blank space


3/5/20

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/



LEGISLATION TO BATTLE CORONAVIRUS: “The House on Wednesday passed an $8.3 billion emergency coronavirus package, just hours after congressional negotiators clinched a bipartisan deal to tackle the spreading epidemic.” The vote was 415-2. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/04/house-coronavirus-funding-121065  Let’s tell our senators that we want them to approve this bill quickly and with the same bipartisanship that was shown in the House.

TELL PETER PAN BUS LINES TO STOP ALLOWING ICE ON BUSES: Now that Greyhound and Concord Bus Lines, have bowed to public pressure and stopped letting ICE agents on buses, https://wgme.com/news/local/concord-coach-lines-stops-warrantless-immigration-checks it’s time to put pressure on Peter Pan, who is claiming that they will “always cooperate with law enforcement.” https://www.wbur.org/news/2020/03/03/peter-pan-springfield-cbp-immigration-agents-buses. Let’s contact them via this form, or by writing to Peter Pan Bus Lines, Union Station--Suite 300, 1 Peter Pan Way, Springfield, MA 01103.  Let’s also plaster their Facebook and Twitter @PeterPanBus sites with our disapproval.

SURPRISE BILLING FOR CORONAVIRUS TEST:  In this country in which health insurance is understood as a luxury not a right, the stories of people who sought or needed or were mandated to undergo coronavirus testing and then found themselves facing huge “surprise” medical bills proliferate: 
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/29/upshot/coronavirus-surprise-medical-bills.html or https://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article240476806.html The reluctance some flu-sufferers will invariably feel to consulting a doctor, knowing they may face hefty medical bills even if they test negative for COVID-19, endangers us all while highlighting everything that is wrong about for-profit health insurance.  Let’s demand that our MoCs sponsor and pass a bill appropriating funding to cover 100% of the cost of all coronavirus testing & care within the United States.

DETROIT WATER SHUTOFFS:  Some people in Detroit have been without running water for a year.  https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-health-watch/i-hate-complain-i-havent-had-water-year-detroit-story  Governor Gretchen Whitmer chose not to use her executive privilege to end these shutoffs.  https://www.michiganradio.org/post/whitmer-will-not-use-executive-powers-end-detroit-water-shutoffs  Now, with the coronavirus situation and the hand washing cited as the first line of containment, several organizations are asking Governor Whitmer to reconsider:  https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-health-watch/coronavirus-fears-renew-calls-gov-whitmer-end-detroit-water-shutoffs  Let's join our voices to those asking Governor Whitmer to put an end to water shutoffs, and to make safe, clean water affordable for all Michiganders. Mail: Governor Gretchen Whitmer, P.O. Box 30013, Lansing, Michigan 48909, Phone: 517-335-7858

DISABILITY RIGHTS: As we celebrate the victory of the FDA implementing its ban on electrical stimulation devices, it's important to note that the Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC) institution had continued to operate an abusive environment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities even when its actions were categorized as torture by the UN (https://bit.ly/3cuVkg7). Let's educate ourselves on the institutionalization of people with disabilities, something which does not only happen at JRC, then let's learn how the Disability Integration Act could work to end this practice. Finally, let's contact our MoC and urge them to stand up for the dignity and civil rights of disabled people in the U.S., and re-introduce the DIA.

HOMEMADE HAND SANITIZER—The best way to clean our hands is with soap and water. But sometimes, soap and water is not available. If we can’t find hand sanitizer to buy, we can make it at home. We can use the recipe reported here:  https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2020/03/coronavirus-prevention-how-to-make-hand-sanitizer-at-home.html

GETTING VETTED CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION: We can subscribe to the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security E-Newsletters and specify the newsletter on COVID-19:  http://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/newsroom/newsletters/e-newsletter-sign-up.html And, if we are on twitter, we can check out Josh Marshall’s  list of trusted epidemiologists, public health experts,  researchers, agencies, health and infectious disease journalists who are providing real time information on the COVID-19 outbreak. We can find this Coronavirus Information list, subscribe and share it here:
https://twitter.com/i/lists/1233998285779632128

SELF-CARE: This has been a very pressured stretch of time both politically and in the face of the corona virus. Let’s be sure to be taking regular breaks to focus on our physical and emotional well-being.

ELECTION/VOTING

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

SUPER TUESDAY FOLLOW-UP: It has been a wild ride in the Democratic primary over the past five days with Biden’s blowout in South Carolina followed by Buttigieg, Klobuchar, and Bloomberg dropping out before and after Super Tuesday amidst some surprises among the 14 states that voted on Tuesday: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2020/mar/02/democratic-primary-2020-latest-delegate-count  Let’s continue to support our current favorite candidate with our time, talent, and treasure wherever possible to assure the unified defeat of Trump in November.

ANTI-RACIST VOTING: Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) has launched the Let's Collect Our Cousins (to Vote!) campaign, which asks anti-racist white voters to: "1.) Vote for the Democratic nominee for President, 2.) Vote for anti-racist candidates up and down the ballot, and 3.) To persuade and mobilize our 'cousins' - in this case - that's 3 other white voters you know to do the same." Those who make take the pledge will receive updates and resources from SURJ to help us effectively communicate with our community. Let's sign up:  https://actionnetwork.org/forms/lets-collect-our-cousins-to-vote 

P2V ELECTION RESULTS. Postcards to Voters' (P2V) volunteers wrote for two (2) California Super Tuesday elections: a) Campaign 192: Ellen Beraud for San Luis Obispo County Supervisor. Results are not yet final for this election. Preliminary results show the Republican candidate leading this race. More at KSBY;  b) Campaign 193: Ammar Campa-Najjar for Congress, CA District 50. Ammar received 34% of the vote and will now face off in a Nov. 3 runoff election against Republican Darrell Issa. More at CBS8Thanks to everyone who wrote for these campaigns.

GET OUT THE VOTE CALLING OPPORTUNITY:  TurnOut2020 needs folks to help make calls. “It’s not just the presidency — there are also many competitive Senate races in 2020, and we need to seize this opportunity. You’ll be calling infrequent voters in the states we need to win, including Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, and North Carolina. As opportunities arise and races continue to evolve, we’ll direct calls to the voters we most need.”  Let’s sign up here and make some calls:  https://turnout2020.org/

STATE/LOCAL

KY: SHARE INFO ON NEW FORMER FELONS VOTING RIGHTS RESTORATION WEBSITE: Now that Governor Andy Beshear has restored 152,000 former felons' voting rights, we need to get the word out. We can share this link with our friends, groups and networks on social media to help people check if their now have voting rights back: CivilRightsRestoration.ky.gov

RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS/GROUP ACTIONS

#TheIdesOfTrump: On March 15, together let's make history by sending 1 million postcards to Donald Trump telling him he is fired.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBq9GTAtsyU&feature=youtu.be

Light UP America: Mark your calendar for March 15 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


The President is Winning his War on American Institutions - https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/04/how-to-destroy-a-government/606793/


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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



No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.