10/22/19
NATIONAL
ISSUES
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IMPEACHMENT FACT
SHEET: “Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.)
office on Monday released a "fact sheet" laying out what Democrats
believe is their most compelling evidence to date against President Trump in
their investigation of the president's efforts to pressure the Ukrainian
government to investigate a domestic political rival. "President Trump has betrayed his oath
of office, betrayed our national security and betrayed the integrity of our
elections for his own personal political gain," the document states in
laying out how Democrats are likely to try to make their case in the
impeachment inquiry.” https://thehill.com/homenews/house/466766-pelosi-releases-fact-sheet-saying-trump-has-betrayed-his-oath-of-office Let’s keep calling our reluctant MoCs to tell
them that impeachment is the only way to save the office and our country.
TRUMP AND THE
CONSTITUTION: After pulling back from the unconstitutional step
of wanting to host the G7 at his own Doral resort, Trump referred Monday to the
“phony emoluments clause” – thus degrading part of the US Constitution to
phoniness: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/466732-trump-dismisses-phony-emoluments-clause-after-doral-criticism Let’s
stay in touch with our MoC to let them know that we expect Trump to be in
impeached due to vile disregard for the Rule of Law and our Constitution. Let’s
also call the White House daily (on weekdays) to call for Trump’s resignation:
202-456-1111
ABUSE AT MIGRANT
DETENTION CENTERS: Recent
documents collected by the ACLU have revealed serious allegations of abuse of
migrant children at detention centers. https://www.kpbs.org/news/2019/oct/17/documents-reveal-years-serious-abuse-allegations-m/.
Let’s raise this issue with our MoCs and ask them to open an investigation.
Let’s also ask them to call for an immediate end to child detention.
STOP CONFIRMATION OF
RACIST, ANTI-LGBTQ, ANTI IMMIGRANT JUDGE STEPHEN MENASHI: The Senate Judiciary Committee was supposed to
vote on the confirmation of Stephen Menashi but delayed this vote due to public
pushback; however, they may vote this week. Menashi’s previous job was to provide
legal oversight to the Department of Education’s efforts to roll back Obama era
civil rights regulations. Menashi has written many racist and anti-gay
editorials and is opposed by 28 immigrant rights groups. At his hearing
Menashi refused to answer any questions about his record. https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/11/steven-menashi-trump-judicial-nominee-1489457.
Since public pushback has delayed the vote, let’s keep up the pressure and tell
our Senators along with the Senators
on the Judiciary Committee not to confirm Menashi. 5calls.org has more information
and a script here.
PUERTO RICO HURRICANE
FUNDING FIASCO: “Two top
officials with the Department of Housing and Urban Development admitted at a
congressional hearing this week that the agency knowingly missed a legally
required deadline that would have made desperately needed hurricane relief
funding available to Puerto Rico.” https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/hud-officials-knowingly-failed-comply-law-stalled-puerto-rico-hurricane-n1068761 We knew that Puerto Rico was mistreated
following the hurricane and now we learn it was on purpose. Let’s tell our MoCs and HUD that we expect
our fellow citizens to be cared for better than that following a natural
disaster. HUD: https://www.hud.gov/contact
SUPPORT WAITRESS WHO REFUSED TO SERVE A COUPLE MAKING ANTI-LGBTQ REMARKS: Brittany Spencer, a waitress at Fat Joe’s Bar & Grill in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, was fired when she asked her manager to assign a table to a different server, after they made disparaging remarks about one of the regular transgender customers who was sitting nearby. https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/466342-waitress-says-she-was-fired-for-refusing-to-serve-couple-that. Instead, the manager fired her. Let’s contact Fat Joe’s and tell them that that they should stand up for transgender rights and the values of their workers. We could also leave a review of the restaurant on Google or Yelp and say what we think.
JOB OPENING:
VOTERIDERS NATIONAL CAMPUS COORDINATOR: VoteRiders, the nonprofit organization that raises awareness of voter
ID requirements and offers voter assistance, is looking to hire a college
campus coordinator. Let’s check out the job description and spread the
word:
CLOSE THE GRANT GAP
FOR BLACK SCIENTISTS: The
National Institutes of Health awards proportionately fewer funding grants to
Black scientists compared to their white peers. It’s apparently because Black
scientists tend to seek research support for population-based studies rather
than molecular- or genetics-based studies.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/10/18/768690216/whats-behind-the-research-funding-gap-for-black-scientists Let’s
tell NIH that we want our tax dollars to support research that explores
prevention, socioeconomic status, physical activity, and other community-based
health issues, and to make sure that their funding criteria allows for more of
this kind of research: Dr. Francis S. Collings, Director, National Institutes
of Health,
execsec1@od.nih.gov; 301-496-2433
COURT HALTS BLM
ACTIVITIES IN GREATER-SAGE GROUSE HABITAT: A federal judge ruled in an Idaho district court Oct. 16 that the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) must temporarily discontinue efforts to expand
leasing, drilling and industrial activities in millions of acres of greater
sage grouse habitat in Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, California and
Oregon. “The judge made it clear that the [Trump] administration ignored
the best available science, removed key protections in the plans and did so in
a manner that cut out the public,” Nada Culver, vice president for public lands
with the National Audubon Society said. Let's read more at The Sheridan Press. We can follow and help support
efforts to save the greater sage grouse by following, joining and/or
contributing to organizations such as Defenders of
Wildlife, Audubon, Western Watersheds Project, NRDC, and our own favorite environmental organizations.
SUPPORT MARLON
ANDERSON: Marlon Anderson, a
Black security officer at a Wisconsin High School, was fired from his job for
using the “n” word in the context of telling a Black student to stop calling
him the “n” word.
https://heavy.com/news/2019/10/marlon-anderson/ Let’s
tell the Madison Board of Education (board@madison.k12.wi.us ; 608-663-1659) and the
interim school superintendent (Jane Belmore jbelmore@madison.k12.wi.us;
608-663-1607) that a policy that would cause this result is patently flawed,
and to reinstate Anderson in his job immediately.
HELP EL OTRO LADO AS
A FAMILY REUNIFICATION PROJECT COORDINATOR: Al Otro Lado, a bi-national, direct legal services organization serving
indigent deportees, migrants, and refugees in Tijuana, Mexico, is looking for a
Family Reunification Project Coordinator. Case management and immigration
experience preferred. Spanish required. San Diego based but working remotely
will be considered for right candidate! Let’s reunite these families! If
we, or someone we know, have case management and immigration experience and
Spanish Language skills, we can check out this Family Reunification Project
Coordinator position, and then, if we want to, apply here. https://idealist.org/en/nonprofit-job/bec400b46b7447ef81cf3520831030b5-project-coordinator-family-reunification-project-al-otro-lado-san-diego We can also learn more about Al Otro Lado
and the work they do on behalf of immigrants and their families here.
PROTECTING BLACK
FAMILY LAND: “Heirs’ property”
is a form of property ownership developed during Reconstruction, through which
many African American families have held and transferred property to their
heirs. The problem is that lands held this way can be, and have been, lost to
speculators and developers against the will of their Black owners. https://features.propublica.org/black-land-loss/heirs-property-rights-why-black-families-lose-land-south The
Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation provides families with legal and other
assistance that they need to protect their land. Let’s support their
work by donating and/or spreading the word: https://www.heirsproperty.org/
POSTCARDING: From one of our own – Here are
this week’s issues/addresses write-ups for postcarding: https://docs.google.com/document/d/163xJ6_maVlqWb6UhzRM7mL5rhV_bKFgWJfvRBgooExE/edit
Let’s look these issues over
and choose the ones that speak to you or share in our postcarding group.
ELECTION/VOTING
UPCOMING 2019 ELECTIONS: In
order to keep track of upcoming elections, we can use this from Ballotpedia: https://ballotpedia.org/Elections_calendar
THE LOVE VOTE: From one of our
own: We tried out this messaging on people with low energy/hopelessness
on voting during the last election. Shaming has no place in this discussion;
however, we did see some eyes light up when we used this idea: The Love Vote. I
wonder if we used this concept to move people to daily, weekly, heck monthly
action it would matter. March for someone who can't, speak for someone who
can't, vote for someone who can't. It does reframe toward a positive action.
Kim Simmons any thoughts? The Love Vote
is a platform for the 50 million Americans who can't vote (due to youth, citizenship,
or disenfranchisement). We share our stories and move others to vote on our
behalf. It works like crowdfunding - but instead of raising funds, we raise
votes. We see voting as an act of love, and our goal is to increase voter
turnout with love.
https://www.thelovevote.org/
https://www.thelovevote.org/
PICK UP THAT PHONE AND PHONE BANK: Up there with canvassing, calling potential
voters can really help increase turnout. Feel anxious about cold calling
strangers? Perhaps this piece can help us take on phone banking for a
particular candidate or through an org like Democrats Abroad:
STATE/LOCAL
FLORIDA: UPDATE ON FELON VOTING. A federal judge ruled last Friday that
Florida election officials cannot block a group of former felons from
registering to vote due to unpaid financial obligations. This is a preliminary
injunction; the case will now go to the Florida Supreme Court. Last year,
Florida voters approved the right of felons to vote after they served their
sentences. (Wikipedia: 2018 Florida Amendment 4). Let's read
more at The Hill.
KENTUCKY: "INACTIVE" VOTERS
RESTORED: Last
week, a judge issued a temporary injunction restoring around 175,000 Kentucky
voters classified as "inactive." We can read more at Courier-Journal. Let's stay aware of the many ways
that states try to disenfranchise voters.
MICHIGAN: PRISON REFORM. Michigan now allows inmates to get
financial aid for college education. The 2020 state budget struck
boilerplate language that previously banned people in prison from accessing
Michigan’s Tuition Incentive Program (TIP). Let's read more
at The Detroit Free Press. We can read more about prison
education at The Quad. If prison reform is one of our issues,
let's try find out about prison education opportunities in our own states and
find ways to expand them.
RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS
JULIÁN CASTRO SPEAKS WITH DEMS ABROAD: "Join
Democrats Abroad as we talk with Julián Castro about his Presidential campaign
and hear from him about issues important to Americans abroad." RSVP
here to join on October 22nd at 11:00am Eastern Time: https://www.democratsabroad.org/democrats_abroad_speaks_with_julian_castro
IMMIGRATION CONFERENCE: From Justice
for Our Neighbors: Families separated at the border, threats of increased
deportations and ICE raids, enormous historic backlogs in naturalization
applications and all-time-lows in refugee admissions: All of these issues and so
many others will be at the forefront of topics
@nationalimmigrantintegrationconference this October 20-22, 2019 in
Detroit, Michigan. Let's learn more and register here: https://niicnewamericandreams.org/
WEBINAR ON
PROMOTING CLEAN ENERGY BY RESEARCHING PUBLIC UTILITY BOARDS: We can help reduce emissions of climate
pollutants and help promote clean energy sources when we elect clean energy
candidates to our local utility boards. Although over 30% of the country is
served by utilities or electric companies with democratically elected boards,
over 50% of these seats are uncontested, and few are even aware of these races.
With over 300 MUD and 2,000 REC Board seats up for election in 2020, Resistance
Lab’s Climate Utilities Transition team is compiling data on these races,
but they need our help. We can find out more about joining a team of
researchers to dig up data on public utility boards when we join this webinar
on Wednesday, October 23 at 5:30pm PT/ 8:30pm ET. Here’s the link
for more info: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_Rvf5Rilm-5XM6gc1DZEMpq_aaWEuJYgBdshPBFK_mzzjNQ/viewform
READING/WATCHING
Teaching
Democrats to Speak Evangelical
- https://www.newyorker.com/news/on-religion/teaching-democrats-to-speak-evangelical
Have you heard of
the catastrophic men theory of history? https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/20/catastrophic-men-theory-history-step-forward-boris-johnson
Newly uncovered
tax documents show Trump kept '2 sets of books' and may have committed
financial fraud - https://www.businessinsider.com/propublica-trump-tax-records-financial-fraud-2019-10
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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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