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. Trump
met with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer yesterday for a government funding discussion. Trump states that without money for a wall at
the border in the current budget that he will shut down the government. During the discussion Trump lied several
times, overstating the issues at the border.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/fact-check-trump-constructs-false-misleading-claims-about-his-border-n946651 Let’s remind all our MoCs that we do not want or need a wall.
2. So
far sixteen House Democrats have supported Congresswoman-elect Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez’s call for a Green New Deal. https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/419117-dems-rally-for-green-new-deal.
Let’s call our House Rep. and make sure that they’re on board. 350.org has a petition a script here. Let’s also call likely House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi,
(202-225-0100) and ask her to endorse this proposal.
3. There
is a bill in the Senate that would cut child poverty in half, but it has gotten
almost no attention. The American Family Act of 2017 (S. 2018)
would expand the Child Tax Credit for all but the richest families and make the
whole amount refundable (to help those with the lowest incomes). https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2018/12/10/18130870/child-tax-credit-2020-election Let's demand that our senators co-sponsor
this bill which, although progressive in the US, really just brings us up
to par with countries like Canada, Germany, and Australia.
4. Months
after the administration’s zero tolerance policy has been ostensibly reversed,
the administration is still separating families at the border, claiming that
the parents of the children being separated have been involved in criminal or
gang activity. https://www.propublica.org/article/border-patrol-families-still-being-separated-at-border-after-zero-tolerance-immigration-policy-reversed?
In following an exemption by the judge who blocked the policy, that families
could be separated when “the safety of children was at risk,” the
administration has enabled these cases to stay unreported and under the radar.
However, most of the allegations against the parents have been unproven. Public
outcry brought down the zero-tolerance policy last summer, and we need
extensive public outcry again to stop the government’s abuse of this loophole.
Let’s contact our MoCs now and organize our networks to spread this information
far and wide, encouraging everyone to speak out against these continued
instances of family separation.
5. One
of our latest national embarrassments is the Trump administration's refusal to
accept the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, whose
report details the scientific consensus on the importance of avoiding >1.5C
of warming. https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/un-climate-welcome-study-report-objections-cop24-1.4938765 This embarrassment, however, brings with it
the threat of jeopardizing the whole world's health, safety, and prosperity, so
let's tell our MoCs that we don't appreciate our government making us look like
selfish, greedy misanthropes.
6. As
if the climate news weren’t bad enough—not to mention the Trump team’s
unapologetic defense of fossil fuels on Monday in Poland and its effort to keep
the climate conference from embracing the findings of a major scientific report
on global warming--the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
presented its “Arctic Report Card” on Tuesday, saying persistent warming in the
Arctic is pushing the region into “uncharted territory”; lead editor of the
report and manager of NOAA's Arctic Research Program, Emily Osborne, said the
Arctic was undergoing its “most unprecedented transition in human
history”: https://www.arctic.noaa.gov/report-card
We must keep the pressure up on our MoCs and on our state and city governments
to take immediate action on climate change, and we might point out to Trump
that we want the $5 billion he’s demanding for his wall in this year’s budget
spent instead on a Green New Deal.
7. While
the Arctic melts, the Environmental Protection Agency announced and signed a
proposal that would change the EPA's definition of "waters of the United
States," limiting the types of waterways that fall under federal
protection to major waterways, their tributaries, adjacent wetlands and a few
other categories while excluding millions of acres of wetlands and thousands of
miles of U.S. waterways now protected under the Clean Water Act:
https://www.npr.org/2018/12/11/675477583/trump-epa-proposes-big-changes-to-federal-water-protections
We should keep an eye out for the 60-day comment period but meantime, we
can let acting EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler know what we think:
202-564-4700 or EPA, Mail Code 1101A, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, DC 20460
Election/Voting
Other
Actions
1. Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam says he is
reviewing “every aspect” of Cyntoia Brown’s request for clemency. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2018/12/10/gov-bill-haslam-reviewing-every-aspect-cyntoia-brown-clemency-case/2273513002/.
Brown, an African American sex-trafficking victim, who shot a man in
self-defense who picked her up for sex, has already served 14 years in prison.
The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that she must serve 51 years of her
sentence before being eligible for parole. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/cyntoia-brown-sentenced-16-life-prison-plea-leniency-federal-court-n881586.
Brown’s punishment is even more disturbing when we consider that Brock Turner,
a white male convicted of rape got a (not uncommon) six-month sentence. https://www.cnn.com/2016/09/02/us/brock-turner-college-athletes-sentence/index.html. We can learn more about the case by checking
out the documentary Me Facing Life: Prison Reflections,
and reading through PBS's spotlight and discussion on the documentary here. Let’s
ask Governor Halsam to grant Cyntoia Brown clemency: Governor Bill Haslam 1st Floor, State Capitol
Nashville, TN 37243 or (615) 741-2001 or https://www.tn.gov/governor/contact-us.html
2. While Cyntoia Brown awaits a clemency decision
by Governor Halsam, we can send her cards and letters of support here: Cyntoia Brown, #410593, Tennessee
Prison for Women, Unit 1 West, D-49,
3881 Stewarts Lane, Nashville, TN 37218-3301
3. Calling all overseas voters! Democrats Abroad is
running a voter protection survey. “Understanding your 2018 General Election
voting experience will help us ensure we do everything we can to make it easier
for you to vote in future elections, no matter where you vote or who you vote for.”
Let’s take a minute to share our experiences with them:
4. The same Republican party in Wisconsin that has
been staging a power-grab in advance of Democrats taking office in 2019, and
through years of extreme partisan gerrymandering, is getting lots of help from
Walgreens and several other major corporations. Why? Tax breaks. These
corporate tax breaks have starved local communities of millions in municipal resources
and have shifted costs to overburdened families and small businesses.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/09/opinion/wisconsin-republicans-walgreens-campaign-finance.html Let’s
sent postcards to their CEOs telling them that we are spreading the word about
their complicity, and we want them to stop:
A) Walgreens: Alex Gourlay, CEO, Walgreen Co., 200 Wilmot Rd, Deerfield,
IL 60015, B) Microsoft: Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft Corp, 1 Microsoft Way,
Redmond, WA 98052-6399, C) Dr Pepper Snapple: Larry D. Young, CEO, Dr Pepper
Snapple Group, P.O. Box 869077, Plano, TX 75086-9077, D) JP Morgan Chase: Jamie
Dimon, CEO, JPMorgan Chase & Co., 270 Park Ave, New York, NY 10017-2014,
and E) Humana, Bruce Broussard, CEO, Humana, Inc, P.O. Box 14601, Louisville,
KY 40202
5. If we are looking for another list of actions we
can share with our local postcarding group, let’s take a look at this one: http://www.whatifknits.com/2018/12/issues-addresses-for-12-7-18-and-the-big-december-list/
6. Once again, we have holiday opportunities to
speak with family and friends with whom may not share political ideologies. Our friends at Smart Politics have
come up with an interactive way to teach us how to have these hard conversations. “Across the country, members of my nonprofit
group, Smart Politics, are using this process to heal relationships damaged in
the wake of the 2016 election. Many report being able to discuss politics with
family members for the first time in years.
The holidays are the perfect time for you to give it a try. Before the
big day, practice discussing a couple of difficult topics with Angry Uncle Bot,
a chat program created to help teach you the techniques.” Let’s check this out and learn how to do
this: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/18/opinion/thanksgiving-family-argue-chat-bot.html
State
Actions
1. MOST: Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) on Monday laid
out an aggressive set of legislation aimed at dramatically reducing the state’s
carbon emissions over the next decade and a half. Inslee’s plan would
make Washington one of the first states in the country to eliminate its
reliance on coal to power its electric grid. Let's read more at The Hill.
We can thank Gov. Inslee for
taking the lead on this issue and use his example when we contact our own governors to
let them know we support similar plans for our own states.
2. MI:
In response to this year's lame duck session, and the GOP's blatant disregard
for the will of the people, Michiganders are fighting back. Today, Wednesday
December 12th, there will be events held at the Capitol in Lansing. First, from
12-4:00 pm, For
Michigan's Future will host a Fight
for Our Families rally to resist a broad spectrum of bills. We can read more
about this and sign up to attend here.
At 5:30, the Michigan Education Association will be hosting a #RedForEd lame
duck vigil to oppose the proposed bills which will directly harm schools. We
can read more about the legislation, and RSVP for the event here.
3. MO: Four
months after an overwhelming “no” from voters, newly-elected Republican
state senator Eric Burlison (R-D20) is pushing legislation to once
again make Missouri a right-to-work state. Last week, Burlison pre-filed a
bill that would bar unions from requiring workers to pay union fees as a
condition of employment. (Note: Burlison is an incoming senator whose term has
not yet started.) Let's read more at The Kansas City Star.
If we are Missourians, let's contact our state
senators to let them know
we consider this issue decided by our votes and that we oppose so-called
"right to work."
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms
to attend/organize
1. This evening, December 12, 5 PM – 6:30 PM PST (8 – 9:30 PM EST) Smart Politics is
offering a webinar on Radical
Conversations for the Holidays in which we will learn to have productive
conversations with people we disagree with, including family members. We can find more information here: https://www.facebook.com/events/710667669319753/
2. From Your
Weekly Pep Talk & Action List: The folks at Resistance Labs are already
looking toward 2019… and they’re looking for people to join them in three
different webinars next week to help them brainstorm! The first relates to
uncontested races; the second relates to community and community engagement;
and the third asks what “big ideas” we haven’t tried yet but should. This is a great opportunity to join free
events that are sure to be interesting – and might be a place for you to kick
around some ideas and learn about some that others are trying. Go to these
links to sign up: A) December 11 - Contest every race:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lBfz1k-XTaeH0dDnVg6jiw Community. B)
December 12 - workshop:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_o5ACI9yPSOq_tJzLMNNfSA,
and C) December 13 - Big ideas:
3. From
the Newton
Foundation:
Friday, December 14, 2018 marks the 6-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook
tragedy. On that day, there will be nationwide vigils and events to
#EndGunViolence. Let’s find a vigil or
event at this link: https://www.newtownfoundation.org/nationwide-vigils/ We can also use the link to register to host
a vigil or an event in our town or city and click on the following links to
download the 2018 National Vigil Toolkit and customizable posters to facilitate
your planning and to coordinate our collective gun violence prevention
message.
4. 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. TIME
Person of the Year 2018: The Guardians - http://time.com/person-of-the-year-2018-the-guardians/
2. 'We are
entering a dangerous period,' 44 former senators warn lawmakers in letter -
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/12/11/former-senators-joint-letter/2274265002/
3. The Guardian
and American University’s Antiracist
Research and Policy Center have joined forces the produce an ongoing series
that sheds light on the structures at the root of racial inequities. We can
check it out here:
4. ‘Fearless Girl”: Iconic Statue Moves from Facing Down Bull to
Facing Down New York Stock Exchange - https://www.newsweek.com/fearless-girl-charging-bull-wall-street-statue-new-york-city-new-york-stock-1253197
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