3/26/20
NATIONAL
ISSUES
Contact all Federal
Members of Congress
(includes contact info and
links to social media)
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
|
THIRD
CORONAVIRUS BILL:
HUMAN LIVES
VS BUSINESS PROFIT: Trump is getting nervous about the stock
market crash and the failing economy and is now saying that he would like to
ease restrictions on social distancing, send the country back to work, and see
packed churches by Easter, which is barely three weeks away. https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-nw-coronavirus-trump-restrictions-reopen-20200324-mgnfnxy3xvgpzapcynflxouaga-story.html
and https://time.com/5808541/coronavirus-donald-trump-economy-public-health/
This goes against all recommendations from public health officials and would
likely lead to a spike in the number of coronavirus deaths because hospitals
would be overwhelmed. And some of his cronies are saying even worse things,
like the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, Dan Patrick, who said that senior
citizens should sacrifice their health so that younger people can have access
to an America they have always known. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/24/covid-19-texas-official-suggests-elderly-willing-die-economy/2905990001/ The Director of The Johns Hopkins Center for
Health Security addresses the notion of loosening social distancing measures,
spelling out and warning against what that would mean: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1242232846900756482.html Let’s
call the White House and our MoCs and tell them we’re not giving up our
grandparents for Lent. We refuse to sacrifice the lives of our elderly loved
ones or anyone else to preserve the stock market. Let’s also call our governors
and ask them to institute or retain social distancing measures, despite what
the president does.
DEFENSE
PRODUCTION ACT: Although
Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA), he has yet to actually use
it (https://n.pr/2Jbbb69).
Meanwhile, medical workers are running out of personal protective equipment
(PPE), and are forced to ration and reuse gear, or use supplies that offer
inadequate protection from COVID-19 (https://bit.ly/2WGhNBd). This not only puts these care workers
at risk personally, but also puts other patients in danger and increases the
likelihood that we will lose healthcare workers as the coronavirus spreads.
Were Trump to use the power of the DPA, he could demand that businesses
manufacture the equipment needed to fight COVID-19, rather than relying on the
goodwill of a few companies. Bipartisan members of Congress in both the House
and Senate have introduced the Medical Supply Chain Emergency Act, which would force the
president to utilize the Defense Production Act to require the production of
medical equipment. The bill has yet to be published or numbered, but
let's still contact each of our MoCs and tell them that we support the Medical
Supply Chain Emergency Act and want the president to use the DPA immediately.
IMMIGRATION
AND DETENTION: Over 160
organizations have signed onto a letter to Attorney General William Barr,
asking him to "halt immigration prosecutions and stop bringing charges of
unauthorized entry against immigrants at the border" in order to stop the
spread of COVID-19 and protect public health. This is part of a larger push to
not only halt prosecutions, but to also release detained immigrants and prevent
the spread of the coronavirus in detention facilities, which are ill-prepared
to handle any health crisis (https://n.pr/3ajs36r). Let's read through the letter, then let’s contact the Department
of Justice Comment and ask that they halt prosecution and detainment of
immigrants: https://www.justice.gov/contact-us We
can also join medical professionals in asking ICE Acting
Director Matthew T. Albence to release detained individuals and families: Acting
Director Matthew T. Albence, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 500 12th
St. SW, Washington, D.C. 20536
LINK CORRECTION: RELEASE HELD UP COVID FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THE
AMERICAN INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE: Funds
from the first coronavirus relief bill that were designated for Native American
tribes have been held up due to bureaucratic snafus. In the meantime, the
American Indian Health Service is dangerously low on medical supplies and equipment.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/20/coronavirus-american-indian-health-138724
Let’s make sure that the Native American
Community knows we have their back and put pressure on our MoCs to solve this
problem.
MUTUAL AID
GROUPS POPPING UP: “As lockdowns
and layoffs sweep the U.S., mutual aid groups are forming to protect and
provide for the vulnerable, including the elderly, incarcerated, undocumented
and unhoused. We look at the incredible community networks across the country
that are coming together to protect their neighbors during the coronavirus
pandemic — and how you can get involved.”
https://www.democracynow.org/2020/3/20/coronavirus_community_response_mutual_aid
and https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2020/3/24/21188779/mutual-aid-coronavirus-covid-19-volunteering
Local areas are creating Facebook groups,
protocols, and documents to help during this time. Here is an example of what one small county produced: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FYcqcbY2qMuuy75GIIM9UuqvFR_-YlVKfFcrqJOy9mw/edit Let’s see if our area has one of these and
how we can help.
TELL
GOVERNORS OF TEXAS AND OHIO NOT TO USE COVID-19 AS AN EXCUSE FOR RESTRICTING
ABORTIONS: Using the excuse of
recent directives to delay elective procedures so that hospitals are not
overwhelmed during the coronavirus pandemic, the governors of Ohio and Texas
have included abortion in their list of non-essential surgeries. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/23/us/coronavirus-texas-ohio-abortion.html.
The problem is, abortion cannot be delayed, and it is safest when done as early
in a pregnancy as possible. Let’s tell Governor Greg Abbott
and Governor Mike DeWine that abortion is a basic
women’s right and to stop playing politics with our health.
CLOSE ALL
IMMIGRATION COURTS NOW: While many state and federal courts have been
closed, the decisions on whether or not to close immigration courts are being
made directly by the Department of Justice in consultation with the White
House, and many of these courts are still open for business, creating
unnecessary high risk for exposure to coronavirus for immigrants, their
attorneys, and anyone who works in the court system (as well as anyone they
subsequently come in contact with.) https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article241335126.html?.
Let’s call the Department of Justice (202-353-1555; 950 Pennsylvania Ave.,
NW, Washington, DC, 20530-0001; website form; Facebook; Twitter: @TheJustice Dept.) now and demand
that all immigration courts be closed and all those in detention awaiting
hearings be released until the pandemic threat has passed.
DIY
SURGICAL MASKS UPDATE: All over the world people are answering the
call for more surgical masks for health professionals. https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/24/us/sewing-groups-masks-coronavirus-wellness-trnd/index.html The best advice is to remember that homemade
masks are only rated to be "better than nothing for drop protection"
by the CDC. They are in no way "CDC-approved,” “equivalent to N95
masks,” or anything like that, and that it is important to make the type
your local health professionals want, unless you’re making them for
friends/family, then do whatever. There are many versions of the mask instructions
available, for example, Here’s the chosen mask style for Ventura County, CA:
https://indivisibleventura.org/2020/03/23/mon-3-23-its-time-to-do-more/
They like this one because it’s ferociously strong, (they estimate needing them
for 5 months) and it doesn’t have elastic, which would dissolve in the
hospital laundry and could trigger latex allergies. Let’s contact our
local hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, nursing homes, etc. to find out what they
need, then keep sewing!
ENGAGING
MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ACTIVISM: If we are looking for ways our Middle and High School students can
develop their activist abilities, we can check this Zoom meeting next Tuesday.
The Empower And Help Global Awareness
Challenge 2020 is holding weekly Zoom sessions to discuss their upcoming
Global Challenge and Online Volunteering Opportunities for middle and high
school students. Sessions will be held on Tuesdays starting March31 at 4:00PM –
5:00PM EST. We can fill out the contact form below to register for the
discussion and learn more about online student volunteering opportunities for
middle and high school students, and the Empower And Help Global Awareness
Challenge where they can research and design solutions to global problems: https://empowerandhelp.com/students-volunteer-online/
ABORTIONS
BARRED IN TEXAS, MISSISSIPPI, AND OHIO: Texas and Ohio have calculatedly used the coronavirus pandemic to end
surgical abortions. In Texas, they have been deemed "not immediately
medically necessary"; in Ohio, the excuse is that such abortions, being
elective and nonessential, must cease in order to preserve personal protective
equipment: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/25/coronavirus-abortions-elective-surgery-nonessential/5077665002/
Let’s tell TX Governor Greg Abbott at 512-463-2000, OH Governor Mike DeWine
at 614-644-4357, and MS Governor Tate Reeves at 601-359-3150 that we are not so
gullible or stupid as to believe that they are not exploiting the pandemic
crisis to further their anti-abortion agendas and doctors need to make this
call.
COVID-19—HOW
TO PUT AWAY GROCERIES: Michigan
family physician Jeffrey VanWingen, MD, created a public service announcement
showing how to keep our groceries from spreading coronavirus in our
homes. Let’s watch and share his video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjDuwc9KBps&feature=share
PROTECTING
THE VOTE IN THE TIME OF COVID-19—Nearly
200 organizations are urging Congress to include in forthcoming coronavirus
economic stimulus package $2 billion in protections for voting in the 2020
primaries and general election. Let’s read the letter, http://civilrightsdocs.info/pdf/policy/letters/2020/COVID-19-TF-Co-Chair-Funding-Letter-FINAL3.22.20.pdf ,
and let’s send the link with a message of our support and approval to our
Members of Congress.
ELECTION/VOTING
STATE/LOCAL
ALL: WATER
SHUT-OFFS: Governors have the power to stop all water shutoffs and to order the
restoration of water service to any household previously denied water for
nonpayment of water bills. Despite the unremitting public health directives to
wash with soap and water, many governors haven't taken this critical step to
protect their constituents: https://www.propublica.org/article/some-towns-still-havent-halted-utility-shut-offs-for-unpaid-water-bills-during-coronavirus-even-as-federal-lawmakers-demand-it
If our governor has not taken this essential action, we should demand that
they do it immediately. By phone, or by using the tool for writing the
governor provided by Food & Water Watch: https://secure.foodandwateraction.org/act/governors-no-water-shutoffs-during-pandemic
CA: DONATIONS NEEDED FOR UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS: Undocumented workers, a
major part of our restaurant and food service workforce, are often the
hardest hit in any crisis and this one is no exception. They cannot
work during the shutdown, nor qualify for government bailouts to help them
out,so Los Angeles’ Va’La’ Hospitality has started No Us Without You. Using
their former workspace as a pantry, their goal is to provide families with a weeks’
worth of food. We can find out more about this project to help
feed undocumented workers out during this crisis, and access a link to
donate if we are able to: https://www.lamag.com/digestblog/no-us-without-you-undocumented/
NY: PEOPLE RECOVERED FROM COVID-19 NEEDED AS PLASMA
DONORS TO FIGHT THE DISEASE: If we have recently recovered from COVID, the city needs
our help saving lives. Mount Sinai Health System tells us that, "Patients
recently recovered from COVID-19 have high levels of immunity in the form of
antibodies in their blood that can be transfused into very sick COVID-19
patients in our hospitals. This treatment is known as “human convalescent
plasma” and has been used in previous pandemics. We are ready to start treating
patients later this week, but need your help. If you have recently recovered
from COVID-19, please volunteer to have your blood tested to see if you have
high levels of antibodies. If your antibody levels are high, we will work with
you to see if you are both willing and qualified to donate plasma at a nearby
blood donation center. You could save a life. If you can help, please email us
at COVIDSerumTesting@mountsinai.org."
RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS/GROUP ACTIONS/TWEETSTORMS
READING/WATCHING
Court
sides with tribes in Dakota Access Pipeline case, ordering full environmental
review - https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/489488-court-sides-with-tribes-in-dakota-access-pipeline-case-ordering
That
Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief - https://hbr.org/2020/03/that-discomfort-youre-feeling-is-grief
The
Promise and Paradox of Community - https://margaretwheatley.com/articles/paradox.html
Heather
Cox Richardson’s First Weekly Politics and History Chat - https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/videos/608333999748366/
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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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