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1.
IMMIGRATION:
Homeland Security’s Kirsten Neilsen is out and Trump has withdrawn his
nominee to lead ICE and ousted the head of the Secret Service; many report that
this chaos gives Trump’s influential hard-line immigration advisor Stephen
Miller even greater influence than he now has: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/437934-stephen-millers-influence-rising-amid-changes-at-dhs
and https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/08/kirstjen-nielsen-stephen-miller-victory
Miller apparently favors a policy known as “binary choice” in which
migrant parents are forced to choose between separation from their children or
waiving their children’s humanitarian protections and taking them to adult
detention: https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-officials-consider-binary-choice-child-separation-policy-wapo-2019-4
and https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/08/us/politics/trump-asylum-seekers-federal-judge.html
We need to make it clear to the White House—and to our MoCs—that we
oppose “binary choice” and don’t want Miller dictating our immigration policy.
As important, we need to pay close attention to those who monitor
the border: https://medium.com/migratory-notes
2.
FEDERAL BUDGET: From
Indivisible: House Democrats have put forward a “caps deal” spending proposal (HR 2021)
that dramatically increases military spending. This proposal would give Trump
nearly all money for endless wars that he asked for, while keeping domestic
spending levels on things like health care and education much lower. The
Pentagon failed
a recent audit, and can’t even account for its already bloated wasteful
budget -- this budget is unacceptable. We oppose the bill in its current form,
and urge the House to vote it down. Let's read more about budget caps here,
then contact our representatives in the House and ask them to oppose the bill
as it's currently written, and focus on domestic spending. Indivisible has
a call script we can use: https://act.indivisible.org/call/caps-deal/
3.
CHLORPYRIFOS BAN: Two years ago, Trump overturned the ban on
chlorpyrifos before it was allowed to go into effect. “U.S. Senator Tom
Udall (D-NM) today reintroduced a 2017 bill [S. 921]
that would protect children nationwide by banning chlorpyrifos—a pesticide
linked to learning disabilities—from use on U.S. fruits and vegetables. It joins
a similar House measure [H.R. 230]
introduced earlier this year by Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY).” https://www.nrdc.org/media/2019/190328
Let’s tell our MoCs that our children should not have access to poison
while we are trying to keep them healthy.
4.
TRUMP TAX RETURNS: Republican
enablers are lining up to defend Trump’s refusal to furnish his tax returns to
the House Ways and Means Committee, and accusing the Democrats of harassing
Trump for political gain.
https://thehill.com/policy/finance/437946-fight-escalates-over-trumps-tax-returns.
Let’s remind our Republican MoCs that the American people are expecting them
to do their Congressional duty and provide oversight in investigating potential
conflicts of interest. A watchdog group, Citizens for Responsible Ethics in
Washington (CREW) reported that
Trump had over 1400 conflicts of interest in his first two years of the
presidency. Let’s also make sure that Treasury Secretary Steven
Mnunchin (202-622-2000; 1500 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20220;
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ustreasury/;
Twitter: @stevenmnuchin1) knows that we expect them to comply with the law and
furnish Trump’s tax returns without delay.
5.
DRUG PRICING: Republicans
on the House Oversight Committee sent letters to a dozen CEOs of major drug
companies warning that information they provide to the committee could be
leaked to the public by Democratic chair Elijah Cummings in an effort to tank
their stock prices.” https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/paulmcleod/republicans-warn-drug-companies-oversight-investigation
Let’s let our MoCs know that we are for full transparency and
that the health of our citizens and the accessibility to medication is of more
importance to us than corporate stock prices.
6.
MULLER REPORT: Yup. We're
doing it again. Let's call or write the DOJ and tell them we want to see the
Mueller report. This is not about partisan politics. This is about
transparency. If you want you can remind them that the Starr Report was
published as a BOOK. Which you can still buy on Amazon. True
story. DOJ Comment Line: 202-353-1555 DOJ email link: https://www.justice.gov/contact-us
(H/T Chop
Wood Carry Water)
7.
CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY: The Corporate Executive Accountability Act https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2019.4.2%20Corporate%20Executive%20Accountability%20Act%20Text.pdf
“would make it possible for CEOs of companies with more than $1 billion
in annual revenue to be held criminally liable if their companies break laws,
or if executives themselves violate consumer safety or security,” while the
Ending Too Big to Jail Act https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2019.4.2%20Ending%20Too%20Big%20to%20Jail%20Text.pdf
“would establish standards by which CEOs of big banks could be given
criminal charges if the banks they lead violate federal law.” https://gritpost.com/elizabeth-warren-bill-jail-ceos
andhttps://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/03/elizabeth-warren-will-unveil-bill-to-make-it-easier-to-jail-executives.html
Both bills have been introduced by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Let’s
tell our Senators to co-sponsor these bills, and let’s tell our Representatives
to introduce parallel legislation in the House.
8.
TRANSGENDER MILITARY BAN: The House has already passed a resolution
opposing Trump’s transgender ban, it is now time for them, and the Senate, to
pass laws that will disallow this before it goes into effect on Friday.
These troops do not cause the problems Trump claims they
do. https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/04/02/donald-trump-transgender-ban-morally-wrong-disrupt-military-column/3291420002/
Let’s ask our MoCs to co-sponsor and support S.373
and H.R.1032
to protect these citizens who have chosen to serve.
Elections
1.
APRIL ELECTIONS: “So far in
April, there are 29 elections scheduled. If one of these is in your district,
make sure you vote! For everyone else, please share this with your network to
spread the word in order to increase awareness and turnout!” Let’s
check this out:
Other Actions
1.
MUSLIM TRAVEL BAN:
When the Supreme Court allowed the Muslim Travel Ban to take effect, it
was largely because The White House promised to offer a waiver process for
considering the cases of individual travelers subject to the ban. After a year
of operating this so-called waiver process, the rejection rate for applicants
is over 98%, confirming Justice Sotomayer's concern that it is a mere fig-leaf
to cover up an ugly, cruel, and biased policy: (http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/travel_ban_waivers_are_wrongfully_denied_class_action_lawsuit_alleges).
Now there is a class-action lawsuit alleging exactly that, so let's send our
emotional and financial support to the organizations trying to bring justice to
bear in this case (https://www.muslimadvocates.org/36-people-file-class-action-suit-against-administration-for-wrongfully-denied-muslim-ban-waivers/)
2.
STATE IMMIGRATION LAW - FL: Legislative proposals SB 168 and HB 527 would
force state and local law enforcement to actively assist federal immigration
officials, at taxpayer expense. The ACLU is warning that people of color
not visit Florida due to these bills. https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/aclu-travel-warning-cautions-immigrants-about-visiting-florida-citing-anti-sanctuary-bills-11142472
Let’s all sign United We Dream’s petition against these bills: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/florida-business-stand-against-anti-immigrant-legislation-in-florida
3.
IOWA VOTER SUPPRESSION ON YOUNG VOTE: The sources of the GOP’s troubles with
young people aren’t difficult to discern. Millennials (and Gen-Zers) are less
white than older generations — and the whites among them are more radically
progressive. The latest effort comes in the swing state of Iowa, where
Republicans currently enjoy full control of state government. Initially, the
Hawkeye State GOP hoped to ban early voting on public university campuses. But
after county auditors decried
the measure as an attempt at disenfranchisement, Republicans settled for a
subtler means of customizing the electorate: requiring all graduating college
students in the state to take a survey asking whether they intend to remain in
Iowa after receiving their diplomas, and then removing them from the voting
rolls if they say that they do not. Of course, graduating college
students have been known to change their plans on occasion. And many students
may not understand the implications of answering the survey in the negative.
What’s more, the voting reform bill would also move the poll closing time for
statewide elections from 9 p.m. to 8 p.m., and mark any active voter who fails
to turn out for a single presidential election as inactive.
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/04/iowa-gop-advances-plan-to-disenfranchise-college-students.htmlW
If we have a student or know someone who has a student at
university in Iowa let them know the consequences of answering the survey. Tell
them to answer that they will stay in IOWA so they are not removed from the
voting lists.
4.
CENSUS: “Scientific
yardsticks since 1940 reveal that the census misses Black Americans at
disproportionately high rates, especially Black men ages 18 to 49 and Black
children under age five.” The Census determines the distribution of political
power and the allocation of federal funds. https://www.charlestonchronicle.net/2019/04/04/census-2020-for-all-to-count-all-must-be-counted
Let’s volunteer with the NAACP to help ensure a fair census: https://www.naacp.org/
5.
REFUTE VACCINATION MISINFORMATION: Measles are spreading across 15 states, with the
number of US measles cases on pace to triple last year’s count. Students in schools
with low vaccination rates are especially vulnerable and it is up to us to help
protect them by refuting the false claims used to justify not vaccinating
children. Fortunately Suit Up Maine has given us material to correct some of
those false claims by offering an annotated version of testimony given by Sen.
David Miramant (D-Knox) in opposition to a Maine bill to eliminate non-medical
vaccination exemptions for school children. We can use this material to
speak out to correct false information whenever and wherever we see it: https://www.suitupmaine.org/anti-vaccine-fact-check/
6.
HOW TO HELP CAMPAIGNS: “If you want to work on a local campaign,
there are
lots of ways to help. But if you want to help a campaign that isn’t
geographically close to you, you might not know how best to help. This post is
for you. Whether your state doesn’t have any elections in 2019 or the
special elections aren’t anywhere close to you, you can still help.” Let’s
see how: https://politicalcharge.org/2019/04/09/9-ways-to-help-a-campaign-from-afar/
State Actions
1.
AR—GUN SAFETY—OPPOSE “STAND YOUR GROUND” BILL: A bill in the Arkansas Senate would make it legal
for people to shoot to kill, even if there is a clear and safe alternative.
This so-called Stand Your Ground bill failed in committee, but the NRA is
trying to use a process called “extraction” to bring it to the floor for a
vote. Let’s tell our State Senator to oppose this bill by using this form https://act.everytown.org/sign/oppose-ar-syg-extraction-vote
, or by writing or calling: https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/
2.
FL: IMMIGRATION: Awareness
is spreading about the dangerous anti-immigrant legislation (HB 527/SB 168) in the
House and Senate (https://hrld.us/2WUchrB).
The bills would prohibit sanctuary cities and require law enforcement agencies
to work with ICE and identify people who may not have legal citizenship (https://bit.ly/2FDMYmw). It would also
require correctional facilities to detain any person who ICE requests to be
held (https://bit.ly/2I7bfVd). 1 of 5
Florida residents is an immigrant and almost a million live with an
undocumented family member; immigrants compose one quarter of the Florida labor
force. We can join the campaign to urge FL businesses to oppose these
anti-immigrant bills and we can contact our state MoC in the House and Senate
and ask them to oppose this harmful bill.
3.
FL: OPPOSE MARY MAYHEW AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE
NOMINATION: Mary Mayhew, nominated to run
the Agency for Health Care Administration, held the same post in Maine where
she left 1 in 4 children food insecure and tens of thousands of people living
in poverty without food assistance, health care, housing assistance, heating
assistance and access to other critical social safety net programs. She
decimated the public health nursing program leaving Maine as the only
state in the country with a rising infant mortality rate, the highest rate of
whooping cough in the country and one of the highest overdose death rates in
the country. She misappropriated $13 million in federal TANF funds, was caught
and the state had to return the money.
We can read more about this dangerous nomination in this Miami Herald Op
Ed:
https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article228799379.html
The we can call our legislators, DHHS commissioner, and
Congressmembers and tell them to oppose the governor's nomination of Mary
Mayhew to lead the Agency for Health Care Administration.
4.
NY—TRUMP TAX RETURNS: Two bills
in the state legislature would require the disclosure of Trump’s New York State
tax returns: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/08/nyregion/trump-tax-returns-cuomo.htm
If we are in New York, let’s tell our state senator and representative https://openstates.org/ to
co-sponsor S.5072 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/S5072,
and A.7462/S.5572-A (New York Truth Act) https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2017/a7462/amendment/a
5.
TX - LGBTQ DISCRIMINATION BILL: Last week the Texas Senate gave preliminary
approval to a sweeping religious refusals bill, state bill SB17. LGTBQ
advocates have called it a “license to discriminate.” Let's read more at
The Texas Tribune. Let's contact our Texas state senators and state representatives
to let them know we oppose SB17.
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms
to attend/organize
1.
JUSTICE FOR IMMIGRANTS—ACCOMPANIMENT TRAINING: “The New Sanctuary Coalition accompaniment program
recruits and trains volunteers to accompany people facing deportation to their
immigration hearings and ICE check-ins. This provides moral support to the
person facing deportation and enables volunteers to hold immigration
authorities accountable.” There’s a training in New York City on April 11.
If we’re in NY, let’s sign up: https://www.newsanctuarynyc.org/accompaniment_training
Reading/Watching
1.
Sustained and ongoing’
disinformation assault targets Dem presidential candidates - https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/20/2020-candidates-social-media-attack-1176018
2.
A piece from Kyle Korver, a
white player for the Utah Jazz, entitled "Privileged." - https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/kyle-korver-utah-jazz-nba
3.
Only member of Congress born
in Central America says U.S. shares blame for instability - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/norma-torres-only-member-of-congress-born-in-central-america-says-u-s-shares-blame-for-instability/
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