The Rogan’s List team
is taking a short hiatus to give ourselves
and our followers time
to rest and recharge.
We will be back on
January 4, 2019.
To our friends who
celebrate, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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. As
if we really need more drama, the president has once more changed his mind and
is now saying he won’t sign the stopgap funding measure voted on by the Senate
without increased money for border security. https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/422311-trump-tells-gop-he-wont-sign-stopgap-threatening-shutdown
and https://thehill.com/homenews/house/422362-gop-seeks-to-ram-through-trumps-5b-wall-demand Let’s make sure our MoCs know that we object
to any more funding for a border wall.
2. Nearly
14,300 migrant toddlers, children, and teens are currently living in detention
centers in the U.S., an increase of over 11,000 over the past year. https://www.apnews.com/a857e04de9bc4871995b65784ed7ccd8.
While some crossed the border alone, others remain victims of the
administration’s family separation policy. Professionals in human development
have expressed grave concerns about the long-term impact these children will
face due to this trauma. Let’s tell our MoCs now that dismantling these
detention centers and finding more humane ways of treating these children
should be at the top of their list in the 2019 Congress.
3. Want
to give our senators a nice phone call, for a change? Let's leave them both a sweet
thank-you for backing Charles Schumer's commitment to block the traditional
year-end mass approval of federal judicial nominees. https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/422085-democrats-to-block-end-of-year-judges-package For
the past 2 years Republicans have been ramming large groups of
conservative judges through the confirmation process, judges like the one in
Texas who just ruled against the ACA and its protections for people with
preexisting conditions. These judgeships are lifetime appointments, so this
season let's give our country the gift of fewer radical conservatives in our
judiciary.
4. “More
than a dozen members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus called for an
independent investigation into the death last week of a 7-year-old Guatemalan
girl in U.S. custody, saying the absence of medically trained agents and a
series of "disturbing systematic failures" prevented government officials
from providing adequate care for the child.”
https://www.npr.org/2018/12/18/678035538/hispanic-caucus-calls-for-investigation-into-migrant-childs-death Let’s thank them for wanting to shine a light
on this tragedy: https://congressionalhispaniccaucus-lujangrisham.house.gov/contact-us
5. Despite
the facts that at least 20 vets commit suicide each day and that the VA identified
suicide prevention as its highest clinical priority in 2018, it appears that Trump's
VA sat on $6.2 million in prevention instead of using it to improve the
situation. https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/feds-say-va-failed-to-spend-millions-allocated-for-suicide-prevention/ Let’s as the Senate Committee on Veterans’
Affairs to investigate this matter: https://www.veterans.senate.gov/chairman Let’s ask the House Committee on Veterans'
Affairs to do the same: https://veterans.house.gov/contact/ It is clear that our vets are not getting the
help they need.
6. U.S.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has repeatedly made sworn statements that are
inaccurate or omit details about his financial holdings, including stating that
he has divested from stocks that he still owns (https://bit.ly/2rLA9jF).
In July, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). Ranking Member of the Senate Finance
Committee, wrote to former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, asking that the
Department of Justice investigate Ross's financial transactions and disclosures
for criminal activity (https://bit.ly/2uKXgfs).
That same month, Senator John Thune (R-SD), Chairman of the Senate Commerce,
Science, and Transportation Committee, wrote to Inspector General Peggy
Gustafson at the Commerce Department, asking that there be an independent
review conducted over the conclusion that Ross's errors did not break conflict
of interest laws (https://bit.ly/2O1zODB).
In November, senators requested an investigation into both Wilbur Ross and his
Chief of Staff (https://bit.ly/2z0bmP4).
In the meantime, Ross's citizenship question for the 2020 Census is being challenged in court,
and we can be reasonably sure that he does not intend to follow ethics rules
and conflict of interest laws for the duration of his time as Commerce
Secretary. Let's contact
the Commerce Department and tell them that it is past time for
Secretary Ross to resign. We can also contact our own MoC and ask them to push
for Ross's resignation.
7. Attention
is finally being paid to the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, which advocates are
trying to slip into the spending bill to be passed by midnight Friday:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1697; a
legislative proposal sponsored by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Sen. Rob Portman
(R-OH), it would impose civil and criminal penalties on US companies and
organizations that participate in boycotts supporting Palestinian rights and
opposing Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the editorial boards of the NYT. (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/18/opinion/editorials/israel-bds.html)
and the Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2018/12/18/how-democrats-are-helping-right-stifle-debate-israel/),
the ACLU, and reportedly even some within the Anti-Defamation League are making
their opposition heard. We should too! Call your MoCs and let them
know that we too oppose this—and any--violation of our First Amendment rights.
Election/Voting
Election/Voting
1. Postcards to Voters' volunteers are still
working on a January 8 Virginia special election with Campaign
140: Jennifer Boysko for State Senate. Let's help finish
the list by requesting 5 addresses today. Rogan's List and Postcards To Voters
thank all our postcarding volunteers. We made a difference in voter
turnout in 2018. Let's keep up the good work of getting out the Democratic vote
in 2019.
Other
Actions
1. In response to the GoFundMe to build the border wall...
this one is for ladders to go over the wall, but the money goes to Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and
Legal Services (RAICES): https://www.gofundme.com/ladders-to-get-over-trump039s-wall
2. Lawyer
Moms of America came together last June simply
because they could not tolerate the separation of migrant children from their
parents. They have tirelessly been working to help these families and now they
want to bring some Christmas joy. They've set up Amazon wish lists for
families. Here's how we can help: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/MD248T0D4IL2/ref=cm_go_nav_hz
We can also follow this amazing group on Facebook:
3. For the first time ever, the United States has
been added to the list of the most dangerous countries for journalists. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/united-states-added-list-most-dangerous-countries-journalists-first-time-n949676 Let’s reach out to a few of our favorite
journalists and thank them for the service they provide to our country.
4. From Sleeping Giants:
We have word that Capital One is reconsidering their ad buy with Tucker Carlson
Tonight. Help us help them make the right call by sending an email to their
senior leadership. Contact: Lindsay Hansen VP Social Media, Capital One
E-mail: lindsay.hansen@capitalone.com Template:
Hi Lindsay, I'm reaching out to you as a member of the Sleeping Giants
community to understand why Capital One is still advertising with Tucker
Carlson Tonight. Tucker has long been distributing white nationalist talking
points on his show. This week, he used his platform to claim that immigrants
are making our country "dirtier." This seems completely at odds with
your CEO's message on your Capital One's diversity page: "At Capital One,
we aspire every day to create the best experiences for our associates and our
customers. This begins with our commitment to build and foster a diverse and
inclusive culture where every voice is heard and matters." If this is
really what your company stands for, why are you putting your marketing budget
towards supporting Tucker Carlson's white nationalist message on national TV
every night? I encourage you to reconsider. Thanks [Your name]
5. For the teachers among us, Southern Poverty Law
Center's Teaching
Tolerance has created a two-part series on
teaching students about mass incarceration. The series highlights one teacher
who explains the significance of the topic, and the activities she chose to
help her students understand how our criminal justice system works. Let's check
out the series (Part 1, Part 2),
then use the tools available at Teaching Tolerance to help build our own lesson
plan.
6. In November, after undergoing several rounds of
chemotherapy and surgery for cancer, reporter Alex George received a call from
her employer, Sinclair Broadcast Group, that they were terminating her contract
before it was up. We can read more at Columbia Journalism Review.
Let's contact
Sinclair to let them know we noticed what they
did and do not approve. Sinclair Broadcasting Group is a right-wing media
giant and largest television station owner in the United States. Last month they
forced its nearly 200 local news networks to air a defense of Border
Patrol agents tear gassing asylum-seeking migrants which they have defended as
"commentary." (More at The Hill.)
7. The United States Postal Service (USPS) rates
are going up on January 27, 2019. The rates described in this news release from USPS have
since been approved. Notably for those of us who write to our legislators, the
first-class mail rate will increase from $0.50 to $0.55. The postcard rate of
$0.35 will remain the same. We can purchase "forever" stamps ahead of
the increase at the current rate. Let's plan ahead for our 2019 mailing needs.
8. From Living Room Conversations: Once
again, The
Daily Show is a role model
for making comedic art that serves the purposes of positive social change. http://www.cc.com/shows/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah Thanks also to Ally Tool Kit
for giving some ideas that help people heal the wounds that hurt our nation and
harm out families. #TheRACEmethod#antiracism Ready to learn more? Check out the Race and
Ethnicity conversation guide Living Room Conversations created: https://www.livingroomconversations.org/topics/race_and_ethnicity/
9. The
Arena is offering a training
workshop for aspiring campaign staff from February 22-26, 2019 in Des Moines,
Iowa. If we are interested in becoming campaign managers, organizing or
financing directors, communications staff or organizers, we are invited to
apply. Training will also include digital, data, leadership and management. The
cost is $300, and aid is available. We can learn more about the workshop
and apply here: https://www.arena.run/academy
State
Actions
1. CA: If we are a Veteran affected by the recent
Camp Fire, or if we know people who are, we can check out this twitter thread
for assistance. The Chico Veteran’s Resource Center is offering assistance with
supplies and housing. We can also contact them to help out with their “Adopt a
Veteran for Christmas “project and get a wish list for Veterans and their
families who have lost so much in this fire:
https://mobile.twitter.com/Dobieblue/status/1075390820310671365 A thorough list of resources for fire
survivors can be found in this thread: https://mobile.twitter.com/planetscape/status/1062424214605627392
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms
to attend/organize
1. Whether we align ourselves with the Women’s March, or March On, or
Women’s March Alliance,
or WoMen
for All, or with no group at all, we have an
opportunity to make history and march once again on January 19, 2019. Check with
your favorite organization or local folks to help or to find out what is
happening.
Reading/Watching
1. We're not done, but we worked hard and won back
the House of Representatives -- and may local offices besides. But activism is
tough work, and everyone needs a little down time. Curious what other resisters
are doing to relax and recharge during the holidays? Check out this energizing
piece from Political Charge, where "36 dedicated activists [discuss] how
they’re approaching these final weeks before we ring in a new year." https://politicalcharge.org/2018/12/18/36-activists-on-how-theyre-recharging-and-readying-for-2019/
