Rogan's List

2/25/20

NATIONAL ISSUES

Contact all Federal Members of Congress (includes contact info and links to social media) https://www.contactingcongress.org/ Fax legislators for free: Reps:  https://faxzero.com/fax_congress.php Senate:  https://faxzero.com/fax_senate.php 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

ELECTION SECURITY AND RUSSIA:  Our own intelligence is muddying the situation regarding Russian interference in the 2020 election and its goals in sowing division within the country.  https://apnews.com/a55930e0a02d2e21d8ed2be7bc496a6f  McConnell is sitting on several election security bills not allowing them to be brought to the floor for a vote.  Let’s call McConnell to do his job ((502) 582-6304, (859) 224-8286, (859) 578-0188, (606) 864-2026, (270) 781-1673), then call our own MoCs to tell them the same.

PUERTO RICO DISASTER RELIEF: While still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico was hit in early January with earthquakes and hundreds of aftershocks. The Trump administration has not only placed severe restrictions on relief aid for the earthquakes, but it has still not distributed all the funds from Hurricane Maria (https://reut.rs/2wLeOgd, https://nyti.ms/2Vdm66u). The House has passed a supplemental relief bill (H.R. 5687) to allocate emergency aid funds to Puerto Rico, but it has significant Republican opposition. Let's call our senators and urge them to either take up the House-passed bill, or draft one of their own to ensure that Puerto Ricans are given relief ASAP.

BE AWARE OF THIS CENSUS SCAM: Don't be taken in by these fake but official-looking forms being sent out nationwide by the Republican Party, which are really seeking donations and our information. Forewarned is forearmed: 

https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2020/02/21/the-republican-party-is-sending-misleading-census-forms-nationwide-including-in-florida-report/

IMMIGRATION COURT CHAOS: “Shrouded in secrecy, the immigration courts run by the U.S. Department of Justice have been dysfunctional for years and have only gotten worse. A surge in the arrival of asylum seekers and the Trump administration’s crackdown on the Southwest border and illegal immigration have pushed more people into deportation proceedings, swelling the court’s docket to 1 million cases.”   https://apnews.com/7851364613cf0afbf67cf7930949f7d3 Let’s use the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) link to contact our MoCs in support of court reform to remedy this:  https://www.aila.org/takeaction#/46

DEPORTATION DEFENSE NETWORK: Notifica is an app by United We Dream for immigrants who want to be prepared in the event of a raid, roundup, or detention. The app sends a secure message to people in your support network. Let’s learn about Notifica here: https://mashable.com/2017/03/14/notifica-app-undocumented-immigrants/ and let’s download it and spread the word: https://notifica.us/

SUPPORT THE NATIONAL REFUGEE PROTECTION ACT: The National Refugee Protection Act (H.R.5210) would require the United States to take in at least 100,000 a year from Central America prevent the government from forcing people to apply for asylum in other countries they passed through. It would stop the policy of charging people who cross without documents with a criminal offense, reverse the policy that bars people fleeing domestic or gang violence from obtaining asylum and require our government to appoint lawyers for migrant children. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/19/opinion/sunday/immigration-trump-refugees.html. Let’s tell our MoCs to get this bill out of committee and pass it into law. 

SAVE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS ACTIVIST IN DETENTION FROM BEING REMOVED TO ANOTHER STATE: “Cosecha Massachusetts leader, father, and beloved community member Nelson Fuentes is currently in detention, facing deportation. https://www.wmur.com/article/man-from-guatemala-set-to-be-deported-after-illegally-re-entering-us/30572695. Nelson recently filed an appeal, automatically granting him a two week “stay of removal” and beginning a month-long period in which he can use more legal avenues to fight his case. Now ICE is trying to move him to another state—away from his partner and infant daughter, his legal team, and all his community support. They are abusing their power and creating obstacles in the small window of time that Nelson and his community have to fight his case in the courts. Call ICE now and tell them to stop Nelson Fuentes's transfer! 781-359-7500, dial 3 and ask for Jennifer Hood. Nelson’s A# is 206-801-944. More information can be found on Movimiento Cosecha’s Facebook Page. 

STOP FAST-TRACK DEPORTATIONS TO UNSAFE THIRD COUNTRIES: As terrible as the MPP (Wait in Mexico) Program is, the government is on track to replace it with something even worse: The PACR Program allows the government to process asylum applicants within 10 days and then deport them to a designated “safe” third country, depriving them of due process. Not only is Guatemala, a country where Central Americans from other countries are being deported, unsafe--immigrants who are being flown out shackled in the dead of night often have no idea where they are being sent, or how to seek asylum in the 72-hour window they are allotted, if they should choose to go that route. Let’s make sure to read this important article from the Washington Post:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/remain-in-mexico-deportation-asylum-guatemala/2020/02/20/. and then let’s call our MoCs and demand an end to both MPP and PACR.  

JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR: Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a blistering dissent in a recent case and accused her conservative colleagues of putting their thumb on the scale of the Trump administration: https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/23/politics/sotomayor-dissent-supreme-court/index.html  Let’s take a moment to thank Justice Sotomayor for speaking out:  https://www.supremecourt.gov/contact/contactus.aspx  and let’s contact our MoC to echo her concerns.

TRUMP’S UNION-BUSTING ESCALATES:  Last Thursday, Trump quietly granted Secretary of Defense Mark Esper the power to strip collective bargaining rights from the 750,000 civilian employees of the DOD,  many currently represented by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest union representing federal employees; Trump’s memo to Esper claims that a unionized Defense Department workforce could pose a threat to “national security”: 

https://www.govexec.com/management/2020/02/trump-administration-publishes-memo-could-end-defense-unions/163237/ and https://www.afge.org/take-action/campaigns/the-secret-memo/   Before Esper decides to exercise this new power, let’s defend these workers by lending our support to the AFGE which is urging our MoCs to support legislation to stop Trump’s effort to end unionization: 

https://www.afge.org/article/afge-urges-congress-to-prevent-trump-from-ending-unionization-at-dod/  And let’s tell the DOD what we think using the only method they make possible, writing to 1000 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-1000.

FIRST GREYHOUND, NOW COACH:  Greyhound will not longer allow Border Patrol agents to board busses without a warrant.  https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/2/22/21148698/greyhound-customs-border-patrol-cbp-warrantless-searches
Let’s send some thanks to Greyhound on their Facebook page or on Twitter:  @GreyhoundBus to help offset the heartless right wing rhetoric.  Then, it is time for us to make the same ask of Coach Lines.  https://www.concordmonitor.com/concord-coach-nh-bus-search-bor-32862971  Let’s reach out to Coach to ask that they do the same as Greyhound.  To speak with an Information Center Agent, we can call 1-800-639-3317, or 603-228-3300. Or we can send postcards to:  Concord Coach Lines, 7 Langdon Street, Concord, NH 03301 Or we can email:  info@concordcoachlines.com

ELECTION/VOTING

PRIMARIES/CAUCUS CALENDAR:  https://ballotpedia.org/Elections_calendar

VOTE AT HOME:  Skip the lines. Vote at home. Mail ballots let voters decide when and how they vote. Voters can now find vote-at-home details and the forms they need using a free mobile app: https://ci8np.glideapp.io/  Let’s check out how DemLabs and Vote at Home (VHA) collaborated on this project and share the information with others:  https://mailchi.mp/thedemlabs/voteathomeglideapp

WORK FOR THE MOVEMENT VOTER PROJECT (MVP): MVP channels 100% of donated funds to grassroots community organizing groups working to further progressive causes. They’re hiring for three positions: State Advisor (North Carolina), Senior Donor Organizer/Advisor (NY or Southern Region), and House Party Coordinator (remote). Let’s apply and/or spread the word: https://movement.vote/jobs/

SHIFT THE COUNTRY: “Shift the Country PAC has launched with a mission to help democrats win the US Senate, hold the US House, and get the electoral college votes to win the White House. We're specializing in rural America. It's not the democratic party's strong suit - so we're bringing a fusion of engagement, persuasion, and amplification to make shift happen.”  Let’s follow their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ShiftTheCountry/ and sign up for some of their upcoming trainings and events:  https://www.eventbrite.com/o/shift-the-country-24947731177

KNOW IF YOU’VE BEEN VOTER-PURGED—We can use Resistbot to check our voter registration status. After we do so, Resistbot will check our status monthly and alert us if our status has changed. https://resist.bot/guide Let’s activate this service by texting vote to 50509.

HELP FLIP KEY STATES AND REVERSE GERRYMANDERING: Political Charge informs us that this year is our chance to take control of several state legislatures, in a vitally important census year. If we control the state legislatures, we can stop Republican gerrymandering there, since whoever is in charge of state legislatures after the November election will be drawing the district maps that will be in place for the next decade. For inspiration, we can look to Virginia, which has dramatically improved voting rights since gaining control of the state government.  Let’s check out these opportunities: 

• AZ: Both House and Senate are within 2-3 seats of switching to a Democratic majority. Flipping a chamber would also mean ending the current Republican trifecta, control of the governorship and both state legislative chambers.  We can get involved with our local Democratic Party efforts to flip our State Legislatures here: https://www.azdem.org/ 
• FL: We just need to flip 3 seats to break the Republicans’ Senate majority, and doing so would break the Republican trifecta in the state.  We can get involved with our local Democratic Party efforts to flip our State Legislatures here: https://www.floridadems.org/
• IA: Republicans currently have a trifecta, but we could break that by flipping 4 seats in the state House. In 2018 we decreased the Republican majority to put us in strong contention for this flip. We can get involved with our local Democratic Party efforts to flip our State Legislatures here: https://iowademocrats.org/
• MI:  In 2018, we decreased the Republican majority to put us within 4 seats of taking majority control of the House. Let’s flip those 4 seats and turn the State House Blue! We can get involved with our local Democratic Party efforts to flip our State Legislatures here: https://michigandems.com/
• MN:  Back in 2016, the Republicans flipped the Senate. But in 2020, it’s our opportunity to flip it back to the Democrats by winning just 2 more seats. Also, if we flip the Senate, Democrats will have a trifecta. We can get involved with our local Democratic Party efforts to flip our State Legislatures here: https://www.dfl.org/action/

If we’re outside of these states, we can help out by joining with the following groups that are highly focused on organizing in the state. Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, Flippable’s Target States, Swing Left Super States, Emily’s List Target States,  Sister District State Strategy and The National Democratic Redistricting Committee Electoral Targets.

P2V ELECTION WATCH. On Tuesday, Feb. 25, Postcards to Voters' (P2V) volunteers will be watching returns for two (2) Kentucky House seat special elections: a) Campaign 189: Rachel Roberts; b) Campaign 191: Bill Redwine. Our thanks to all the volunteers who wrote for these two campaigns.

FLORIDA VOTE BY MAIL. Postcards to Voters continues their outreach to Florida Democrats not yet signed up for vote by mail (VBM) with a campaign for Miami-Dade County. Of the 600,000+ registered Democrats, only 102,272 are enrolled in Vote By Mail. Imagine how many additional, habitual Dem voters we're going to help who will be a big part of Florida's big, blue win in 2020! (#FLDemsVBM) Volunteers previously wrote to a smaller, targeted list of Miami-Dade voters; this campaign will reach the full list. Let's request 5 addresses today for this important campaign.

NEW POSTCARD CAMPAIGN! This weekend, Postcards to Voters launched Campaign 195: Harold "Howie" Hayes for PA State House, District 18. (Bensalem area) This special election will take place on Tuesday, March 17. Republicans have held this seat since the 1970's; it is the second-most Democratic district in the state held by a Republican. Let's help the district flip this seat (#FlipPAHD18) by requesting 5 addresses today. 

STATE/LOCAL

MI:  ABSENTEE BALLOT: “Michigan residents have time to recast their absentee ballot if they already voted for a candidate who dropped out of the presidential primary since early voting began in late-January.”  https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2020/02/what-happens-if-i-voted-for-someone-who-dropped-out-in-michigans-presidential-primary.html  If our candidate has dropped out and we’ve already voted, let’s take advantage of this opportunity to change our primary choice.

MI: EXPUNGEMENT: Last fall, a bipartisan group of representatives introduced a package of bills (HB 4980-4985) which would significantly improve the expungement process and expand eligibility for expungement in Michigan (https://bit.ly/2kvLZhO). Expungement is a crucial piece in improving the lives of formerly incarcerated people, by expanding employment and housing opportunities, among other benefits, and reducing the likelihood of recidivism.  (https://bit.ly/2m7gNWN, https://bit.ly/2l3z7jb). While the bills passed the House with bipartisan support, they have not made any movement since early November, when they were referred to the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. Let's contact the Republican members of that committee and urge them to schedule a hearing and move these bipartisan bills forward: Sen. Peter Lucido: (517) 373-7670, Sen. Curt Vanderwall: (517) 373-1725, Sen. Tom Barrett: (517) 373-3447, Sen. Ruth Johnson: (517) 373-1636, Sen. Jim Runestad: (517) 373-1758

RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS

READING/WATCHING

One of the Largest Disinformation Campaigns Ever Conducted - http://www.pbs.org/wnet/amanpour-and-company/video/one-of-the-largest-disinformation-campaigns-ever-conducted/

The 100 Million Project, the Knight Foundation’s study of the 100,000,000 eligible voters who don’t vote -  https://knightfoundation.org/reports/the-100-million-project/

Trump’s Pardons Are Meant To Normalize White-Collar Crime - https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephaniesarkis/2020/02/18/trumps-pardons-are-meant-to-normalize-white-collar-crime/#29b5b8195f68

The Authoritarian Reflex: Pippa Norris puts America’s flagging democracy in global context - https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2020/03/feature-the-authoritarian-reflex

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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