7/30/19
NATIONAL
ISSUES
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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:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/resistance-boot-camp-volunteer-fair-inland-empire-tickets-62357094749 We can also sign up to volunteer to help out
at the event if we like here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0a4fadab2ca1ff2-volunteer3
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 -
“This op-ed is co-signed by 149
African Americans who served in the Obama administration” - https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/we-are-african-americans-we-are-patriots-and-we-refuse-to-sit-idly-by/2019/07/26/c02ade6c-af16-11e9-8e77-03b30bc29f64_story.html
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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
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