turf wars continue to jeopardize these refugees’ lives. We can help raise awareness to demand these vulnerable people are not forgotten and that they receive the aid and care they need in a continuing basis, when we join this TwitterStorm on Monday, October 22 at 3-4pm. EDT.  We can find out more about the event when we click on this link. Prewritten tweets will be available for us on Monday, making it simple to help out with just a few clicks.

3.      January 19, 2019 is the date of the third Women’s March with the main event to be held in Washington, D.C. with sister marches all over the country.  Let’s find more information here:  https://www.womensmarch.com/2019

States


Find elected state officials: https://openstates.org/


1.       SEVERAL:  In Georgia, civil rights groups have sued to end the “exact match” protocol, according to which the transposition of a single letter or number, deletion or addition of a hyphen or apostrophe, the accidental entry of an extra character or space, or the use of a familiar name like 'Tom' instead of ‘Thomas’” can result in disenfranchisement; Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp’s office has put 53,000 applicants, 70 percent of them African-American, in limbo; he claims these applicants can vote in the midterm, but who knows about 2020?   https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/georgia-sued-placing-thousands-voter-registrations-hold-election-n919526  Meanwhile, in Florida, a federal judge refused a week-long delay in voter registration in view of Hurricane Michael; Gov. Rick Scott and Secretary of State Ken Detzner have instead allowed a one-day extension, only in those counties that planned to close on Tuesday because of the hurricane: 
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/weather/article219859230.html  In Texas, Vote.org, a nonpartisan advocacy group, claimed that 2400 voter registration applications were unfairly rejected by the Secretary of State: 
https://www.chron.com/news/politics/texas/article/Texas-rejects-2-400-online-voter-registrations-as-13279521.php  And a Supreme Court decision this week allowed a voter ID law in North Dakota that many fear will disproportionately keep Native Americans from voting: https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/12/politics/north-dakota-voter-id-native-americans/index.html  Let’s go on record in opposition to these voter suppression tactics: GA--Brian Kemp, 844-753-7825 or 214 State Capitol, Atlanta GA 30334 or by email at http://sos.ga.gov/cgi-bin/email.asp ; FL--Ken Detzner, 850.245.6500 or FAX 850.245.6125 or SecretaryofState@DOS.MyFlorida.com or R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399; TX—Rolando Pablos, 512-463-6116 or FAX 512-475-2761 or Capitol Bldg, 1100 Congress, Rm 1E-8, Austin, TX 78701; ND -  Alvin Jaeger, 600 E Boulevard Avenue Dept 108, Bismarck ND 58505-0500, 701-328-2900 or Fax: 701-328-2992

2.      MI: From one of our own: The National Popular Vote bill (SB1117HB6323) has now been introduced in both houses of the Michigan legislature and has bipartisan support, with broad co-sponsorship commitments in the senate! The only thing standing in our way is Speaker of the House Tom Leonard (R-DeWitt Township) who REFUSES to give the bill a hearing in committee despite calls from his Republican and Democratic colleagues to move the bill forward. Now is the moment when we need grassroots action to push this over the line. Let's use all our #Kava-nope fury to make real change at the root of the problem: How we elect Presidents in this country #CallToAction: A)  Join the force at One Person One Vote Michigan where we will be coordinating our efforts, B) Find out where your state legislators stand on this bill by calling them and reporting back, and C) Read more about the Michigan NPV situation here

3.      FL: When the Everglades Trust announced Tuesday, it was supporting Republican Ron DeSantis for governor over Democrat Andrew Gillum, heads were scratched and some environmentalists were aghast. Let's read more at The Gainesville Sun.  Sierra Club Florida notes that DeSantis has an abysmal record voting against the environment 98% of the time in his three terms as a Member of Congress.  If we are environmental activists, we may want to revisit our support for Everglades Trust. We can give them our comments and feedback here

Reading/Watching

1.       In the Wake of Khashoggi’s Disappearance, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Is Pushed to the Brink:  https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/in-the-wake-of-khashoggis-disappearance-saudi-arabias-crown-prince-is-pushed-to-the-brink

2.      This Vicious Buffoon Is a Vessel for All the Worst Elements of the American Condition - https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a23579738/donald-trump-mock-christine-blasey-ford-sexual-assault/







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