Contact
Federal Government Officials
Find
elected officials: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
Fax legislators
for free:
Or use Resistbot: https://resist.bot/
Or use StampsLicked to have messages
hand-delivered to our own legislators: https://stampslicked.org/
White House
contact: https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/white-house
1. Due
to the absence of a senator, yesterday’s vote on Thomas Farr’s confirmation to be
a district judge in North Carolina was postponed until next week. https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/farr-vote-delayed-in-senate Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) has gone on record
saying he will vote against the nomination.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/29/senate-confirms-farr-judicial-nominee-1027236 While it seems that this nomination will now
fail, it behooves us to continue to contact senators to ensure that fate. Despite objections from numerous civil rights
groups on his long-standing record of racism and voter suppression, two days
ago, Susan Collins (R-ME) once again disclosed her plans to vote for him, but
now she is again saying she is undecided, as is Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).
Let’s contact these senators and make sure to reach out to our friends in Maine
and Alaska to ask them to contact Senators Collins (202-224-2523) and Murkowski
(202-224-6665) and insist that anyone they confirm to the judiciary should be
on record for encouraging voting not suppressing it. This delay in the vote gives
us time to rally the Senate against this champion of voter suppression. We can also use the information from Indivisible Ventura: https://indivisibleventura.org/2018/11/29/thurs-11-29-vote-postponed-lets-use-this-unexpected-gift-wisely/
2. On
Wednesday, the Senate voted 63 to 37 to bring to the floor a resolution (SJRes54) brought by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and
Mike Lee (R-UT) that would limit presidential war powers in Yemen, after
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis—but not, to the
dismay of many, CIA Director Gina Haspel--tried to dissuade them by arguing for
the importance of the US alliance with Saudi Arabia: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-to-hold-vote-to-advance-measure-to-end-u-s-support-for-saudi-war-in-yemen/
Next week the Senate will vote to proceed to the bill by a simple majority
vote. We need keep up the pressure on our senators, first, and then our
representatives to end our unconstitutional complicity in the war on Yemen.
3. As
the number of children held in the immigrant detention center in Tornillo,
Texas, has continued to grow, with more than 1300 teens arriving since mid-October, the
facility has become significantly understaffed and out of compliance with
Federal policy, which mandates one mental health worker for every 12 children.
The current ratio is 1/50.
https://www.apnews.com/0c62b088c27147b0a6055d1e8394a3af.
Even more appalling, the center has waived the requirement that workers undergo
an FBI background check, which puts residents’ safety at risk. https://www.apnews.com/0c62b088c27147b0a6055d1e8394a3af The total cost to taxpayers for this
abomination is projected to be $430 million. Further troubling is the fact that
no one on the inside of these places is permitted to talk about what it is
like. https://www.texastribune.org/2018/11/28/tent-city-texas-migrant-children/ Let’s
tell our MoCs now that we want policies that mandate fair and humane treatment
for these children that’s in accordance with basic human values as well as
federal law, that we want more transparency, and that we do not want our tax
money spent on mistreatment of immigrants.
4. In
a story that broke on Wednesday, it appears that despite the court order not
to, that the Trump administration is continuing to separate families. https://www.propublica.org/article/border-patrol-families-still-being-separated-at-border-after-zero-tolerance-immigration-policy-reversed Let’s let our MoCs know that it is past time
to investigate this family situation.
5. Trump
seems to think, in the words of Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), that the presidential
pardon power is a "personal tool" that Trump can use to protect
"himself and his friends"—at the moment, Paul Manafort, who is
charged with conspiracy against the United States and conspiracy to obstruct
justice and has been convicted on eight felony counts: https://abc7ny.com/politics/trump-says-he-is-still-considering-manafort-pardon/4787780/
Let’s make it clear to the White House that pardoning Manafort would be a
"blatant and unacceptable abuse of power," as one senior member of
the Senate intelligence committee put it.
6. “Global
temperatures have continued to rise in the past 10 months, with 2018 expected
to be the fourth warmest year on record. The warming trend is unmistakable and
shows we are running out of time to tackle climate change, according to
the World Meteorological Organization,
which on Thursday published its provisional statement on the State of the Climate in
2018. The WMO warned that,
on current trends, warming could reach 3C to 5C by the end of this century.
“The recent IPCC report also showed that we still have hope. We have 12 years
to move the needle and any leader who comes to COP24 unprepared to step up and
take action needs to read the WMO report and understand it’s time to stop
talking and start acting on climate – while we still have the chance.”
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/29/four-years-hottest-record-climate-change In January, the Dems will control the
House. We will need to be diligent in
calling our MoCs daily to ask for climate control laws to save our
planet. In addition, these laws should restrict any president from
altering them at his whim. Before January, however, the following bills
have been introduced and are just sitting in both the House and Senate: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1WZURkJEiw3mdwBJSYji0b1q-GrIANWG3 Let’s tell our MoCs that we want them to co-sponsor
them and get them passed yet this session.
7. Although
we have had plenty of bones to pick with Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) over the
past two years, his insistence on legislation to protect Special Counsel
Mueller is having the effect of holding up votes in the Judiciary Committee
which is a powerful lever in Trump’s court-packing efforts: https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/418802-senate-panel-cancels-votes-on-trump-court-picks-amid-flake-standoff Let’s
thank Flake for putting country above party:
https://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-jeff or
on Twitter @jeffflake
8. On
that topic, after a Senate proposal to vote on a bill to protect special
counsel Robert Mueller was blocked by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), Senator Jeff
Flake, (R-AZ), a member of the judiciary committee vowed not to confirm any
judiciary nominees until a vote on protecting Mueller was taken. https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/418802-senate-panel-cancels-votes-on-trump-court-picks-amid-flake-standoff.
The Judiciary Committee has cancelled all their upcoming votes until “a deal
with Flake” could be reached. Meanwhile Republican leadership are whipping
their members, ostensibly to make sure that they have enough votes to defeat
the bill. Let’s make sure to tell Senator Flake (202) 224-4521, that the only
deal he should be making is a deal to protect the special prosecutor, and let’s
make sure to tell on our own Senators one more time that we are waiting for
them to put country before party. They should vote to protect justice, not to
obstruct it.
Election/Voting
1. Democrat Gwen
Collins-Greenup is in a December 8th runoff election to be Louisiana’s next
Secretary of State. We can help get out the vote for this important role by
writing 5 postcards today for Postcards to Voters' Campaign
139: Gwen Collins-Greenup for LA Sec. of
State. The special runoff election is next Saturday, Dec. 8 so we need to get
our cards out right away. This is the first P2V campaign for Louisiana so
let's be sure to let our Louisianan friends and family know about this
opportunity to make a difference. If we are new to postcarding we can
text JOIN to (484) 275-2229. If we are
returning writers, we can click: http://m.me/AbbyTheAddressBot (or text YES to (484) 275-2229.) If we are unable to text, we can email them
at: Join@TonyTheDemocrat.org
Other
Actions
1. A professor (who studies the Holocaust) at the
Teachers College of Columbia University found swastikas spray-painted in the
hallway of her office: https://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/columbia-swastika-graffiti-1.24034975 Let’s
send postcards of support to her: Professor Elizabeth Midlarsky, Teachers
College, Columbia University, 328 HMann, 525 West 120thSt, New York,
NY, 10027
2. A new day is dawning in our climate change
fight, and it's coming from the next generation via the Sunrise Movement. This
is a truly grassroots, youth-powered organization that focuses on driving
climate policy through mass mobilization. Right now, there is a 2-week
window, before Congress breaks for the holidays, and Sunrise is using
it to push for the establishment of a select committee to support its
Green New Deal. Can we attend their planned mass actions on Dec. 10th in D.C.
or San Francisco? If so, great! If not, we can still support these actions with
our dollars and our voices: https://www.sunrisemovement.org/gnd/
3. Believing in science and using the Trump tax cut
for good, in response to the recently published Climate
Assessment Report, Patagonia CEO Rose
Marcario announced that the company would be donating the $10 million it saved
this year with the Trump administration's tax cuts, to "groups committed
to protecting air, land and water and finding solutions to the climate
crisis," https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-28/patagonia-donates-10-million-trump-tax-savings-to-green-groups Patagonia has consistently offered financial
support to grassroots organizations dedicated to protecting the planet,
donating 1% of their sales since 1985 through their 1%
for the Planet campaign, and
donating 100% of their sales on Black Friday 2016.
Let's contact CEO Rose Marcario and offer our gratitude and appreciation for
her continual leadership in the fight to protect the environment and to combat
climate change: CEO Rose Marcario Patagonia Corporate Office Headquarters
Patagonia, Inc. 259 W. Santa Clara St. Ventura, California 93001 Corporate
Phone Number: 1-805-643-8616
4. Our shopping habits can have a serious impact on
the environment. In his piece on online shopping vs. local shopping, and the
effect that freight traffic has on our infrastructure and environment, Miguel
Jaller explains how we can make a conscious effort to make more
environmentally-friendly choices during the holiday season. Let's read through,
and commit to taking steps towards reducing our own carbon footprint this
year: https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2017/12/21/16805324/black-friday-2018-amazon-online-shopping-cyber-monday-environmental-impact
5. “After years of steady decline, the number of
U.S. children without health insurance rose by 276,000 in 2017, according to a
Georgetown University report released
Thursday.” https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/11/29/671666280/number-of-u-s-kids-who-dont-have-health-insurance-is-on-the-rise Let’s make sure that we and our families are
signed up for health insurance, then offer to get help for family and friends
who may need our assistance.
6. ACA Enrollments have begun, but Trump has shrunk
the enrollment period and quashed outreach efforts, so it is up to us to spread
the word. Fortunately, ACA Signups has made it simple for us to help. When we
click on the link below, we’ll find state-specific shareable posts in
English/Spanish promoting Open Enrollment in all 50 states plus the District of
Columbia. The last two comments are links to the Google docs containing those
same graphics for us to download, share, and use as cover photos. Link to a public post in this group ----
comments contain a public, shareable post for each of the states and DC: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2468746626684978/permalink/2547544592138514/
7. “Sinclair Broadcast Group, a right-leaning
broadcasting company, reportedly provided more than 100 of its local TV news
stations with a "must run" segment that included a staunch defense of
the US's use of tear gas against migrants at the US-Mexico border on Sunday.” https://www.businessinsider.com/sinclair-group-tv-stations-air-must-run-anti-migrant-rant-2018-11 Let’s all send sympathy cards to our local
Sinclair stations sharing our concern that they are not able to determine their
own broadcasting based on facts.
State
Actions
1. AZ, FL,
HI, ID, IA, LA, MN, MS, MO, NY, NC, OK, TN, VA: Automatic Voter
Registration (AVR) bills were introduced in these state legislatures in 2018.
AVR has been shown to significantly increase the number of registered
voters: https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/automatic-voter-registration Let’s
contact our state senators and representatives and tell them to co-sponsor
these bills. Bill numbers here: https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/automatic-voter-registration-bills-2015-presentFind
state legislators: https://openstates.org/
2. AR: Fight voter suppression in Arkansas! State
Representative Charles Blake (D-House District 36) has filed an automatic voter
registration (AVR) bill. People will be automatically registered to vote at the
Department of Motor Vehicles, unless they request not to be registered, https://katv.com/news/local/arkansas-lawmaker-files-bill-to-automatically-register-voters-at-dmv .
AVR has been shown to significantly increase the number of registered
voters. https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/automatic-voter-registration If
we’re in Arkansas, let’s tell our state reps to co-sponsor HB 1004, the Voter
Integrity Security Act, and let’s tell our state senators that we want a
similar bill filed in the State Senate. Find legislators: https://openstates.org/
3. FL: A
Miami-based political committee has proposed a constitutional amendment that
would ban possession of "assault" weapons in Florida if approved by
voters. The proposal, backed by the committee Ban Assault Weapons Now (BAWN),
was posted on the state Division of Elections website this month. We can read
the text here.
The proposal will need at least 766,200 valid signatures to get on the 2020
ballot. We can read more at Florida Politics. To
find out more about how we can help and support this effort, we can
contact Gail Schwartz, Chairperson of BAWN, at (305)647-2666.
We can also follow Ban Assault Weapons Now on Facebook.
4. OH: The
Ohio House recently passed HB 228, an extreme version of a "Stand Your
Ground" law that will make our communities less safe and take local
control away from cities and municipalities to pass life-saving gun
regulations. This extreme and dangerous
bill is opposed by the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, the Ohio State Highway
Patrol, the Ohio Association of Police Chiefs, the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys
Association, Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, the NAACP, and many others. Recent
research estimates that a similar law in Florida resulted in an estimated 4,200
additional gun deaths. When we click this link, we can help stop the dangerous
bill and save lives by contacting our Ohio State Senators to oppose SB 180 and
HB 228. https://ceasefireusa.salsalabs.org/OhioSYG/index.html
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms
to attend/organize
1. FamiliesBelong.org is
holding demonstrations across the country this weekend, December 1 -2, to protest the border crisis. Contrary to what the administration would
have us believe, the number of illegal border crossings are the lowest they’ve
been in years. The current humanitarian crisis at the border was avoidable and
is this administration’s own doing. Due to the dramatic slowing of asylum
hearings and staffing cuts, there has been an accumulation of migrants at the
border, many of whom are women and children seeking safety, many seeking to
reunite with their families that are in our country already. Instead we are
acting in a manner antithetical to our American values, not offering the
possibility of asylum to people in danger, asylum they are legally entitled to.
Instead we have fortified the border with armed soldiers, we are tear gassing
women and children and threatening to close our borders completely, closing our
hearts to the plight of these people in a manner completely lacking in
compassion; a complete denial of our American values and the American Dream. We
are also now learning that family separations are still quietly taking place. https://apple.news/AZYpA7huBTx6KhP-H_bgyvA This is not who we are. Join FamiliesBelong.org as
we tell the administration to #StopTheTears and to approach the border
situation with compassion and in a manner consistent with our American values
and with international law. Find a rally near you or sign up to host one here: https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/stop-the-tears
2. From ADAPT:
ADAPT is calling for a Day of Action on December
4th in support of the Empower Care Act (Money Follows the Person) [H.R. 5306/S. 2227].
Use the attached flyer on the Empower Care Act to
email, text, tweet, visit local offices, protest, rally, press conference, etc.
& repeat. .so we can keep freeing our people from institutions with Money
Follows the Person (MFP), the massively effective federal program that ADAPT
helped invent. At a minimum include your name and contact information with the
flyer when you send it or drop it off.
3. If we are interested in Electoral Politics.
Movement Technology. Grassroots Organizing. Digital Strategy. Capacity
Building, we can check out Roots Camp, where all of these facets of
our movement meet. Held from November
27-December 2 in Baltimore MD, it’s a chance to be a part of an “unconference”
where participants design all sessions and leaders from all parts of
the movement – organizers, campaigners, data directors, have a dynamic
exchange of ideas. This year, they’re looking at how to practice a more
inclusive politics and thinking about ways that we can transform our democracy
so that our people win and collectively thrive. They’re interested in
expanding understandings of what justice looks like for all our people, and
equipping our leaders with the skillsets, tools, and frameworks to take this on
and thrive. We can learn from one another, dream up new ideas, make
lasting connections, and strengthen our networks. The conference aims to be
inclusive, and there are several ways to defray the cost of attending. If
we would like to find out more, including information about travel stipends, or
volunteering in exchange for admission costs, we can check it out
here: https://www.wellstone.org/events/rootscamp-2018
4. EmpowerandHelp
and The
Swell Collective have gotten planning underway for a
wellness and community engagement retreat for community organizers in April of 2019, venue and location TBD.
The retreat will give those of us in need an opportunity for a weekend
away to focus on resilience building activities, personal intention and goal
setting, and “in real life” collaborative social networking with others in the
movement. We can sign up here to stay in the loop or get involved: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScYVFWZy-t1N0OcKknDdwegFnUpt-RQWzE7jrNpL74Nuj0Wew/viewform
Reading/Watching
1. Linguist
George Lakoff on what Democrats don’t understand — and Republicans do — about
how voters think - https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-ol-patt-morrison-george-lakoff-20181128-htmlstory.html
2. Here's Why
More American Farms Are Going Bankrupt - https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessecolombo/2018/11/29/heres-why-more-american-farms-are-going-bankrupt/#24d0e92265a7
3. This episode of Ana Marie Cox’s podcast, With
Friends Like These, features a great interview with Rebecca Traister – worth a
listen: https://crooked.com/podcast/leading-and-leaving-the-mama-grizzlies-an-analysis-of-the-2018-midterms-with-rebecca-traister/
