Rogan's List

4/21/20

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/

Purchase stamps, postcards, and other mailing supplies:

https://store.usps.com/store/

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

CARES ACT FOUL-UP: “While wealthy Americans are not eligible for the comparatively measly $1,200 stimulus checks that are now being disbursed to many Americans, they are on pace to do even better. 43,000 taxpayers, who earn more than $1 million annually, are each set to receive a $1.7 million windfall, on average, thanks to a provision buried in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/shaharziv/2020/04/14/why-are-rich-americans-getting-17-million-stimulus-checks/#78490146665b The wealthy do not need another monetary break. Let’s tell our MoCs that we do not want to see anything in future COVID bills that does not help the people and small businesses that need real help.

PROTECTION FOR DR. FAUCI: It's hard to imagine a worse time for Donald Trump to get rid of his leading public health experts. Even so, he retweeted a call to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci last week after Dr. Fauci indicated that earlier adoption of social distancing could have saved lives. We need to protect the folks who are protecting us, which is why Senator Ed Markey is introducing legislation to limit the President's power to remove directors of national resource institutes or national centers under the National Institutes of Health. https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/492682-dem-senator-to-introduce-bill-to-limit-trumps-ability-to-fire-fauci Let's contact our members of Congress and tell them we support Dr. Fauci, and we'd like to see protections like the ones Senator Markey is proposing made law.

CONTINUED LOCKDOWN: Over the weekend, Trump praised protestors across many states who were protesting state lockdowns and demanding their freedom and a premature economic reopening. This took place as the death toll in the United States from COVID-19 topped 40,000: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/coronavirus-trump-says-some-governors-have-gone-too-far-lockdown-n1187596 Let’s reach out to our all our government officials to say that we expect decisions about easing restrictions to be made based on science and not on the whims of our authoritarian Pied Piper of anti-science mayhem.

ASK OUR MOC TO INVESTIGATE CONFISCATION OF HEALTH CARE EQUIPMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY: Baystate Health Systems, a major health care vendor in Massachusetts, needed Congressional intervention to prevent an order of much needed health supplies from being diverted to the Department of Homeland Security. https://www.gazettenet.com/Baystate-Health-deals-with-FBI-Homeland-Security-to-get-PPE-33962011 and https://www.masslive.com/coronavirus/2020/04/ppe-in-the-time-of-covid-19-medical-professionals-fend-for-themselves.html While a local Congressperson was able to intervene, it remains a question whether this is going on elsewhere and what can be done about it. Let’s make sure this issue comes to our MoCs' attention and ask them to make sure that health care equipment goes to first responders, not to the Department of Homeland Security’s agenda of arresting, detaining, and deporting immigrants.

SUPPORT THE PAYCHECK GUARANTEE ACT, THE AUTOMATIC BOOST TO COMMUNITIES ACT, AND THE PAYCHECK SECURITY ACT: The Paycheck Guarantee Act, introduced by Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) would allow employers affected by COVID-19 to receive a three month lump sum to cover employee wages, rent, utilities, and health insurance. The program would automatically be extended until the economy achieves a level close to what it was before the pandemic. https://jayapal.house.gov/2020/04/10/jayapal-announces-the-paycheck-guarantee-act/ Rep. Jayapal and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) have also introduced the Automatic BOOST to Communities (ABC) Act that would provide recurring stimulus payments to Americans without adding additional debt. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonbrett/2020/04/16/automatic-boost-to-communities-act-introduced-in-congress-that-includes-digital-dollar-by-2021/#3d8181f15130 The Senate has come up with the Paycheck Security Act, a similar bill introduced by Doug Jones (D-AL); Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Tim Warner (D-VA): https://www.alreporter.com/2020/04/20/jones-releases-paycheck-security-grant-proposals-to-help-businesses-keep-workers-on-payroll/. Let’s tell our MoCs to support these bills. Giving loans to small businesses is a good start, but it’s not enough. We must make sure to build in strong protections for our workers.

STOP SPREADING COVID BY DEPORTING IMMIGRANTS: Last week 75 migrants deported to Guatemala on a single flight tested positive for COVID. https://abcnews.go.com/amp/International/75-migrants-deported-guatemala-single-flight-tested-positive/story?id=70156471 and https://wtov9.com/news/coronavirus/guatemala-us-deportations-driving-up-covid-19-cases? Let’s tell DHS (DHS: 202-282-8495; DHSSecretary@hq.dhs.gov; https://homelandsecurity.ideascale.com/; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homelandsecurity/; Twitter: @DHS.gov)

and our MoCs that we must halt all deportations until the COVID crisis has passed.

SPEAK OUT AGAINST REVERSAL OF POLICIES THAT DECREASED FAMILY SEPARATION: After the public outcry around unnecessary family separation in 2018, the policy that required fingerprinting any potential sponsors was reversed and more children were released to relatives in the United States. However, now that we are distracted by coronavirus, the hardliners are looking at reversing this policy, which will ultimately cause more children imprisoned and separated from their families. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/16/stephen-miller-hhs-family-separation-189784?. Let’s contact our MoCs and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS Comment Line--(1-202-205-5445); https://www.facebook.com/HHS/; Twitter: @HHS.gov) to speak out against this proposed change in policy, especially at a time when people in detention are at a high risk of getting sick. Let’s also make sure our networks know about this change by publicizing it in our activist groups and in local media.

FARM WORKERS EXCLUDED FROM CARES ACT BENEFITS: They may be “essential” to our survival, but farm workers are apparently expendable as far as the government is concerned; under the CARES Act, they are excluded from the economic stimulus others will receive: https://kboo.fm/media/80062-farmworkers-excluded-stimulus-benefits-guestworkers-may-be-left-without-well $9.5 billion is designated for the agricultural sector, but it is unclear whether any of that money will reach farm workers, 50% of whom are undocumented but all of whom pay taxes and are still at work planting and harvesting the food the rest of us eat. Let’s demand that our MoCs take action to protect these workers, or we can sign the United Farm Workers’ letter to our Congresspeople at https://act.seiu.org/onlineactions/-TnFKax9Bk2twoi7MR6qLw2

FOOD DESTROYED WHILE PEOPLE GO HUNGRY: Unbought eggs have been smashed, vegetables plowed under, milk dumped all over the country by farmers who cannot find buyers: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/11/business/coronavirus-destroying-food.html and https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-nw-nyt-coronavirus-food-waste-20200413-x5n6sbmrh5an3cilo6hxozrkj4-story.html At the same time, demand at food banks has exploded and there’s a dearth of food for those who need it; https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-pandemic-food-banks-us-unemployment-new-orleans/ Let’s demand that the federal government buy and redistribute this food. Surely the bulk packaging of food does not justify its destruction in the face of hunger.

KEYSTONE XL: A federal judge has revoked a water crossing permit for the Army Corps of Engineers, until they comply with regulations set in place by the Endangered Species Act (https://bit.ly/2XXjmvv, https://www.nrdc.org/media/2020/200415-0). While this is good news, it does not halt all work on the Keystone XL expansion, only those which cross bodies of water. This means that "man camps" will be set up in rural and tribal communities, putting local residents at greater risk of sex-trafficking, assault, violence against women, and of contracting Covid-19 (https://bit.ly/34OVrQh). Let's continue to tell Montana governor Steve Bullock that while the risks posed by the pipeline and the man camps themselves are unacceptable, constructing a pipeline during a pandemic is unconscionable and we want all construction to be halted immediately: Governor Bullock directly: By mail: Office of the Governor, PO Box 20080, Helena MT 59620-0801, By phone: 406-444-3111, Toll Free: 855-318-1330, Fax: 406-444-5529

DISABILITY RIGHTS/ACCESSIBILITY: As more work continues to be done virtually, it is essential that we are not excluding the voices of disabled people, who account for roughly 26% of the adult population in the U.S. alone (https://bit.ly/2XSvxt9). Rooted in Rights has published exactly what we can each do to ensure that our virtual meetings are accessible. Let's be sure to read through it, then share it with our family, friends, and colleagues: https://rootedinrights.org/how-to-make-your-virtual-meetings-and-events-accessible-to-the-disability-community/

VIRTUAL THANK YOU CARDS FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS: The Empower And Help Global Challenge students are making virtual thank you cards for our essential workers around the world, thanking them for working hard to keep us safe. We can click this link to see current cards and to add the name of an essential worker from anywhere in world. Empower And Help Global Challenge students will the make them a card, upload it and send us the link when it is ready: https://empowerandhelp.com/cards-of-hope/

POSTCARDING OPPORTUNTIES: From one of our own: Let's remember that we may be physically isolated, but we are united in our desire positive change.
You can find this week's postcarding write-ups here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H3vH9wT4ZvSbP3svDIp_CIvL0w-wVnJHHuRKqJ6O0l0/edit?usp=sharing

ELECTION/VOTING

HOW TO VOTE BY MAIL IN EVERY SINGLE STATE: Voting my mail is becoming more of a necessity. Let’s check our own states and see what we have to do: https://politicalcharge.org/2020/04/10/how-to-vote-by-mail-in-every-single-state/

CHRISTY SMITH FOR U.S. CONGRESS: The next big electoral test during this pandemic is the runoff for the California 25th District House seat. It's less than four weeks away, and a Republican super PAC has just announced they'll spend more than half a million dollars attacking Democratic nominee Christy Smith to win it. https://www.rollcall.com/2020/04/16/gop-super-pac-enters-special-election-battle-in-california/ We have to defend this seat and send a message to Trump and the GOP. Let's help Christy win - we can sign up to make calls for her from home here.

REACH WISCONSIN VOTERS! Postcards to Voters' has launched Campaign 199: Tricia Zunker for Congress. Voters can mail in their ballots before or vote on May 12 for this special election for representation in the Wausau area. Let's request 5 addresses today to remind Wisconsin voters of this important election.

STATE/LOCAL

MANY: PROTESTING STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS: In several states we’ve seen protests pop up over their governor’s stay-at home orders. While some protesters were following safe, protective guidelines, many others were not leading to a fear of increased COVID rates in coming weeks. https://www.newsweek.com/protests-against-stay-home-orders-around-country-photos-1499036 We know that people want to get back to normal and work and get the economy and lives back on track, but we also know that slow, steady and led by science is the way to make sure that more of us make it through safely. If our governors are following through on stay-at-home orders, let’s let them know that we support them. They are very aware of those who do not. If our governors are NOT doing a stay-at-home order, let’s ask them why: https://www.usa.gov/state-governor

MI: BALLOT PROPOSAL: From Fair and Equal Michigan: Not sure how to help Fair and Equal Michigan during Shelter at Home? Here's some tips! 1.) Make calls on behalf of the campaign: https://bit.ly/2IYL8yP 2.) Email the link to the online petition to your contact list: https://fairandequalmichigan.com/sign 3.) Text the link to the online petition to your contact list: https://fairandequalmichigan.com/sign 4.) Share the Facebook post regarding our online petition to any group or page that you are a part of! 5.) Donate to the campaign: https://bit.ly/2XLyJa7 6.) Share your story with us: https://rebrand.ly/6o6rrjb If we haven't done so already, and are Michigan residents, let's be sure to sign the petition to put equal LGBTQ rights on the ballot in November, then let's work our way through each of the listed actions.

MI: OPERATION GRIDLOCK: From MI Resistance: On April 15th, 2020, “Operation Gridlock”, an event organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition, encouraged thousands of people to endanger public safety by blocking Lansing streets and gathering on the Capitol lawn. There, cheering them on were MI GOP State Representatives Matt Maddock and Julie Alexander, and State Senator Tom Barrett. That’s right, lawmakers defied the law they passed on April 7th, just to take some cheap shots at the Governor. We couldn’t express our anger better than this hospital worker who witnessed the protest while trying to get to work. Let’s let these taxpayer-funded, elected officials know that inciting people to endanger our lives is unacceptable: Rep. Julie Alexander (517) 373-1795, Rep. Matt Maddock (517) 373-2616, Sen. Tom Barrett (517) 373-344

RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS/GROUP ACTIONS/TWEETSTORMS

READING/WATCHING/LISTENING

Misinformation Goes Viral - https://medium.com/swlh/misinformation-goes-viral-1aad951e4492

COVID-19 Information from Actual Experts: Disaster Podcast. Check out "Patient Care Update with Dr. Joe Holley #4" on Apple podcasts. Useful information for patients and health care workers alike - https://disasterpodcast.com/2020/04/covid-19-patient-care-update-4-with-dr-joe-holley/

MY KIDS ask about COVID-19 & get answers from expert ANDY SLAVITT -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EhChTrSlPM

[Heather Cox Richardson’s] Letters from An American: April 19 - https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/april-19-2020

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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

4/20/20

On Mondays, Rogan’s List features a listing of proposed rule and regulation changes that are currently accepting public comment. Commenting is the way to show government agencies how we feel about these proposed changes. Our comments also become part of a record that will be reviewed by courts if and when a reg change is contested. Courts use comments to judge whether an agency is acting arbitrarily and capriciously.

Organization

Closing Soon

Recent

Section I - ICE, DHS, DOL, NLRB

Section II - everything environmental - EPA, BLM, DOE

Section III - Civil rights, housing, education, healthcare

Other: More on regulations (tracking the trackers/general information)

(Note: After a couple of weeks items are moved from “Recent” and “Closing soon” into the Roman numeral sections. A note on regulatory processes: there are three stages - Notice, Proposed Rule, and Rule. There’s usually a time lag of a few months to a few years between them, and they must be published in the Federal Register before appearing on Regulations.gov. Comment time varies from 10 days to 2 months, sometimes with extensions.)

This week's list - more border wall land grabs, Trump admin. using COVID-19 as cover to waive rules including EPA waiving pesticide regulations. Under "recent" I include some of these w/articles about them. COVID-19 makes the whole process a moving target. Also everything that was true last week is true this week except a lot of things closing 4/20/2020 - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1KVgR11NCMMcTRWA8J3O0ttqS9C-Xg54T

4/16/20

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/

Purchase stamps, postcards, and other mailing supplies:

https://store.usps.com/store/

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

DEMAND REINSTATEMENT OF WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) FUNDING: Trump’s cut to the World Health Organization (WHO) in the middle of a virus pandemic, allegedly because it did not press China to be more forthcoming about the initial virus spread, is dangerous and ill-sighted. https://apnews.com/bd5ff4a409447359fcb89d3a2cc0b83f. It has been met with outcry by a number of world leaders, and House Congressional leaders are claiming that once again, as in the Ukraine fiasco, Trump has broken the law by allocating money to reflect his own personal priorities, and going against the power of Congress to control appropriations. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/15/house-democrats-trump-who-funding-188124. Let’s ask our MoCs to censure Trump for this action and intervene quickly to make sure that WHO gets the money they need to help control the pandemic. Any issues regarding WHO’s performance in China can be reviewed and assessed after the crisis has passed. The health of our country and the world depends on this.

SUPPORT SENATE BILL TO RELEASE ICE DETAINEES AND ASK GOVERNORS TO USE EMERGENCY POWERS TO LET THEM OUT OF CUSTODY: Senator Cory Booker, (D-NJ) has introduced S. 3579, The Emergency Community Supervision Act, to release ICE detainees who do not pose a public safety or flight risk. A huge number of detainees are people who are simply waiting for disposition of their asylum claims or orders of deportation, and while some have been released, many are still unnecessarily behind bars. https://gothamist.com/news/ice-quietly-releases-hundreds-local-immigrants-covid-19. They are not criminals and they should not be in a place where their health is threatened due to lack of sanitation and social distancing. ICE detainees in New Jersey have found conditions so bad that they have gone on hunger and work strikes to protest the situation. https://gothamist.com/news/their-own-words-ice-detainees-locked-ny-nj-live-fear-coronavirus-spread-behind-bars. Let’s ask our Senator to co-sponsor this important bill. (Right now only Senator Kamala Harris has signed on as a sponsor.) Let’s also remind our governors that this is a public health emergency and ask them to use their emergency powers to release ICE detainees during this health crisis.

SAVE THE POSTAL SERVICE: The US Postal Service is one of many organizations that has suffered from the coronavirus pandemic, and while Trump seems to have no problem bailing out for-profit airlines, he has threatened to veto any legislation that includes USPS funding. https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/14/834336341/hoping-to-save-the-postal-service-people-rush-to-buy-stamps. Perhaps he’s worried about the increasing number of people calling to institute widespread vote-by-mail for 2020, which can’t happen if the US Postal Service is bankrupt. Let’s log on to USPS.com and buy some stamps, and encourage our friends to do likewise. And then let’s tell our MoCs to appropriate funding to save the US Postal Service and to support S 3529, the Natural Disaster Emergency Ballot Act of 2020, which would ensure that residents of all states have the option of early and mail-in voting.

HEALTHCARE REWORKING: It is becoming clearer to so many that healthcare is a right, not a privilege and having it tied to employment is troublesome at best. This pandemic is also showing us that for-profit healthcare is not serving people well, only corporate wins. “Many states across the US have stopped elective medical procedures as part of emergency shutdowns to curb the spread of the coronavirus. As a result, hospitals and medical clinics are implementing layoffs, furloughs and cuts to salaries and work schedules in response to declines in revenue.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/14/healthcare-job-cuts-coronavirus-worker-layoffs#maincontent Let’s tell our MoCs that it is long past time to revamp our healthcare system so that it works for all of us.

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH SEEKING VOLUNTEERS: “The National Institutes of Health have started recruiting for a new study that aims to determine how many adults in the U.S. who have not had a confirmed infection with SARS-CoV-2 carry antibodies to the virus, indicating that they were previously infected.” https://www.modernhealthcare.com/safety-quality/nih-recruiting-10k-adults-coronavirus-infection-study They are seeking healthy adults over the age of 18 from across the US who have no confirmed history of COVID-19 and have no current symptoms. We can learn more and sign up here: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04334954?term=serosurvey&cond=covid-19&draw=2&rank=1

REMOTE VOTING: The Supreme Court is back up and running again, conducting oral arguments by phone. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/13/coronavirus-supreme-court-183223 With two out of three branches finding a way to resume relatively normal operations during this pandemic, the pressure is rising on the House and Senate to do so as well. https://federalnewsnetwork.com/government-news/2020/04/point-of-order-congress-weighs-how-to-govern-from-afar/ Let's do our part by calling our MoCs and telling them to support rule changes to allow remote voting in Congress.

CONFIRMATION OF JUDGES: Senate Republicans have temporarily paused their efforts to confirm extreme conservative judges in the face of coronavirus, but Mitch McConnell has vowed it will still be a top priority even amidst the pandemic. There's already talk of speeding through consideration of nominees in May to "catch up". https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/13/senate-trump-judges-coronavirus-175188 Let's make sure our senators know we want them to insist on strict scrutiny of any nominee for a lifetime appointment, no matter what else is happening, and do everything in their power to stop the hijacking of our courts.

TRUMP DECLARES HIS AUTHORITY TO BE TOTAL: In a quite unhinged press conference/COVID-19 update on Monday, President Trump declared that his authority as POTUS is "total": https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/13/politics/trump-coronavirus-defense-fauci/index.html Let's contact our MoC to state with clarity that the president's authority is far from total and that we need them to take action against his rising and unsteady dictatorial stance.

CALL OUR REPS TO IMPLEMENT US OF CARE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS: As our world has changed so drastically, we must look for best next steps for us to move forward safely, responsibly, with the welfare of all in mind. The United States of Care’s latest policy recommendations start with what Americans want to make it through this crisis successfully: information to stay healthy, a well-resourced health care system, dependable support and protection for those most at-risk. A path to safety starts with accurate information, resources and recommendations, comprehensive testing and the ability to contain new outbreaks. We need transparent reporting of the virus, who it impacts, and the status of therapies, immunizations, and vaccines. Resources for the health care system include expanded payment to front line health care workers, full PPE for them, funding mental health, social services, primary care, community health centers, accessible telemedicine and resources for non-COVID care. Health and financial support for all Americans includes: Incentives for Medicaid expansion, ACA enrollment access with higher subsidies, grace periods

and COVID-19 costs covered. Care for the most at risk includes: community grants, addressing the needs of people w disabilities, those in the nursing homes, the Justice system, and ensuring a safety net for the homeless. We can learn more about the latest United States of Care policy recommendations, then ask our Representatives to advocate and implement the ones we support in the next stimulus bill and beyond: https://t.co/iJNk6n3G2L?amp=1

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 while quarantined and beyond, we can check out The EmpowerAndHelp Global Awareness Challenge 2020 weekly Zoom sessions. They’re discussing Global Challenge and Online Volunteering Opportunities for middle and high school students. Sessions are held on Tuesdays from 4:00PM – 5:00PM EST. We register here for the discussion to learn more about online student volunteering opportunities for middle and high school students, and the EmpowerAndHelp Global Awareness Challenge where they can research and design solutions to global problems: https://empowerandhelp.com/events/global-challenge-zoom-discussion/

DEMAND CAPTIVE CHILDREN BE RELEASED TO THEIR FAMILIES: As COVID-19 spreads through the children in camps all over the country (for example, https://www.wbez.org/stories/at-least-19-children-at-a-chicago-shelter-for-immigrant-detainees-have-tested-positive-for-covid-19/f847c9ee-3338-4c94-8132-54f680ae0638), doctors and lawyers and attorneys have been arguing for their immediate release. Last year, over 80% of them had identified family in the US, yet the Trump Administration has resisted letting them go. The time to act is now. We can write Letters to the Editor, Op Ed pieces and call our Representatives to demand these children be immediately released to their families.

PUSH COLLEGES TO GET THEIR STUDENTS REGISTERED TO VOTE: Together for 2020, a collaboration of Massachusetts progressive groups, has a campaign called Ask Your College. Whether we are students, parents, alumni/ae, or faculty or staff members, when we sign up, we will receive an action kit to help us push our colleges to get their students registered to vote. Let’s get started: https://togetherfor2020.org/action-recipe/ask-your-college-to-ask-every-student/

MAKE A MASK FOR SPREAD THE VOTE: In an email blast this week, Spread the Vote https://www.spreadthevote.org/ spread the good news that Virginia has repealed its voter ID law, and also asked for help obtaining non-medical masks for its volunteers and partners. If we’re making masks and want to provide some to Spread the Vote, let’s email jennifer@spreadthevote.org .

ELECTION/VOTING

WISCONSIN: JUDGE JILL WINS! Liberal Wisconsin state Supreme Court challenger Jill Karofsky defeated conservative Justice Daniel Kelly in the biggest battle of Wisconsin's April 7 elections. We can read more at Politico. Postcards to Voters' volunteers wrote to Wisconsin voters to help get out the vote for Judge Jill with Campaign 197. We can check out all of Wisconsin's election results at WISN. Thank you to everyone who helped Judge Jill win this 10-year state supreme court seat and to Wisconsin voters who made voting a priority.

VIRGINIA ROCKS THE VOTE! Gov. Ralph Northam (D) signs a series of legislation so Virginia will no longer require voters to show a photo ID prior to casting a ballot and the state will join a handful of states across the nation in making Election Day a state holiday. We can read more about this legislation at The Hill. We can send "thank you's" to: Governor Ralph Northam, PO Box 1475, Richmond VA 23218.

SUPPORT THE POST OFFICE: The United States Postal Service (USPS) is having solvency issues and the current administration is unwilling to pass legislation to help save it. We can read more at ABCNews. Over the past week, people have been expressing an outpouring of support for the USPS by purchasing extra stamps. (source: Simplemost). Rogan's List has noted that the USPS.com site has been running slowly and the site says to allow for an extra few days of delivery because of the increased demand. Let's purchase a sheet of 20 stamps for $11 today to show our support for the USPS. #SaveUSPS.

STATE/LOCAL

MI: EQUAL RIGHTS FOR LGBTQ CITIZENS: From one of our own: Now that petitions in Michigan can be done electronically, I urge my fellow Michiganders to sign this to support amending Michigan’s Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ citizens. We do not have equal protections at this time. Help pass Michigan's first #LGBTQ equal rights law and sign our citizens' petition online! The process is easy, secure and takes about 3 minutes: https://www.fairandequalmichigan.com/sign

RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS/GROUP ACTIONS/TWEETSTORMS

WHEN WE ALL VOTE COUCH RALLY: When We All Vote had such success with their first Voter Registration Couch Party that they're doing another one! This one is Mon, Apr 20, 7:15pm–8:00pm EDT. This time they will focus on teaching us to reach out to our own personal networks through “friend-to-friend” texting about registering to vote and voting by mail. RSVP now for When We All Vote’s Couch Party (h/t Chop Wood Carry Water)

VIRTUAL TOWN HALLS: Join the amazing new group Declaration for American Democracy and their coalition of 150 member organizations for a series of virtual town halls to find out how you can help protect our vote and defend our democracy in November. The first one is Monday night. Special guests will include--ahem--Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senator Ron Wyden, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). WOW! Sign up for this or one of their many future Town Halls here. (h/t Chop Wood Carry Water)

READING/WATCHING

Our Pandemic Summer - https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/04/pandemic-summer-coronavirus-reopening-back-normal/609940/

'The impossible has already happened': what coronavirus can teach us about hope - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/07/what-coronavirus-can-teach-us-about-hope-rebecca-solnit

Why Am I So Tired? - https://parasolwellness.com/why-am-i-so-tired/

President Barack Obama endorses Joe Biden For President - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-s3ANu4eMs

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4/14/20

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/

Purchase stamps, postcards, and other mailing supplies:

https://store.usps.com/store/

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

SAVE THE POST OFFICE: BUY STAMPS AND CALL OUR REPS: The Post Office needs our help. COVID-19 has shrunk their business to the point of collapse, and they are asking Congress for $75 billion to stay afloat. The Post Office provides affordable vital services and are strong employers of veterans and workers of color. We need it for a strong Democracy. Here are several ways we can help: We can Text "USPS" to Resistbot and they will send a letter/petition to all three of our reps in support of the Postal Service. We can buy stamps now at https://www.usps.com. Forever Stamps are good... forever and will never expire. We can call our reps, at their local offices since they are home on recess now, and tell them to support the Postal Service and fully fund them in the next stimulus package. Celeste Pewter suggest that we use these key points when calling, especially with GOP members, who will likely support Trump’ resists ace for voting by mail. 1) We need the USPS to deliver critical medical equipment/supplies. (GOP members shouldn't be able to argue w/ this, and you can raise hell if they do), 2) We need USPS to help deliver essentials, so people can stay home, 3) Once there is a vaccine, USPS will 100% be needed to deliver to regions with accessibility challenges, 4) We need USPS to help people to vote in safe, efficient manner.

DEMAND FAIR WAGES FOR MIGRANT FARMWORKERS: The White House is working with the Department of Agriculture on a plan that would increase the number of migrant farmworkers and further lower their wages. https://www.npr.org/2020/04/10/832076074/white-house-seeks-to-lower-farmworker-pay-to-help-agriculture-industry?utm. Not only does this perpetuate a two-tiered racially based system for hires, it also ignores the 16 million Americans who are currently out of work. Let’s ask our MoCs to pass legislation that protects the rights of migrant farmworkers and guarantees a fair wage to all agricultural workers, foreign and domestic.

ASK JOE BIDEN TO CONSIDER PLIGHT OF WORKERS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN COVID RE-OPENING PLAN. While we can be thankful that Joe Biden’s plan to re-open the economy https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/12/opinion/joe-biden-coronavirus-reopen-america.htmlis better than Trump’s, he doesn’t go nearly as far as Senator Elizabeth Warren does in calling for protections for the most vulnerable and strict oversight on corporate bailouts. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/08/opinion/coronavirus-congress-warren.html?. Let’s read these two op-eds and then let’s contact the Biden campaign and ask him to make a much stronger statement incorporating some of Warren’s ideas on protecting workers and small business owners.

INSPECTORS GENERAL: In recent days, Trump has fired the inspector general for the intelligence community because the IG did his job, accused the inspector general for Health and Human Services of being politically motivated for reporting on hospital shortages, and effectively removed the inspector general helping overseeing the coronavirus relief package. https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/08/politics/trump-attacks-watchdog-inspectors-general-government-oversight/index.html Inspectors general are the public's watchdogs in government, and these politically motivated attacks on them cannot be allowed to stop them from doing their jobs. Senator Chris Murphy and Rep. Jim Cooper have proposed a bill (not yet numbered) to protect inspectors general from being removed without real cause. https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/492095-two-democrats-roll-out-bill-to-protect-inspectors-general-from-politically Let's contact our MoCs and tell them to support it.

MEDICAL SUPPLY CHAIN EMERGENCY ACT: The competition between states and hospitals on the open market for PPE is causing such problems that governors are actually considering forming a multistate consortium to stop the competition and help make sure supplies are affordable and get where they need to go. https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/04/08/just-madness-governors-mull-consortium-to-end-chaos-over-medical-supplies-1273929 We shouldn't need a new multistate consortium when we have an old one - the federal government. It's time to force action. Let's call our members of Congress and tell them to support quick passage of the Medical Supply Chain Emergency Act (S.3568) to end this madness.

DISABILITY RIGHTS: Nursing homes and long-term care facilities/institutions across the U.S. are seeing rapid spread of COVID-19 (https://bit.ly/2V83vIJ). Individuals in these places are unable to enact proper social distancing, and those who care for them are often working in multiple facilities, putting those who are most vulnerable to the virus at even greater risk. While we have called on Congress before to pass the Disability Integration Act, which would ensure that people who qualify for long-term support services get the help that they need through community-based services and programs, rather than having to resort to institutionalization, now it is even more essential to get this bipartisan legislation through Congress. Let's read ADAPT's call to action, then let's call our own MoC and tell them that we must pass the Disability Integration Act (H.R. 555/S. 117) immediately.

NATIONAL BAIL OUT/#FREEBLACKMAMAS: From Essence: "The National Bail Out (NBO) is a Black-led and Black-centered collective of abolitionist organizers, lawyers and activists building a movement to end pretrial detention and ultimately mass incarceration all while supporting Black communities. As a tactic, they have bailed out countless numbers of Black mothers from jail over the years for mother’s day through their annual #FreeBlackMamas campaign." Now, the organization is expanding its efforts, providing groceries, rent, and extra support during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the work of the NBO has always been important, right now it is essential in getting Black mothers and caregivers out of jails, which are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 outbreaks, and into a safe environment. Let's read more about what National Bail Out is doing here, then for those of us who are able, let's donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/national-bail-out-1 As Mother's Day approaches, we can also learn more about the National Bail Out's work freeing mothers in time to celebrate the holiday with their families: https://nationalbailout.org/about/

TRUMP RETWEETS #FireFauci: “President Trump retweeted a call to fire his top infectious-disease specialist, Anthony S. Fauci, on Sunday evening, amid mounting criticism of the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. The call, with the hashtag “FireFauci” came from a former Republican congressional candidate, DeAnna Lorraine, who amassed 1.8 percent of the vote in an open primary challenge to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) this year.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/04/13/trump-fire-fauci-coronavirus/?utm_campaign=wp_politics_am&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_politics and https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-anthony-fauci-donald-trump-covid19-response-latest-news-2020-04-13/ We can do two good things at once here. Support the USPS and Dr. Fauci. Buy some stamps and send a snail mail thank you note to Dr Fauci for giving us the science-based data to save lives.

Attention: Dr. Fauci, National Institutes of Health (NIH), 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20892. Let’s show him our gratitude and support our postal service.

ASK CONGRESS TO KEEP PRESSURING THE WHITE HOUSE TO STOP DEPORTATIONS DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC: It’s bad enough that immigrant detention centers, including those for children, remain crowded, and that ICE is continuing to use scarce personal protective equipment to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants with no criminal record, putting their own agents’ health at risk, as well as the health of the immigrants with whom they’ve come into contact. Now the administration is further showing their skewed priorities by issuing Visa threats to any country that won’t accept deportees because of the pandemic. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/10/us/coronavirus-live-updates.html. Let’s tell the White House and the Department of Homeland Security that we want to see our resources and attention on the COVID crisis, not on more arrests and deportations. Let’s also write to our MoCs and ask them to intervene in any way they can.

QUICK FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR COVID-19 RESEARCH: Fast Grants https://fastgrants.org/ is an privately funded effort to speed up funding for crucial research during the COVID-19 global pandemic. If we are a scientist at an academic institution currently working on a COVID-19 related project and in need of funding, we can apply for a Fast Grant. Fast Grants are $10k to $500k and decisions are made in under 48 hours. If they approve the grant, we’ll receive payment as quickly as our university can receive it. Researchers outside of the US are also eligible to apply. We can find out more about FastGrants for our a COVID-19 related research and apply here. We can also share this with other qualified researchers we think might want to apply: https://fastgrants.org/

USE AND SHARE UP TO DATE HEALTHCARE COVID-19 BEST PRACTICES FROM USC EPIDEMIOLOGY DEPT: As doctors, healthcare workers, researchers, patients and their families look for up to date information on treatments for COIVD-19, we can checkout this Summary of Evidence Based Recommendations From USC. This PDF file of up to date evidence-based information on COVID as of April 10, 2020, covers statistics as well as epidemiology and treatments. The information is heavily vetted, and sources are cited throughout the document. This guide represents countless hours of work from the epidemiology staff at USC- we can read it, use what works for us and share widely with doctors, institutions, health care workers and other concerned parties.

http://keck.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Evidence-Based-COVID_4-10.pdf

POSTCARDING WRITE-UPS: From one of our own: Right now, it feels like disasters are flying at us at warp speed, but remember that we can be the good news. Even if it's hard to see sometimes, there are millions of us whose loyalty lies with the Constitution, rather than partisan rancor or profiteering. Please use/share/distribute these write-ups as you see fit.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Zoe5udL4rzBYOouqflKeO2-xOOXDabm9jRVzaPZ8Sfo/edit?usp=sharing

HELP HOURLY WORKERS: "People who rely on hourly wages (including those who rely on tips) are suffering, having seen their daily income all but disappear overnight, and for some already losing their jobs. Government relief efforts are helpful, and some businesses are continuing to pay their workers for an allotted period of time, but many have been left out in the cold. They need immediate relief to pay for food and other basic needs." This GoFundMe partners with Robin Hood in NYC and Tipping Point Community in San Francisco to get financial support to these folks right away. Let's donate if we can: https://www.gofundme.com/f/helphourlyworkers

PLASMA NEEDED FROM RECOVERED COVID-19 PATIENTS: “In coordination with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Red Cross is seeking people who are fully recovered from the new coronavirus to sign up to donate plasma to help current COVID-19 patients.” If we, or someone we know, fit this, let’s click here to get more information and to sign up: https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/dlp/plasma-donations-from-recovered-covid-19-patients.html

ELECTION/VOTING

TWO BIRDS, ONE STONE: The US Postal Service is struggling financially. And we need to get Democratic-leaning voters to the polls in battleground states. We can help on both counts! Let’s sign up to write letters to voters at Vote Forward (https://votefwd.org/) and let’s purchase stamps for the envelopes: https://store.usps.com/store/home

HELP KEEP A HOUSE SEAT IN DEMOCRATIC HANDS: The special election for the California 25th House seat is getting more competitive - political analyst Larry Sabato just changed his rating from "Leans Democratic" to "Toss-Up." http://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/the-next-big-special-election-ca-25/ Now more than ever we need to be electing folks who will fight for affordable health care and not for Trump's agenda. Let's volunteer for Democratic nominee Christy Smith. We can sign up to make calls for her from home here.

FLORIDA AMENDMENT 4 UPDATE: A federal judge has expanded the ruling to include all Florida felons in the case over Amendment 4, which is set to go to trial April 27. Instead of the 17 people involved in the original suit, the ruling will effect 430,000 people. We can read more at Tampa Bay Times.

VIRGINIA DROPS VOTING RESTRICTIONS: Gov. Ralph Northam (D) signed a bill replacing a state holiday, Lee-Jackson Day, that honored Confederate generals with a state holiday designated for Election Day. He also signed a bill repealing Virginia’s voter ID law and a bill expanding access to early voting. We can read more about the full scope of this legislation at The Hill.

LET'S REACH CALIFORNIA VOTERS: California voters in Congressional District 25 (Simi Valley area) will vote in a May 12 special election to choose their representative. Postcards to Voters' Campaign 198:Christy Smith for Congress can help us encourage Democratic voters in the district to send in their ballots. This will be an all vote-by-mail election. Let's request 5 addresses for this campaign today.

STATE/LOCAL

ALL: TELL OUR GOVERNOR NOT TO LET TRUMP PUT THE HEALTH OF OUR RESIDENTS AT RISK. Trump is now considering lifting shutdown/stay at home orders and re-opening the economy by May 1, despite pushback from public health officials. https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/492293-public-health-officials-push-back-on-may-opening. And now he’s saying that governors cannot overrule him, if he chooses to re-open businesses and relax social distancing policies in their states. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-13/trump-declares-he-has-power-to-open-up-states-not-governors. Let’s tell our governor not to be pressured by Trump, and ask them to not to relax any measures designed to protect the health of our state’s residents until medical experts have determined that it is safe to do so.

MI: HOMELESS MICHIGANDERS: From MI Resistance: Homeless individuals have the same needs as we all do – food, shelter and health care. During this pandemic, many places that normally provide these services are closed. As we combat COVID-19, it is especially important that homeless individuals have shelter to protect themselves and others from infection. At the same time, the hotel industry and its employees are facing big economic losses. It is within the Governor’s power to release funding and coordinate with hotel owners to house people immediately. Let's call or e-mail Governor Whitmer to urge her to immediately commit state funding to providing shelter to homeless individuals in vacant hotels. Governor Whitmer: 517-373-3400 or

https://somgovweb.state.mi.us/GovRelations/ShareOpinion.aspx

RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS/GROUP ACTIONS/TWEETSTORMS

READING/WATCHING

A Natural Coronavirus Experiment Is Playing Out In Kentucky And Tennessee - https://www.buzzfeednews.com/amphtml/danvergano/coronavirus-kentucky-tennessee-social-distancing

Prepare for the Ultimate Gaslighting - https://forge.medium.com/prepare-for-the-ultimate-gaslighting-6a8ce3f0a0e0

WHO officials say it’s unclear whether recovered coronavirus patients are immune to second infection - https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/13/who-officials-say-its-unclear-whether-recovered-coronavirus-patients-are-immune-to-second-infection.html

Coronavirus in New York: A paramedic's diary - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52196815

Senator Sherrod Brown Knows How to Save the Soul of the Democratic Party - https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/senator-sherrod-brown-trump-coronavirus-joe-biden-bernie-sanders-980439/

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