12/5/19
NATIONAL
ISSUES
(Including Emails & Twitter)
Fax
legislators for free:
Or use Resistbot: https://resist.bot/
Or use StampsLicked to
have messages hand-delivered to our own legislators: https://stampslicked.org/
White
House contact: https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/white-house
|
IMPEACHMENT
HEARINGS: Yesterday, the House
Judiciary Committee’s part of the Impeachment Hearings began: https://apnews.com/fe334cf50d267b749874ddf1089ca6bd
and https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/live-blog/impeachment-hearing-live-updates-judiciary-committee-n1095001
Let’s be in touch with our MoC to say that we expect based on the
preponderance of evidence that Trump will be impeached and removed from office.
Let’s also take a moment to say thank you to the three distinguished professors
who were invited by the Democrats to testify – they have comported themselves
with great dignity and candor: 1) https://hls.harvard.edu/faculty/directory/10257/Feldman and 2)
https://law.unc.edu/people/michael-j-gerhardt/ and
3) https://law.stanford.edu/directory/pamela-s-karlan/
MIGRANT
CHILDREN’S MEDICATION CONFISCATED AT THE BORDER: Doctors in Long Island reported two cases of
migrant children who ended up in the Intensive Care Unit because their
medication was confiscated at the border. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-migrant-children/u-s-authorities-confiscate-migrant-kids-medications-at-the-southern-border-idUSKBN1Y72NV.
This is not the first instance of inappropriate confiscation. In fact, this
practice goes back years and a janitor who worked at a border detention
facility has saved many of the objects taken from migrants and thrown away,
photographed them, and put the photographs on exhibit. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2019-12-02/tom-kiefer-exhibition-el-sueno-americano?.
We must tell our MoCs and DHS (202-282-8495; DHSSecretary@hq.dhs.gov;
https://homelandsecurity.ideascale.com/;
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homelandsecurity/;
Twitter: @DHS.gov) that this cruelty must stop. This is just one more reason
that Congress must Defund ICE in the next round of budget appropriations.
MORE SNAP
CUTS IN THE WORKS: The
Trump administration has announced a plan that would cut food stamp benefits
for approximately 750,000 people; the plan will make it harder for states to
get waivers from a SNAP requirement that beneficiaries either work or be
enrolled in vocational training and will be published in the Federal Register
on Thursday, Dec. 5th; presumably, it will then be available for our
comment. This is only one of three proposals that the Trump administration is
backing: one seeks to adapt “the types of government benefits that
automatically qualify families for SNAP” and other changes the “approach to
calculating standard utility allowances.” It is estimated that the 3 programs
together would limit food stamps for 2.1 million households: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/472924-trump-administration-to-introduce-plan-cutting-food-stamps-for-750000
As far as this administration is concerned, poor people can either starve or
freeze. Let’s comment, and let’s tell our MoCs that we expect them to fight
for SNAP recipients.
ENDORSE
RAICES’ IMMIGRATION REFORM MIGRANT JUSTICE PLATFORM: As Trump Administration imposes increasingly
cruel Immigration policies, RAICES, in conjunction with several other
organizations, is working to create comprehensive, just and humane Immigration
Reform. Their Migrant Justice Platform proposes concrete governmental
action, at home, on the southern border and abroad, with policies to free
undocumented workers from fear of persecution, protect workers’ rights, and
demilitarize and restrict border agencies. We can read the
RAICES-sponsored Migrant Justice Platform here, then, if we
support it, endorse it and share it with our communities: https://www.migrantjusticeplatform.org/endorse
STOP FACIAL
SCANNING REGULATION: The
administration is set to propose a new regulation that would photograph everyone
entering or leaving the U.S. including U.S. Citizens. This clear attack
on fourth amendment rights reeks of “Big Brother” and violates privacy. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-privacy/u-s-homeland-security-proposes-face-scans-for-citizens-idUSKBN1Y62JO.
Let’s make sure to speak out against this proposal when we talk to our MoCs and
see if anything legislative can be done about it. Let’s also track this closely
and make sure to make a public comment when it is published.
THE SWELL
CARE PACKAGE PROJECT: The Swell Collective, whose mission is
to inspire, equip, and amplify change agents, is seeking nominees and contributions
to send out care packages to movement organizers, especially the unsung heroes. Let’s help fund this initiative if we
can: https://swellcollective.org/shop/2020-swell-care-package-project If we have a nominee in mind, we can click
here: https://airtable.com/shrDBuwjobl7Hol1W
LIBRARIES: EveryLibrary,
an organization "dedicated to building voter support for libraries,"
has launched the Libraries 2020 campaign to help spread awareness for the good
that libraries do across our country. Let's learn more about how libraries play a crucial role in
our communities, then let's visit Libraries 2020 and use their click-to-tweets to help
them build voter support and ensure that public libraries continue to be
fully-funded.
NO JUDICIAL
EXTREMISTS: From Suit
Up Maine: The Senate will vote soon
on a number of extremist and unqualified judicial nominees who are up for
LIFETIME positions on the federal bench. Learn more about the worst of the
worst and contact Senators Collins and King [and our GOP senators if we are on
other states] and urge them to vote NO! https://www.suitupmaine.org/extremist-judicial-appointments/
HEALTHCARE: As states like Ohio continue to restrict women's access to full
healthcare, nationwide the Hyde Amendment has long been placing restrictions on
low-income women (https://bit.ly/2Yo00Og). All
Above All, a coalition of organizations fighting for women's rights, is
encouraging us to be bold and push our MoC to repeal the Hyde Amendment. Let's
check out their toolkit and use the e-mail template to contact our MoC here.
DISABLED
STUDENT BORROWERS DENIED LOAN FORGIVENESS: Apparently, the Education Department is not content with
refusing 99% of the promised loan forgiveness applicants who are public
servants (https://www.salon.com/2019/09/05/betsy-devos-education-department-rejects-99-of-applications-for-loan-forgiveness-program/),
but it now turns out that it has similarly failed borrowers with disabilities
As of this year, 365,000 disabled borrowers were potentially eligible for loan
discharge but have gotten no relief, 225,000 of those had already defaulted on
their loans; "People don't even know about this. They don't find out about
it. Nobody tells you about it," said one eligible borrower; others cite
the byzantine application process: https://www.wnyc.org/story/why-student-loan-borrowers-with-disabilities-arent-getting-the-help-they-deserve
We must speak up for students with legitimate claims for debt relief, before
an entire generation is decimated by this $1.5 trillion debt: Sec’y Betsy
DeVos, 800-872-5327 or U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW,
Washington, D.C. 20202.
ELECTION/VOTING
ELECTION/VOTING
2020 ELECTIONS: If we are looking for 2020 Election information
or if we have some to share, we can check out Equal Vote Local’s BlueWave
Database 2020. We can click here to find information about candidates,
voting and more arranged by state. This editable document also allows us to add
our groups and any candidates running for office: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ir8YGs1F0Lfayl6T7XR7tklnYrEk4VcEzTkPumLVWAI We can also
find out more about Equal here at their website: https://www.equalvotelocal.com/
LEARN TO RUN PROGRESSIVE CAMPAIGNS AT THE MOVEMENT
SCHOOL: If
we would like to learn to run a winning Progressive political campaign, we can
apply to The Movement School for a 10-week distance learning
program, structured around a campaign stimulation. Working with some of
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s winning staff, we can learn to
advocate for working class constituents, generate local solutions, and organize
our grassroots communities. Organizers of color, those from working class
backgrounds, and women are especially encouraged to apply and will make up the
majority of accepted fellows. We can
find out more about The Movement School’s training to run successful
Progressive Campaigns here, then apply if we are interested: https://www.movementschool.us/campaignfellows
RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS
CLIMATE STRIKE: The climate
crisis is accelerating and slowing it down will require our sustained attention
and effort, and that climate strike we marched in back in September was just
the beginning. On December 6th, as world leaders gather at the UN’s
annual climate conference, young people across America will join a national
#ClimateStrike to take the momentum from September to our elected officials’
doorsteps. Climate change is the biggest issue humanity has ever faced,
so let's all pledge to help our kids tackle it, here: https://www.sunrisemovement.org/climate-strike We can also join in Jane Fonda’s Fire Drill Fridays: https://firedrillfridays.com/
FLU SHOTS FOR DETAINED MIGRANTS: The group
Doctors for Camp Closure (D4CC) has been trying to get flu vaccinations for
people in CBP detention.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1263702860469475/permalink/1355046984668395/ They
are being ignored, so that are planning an action. If we are in the Southern
California area from Dec 9 through Dec 11, let’s sign up to protest: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeNm81nXjIu4BLGLSJ2VDw9d0ec1t0c6XF88xGn6SLf0zKytg/viewform
PARTICIPATE IN DIRECT ACTIONS FOR IMMIGRATION
JUSTICE ON DECEMBER 10: Never Again Action is calling for two direct actions, to shut down the Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, RI,
and to shut down UMB Bank in Kansas City, which has a financial
stake in the Wyatt facility. We can read here about the awful happenings at Wyatt, and also view the
similarities between a picture of bottles collected from migrants and bottles
collected from victims of the Holocaust. Let’s consider participating,
telling our friends who live in these areas, or make a donation here.
IMPEACHMENT PROTEST: The impeachment
hearings are moving forward full-steam with a transition to the Judiciary
Committee: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment/u-s-democrats-set-the-stage-for-trump-impeachment-with-key-hearing-idUSKBN1Y613R There
are now 345 protests planned for the night before the impeachment vote (date to
be determined). Let’s make sure we are signed up for one (or
organizing one if none of them are near us):
READING/WATCHING
House
Democrats have passed nearly 400 bills: Trump and Republicans are ignoring them - https://www.vox.com/2019/11/29/20977735/how-many-bills-passed-house-democrats-trump
How
Auschwitz Christmas Ornaments Ended Up for Sale on Amazon - https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-auschwitz-christmas-ornaments/
The
Frightening Rise In Low-Quality, Low-Paying Jobs: Is This Really A Strong Job
Market? - https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2019/11/25/the-frightening-rise-in-low-quality-low-paying-jobs-is-this-really-a-strong-job-market/#1f266afa4fd1
Republican
Time-Wasting Is Killing Native Women - https://newrepublic.com/article/155827/republican-time-wasting-killing-native-women
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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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