Rogan's List

3/19/20

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

CORONAVIRUS LEGISLATION:  “Earlier this month, Trump signed into law a $8 billion in coronavirus response package, the first congressional measure to address the coronavirus. It boosted funding for testing of the virus and lower costs for related medical treatments.”  “The economic relief bill [the House bill passed by the Senate yesterday] marks the second such aid package in a matter of weeks. The legislation passed Wednesday provides paid sick and family leave for some for U.S. workers impacted by the illness, expands unemployment assistance, includes nutrition assistance and increases resources for testing. Efforts are already underway to put together a third, larger relief measure that could total $1 trillion.”  https://www.npr.org/2020/03/18/817737690/senate-passes-coronavirus-emergency-aid-sending-plan-to-president  Front line medical personnel are still working without consistent adequate protection or supplies.  https://abcnews.go.com/Health/head-largest-nurses-union-us-dont-protections-coronavirus/story?id=69650118 and https://ktiv.com/2020/03/18/south-dakota-halts-covid-19-testing/  Let’s make sure our MoCs know that we want these tireless workers to get the supplies and protection they need.  We can also join with the American College of Emergency Physicians in asking the same:  https://p2a.co/neN42Md

INSIST ON RAMPING UP VENTILATOR PRODUCTION NOW TO COMBAT COVID-19: Today Trump invoked the National Defense Authorization Act, which will ramp up industry to manufacture ventilators and other necessary medical equipment. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/03/18/coronavirus-what-defense-production-act-trump-has-invoked/2865598001/. However, it’s not clear how much will be produced and why this wasn’t done earlier. This article in Forbes Magazine talks about how industry could easily produce five times the number of ventilators that are currently produced. Let’s express our concerns to our MoCs and ask them how they can help assure that the maximum number of ventilators and medical supplies will be produced as quickly as possible.

STAYING UP TO DATE ON COVID-19:  “The Imperial College group reported that if nothing was done by governments and individuals and the pandemic remained uncontrolled, then 510,000 would die in Britain and 2.2 million in the United States over the course of the outbreak.”  https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/coronavirus-us-uk-trump-boris-johnson-covid-19-response-science-paper-a9407946.html This report has changed how the Trump administration is viewing this pandemic. It lays out what the next 18 months may look like as we battle the coronavirus.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/a-chilling-scientific-paper-helped-upend-us-and-uk-coronavirus-strategies/2020/03/17/aaa84116-6851-11ea-b199-3a9799c54512_story.html We can read the entire report here:  https://www.imperial.ac.uk/mrc-global-infectious-disease-analysis/news--wuhan-coronavirus/ or a summary here:  https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2020/03/influential-coronavirus-pandemic-report-read-a-summary-of-the-staggering-projections-that-moved-us-government-to-act.html  We can also follow Andy Slavitt, who ran the ACA,Medicare and Medicaid for Obama and lead the fight to save the ACA, on twitter at @aslavitt. He is currently working alongside the current administration to find ways to fight the Coronavirus.

DEMAND THAT ICE STOP ARRESTING AND DETAINING PEOPLE DURING CORONAVIRUS LOCKDOWN: Even though several California counties are in shelter-in-place status and the whole country is hunkering down to maintain physical distance and restrict all non-essential activities, ICE is continuing business as usual in LA, arresting both undocumented residents and green card holders who have committed crimes. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-17/for-ice-agents-its-business-as-unusual-day-after-sweeping-coronavirus-order. Let’s tell the Department of Homeland Security (202-282-8495; DHSSecretary@hq.dhs.gov;  https://homelandsecurity.ideascale.com/; Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/homelandsecurity/; Twitter: @DHS.gov) that this non-essential activity that limits physical distance is putting the health of all of us at risk. Let’s also ask our MoCs to introduce legislation to stop or severely restrict eligibility for arrest and deportation during this crisis.   

STOP REFERRING TO COVID-19 AS “THE CHINESE VIRUS” OR “KUNG FLU”: World Health Organizations publicly rebuked Trump today for referring to COVID-19 as “The Chinese Virus,” warning that this could lead to acts of violence and racial profiling of Chinese people. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/18/who-officials-warn-us-president-trump-against-calling-coronavirus-the-chinese-virus.html. Let’s call the White House, and also tell our MoCs to make a public resolution that condemns the racism apparent in that name and urge a consistent protocol in all proceedings, speeches, and contacts with the press to refer to the virus only as “coronavirus” or “COVID-19.”

HEALTHCARE/COVID-19: Health policy experts Suhas Gondi and Abdul El-Sayed have written an op-ed, arguing that the U.S. should utilize the military to adopt a parallel COVID-19 healthcare system. Because the military has extensive experience in building field hospitals and can be deployed rapidly, there is much that could be done to prevent overloading our hospitals and care staff. Let's read through Gondi and El-Sayed's recommendations for how exactly this plan could be executed, then let's get in touch with our federal and state MoC as well as our local government officials, and ask them to consider this option before our healthcare workers are put in the impossible position of deciding who to save when our hospitals and equipment cannot keep up with the influx of COVID-19 patients.

ASK GOVERNOR OF IDAHO TO VETO THE BILL THAT PREVENTS TRANSGENDER PEOPLE FROM CHANGING THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATES: The Idaho legislature has passed a bill that prevents transgender people from changing their birth certificates. https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/post/idaho-transgender-birth-certificate-ban-bill-headed-governors-desk#stream/0. In addition to being discriminatory against the transgender community, this bill would likely lead to costly lawsuits. Let’s ask Governor Brad Little 208-334-2100; governor@gov.idaho.gov to veto this bill. 

NO BAILOUTS FOR THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY: The Trump administration is looking at a $1 trillion package to combat corona virus and provide relief for those affected by the pandemic. This is a good thing, but unfortunately it includes $50 billion to bail out the airline industry. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2020/03/18/coronavirus-travel-bailout-trump-says-airlines-would-no-1/2867020001/. Let’s tell our MoCs that we want to see our taxpayer money go to working people and small business owners who have lost their livelihood, not to corporations. Let the CEOs and rich shareholders pledge their own money to bail out these industries. We do not want to see our money going for corporate welfare. 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR 3D PRINTABLE VENTILATOR PARTS DATABASE: Project Open Air is building an open source database of 3D printable ventilator parts. They are looking for doctors to help catalog needs, engineers and scientist to help design and build parts, and managers to help coordinate the project. There are already over 1K engineers and manufacturers involved. If we want to help build 3D Ventilator parts, we can learn more about the project and sign up here, then share with likely contributors:

https://app.jogl.io/project/121#about

THEATERS WORKING ON STREAMING SHOWS DURING SHELTER IN PLACE: Suddenly, the Bay Area institutions’ initiatives to use technology to bring theater to the people, instead of people to the theater, have begun to be emulated nationwide as bans on public gatherings proliferate. Organizations across the country are scrambling to find ways to stream productions, working through copyright issues and coming to agreements with unions, such as Actors’ Equity and United Scenic Artists, to ensure the show goes on.  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/17/theater/theater-streaming.html  Let’s find ways to watch!

FREE WASHINGTON POST NEWSLETTER ON CORONAVIRUS: The Washington post is providing free articles on the Coronavirus. We can sign up here for the newsletter and all linked articles will be free to read: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/

ELECTION/VOTING

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

VOTING BY MAIL:

POSTPONED PRIMARIES DUE TO COVID-10: 

GA:  from March 24 to May 19

KY:  from May 19 to June 23

LA:  from April 4 to June 20

OH:  from March 17 June 2

MARYLAND SPECIAL ELECTION GOES ON. The special election to replace late Democratic Rep. Elijah E. Cummings will still move forward on April 28. The special election features former Democratic Rep. Kweisi Mfume and Republican candidate Kimberly Klacik. The governor is encouraging voters to use absentee/vote-by-mail ballots for this election. More at Politico. 

POSTCARDS FOR VIRGINIA. The postcarding organization Postcards For Virginia (postcards4VA.com) is asking us to write and warehouse postcards for their two most vulnerable VA Representatives: Elaine Luria (CD2) and Abigail Spanberger (CD7).  We can review their updated 2020 guidelines for writing postcards. Let's help Virginia Democrats win in November by requesting some addresses now.

CALL SWING STATE VOTERS WITH TURNOUT2020: If we are looking for way to stay active while socially isolating and flattening the curve, we can check out Turnout2020 and start calling voters for the next election. With the Senate in play as well as the Presidency, there are lot of calls to make. We can click here to sign up to call Swing State voters and encourage them to vote:  https://turnout2020.org/

STATE/LOCAL

MI: COVID-19: More than fifty community-based organizations across the state have come together to create the Michigan COVID-19 Community Response. They have assembled a hub in which we can find ways to offer or receive help. The coalition is also asking local, state, and federal government to follow a list of policy demands ranging from healthcare to housing to education, among others. Let's familiarize ourselves with the policy demands, then ask our own government officials to take aggressive action and meet those demands ASAP. Let's also be sure to get involved with our local communities and help out in any way that we can: https://micovidcommunity.com/

RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS/GROUP ACTIONS/TWEETSTORMS

COVID-19 TWEETSTORM:  State and local public service workers – nurses, EMS workers, child care providers, educators and others – are leading efforts on-the-ground to respond to COVID-19, often at significant risk and hardship to themselves. Let’s join AFSCME and advocacy organizations in a tweetstorm TODAY, 3/19 at 2pm ET to amplify awareness about resources and policy needs to fight COVID-19 and the important role of public employees in this crisis. Here’s the link:  https://www.afscme.org/share/covid-19-share-graphics

“TWITTER 101 FOR ACTIVISTS” ONLINE WORKSHOP TONIGHT: Tweeting is another way to stay active from home, but where and how do we use Twitter effectively to reach our political goals? If we are new to Twitter, or if we want to improve our tweeting skills, we can join Lori Coleman, the Director of Digital Strategy with DemCast for a Twitter 101 Webinar TONIGHT at 8PM ET.  Register in advance for this webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_71a99XtESP2NcHLFOKiAMw

TWITTERSTORM FOR FAMILY RELIEF FROM CORONAVIRUS EFFECTS: The Coronavirus is hitting families hard and it will only get worse over time. With so many people losing time from work, or even losing their livelihoods, it is time for companies to have a heart and help out. Utilities, telecommunications companies and insurance companies, for example, can all pitch in by stopping disconnections and keeping services going during this unprecedented crisis. Let’s send out tweets for #FamilyRelief TONIGHT at 8:00PM EST by joining Action Together Network’s Twitterstorm. We can click here to get prewritten tweets to send out- bit.ly/2IRWxAs

Light UP America: Mark your calendar for March 24 at dusk, and follow Vigil for Democracy to stay updated: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vigilfordemocracy and Instagram.com/VigilForDemocracy and Twitter.com/vigil4democracy. This is not another march or rally. It’s a thoughtfully designed non-violent direct-action campaign, put together by seasoned activists. While you wait, read George Lakey’s book How We Win, or browse his org’s website: wagingnonviolence.org

READING/WATCHING

Special Report: How Korea trounced U.S. in race to test people for coronavirus - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-testing-specialrep/special-report-how-korea-trounced-u-s-in-race-to-test-people-for-coronavirus-idUSKBN2153BW

23 Teacher Appreciation Tweets In Response To Schools Being Closed And Kids Being Quarantined At Home - https://www.buzzfeed.com/christopherhudspeth/tweets-coronavirus-covid-19-teachers-schools-closed-kids/

Unfit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gJgmkWJ6es&feature=share

Russia deploying coronavirus disinformation to sow panic in West, EU document says - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-disinformation/russia-feeding-disinformation-about-coronavirus-to-sow-panic-in-west-eu-document-idUSKBN21518F

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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