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7/30/19

NATIONAL ISSUES




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/



CONTINUED IMMIGRATION ATROCITIES:  As the awareness grows of the Trump administration-made humanitarian crisis, there are many ways we can help.  Suggestions in previous editions of Rogan’s List are still appropriate to work on.

SUPPORT BILL PROVIDING BASIC NECESSITIES TO DETAINED MIGRANTS AND AUTHORIZING CONGRESSIONAL INSPECTIONS: Just before leaving for recess the House passed HR 3670, the Short Term Detention Standards Act  on a bipartisan voice vote. https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2019/07/house-passes-slotkin-bill-to-provide-basic-necessities-to-detained-migrants.html?. This bill mandates basic necessities for detained migrants and also prohibits facilities from refusing to allow Congressional inspections. Now the bill heads to “McConnell’s graveyard” in the Republican-led Senate. Let’s tell our Senators to put as much pressure as they can on Mitch McConnell to assure that this bipartisan bill comes up for a vote. 

HELP PROVIDE NEEDED ITEMS TO PEOPLE FLEEING VIOLENCE:  Basic Dignities believes no one should be forced to risk their lives out of desperation while trying to establish a life away from violence and fear, and as a humanitarian group wants to help provide people with the basic “dignities” they need to survive. After a successful project in Uganda, they are now partnering with Border Angels to provide items for their Caravan of Love, which delivers necessities to the Mexican side of the US/Mexico border. There are several ways for us to help out. When we click on this link, we can find ways to help Basic Dignities provide people fleeing danger with the items they need to survive. https://www.basicdignities.org/current-project

VOLUNTEER FOR NO MORE DEATHS COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEAM:  Recently No More Deaths volunteer Dr. Scott Warren was tried but not convicted for offering food, water, clean clothes and beds to two men from Central America and now, continuing their efforts to intimidate people from committing such compassionate acts, the government is going to retry him. Now No More Deaths, which maintains a year-round humanitarian presence in the deserts of southwestern Arizona, hiking the trails and leaving water, food, socks, blankets, and other supplies, needs volunteers to help Scott Warren win his retrial. A crucial part of defending Dr. Warren and No More Deaths against further attack are the organization’s outreach efforts. To that end, No More Deaths is hosting a short-term volunteer program in support of their legal defense campaign. From September to November 2019, volunteers from around the world are welcome for two weeks or longer to come support their community outreach efforts in southern Arizona. If we are ready to commit to 30-35 hours per week, door knocking, and doing research, shared housing, food and in-state transportation will be provided. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. We can find out more about volunteering for 2 weeks or more from September to November 2019 with No More Deaths legal defense campaign and then apply, if we like, here: 
http://forms.nomoredeaths.org/en/  We can  contact the campaign coordinator with questions. We can also find out about other No More Deaths volunteer opportunities here: http://forms.nomoredeaths.org/volunteer/

SUPPORT S.2135:  The House passed H.R. 3239, the Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act, on Wednesday. This legislation would help to ensure that children in U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody have timely access to appropriate medical screening and care as well as proper nutrition, hygiene and sanitation. Just prior to the bill's passage, a republican amendment was added that "commends the men and women of U.S. Border Patrol for carrying out their duty during this incredibly challenging humanitarian crisis in a professional manner." THE BILL PASSED ALONG PARTY LINES WITH ONLY ONE REPUBLICAN VOTING FOR IT. This suggests it may have difficulty passing the Senate.   Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) have introduced companion legislation in the Senate (S. 2135).  WE MUST URGE OUR SENATORS TO SUPPORT THIS BILL! Make your Republican Senators understand that this bill is not meant to be a sweeping immigration reform bill but is meant to address an urgent humanitarian crisis in which children are sick, suffering, and dying. Urge your Democratic Senators to do all they can to lobby their Republican colleagues to support the bill. The lives of children depend on it.

SAY NO TO TRUMP'S JUDICIAL NOMINEES: "Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday set up votes on lifetime appointments for 19 judicial nominees next week, setting up a busy pre-recess work session on a top GOP priority." 
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/25/mcconnell-judges-senate-agenda-1435255 The courts are the last line of defense for our democracy, but the GOP has been working overtime to stack them with right-wing conservatives. Let's call our Senators today and tell them to vote NO on these nominees. It's important that they hear us.

DEMAND ELECTION SECURITY: Even after Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller testified that Russia has and will continue to interfere in our elections, a fact confirmed by the FBI, Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell along with the rest of the Republican caucus continues to block bills that would assure that our voting systems are fair and trackable.  https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/454967-mcconnell-under-fire-for-burying-election-security-bills-in-legislative-graveyard. Let’s demand that our Senators pass legislation that assures that voting machines cannot be manipulated and that each vote can be tracked and make sure this is put in place before the 2020 election. 

SUPPORT EQUITABLE BAILOUTS FOR FARMERS: Details on the Trump Administration’s plan to bail out farmers hurt by the trade war with China raise important questions. The Washington Post reports, that some of the money went to foreign-owned businesses and city residents who don’t work on farms. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/07/25/trump-administration-reveals-details-billion-farm-bailout-us-trade-war/?utm_term=.d9a32268b41e. The New Food Economy has conducted a study that shows that majority of payments went to upper-middle-class white farmers. https://newfoodeconomy.org/usda-trump-trade-war-bailout-white-farmers-race/. Let’s ask our MoCs to look into this diversion of funds and find out what they can do to assure that these payments go to the people who need them most.

SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP): The Trump administration has submitted a proposal to revise eligibility requirements for SNAP, and make it more difficult for working families to lift themselves out of poverty, and would especially impact seniors and disabled individuals (https://n.pr/2Z6wADG). It would also mean that 500,000 children would no longer be automatically eligible for free school meals: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-plan-failed-note-it-could-jeopardize-free-school-lunches-n1035281   The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has written a comprehensive explainer, detailing the ways that the Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) currently works, as well as the ways in which it would change under the proposed rule. Let's read through the report here, then use that information to write a public comment on the proposed rule, which will be open for comment until September 23rd: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FNS-2018-0037-0001

EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT: The ERA, an amendment to prohibit sex discrimination and first introduced in 1923, then passed by Congress in 1972, was never ratified by the states (https://bit.ly/2VAg0OT). The original language of the ERA established a deadline for ratification of June 30th, 1982, but only 35 of the required 38 states had ratified the amendment by that time. Within the past two years, two more states have passed the Equal Rights Amendment (https://n.pr/2J12ZaP). While we continue our efforts to get the ERA passed in at least one more state (https://bit.ly/313U5Ou), let's ask our MoC to support bipartisan resolutions to remove the ratification deadline (S.J.Res.6/H.J.Res.38).

MITCH MCCONNELL: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (or #MoscowMitch) is doubling down on his defense of why we do not need to protect our elections from foreign interference AND is comparing pressure on him to modern-day McCarthyism. Yes, really: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/455208-mcconnell-blasts-modern-day-mccarthyism-defends-blocking-election-bills  Let’s take a moment to let #MoscowMitch know that we expect him to stand up for our country or resign:https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/

POSTCARDING:  From one of our own – Here are this week’s issues/addresses write-ups for postcarding: 
 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mDyiNBV9rQVCQFUXyEcYdiT5OUHvMvueK4efTA7iSok/edit  Look them over and choose the ones that speak to you. Thank you for speaking out!

 DCCC BLACKLIST:  In the spring, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) announced that it would prohibit the organization from doing business with organizations, consultants, and vendors that support primary challengers to incumbent Democrats, as did Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, among others.  Frozen out of the money the DCCC controls, many of these consultants have joined with the Justice Democrats to form a "Blacklist" of those willing to work with progressive challengers:  https://www.rollcall.com/news/campaign-consultants-frozen-out-of-dccc-money-create-the-blacklist and https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/blacklisted-political-consultants-profit-democrats-civil-war-n1026496  If we know anyone working in political consulting, advertising, communications, or research who might join in opposition to the DCCC blackballing of those who aid progressive primary challengers, let’s urge them to sign up:  https://dcccblacklist.com/

PUBLIC COMMENTS NEEDED: From one of our own: Comments and actions week ending August 4, 2019 includes Cuts to food stamps, Trump’s Asylum Ban, more Alaska, drinking water, Nuclear weapons, LCBTQ health, Redefining how the government measures things - poverty rates, pollution index. LGBTQ and Trans rights, RoundUp, Ozone, privacy, exposing miners to diesel exhaust, ACA:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I_NVD9Z1QI9Nt7Bin8Worz7Q2uTuT0Aj/view

CLIMATE RISK DISCLOSURE ACT:  The Climate Risk Disclosure Act (H.R. 3623) introduced by representatives Sean Casten (D-IL), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), will soon come up for a vote in the House. H.R. 3623 would require companies to identify the risks they face from climate change—and to explain how they plan to address them;  it would tighten requirements for fossil fuel companies to disclose how they detect, mitigate, and seek to reduce leakage of methane and emphasizes the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst effects of climate change.  However unlikely to pass, it is essential that we press our MoCs to sponsor it—and, if they won’t, to let them know that we are watching as they refuse to deal, even in this limited way, with the worldwide emergency that is climate change.

TRUMP’S RACISM: In an apparent attempt to distract from the findings of the Mueller report and increasing news of his connections to Jeffrey Epstein, Trump has spent days quadrupling down on his racist attacks on the city of Baltimore and Rep. Elijah Cummings (and pulling many other objects into the orbit along the way):  https://apnews.com/4175ea0e61e746cd95d7c684cd6a59f7  Let’s let Trump know he needs to resign: https://www.whitehouse.gov and let our MoCs know that his racism disqualifies him from serving as POTUS.
  
IMPEACHMENT: There has been a steady rise in Democratic Congressional Representatives coming out in favor of an impeachment inquiry since last Wednesday’s Mueller hearing with a particular uptick on Sunday and Monday:  
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/full-list-house-members-who-favor-starting-trump-impeachment-inquiry-n1011981  If we have a Democratic MoC who has already come out in favor of impeachment (list in article is alphabetical) let’s please be sure to say thanks. If we have a Democratic MoC who has not yet come out in favor of impeachment, let’s keep the pressure up. We are nearing the halfway mark for Democratic MoC support.

EQUIFAX DATA BREACH SETTLEMENT:  Now that Equifax has determined how they are handing the settlement, they are informing people how to proceed.  https://time.com/5634465/equifax-125-data-breach-how-to/  Let’s use the tool in the article to see if we qualify, then follow through if we do. 

ELECTION/VOTING

2019 VIRGINIA CHALLENGE:  On November 5, 2019, Virginia voters will decide whether Republicans or Democrats will control their state legislature. Right now, Republicans control the House of Delegates, 51-49, and the State Senate 21-19. Every seat is up for election. Because VA’s governor is a Democrat, if the legislature flips Blue, Democrats will be 100% in charge of drawing VA’s Congressional districts and end extreme Republican gerrymandering for a decade. Plus, all efforts to flip the VA legislature Blue this year will give a boost to Democrats going into the all-important 2020 election season. Let’s get all hands on deck for the 2019 Virginia Challenge. We can help in one or more ways: 1) Donate to Flippable.org, 
https://flippable.org/, 2) Donate to, and volunteer with, Sister District Project, https://sisterdistrict.com/candidates/, 3) Register Virginia voters by mail, https://votefwd.org/, 4) Write get-out-the-vote postcards with Postcards for Virginia, https://postcards4va.com/, and 5) If we’re in Virginia, volunteer with the Democratic Party of Virginia,

MISSISSIPPI PROCHOICE INFORMATION:  Mississippi remains one of the country's most dangerous states for women, LGBTQ+ folx and communities of color. With their Mississippi Primary elections just a week away, your assistance in sharing our Prochoice Voter Guide is essential to this fight.  The #VOTEPROCHOICE Voter Guide empowers voters to elect prochoice champions all the way down the ballot:   https://www.voteprochoice.us/voter-guide  The #VOTEPROCHOICE Voter Guide also features endorsements from our incredible prochoice progressive partners, including The LGBTQ Victory Fund, The Collective PAC, & Run for Something. Please help get the #VOTEPROCHOICE Voter Guide into the hands of prochoice voters in Mississippi. Here is a comprehensive voter guide toolkit

STATE SPECIFIC ISSUES

MOST: LET UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS GET DRIVERS’ LICENSES. New York recently became the thirteenth state to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers’ licenses.  https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/17/nyregion/undocumented-immigrants-drivers-licenses-ny.html. Other states that currently allow this are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Vermont, Washington, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. If we live in a different state, let’s contact our state legislators and ask them to support this initiative. Allowing undocumented immigrants to legally drive will keep the roads safer for everyone and prevent hard-working residents from being pulled over and being charged with a crime simply for driving to work.   

ALL:  COMBATING FAKE NEWS THROUGH EDUCATION.  “Studies show a positive relationship between the level of education and resilience to fake news, the OSI report said, with more knowledge and better critical-thinking skills guarding against fabricated information. Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands are among countries that teach digital literacy and critical thinking about misinformation to school children.” https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/05/how-finland-is-fighting-fake-news-in-the-classroom/.    If our local schools are not addressing this issue, demand that it be part of the curriculum beginning in middle school and continuing through High School. Our youth must be better informed voters.  
CA: ATTEND INLAND EMPIRE RESISTANCE TRAINING
This Saturday, August 3rd, a coalition of activist groups, including Mi Familia Vota, Swing Left, NOW, and Field Team 6 have teamed up to present a day of inspiration, training, and action at the Caesar Chavez Center in Riverside.  We can attend a supercharged rally and get hands-on how-tos in crucial skills that will help flip seats nationwide this year and build the 2020 blue wave (canvassing, phone & text banking, voter registration...). We can meet and sign up with local flipping-focused orgs, then stay after the training and raffle drawing for a light dinner with a screening of the amazing "Knock Down the House" (around 4:30)--free with our registration!  Sign up and more details are here:

RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS

NATIONAL NETWORK ASSEMBLY:  The first National Network Assembly, made up of hundreds of local grassroots leaders and organizers from around the country is happening in Des Moines, IA, August 22 to 25.   https://mailchi.mp/thedemlabs/nationalnetworkassembly There will be workshops, sessions, and meetings in which participants will strategize, plan, and learn skills to take home to their groups.  The 2019 National Network Assembly will strengthen the connective tissue between grassroots groups by bridging multiple networks and organizations that represent over 1,000 leaders across all 50 states.  We can find more information, register to attend, and donate to the scholarship fund here: https://www.nationalnetworkassembly.org/ We can use this document to invite others to attend:   https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oKWdGLESqQYFVIa3JXQrtsXO9zrZv7ihCdGfnmSZ0-M/edit

READING/WATCHING

Better to Have a Few Rats Than to Be One, Baltimore Sun’s Response to Trump’s racist tweet against Congressman Elijah Cummings - https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-0728-trump-baltimore-20190727-k6ac4yvnpvcczlaexdfglifada-story.html

Indigenous People Demand an End to Detention on Stolen Lands -

This brief article is literally and figuratively a breath of fresh air -



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We can stay up to date on Congress by checking out their schedules. a) The House publishes a weekly schedule at The Weekly Leader (published and dated Friday) as well as daily schedules at The Daily Leader. b) The Senate updates their schedule daily at the Senate Floor Schedule




7/25/19

NATIONAL ISSUES




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/



CONTINUED IMMIGRATION ATROCITIES:  As the awareness grows of the Trump administration-made humanitarian crisis, there are many ways we can help.  Suggestions in previous editions of Rogan’s List are still appropriate to work on.

US CITIZEN HELD IN DETENTION:  After being held for over three weeks, 18-year-old Francisco Erwin Galicia, a US citizen, who was taken into the custody of ICE and CBP on June 27, 2019, has been released. 
https://www.themonitor.com/2019/07/24/exclusive-emotional-reunion-mother-greets-edinburg-teen-wrongfully-detained-3-weeks/  Let that sink in. Now that we are sufficiently horrified, let’s contact our Members of Congress and demand an investigation into this with a plan that other citizens will not be detained in this manner. Let’s also tell them that our immigration system is utterly dysfunctional, and it is long past time for reform

DETAINED CHILDREN IN UNLICENSED FACILITIES: “The Trump administration is pumping $3 billion into the federal network of shelters for migrant children. Officials want to move them out of Border Patrol facilities, where children say they're crammed into cells without enough food or other necessities.”   https://www.npr.org/2019/07/01/737761304/trump-administration-to-put-3-billion-into-network-of-shelters-for-migrant-child  DHHS has no running or contracting unlicensed temporary emergency shelters for unaccompanied minors. Let’s tell our MoC that we want them to co-sponsor and support Shut Down Child Prison Camps Act (HR 1069/S.397)

EXPEDITED DEPORTATIONS: The Department of Homeland Security announced that it will be initiating an “expedited removal” policy, subjecting any immigrant who cannot prove that they’ve lived in the U.S. for two continuous years with immediate deportation without benefit of a court hearing.  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-gets-expanded-power-to-swiftly-deport-more-undocumented-immigrants/ and https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-us-canada-49079495 and http://americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/primer-expedited-removal  Does this mean that even citizens need to carry documentation?  This is a blatant denial of due process rights and the ACLU has threatened to sue. https://thehill.com/latino/454147-aclu-promises-lawsuit-over-expedited-immigrant-removal-expansion. Let’s provide a public comment against this:  https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=DHS-2019-0036-0001&mc_cid=4c7ab90496&mc_eid=d8fe862b46  and Let’s donate to the ACLU for their continuous front-line efforts to challenge Trump’s continued horrific and inhumane immigration policies. 

CAUSES OF CENTRAL AMERICAN IMMIGRATION: As Desmond Tutu once said, “There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river.  We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.”  That is why the House passed the United States-Northern Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act (H.R.2615) which requires a report on the root causes of migration from Central America. https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/9812559-181/thompson-increased-attention-helping-improve  It is now in the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.  Let’s contact the members of that committee and impress upon them our intent that this legislation is moved to a vote.  Let’s also tell our own senators that this legislation is essential to working out this particular immigration issue. 

ALLOW CONGRESSIONAL ACCESS TO DETENTION CENTERS:  Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) has filed the Help Oversee, Manage and Evaluate Safe Treatment and Ensure Access without Delay, (HOMESTEAD) Act, which prohibits the administration from preventing members of Congress from entering any detention facility.  https://amp.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article233009967.html. Let’s tell our MoCs to support and pass this bill as soon as possible. It is Congress’s role to provide oversight into these centers, and the reports of current conditions are too disturbing to ignore. 

SUBSTANDARD MEDICAL CARE AT PRIVATE IMMIGRATION DETENTION FACILITIES: A recent advertisement for a doctor to work in a detention center did not require the physician to be Board Certified and offered a salary that was far beyond the norm of what most physicians in similar settings would make. https://www.npr.org/2019/07/22/744206063/job-posting-for-doctor-at-an-immigrant-detention-facility-catches-peoples-attent. With all the talk about the budget and the deficit, let’s make sure to tell our MoCs that we can save taxpayer money by closing down these private prisons, which cost 300% more than government-run facilities. 

ELECTION SECURITY: “Senate Republicans blocked two election security bills and a cyber security measure on Wednesday in the wake of former special counsel Robert Mueller warning about meddling attempts during his public testimony.”   https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/454635-gop-blocks-election-security-bills-after-mueller-testimony  Not only does the Senate need to pass these bills, but it also needs to pass the Securing America’s Federal Elections (SAFE) Act (H.R. 2722) which has already passed the House.  It is now common knowledge that the Russians have and will continue to interfere with our elections.  Let’s contact our senators and ask them what they are doing to secure our elections.

FOOD STAMP CUTS: The administration announced new regulations in how states must determine eligibility requirements for food stamp recipients, which could lead to as many as 3 million people losing their food stamps. https://www.npr.org/2019/07/23/744451246/3-million-could-lose-food-stamp-benefits-under-trump-administration-proposal  and https://time.com/5632313/trump-food-stamps-new-regulations/. Let’s make a public comment from our heart:  https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/07/24/2019-15670/revision-of-categorical-eligibility-in-the-supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap Then, let’s express our concerns to both our MoCs and our state representatives and ask them what they can do to make sure that those in poverty, especially children, the elderly, and the disabled, do not go hungry.

HUMAN RIGHTS UP FOR DISCUSSION: “Prominent human rights organizations, presidential candidates, Democratic senators and religious leaders are sounding the alarm over the Trump administration’s new Commission on Unalienable Rights. A trio of letters sent Tuesday to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and obtained by NBC News, accuse the State Department of sidelining rights of women and the LGBTQ community in favor of religious liberty.”  https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/human-rights-groups-lead-chorus-alarm-over-new-trump-administration-n1032656  Let’s join our voices and tell Pompeo what we think about limiting human rights:  https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/u-s-department-of-state 

ELECTION/VOTING

POSTCARDS TO VOTERS: "A year ago, Postcards to Voters conducted a pilot program with the objective to determine if sending handwritten postcards to Democrats in Florida to encourage them to sign up for vote by mail (VBM) would result in an increase in vote by mail signups." Spoiler: it works! We can read an analysis for Pasco County, FL, here:  https://www.facebook.com/TonyTheDemocrat.org/posts/2086419354992473 And we can sign up to postcard by texting JOIN to (484) 275-2229 or emailing Join@TonyTheDemocrat.org.

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES (AND HELP) NEEDED:  While the Democratic presidential field is currently flooded with candidates, not so for many other downticket races.  In fact, Resistance Labs’ Contest Every Race has determined there are 520,000 elected offices and Democrats are not competing in 75% of them.  Here's the ask: Sign up to be a volunteer researcher with Resistance Labs! Make phone calls or do web research for at least 2 hours a week this summer:  Here's the ask: Sign up to be a volunteer researcher with Resistance Labs! Make phone calls or do web research for at least 2 hours a week this summer.  (h/t Chop Wood/Carry Water)

FIGHT GERRYMANDERING—Democratic majorities in State legislatures and governorships are bulwarks against extreme Republican gerrymandering—because it is States that draw Congressional districts. Fair representation for voters who favor a progressive agenda depends on Democrats gaining and holding power at the State level.  Sister District Project is working to get Democrats elected and re-elected in 2019 in the states of Virginia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. If we are able, let’s donate now to their 2019 Candidates Fund: https://sisterdistrict.com/candidates/

GET EXPERT TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO LEAD VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES:  If we are looking for effective ways to fight Trump and the Republicans, we can check out leading our own Field Team 6 voter drive in a targeted district or state, helping Field Team 6 can scale up enough to win the Battle of 2020 - and take back the White House, flip the Senate, and expand our House majority. Field Team 6 has taken a lot of the guesswork out of voter registration by determining pivotal races, key places and times to register voters. If we sign up, we will get training and support to give us the foundation we need to lead a voter drive with confidence.  We can find out about leading a Field Team 6 Voter Drive here: 

STATE SPECIFIC ISSUES

RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS

LEMONADE STANDS FOR MIGRANT FAMILIES:  The Lawyer Moms Foundation https://www.lawyermomsfoundation.org/ is organizing Kids Take a Stand—lemonade stands set up all over the country on Saturday, July 27, and Sunday, July 28, to raise awareness of the plight of migrant families and to raise funds to support the Rio Grande Valley Rapid Response https://www.rgvrapidresponse.com/ and KIND (Kids in Need of Defense) https://supportkind.org/ . Let’s take a look at the Kids Take a Stand toolkit and set up a lemonade stand with our families:

SIGN UP FOR CANDIDATE TRAINING:  Emily’s List is offering a Candidate training on Saturday, July 27 in Philadelphia from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. We can find out more about the event, Run to Win 101, a free half-day training for pro-choice Democratic women thinking about running for elected office and sign up, if we choose to, here:  https://secure.emilyslist.org/page/s/20190713_email_RunToWinPhiladelphia

NATIONAL NETWORK ASSEMBLY:  The first National Network Assembly, made up of hundreds of local grassroots leaders and organizers from around the country is happening in Des Moines, IA, August 22 to 25.   https://mailchi.mp/thedemlabs/nationalnetworkassembly There will be workshops, sessions, and meetings in which participants will strategize, plan, and learn skills to take home to their groups.  The 2019 National Network Assembly will strengthen the connective tissue between grassroots groups by bridging multiple networks and organizations that represent over 1,000 leaders across all 50 states.  We can find more information, register to attend, and donate to the scholarship fund here: https://www.nationalnetworkassembly.org/ We can use this document to invite others to attend:   https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oKWdGLESqQYFVIa3JXQrtsXO9zrZv7ihCdGfnmSZ0-M/edit

READING/WATCHING

Female presidential candidates face big double standard — and it shouldn't be that way - https://www.freep.com/story/money/business/columnists/carol-cain/2019/07/20/female-presidential-candidates-clothing/1771670001/

When Trump attacks, the base turns out — for both parties - https://www.rollcall.com/news/campaigns/trump-attacks-base-turns-parties

Trump Says U.S. Economy Is 'Best It Has Ever Been,' But Facts Tell A Different Story - https://www.forbes.com/sites/yuwahedrickwong/2019/07/19/cheap-credit-and-lack-of-competition-gums-up-the-u-s-economy/#525336ae50c7

What we learned from Robert Mueller: Seven hours, zero bombshells and everyone declares victory - https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/07/24/robert-mueller-testimony-terse-conclusion-trump-russia-probe/1798408001/

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We can stay up to date on Congress by checking out their schedules. a) The House publishes a weekly schedule at The Weekly Leader (published and dated Friday) as well as daily schedules at The Daily Leader. b) The Senate updates their schedule daily at the Senate Floor Schedule





7/23/19

NATIONAL ISSUES




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/



CONTINUED IMMIGRATION ATROCITIES:  As the awareness grows of the Trump administration-made humanitarian crisis, there are many ways we can help.  Suggestions in previous editions of Rogan’s List are still appropriate to work on.

COMMENT ON THE LATEST ASYLUM ELIGIBILITY RULE:  The “interim rule” for excluding asylum seekers from the US who have not applied for asylum in another country through which they traveled en route—whether that is a “safe third country” or not—has now been posted in the Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/07/16/2019-15246/asylum-eligibility-and-procedural-modifications  Last week, the Center for Constitutional Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Southern Poverty Law Center, filed a lawsuit challenging Trump’s newest asylum restrictions, which effectively deny migrants from Northern Triangle countries and Africa access to the U.S. asylum process; a hearing has been set for Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in federal court in San Francisco.  If we are in San Francisco, we should find out whether an action is planned;  otherwise, we have until AUGUST 15th to comment on this rule, either by mail or email or courier;  instructions and addresses are in the Federal Register notice, and all comments must cite EOIR Docket No. 19-0504 and the Homeland Security Department.

WAYS TO HELP IMMIGRANTS DURING ICE RAIDS: As ICE gets bolder and Trump’s Anti-Immigrant polices get more draconian, we need to know ways to help people caught up in these dangerous situations. Fortunately, the website Lifehacker has gathered information on several ways to help people caught in an ICE Raid. When we click here, we will find information on apps, strategies and actions we can take to help immigrants caught in ICE Raids:  https://lifehacker.com/how-to-help-immigrants-during-an-ice-raid-1836459316

FREE FARMWORKERS ARRESTED BY ICE: Three farmworkers who were active in organizing for workers’ rights were arrested in Vermont last month, and there have been rallies all over the country to free them.  https://www.vpr.org/post/border-patrol-arrests-farmworkers-spur-rally-newport#stream/0. Let’s join Action Network’s call to write letters on their behalf and demand that they be released. More information is available here.

REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT CAP: Adviser Stephen Miller, along with his allies John Zadrozny of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Andrew Veprek of the State Department, are urging security officials to drop next year's refugee cap to nearly zero (https://politi.co/32E50Qg). In 2016, before Trump took office, the U.S. limit for the number of refugees it allowed into the country was at nearly 85,000, and has dropped each year since then (https://politi.co/2KCLnhn). Not only would eliminating entry for refugees be nationalistic, but it would leave those in limbo who have already begun the years-long application process (https://bit.ly/2H0tA1K). Let's contact Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting Defense Secretary Mark Esper and tell them to maintain the current cap, which is already at a forty-year low: U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20520, Acting Secretary Mark Esper, 1000 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-1000, https://www.defense.gov/Ask-Us/, 703-571-3343

IMMIGRANT CHILD DETENTION: The Trump administration is planning on using Oklahoma's Fort Sill, a military post and previous site of Japanese American internment, to detain undocumented children (https://nbcnews.to/2XUZQRjhttps://bit.ly/2JI6Jww). Numerous groups of protesters have showed up, including members of Native American tribes, Japanese Americans, ACLU, and Black Lives Matter. Let's join the #CloseTheCamps campaign by voicing these demands to Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt:  1. Ban the use of any state resources for immigrant detention and the opening of any private immigration Detention centers in OK. 2. Prohibit any local law enforcement collaboration with ICE and CBP and put an immediate end to all 287(g) Contracts. We can visit https://closethecamps.us/ to send a tweet to the governor, or we can contact him directly: Capitol Building 2300 Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 212 Oklahoma City, OK 73105, Phone: 405/ 521-2342 - Fax: 405/521-3353

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IMMIGRATION-RELATED COMMITTEES:  From one of our own:  This is a list of all House of Representatives that serve on Immigration-Related committees. I've also included contact information for House Leadership, members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and a few Senators who have put up Immigrations bills in the Senate. The addresses and phone numbers are for you to write and call them to tell them what you think.  This spreadsheet has 3 tabs: Contact Sheet, Committee Key, and Other Resources.  While the Contact Sheet and the Other Resources tabs are self-explanatory, the Committee Key is really the most helpful. It explains what the 5 main House Committees are that deal with Immigration issues. It shows that each of those main five will have Subcommittees which each have a more focused responsibility. There's a column for "what we want" from each Committee or Subcommittee. There's a column of "Sample Messages" which were generated when my friends and I wrote our postcards this past weekend. Obviously, if the messages are too long, feel free to shorten them! They're yours to use now. Please feel free to circulate this sheet's URL (https://bit.ly/32guDGE) to your friends and family, yes, but also possibly to:  1)  Your Church Group, 2) Your School Campus Groups, 3) Your Other Social Media Pages, 4) Your Crafting Groups, 5) Your Alumni Groups. 6) Your Parenting Groups, and 7) Anywhere you believe that folks can be invited to take action and tell Congress what we want! #CloseTheCamps #FamiliesBelongTogether

IMMIGRATION RESOURCES—Informed Immigrant is “a collective of nationally recognized immigrant-serving organizations, lawyers, technologists, and allies dedicated to helping the undocumented immigrant community.” Their portal helps undocumented immigrants nationwide to find trusted lawyers, social workers, and service providers in their neighborhoods and surrounding areas. Let’s spread the word by sharing among our networks the link to their website: https://www.informedimmigrant.com/

“NATIONAL CONSERVATISM”:  We have been alerted by Max Boot, conservative anti-Trumper and columnist for the Washington Post, to a high profile conference on “national conservatism” last week, offering “Trumpism for intellectuals,” according to the New Yorker: 
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/conservative-nationalism-is-trumpism-for-intellectuals  Justin Amash (I-MI), Republican defector, characterized “national conservatism” as “collectivism rebranded for the right. It’s a form of socialism built upon fear of the new and different”; Boot adds “Maybe it should be called “national socialism” instead? If only that term weren’t already taken”: 
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/07/22/what-comes-after-trump-may-be-even-worse/  With an eye toward 2024, we must keep ourselves informed about this movement:   https://www.vox.com/2019/7/17/20696543/national-conservatism-conference-2019-trump and, for the old-style conservative view, 
https://reason.com/2019/07/18/the-new-conservative-nationalism-is-about-subverting-individual-liberty/  Let’s make certain our MoCs know that we know what the “national conservatives” are up to and check to see which of them have allied themselves with this group.

TRUMP VETO OVER SAUDI ARMS SALE?  “Nearly a month after the Senate supported 22 resolutions disapproving of Trump’s plan for billions of dollars in weapons sales despite Congress’ objections, the House passed three of the 22, two on a vote of 238-190 and the third by a 237-190 margin, largely along party lines.”  https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-saudi-arms/house-rejects-saudi-weapons-sales-trump-to-veto-idUSKCN1UC2US  Most likely, this will be met with a Trump veto.  Let’s contact our MoCs to make sure they know that we expect them to override any veto that provides arms and support to Saudi Arabia’s deadly regime. 

HARMFUL CHLORPYRIFUS NOT BANNED:  “The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday said it would not ban chlorpyrifos, a pesticide used for killing insects, citing a lack of scientific evidence and drawing ire from environmental groups that say it could cause harm to the children of women who are exposed to the pesticide when pregnant.”  https://www.forbes.com/sites/leahrosenbaum/2019/07/19/epa-rejects-ban-on-common-pesticide-linked-to-brain-damage-in-children/#71d376781026  Despite our continual requests to ban chlorpyrifos, the Trump administration sided with industry instead of safety of children.  Let’s ask our MoCs to take this up legislatively to protect our kids.

RACISM/IMPEACHMENT: Late last week Trump attempted to back off his racist nightmare rally in North Carolina on Wednesday night but has since doubled-down, tripled-down, and on and on:
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/454035-trump-doubles-down-says-minority-congresswomen-should-apologize-to  Let’s be in touch with our MoC to say that we can endure a white supremacist in the White House and that impeachment is needed.

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS: Three states, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Maryland are defying Trump’s executive order that would prevent planned parenthood and other centers that receive federal funds from making referrals to abortion clinics. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-abortion/illinois-to-defy-trump-administrations-abortion-referral-gag-rule-idUSKCN1UD32V. They are doing this by substituting Title X funds with state funds. Let’s ask our governor and state legislators to enact similar measures. Even if we live in a state that has recently passed draconian anti-abortion laws, we should still make our voices heard. 

SUPPORT ABORTION ACCESS AND EDUCATION: The organizers of the Abortion Access Front travel the country, using comedy to educate people about the numerous insidious ways misogyny has taken hold in our culture and to organize networks of activists that can support each other, and expand abortion access and support for clinics that provide abortion in hostile states. Let’s learn more about what they do and consider donating here.

GRATITUDE—Matthew Scully, owner of The Scullery restaurant in Greenville, NC, the city where Trump incited his racist crowd to chant, like an army of brownshirts, “Send her back!”, is donating 100% of his restaurant’s proceeds from the day of Trump’s visit to the American Immigration Council,https://www.newsweek.com/north-carolina-restaurant-owner-donates-proceeds-immigration-1449992 He is giving the immigrants rights group an impressive $5,800. Let’s send a note of gratitude to Mr. Scully for his decency and generosity and for standing against racism: Matthew Scully, The Scullery Restaurant, 431 Evans St, Greenville, NC 27858.

PUBLIC COMMENTS NEEDED:  From one of our own:  Comments and actions week ending July 28, 2019 includes Trump’s Asylum Ban, more Alaska, drinking water, Nuclear weapons, LCBTQ health, Redefining how the government measures things - poverty rates, pollution index. LGBTQ and Trans rights, RoundUp, Ozone, privacy, and more:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/17l_bRWXcxpobfQHVn3Fdm9jFk9_a9Hlf/view

ALL THE PRESIDENT’S CRIMES: Looking for a group that’s on top of the administration’s crimes and is actually doing something about it? Follow CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington:  Citizensforethics.org). If we donate to this amazing org during July, a donor will be matching our contributions up to $70k! https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/support-crews-work-2018

MAUNA KEA: “. . .demonstrators are trying to halt construction on the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope” on the tallest mountain on the island of Hawaii.  “Despite its place in Native Hawaiian culture as hallowed ground that contains ahus — religious altars made of stones — and serves as burial grounds for many of the island's ancestors, Mauna Kea's summit is the ideal location for the powerful TMT, scientists say.”  https://www.npr.org/2019/07/15/741990200/hawaii-protesters-block-access-road-to-stop-construction-of-massive-telescope  The protesters are now in the thousands:  https://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2019/07/21/mauna-kea-day-7-crowd-swells-into-the-thousands/  Let’s let the indigenous people of Hawaii know we support them as they try to stop construction of the HUGE TMT telescope on Mauna Kea, a sacred place to the people:  https://www.change.org/p/gordon-and-betty-moore-foundation-the-immediate-halt-to-the-construction-of-the-tmt-on-mauna-kea

POSTCARDING:  From one of our own – Here are this week’s issues/addresses write-ups for postcarding:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1enOtFOvsk8yjLdfXxbRsSVBGXho-hq6D15lw384Mzso/edit   Look them over and choose the ones that speak to you. Thank you for speaking out!

LEVITY FOR THE RESISTANCE—We’ve all probably experienced it: we’re engaged in a political discussion, hit a nerve, and get personally attacked. Star Trek’s inimitable Mr. Spock has a ready response for us. Let’s check it out: 

ELECTION/VOTING

VOTER PARTICIPATION—An award for high schools that get 85% of their senior class registered to vote, company-wide campaigns for employee voter registration and voting, mentors to help new citizens and young voters navigate election day. What if we aimed for a voter participation rate of 80% in all communities across the US? Let’s read what this report says about how to do it, “Getting to Eighty Percent: A Symposium Advancing Voter Participation,”  https://ash.harvard.edu/files/ash/files/getting_to_80_conference_proceedings_final.pdf, and let’s start mobilizing.

TURN UP VOTER INVOLVEMENT:  "And what I know for a FACT is that this message--that Trumpism is a threat to everything we care about and love about this country--is what will inspire the Dem base to vote...and THAT is what this election is about..." https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1152930670093787141.html  Let’s work with whatever groups we can to “DRIVE UP TURNOUT” in the upcoming elections. 

FLIP MODERATE VOTERS IN STATES WHERE RIGHT WING EXTREMISM US RISING:   How do White Nationalist Extremists like Steve King keep getting elected to Congress?  And how do we stop it in 2020? If we are interested in answering these questions, we can check out  Shift The Country  a new organization working to help elect a Democratic President and Congress  by deliberately create key moments of ideological change:  “tipping points, in the places where we live, online, & across platforms + people + networks...  With coordinated and strategic attention, activity, buzz, and action that can create noticeable shifts and real-world change in communities everywhere. “We can read their Proposal here - https://counterfear.com/shift-the-country/the-proposal/. We can sign  up to be on the Team here:  https://counterfear.com/subscribe/.  We can join the conference call launch event the evening of July 31 to get things rolling… 
https://www.facebook.com/events/1191725924342971/ We can also follow on social media: Facebook at:  https://www.facebook.com/ShiftTheCountry/ and Twitter at:

STATE SPECIFIC ISSUES

RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS

LEMONADE STANDS FOR MIGRANT FAMILIES:  The Lawyer Moms Foundation https://www.lawyermomsfoundation.org/ is organizing Kids Take a Stand—lemonade stands set up all over the country on Saturday, July 27, and Sunday, July 28, to raise awareness of the plight of migrant families and to raise funds to support the Rio Grande Valley Rapid Response https://www.rgvrapidresponse.com/ and KIND (Kids in Need of Defense) https://supportkind.org/ . Let’s take a look at the Kids Take a Stand toolkit and set up a lemonade stand with our families:

SIGN UP FOR CANDIDATE TRAINING:  Emily’s List is offering a Candidate training on Saturday, July 27 in Philadelphia from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. We can find out more about the event, Run to Win 101, a free half-day training for pro-choice Democratic women thinking about running for elected office and sign up, if we choose to, here:  https://secure.emilyslist.org/page/s/20190713_email_RunToWinPhiladelphia

NATIONAL NETWORK ASSEMBLY:  The first National Network Assembly, made up of hundreds of local grassroots leaders and organizers from around the country is happening in Des Moines, IA, August 22 to 25.   https://mailchi.mp/thedemlabs/nationalnetworkassembly There will be workshops, sessions, and meetings in which participants will strategize, plan, and learn skills to take home to their groups.  The 2019 National Network Assembly will strengthen the connective tissue between grassroots groups by bridging multiple networks and organizations that represent over 1,000 leaders across all 50 states.  We can find more information, register to attend, and donate to the scholarship fund here: https://www.nationalnetworkassembly.org/ We can use this document to invite others to attend:   https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oKWdGLESqQYFVIa3JXQrtsXO9zrZv7ihCdGfnmSZ0-M/edit

READING/WATCHING

Americans say the nation’s political debate has grown more toxic and ‘heated’ rhetoric could lead to violence - https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/18/americans-say-the-nations-political-debate-has-grown-more-toxic-and-heated-rhetoric-could-lead-to-violence/

“I used to work in US intelligence advising presidents on risk. The biggest threat to our country today is the Republican Party- https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/trump-gop-climate-change-fbi-russia-racism-us-intelligence-a9009441.html

“If the GOP wants to stake its electoral chances on red-baiting politicians’ seedy plots to give people free healthcare and a livable planet, so be it: there are more of us than there are of them.”  - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/22/republicans-progressives-red-baiting-socialism

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We can stay up-to-date on Congress by checking out their schedules. a) The House publishes a weekly schedule at The Weekly Leader (published and dated Friday) as well as daily schedules at The Daily Leader. b) The Senate updates their schedule daily at the Senate Floor Schedule